Hey I actually updated this, what a surprise...

Chapter 49

"As you all know, Valentine's Day is coming up, and I'm sure you're all excited," Mrs. Jenkins announced the next Monday in a dreary tone. I rolled my eyes – after all, she didn't sound too excited.

Jazz's hand shot up. "Mrs. Jenkins?"

Mrs. Jenkins sighed. "Yes, Jasmine?"

Jaz just beamed. "I love Valentine's Day so much. Every single year, I always make cookies and cupcakes and I give them to all my friends and then I buy a lot of candy and-"

I groaned. Jaz still did not know how to stop being annoying.

Mrs. Jenkins didn't seem too pleased either. "Yes, thank you, Jasmine. As I was saying, if you wish to participate in the festivities, you must first bring in a container to hold your valentines. If you are going to pass out treats or cards, you must have enough for everyone in the class. Understand?"

Everyone mumbled their agreement. Mrs. Jenkins nodded. "Alright. Now, can anyone remember what we were talking about in English last week?"

I sighed, starting to doodle on my notes. Iggy tapped me on the shoulder.

"Hey Max, what're you going to bring in for Valentine's Day?"

I frowned. "Valentine's Day is gross. Romance and all that other mushy stuff is gross."

Iggy looked confused. "But I thought you said you liked me, and then remember how you... uh…gave me a kiss?"

I rolled my eyes at him as I drew little stars on my paper. "Okay, that's different. That's not too gross and mushy." I turned and looked at Jaz, who was drawing little hearts all over her paper and beaming at Fang. "Unlike Jaz's behavior."

"How is it different?" Iggy wanted to know.

"It just is!" I whispered angrily, scrunching my paper up into a ball.

Mrs. Jenkins and the rest of the class were staring at us. "Maxine, would you like to tell us what the matter is?" she asked, crossing her arms in a disapproving manner.

Before I could answer, Iggy piped up, "Max thinks she's some kind of expert on love."

I gaped at him. "I do not!"

Mrs. Jenkins actually smiled, but not exactly in a friendly way. "Well, Maxine, you are sure to enjoy the poetry project that I just explained, had you been listening."

I made a face. "Mrs. Jenkins, nothing is grosser or mushier than poetry."

Mrs. Jenkins either didn't hear me, or she ignored me, because she went on, "I look forward to seeing the love poems that all of you are to write."

~~::~~

"I am so excited about the poetry project," Jaz gushed at lunch later that day. "I'm going to write all about my love for Fnick!"

Fang just looked embarrassed. "You don't have to do that," he muttered, taking a sip of milk.

I angrily stabbed my macaroni and cheese with a fork. "Poetry, shmoetry. It's all boring."

Iggy frowned. "It's not too bad."

"Yeah, thanks, Mr. Love Expert," I replied, glaring at him. "What am I even supposed to write? 'Roses are red, violets are blue, you stink, Mrs. Jenkins, I really hate you?'"

From the other side of the table, Daisy giggled. "I don't think she'd like that very much."

I shook my head. "She doesn't really approve of anything I do."

"Hi everyone!" Nudge's voice came from behind me. She and Gazzy plunked their lunch trays down on either side of me.

"You know what we're going to do for Valentine's Day?" Gazzy asked, opening his carton of milk. "We're going to pass out candy, and we're gonna have a party the entire day! It's gonna be so cool!"

Nudge smiled, dipping her spoon into her pudding. "Is your class doing anything for Valentine's Day, Max?" She probably would have said more if she wasn't busy filling her mouth with pudding.

I rolled my eyes. "Don't get me started."

"We're writing love poems!" Jaz told her, grinning, as she took a bite of her sandwich.

"Oooh!" Nudge grinned. "Max, are you gonna write one to Iggy?"

"Just shut up!" I told her, putting my hands over my ears. "No more mushy love stuff."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Iggy just pushing his food around his plate, not really eating anything. Well, too bad for him. I shoved another forkful of macaroni in my mouth. No more love talk for the rest of the day.

~~::~~

"Hey Max, what are you doing with Jeb's computer?" Nudge asked that night, peeking her head into Jeb's office, where I was sitting at the desk.

"Huh? Nothing. I mean, I guess I'm looking up poems," I told her as she dragged another chair over. I typed another search into Google, but nothing really worthwhile came up.

"Oh, for inspiration?" she asked, brushing a lock of her curly hair back behind her ear. "Sometimes when I have to write a story or something for class, I'll look in one of my books and then get a really good idea! Does that ever happen to you?"

"Suuuuuuure." I muttered. "Inspiration."

Nudge frowned. "Wait…. Max, you can't steal poems from the internet! That's like plugurizing… I mean pagerizing… I mean…"

"Plagiarizing?" I asked her.

She nodded. "Yeah, you can't do that! Because then you'll get in trouble, and you'll have to go to jail!"

I laughed, typing in another search on the keyboard. "I don't think they send you to jail for taking things off the internet."

"Yeah, but don't you wanna write a love poem from the heart?" Nudge asked. I made the mistake of looking into her eyes. A fatal mistake – Nudge was using her Bambi eyes.

"Pleaaaase? I'll help you, I know what boys like!" Nudge added.

"You're eight," I told her.

"Yeah, but I've seen every Disney princess movie! And those are good examples of true love!"

I didn't feel like ruining Nudge's dreams of true love and other mushy things – plus, I was pretty sure she had somehow amplified the power of her Bambi eyes. "Okay, fine, whatever," I muttered.

"Yes!" Nudge cheered. She dug around in one of the drawers and found a notepad and a pen, victoriously holding them up. "This is gonna be the best poem ever!"

I just sighed. "This is going to be the longest night ever."