Razzledazzle [ ✓ ]

Chapter 10 | The Exam

The day of the exam is here. Hooray.

I would usually be annoyed by the fact that we have an exam today, but I'm just praising the heavens above that I don't have to share a classroom with Lee.

I'm also glad that I'm in Ms. O'Carthy's room for the test. I feel bad for poor Glory, who has to share a room with the Singleton twins and deal with Mr. Gordon, the other science teacher, who's rude and snappy.

We're all sitting in near little rows, our desks no longer pushed together. All around me are random kids I don't know, except, of course, for Trinity Washington, who's also in the room.

So we're all just minding our own business when a strict-looking woman marches into the classroom, pulling a student by his ear.

That student is none other than Lee Cancer.

Of course.

"Ms. O'Carthy," says the strict-looking woman, tugging on Lee's ear. "This child has been disrupting his classmates all morning. I don't want him to be a classroom distraction, so I'm allowing him to test in your room, seeing as you have less students."

Ms. O'Carthy shoots the strict-looking woman a murderous look, but takes Lee by his other ear and nearly shoves her out the doorway.

No.

No. Lee can't be testing with us. How am I going to concentrate if Lee's in here bugging me for four hours?

No.

"She doesn't know what she's talking about," snaps Lee as Ms. O'Carthy forces him into a seat. "I'm an angel."

"Angel of the underworld, maybe," she mutters as she walks back to the front of the classroom.

"Anyways. As soon as the principal comes over the loudspeaker, we will pass out the exams. Are there any questions?"

"Yes," Lee says. "Can you tell us the answers?"

Ms. O'Carthy rolls her eyes. "No. You'll have to figure out the answers, just like the others."

Lee groans. "I bet all the other teachers will at least give their kids one hint."

Ms. O'Carthy rolls her eyes again. "If all of the other students jumped off of a bridge, would you, Lee?"

Lee snorts. "Yeah. There would be a big, soft pile of the other kids' dead bodies to land on."

I can't help but snort, which is unusual because I'm supposed to be mad at Lee. Why am I laughing at his jokes? Why?

"That's enough," Ms. O'Carthy snaps. "The principal is going to come on the loudspeaker any second—"

"Pardon this interruption, students. The sixth and seventh graders will be taking their science exams today. Teachers, if you would please pass out the test booklets and answer documents now."

"A-ha," she cries, meandering over to her desk to where the booklets and answer documents are piled. She grabs the stack and shuffles around the classroom, passing out the booklets.

"All righty then," she mutters. She pauses and raises her voice. "Okay, class. You will have four hours to complete your science midterm exams, in preparation for the finals in April. Now... you may begin."

The test was pretty easy, if I'm honest. I guess all of my worrying really was for nothing. It wasn't as hard as I'd thought it was going to be, and Lee wasn't nearly as distracting as I thought he was going to be.

Hooray.

Now, the real problem is the anticipation.

I'm done with the test.

It's time for the party.

After everyone's done testing, and we've all eaten our sack-lunches that we were permitted to bring from home, we go to fifth period. Usually, fifth period is my PE class, but today our PE teacher just puts on a movie for us to watch inside the gym.

Sixth period, my English period, is the exact same deal. We get there and our teacher simply puts on a movie. When the movie's over, I try to drag my feet and walk as slowly to class as possible.

But eventually, I have to get there.

A flash of hope flits through me as I walk back into Ms. O'Carthy's class, for the second time today. People have brought stuff for the party, cluttered around the sinks and stuffed into cabinets. Everyone already here were trying to throw streamers over the shelves. Well, everyone except Glory and Alex, who were chatting.

I walk over to them. Alex is unpacking some brownies from her backpack—I should have known, she's always prepared. Glory is sitting on top of the desks which have been sloppily pushed back together, a party horn in her mouth.

"Hey, guys," I greet them. "How did y'all's testing go?"

"It went all right," Alex answers, still unpacking her brownies. Angrily, Glory blows her party horn.

I jump. "Glory, you scared me! Do you have to blow the party horn so loud?"

Alex sighs. "It's her way of venting her frustration."

"Why is she frustrated?"

Glory removes the party horn from her mouth and tosses it onto the table. "Because now everyone who was testing in my room thinks I have a crush on Troy. Ugh."

"Do you?" I ask.

She glares at me. "Of course not! He's Troy! Why on Earth would I ever like a complete and utter wing-nut like him? Especially after he kicked you guys out of the party and—ugh."

Alex rolls her eyes. "Well, why does everyone think you like him, then?"

Glory groans, picking up the party horn and giving it another furious toot. "Because, he sat directly to my right, and he. Kept. Tapping. My. Chair. And it was driving me crazy, and I was really mad, so I yelled at him, and then stupid dumb Tyler called out, 'Trouble in paradise?' And now everyone thinks I like Troy."

She finishes her rant with another toot and flops back onto the desk. Alex brings her brownies over to the empty table in the back, putting them next to various other desserts, chips, and soda.

"Oh no," she says suddenly. "Speak of the devil."

"Yeah," adds Glory. "Literally. The devil."

I turn to look at what they're looking at and sigh. Troy, Tyler, and Lee have all come into the room, muttering together.

Lee grins. "Let's get this party started!"