Razzledazzle [ ✓ ]

Chapter 9 | The Suggestion

If you thought that I would get over Lee's terrible antics in a night, you would be wrong.

Like, really wrong.

Naturally, I was fuming by the time I got to Ms. O'Carthy's classroom, and now, as we sit here, waiting for Ms. O'Carthy to come back from another teacher's classroom, I'm very

Very

Very

Very

Mad.

I still haven't gotten over the fact that Lee kicked us out of his own house. In fact, I think my level of madness has only gotten higher as the days goes on.

"Okay, class," calls Ms. O'Carthy, raising her hands up in the air to settle the class down. "I know that all of you will have finished your research and your sketches by now."

I'm expecting a reaction from Glory, but she pulls out a finished sketch. It's not exactly drawn to the best of her ability, but she's done it.

"Wow," Alex mutters. "I'm actually impressed that you managed to do it, Glory."

"Thanks for the moral support," she retorts sarcastically, slamming her binder closed and shoving it into her backpack. "You know, I'm actually capable of things sometimes."

Alex snorts. "Uh-huh."

Lee, Troy and Tyler are quietly muttering from their seats in the row at the very front, right in front of Alex and two other people, right in front of Glory and I.

I don't like it when they mutter like that.

"Class, quiet down!" snaps Ms. O'Carthy glaring at the three muttering hooligans that sit in the front. "And it's a good thing that you've all finished your sketches, because there's going to be a midterm science assessment. But you already knew that, I'm sure."

"We did?" Lee cries.

Usually, I would have snorted at him, but I'm too mad at him right now, so I just glared in his general direction.

Beside me, Glory grumbles.

"What?" asks Alex, turning around in her seat to look at a very mutinous Glory.

"You'll see."

"As always, we will not be taking the midterm tests in our usual rooms. This is a very serious ordeal, to get ready for the final exams in April. So, you will be separated into different teachers' rooms by your last names. For instance, I have kids with last names starting with V through Z, and Mr. Gordon has kids in his room with last names starting with R and S." Ms. O'Carthy finishes her speech with a cough and turns back to her computer.

"What?" asks Alex again. "I don't understand why you're mad, Glory."

Glory glares at the desk. "Didn't you hear her? Mr. Gordon's room is for kids with last names R and S. It means that I, Gloria Reeves, have to share a room with them two." She jabs a finger at the Singleton twins.

"Oh, come on," Troy says. "We know you love us."

Apparently that was the wrong thing to say, because when she usually would have laughed, Glory huffed and folded her arms, turning away.

"Oh, come on, Glory," I say. "Don't be mad at Troy for what Lee told him to do."

Glory turns her hazel glare towards me. "You know that isn't true. Troy could easily beat the crap out of Lee any day."

As much as I hate to admit it, it was true. Although the Singleton twins aren't exactly the definition of "muscular", they're more muscular than Lee, and they're definitely taller than him, as he's fairly short.

"You could tell Troy didn't want to do it," I whisper. "I know he didn't."

Glory's ignoring me.

Again.

Hooray.

Ms. O'Carthy turns back to us, having finished whatever else she was doing. "All right, now that's over with, let's discuss what we're going to be doing after the midterm exam." She pauses.

"After the exam, you'll go to your fifth, sixth, and seventh period classes, like usual. I doubt you'll be doing work on an exam day. I might as well just put on a movie. You know, you guys could throw a party for all I care."

"A party?" Lee shouts. "Let's do that!"

No. I have had enough parties for ten lifetimes. Lee would just ruin any party that we threw.

But of course, everyone's already on board for the idea of a party. Naturally, the second that Ms. O'Carthy declares that the rest of today is a free day, everyone gets together and puts together plans for the party that we're apparently going to have.

Apparently.

The other two people in Alex's row, Trinity and Chloe, have moved to the mob of people planning the party, so Alex moves over to the empty seat on the other side of me.

"Well. Another party that we've been forced to go to," Glory mutters. "Yay."

"If I remember correctly," I reply icily, "it was you and Alex who insisted I go to Lee's party."

"Well," Alex says. "That was a disaster."

We sit in silence, all probably thinking about the exact same thing. I'm not sure which one makes me more nervous.

The exams.

Or this new party.