Badge

"So my mom told me that it was infected, but it didn't look infected, you know, with all the pus and stuff, so I squeezed it, and she threw her soda at me!" Sam told Carly as the two girls placed books in their lockers at Ridgeway High. "Can you believe that?"

"Um, no," Carly said. "I really can't."

"Morning ladies," Freddie said, walking over to the girls. He had a gold badge on his chest.

"What is that?" Sam asked, poking his chest. "Did they finally name you Head Nub?"

"No," he snapped. "This, happens to be my SWS badge."

"SWS?" Carly repeated.

"Students Watching Students. It's this new program that Principal Franklin wants to try out. Basically, he picks a few students that he thinks are really honorable and has them look over the student body."

"So, basically you're a snitch," Sam stated. "Wow, just when I thought the social bar couldn't go any lower."

"Honorable students? Aren't I an honorable student?" Carly said, frowning.

"For your information," Freddie said to Sam. "This badge is finally going to get me some respect around here."

"No, it's going to get you stuffed in a trashcan."

"Yeah, I've got to agree with Sam on this one," Carly said. "Students are going to be too thrilled about one of their own telling everything they do to the principal. Not that it's any less of an honor," she quickly added. "I'm really happy you got picked, but still..."

"You'll both see," Freddie said, crossing his arms. "By the end of the day, I'll have climbed the social totem all the way to the top."

End of the Day

Sam headed to her favorite vending machine after school (it always screwed up and gave her two packages of Fat Cakes). She was just about to put her dollar into the machine when she heard Freddie's voice. "Um, a little help here?"

She turned around. At first, she thought she was hearing things, but then she saw Freddie, sitting, stuck in a garbage can.

"Wow," she said, her voice filled with laughter as she walked over to him. "Look what we have here. A disposable dork."

"Ha, ha. Just help me up, will you?"

"Nah, think I'll savor this moment a little longer. So, is this the high end of the totem pole you were talking about?"

"Sam! Come on, there's something very slimy seeping through my jacket!"

"First let me here you say I was right about the badge."

"No!"

"Fine," she said. She started to walk away.

"Wait! Okay, whatever, you were right. Now get me out of here!"

"That's what Mama loves to here," she grinned. She took hold of Freddie's hands and heaved him out of the trashcan.

"Thanks," Freddie panted. "Well, you'll be happy to know that I'm done being a part of SWS. I'll tell Franklin tomorrow."

"Who's the wonderful person that put you in there in the first place?" Sam asked, still smiling.

"The huge football player Rob Sharp. I told him that it was against school policy to practice throwing his football by the staircase and he, well, you know the rest."

"So where's your badge?"

"You don't want to know," Freddie said, and Sam burst out laughing. "Man, I've got to give Sharp a medal!"

"Of course you do," Freddie said, rolling his eyes.

Next Day

"Hey," Freddie greeted Carly.

"Hi," she said. "Look, Sam told me about you getting stuffed in a trashcan. I feel really bad."

"Eh, it's no big deal. Where's Sam?"

"She said something about going to see Rob Sharp."

"Sure she's giving him a high five," Freddie said.

"Hey, hey," Sam said, walking around the corner, chewing a piece of bacon.

"Well, we'd better get to class," Carly said.

"I have to grab my books from my locker, you two go ahead," Freddie said.

The girls nodded, and headed towards their class.

As Freddie headed towards his locker, though, he passed Rob Sharp. He was about to turn and run in the other direction, but before he did, he caught a closer glance at the giant boy. He had a black eye and was walking with a limp.

"It was that Sam Puckett!" he said to one of football friends. "She's crazy strong!"

Freddie grinned as Rob passed. Maybe that blonde-headed demon wasn't so bad…