A small bottle was lifted up into the air. Inside, a clear liquid rolled back and forth. The lid keeping it inside was soon removed. The bottle tilted to the side. Gravity went to work. The liquid flowed down towards the opening. It dripped out of the front like a leaky faucet and down into a small cup sitting down below. The liquid stopped only when it reached the half way point of the cup.
Seconds later, something cylinder and white was dropped into the liquid. It floated, no, sank to the bottom like a heavy rock. There it rested as a torrent of white shot out from its sides. The reaction was violent at first, but soon it calmed down. The white torrents still occurred, but at a much slower pace. It would go on like this for a very long time, if it were allowed.
But there was no time for that, not where this was taking place.
"Ta-dah!" Rudy exclaimed proudly, his arms outstretched like he had performed some kind of miracle. "And that is what happens when you mix chalk with vinegar!"
Rudy wasn't sure what he was expecting, but dead silence wasn't one of them. None of the students looked impressed with his experiment. Well it wasn't that he expected them to be, but he had hoped that they would at least compliment on his attempt. It was still a reaction, wasn't it?
He could hear grumblings from Mr. Wilter. Rudy couldn't believe that he was still stuck with the same teacher from five years ago. Every year he would return to school, there was Mr. Wilter. It was okay at first, but then as years passed, it became harder to sneak anything by him. And just how was he getting these promotions anyway?
He found his thoughts interrupted when Mr. Wilter began to speak. Rudy's ears were aching from the familiar ring of Wilter's yelling.
"Mr. Tabootie! That was the worst experiment I have ever seen!" Mr. Wilter's eyes seemed to bore into Rudy. "If you had done this experiment in the sixth grade, I might have considered giving you an admirable grade. But Rudy, you are fifteen years old and this is the best you can come up with? How shameful! Maybe if you spent more time studying than watching cartoons, you would have come up with a more age appropriant experiment!"
Rudy could hear chuckling from students behind him. He glanced over his shoulder. Everyone was sniggering at him, except Penny of course. He heard a few comments like 'What a lame-o, thinking that would get him a winning grade', 'Man how did this kid get this far?', and 'He's just as stupid as I've heard.' He tried not to let those words get to him. He concentrated any anger he felt into a brief shudder that, thankfully, Wilter did not notice.
"So...I'm getting an F, aren't I?" Rudy said softly.
A silence. Then a reply. "..no."
Rudy looked up in surprise. "No?"
Mr. Wilter shook his head. "As much as I am appalled by your lack of effort, I'll give you a passing grade. C+!"
A C+? That wasn't what he wanted. Rudy wanted at least a B-. He felt a wave of disappointment strike him. He should be happy to be getting a passing grade. He had been coming home with F's too often. Even a C+ would bring a smile to his parents' faces.
But he couldn't bring himself to be happy. He wanted a better grade. He wanted to show his parents and his classmates he was capable of getting good grades despite being a 'mere artist'. He should have gone with something better. Why hadn't he gone with Snap's idea and do a volcano experiment instead? That would have at least been more impressive to look at.
"Next time, I expect more from you, Rudy. I think you can be quite the capable young man if you spend some time away from your...art...and more time on things actually important, like your work." Mr. Wilter said.
Rudy turned his head away, a frown finding its way on there. Again with the art insults. It was bad enough the students gave him a hard time for it. Why did Mr. Wilter feel the need to deride him for it, too?
"Take your seat Rudy." Mr. Wilter said as he stacked some paper together.
Rudy returned to his seat in less of a good mood than he was before. He watched as the next student, whose name he always forgot, impressed and wowed many of his classmates, and even Mr. Wilter. Rudy didn't know what he did. He had his head turned. He was not in the mood to see the other experiments, for they were just a painful reminder of how things could have gone if he had put more effort into his work.
He felt a hand on his shoulder. Penny, who sat just behind him, gave him a reassuring smile. Rudy, despite his bad mood, smiled back. If there was any experiment he wouldn't mind seeing, it would be whatever she dished out. His smile faded. Why hadn't he asked Penny for help? Why did he insist on doing his own thing? Things seem to work better when they are partnered up. Maybe it was because she was more no-nonsense than him and actually got the work done.
