Scientific Actress

Ridgewood-A-Rooney

Parker and I walked with Liv into Ridgewood High School, holding hands.

"Welcome to high school, little brother and the lady who warms his heart. I am so happy that you're here full time," Liv said excitedly. "I have taken the liberty of decorating both of your lockers."

Liv opened our lockers. Parker's locker blasted Linda and Heather, but mine was filled with a theater theme along with a lot of crystals and (f/c). Parker fumbled to close his locker, blocking the music from blasting into the hallway.

"Look, I really appreciate this, but Linda and Heather feels like a year two locker," Parker reasoned. "Once I've established myself, I can be more open with my love for m'gurls. Thanks, though. You get me."

"Liv, this is absolutely perfect!" I gushed. "I cannot thank you enough."

"Honestly though, (Y/n), you should thank Parker. He was the one who told me what you like," Liv admitted.

"Noted," I said, walking over to Parker.

"Some brotherly advice, though. We have PE next period. So, hydrate now," Joey said, motioning to the water fountain next to the doors.

Parker walked over. He repeatedly pressed the button. "No water. Must be broken. Not a good way to start my day."

"What?" Joey questioned. He pulled Parker out of the way. "Let me see that."

Joey pressed the button. He got sprayed in the face. Parker and I grinned.

"I take that back. It was the perfect way to start my day," Parker corrected himself.

Joey, Parker, and I walked down the hall to PE.

~~~

Maddie ran over to Parker and me, sitting in between us. "Hey, how sick is this? I get to have PE with my favorite bro and my favorite theater kid."

"I can hear you over here," Joey stated.

"I know." Maddie smiled. "Hey, um, how are your first days at school going?"

"It's okay so far. I was named captain of the science squad," Parker explained.

"And I was named head of exercises in theater class today," I added.

"Wasn't that your old job, Joseph?" Artie questioned the scientific teenager.

Mr. Rooney walked in, tweeting his whistle. "Okay, class. Today we will be doing the flexed-arm hang."

"Ooh. This is gonna be fun for you. You'll get to see the champ in action," Maddie gloated.

"Or maybe there will be a new champ," Parker reasoned.

Parker and I walked over to the bars. A short while later, it was just the three of us. Two kids had already dropped. My hands were getting slippery with sweat. I dropped at the same time as Parker.

"Ha! Guess I win," Maddie decided. "Bam! Oh, I need my arms for that. Hold on." Maddie got down. "Bam! What?"

Joey hugged Maddie triumphantly. "Finally, Parker tastes bitter defeat."

Artie blew a whistle, throwing a yellow flag down. "Challenge!" A minion brought over the handbook. "According to Wisconsin PE guidelines, article six, paragraph two. A flexed arm hang should be weighted by age. Since Parker and (Y/n) are five years younger than Maddie, they actually beat her by four seconds and set a school record." Artie walked over to us. "I know greatness when I see it. You're rising stars, and I'm hitching my wagon."

"Huh. Artie's right." Mr. Rooney walked over to us. "We have two winners."

"Yes!" Parker cheered.

"No!" Maddie protested.

"We definitely got this." I high-fived my boyfriend.

~~~

"All rise for the flexed-arm hang king of Ridgewood, Parker Rooney!"

Parker walked into the gym wearing a cape and crown. "Applaud him. Recognize his greatness."

"Like it?" Parker asked once it was done.

"Don't let this thing go to your head, Rooney," I teased, smiling.

We did push-ups to end class. Mr. Rooney tweeted his whistle. "All right, good class today. That does it for the fitness portion. Tomorrow we go back to straight-up competition, so divide yourselves up into teams."

"I choose Parker and (Y/n) for my team," Artie shouted, a little breathless. "Minions. Team Middle Schoolers theme music."

"And we're done," Mr. Rooney said after a moment.

"Coach Rooney, in which sport will Team Middle Schoolers be victorious tomorrow?" Artie asked.

"We will be playing sock hockey," Mr. Rooney explained, throwing a puck on the floor.

"Ooh. Sock hockey. Yes! Now they're playing my song. Hey, Joey, Team Maddie music."

Joey sang a random beat. Maddie stopped him after a moment. "Well, you know, I don't really like to brag. Um, but no one has ever scored on me in sock hockey. In fact, they call me the Great Wall of Maddie. You know what? I take it back. I do like to brag."

"How could I have forgotten the Great Wall of Maddie?" Artie said. "We have no shot. I abandon you. Minions, retreat!"

"Relax, Artie." Parker stopped him. "In middle school, they called me The Juggernaut. Nothing can stop me."

"Minions, hold your retreat," Artie ordered. "This creative yet powerful nickname intrigues me."

Parker lifted the puck off the ground and slapped it with the hockey stick. He scuffed his name on the whiteboard. "I can do that all day."

"What about young (Y/n)?" Artie asked.

"Supergirl," I answered. I slapped the same puck at the same spot, only quicker. "Sometimes you can't see when it goes right into the goal."

~~~

Maddie caught another puck. "Bam! What?"

"Ha. Missed again, Juggernaut," Joey taunted. "Good save, Mads."

"There's still plenty of time for us to win," I reasoned, smiling at Parker.

"There's only twenty seconds left! What are you two waiting for?" Artie questioned.

I got the puck. Joey hooked his stick around my legs, and I fell to the ground.

Mr. Rooney blew his whistle quickly. "Tripping."

"Whoa. Come on, ref. That was clearly hooking," Joey argued as Parker rushed up to me.

"You okay?" Parker asked.

"Yeah." I nodded.

He helped me up. "Nothing scuffed."

Joey made his way to the bench, singing.

"A penalty shot for Team Middle Schoolers," Mr. Rooney announced.

"You need to score. Are you a Juggernaut or a Jugger-not?" Artie taunted.

Mr. Rooney blew the whistle. Parker slapped the puck at Maddie. Maddie looked like she was about to block it, but put her hand down at the last second. Parker and I grinned.

"No!" Joey exclaimed.

"Yes!" Artie countered, cheering. "Minions, we sock dance!"

Parker had his arm around me after he talked to Maddie. We were going to be okay.