A Waffle Paradise Circulation: 103,901,843 Issue: 205 | 26th day of Hiding, Y7
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BOOM!: Part One


by blubblub317

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"Class, I have something important to announce!"

     I looked up from my math book, surprised. Ms. Fringle usually never had anything to announce but math equations during class time.

     "In two weeks," she declared excitedly, her ears perking, "we will be hosting our first ever science fair!"

     Instantly, the classroom buzzed with excitement, but I wasn't part of it. Definitely not. Science fairs were for little kids, not for a mature pet like me. Yes, I was polite, mature, and…mature! Hmprh, aren't all baby Chias?

     Groaning, I sunk back into my chair, trying to look absorbed in my Math Book. It didn't work, which caught me off-guard.

     "Devyn, do you wanna' make a project with me for the science fair?"

     Secretly, I was yelling to myself, No, no! Don't do it!

     But when my baby Moehog friend stared back at me with those big blue eyes of hers, I couldn't resist. I knew the waterworks would explode if I said no.

     "Uh, I'll thi--"

     "You're going to participate in the science fair and make yourself look like an even bigger fool?" a recognizable voice interrupted me rudely.

     My brow furrowed, and I balled up my fists in anger. Great, it was Lila, trying to seem all impressive in front of her friends.

     "Why aren't you answering me? Are you afraid?" The Royal Acara sniggered as her friends nudged her playfully from behind.

     "Just leave me alone," I muttered, grinding my teeth at the same time.

     Again, Lila and her friends giggled in a prissy manner. "Trying to seem all tough, eh?"

     I swiveled towards that stupid Acara, fueling. "Leave me alone!" I yelled.

     Lila rolled her eyes sarcastically. "Oh, Devyn, it must hurt you so much to not have any friends!"

     "I-I'm her friend!" Vicky sputtered, her baby buck teeth protruding from her mouth.

     My cheeks turned bright red instantly. It was so embarrassing having your little Moehog friend try to defend you.

     "Oh Vicky," said Lila sympathetically, "I know it's only because she pays you!"

     Vicky stuttered random words, and then quickly stole my Math book and hid behind it.

     "So, I'll be expecting to crush you in this competition," Lila snarled.

     I shot her a menacing glare. "It's not a competition. It's a science fair."

     Lila heaved a sigh. "Potato, Potahto. They're both the same, my dearest friend."

     "I am not your friend," I hissed as Lila and her gang walked away, sneering at me. I sighed and plopped down in my chair glumly.

     "You still wanna' be my partner for the science fair?" Vicky asked, shaking as she continued to hide behind my book.

     I sighed, wearing a worried expression. "I guess. But I have a feeling this is a bad idea."

     **************

     The next day, Ms. Fringle allowed us free time in science to work on our science fair projects. Vicky and I sat at a small table in the back, hopelessly attempting to glue frail pieces of Popsicle sticks together. Our goal was to construct a replica of Queen Fyora's castle but obviously things weren't working out as planned.

     Ever once in awhile, I would shoot scowls towards Lila and her group, who were laughing as loudly as they could while constructing some bizarre structure out of red and brown clay. In my heart, I was praying that, somehow, their project would become a disaster, but the prayer was backfiring.

     "We've got the base done, Devyn," spat Vicky. I backed away quickly so the saliva couldn't reach me, and then let out a dissatisfied sigh.

     "It looks terrible," I muttered, resting my head on the table.

     Vicky cocked her head down, and I could instantly tell that she felt bad by what I had said. I hadn't even helped much with the base; I was too busy examining Lila's group.

     "Oh, that's not what I meant!" I quickly said, trying to think of something that would make Vicky feel better. "It's just that…we could improve on minor things!"

     "Like what?" Vicky asked, her face looking up.

     "Well…"

     Suddenly, I noticed a quick blur zip by from the corner of my eye. I turned around to see what it was, when suddenly a jolt sped around our table, and, to my horror, the base completely collapsed all over the ground.

     "Oh my gosh, our project!" cried Vicky, kneeling down and hastily picking up all the pieces in her hooves, tears already dripping down her face.

     "What happened over here?" a concerned voice suddenly called out.

     I peered up, finding Ms. Fringle standing over us. She looked so menacing with her looming figure towering over me, and I couldn't help but gulp and shake nervously, even though she was only a plump yellow Cybunny.

     "I saw what happened, Ms. Fringle!" a voice, this time an irritating one, snapped.

     I rolled my eyes, knowing who it was automatically.

     Lila walked up towards the three of us, holding a notepad and a pencil in her paws and attempting to look like some detective.

     "At approximately twelve-thirty-two p.m., Neopian Standard Time, Devyn Morgan clumsily rested her elbow on this red table, causing her knee to incidentally slam into the leg of the table and in the end, making the base of their fine project collapse."

