School isn't fun. Ew. It's not helping any more with the story's update rate, either. Enough about me, then. Let's go onto more about Wally.

So, this chapter: it doesn't exactly include profanity, but…. Well, you just have to read to find out. XP

And: ohmigahd, I'm sooooooo sorry! I had a writer's block…and then started read more books from the beloved Jack Gantos, and it put me in the mood. Again, I'm really, sincerely sorry…

-dances- Here:

Chapter Eight:

Proof

Wally loved watching those ridiculous, cleanly violent Saturday morning cartoons. He was usually so entranced by them. Yet, this morning at 10:00 AM, it was written all over his face that his concentration was oddly on something else. Both emerald eyes were fixed on the TV screen, and were a bit squinted. His nose was slightly scrunched and he chewed the cereal from the bowl sitting in his lap absent mindedly.

What was he thinking about, one would wonder. Nobody passed through the room so far, so no one wondered. Wally was thinking about fish. He was wishing he could talk to them; daydreaming about it, because he could ask the fish to teach him to swim. 'Once I learn how t' swim,' he thought, 'Numbuh Three or any o' them won't have nothin' on me!'

Other things roamed around in his mind, as well. Why did he care? What was there to prove? Why did he really need to prove it? Wally was eager to know the answers to those questions, but was too lazy to actually think about it. Like math, sometimes. Wally is sometimes too lazy on his math homework to figure out a way (of his own) to solve the problem. It takes a lot of improvising to use his non-method, and improvising takes thought.

Then he actually realized it was another bet. It took him a while to catch up with his actions. His physical nerves have a mind of their own, but the mind was probably all patched up with duct tape and stitches. His eyebrow raised a little as he thought about how this was the second bet in a row, and his eyes began to go back to their normal shape because they were gradually widening. The more he thought about it, the more surprised he was.

Now Wally was very determined to learn how to swim, just because it was a bet. No other reason, he assured himself. He wasn't trying to impress Numbuh Three, who he had been heavily and noticeably avoiding so far because she kissed him (or at least that's what he was still thinking). Although, Wally thought he'd be more excited for that, and guessed it was because he wasn't awake. Or maybe it wasn't a kiss at all. Whatever it was, it blew shivers down his spine whenever he thought about it.

Numbuh Four stood up at a commercial, which he vaguely knew came on, and was now walking while being deep in thought. He placed his cereal bowl in the sink in the kitchen. Then he walked back and was staring down at his socks, which were loose and seemed too big. His feety pajamas were in the wash, so he was wearing baggy blue sweat pants and a gray shirt that had an orange athletic logo of some place.

So the question was how. How would he learn to swim without teaching himself, which he couldn't do, because he didn't know how. This was frustrating him.

Then, suddenly his mind was cleared, because he found a solution: Maybe you just don't learn to swim. Maybe you just go into the water, and you move your legs and arms. Yes, the more he thought about it, the more Wally decided this would work. Really, why would you take lessons for something so easy? It was only water. And all the other times he was defeated by the water, he was simply caught off guard.

Wally drank water. In a way, he thought he dominated this water thing already. He obviously thought about it too much. This is why Wallabee Beatles shouldn't think at all.

After thinking about it even more, Wally made a plan with himself to go to the community pool and teach himself to swim. Now he was finished pondering and figuring, so he paid attention to his cartoons.

Next week would be the last week before winter vacation. It was extremely cold out in Cleveland, Ohio, but Numbuh Four could obviously take it. The temperature was the kind of cold where your even shivering in a ski jacket at a bus stop. Of course, he was walking around the neighborhood in a T-shirt and jeans, and it always attracted attention. Numbuh Four was also bragging about he was probably 'cold blooded' because he could take it. But he'd learn. Oh yes, he'd learn.

Wally had swimming trunks. He supposed he'd just wear them to the pool. He knew where it was, and also decided to bring a towel and goggles that he found.

So, there he was, clad in sneakers, orange swimming trunks with white Hawaiian-style flowers down the sides, goggles pushed up onto his forehead and giving him a slight headache, and a towel was draped around his shoulders. He took a deep, encouraging, breath to boost his bravery. But his ego supplied that.

