My Weirdest School #2 Read Free Page A

clapping.
    â€œNice job, A.J.!” said Ms. Cuddy.
    â€œYou nailed it, dude!” said Michael.
    That’s when the most amazing thing in the history of the world happened. Ms. Cuddy went to turn off the TV, but she must have pushed the wrong buttonbecause she changed the channel instead.
    Some girl was on the screen. She was sitting at a desk in front of a microphone, and she was wearing a funny hat, fake nose, and glasses.
    â€œThis is Morgan Brocklebank,” she said, “and this has been the morning announcements from Dirk School.”

    WHAT?! Dirk School is on the other side of town. We all call it Dork School.
    â€œOne last thing before I sign off,” Morgan Brocklebank said. “We want to give a special thank-you to Mrs. Ella Mentry, who donated the money for us to start our TV station.”
    WHAT?!
    â€œMrs. Mentry gave them a million dollars too ?” shouted Andrea.
    â€œThat’s not fair!” shouted Neil.
    â€œI thought she only gave the money to our school!” shouted Alexia.
    Everybody was upset. But one person was more upset than anyone else.
    Ms. Cuddy.

Ms. Cuddy was staring at the TV with her mouth open. She didn’t say anything. But I could tell she was really angry. She made both of her hands into fists, and it looked like her eyes were on fire.
    â€œThose dirty, rotten . . .”
    She was mumbling to herself. Then shestarted shouting.
    â€œHow dare they start up a TV station at Dirk School the same day we start our TV station? This is horrible ! I won’t stand for it!”
    She was really freaking out! I thought she was going to throw something. I had never seen a grown-up get so mad.
    That’s when Mr. Klutz’s voice came over the loudspeaker.
    â€œGreat job with the morning announcements, kids!” he said. “I was watching in my office. Terrific, A.J.! And I just heard that fifty-four people in town were watching you at home.”
    â€œHow many people were watching theDirk School morning announcements?” asked Ms. Cuddy.
    â€œSixty,” said Mr. Klutz.
    â€œNoooooo!” shouted Ms. Cuddy as she fell to her knees. She looked like she had just seen the earth destroyed by a meteor.
    â€œI can’t believe those Dirk jerks beat us!” she moaned.

    â€œDoes it really matter how many people tune in to watch us?” asked Andrea.“I mean, it’s just the morning announcements.”
    Ms. Cuddy jumped to her feet.
    â€œOf course it matters!” she shouted. “We are winners at Ella Mentry School, and don’t you forget it! Nobody beats us. We’re number one! I didn’t go to film school for four years to come in second !”
    She started pacing back and forth.
    â€œWe need more eyeballs,” she muttered. “How are we going to get more eyeballs?”
    That was weird. Why would she want more eyeballs? Aren’t two eyeballs enough? *
    Ms. Cuddy is nutty.
    â€œDo you mean we need more people to watch our morning announcements?” asked Andrea.
    â€œYes!” Ms. Cuddy replied. “We need to do something tomorrow morning that will blow Dirk School out of the water.”
    Why is everybody always talking about boats?
    â€œWe could get a funny hat and have A.J. put on a fake nose and glasses,” suggested Michael.
    â€œNo, Dirk already did that,” Ms. Cuddy said, still pacing back and forth. “We have to come up with something new and different. A.J., do you have any special talents that nobody else can do?”
    â€œI can make armpit farts,” I told her.
    â€œ That’s a special talent?”
    â€œA.J. is good at telling jokes,” said Ryan. “He told jokes in the school talent show.”
    â€œThat might work,” said Ms. Cuddy. “A.J., tomorrow morning I want you to come in here with your best jokes.”
    â€œDoes that mean I don’t write the scripts anymore?” asked Andrea.
    â€œYou help with the lights