The Sour by Malcolm Franokuski

In high school, a fourteen-year-old African-American teenaged boy named Jamal Softheimer is walking to the entrance of the school, which is located in the city of Washington in the District of Columbia. Inside, he encounters a fight between Emma, the beautiful fat talkative and always the butt of jokes when it comes to her schoolwork, and the assistant principal, Ms. Greenfeld. Emma usually goes to the school bathroom because she doesn’t have patience to wait for her other members of the family to finish using one or two bathrooms, even though she actually got a lot of time between getting dressed and her school bus’s arrival because she stands there for almost fifteen minutes after walk out of her house. This time however, she was not allowed to go to the school bathroom due to a technical problem. Stil, she insisted to go to the bathroom anyway and with that, she got involed into an argument with Ms. Greenfeld. “Why can’t I go to the bathroom?” Emma asked. “Because Emma, the bathroom is broken and you can’t go there.” “But I have to.” “Should’ve just use the bathroom at home?” “No..” “Ah,” Ms. Greenfeld said as she nodded her head. “I guess you should think twice before…” © 2013 – 2014 Malcolm Franokuski

“Oh c’mon,” Emma hesitated. “Listen, we’re not gonna argue with this. Go to your homeroom,” Ms. Greenfeld said as she was pointing her finger to her right. Emma was irritated. She walks down the hallway and Ms. Greenfeld follows. “Get to your homerooms,” she said to the students who either walk pass by or standing there talking to each other. “Get into your homeroom,” she repeated. As Jamal withness this, two girls (an African american, and a white) walk toward and respond to the same whitness he encounters. “Wow,” Cindy said. “She’s a jerk.” “Her name is Emma,” Emily said. “She’s the one who wants to break all the rules, which makes us nervous.” “Really?” Jamal wondered. “Yeah.” “You guys mean that she wants to break all the rules at school.” “Sometimes,” Cindy said. “But I don’t know. Whenever there’s a rule she can’t break, she will definitely argue with the school staff.” “And proud of it,” Emily added. “Do Emma get into trouble?” Jamal asked. “Yeah,” Cindy said. “A lot,” Emily said. © 2013 – 2014 Malcolm Franokuski

“Like what?” Jamal asked. “Like using a computer for her Science reaseach when she was told not allowed to at the time. There was an under contruction sign that day. She disobeyed it.” “She later got her butt kicked at dodgeball – gym class – by a couple of even her friends by the playground,” Cindy said. “They thought she’s jealous of them and the school.” “And the pain on her butt came pretty hard,” Emily added. “Is she competing with any of you guys?” Jamal asked as he point fingers. “Most of the time but not all the time,” Emily said. “We got into a game called Connect.” “Yeah,” Cindy said, nodding her head. “In most rounds, I beat her fair and square. But sometimes we got defeated.” “Yeah she knows that she needs to do better than that,” Emily added. They stopped walking. Jamal begins to question for a moment. “So hold on,” he said. “Emma is a big pain in the butt for the studentbody. Does that mean…” “No,” Cindy and Emily said as they shake their heads.

“The student body has no problems with her,” Cindy said. “We all wish Emma would kiss her butt goodbye. They would certainly wished so.” “We stay away from her as much as possible unless something happens that we fouced to deal with it,” Emily said. “Did you guys ever talked to the main office?” Jamal asked. “Sometimes,” Cindy said. “Yeah…me too,” Emily said. The bell rings and the trio have to break up to go into their homerooms. Cindy and Emily leave separately while Jamal watches them. “Alright,” Cindy said. “Gotta go.” “See ya later,” Emily said. “Nice meeting you two,” Jamal said. As the girls leave, Emma walks back from the right side, this time seemly walking toward Jamal. “Hey,” she said. Jamal turns around at her and took a deep breath as she approached him. “Did you know this school doesn’t give a crap about my right answers?” she asked him as she touched his left shoulder while putting her other hand on her hips. “They think my answers are totally incorrect. Are they right or am I right?” © 2013 – 2014 Malcolm Franokuski

He was about to answer her awkward questions but then she was stopped by Ms. Greenfeld again as she, too, walked back from the right side. “No no no,” Ms. Greenfeld said pushing her aside from him and started walking with her. “Go to your homeroom,” she told her. Jamal takes a questionable look at this while watching them walking away from him. “Okay,” he said slowly as he took a breath. As he begins to walk down the hallway, he saw a coollooking teenage girl with brown hair. The same age as his. Walking down to her science homeroom. Her name is Catherine. He then walked into his homeroom full of girls. He then sat down on an empty seat beside her. “Hello,” he said. “Hey there,” she said. “Can we talk,” he ask in a professional tone. (MORE CONVERSATION INSERTED LATER) “Watch this,” she said with excitement before slightly pulling her buttocks from her seat. “FARRRRRT!” “Eww girl,” he said as he immeaditly jumped out of her seat and held his shirt over his nose. Her loud fart also led most of the girls jumped out of their seats to stay away from her. © 2013 – 2014 Malcolm Franokuski

The teacher, who is in front of the board writng, turns around. “What the hell is going…,” before she could finish her sentence, she start to smell something funny. “Damn,” she said as she squzze her nose while faning with a couple of paper on her right. “You girls should know what foods you should eat that won’t give you gas because I don’t want any gassy girls in my room.” She then put both of her hand up in the air. “I mean what foods did you girls eat?” she asked. There’s so much numbering around the girls as the situation escalates. Jamal, the only boy in school, looks at the girls, than slightly turns around at Catherine, who seems to enjoy it….maybe. “Alright,” the teacher said as she put the papers down on her front desk. “How about this,” she clapped and rub her hands. “Who farted?” Everyone, including Jamal, pointing their fingers to Catherine. “Catherine, next time if you want to pass gas, hold it. If you can hold it much longer, raise your hand and then I’ll give you a pass to go to the bathroom so you can let your fart out of your butt.” “Sorry,” Catherine said, now feeling embarrassed. (skipping to lunch)

At lunch, Jamal begin to look for that awesome and friendly girl he saw earlier. That name is Catherine. He search everywhere until he found her in an English homeroom, where there’s a bunch of ladies talking to each other. Jamal looked nervous, wondering if this is not for boys. He decided to speak. “Um..,” he said. The girls begin to quiet down and looked at him. “Sorry that I interrupt you guys...” The girls are still looking at him. But they seem to listening to what he’s saying. “Um…can I come in?” he asked. “Sure,” some girls said. “Yeah, you can come in,” a teacher Ms. Marshmallow said. As he comes in, she ask a question. “Who are you looking for?” she asked. “Oh I came here to hang out,” he said. “Well then no problem. It’s okay to hang out in here. There’s no ‘no boys allowed’ rule in here.” “Thanks.” He goes to that girl he’s looking for. She is surrounded by her group of friends. “Excuse me,” he said. “Can I sit with her for lunch.”

