Spy School: Clash of Spies

Target Practice

Thank you everyone for all the support! I love hearing your thoughts on all of this. This story may be boring right now, but I promise it'll get better!

Oh and I heard I was supposed to do this thing called a disclaimer...? Um... so: I don't own Spy School or Stuart Gibbs. That much is evident. So I don't make money off of this...?

Is that right? Oh well, whatever :) enjoy!

"Hey Ben!" My friend Zoe Zibbell cheerfully called out.

Zoe was one of my best friends at Spy School. She has been with me through the thick of things in my social and spy life. It was revealed to me that she liked me and that was awkward for a while, and I guess it still kinda is, but we're not making that big of a deal about it now. She had green eyes and brown hair. She was super friendly and kind.

"Hey Zoe, what's up?" I asked

"I haven't seen you in awhile because of all the studying for finals. I reserved the rec room TV for the night; do you want to watch a few James Bond movies?" She asked, sounding apprehensive of my response.

I cringed. Today was the first day Audrey was going to help me train. I had helped her to find her classes and told her the way of Spy School, like who to avoid and who was nice. To repay me, she offered to train me in weaponry and hand-to-hand combat during the summer, since Spy Camp was canceled due to state regulations about weather in the area. But Zoe has been staring jealousy at us whenever we were talking and I tried to ignore it, but it was hard. She was not going to be happy when I told her I was hanging out with Audrey.

"Uh... I would love to... but Audrey is planning to train me today. Maybe tomorrow?" I asked sheepishly. Her eyes narrowed angrily.

"You've been hanging out with her a lot. What's going on with you and her?"

My face turned a darker shade of red, "What? Um... nothing! What are you talking about? I was just helping her adjust to Spy School."

"Really? She asks a second year for help when she starts as a fourth year? Have you seen her? She doesn't need help. You boys are just suckers for hot people. You are more than glad to help her because she's pretty. She's using you Ben!" She growled suspiciously.

I fumed. I was getting mad at Zoe because she thinks the only reason I would hang out with Audrey is because she is pretty. I am not that low, am I? I am trying to be a nice person and Zoe's jealous, so she takes it out on me.

"First Erica, now Audrey? Whenever I want to hang out with some girl other than you, you gotta take it out on me! Well, I like you as a friend, Zoe, not as a girlfriend! And just because I'm hanging out with Audrey doesn't mean I'm falling in love with her!" I practically shout, temper rising.

She glares at me, looking like a wounded puppy, "Right," she says condescending, "Because you're head over heels for Erica."

I was going to respond with some snarky comment I would later regret, but Zoe cut me off.

"Fine. Whatever. I'll watch the movie with Mike. He's a better friend than you are anyway." With that, she stormed off.

Her words hit me like a punch. I was being unfair to Zoe. Right? But come on, grow up! I don't have time to keep up with Zoe's babyish fights.

XXX

Audrey stood behind me. I awkwardly held the gun in my hand. I was gripping it way too hard and holding it in an awkward angle. I was petrified of hurting Audrey or myself with it.

Audrey scoffed at me, "Really Ben? Stop treating it like it's cancer and embrace it. Instead of treating it like it's your enemy, treat it like your friend. That way, you'll shoot straight."