11:
It was the day of the first speech. Professor Lingo took attendance. "Looks like everybody's here. Everybody…except one." He looked pointedly at Junior's empty seat. "Why am I not surprised?" He added flatly. "Anyway, it's time to begin…"
The door slowly opened and Junior entered. "Well, well, Mr. Junior," said Professor Lingo somewhat snidely. "So nice of you to join us."
Junior didn't answer as he sat down. Next to his desk, he took a look at Bonnie, but she refused to look at him back.
"Class, put everything but your speeches away and pay attention." Instructed Professor Lingo. "Do we have any volunteers?" He looked around anyone. "If no one volunteers I'll start picking names." He was met with silence. "All right, then first will be…"
"Excuse me, Teacher-Man." Everyone gasped as Junior suddenly stood. "I will give my speech first."
The Professor blinked. "You-You will?"
Junior nodded and grabbed his note cards. He headed to the front and stood at attention. "Today…" he said nervously, then cleared his throat. "Today, I will tell why it is so much better to use tanning lotion than sun tanning or tanning beds. I will also tell you which tanning lotions will give you a natural, sun kissed glow and which will turn you orange."
His voice quavered. "The first reason you should not sun tan is…is…" Suddenly he wailed, "I CANNOT DO IT!" Spraying index cards all over the room, he ran to Bonnie's desk and knelt down by her.
"My Little Bon-Bon, please do not be angry with me anymore!" He begged. "All I wanted to do was get a good grade so I could stay in the class with you! I did not mean to ignore you!" He cupped his hands around her startled face, smushing her cheeks forward so she looked like a fish. "Bonnikins, I do not care if you are a lawyer or a cheerleader or a world saver! Because the truth is…" He smashed her to his giant chest and cried loudly, "I LOVE YOU!"
"Awww…" said everyone in the class.
Bonnie managed to wiggle out Junior's arms. "Really?" He nodded. "Oh Junior!" She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.
Junior stood up and faced the teacher, staring at the floor. "I am very sorry Mr. Teacher Man, I have failed you. I will take my books and not come back."
"Actually," Professor Lingo tapped his watch. "Junior, that speech you just gave was exactly a minute long."
"You mean…I pass?"
Professor Lingo smiled. "A…Plus!"
"A Plus!" Junior jumped for joy and cheered. "Did you hear that Bonnikins? I got an A Plus!"
Bonnie stood up. "Tonight, we're going to celebrate…"
The music pumped at the crowded nightclub as people danced. Colored lights flashed around the room in circles.
Bonnie, Junior, Kim and Ron sat at a booth. Kim leaned forward. "It was nice of you to treat us, Bonnie."
"Yeah well…" Bonnie shrugged uncomfortably. "Don't think it's because we're friends or anything, Possible! I just owe you one that's all."
"I'm touched. So," Kim continued. "What's this I hear about the library?"
"I talked to my father," said Junior. "He is going to replace all the old, slow computers with new ones."
"Wow! That was really nice of you, Junior!"
A waitress came and put down a tray of food. "All right, Blooming Onion!" Said Ron as he peeled off a piece of fried onion.
Bonnie frowned at her plate. "This stinks!" She complained loudly, holding up a dribbling mozzarella stick. "This thing is totally greasy! And cold!"
"I wish my drink was cold," said Junior. "But it is totally warm. And flat."
"Hottest spot in town! I don't think so!" Bonnie sniped.
"Tell me about it. We had to wait forty-five minutes for our food." Said Ron, trying a mozzarella stick. The cheese was rubbery and the fried coating dissolved in his hands, leaving a large gooey lump hanging from his mouth.
Junior sighed and put his elbows on the table. "If I had my own nightclub, I would make sure the food was always hot."
"And a mixed music selection."
"And a giant disco ball hanging from the ceiling!" Junior spread his hands to show the size.
"Of course…" Bonnie started.
"We'd overcharge for beverages." Junior chorused with her. They looked at each other. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
"What are we thinking?"
"Junior!" Bonnie pressed against him excited. "We can start our own nightclub!"
"Really?" Junior nearly squealed as he said, "That would be so sweet! We can get our degrees in Boogie-ometry or Dance-onomics!"
"Or…" suggested Kim slowly. "You could get business degrees."
Bonnie smiled happily as she cried, "That's it, Junior! We're going to be Business Majors!"
Kim smiled into her soda. "So I take it you're staying at Harnell after all…"
Bonnie paused. "Well…I guess it's not so bad here after all. I mean, now that I have a goal and everything…I never actually thought I'd say this, but I'm kind of excited!"
The music over the loudspeakers changed. "Quit playin' games with my head! I'm a sport but I'm not a toyyyy…"
"I love this song!" Junior grabbed Bonnie and they raced out to the dance floor.
Kim and Ron watched them start to dance. "So, four more years, huh?"
Kim held his hand. Out on the floor, the Crimson Bear was doing a disco dance, complete with the Batman. "You know, I think Harnell U. is going to be very interesting…"