“Sure,” Britney said as she gets up for him to sit down in front of Catherine. “Morning,” he greeted. “Morning,” Catherine said. “Is this your first day here?” he asked. “Yes this is my first day here,” she said. “Me too I was wondering about this school.” “Yep. So which middle school did you come from?” “Alabama,” “Alabama okay. I came from Moneypenny.” “Moneypenny?” “Yeah.” “That sounded like a weird name.” “I know. You can said that again.” Then another girl walks by. She’s named Tiffany. “Hey,” she said. “What’s your name?” “That’s what I’m wondering,” Catherine said. “My name is Jamal.” “Well my name is Tiffany.” “And my name is Catherine.” “Oh nice to meet you.” “Do you have any brothers or sisters?” Britney asked. “I only have sisters. A bunch of them.” “You have a bunch of sisters in your family?” Tiffany asked. © 2013 – 2014 Malcolm Franokuski

“Yeah.” “How many?” “Well I’m the only one in the house full of females. I have a mom, two aunts, three sisters, and five female cousins.” “Wow!” the girls were in shocked. Britney is a junior. Tiffany is in sophomore. Catherine is a freshman. “That’s a bunch of girls in the house,” Britney said. “Yep,” Jamal said. “Do you have a lot of fights with them?” she asked. “Do you have to deal with them. “My sisters and cousins have a lot of fights with each other. But not with me. I don’t get into a fight at all. But I have to deal with them because of this. I always have to break them up whenever there’s a girl fight going on. Maybe should I say a catfight.” “Do they sometimes need your help?” Catherine asked. “They do need my help. They sometimes want my advice and take it easily. They love me. I don’t get into their business at all.” “Oh so your sisters view you as a father but not as a brother.” “Correct.” “Wow you’re special.” © 2013 – 2014 Malcolm Franokuski

“Yep.” Another girl, named Sally, walked into the group. “Hey do you want to join our club?” she asked. “What club?” Jamal asked. “The Chilling and Slacking Club,” Tiffany said. “We come to our headquarters to chill and relax after a school week,” Sally explained. “We also slack as well. And we also fart as well; I’m not sure you’re immune to that.” By the way, Sally is the president of the club. But that statement got Jamal off-guard. “We also hang out to eat and talk about stuff,” Britney added. “Why did you girls fart so much?” Jamal asked without listening. “It’s because we’re women.” “It’s because the digestive system on females are much powerful than on males,” Catherine tells Jamal. “What we know what we eat goes to our powerful system, so that why we fart that much. What? You don’t like girls fart? Jamal takes a deep breath. He likes going to girls’ clubs no matter what, but because it’s a club that consist of girls slacking as well as burping and farting, he wasn’t sure he could be comfortable…initially. Although, he was a straight A student, a good boy, and he talks to girls a

lot…in a polite way. He still connects through e-mails, phone calls and social media. “Oh c’mon Jamal,” Sally said. “It’s not that bad. I mean it is, but because of your good behavior and academic performance, you are an exception. I can protect you from the gassiness we’ve been erupted.” Despite her statements, Jamal is still not sure, although he starts thinking about it. “How about this,” she suggests. “We can form a study group.” “Yeah,” Tiffany, Catherine, and Britney said. “We can study any subject, any topic related to school,” Sally is desperately trying to convince him to join her club. The girls need some gender ensemble in the Chilling and Slacking Club. (Especailly outside of school, including silbings, neighbors) The problem: while they do want to join, many boys don’t want to be involved in slacking or being gassy. They don’t want that to ruin their reputation, despite the fact that some girls still on their A grade. Since Jamal is the first male student in their school, the girls are hoping they’ll convince him enough to join the club. “So wait,” he said. “You girls want me to join your club,” he said as point fingers to what he have said. “Yeah,” Brittney and Tiffany said. © 2013 – 2014 Malcolm Franokuski

“I mean you’re smart nerd, right,” Sally said. Jamal’s eyes looked left as he was stunned to hear that Sally knows him much. “Yeah,” he said. “And you talk to girls a lot. But in a gentleman way rather than the regular guy.” “Yeah.” “Well than come in to the club. We’re making you an exception because of….” “Hey can Jamal be in our club?” Tiffany asked the rest of the girls. The girls looked at each other. After that, they nodded their head as they accepted it. “Okay I’m in,” Jamal said. Catherine, Britney, Tiffany, and Sally and the rest of the girls were all celebrated that Jamal has joined the club. “Okay so here’s our schedule,” Sally said as she hands out to him. “Every weekend, we study for about hours and then we talk about things and…stuff like that.” “Okay, I can do it,” Jamal said. “Think you can?” Sally asked. “Sure…well maybe.” “Oh,” Sally remembered as she nodded her head. “Did you go to go out on Sundays?” “Nah. I’ll probably be there only Friday and Saturday nights except otherwise.” © 2013 – 2014 Malcolm Franokuski

“Okay we’ll see you there.” At home, Jamal was sitting there in a chair in the kitchen. Jamal’s mom and aunts are skeptical. “A girls’ club?” Jamal’s mom asked. “You going to a girls’ club?” “Mom, I’m fine hanging out with the girls. I talk a lot with them. In fact I have a lot of girls in my school on my Facebook account.” “You know,” Jamal’s first aunt said. “Jamal’s right. He’s the ladies’ male friend. Sort of.” “He is the ladies’ male friend of course and he’s not like one of the guys who are being smooth or seductive towards females,” Jamal’s second aunt said. “He’s not….” What Jamal’s aunts are trying to say is that Jamal is more comfortable with the girls, espcailly with a lot of female friends. He doesn’t mind listing to Rihanna, Beyonce, or Katy Perry. He doesn’t mind painting his fingernails or read any women’s magazines. Jamal is not your typical alpha-male. “He does talk to his sisters and cousins in the women’s salon,” Jamal’s first aunt continued. “But most of the time he…” the aunts said it together as they looked at each other. “Go ahead,” Jamal’s second aunt said. © 2013 – 2014 Malcolm Franokuski

“No you go ahead,” Jamal’s first aunt said. “So you guys want him to be part of the girls’ club?” Jamal’s mom asked. The aunts looked at each other and Jamal and they looked at each other. “Yes,” Jamal and his aunts answered it together. “Well,” Jamal’s mom sighed. “Okay I’ll let you in Jamal,” she said as she begins to walk out “Okay then. Thank you mom.” “Oh you’re…” she almost said it but she walked out. In one of his sister’s bedrooms, Jamal and his teenaged sisters were sat there talking about their experiences of the first day of school. “So how was school?” Diamond asked. “It was fine,” Jamal said. “Except for a girl named Emma.” “Yeah I hear my friends about it,” said Maya, Jamal’s twin sister. “Just tell me,” Jackie said. “Okay. When I was getting lunch, I saw Louie getting into a fight but not a big one. Though it did capture the attention of the police.” “What police?” Diamond asked. “The chicks who wearing their security jackets.” “Maya that’s the school’s security team.” © 2013 – 2014 Malcolm Franokuski

“Oh.” “But yeah there are also police around the school. I’ve seen police cars when we get into school and out of school.” “Emma was in my um…gym class,” Jackie said. “Did Emma lost a volleyball game at gym class?” Jamal asked. “Yeah,” Jackie nodded. “Emma was really angry that she lost so much that she gets into a one-on-one with some girl.” “Which one?” Diamond asked. “Which class?” Maya asked. “Which type of girl is she?” Jamal asked. “Are you guys talking about the female student or..?” Jackie asked. “Yes,” the three said together. “That person is a bad-ass chick…who probably didn’t score well on her grades.” She takes a pause with a sip of tea. “When she beat Emma out, Emma came to her and said ‘you’re the biggest enemy number one ever and I’m gonna kick your ass’ and then started a catfight.” She starts to chuckle. “It was fun to watch; the coaches were like this,” she showing them how the coaches react: folding their arms. “There were like..,” she shakes her head. “…what are we gonna do with her?” she imitates.

