Back in 2014, I made a story about Vinnie, Russell, and Zoe going to my school and getting into trouble with Russell's money jar.
Zoe Trent, Russell Ferguson, and Vincent Terrio were at their high school. Even though they're animals, they still go to the school.
On her way to class, Zoe saw the thing that she loves the most, the vending machine. Each day, she always gets chips from that machine.
She opened her school bag, but she didn't have any money. "Shoot." She said.
Meanwhile, Russell and Vinnie were by Russell's locker. Russell was giving a speech about a money jar. "You got it?" He asked.
"Not really." Vinnie said. "Okay. One more time. This is a money jar. Every time I find loose change, I always put it in this jar. Then I try to find the person who lost it, but I never get to that part." Russell said.
"I see. Hey, why don't you just keep the money all for yourself?" Vinnie asked. "I'm not selfish!" Russell yelled.
"Who are you calling shellfish!?" Vinnie asked. "You!" Russell yelled. "And it's not shellfish, it's selfish!"
"I'm not selfish. Heck, I'm not even a fish, I'm a gecko. If I was a fish, I wouldn't be able to live on land." Vinnie said.
"Just don't touch this jar." Russell said. "Roger that Russell." Vinnie said. Russell closed his locker and left.
Zoe walked over and sighed. Vinnie walked away from Russell's locker and then he saw Zoe. "Hey Zoe."
"Hi Vinnie." Zoe said. "Hey Vinnie, do you have a dollar?"
"No." Vinnie said. "Oh well." Zoe said. "What's wrong?" Vinnie asked. "I want some chips, but I don't have any money." Zoe said.
"Oh." Vinnie said. "So I thought maybe you have some." Zoe said. "But I don't." Vinnie said.
Zoe sighed. "However, there is another option." Vinnie said.
Zoe looked at Vinnie. "Really? What?" She asked. "Okay. It involves Russell." Vinnie said.
"I am not asking Russell for money. No way." Zoe said. "No. It's not that. You see, Russell has a money jar with a lot of money and I mean a lot." Vinnie said.
"Oh no. Not happening." Zoe said. "What?" Vinnie asked. "We are not going to steal money from Russell's money jar! Do you remember the last time we asked him for something?" Zoe asked.
"It was paper." Vinnie said. "I don't know about this Vinnie." Zoe said. "Come on. You'll get your chips." Vinnie said.
"Oh...okay. We'll do it. For the chips." Zoe said. "Yes!" Vinnie yelled.
"Okay. What's the plan?" Zoe asked. "Meet me in the library after second period." Vinnie said. "Why can't you tell me now?" Zoe asked.
"There's not enough time." Vinnie said. "Oh." Zoe said.
"You're off third period right?" Vinnie asked. "Yes." Zoe said. "Meet me in the library and then we'll talk." Vinnie said.
"Okay." Zoe said.
Vinnie and Zoe went to their second period class. Then at 8:45am, Vinnie went to the library and waited for Zoe. She was taking a long time.
"What's taking her so long?" Vinnie asked. He sighed.
At 8:50am, Zoe ran in. "Sorry. There was a horrible crowd." She said. "So, what's up?"
"The money jar. Let's go." Vinnie said.
Vinnie and Zoe went to Russell's locker. "Okay. Do you know Russell's locker combo?"
Zoe shook her head. "Alright. Then I'll have to do this myself." Vinnie said.
"Wait! We need a code word if Russell comes back! You know, something that only the two of us know."
"Good thinking. Got any ideas?" Vinnie asked.
"How about this? Ahh! Russell's coming, take cover!" Zoe yelled.
"Are you a nut? No. That's too long and you're acting like Russell's a serial killer."
"Oh." Zoe said.
"Let's think of something else." Vinnie said. Zoe nodded. "Okay."
"I've got it! Do you remember Manny and Ellie's code word in Ice Age Dawn Of The Dinosaurs?" Vinnie asked.
"No." Zoe said.
"Oh come on Zoe. Didn't you see the movie?" Vinnie asked. "I did, but I haven't seen it since it came out in 2009."