"You give it your best shot, Rudy." Penny said, leaning forward so Rudy could hear her better without her drawing attention from Mr. Wilter.
"Yeah, but it could have been better." Rudy murmured under his breath.
"It's the thought that counts." Penny replied. "A C+ is better than an F. Sure, it isn't exactly a great grade, but think of it this way. It's going to raise your grade point average a little. That is something at least, isn't it?"
"You heard Mr. Wilter. My love of 'stupid cartoons' is making me stupid." Rudy said. It was more of a slip of the tongue, but it still got the message across.
Penny shook her head. "You know that's not true, Rudy."
As Penny searched for something to cheer Rudy up with, they both were startled by the sound of something heavy falling and hitting the tile floor. The two students looked left and ride, eyes widened, frantically looking for the sound, as if some predator were about to lung at them.
They immediately stopped when the sound of laughter swept through the room. The two finally saw a book near Mr. Wilter's desk. Mr. Wilter was standing right in front of it, his eyes looking through at them. It took seconds for them to realize what had happened. With the laughter all around them, they began to sink down into their seats.
"Am I interrupting anything?" Mr. Wilter asked, hands on his hips. The laughter had stopped as soon as Mr. Wilter spoke. "Or are you two lovebirds finished now?"
At the word 'lovebirds', a blush developed on both Rudy's and Penny's faces, which caused a few extra sniggers from some classmates.
Mr. Wilter pointed at Penny. "Ms. Sanchez, since you are so eager to speak, why don't you do your experiment next?"
Penny stammered. "W-Well I..."
Mr. Wilter leaned toward her, almost towering over her. "Or did you take some lessons from Mr. Tabootie and slacked off?"
Penny glared at him. She wanted to defend Rudy, but knew that Mr. Wilter rarely ever apologized. Instead, she took in a deep breath and got out of her seat. She took a few steps towards the front. She stopped next to Mr. Wilter.
In a harsh whisper, she said, "Okay..I will..."
Mr. Wilter blinked at her. He said nothing and returne to his seat. He got out a pen and watched as Penny started her experiment.
sss
After class, the bell rang for lunch time. For many students, this ring was like taking ice cream on a hot summer day. It was the only time in school where students didn't have to listen to a teacher blab on about something. Recess didn't exist for the older students, which was a source of frustration for many. Rudy especially, as it meant he had less time for ChalkZone.
Speaking of ChalkZone, that had been on Penny's mind since they sat down to eat. It was the very thing she had wanted to tell Rudy about earlier, until they were interrupted by Mr. Wilter. Her own mood was soured by what the man had said about Rudy. But ChalkZone usually brightened up her day, as well as Rudy's.
And today was a very special day, for two reasons.
"What do you say we take a trip to ChalkZone after school?" Penny suggested as she chewed on a carrot stick.
Rudy fiddled around with a small piece of meat on his plate. He still looked forelorn from earlier. "I dunno Penny... I mean usually I am for going to ChalkZone, but not today."
"Huh?" Penny looked genuinely surprised. "But you love going to ChalkZone."
"Sorry Penny. I'm just worried about what my folks are going to say." Rudy said, staring at his food. "I promised them I'd get a good grade..."
"And you did. So stop moping about it." Penny placed her hand on his. "And if it really troubles you that much, I'll help you next time, okay?"
Rudy did start feeling a little better. Penny usually knew what to say to drive out any feeling of doubt he was having. She was right. There was no point in being upset about it. What's done is done. He straightened himself up and offered the best smile he could at the time.
"Thanks Penny." He paused, and said, "So was there a particular reason you wanted to go to ChalkZone? Or is it just my 'get better soon' gift?" He gave her a wink.
Penny chuckled and shook her head. "No, silly...well yes I want you to feel better and a trip to ChalkZone usually does the trick. But there's more to it this time, than that. Today is a special day, Rudy." He looked at her with a perplexed expression. Penny tilted her head. "What? You don't remember? Rudy, it's the seventh year anniversary that you found ChalkZone."
