Author Note: Wow, been quite a while since my last update. My apologies. This is a rather short chapter, though it should do until tomorrow's update, which is a much longer chapter. Expect to see around 2, possibly even 3 updates before this month is over. Also, Murray will join up with Sly and Bentley in the next chapter.

--------------------

Chapter 9: The Stalker, the Janitor, and the Soap Bucket

Bentley was becoming very frustrated. No matter how hard he tried to help Sly with his math problems he just couldn't get through to him. "No, Sly, that's all wrong! Follow the algorithm, Sly! The algorithm!"

"The what?"

"The algorithm!"

Sly simply tilted his head in confusion. "The what?"

"Agh! Forget it!"

Sly's eyes narrowed as he stared Bentley down. "You know, we could have avoided this whole scene if you'd have just given me the answers."

"I refuse to pass classes for you, Sly. One day you'll thank me for this."

"Well, aren't you the original one," Sly replied grumpily.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

A new, more feminine voice interrupted their argument. "S-Sly? Are you busy at the moment?"

Sly groaned in annoyance. "It's the romance freak," he whispered to Bentley. "Uh, yeah, actually I am kind of busy at the moment," Sly told Erika. The bell rang, letting the kids know that lunch was ready. "I have to, uh, go to the library to study for a math test."

Bentley laughed out loud.

Erika's eyes lit up like glistening diamonds. "Really? How romantic! I was going to ask you if you wanted to go there with me, but you're already on your way there. We can go together!"

Bentley laughed again.

Sly began nervously glancing at his surroundings, hoping to come up with a good excuse not to go with her. His eyes landed on the kids heading towards the cafeteria. "Of course, I thought maybe I'd get something to eat first. It's...uhhh..." He noticed the new kid, Murray whom hadn't even left his desk, pull a wrapped hot dog out of his enormous lunch box. "...It's hot dog day."

"Ewww...I don't like those." Sly sighed with relief. "I'll just get something from the salad bar instead." She held out her arm for Sly to take. "Shall we?"

Bentley laughed even harder.

Thinking fast, Sly gave the first excuse that came to him. "But before that, I have to use the bathroom!"

Erika's smile never left. "Oh, no biggy. I can wait."

"Just how determined is this girl!?" Sly thought. He noticed the janitor, an old wolf named Ari Jenkins, mopping in the hallway. Sly left the now-empty classroom to walk towards Ari with the others following close behind; except for Murray, whom was currently enjoying a quadruple cheeseburger. "You see, before I can even eat lunch I have to serve a short detention by helping out Ari here."

Bentley knew that this was a complete lie. Sly had served his detention yesterday.

Sly lightly punched Ari in the right shoulder. "Isn't that right, Ari?"

Ari, neither knowing nor caring about what Sly was talking about simply said, "Yeah, whatever."

Erika looked as if she was about to cry. "So...y-you won't be able to spend time with me at all today?" Her big eyes looked as if they were about to be overrun with tears.

Sly sighed in defeat. He didn't want to make the friendly girl cry. "Alright, I'll tell you what. If I have any time left I'll go to you in the library. Just wait for me there, okay?"

"Wait for you...?" she said curiously. Erika, of course, took this the wrong way. "Of course I'll wait for you, Sly. Ever since I've met you I've wondered when you would be ready to convey your passionate feelings towards me. This is the moment I've fantasized for weeks about. Oh, how romantic!!!"

"Yeah, yeah," Sly said lazily while rolling his eyes, not really paying any attention. Then Sly quickly blinked as he registered what Erika had just said. "Wait, what?" He was too late.

Sly and Bentley watched as Erika skipped away happily. Unfortunately, she had forgotten that Ari had just mopped the floor. She slipped on the wet surface. "Wah!" She landed painfully on her butt. "Ooph!" Erika became depressed as she saw that her notebooks had landed in Ari's soap bucket, splashing water on him. She gasped loudly and dramatically. "Oh, Mr. Jenkins, I am so sorr-"

"Yeah, whatever," Ari replied casually, as if he didn't really care that he had just been soaked with soap water. He probably didn't.