"2009!? Are you serious!? That's...hey do you have a calculator?" Vinnie asked. "No." Zoe said.
"Oh whatever. Anyway, the code word was peaches." Vinnie said.
"Ah. So our code word is peaches." Zoe said. Vinnie nodded. "So you're on Russell duty."
"Yes sir!" Zoe yelled.
Vinnie was figuring out what Russell's locker combo was and Zoe was on lookout for Russell.
Five minutes later, Zoe saw him. She gasped. "Vinnie?" Zoe asked.
"Just a minute Zoe." Vinnie said. "Um, this is very important." Zoe said. "Can it wait?" Vinnie asked. "Not really." Zoe said.
"Okay. What is it?" Vinnie asked. "Peaches." Zoe said. "I'm glad you remember what the code is, but remember, we only say it when Russell's here." Vinnie said.
"Yeah, but he is." Zoe said. "No he's not." Vinnie said.
"PEACHES!" Zoe screamed and she showed Vinnie Russell.
"Oh my god. You're right." Vinnie said. "What do we do?" Zoe asked. "Uh...quick! In the Lecture Hall!" Vinnie yelled. He and Zoe ran into the Lecture Hall.
Russell opened his locker and checked his money jar. "Phew. It's safe." He closed his locker and walked away.
Vinnie opened the Lecture Hall door and looked around. "Okay. We're good." Vinnie said. He and Zoe left the room.
Vinnie took out a key from his pocket and unlocked Russell's lock. "Hah! Got it!"
Zoe stared at Vinnie. "What?" Vinnie asked. "You couldn't have just taken the key out fifteen minutes ago?" Zoe asked. "Oh. I haven't thought of that."
Zoe sighed. Vinnie took the jar out of the locker. "Hah, hah!"
"Yes!" Zoe yelled. "Now let's go get some chips." Vinnie said. "Yay." Zoe said.
Vinnie closed the locker with his tale and he and Zoe left.
Russell walked over to his locker and saw that his lock was open. He gasped. "Oh no." Russell opened his locker and saw that his money jar was gone. He growled.
"VINNIE!"
Vinnie and Zoe were by the vending machine. "Oh you're amazing Vinnie." Zoe said and she hugged Vinnie.
But before they can get any chips from the machine, Vinnie saw an orange hand and gasped. "Oh no."
Zoe looked at him. "What?" She asked. "Peaches. Come on." Vinnie grabbed Zoe's hand and they hid in the gym.
Russell walked over to the vending machine. "I know you're around here Vinnie and Zoe." he said.
Zoe and Vinnie peaked out the gym door. "What do we do?" Zoe asked. "I've got it. We'll hide on the west side of the building." Vinnie said. "But what about the chips?" Zoe asked. "You can get them later." Vinnie said.
He and Zoe ran to the other side of the building. "Hurry!" Vinnie yelled. "Where should we hide?" Zoe asked.
"The west health office!" Vinnie yelled. The two pets ran into the health office. They were both breathing heavily.
"We should be safe in here." Vinnie said. "Yeah. Russell will never find us in here." Zoe said.
One of the two nurses that were in the room walked over to Vinnie and Zoe. "Hello. How can I help you?" she asked.
Vinnie and Zoe turned around. "Oh hi. We're just hiding." Zoe said. "Hiding?" the nurse asked. "What my friend is trying to say is that we're trying to hide….um, hide...our injuries! Yeah, injuries." Vinnie said.
"You don't look like you got hurt." the nurse said. "That is where you're wrong. We are hurt." Vinnie said. Then he looked at Zoe and started whispering.
"Zoe, smack your leg on the wall and I'll do the same thing to my hand." Vinnie said. "No. I'm not gonna fake an injury." Zoe said. "Come on. It's the only way. We can't stay here unless we are sick or injured." Vinnie said.
"Fine. I'll do it for the vending machine." Zoe said. She banged her leg on the wall and Vinnie banged his arm. Then they showed the nurse their injuries.
"Okay. I'll be back with two band-aids." the nurse said. Vinnie and Zoe smiled. "What are your names again?" the nurse asked.