“Oh my god,” Jamal said, slightly chuckled as well while shaking his head. “Did Emma get kicked out for this or did both of them got kicked out?” “Um it was Emma. That other chick actually didn’t fight, but she calm herself down as the gym teacher walks down to see what’s going on, so it seems to be a fight.” “Well who’s the name of the girl who kicked Emma’s butt?” “I don’t know. But I think it’s Meredith.” “Can you describe it to me?” “Well I don’t know much about that kid, but she’s like..” Jackie describe the appearance of Meredith. “Is she freshman?” “I don’t know.” “Don’t you think Emma is a crazy…talks-a-lot person. I’ve head from my friends Cindy and Emily that Emma is an idiot.” “Really?” Diamond asked. “Emma wasn’t really an idiot,” Jackie said. “I don’t why your friends told you that.” “Well yes Jackie,” Jamal said. “She was.” “Okay like…in what ground?” Maya asked. “Are your friends the same school as him?”

“Yes, I believe so. I think they said that Emma is some sort of a butt of the joke in high school in that, for example, she claims that everything in the test is right yet she gets some of the answers wrong, which made her pissed off about it.” “I think Emma didn’t ever questioning at you at all” Diamond asked. “Well actually she did. I was about to answer. He was taken by Ms. Greenfeld.” Jamal’s sisters looked at each other. Then they keep talking. “Okay, look Jackie,” Maya said. “You’re better stay away from him, or else she’ll turn us into laughingstocks literally or not.” “Okay I’ll try,” Jackie said. But it looks like she doesn’t want to. She wants to kick Emma’s butt rather than staying out of trouble. “Jackie,” Jamal said. “I know what you’re thinking,” “Jamal, why wouldn’t she kick Emma’s butt instead?” Diamond asked. “Because…” “Because you’re not a fan of catfights?” A pause for a moment. “Yeah. I just don’t think to me that catfights are never the answer and that…I just want girls to solve problems…without any arguments.” © 2013 – 2014 Malcolm Franokuski

“So you think it’s painful for you to watch girls fight with each other, you just want peace for all of them.” He quickly nodded. “Well he’s the nice guy after all,” Maya said. “Okay Jamal,” Jackie said joining the fight. “We get it that you’re the peacemaker of all chicks. But I lovee to kick some physical butt whatever she needs to. Girls love it.” “Jamal, here’s the thing,” Maya said. “She doesn’t like girls who talk a lot. That’s annoying, and when Emma is annoying, Jackie can flip out. “I guess he doesn’t hang out with boys that much, he’s not a video gamer or beerdrinking man or whatever. He’s just a nerd who gets straight As okay.” “I’m gonna go with Maya and Diamond,” Jackie said agreeing with them. Jamal sighed. “Look we know, you just don’t like catfights. You just want it to be peaceful. But let’s pretend .” “Well…okay.” “Okay it’s three to one Maya,” Diamond said as she gets up from the bed. “You’re the loser.” Diamond starts to exit out of the room as Jackie and Jamal starts to follow her too leaving Maya in shock. “Okay I have to agree with them even though…” she thinks a word to finish her sentence but she moved on. © 2013 – 2014 Malcolm Franokuski

“Ahh forget it,” she said as she gets up from the bed and exit out of the room. The next day, Jamal, Cindy, and Emily were walking down the hallway talking to each other. “So what happened last night?” Cindy asked. “We had a talk about a girls club,” Jamal said. “And,” Emily said waiting for an answer. “She accepted.” “Oh…really,” Cindy said with a calm response. “So you gonna slack and pass gas with those chicks,” Emily said, with a questioning look “Not really,” Jamal said, resurring them. “I’m just gonna hang out with them with protection. … Sally is gonna bring some air freshinor when I’m around.” “Okay.” “Wait are you guys going to join?” Jamal asked. “Nah,” Cindy and Emily said as they shake their heads. “I think it’s….,” Emily said, shaking her head as she turn to Cindy. “Yeah,” Cindy agreed with a chuckle. “And I don’t want to go to a…stinky club.” “The club can be fun and maybe it can split into two,” Jamal said.

“Um…,” Cindy and Emily looked at each other. “Nah,” They said it again. “Well okay at least you thought about it.” “Okay what about Emma?” Cindy asked. “Did you talked to your sisters about her?” “Yeah,” Jamal said, nodding his head. “She has no choice. Jackie. She’s planning to kick her butt.” “What?!” Cindy and Emily shocked. “She can’t do that,” Cindy said. “She’ll get suspended,” Emily added. “Look she wasn’t planning on kicking Emma in the butt. She is planning on beating her on a game or something.” Cindy and Emily thought about it for a moment. “Ohhh,” they said. “Okay I see where you going,” Cindy said. They begin to walk again. As they walk, they see Catherine who’s sitting on a bench. She gets up. “Hello, Catherine,” Jamal said. “Hey Jamal,” she said before slightly turn away from him for a BIG BURP erupting from her mouth. “BUURRRRRRP!” “Whoa,” Emily said as she, Cindy, and Jamal walk a block back. “Are you okay?” Cindy asked Emily.

“Yep,” she said it calmly. “I’m fine. Doing some burps.” “Eww,” Jamal is the only out of the three said it. “So Catherine knows you from my English class,” Cindy said to Jamal. “From the club you’re talking about?” “Yeah, at lunch.” “Hmm Mmm,” Catherine said as she nodded. “Is anything going on Catherine?” Emily asked. “I’m Emily by the way.” Catherine sighed. “Nothing’s going on Emily. I have a math assignment to work on and that’s I can say.” She turns to Jamal. “So,” she said to him. “Anything’s going on with your life?” “Not really,” Jamal said. “One of his sisters has a problem with Emma,” Cindy said to Catherine. “It’s Jackie.” Catherine nodded. “I know, the big talkative laughingstock chick,” she said. “The big competitor.” “The big jerk,” Emily pro-claimed. “Maybe he’s the school…” Jamal trying to figure an answer. “Bully?” Catherine finishes his sentence with a question mark. “Yeah,” Jamal said. © 2013 – 2014 Malcolm Franokuski

“Okay maybe he’s the school’s bully,” Cindy said. “But I still think he’s a competitor.” “Okay maybe we can talk all about this at lunch,” Jamal suggested. “Why?” Emily asked. “Because…there are things that you need to know about Louie. I heard that from my sisters.” “Whoa whoa whoa wait,” Cindy said. “So wait, your sisters believe that Louie is the school bully?” Emily asked. Jamal takes a deep breath. “Yes.” Cindy and Emily looked at each other and so is Catherine. “Well we believe in you and your sisters,” Emily said. “But we could talk about this at lunch,” Cindy said. “I can’t,” Catherine said. “Why not?” Emily asked. “Because I have to go to soccer tryouts.” “Oh you want to be on the girls’ soccer team,” Jamal guessed. Catherine nodded. “Could we talk about on the phone?” “Um…do you have the web cam?” Emily asked “No,” he said shaking his head. “Okay could we use Facebook instead?”

