Those last couple days? The tree, the play, punching Pearson at school? Skye sighed. The time of her life! Now? Stuck her writing a dumb book assignment on the causes and effect of a character's motive. Boring.
"Stupid homework!" growled Skye, with a face that would've scared the toughest man in the world.
"What's wrong?" Jane peeked over from her desk across the room. "Got a play to write?"
"No."
"Then what is it?"
"Just a book assignment I could write in my sleep, Just, I'm bored with this kind of thing." Skye put her head on her arm, distraught. "Teachers really ought to put some thought into the assignments they give students!"
"Tell me about it," Jane rolled her brown eyes, pulling her hair out in mock annoyance. "I have to write about structures in Kingdom Algae. What's the book that you're doing?"
"Scarlett Letter."
"Luck…"
"Oh no you don't." Skye rose to her full height, towering over Jane, who wisely scooted back several yards. "I'm not trading assignments with you."
"But I wasn't…"
"I heard it in your voice. I don't want Daddy and Iantha to get mad at us if we trade assignments."
"Fine." Pouting, Jane returned to her scribbling. "Showoff."
"What the…? Idiot!"
"Blabber brains!"
"Bratty Hot dog."
At this one, Skye paused, baffled. "What's with that one?"
"Well you know hotdogs are also called bratwurst, so I just said…"
"Fine! Don't repeat it. Let me see…Book Dork!"
The war continued for several minutes, each adversary getting into the spirit of it. They said each word long and carefully, delicately judging each other's facial emotions.
Later that night, Skye crept into their room, making doubly sure that Jane was asleep. She tiptoed to the desk, delighted to find Jane's assignment fully finished and ready to be turned in. Flipping to the last page, she carefully wrote in small, black letters, "and oh! The fair maiden cried, flinging her arms around her handsome man's neck."
She went to bed feeling quite pleased with herself. But little did she know…
The next morning, both girls got up and walked to school after breakfast. Skye handed her assignment to Mr. Geballe right at the same time Jane gave hers to Mrs. Bunda.
Jane had written, on Skye's paper, when she went to take a shower, written and illustrated by Sabrina Starr, and put a tiny little sketch next to it.
In the end,
Jane got a C
And Skye got a B-