During school, Cory, Shawn and Zoey were currently playing football in the hall. Zoey was in defense while Shawn was offense.
"Steve Young takes the snap." Cory began.
"Jerry Rice goes longs." Shawn said as he and Zoey ran towards the bathroom.
"He throws a perfect sixty-yard pass and hits..." Cory trailed off as he threw the ball which hit Frankie. Zoey's eyes widened in fear. "A blue 1995 Buick Regal."
"Run!" Shawn yelled. He grabbed Zoey's hand and dragged her through the hall with Cory.
The three noticed that they weren't being followed and looked around the corner to see Frankie and Joey, sitting together, looking down at a piece of paper, not moving from their places.
"They're not moving." Zoey said as she panted.
"Maybe they lapped us." Shawn said.
Cory, Shawn and Zoey walked out behind the corner and slowly approached Frankie and Joey, nervously.
"Uh, Frankie, Joey, I realize it's none of my business why you're not beating us up, but why aren't you beating us up?" Cory wondered.
Frankie and Joey didn't respond as they continued looking at the piece of paper.
"Maybe they don't understand." Shawn suggested.
"I'll translate." Zoey told the boys, changing her voice into a New York accent. "Why ain't you pounding us to a pulp?"
No response.
"Here... here, let me try." Shawn said. He walked over to Frankie and grabbed his arm. "Hey! Why not this?" He imitated being punched.
"Sorry, the thrill is gone." Frankie replied.
"Too bad. What you got there?" Shawn asked, gesturing to the piece of paper Joey held.
"It's a letter from Harley Keiner." Joey answered sadly.
"It's okay, Joey." Frankie assured.
"How's Harley doing in his new reform school?" Shawn asked.
"It's called juvenile boot camp." Frankie corrected. "He loves it, thank you very much."
"He never wants to come home." Joey informed, starting to choke up. "He doesn't say it here, but I think he's got a new gang."
"Are you okay?" Zoey asked, looking between Frankie and Joey.
"You don't get it. We're lackeys... We're hangers-on with nothing to hang on to." Joey answered.
"Come on, Joey, we might as well go to class." Frankie said before picking up Joey in his arms and carried him.
"It's come to this." Joey whimpered as they walked down the hall.
"Okay, we're back live. Second half." Cory said, taking the football out of Shawn's hands and backed up which caused Shawn and Zoey to do as well. Zoey waved her arms frantically in front of Shawn, trying to block him. "Steve Young back to pass."
"Jerry Rice is open." Shawn called as he moved out of Zoey's reach.
"He throws!" Cory shouted and threw the ball.
Mr. Feeny came around the corner in front of Shawn and Zoey, and caught the ball with ease.
"Intercepted!" Zoey exclaimed in annoyance.
"By Feeny." Shawn said.
"The wily veteran." Mr. Feeny added.
"I stink." Cory remarked.
"I agree." Mr. Feeny replied. "Have your seen your latest test scores?" He pulled out two tests from his pockets and handed them to the boys. "If Mr. Matthews stinks, you, Mr. Hunter, are as odoriferous as a dead man in July."
"What about me?" Zoey asked, placing her hands inside her jacket pockets.
"You, Miss France have received a ninety-five ." Mr. Feeny replied, hanging her test back.
A wide smile spread across her lips. "Cool."
"A twelve. How do you get a twelve?" Shawn asked, looking at his test.
"I don't know. You ever open a book?" Mr. Feeny questioned.
"What?" Shawn asked, generally confused.
Mr. Feeny turned to Shawn quickly. "A book! Do you ever open a book?"
"What?!" Shawn questioned, looking at Cory.
"What'd you get, Cor?" Zoey wondered.
"Don't ask me, I got a sixteen." Cory replied.
"Gentlemen, do you ever go home and open a book?" Mr. Feeny asked.
"What?" Shawn asked once more.
"Shut up." Zoey hissed as she smacked upside Shawn's head.
"I want you to go home this afternoon and open a book!" Mr. Feeny exclaimed. "I don't care what you had otherwise planned, I order you... Nay, I command you. Go home and open a book!"
"George?" Mr. Turner called as he approached them.
"What?!" Mr. Feeny asked.
"Watch this." Mr. Turner said before he turned to Cory and Shawn with a smile. "Hi boys.. nice boys. Nice boys. Fellas, did you hear anything Mr. Feeny just said?"
"No." Shawn answered.
"He's real mad." Cory whispered.
"Do you have any idea why?" Mr. Turner wondered.
"No, he just started yelling like a crazy man." Shawn answered and Cory nodded in agreement.
"Huh." Mr. Feeny said as he began to walk away. "You know, I'd give up on them, but I don't think they'd notice."
"What?" Shawn asked.