“Emily,” Jamal said with an overeating look. “A phone call is better. We should put into speaker and then I’ll tell you about Louie.” “Okay,” Emily said. “Sounds good to me,” Catherine said. “Good idea Jamal,” Cindy said. As the foursome begin to leave separately, Jackie heard the conversation from the women’s bathroom. While there, two other girls were grooming their hair. “What the heck did I just heard?” Emma asked scarcastcally as she looks at the other girls. “Did you guys hear what’s going on?” The two girls didn’t even say anything, ignoring her. Since Jamal and his friends leave, it’s very glad that they didn’t even know Emma was in the bathroom. (Jamal and his friends were besides the bathroom at the time.) “C’mon,” Emma said as she approached those two girls and touch the left and the right shouldes of them while slightly bending her head. “Did you hear that Jackie is gonna kick my butt?” she asked. Then she rips out something loud out of her buttocks. “FARRRRT!” The two girls, knowing that she acting like it’s a joke, put back their hair products into their purses and wash their hands and they get out of the bathroom.

“Oh man really,” Emma said as she peaked her body slightly out of the door. “You girls really come out of the bathroom because I farted. Next time when I see you guys again, I’m gonna locked the bathroom door and talk to you guys while I’ll keep on farting. That’s right I’m locked the door, talk to you guys about plans on how to keep the school, while I’m ripping out farts.” And just after she said that, she rips another one. “FARRRRT! Oh yeah,” she said with a whisper, feeling proud. The two girls, named Inez and Isabella, looked over their shoulders at Emma. They can’t believe they just walked out of the bathroom where she farted. “Gross,” Inez said to Isabella with scarcasim. “Yeah,” Isabella agreed. “She’s stinks.” Then they walked out as Ms. McDonnell starting to walk past them. Then the stinky smell get to her. “Damn girl who farted,” she said before she walks towards the bathroom door and peaks her head in. “Excuse me what is going on here,” she said. “Jackie is gonna kick my butt,” Emma said without knowing she’s actually talking to a teacher. “Oh Jackie is gonna kick your butt huh,” Mr. McDonnell nods her head before looking arount the bathroom. “Well it smells like you floated a big air biscuit in here,” she sounded like a country woman. “YOU need to stop eating foods that gives you gas.” She paused. © 2013 – 2014 Malcolm Franokuski

Emma didn’t say a word, nodding her head while ignoring Ms. McDonnell at the same time. “And I think YOU need to stay out of trouble or I’ll kick both YOU and Jackie out of school,” Ms. McDonnell continued. “Now I’m warning you since you told me what’s going on. I think you need to take a shower when you come home because it stinks right now,” she exit out of the bathroom She exit out of the conversation as the commoation of female students, feeling the gassy smell, suddenly run away from it, run out of it or gasp for fresh air. “HEY GIRLS STOP RUNNING,” Mr. McDonnell yells. “I KNOW IT STINKS RIGHT NOW BUT YOU GIRLS BETTER GO BACK AND WALK!” she demanded. Some of the students who are the center of Ms. McDonnell are told what to do. “I’LL BRING SOME AIR FRESHINOR IN,” she continues to yell as she started walking away from her. Jamal stopped and turned back to see what is going on. He was shocked that Louie bullied those boys. It terrifies him. He will try to talk to those boys later. He knew one of those two. At home, Jamal is reading a textbook, focusing on what he had learned at school and wanting to get deeper into

it. Hours later, after he finish studying. He called Cindy’s phone number. “Hello,” Cindy answered. “Hey it’s Jamal.” “What’s up?” “Um…nothing.” “I see you’re kinda enjoying yourself.”

Jackie’s phone is ringing, she picks up the phone. “Hello,” she answered. “Hello,” a mysterious old funny voice said. “Who I’m speaking to?” “What,” Jackie said as she acts like she doesn’t know who she’s talking to. “Who is this?” the voice scarcastlly asked. “Am I on the right phone.” “No I don’t know…” Jackie stops and starts questioning the voice as she shaking his head. “First of all who are you?” It’s acutally turned out to be Emma, who sitting down in her messy room with snack trash and bed unmade. She tries to voice herself like an old lady in order for her not to be recognized.

“Who am I?” she said. “I’m an old lady eating some chips.” She than takes another chip out of her snack bag before she belches. “BURRRP! Holy crap,” she said in a normal voice before immediately realizing what she had just done with her left hand slapped on her mouth. Jackie takes a deep breath, knewing the identification. “What’s your real name?” Emma quickly panic, trying to come up with words out of her mouth. But Jackie was calmed. She hear the dead air out of her phone; she knew it was Emma. “C’mon,” she said. “I know it was you.” Emma finally give up. “Alright Jackie,” she said. “It’s me Emma.” “Well, Emma,” Jackie said out of curiosity. “I just want to know why you’re so competitive at gym?” “Because I wanna win. I wanna win awards,” Emma started moaning. “I wanna win some money. I wanna win…” “You know there’s always a rule in that you can’t get always get what you want,” Jackie gives her a point. “Oh C’mon,” Emma still moans. “You could be helping me out.” “Helping you out, why would I help you out, you didn’t ask me for help?” Jackie asked. “Well…” © 2013 – 2014 Malcolm Franokuski

“And why did you want me for help anyway?” Emma sighs as she struggles to come up with an answer. “Look Emma,” Jackie explains. “You know I’m gonna kick your butt because I’m sick and tired of all of your talking, and the moaning, and the complaining, and the competition. You wouldn’t just shut up,” she said slowly at the end. “Okay fine prove it to me,” Emma said as she get scarcastic. “Show me that you can kick my butt at gym and see what happens.” Sounds like it’s a deal. It’s also sound like it’s for real. Jackie stays quiet for a few seconds, while Emma waits for an immediate response “Bring. It. On,” Jackie said. “Alright deal’s done,” Emma said as she hoped from her bed. “See you tomorrow.” She then hang up the phone. Jackie feels the moment coming as she slowly hang up her cell phone. Then a door opens. she turns around. It’s Diamond. “Hey,” Diamond said. “Dinner’s ready.” “Okay I’ll be there,” Jackie said. Diamond then closed the door. Jackie turns back around, still having a strong sticky situation going on right now.

Britney and Tiffany were walking upstairs to Emma’s room. Before they opened the door, they hear Emma talking on the phone with Jackie. They looked at each other wondering if Emma’s really serious. After she hang up the phone, they took a deep breath and knocked on the door. “Emma are you really okay?” Tiffany asked. “Uh yeah,” Emma said with a doofess tone. “What do you guys think I am? “Well we heard that you’re in an angry conversation with someone,” Britney said with curiosity. “Look I wasn’t angry alright,” Tiffany said, ressuring them. “I tried to be an old lady in disguse to get into Jackie’s privacy.” “What?!” Britney and Tiffany shouted “You trying to hear what Jackie is up to,” Britney said to Emma. “Why did you want to know what Jackie is up to?” Tiffany asked. “Because Jackie’s gonna kick my butt.” Britney and Tiffany started laughing like they think she’s joking. “I’m not kidding,” Emma said, trying to prove a point, but fails anyway. “Why did you think she gonna do to you?” Britney asked. © 2013 – 2014 Malcolm Franokuski

“Yeah where did you hear this information from?” Tiffany asked. “Did Jackie tell you, did any one of his sisters tell you, or you just hear a rumor?” “Because we think you hearing something out of nowhere,” Britney shaking her head in doubtful. “It was a conversation,” Emma said. Britney and Tiffany got into a questionable look. “I think I heard…Cindy, Catherine, and some…other girl I can’t remember her name?” “So Cindy and Catherine are in the conversation?” Tiffany asked. Emma thought for a moment and shrug her shoulders. “Which one first said that rumor?” Emma thought for a moment again. “I have no idea,” she said, slowly shaking her head. “You have no idea?” “Nope. I hear a conversation about it, a rumor about it, didn’t hear who got it first. So I contact Jackie about it, and this phone call confirms it.” “And what did she say?” Britney asked. “We heard something on the speakphone.” “She said she’ll kick my butt,” Emma said. “Well actually, she will talk some sense of why I’m the biggest annoyance at school, which I think she’ll never will.”

