Revenge of the Teacher's Pets by Jennifer Ziegler

Author:Jennifer Ziegler [Ziegler, Jennifer]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Published: 2018-08-17T16:00:00+00:00

It’s not that we don’t appreciate your commitment to cheer on the chess players and other students who normally don’t get a lot of fanfare, it’s just that … well …” Mr. Plunkett took off his glasses and squinted at me. “Your efforts don’t seem to be helping.”

Last period, Delaney and I both got official slips saying to go see Mr. Plunkett during our lunch break. I guess we should have anticipated what it would be about, but my first thought had been that we had gotten into Color Guard. Instead, here we were again, facing Mr. Plunkett, Coach Manbeck, and Mr. Langerham. It was the worst kind of déjà vu.

“Rather than boosting morale,” Mr. Plunkett went on, “this experiment of yours seems to be creating bedlam.”

“Delaney here just got carried away, is all,” I said.

“I did. I’m sorry,” Delaney said. “I didn’t mean to flip over the board. I was just filled with the joy of triumph.”

“The problem is that these people need to concentrate,” Mr. Langerham said. “They are competing, and that takes focus.”

“We know you had only the best intentions,” Coach Manbeck said with a big, supportive smile. “Sports like football and basketball are inherently noisy, and cheering works in that environment. But when you bring loud cheers into other games, you end up being more of a distraction than a supporter.”

I scowled. “So basically you’re saying we shouldn’t cheer at other competitions unless it’s football or basketball,” I said. “The way it’s always been.”

“Well …” Mr. Plunkett glanced around at the other adults. “Yes, I suppose that’s what we’re saying.”

I tapped my finger against my chin, considering our options. I soon realized there weren’t any. Still I sat there, feeling Delaney’s eyes on me as she waited for me to speak on our behalf. I hoped a brilliant idea would pop into my head. But nothing did. Finally I said, “I believe we can abide by that.”

“Good,” Mr. Plunkett said. “I’m glad you understand.” He looked up at Mr. Langerham and Coach Manbeck, standing on either side of him. “Is there anything else you all would like to add?”

They shook their heads.

“Thank you for coming. I’m glad we were able to resolve this,” Mr. Plunkett said.

As everyone started heading out the door, Mr. Plunkett called to Delaney and me. “I want to remind you that my door is always open.”

“Oh, okay,” Delaney said. “We won’t close it on the way out.”

“No, I mean that you are always welcome to stop by and talk to me,” Mr. Plunkett said. He put his glasses back on and smiled at us.

“Okay. Good-bye, Mr. Plunkett,” Delaney said as she headed out.

“You know”—I paused in the doorway and glanced back at our counselor—“if we were in Color Guard, we probably would have been too busy to go to the chess match. Just saying.”

He just smiled that barely-there smile at me and then turned toward his computer.

Darby was standing in the hallway waiting for us, her eyes wide and worried. “Are you guys in trouble?”

I let her stew for a while and walked a few yards away from Mr.

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