Mr. Feeny motioned his hands in the air and walked away from them, clearly annoyed.
"Guys, I hate to add to your troubles, but your book reports were due on my desk by the end of the class." Mr. Turner told them.
"Hey, he took our ball, man." Shawn said, motioning towards Mr. Feeny.
"Hey, wait, I didn't hear anything about any book reports." Cory said.
"I only mentioned it every day in class for the last two weeks." Mr. Turner responded.
"Look, Mr. Turner, just give us 'till Wednesday? I swear we'll have them in." Cory said. Mr. Turner didn't say anything. "Tuesday?"
"I'm grading them Sunday." Mr. Turner informed them.
"So Tuesday?" Shawn asked.
Cory sighed. "Please, Mr. Turner, help me bring up my grades. I just got a sixteen."
"And Shawn got a twelve." Zoey said with a small smirk.
"Between us it makes twenty-four." Shawn added.
"Twenty-eight." Mr. Turner corrected.
"Thanks." Shawn said, smiling.
"Okay, I'll throw you one. Have your papers in my hand, at my place, Sunday, five o'clock, not a minute later." Mr. Turner told them.
"All right, Mr. Turner, I should tell you... My dog ate it." Shawn excused. Zoey sighed and rubbed her temples with her hands.
"Not yet." Cory whispered.
••••
After school the three of them went straight over to Cory's place. Inside Cory's bedroom, Zoey laid on Eric's bed while Shawn and Cory both laid across on Cory's bed.
"You know what I can't figure out? How do these other kids get their work in one time and get such good grades?" Cory asked, playing with a yellow ball.
"Well, I got a theory, Cor." Shawn spoke. "See it's runs in the family. Our ancestors were all slackers and goof-offs and now we're paying the price."
Zoey rolled her eyes and leaned against the pillow. "Idiots."
"That's a good theory." Cory stated. "All right, if I make this one, we start."
Zoey watched as Cory sat up straight and tossed the yellow ball towards the hoop on his window, but instead of going inside the hoop it went straight out the window.
"Open a book!" Mr. Feeny yelled from next door.
"What?!" Shawn questioned.
Cory stood up and paced around his bedroom. "I wish there was some way to do a book report without reading the book."
"They can put a man on the moon, but you still gotta read." Shawn said.
"I got it! We rent the movie and copy the junk on the back of the box." Cory explained.
Zoey shook her head. "No, no."
"You're a genius!" Shawn exclaimed as he stood up from the bed.
"What, you think that sixteen was an accident?" Cory asked.
••••
During the next day at school, the three walked through the halls but stopped when they saw Frankie and Joey sitting on a bench, staring blankly.
"Hey, watch this." Cory said before pulling out a dollar bill out of his pocket and leaned down between Frankie and Joey. "Hey, guys! Look, look... milk money."
"Really, Cor?" Zoey questioned with raised eyebrows.
"See it? Smell it!" Cory insisted, pushing the dollar bill under their faces. "Feel it." He rubbed it against their faces. "Can't you just imagine how good you'd feel just ripping this from my hands and stuffing me in the garbage can?"
Frankie and Joey didn't move a muscle.
"Wow! Cor, stick your whole head in Frankie's mouth." Shawn remarked.
"Gross." Zoey stated, scrunching her face in disgust.
"Come on, guys. What have we ever done to you?" Frankie asked.
Zoey huffed. "A lot of things."
"Ohh..." Frankie said in realization.
••••
After school, Shawn and Cory had basically dragged Zoey over to Mr. Turner's place. The three unfortunately had to run six blocks to find the right building, then ran up four flights of stairs and when they were at the right apartment, the boys began knocking on the door and pressing the buzzer.
"I'm coming! I'm coming!" Mr. Turner shouted from the other side of the door.
"Mr. Turner, we're here." Cory said.
A second later the door opened to reveal Mr. Turner. Both Shawn and Cory held out their book report papers out for Mr. Turner to take.
"Four-fifty eight.. We made it." Cory said, breathing heavily.
"Sprinted six blocks, ran up four flights of stairs..." Shawn trailed off.
"But we made it." Cory said.
Zoey hunched down to her knees, panting heavily. "Yeah, especially when I was dragged with them."
"I admire your dedication. Especially since the deadline is five o'clock tomorrow." Mr. Turner told them.
"Okay, we'll wait, then." Shawn said.
"Give me." Mr. Turner said, gabbing their report papers. "Of Mice And Men - a poignant tale of two unlikely friends, set against the backdrop of the Great Depression. Exceptional cast, powerfully acted."
"Two thumbs up." Shawn said, putting up two thumbs with a smile.
"Look, I've got a date. I've gotta finish getting dressed, so have a seat, catch your breath, grab a soda from the fridge if you want." Mr. Turner told them before he walked off into another room.