“Good,” Tiffany said with some relief. “Because all of us girls in school are already hate you.” “No no no no no,” Emma said as she shakes his head. “I think that they completely missing my points where I complain about” “Complaining about your unfair life isn’t going to work,” Britney and Tiffany said it as they nodded once. “It is going to work,” Emma said. “How?!” “ Britney and Tiffany folded their arms. They were mad. “Look Emma,” Britney said. “We’re not gonna put up with this with you. We’re done.” “Oh wait you guys are not putting up with this,” Emma asked in shock. “What, you guys wanna…not deal with this?” “Nope,” Tiffany said. “We’re not. We just gonna notifly the rest of us to confirm that you are desperately trying to be the dominating queen of the world.” She pointed a finger to her. “And we’re not gonna help you,” Britney said. “We’re not gonna help you dominate the world.” “Well then fine be with it that way,” Emma said with a sarcastic look on her face. “I might drag you guys?” “And how?” Louie asked. “You or Louie?” © 2013 – 2014 Malcolm Franokuski

“I don’t know,” Cadey said with a chuckle. “We might find out.” Britney and Tiffany stare at him for one last time before existing her room. The next day at school, Jamal walked furiously headed towards his best friends, Cindy and Emily. “Hey,” he said to them. “Do you guys know Emma?” Cindy and Emily looked at each other. “No,” Emily said as she slowly shaking her head. “Is she a wanna-be competitor?” Cindy asked. “She got her butt kicked by Meredith and she’s so upset by this that she wants a rematch. Now she’s planning to kick Jackie’s butt.” He wriggled his eyebrows. “So yeah she is a wanna-be competitor.” “Really,” Emily said as she and Cindy looked at each other again. “Jackie said to Emma that you Emma will have to prove herself because…maybe Jackie is stronger and powerful then her.” “And they made a challenge,” Cindy said as she mean it. “But we don’t know who’s Emma, where’s she at, and what does he look like,” Emily said. Then she got an idea. “I have to call my friend,” she said as she grab her cell phone from her purse. © 2013 – 2014 Malcolm Franokuski

“Who, Catherine?” “Yeah.” “Maybe we should ask Alexandra,” Cindy suggested. Emily looked at her as she raise her eyebrows. “Alexendra’s the technology genius,” Cindy continued. “And Catherine’s the one who can help us.” “You know what,” Emily said. “You’re right, let’s contact them.” Jamal has a wondering look as he watches them. “Okay,” he said. Emma, Britney, and Tiffany walked into Catherine and Alexandra’s big room where they are sitting down looking at the computer screens. “Hey,” Britney said as the trio walked toward them. “Hey there Britney and Tiffany,” Alexandra said as she turns her body to see them. “Hey guys,” Catherine said. “Well hello there,” Tiffany said. “We want you guys to meet Emma.” Emma waved her hand to them with a little smile. “The girl who has been a jerkass?” Catherine asked in a sassy girl attude. “Uh yeah,” Tiffany nodded “She’s been friends since the first day of high school,” Britney added. © 2013 – 2014 Malcolm Franokuski

“Ohhh,” Alexandra said as she nodded her head. “I see,” Catherine said as she, too, nodded her head. “We came here for your help to find any information about some girl or two girls I should say,” Emma said while not explicitly naming them. Alexandra and Catherine looked at each other. “So I can tell them the proof of who I’m really is and what am I capable of.” The two tech girls still silent for a moment. Then. “Are you sure it’s Jackie, the one you’re planning to beat?” Alexandra asked Emma. “Or is it Meredith, the one you’re planning to have a rematch with her?” Catherine asked Emma. Emma immediately looked down trying very hard to not to state their names because of their sudden enemy status, almost start to shake her head in disbelief as Catherine and Alexandra knows Jackie and Meredith. “Did you actually know them?” Emma asked. “Of course,” Catherine said to Emma. “I know Jackie at school. She told me that she has only one brother living with a bunch of her sisters around the house.” “Yeah we know,” Emma slightly throws her hand. “It’s Jamal. At least Jamal is not really a problem here because he’s a peacemaker and doesn’t really love girl fights. Or catfights, I should say.”

“You can tell me that.” Catherine moves on to the subject. “Okay,” she begins. “Do you have any…, well first of all how did this happen? When did this happen and where did this happen?” “Okay first I heard rumors about Jackie coming up to kick my ass.” “From who?” “Probably Jamal,” Britney said. “But we didn’t want to go there.” “When and where?” “From what I hear: it’s the girls’ bathroom,” Emma said with his eyebrows raised and head nodded. The tech girls looked at each other again. “Okay this one is going to be challenged,” Alexandra said to her tech partner. She then looks back at Emma. “Do you have her cell phone?” She asked. “Yes,” Emma said. “Did you want to talk to her?” referring Jackie. “Yes." “Okay,” Emma said as she pulls out her smartphone. She gives her cell phone after he enter his password. Alexandra and Catherine were looking for the ‘recent calls’ section from the menu on the smartphone. When they found it, it starts to become more challenging as they thought.

“Okay you got a lot of a lot of shit in here,” Alexandra said as she look at Emma and her information notebook Catherine is holding back and forth. “Do you answer it to see who’s there? And then hang up the phone immediately when you really had enough with this girl who you talked to?” Britney and Tiffany looked at each other and then at Emma who looked at them. Then Emma look back at the tech twins. “I did answer them,” Emma said with another nod of her head. “But actually whenever there’s a young female voice – especially a teenage girl voice – who knows me very well and talked to me like crap, I basically went into war.” She continues to say with a glance stare at the twins and head-nodding. Britney and Tiffany looked at the tech twins again. The tech twins were like…staring at him like they’re shocked. “So you,” Alexandra said. “Basically went into war with Jackie.” “Correct,” Jamal said. “With them.” “Yep,” she said it with no movement except for her eyebows. Alexandra and Catherine looked at each other again. “Obviously I believe that you’re villain to those guys,” Catherine said. © 2013 – 2014 Malcolm Franokuski

“No, they’re my enemies to me,” Emma said. “Yep, a bunch of enemy chicks just wanna beat me up. I’m the good guy, they’re the bad guys, so…it is what it is.” A pause for a moment. Britney and Tiffany didn’t say a word yet. Alexandra and Catherine both nodded their heads. “Okay,” Catherine said. "Do you remember the last time when you got an…conversation?” “Yeah,” Emma said. “Last night.” “Okay tell me the situation on that one.” “Who? Meredith? The girl who kicked my ass at my gym class? I guess I didn’t tell you ‘when’ at the time so…” “Alright let’s see who she is shall we,” Alexandra said as she and Catherine turn to their computers. They typed Jackie and Meredith’s numbers from Jamal’s smartphone into their systems. After they typed them, they found the name of the owner who has the cell phone. But when they search the owner’s name on social media, it wasn’t what Emma had described. The picture was an old woman with sunglasses. “Do you mean this woman?” Catherine said with a questionable look. Emma walked to see what they found on the internet. “Okay no,” she said. © 2013 – 2014 Malcolm Franokuski

