Écoust Military Academy

Chapter twelve: Mafia or Middle

Alex, Blake, and Schofield stood by the curb waiting for a cab.

"I can't believe we ate all of the ice cream." Blake said.

"Well, actually it kind of just all melted." Alex said

A cab pulled up next to them.

"We should have just left our backpacks." Blake said

"Then we wouldn't be able to study. It's still a school night." Schofield said, "If we're all going to fit with our backpacks, someone has to sit in the middle." Schofield said.

They both looked at Alex.

"What? I'm not sitting in the middle." Alex said, crossing her arms.

"Why not?" Blake asked.

"You're the shortest one." Schofield said.

"No, no way. I'd rather sit up front with leg space, thank you." Alex said.

Alex opened the passenger door and peered inside. The driver sat in a cloud of smoke from a Cigarette he had just thrown out the window. A sleeve tattoo ran up the length of both of his arms.

"Are you sitting up here?" The man asked.

He's heavy Russian accident and yellowed teeth made her skin crawl. Alex put her backpack on the seat.

"No sir, just putting my bag here." Alex answered.

She quickly closed the door.

"Change your mind?" Schofield asked.

"Mafia or middle." Blake smiled.

Alex rolled her eyes as she slid into the middle seat. Schofield went around to the other side of the car.

"Gah, I hate being short." Alex mumbled to herself.

"It's not that bad." Blake said, sliding in next to her.

"How's that?" She asked.

"Being short has its advantages." Blake said.

"And how would you know?" Alex asked.

Schofield sat next to her as the car started.

"I'm the shortest on the football team." Blake answered, "not by much though. Only an inch."

"Mmhm. Name one advantage." Alex said.

"Well, if you're short you have less ground to cover if you fall." Blake reasoned.

"Next time I trip, I'll remember to be grateful I am short. Any taller I might've broken my arm." Alex said.

"You're a long way from having to worry about your height affecting your fall." Schofield said.

"Blah, blah, blah. Let's make fun of the short person hour starring me." Alex grumbled.

The cab sped off to the nearest ice cream shop.

"Okay okay, but that's not what I'm saying." Alex said

The trio was sitting in a corner of an ice cream shop with books and papers spread out.

"But I don't get it." Blake said

"Okay okay, the question says a cake is being put into an oven, is the cake a liquid? My answer is no, because it has been baked yet. It's all liquid unil you put it into the oven." Alex said

"The liquid is called cake batter not cake though." Blake said

"So is cake batter a liquid?" Alex asked