Zoey looked around Mr. Turner apartment. The room was a decent size, the living room was in the middle, the kitchen was to far side of the room beside the living room, there was also even a staircase leading upstairs.
"Wow!" Cory exclaimed. "I can't believe we're in Mr. Turner's place. His private domain. Inside a teacher's home."
"What's the big deal?" Zoey wondered. "You've lived next to Feeny your whole life."
"Yeah, but he's never let me inside his house. At Halloween he always drops the candy off at my door." Cory responded.
Zoey then noticed Shawn near the CD stack and began took one out.
"Shawn, what are you doing?" Zoey questioned, approaching him.
"I'm checking out his CD's." Shawn simply answered.
"Put that down." Cory demanded. "He'll know."
"It's a CD. How's he gonna know?" Shawn asked before he dropped the CD he was holding into the fish tank beside him. Zoey sighed and rubbed her temples.
"Pick it up! Pick it up!" Cory insisted.
"Those might be piranhas." Shawn said, looking at the fish.
"Use your left hand." Zoey told him.
"Good idea." Shawn said, rolling up his left sleeve and slowly dipped it inside the tank. "Nice fish. Nice fish. Yeah, go over there."
Zoey furrowed her eyebrows. "Really Shawn? You're talking to fish."
Both Shawn and Zoey turned to Cory, who was sitting on Mr. Turner's couch and played with a toy truck.
Shawn huffed. "Oh, but you can play with the truck."
Cory placed the toy to side on the small table beside the couch, knocking a few things down. Shawn and Zoey rushed over and helped Cory put the knocked down items back onto the table.
"He'll never notice." Zoey said.
Cory then peeled off a sticky note from the fridge. "Hey, look, Miss Tompkin's phone number."
"Is he going out with her?" Zoey asked, fascinated.
"Who?" Shawn questioned.
"You know, that social studies teachers." Cory answered.
"Oh, right, the blonde. That must be who he's going out with." Shawn said.
"Yeah, they'll probably go out to dinner and then see a movie and then... Oh, man..." Cory said, having a shock expression on his face while Zoey couldn't help but giggle.
"There's ice in the freezer!" Mr. Turner called out from inside his closet.
"Ah.... Ah... we're fine. We're okay." Cory assured, putting the sticky note back onto the fridge.
"Hey, Cory, Zo, check it out." Shawn said, grabbing a book from Mr. Turner's desk. "It's next week's lesson plans."
Zoey's eyes widened. "We can't look at that."
"Yeah, well, I already saw." Shawn responded with a shrug.
"Then let me see." Cory said, rushing beside Shawn. The two looked at the lesson plan for next week. "Tuesday, pop quiz. Chaps eight, ten to sixteen."
"Darn, it's in code." Shawn muttered.
Zoey sighed. "Shawn, they're the chapters we have to study next week."
"Wow!" Cory gaped. "I can't believe this. This is top-secret information. Exactly when the pop quiz is and what's on it."
"This is very valuable." Shawn stated.
"Hey guys...!" Mr. Turner called.
"Put it back! Put it back!" Zoey hissed, panicking slightly, and Shawn quickly placed the book down where he found it.
Mr. Turner walked out of the closet, holding a shirt in his hand.
"What do you think? This shirt or the one I'm wearing?" Mr. Turner wondered.
"The one you're wearing is good." Cory answered.
Shawn nodded. "Definitely the one you're wearing."
"Yeah, looks great." Zoey assured, placing a strand of hair behind her ear.
Mr. Turner gave the three a pointed look before he took the shirt off he was wearing and replaced it with the other one.
"Anyway, Mr. Turner, we have to go." Cory said as the three began to walk towards the front door.
"No drinks?" Mr. Turner asked.
"No drinks." Shawn answered.
"We'll take a rain check, okay?" Zoey assured as Shawn opened the door.
"Yeah, my book is due back and I've gotta rewind it." Shawn excused before he walked out of Mr. Turner's apartment.
Cory nervously laughed. "See you in class, Mr. Turner." Zoey waved her English teacher goodbye and walked out through the front door, followed by Cory, who had closed the door and turned to his friends. "We have no right to know what we just found out."
Shawn smiled. "We know when there's a test."
"We know what to study." Cory whispered in excitement.
"We just might get good grades." Shawn said.
"We finally beat the system!" Cory exclaimed. Zoey rolled her eyes when Shawn and Cory high-fived each other before they three rushed out of the building.
••••
Zoey let out a small sigh as she sat down in her desk, waiting for Mr. Turner to arrive with the Pop quiz that only her, Shawn and Cory knew about.
"Okay, everybody, books under your desks. It's pop quiz day." Mr. Turner announced when he walked into the classroom.
The class all groaned.
