"Insanity is knowing that what you're doing is completely idiotic, but still, somehow, you just can't stop it."

-Elizabeth Wurtzel

Chapter 19

Rose's POV

All of the lights in the classroom are off. Suddenly, a spotlight shines on me from the back of the room. I am facing the blackboard. Besides my sailor-style school uniform, I'm sporting a black cape, a black top hat, and supah cool John Lennon-esque circular sunglasses. I slowly lower my right pointer finger towards my boombox, which rests on a stool next to me. Once I press play, the opening bars of "The Final Countdown" blast powerfully, slicing through the room's silence, and signaling the start of my presentation.

Duh duh duh duh, duh duh duh duh duh!

"This is ridiculous, nanodayo!"

"Shhhhh!"

Duh duh duh duh, duh duh duh duh duh duh duh, duh duh duh, duh duh duh duh duh duh duhhhh…

"...Where did those spotlights come from?"

I glanced behind my back to see the Haru twins wave from behind the spotlights, their Cheshire cat grins shining almost as brightly as the lights they were shining on me.

"Shouldn't you two imbeciles be in class?"

"GODDAMN IT MIDORIMA, SHUT YOUR GODDAMN MOUTH AND WATCH A MASTER AT WORK"

"...Yes sir, Itami-sensei".

Ohhhhhhh, the final countdown!

I whip around to view my enchanted audience. I bring the microphone (I carried it to school in my backpack! Pretty sweet, right?) to my lips and begin my presentation.

"I would like to welcome you, the good people of class 1-A, to Matlin Rose's Epic History Presentation!"

The classroom (minus one) erupted in supportive cheers. I pause, waiting for silence.

"Prepare yourselves for a thrilling ride. This is what you've all been waiting for! Lend me your ears as I tell you the harrowing tale that is the history of the Dab." I shut off "The Final Countdown" and clear my throat. From the inside of my cape, I pull out a stack of index cards before flipping up the sunglasses part of my John Lennon shades so that they become bifocals.

"The dab is a dance move in which the-"

I am interrupted by a pair of hands slamming on a desk. "This is ridiculous, nanodayo! What is wrong with you people?" Midorima's chair clatters to the ground when he shoots up from his seat. Before I can even react at this rude and uncalled for interruption, Itami-sensei comes to my rescue.

"Oi, Midorima, if you walk out this door and away from this incredible presentation, I'm automatically giving you a zero." After hearing Itami-sensei's harsh threat, Midorima's face contorts into a grimace. He delicately picks his chair up from the ground and sits back down while muttering something about "the Twilight Zone" and being "the only sane person in a school of lunatics, nanodayo". Takao just laughs at him and gives me a thumbs up.

"Maltin-sama, please continue, I am dying to learn more about this 'dab' that you speak of!" Itami-sensei gives me an encouraging smiles, and with this, I jump back into my presentation.

"Ah, uh, where was I? Oh, right. Ahem… The dab is a dance move in which the dancer simultaneously drops the head while raising an arm and the elbow in a gesture that has been noted to resemble sneezing. The dab has its origins in the Atlanta hip-hop scene, but there was initially disagreement about who originated the dance…"

*Twenty Minutes Later…*

"...and with your head in the crook of your bent elbow with your other arm sticking straight out to the side of you, yes, you've got it! Congratulations, you are all dabbing!" The whole class, excluding Midorima, but including Itami-sensei, is dabbing after I instruct them on how to do so. Takao tries to lift Midorima's arms into the dab position, but Midorima smacks Takao's hands away, growling "Get off of me, baka Takao!" causing Takao to whine, "Shin-chan is no fun!". I smile and regard the classroom.

"And there you have it, folks. With this I conclude my history presentation on the ancient art of the Dab." As I bow to my classmates, teacher, and two older teammates, I am engulfed in applause. I smile and return to my desk. Itami-sensei comes to the front of the room, a grin stretching across his wrinkled face.

"Bravo! What an excellent presentation, what a show. Only the best to be expected from our new American classmate." The old man dabs (I have to cover my mouth to stifle a laugh at how ridiculous he looks. Midorima rolls his eyes next to me) before looking at his list. The smile quickly falls from his face, and Itami-sensei's expression morphs back into his usual narrow eyed, stern frown as he announces:

"Next, Midorima Shintarou. Good luck following that. You'll need it."

"Ne, Shin-chan" Takao whispers, jabbing Midorima in the rib, causing the green haired boy to glare and smack his grinning teammate's hand away. "I think that Itami-sensei might hate you!"

"Don't be stupid, nanodayo. He just is playing favorites. He knows that I am Shutoku's top first year."

"Not for long!" I say brightly, smirking at him. Takao grins at me before turning back to Midorima.

"Uh, Shin-chan, what planet do you live on? He clearly doesn't respect you, he doesn't even use an honorific after your name. He haaaaatttteees you!" Takao laughs in Midorima's face at that, causing the greenette to develop a tic mark on his forehead. With a final glare at Takao and me, Midorima rises and walks to the front of the room.

"Thank you, Itami-sensei."

"Get on with it, temeeeee!" I titter at my teacher's clear irritation towards my bespectacled classmate.

"Kazu-kun, isn't he a bit too abrasive to be a first year teacher?" I whisper at Takao, putting my hand over my mouth so Itami-sensei can't hear.

"You know, Rose-chan, he actually kind of reminds me of Shin-chan. Shin-chan can be sooo mean!" Takao puts his hands on his face and pouts while I nod in agreement. They're both pretty harsh, but only one of them loves me. I smirk at Midorima and blow him a kiss. He visibly cringes and blushes a bit before adjusting his glasses. He takes out a stack of index cards and begins his presentation.

"As all of you should know, I am Midorima Shintarou. I will be making a history presentation on the history of Red Bean Soup." My jaw drops and now it's my turn to stand up and protest the topic.

"Oi, Midorima-kun, you make fun of my project, but then you go and give a presentation on soup?! You're unbelievable, man!" Midorima just stares at me. Ha, if looks could kill…

My classmates start making sounds of agreement with my outburst. The twins, who for some reason are still in the back of the room standing behind their (now shut-off) spotlights, start booing, and then Itami-sensei joins in, causing the rest of my classmates to boo as well. Midorima stands there, seething in rage yet also completely befuddled by his current situation. I take pity on him after a minute, and turn towards my classmates.

"Hey guys, cut it out okay, please. This isn't fair to Midorima-kun, he seems very, almost creepily passionate about Red Bean Soup, but maybe it's for a reason. Maybe it's secretly super cool. Guys, let's give him a chance." For a few moments (which feel like an eternity), the room is silent and all eyes rest on me. But our little impromptu mannequin challenge breaks when Takao stands on his chair and says "Oh captain my captain!" before dabbing. Several classmates follow suit and Itami-sensei nods and dabs in solidarity. We all sit and give Midorima our undivided attention. Bewildered, angry, and exhausted, Midorima sighs, pushes up his glasses, and then in a defeated tone, continues on his riveting history of Red Bean Soup. Just another average day at Shutoku High.