“Than you’re probably shouldn’t…,” Catherine speaking. “Wait,” Alexandra said. “I think she’s the parent of Meredith that Emma’s trying to say. Her mom…” she shaking her head as she looking for an answer out of her mouth. “Dosen’t sound like that?” Catherine finish Alexandra’s sentence in question. “No.” Alexandra looked back at Emma. “Emma do you record your conversations?” “No,” Emma said with a head shake. “Why?” Alexandra makes a thought about it after she ask that. “Okay never mind,” she said. “Not everyone recorded their conversations.” “Should we call Meredith?” Catherine asked. “Oh yeah,” she said as she picks up her telephone and calls the same number and put the phone on her left ear. Emma walks back toward her best friends Britney and Tiffany. “So wait,” Britney whispered. “You have made a bunch of enemies. In your life?” “Look,” Emma explains. “I get them to shut the heck up okay.” “Do you get into big trouble?” Tiffany asked Emma whisperly. © 2013 – 2014 Malcolm Franokuski

“Not really.” “Hello,” Meredith answered. “Um hello,” Alexandra begins to talk in a woman’s voice. “This is Julie Santos, the police. Are you aware about your whereabouts?” “Yes,” Meredith said. “What’s your name?” “Meredith.” “Meredith who?” “Meredith Lee.” “I knew it,” Emma whispered. Catherine writes the name down on a piece of paper. “Okay that’s all I need to know,” Alexandra said to Cadey. “Wait you’re not gonna arrest me are you?” “Nope. I just…want to know your name that’s all.” “Okay.” “Alright. Thank you.” “You’re welcome.” They both hang up the phone. “Well we got Meredith’s last name,” Catherine said. “Okay let’s type it shall we,” Alexandra said to him. And they did. And they find what school did she go to: the same school as everyone. “Looks he goes to our school,” © 2013 – 2014 Malcolm Franokuski

“Yep,” Tiffany said. “There have been so many enemies and frenemies around here,” Britney added. “Well it says she’s a freshman so…,” Catherine said with an exaggeration. “But it didn’t say,” Alexandra explains while shaking her head. “Which class Meredith’s part in, because she could be a seinor ahh…err..” “Bullying?” Catherine corrected Alexandra. “Bullying…you,” Alexandra finish her sentence. “Thank you,” she said to Catherine. “Well your computer might need to update,” Emma said. “We tried,” Catherine said. “It’s just that it takes longer to update.” “We originally planed to leave the computers on at night,” Alexandra explains. “But we’re not allowed to.:” “Okay fair enough,” Emma said. “Well it’s time to find Meredith Lee then,” Britney said as she, Emma, and Tiffany prepare to leave. “Alright thanks for the time,” Tiffany said. “Thank you for your help,” Emma said. And the trio begins to leave the building. “You’re welcome,” Alexandra said. “It was nice meeting you Emma,” Catherine said.

Emma paused and turns back to Catherine. “Nice meeting you too Alexander,” she said. She then continued walking. Back at high school the next day, Jamal, Cindy, and Emily are walking down the hallway. “Okay guys,” Jamal said. “Yep,” Cindy said. “Yes sir,” Emily said. “Here’s our plan,” Jamal said. “We each talk to one of the security guards one by one. And then we should talk to the principal.” “Okay,” Cindy said as she stopped the walking. “Your plan is complicated.” “First of all,” Emily said. “A security person can notify the same situarion to the entire security team. Even the police.” “So instead of one by one,” Cindy said. “We should all talk to a security man.” “Okay that sounds like clear to me,” Jamal said. They continued to walk down the hallway. At the security office, Jamal, Emily, and Cindy were all in front of the security woman, Ms. Walkman. “So you guys saying, Emma is planning to attack Jackie,” Ms. Walkman said turning her face to Jamal. © 2013 – 2014 Malcolm Franokuski

“Correct,” Jamal said with a smart attitude. “Well we can notify the team and then get him into…um…” Ms. Walkman is trying to find a word to finish her sentence. “Detention?” Jamal said it slowly, coming up a word Ms. Walkman is struggling to find to say. “Oh yes,” she nods. “Okay,” Emily said. She turn her face to Jamal and Cindy, nodded her head. “That sounds good,” she said. “Alright now,” Ms. Walkman said as he gets up out of his big seat. “Y’all can enjoy lunch.” “Thank you,” Jamal said as the rest of them gets up. “Thanks for your time now, Ms. Walkman,” Cindy said as she gets up. “Thanks Ms. Walkman,” Emily said. “Anytime,” Ms. Walkman said with a yawn. In the time when students are switching classes, Emma is walking down the hallway just like the rest of the students. The security team, Ms. Lee and Ms. P. Greenfield, starts to notice her as she walks towards them. “Is it her?” Ms. Lee asked, referring to Emma. Ms. P. Greenfield takes a notice the second time. “Yeah,” she said nodded her head. “It’s her.” “Are you sure?” © 2013 – 2014 Malcolm Franokuski

Emma then walked into the classroom. “Yeah,” Ms. P. Greenfield said it again. Ms. Lee wasn’t sure about it. She looks back at the hallway. Emma was no longer seen. “Maybe that one is going to the bathroom,” Ms. Lee guessed, didn’t believe it’s Emma, even though it is actually is. “You don’t think it’s her?” “Nope.” They looked at each other. The bell rang and some students were still walking in the hallway. “Go to class everybody,” Ms. P. Greenfield shouted. “Go to your class,” Ms. Lee shouted. Ms. P. Greenfield grab his walkie-talkie. “Security. This is P. Greenfield, we think we saw Emma McHutchison on the hallway.” “Are you sure?” Ms. Walkman asked on the walkie. “Yep. But Ms. Lee wasn’t sure about it, so we have to check to find out.” “Okay,” Ms. Walkman said. And Ms. Lee and Ms. P. Greenfield begins to hunt down the thief. In the classroom, Emma was in the classroom. The teacher was beginning to talk.

“Good morning,” Ms. McDonald said. “Take out your textbooks and let’s get started.” Then Ms. Lee and Ms. P. Greenfield walked into the classroom. “Oh crap,” Emma whispered. “I hope they’re not looking for me.” “Um who you’re looking for?” Ms. McDonald asked. “Do you have Emma McHutchison?” Ms. P. Greenfield asked. “Crap,” Cadey whispered. “Um yeah,” Ms. McDonald said. She turns to Emma. “Emma you’re excused,” she said with a curious look. Emma gets up and walked out of the classroom. Ms. Lee and Ms. P. Greenfield followed him. They walked down the hallway. “So you must be Emma McHutchison,” Mr. P. Greenfield said. “Yes,” Emma hesitated. “Are you aware that you stole somebody’s agenda book?” Emma kiss her teeth. “Look c’mon.” “Don’t c’mon me,” Ms. P. Greenfield said. “You know what I’m talking about.” Emma knew what the security knew. “Bye,” she said before she runs off. “Hey,” Ms. Lee shouted. © 2013 – 2014 Malcolm Franokuski