"We didn't tell you our names." Zoe said. "My name is Vinnie Terrio and this is my friend Zoe Trent." Vinnie said.
The first nurse gave Vinnie and Zoe the bandages and the second one typed their names on the computer. "You can go now." the second nurse said.
"Thank you. Come on." Vinnie said. "But what about Russell?" Zoe asked. "We'll be fine. Now quick. Let's run to the student center." Vinnie said. "Okay." Zoe said. She grabbed Vinnie's hand they both ran from the nurse's office to the Student Center.
"We made it." Vinnie said. Zoe looked at the money jar in Vinnie's hand. "When can we do it?" Zoe asked. "Do what?" Vinnie asked. "Get the chips." Zoe said. "Relax." Vinnie said.
Russell ran into the nurse's office. "Hello. How can I help you?" the first nurse asked. "I'm looking for Vinnie and Zoe." Russell said.
"I'm sorry, who?" the nurse asked. "Vinnie and Zoe. I have a feeling that they ran in here." Russell said. "I'm sorry. I don't understand." the nurse said.
"Okay. Let's just cut the chase. Did a green gecko and a purple dog walk in here?" Russell asked. "Yes." the nurse said. "And was one of them holding a jar filled with money?" Russell asked. The two nurses nodded.
"Where did they go?" Russell asked. "I think I heard them talking about going into the Student Center." the second nurse said.
"The Student Center. I'm gonna get you Vinnie and Zoe!" Russell yelled and he ran out of the room. Then he peeked his head in. "Thank you." Russell said and then ran out. "VINNIE, ZOE!"
The two nurses looked at each other, shrugged, and then went back to work.
"Give me my money jar!" Russell yelled.
Vinnie and Zoe heard Russell. "Oh shoot." Vinnie said. "That's it. We're dead." Zoe said. "Not yet." Vinnie looked at the door that he was in front of.
"Quick! In here!" Vinnie yelled. "I'm not going in there. That's the psychologist office." Zoe said. "Come on." Vinnie grabbed Zoe's arm and they ran in.
Russell walked into the Student Center. "Vinnie? Zoe? Where are those two trouble makers?" Russell asked. He groaned and left the room.
Vinnie looked out the window and sighed in relief. "Okay. He's gone." Vinnie said. "Good. Now let's get out of here before we get spotted." Zoe said.
The psychologist cleared her throat. "Too late." she said. Vinnie screamed. Zoe gulped.
"Now, what brings you two in my office?" the psychologist asked.
"Oh we just need a place to hide from an orange hedgehog." Zoe said. Vinnie elbowed Zoe. "Ow. That hurts more than that injury that we had to create." Zoe said.
"I don't have all day kids." the psychologist said. "Sorry." Vinnie said. "Like I said, we just needed a place to hide from an orange hedgehog." Zoe said.
The psychologist looked at them. "An orange hedgehog? You know, if I didn't know better, I'd think you two are a bunch of talking animals sneaking into a human school."
Vinnie laughed nervously. "What? No." he said. "We totally go to this school and we're one hundred percent human." Zoe said.
"Good, because there are no pets allowed in this school and if you were an animal, we'd send you to a shelter or a pet store." the psychologist said.
"Yeah. We're normal and we're not hiding from a orange hedgehog, we actually need therapy." Vinnie said. Zoe looked at Vinnie.
"Therapy?" she asked. "Yeah." Vinnie said. "Oh no. You made me hurt my leg and run in here. I am not going to lie and say that we need therapy." Zoe said.
"Come on." Vinnie said. "For the money jar and the machine."
Zoe sighed. "Fine. Yeah. We need therapy." she said. "What do you need?" the psychologist asked.
"I've got it. Something traumatic happened!" Zoe yelled. "What was it?" the psychologist asked. "I need to get some chips from the vending machine. I can't live without them." Zoe said.
"Chips? Are you serious?" the psychologist asked. "Yeah." Zoe said. "Look purple and green kids, chips from a vending machine is a not a tragedy." the psychologist said.