     I stared in disbelief at the Acara, and then suddenly threw myself up. "ARE YOU PSYCHO?!" I yelled in a fit of rage, dashing towards her with my Math Book.

     She giggled and then abruptly gasped, seeing my Math Book flying towards her. Bulls-eye. It hit her right in the forehead, causing her to fall on the ground with a groan.

     "Devyn, what have you done?" Ms. Fringle cried, alarmed. She rushed towards her student and bent down, examining Lila to see if there were any injuries.

     Lila faked a moan of pain, and then shut her eyes tightly. She was obviously being overdramatic, but for some weird reason, Ms. Fringle wasn't noticing.

     Ms. Fringle cocked her head towards me, wearing an expression of definite anger. My entire body suddenly froze up and I realized how much trouble I was going to be in.

     "Principal…now!" shouted Ms. Fringle in such an angry tone that I had never heard from her before.

     I nodded swiftly, picked up my Math Book and then ran out of the class while I heard Lila's friends telling the other students that I was the psycho. I groaned, knowing that I had been defeated again by Lila's group. Anger pulsed through my veins at that moment. How could she have blamed me for wrecking our project? I knew it was one of her cronies! And besides, I couldn't have wrecked it. I was too busy looking at their project…

     **************

     The hallway has always been a scary place for me, with all of those large, threatening students hustling by me. There's not much that a baby Chia can do by herself in this world. But this time, the hallway was absolute torture; it never seemed to end! Trudging by each worn-out locker, my paws crushing balled-up pieces of paper, I knew I was doomed.

     The last time I had been at the office was two years ago, when Lila had pushed me down the slide while I was sitting on it backwards, causing my arm to break. But then at the principal's office, she acted all innocent and called the event a 'freak accident', which was caused by the 'sensitive Mother Nature herself'.

     At last, I stood at the old, creaky door of the office. I pushed it open, and walked up to the secretary's desk. She was witting like mad with her brown pen, and muttering some random words.

     "Um, Ms. Drescher?" I piped, pouncing up and down for the red Peophin to notice me.

     She suddenly threw her pen at the wall and yelled out, "I know you're watching me!"

     I fell to the ground because I was so startled. Who was watching her? I jerked my head towards the wall. No one was there, expect for a picture of a cute little Meepit…

     "A-are you all right, Ms. Drescher?" I said, wiping away some sweat from my forehead with my arm.

     She paused and then sighed, receding back in her swivel chair. "Yes, I'm fine, dear," she replied in her usual soothing voice. "Mr. Googlesworth is awaiting you in his office."

     I stared wide-eyed at her and nodded. Knowing that trouble was coming, I tried my slowest possible to go down that narrow hallway towards Mr. Googlesworth's office, but Ms. Drescher eventually noticed and told me to hurry along. I took in one big gulp and entered his office.

     To my surprise, he didn't instantly go into a fit of madness, but instead was sitting at his desk with his hands crossed together. His glasses magnified his eyes three times their normal size and his squat blue Tuskaninny figure emphasized even more his chubby face. He had always seemed like a funny fellow to me; yet one that was just waiting to tick and explode at the right opportunity.

     "Ms. Devyn, please sit," he said calmly, motioning towards an empty seat in front of his desk.

     I sat myself down, never making full eye contact with him. That's the number one rule when you're at the office, my owner had told me. Never make eye contact. They see your fear hidden inside of you. She would know; she's had plenty of experience with the old croak from all the fighting between me and Lila.

     "Now, Ms. Fringle notified me of something serious that you did in class," he droned, his left eyebrow raising. "You hit another student, Ms. Lila, with your Math book. Am I correct?"

     "Yes, Mr. Googlesworth."

     "I see. And was this intentional or merely an accident?" he continued on.

     I trembled, my heart pounding with full speed. "It was intentional," I muttered.

     "And did you realize the injury that this would cause Ms. Lila subsequently?"

     "…Yes."

     "Well," he said, standing up from his chair, "I will have to notify your guardian of this action immediately. What you did was unacceptable."

     In my mind, I groaned. My owner would kill me when she found out.

     "I understand," I said softly, creating a fake disappointed expression on my face.

     "I'm glad you understand the consequences." Mr. Googlesworth's face suddenly wrinkled and he adjusted his glasses. "Best you be going along back to class. Have a good day, and remember: no more trouble."

     "Yes sir."

     I hopped out of the uncomfortable chair and hurried out of the office. As I headed back to class, I said to myself, I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!

     Things like Science Fair aren't just meant for 'fun and education', they're more then that. With this school, it's going to be one big competition; complete with a side-order of sabotage and aggressiveness. And it was like I had thought to myself all along: this year's Science Fair was going to be a total disaster.

To be continued...

 
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