Rudy's eyes widened. "I totally forgot..."
"And that also means that it's Snap's seventh birthday." Penny added.
Rudy stared at Penny in disbelief. He felt like a total jerk for forgetting this stuff. There was no excuse. Even though he was busy with school, he felt he should have paid more attention to the dates. Had Snap made plans already? Had he been too late now? Rudy struggled against the thoughts multiplying in his head.
Yes, yes, he was remembering now. Snap had spoke to him a few days ago about his upcoming birthday. He had been planning a birthday bash with all his friends and invited both Rudy and Penny to show up.
"I can't believe you forgot." Penny said, the tone of her voice backing up what she said. "ChalkZone and Snap mean a lot to you. How did it slip your..." She paused and thought about it. It had been a rough few days due to all the school work they had to deal with, so she kind of understood how he could have forgotten. "Well anyway, did you wanna go? As if I have to ask."
"Of course I do. I just wish that Snap would have planned his party on the same day as the anniversary." Rudy said with a smile.
He recalled Snap specifically wanted the party the day after. It amused him every year Snap does this. He insisted on being more recognized and felt that having the celebration on the same day as the anniversary would 'cramp his style', though Rudy thought it was because people would be more focused on Rudy's anniversary of finding ChalkZone than on some blue superhero boy.
"You know how Snap can be." Penny said as she finished up her lunch. She looked up at the analog clock hanging on the wall. "Lunch time is almost over. We should get ready to leave."
Rudy nodded. "The good thing about lunch is that it is in the middle of the day. Only a couple more hours of school left and we are home free."
sss
School was finally over. The final bell at rung. Students ran out of the doors, eager to return home. Even some of the older students displayed a similar eagerness to run outside after the final bell rang. And Rudy certainly was no exception. He was running down the halls, not being able to waste another second in that dingy building. He couldn't wait to get out of there and into the chalk world, where everything was always bright and colorful.
He stopped in the hallway when he heard someone talking pretty loudly. He recognized the voice as Mr. Wilter. He frowned as that name floated in his mind. Oh how he would love to prove him wrong, to show him he is just as capable as any of his 'prize' students.
Despite his mind screaming at him to leave, Rudy felt an unusual compelling to listen into Mr. Wilter's conversation. What could it hurt? Not like he would be surprised by anything that man said. It was probably another argument with a parent about cartoons. Although still angry, Rudy sometimes found Wilter's almost paranoia of cartoons to be a source of hilarity.
He leaned himself against the door to Mr. Wilter's room. He pressed his hear flat against it and strained to hear the conversation. With most teachers, this would be hard to do. But with Mr. Wilter, it was almost assured that one could hear practically every word he said.
"Who is calling me? I am busy right now grading my students...oh it's you! I'm sorry, Mr. Cosmo. I didn't realize that today was...oh you want to come to the school tomorrow? Why? Oh, I see. Yes, yes, you are fully welcome to come to my classroom. I assure you that you will be...okay I understand you're busy too. I will see you tomorrow, Mr. Cosmo."
A clang and Rudy knew the conversation was over. The name Mr. Cosmo sounded familiar. It alluded him as to what it was, though. If this person was friends with Mr. Wilter, he wasn't sure if he would like him very much. And knowing Mr. Wilter, they would not get a notice of the man's visit until the day of the visit.
He gave himself a mental reminder to let Penny know of the visit. She always liked to know things ahead of time so she can prepare herself and look good. He didn't fully understand it, but he didn't question it.
He took a few steps before something hit him like a ton of bricks. He suddenly remembered who Mr. Cosmo was and why he sounded so familiar.
He was a reporter he heard about a few months ago. Or rather, he ran a small news group, but still did some reporting of his own, off and on. That was about as much as Rudy knew about him. The fact that he was involved with a news crew filled him with unease. Could he be looking at another Terry incident?
Now he knew he really had to tell Penny about this. And Snap. He could only hope that Mr. Cosmo is as easy to foil as Terry was.
