Science Fair Read Free Page B

massive Jason, moving toward Toby. The commotion quickly spread as kids al over the cafeteria stood to get a better view of what they hoped would be a fight.
    Toby was very much hoping there would not be a fight, at least not between him and Jason, who was advancing on him like a tank, only larger. Toby had been thinking more along the lines of a confrontation with The Ferret, but The Ferret was ful y occupied with the problem of getting the enchilada out of his pants, not an easy thing. Jason had just about gotten into striking range when a voice shouted:
    “What is going on here?”
    The voice belonged to Mr. Pzyrbovich, an algebra teacher who was always cal ed Mr. P, for obvious reasons. He had a heavy accent, which a lot of kids said made him hard to understand, although to be fair some of these kids would never have understood algebra anyway. Mr. P was always in a bad mood, but it was especial y bad when he had cafeteria duty.
    “What is going on?” he repeated.
    Pencil Wenzel stepped forward, a look of deep fake concern on her face.
    “Mr. P,” she said, “we’re al worried about The Ferret here, because he seems to have pooped his trousers.” Everyone looked at The Ferret. A brownish glop was oozing from his right pants leg onto the floor.
    “That’s not poop,” The Ferret said.
    “It certainly looks like poop,” said Brad Pitt Wemplemeyer.
    “It’s not ,” said The Ferret. He pointed at Toby. “He put it in there!”
    “So what you’re saying,” said Pencil Wenzel reasonably, “is that Toby put the poop in your pants?”
    “IT’S NOT POOP!” said The Ferret.
    “Stop it! Stop al of this!” said Mr. P. He pointed at Toby. “Did you put that in his pants?”

    “Yes,” said Toby, “but he…”
    “Quiet!” said Mr. P. “You wil have three detentions, starting today.”
    “But…”
    “Quiet!” Mr. P turned to The Ferret and said, “Go clean yourself up.” The Ferret turned to go. He brushed past Toby, and as he did, he said, “You’re dead, Hardbonger.”
    “Ooh!” said Toby, wiggling his hands to show fear. “Like on The Sopranos!”
    “I told you, quiet!” said Mr. P. “Now everybody sit down!” He looked down at the remains of Toby’s tofu enchilada, then yel ed across the room: “Get over here and clean this floor!” A tal , thin man with long hair, a scraggly beard, and a vacant stare, dressed in a janitor’s uniform and flip-flops, shuffled across the cafeteria with a mop. This was J.D., which stood for Janitor Dude. J.D. was often held up to the students at Hubble Middle as an example of exactly why you should not mess with drugs. As he got to work, the students sat down, although the ME kids took the time to glare meaningful y at Toby. Final y, the cafeteria returned to its usual random clatter and conversation.
    “Wel ,” said Toby. “ That went wel .”
    “So you’re not worried that The Ferret’s gonna kil you?” said Brad Pitt Wemplemeyer.
    “I’m more worried about Jason the Giant,” said Toby.
    “Speaking of which,” he leaned in closer to the others, lowering his voice, “I heard him say something weird.”
    “What?” said Tamara.
    “Something about fifty dol ars,” said Toby. “He and Haley were talking about it, and she said you had to put fifty dol ars cash in an envelope, and put it some place, and then you’d get the plans.”
    “Plans for what?” said Micah.
    Tamara was staring at Toby. “The science fair,” she said.
    “That’s what I think,” said Toby. “They buy their project plans from somebody.”
    “Who?” said Micah.
    “They didn’t say,” said Toby. “Haley just said you put the money in the regular place, and you get the plans tomorrow.”
    “Do you think the regular place is here?” said Tamara. “At the school?”
    “I don’t know,” said Toby. “But I gotta stay for detention anyway. I’l see if I notice anything.”
    “I would SO love to catch them cheating,” said Pencil Wenzel, glancing over