“Come back here,” Ms. P. Greenfield shouted. Ms. Lee pull out his walkie-talkie. “Security! Emma McHutchison is running away!” And the security team is on the run know to stop her. Ms. H. Lamb runs fast from the other end and she was able to catch Emma by making a football knockdown. “There,” Ms. H. Lamb shouted. She hold Emma from the floor with two hands as the rest of the security team run towards them. “You said you planning to have a fight?” she asked. “Yes,” Emma said. “With who?” “Jackie.” “And Meredith?” “Yes.” “Well then we would call your mother and tell them that you planning to fight with two hot chicks.” “C’mon it’s…,” she paused as she glanced back at Ms. H. Lamb. “…not gonna be fight, that’s all,” she changed up a few words. “Really?” Emma starts gets up after Ms. H. Lamb let go off her. “It’s gonna be like a…a some kind of a debate-discussion, you know the ones on Sunday roundtable shows.” The security team looked at each other like they don’t believe her. © 2013 – 2014 Malcolm Franokuski

“You should watch Powerhouse with Rachel Willerderson,” Emma continued while pointed her right finger at Ms. H. Lamb. “Her views and opinions are more better than you.” “Okay promise us that you’ll won’t start this fight,” Ms. H. Lamb said it like she mean with a grin on her face. “Otherwise we’ll lock the school in lockdown.” Emma started to feel dulliusional by the security team’s concerns. The next day, Meredith starts to walk towards Emma who is sitting down on the bench like he was told. When Emma finally reached her. “Here,” Meredith said handing his agenda book to him. Emma grab it. “Thank you,” she shouted, still feeling upset by Meredith’s win at the gym. “And your name is Meredith, right?” “Yeah.” “Just making sure.” Emma looked through her agenda book. Most of her agenda book was fine. That was until a chocolate smudge was spotted on the last pages of it. She look back at Meredith. “You had a smudge,” Emma said to her. “On my agenda book.”

“Hey it’s not my problem you asked me to borrow it.” “Yeah but…” “I was gonna returned it to you perfectly clean but when I won the volleyball game back at gym class you decide to attack me; that’s not sportsmanship at all is it,” Meredith shook her head at Emma. “Oh so you put a smudge there because I attack you at the volleyball game,” Emma said while slightly raising her eyebrows. “Correct,” Meredith nodded. “Well better clean off the smudge off of my agenda book,” Emma told Meredith while she exchanges a mean look on her face. “I can’t,” Meredith folded her arms. “Because I got a lot of stuff to do so…my homework, my club meetings, my chores, my job.” She then steped closer to Emma. “You just so desperate to win don’t cha,” Meredith said it in a mean girl way as she slightly move her face closer to her. “You need sportsmanship, girl. Not a punch, or kick, or an argument. I made that last catfight an exception. But this time you will be punish. That’s right, I’m gonna attack you back again; I’ll gonne be the one who got physically hurt…and you gonna pay for this.” “So you gonna get my ass in detention?” © 2013 – 2014 Malcolm Franokuski

“Only if you won’t keep cool or calm yourself down. So show your sportsmanship like I am…with the rest of my gym mates. Sure if you don’t want to shake hands with me fine. But attacking me is not how you treat sportsmanship. In fact, don’t. Attack. Me. Again.” Emma is still mad. “I’ll see you later at gym,” Meredith said as she starts leaving. “So I can kick your butt again. When we’re doing volleyball once again.” Emma shakes her head as she don’t believe it. She looks at the smudge again. At home, Emma was on the phone with Britney, who’s with their friend Tiffany. “I found my agenda book,” Emma said to Britney. “Meredith give it back to me. And as I look at my agenda book, she put a smudge.” “What smudge?” Britney asked. “I think it was…chocolate? Yeah it was a chocolate smudge.” “So wait he put a smudge on your agenda book?” “She didn’t said it when I ask her,” Emma refers to Meredith. “But her attutide indicated that she did.” “Well don’t worry about it. At least your agenda book is mostly fine.” “What’s going on?” Tiffany asked. © 2013 – 2014 Malcolm Franokuski

“Meredith, one of the enemies Emma has made, has borrowed our friend Emma’s agenda book and Meredith gives it back to her with a terrible smudge that was spotted,” Britney explain as she slightly put her phone from her ear. “That’s what Emma gets for attacking her at the gym.” She then put her phone back. “I’m sorry,” she said to Emma. “My friend Tiffany ask me about the situation.” “What smudge are you talking about?” Tiffany asked Britney. “Hold on,” Britney said to Emma. “Chocolate smudge,” Britney said to Tiffany. As Britney put her phone back to her ear, Tiffany keeps asking as she wants to know. “And it’s Meredith right?” Sharon asked. “Yes Tiffany it was…” Britney got irritated when Tiffany ask her own questions to her. “I know what I’m doing,” Tiffany interrupt. “But who you talking to?” “Emma, our big-complaining friend.” “May I speak to her?” Britney paused for a moment. “You think you know about this?” She asked. “Yeah. Don’t be such a dweeb okay.” Britney stare at her for a while and then hands her cell phone to her. © 2013 – 2014 Malcolm Franokuski

“Hello is this Emma?” Tiffany asked. “Yeah,” Emma said. “This is Tiffany. I know what the smudge is.” “You do?” “Yeah. Let me explain: Meredith was friends with Sharon. I saw Sharon’s stuff having the same smudge on her agenda book, binder, everything. Okay well not everything.” Emma got into a confused look. “So wait are Meredith and Sharon actually sisters, then?” she asked. “Are the smudges the same? “Um…,” Tiffany trying to ask. “I guess it’s too early to call,” Emma said. “Yep. We have to investigate it.” Tiffany turns back to Britney. “Should we ask Catherina and Alexandra again?” she asked to her. “Okay,” Britney said with an uncertain look. At the lab, Catherine and Alexandra were on the speakphone with Emma and Tiffany, who are still on their rooms with their cell phones on to their ears. Emma called Catherine, while Tiffany called Alexandra. “Can you tweet that picture for us?” Catherine asked. “Now?” Emma did so and the picture of the chocolate smudge was sent to their computers. © 2013 – 2014 Malcolm Franokuski

“Ahh I see,” Alexandra said nodded her head to Catherine “I guess Tiffany’s right about it. The smudge came from Sharon.” Although she believes in her twin sister and their friends, Catherine…sort of unsure if the smudge was from Sharon. She still believes it was Meredith. Catherine looks at Alexandria. “You think so?” she asked her. “Yes. That Meredith’s smudge that’s the same as Sharon’s put on all of his stuff.” “Told you,” Tiffany whispered at Britney. “I know all of the stuff.” “But wait,” Alexandra thought for a moment. “Since it’s Meredith and gives it back to you with that smudge…” She was about to ask the same question that Tiffany ask earlier. “No Alexandra,” Emma interrupt. “Actually, It’s too early to…I can’t answer that.” “Well we check it out tomorrow then,” Catherine said. “Okay then,” Emma said. “Sounds good to me,” Tiffany said. “Alright then,” Alexandra said. “We’re off.” “Okay goodbye now,” Tiffany said before she hang up the phone. “Alright thanks,” Emma said. © 2013 – 2014 Malcolm Franokuski

