game on | lucaya

t w o

schemes and science class

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Here I am in detention, pouting away like a little child, while Hopalong's face is pressed against the window, grinning away. I stick my tongue out at him and he cackles, walking away triumphantly. Yes, Lucas Frickin' Friar told on me. That stupid tattletale. I'm so going to get him for this.

And as the time ticks away, I start to plan my next scheme.

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"But do we really have to do this, Mr Jameson?" Riley's face is a shade of white paler, her hands trembling ever so slightly, her nose wrinkling.

"Okay, class, just like I'd said last week, we'll be dissecting frogs today!" He claps his hands together excitedly like a little child in line for Disneyland, except that we're going to cut up slimy green amphibians. The whole class groans.

"I'll be choosing your partners today, and since I'm too lazy to choose, we'll go according to the name list." Cue the groans again.

Since my name is right below Lucas's one on the name list, I'm paired with him again. And Riley is paired with Farkle. Lucky her, Farkle always wants to do all the work, except that she wouldn't allow him to.

"Can one of the students come and collect the frog?" Mr Jameson calls, holding up one of the poor frogs we're going to dissect, its eyes wide as if pleading for help.

"Dibs on not collecting the frog," Lucas says, twisting his index and third fingers.

"That doesn't even make sense," I narrow my eyes at him.

"It doesn't have to, because you're going to go get the frog."

"Be a gentleman and go get it, will you?" I plead.

"Nope," he says, popping the 'p'. Ugh

I bring back the frog, snapping at him. "You suck."

"You know you love it." He winks.

I cock an eyebrow skyward. "As if."

"Set the frogs down onto the board now," Mr Jameson grins. Wow, this is dubious.

But before I place it on the table, I pretend to trip and drop the frog down Lucas's shirt. Oops.

His eyes widen a little before he registers that a squirming slimy amphibian's stuck on his back. And he's desperately trying to get the poor frog out of his shirt.

The whole class is whooping with laughter. And even Mr Jameson doesn't seem to be in such a hurry to give me detention. But I know he's going to come. He's walking over.

But before he can reach my table, I duck under his flabby arms (ew) and bolt to the front of the class, and open the entire tank of frogs and tip it out. All hell breaks loose. Students screaming, cheering me on, cursing profanities.

Now for Phase 3 of the plan. Yes, yes, of course I made a plan, like a proper spy. I can practically hear you snickering at me right now. Oh yeah, back to Phase 3: run.

I sprint out of the classroom as fast as possible, even if I know I'm going to get detention anyway. And I scream, "Take cover! The frogs are loose!" And all of a sudden, half of the school's population is crowding the hallways, watching curiously as twenty frogs hop down the hallway, croaking and looking at the students just as curiously as they're looking at them.