"That is so unfair, Mr. Turner. You caught us totally off guard." Cory said, sounding like a robot machine.
"Totally." Shawn added.
"Gee, if you're not ready, we'll just postpone till tomorrow." Mr. Turner replied.
"No, no. Those of us who haven't prepared will just have to pay the price." Cory responded.
"So go ahead, pop us." Shawn said.
"Okay." Mr. Turner replied before Shawn and Cory suddenly grabbed stacks of pencils out of their bags
"Number two pencil, anyone?" Shawn asked, handing the pencils to the class.
••••
After the pop quiz everyone received their tests back. When the school bell rung, Shawn, Cory and Zoey rushed out of the classroom, all excited.
"A ninety two!" Shawn exclaimed. "Wow, I've gotten a nine, I've gotten a two, but never together."
"I'm so proud of you, Shawn." Zoey said with a smile. "What you get, Cor?"
"Ninety-six." Cory answered, reluctantly.
"Well, jump and down!" Shawn exclaiming, jumping up and down with Zoey.
"I can't." Cory said.
"Why not?" Shawn questioned.
"Because we both know I studied for it." Cory answered.
"So did I. That's why we didn't tell anybody." Shawn replied.
"Yeah, but I feel like a cheater. Shawn, Zoey, I can't live like this. I never should have studied. Boy, what I wouldn't give for an F right now." Cory said before he hunched over slightly. "Oh, oh... my stomach."
"Cory, are you okay?" Zoey asked, raising both eyebrows.
"This is the way it is." Shawn said, placing a hand on Cory's back. "We both studied and we got good grades. Now deal with it."
"Oh, oh, now my head hurts." Cory complained. "We gotta tell Turner. It's the right thing to do."
"No, Cory, come on!" Shawn whined. "I got a ninety two. This one grade alone gives me a decent shot at a trade school."
"Oh oh, boy ah..." Cory continued.
••••
"Mr. Turner?" Cory called as the three of them walked back into the classroom, where Mr. Turner was erasing words off the blackboard.
"Francis, Matthews and Hunter, the A-team." Mr. Turner cheered, approaching them. "How does it feel, being at the top of the curve?"
"Great! Glad we talked about it. Bye." Shawn quickly said, trying to walk out of the classroom.
"No, my stomach." Cory said which caused Shawn to stop. "Mr. Turner, I gotta tell you... We knew about the quiz in advance."
"We... We kind of saw it at your house in your lesson plan." Shawn explained.
"The one I left open on my desk?" Mr. Turner asked.
"Yeah." Shawn answered.
"The one I easily could have covered, but didn't?" Mr. Tuner questioned.
"Yeah, that's the one." Shawn answered, slightly confused. "All right, what's going on here, Mr. Turner? If that's your real name."
"I want you to get good grades." Mr. Turner stated.
"By letting us cheat?" Cory asked.
"Guys, that assignment has been the homework for the last two week." Mr. Turner told them.
"It has?" Shawn asked.
"Wait. You mean you want us to know what to study?" Cory questioned.
"Well, I'm lost." Shawn stated. Zoey smiled and placed a hand on his arm.
"It's the whole idea. I stand in front of the class and talk, you learn. It's called education." Mr. Turner explained.
"So that's why this building exists." Shawn said in realisation. "Some of us are students and... some of us are teachers. And if the students listen to the teachers, then... Oh, I almost got it."
"Then they get good grades." Cory finished.
"Yeah, but why?!" Shawn exclaimed.
"Why do you think, Shawn?" Zoey asked, looking up at him with a smirk.
"Because if you get good grades, it means you've actually learned something." Shawn guessed. "Am I close?"
"Close." Mr. Turner answered. "Wouldn't you say, George?"
Zoey, Shawn and Cory turned around to see Mr. Feeny standing at the door.
"I must say I'm surprised, Mr. Turner." Mr. Feeny responded.
"You know, guys, you can get A's again, anytime you want." Mr. Turner said.
"You mean we can look at your lesson plan?" Shawn asked.
"Absolutely. It's up there on the blackboard, everyday." Mr. Turner asked.
"Whoa!" Shawn and Cory gaped, looking at the blackboard.
"Now get outta here. Go home and open a book." Mr. Turner instructed.
"You got it." Shawn said as the three made their way out of the classroom.
"Hold it, Mr. Matthews, Mr. Hunter and Miss Francis. Am I to understand that you've heard all this and are now going home to open a book?" Mr. Feeny asked.
"Yeah, we heard him loud and clear." Cory answered.
"He was talkin' to us." Shawn added.
Zoey huffed. "And I always open a book too stu-"
Then all of a sudden Shawn quickly covered her mouth with his hand and dragged her out of the classroom, followed by Cory.
___________________
PUBLISHED: March 26, 2018
WORDS: 3294