“You’re welcome,” Catherine said. At Jamal’s bedroom, Jamal is reading a textbook and writing notes on his notebook, both of which are laying down on his bed. Suddenly, his twin sister Maya opens the door. “Hey can we have a minute?” she asked as she holds some kind of paper with something written on it. “Sure,” Jamal said as he sits up on his bed. Maya sits down beside him and gives him the paper. “This is the…invitation for your…meeting,” she was trying to say. She was trying to say a person would like to meet him but she doesn’t know what it is. “What meeting?” he asked. “Umm…well…” He take the paper from her and starts looking at it. It’s actually a letter, presumably from a school counselor. “This is actually a letter,” he said as he look back at her. “Who is this from?” “Um one of your friends,” she said it politely. “The one with the tech stuff. I’m not sure if this is the same friend you would hangout with.” “Is it Catherine?” Maya’s eyebows shifted up as she know the person’s name but couldn’t say to his twin brother because it’s © 2013 – 2014 Malcolm Franokuski

awkward. She also wasn’t sure if Catherine was the same person as that same awkward name. “Um it’s the Slacker Chick,” she said before finally figuring out it’s the same person. “Yes,” she nods. “Catherine is also The Slacker Chick.” Jamal’s face turns into an odd impression giving that the name was awkward. “So Catherine, the tech girl, is also The Slacker Chick?” he asked. Maya paused. “Yeah,” she said “Did she did anything that slacks her?” “Not really.” “So is she really a slacker?” “I don’t know,” Maya shakes her head. “Why would anyone called him that?” “Because everyone thinks she’s a slacker. Well,” she trying to clear up the explanation. “Not everyone.” “And you said you know she’s good at tech but you didn’t know what she’s been doing as The Slacker Chick?” “Nope.” “Okay. I will go to meet with him on Saturday,” he said. “Okay,” she said as she nodded her head. “I’ll go with you. Maybe we should ask our aunt to drive there. We’ll see.” “Okay,” he nodded. © 2013 – 2014 Malcolm Franokuski

“Well,” she said as she gets up. “I’m off to do my homework so, see you soon.” “Alright,” he said. Maya walks out of the room after she shuts the door. The next day at the food court, Catherine (The Slacker Chick) is talking to Tiffany on the hallway. “So wait you order a double cheeseburger meal? Tiffany asked. “Yeah,” Catherine said as she bite a piece of her cheeseburger. “What are you trying to do? Eat everyting at one time?” “Nope,” Catherine said after she chewing. “Trying to fart. In private.” Tiffany chuckles. “Really,” she said as she’s skeptic. “Yeah,” Catherine wipe her hands with white napkins. “I’m gonna hold that bulid-up gas up my ass until I released the fart in the bathroom.” “Whatever,” Tiffany said. “Anyway, what’s going on with you?” Catherine asked while grabing her biten cheeseburger again. “BURRRP!” she blechs out gas very loud without covering her mouth.

“Ewww C’mon Catherine,” Tiffany said as she quickly move her face and fanning her nose at the same time. “Excuse me,” Catherine said with a smile. Tiffany moves her face back up front. “Oh you better excuse yourself because that’s totally disgusting,” she said as she was pissed. “What was that question again before you rudely burp at me. “I ask you-..” “Oh yeah what’s going on with me. Well um…,” Tiffany stops and thinks. “Nothing really how about you?” “Oh um. Nothing really. I just got off from school.” Catherine (the Slacker Chick) nodded her head as she eats another bite. Tiffany looked kinda awkward. “Does this cheeseburger make you fart?” Tiffany asked her. “Oh yeah,” Catherine said after she finish chewing. “The double cheeseburger makes me wanna fart, but I’m holding it for piracy so that you don’t smell a thing coming out of my butt.” “Okay that’s what you said earlier.” “Oh,” Catherine said as she remembered. “Well do you even buy double cheeseburgers?” “Hmm Hm.” “Every time you go this place?” “Hmm Hm.” © 2013 – 2014 Malcolm Franokuski

“So you can beef up the fart?” “Hmm Hm.” “How many times do you fart after eating?” Catherine paused eating. She thoughts about it for a moment. “Several times,” she said. “But as I said, I do them privately.” A few hours later when it’s time for dismissal, Catherine is talking to Tiffany in the hallway. “So Tiffany,” Catherine asked. “What are you plans for the rest of your day?” “Um.. I have a friend to visit,” Tiffany said. “I have to be at the debate club. So, I have Friday night available.” “Alright,” Catherine said as she nodded her head. “I’ll come in on Friday night.” “Okay. Did you still believe Meredith is the one who made the smudge?” “Um absolutely.” “Well good luck. Anyway I’m outta here. See you later.” Catherine watch as Tiffany begins to walk. Catherine then begin to walk down the hallway again. Catherine shifted its attention around the students. She suddenly see a familiar chocolate smudge on a student’s backpack. But that student is not Meredith. She then walked toward the student. © 2013 – 2014 Malcolm Franokuski

“Um excuse me,” Catherine said. The female student turned around. “Why did you have a chocolate smudge on you backpack?” “Because it’s cool,” the female student said as if there’s a problem. “Because it’s cool?” “Yeah.” “Don’t you think it’s not cool to have that kind of a chocolate smudge?” “Girl what are you talking about?” “Oh you know what I’m talking about. Meredith.” “Wait, you think Meredith made this smudge?” “Yep.” “Because I one of those people who brought that smudge and the smudge was made by Ms. Mindy.” Catherine’s eyebrows was widen. “You mean a teacher or some female staff member put the smudge on the backpack.” “Yeah.” “Okay I’m sorry,” Catherine apologizes. “That’s okay. What’s your name? I see that you know much about Louie.” “I’m Catherine.” “I’m Jennifer.” “Nice to meet you Jennifer.” © 2013 – 2014 Malcolm Franokuski

“Nice to meet you too Catherine.” They shake hands as they meet. “Well I’m off now,” Catherine said as she pulled out one of the cards. “Call us when information is possible.” The info card remind Jennifer to make a contact information. “Oh wait,” Jennifer said as she takes the info card from her. “I got give yours too.” She writes her contact information on her notepad. “Here you go, contact me whenever you need me.” Jennifer gives it out to Catherine. “Thanks,” Catherine said looking back at her. “You’re welcome.” Moments later, as Catherine continues to walk around the hallway and saw similar smudges around…almost everywhere. There are smudges, big or small, around their faces, arms, shirts, or shoes. As Catherine saw a line for the ‘chocolate smudge’ product, she begin to discover that the chocolate smudge wasn’t made by Meredith at all. At the lab, Catherine talks to her twin sister Alexander about this situation.

“We made a claim that the chocolate smudge on our friend Emma’s agenda book came from Sharon,” Catherine said. “Hm hm,” Alexandra said as she nodded. “And you know we never scan the smudge…at the time.” “So the smudge maybe not from Sharon after all? It was Meredith?” “We’ll find out,” Catherine said as she call Emma. “Hello,” Emma answered. “Could you bring your agenda book?” Catherine asked. Minutes later, Emma and Britney were at the lab with the twins. Catherine is flipping through the agenda book to find the chocolate smudge. When she finds it, she scan the smudge. When the smudge was scan, the computer confirm that it was Sharon, but not Sharon Brooks, the friend and enemy. It was Sharon Hutchison. Everybody looked at each other with their confused looks. At Sharon’s house, Jamal, Cindy, Emily, Alexander, and Alexandra were inside her room. Jamal was in front of Sharon and behind the rest of the crew.