"Oh well. Bye! Let's go Zoe." Vinnie said and he left. Zoe followed him.
"That was so close." Zoe said. "Yeah, and I didn't know we weren't allowed in this school." Vinnie said. "We need to keep our true identity a secret." Zoe said. Vinnie nodded.
Then the bell rang. "Come on. Let's get to fourth period." Zoe said. She and Vinnie went to their fourth period class which was on the other side of the building.
They made it into room 400 before the second bell rang. "Okay. We're safe." Vinnie said. Zoe looked at Vinnie and realized that something was missing.
"Um Vinnie?" Zoe asked. "Yeah." Vinnie said. "Where's the money jar?" Zoe asked. "I thought you had it." Vinnie said. "No. You had it." Zoe corrected.
Vinnie gasped. "Oh no. What will Russell say?" Vinnie asked.
"Never mind Russell. I never got the chips." Zoe said.
"Zoe, who cares about those chips? Russell is going to find us and we're dead." Vinnie said.
"Dead? Did you hear what the psychologist said? If anyone finds out that we're not human, we'll be sent to a shelter or a pet shop." Zoe said.
"You do realize that we came from a pet shop. Blythe made us these clothes." Vinnie said. "Oh." Zoe said.
"Whatever. We need to find the jar." Vinnie said. "We can't cut class." Zoe said. "We don't belong here in the first place. Come on Zoe." Vinnie said. He got out of his seat and left the room. Zoe followed him.
"Money jar? Where are you?" Vinnie asked. "Are you seriously asking the jar where it is?" Zoe asked. "Yes." Vinnie answered.
"Well don't. Russell will hear us and we'll get exposed." Zoe said. "Oh why did he say we can sneak in the school?" Vinnie asked.
"What? No. That's not even close how it happened. You snuck in one day and that's how it all started." Zoe corrected.
"But Blythe told me to." Vinnie said. "Are you insane? No. That's a lie. Now I need those chips." Zoe said.
"Will you stop worrying about those chips?" Vinnie asked. "We need to find the jar and give it back to Russell."
Zoe nodded. "Okay."
Russell ran around the school. He was looking for the jar and his two friends. He ran into room 400, but didn't see Vinnie or Zoe.
Vinnie and Zoe ran to the east health office. "Can you explain why we're here?" Zoe asked. "We're looking for the money jar." Vinnie said.
"Need I remind you, we went to the west health office, not the east one." Zoe said. "Whoops. Come on." Vinnie and Zoe left the room.
Russell walked into the student center again and sat on a chair. He sighed. "How am I supposed to find the money jar now?" he asked.
Then he looked to the right and saw that the jar was next to him the entire time. He gasped. "Oh my god. I can't believe it. It's right here!"
Zoe and Vinnie ran in and saw Russell with the jar. They gasped.
"Busted!" Russell yelled. "Oh no." Vinnie said. "Yeah." Russell said.
"Look Russell, I am so sorry. I just wanted some chips from the machine." Zoe said.
"Well why didn't you just do it yourself?" Russell asked. "I didn't have any money." Zoe said. "So we took your jar." Vinnie said.
"You know guys, if you really wanted money, you should have just asked." Russell said.
"I know. So can I have some money for some chips?" Zoe asked. "Okay. Just this once." Russell said. He opened his jar and gave four quarters to Zoe.
"Thank you." Zoe said and ran to the vending machine.
"Thanks Russell." Vinnie said. "I know you were behind the entire thing!" Russell yelled. "You did?" Vinnie asked.
"Yes!" Russ yelled. "Look, I can explain." Vinnie said. "I don't want to hear it Vincent. Wait until Blythe or the other pets hear about this!" Russell yelled. Vinnie sighed.
Zoe came back with chips. "Hey." She said. "Now lets finish our day and then go back to the pet shop." Russell said. "Okay. Oh and we're actually supposed to be here." Zoe said.
"You're kidding." Russell said. Vinnie and Zoe shook their heads. Russell facepalmed. "Great. Let's just keep a low profile."
Russell, Vinnie, and Zoe went back to their class.