Wally stepped out of the very last door of the tree house, and started walking away from it. And then, he realized he messed up somewhere in his plans. First of all, he was walking around with the bottom half of his legs bare, and his entire torso only being covered by a towel. Second of all, the pool was about a mile and a half from the tree house. And third of all, before he even reached the end of the street, his face was blue, his bones were stiff, and his teeth were clattering so loudly that it was making his headache worse.

But he would not turn back. He wanted to really badly, but his feet just kept walking. Wally began to think if he made a smart choice, and started mentally cursing just because he was so cold. He tried to lie to himself, and say that he wasn't cold because all December he had been walking around with only one layer of clothing and bare arms, so this shouldn't affect him now. Eventually, Numbuh Four began confusing himself and let the war in his mind fall silent.

Wally thought of warmth. His body was numb by the time the pool was in sight. He really must have had something to prove… to no one… because no one was with him… This was stupid. It would mean nothing, because he would have no proof he did it. He was beginning to change his mind about it all.

A rustling came from some bushes near the sidewalk, while Wally was walking down the street. He glanced backwards, and thought it was just another squirrel. He hoped maybe it was a person, so he could have proof of swimming, and not drowning or making a fool of himself in shallow water for once.

Then Wally came upon the gate to the entrance of the pool. It was closed. Wally was happy, except for the fact that this meant he planned all of this and came here for no reason. Just as he was going to turn to walk away, Wally looked at the gate. He knew he could climb it. And he also knew he'd feel more satisfied if he took just a little dip.

So, he gripped the fence, but he couldn't feel it and moving the joints in his fingers kind of stung from the frost bite. As Numbuh Four climbed, with the seeming form of a spider monkey, his bones and joints and muscles began loosening up.

Wally jumped off the gate as he was halfway down the other side of the gate. Then he was facing the pool, and all the chairs, and where the lifeguard would be perched if the pool was open. The brave blonde walked up to the edge of the pool and stared down at it. There were flakes of ice, it seemed, floating around gently. He didn't know how they were there, and guessed it was from snowing or something.

More importantly, Wally never ever knew that water changes with the outdoor temperature. He didn't know that ice was made from frozen water. He knew nothing. That's where his plan had flawed.

Wally knew what to do… kind of. He dropped the towel from his shoulders, and freezing air hit him. He took off his socks and sneakers so he would stand bare footed. There was another sound from bushes nearby the gate around the pool. Wally looked in their direction, but saw no one and nothing.

His feet were half off of the edge of the pool now. Suddenly, he felt a reason to check his swimming trunks, and began adjusting them. He didn't really know how, so he was just fooling around with them. Then, he realized he was stalling. All he did was stare in the water, shaking everywhere, embracing himself with his own arms. He was entirely pale, but his face looked simply drained.

'No more messin' around…' Wally thought. Then he bent his legs, and went for it. He was only being held back by fear. He was in a cannon ball position, with the goggles shielding his eyes.

Then he hit the water's surface. It felt like he broke through something over the water. His eyes shot open so fast, that it may have made him dizzy. He cursed under water, but only bubbles came out. Wally looked up, and he was still sinking just like a cannon ball. He uncurled himself, and started flailing around.

The water was piercing through his numbness and briskly stabbing at him like icicles all over. It was shockingly cold. Wally would rather be set on fire; or wishing he was.

He didn't know how to do this. He was loosing air. He was blacking out. His eyes were drooping down.

Wally puffed out his cheeks and his chest. He pretended he had more air, although he didn't. He thought straight. Then, he tried to mimic how people swam. He kicked his legs furiously, like a machine. Up and down, up and down. He did the same thing with his arms, although he wasn't supposed to work his arms that way. Wally was facing towards the side of the pool. As he was facing upward, he felt something slip off of him, but he didn't look down.

Finally, he came to the surface once again. He did it; he swam. It wasn't a problem anymore. Wally swimming: that was something else. He breathed harshly, still in the water. The air was cooler than the water. Wally grasped the edge of the pool. He was so cold, that he honestly couldn't even feel his nerves. It was horrible.

Wally pushed himself back up onto the edge of the pool. He pushed his goggles up, and then opened his eyes. One of his eyebrows slanted in confusion. He felt air hitting him in a place that it wasn't before… and so he decided to look down.

Well, he didn't see his trunks. That's for sure. "Oh shit!" he gasped, and jumped right back into the pool. He shouldn't have adjusted them for no reason. He made them too loose, but he acted to quickly to realize.

This time in the pool he held onto the ledge. He didn't see the orange shorts on the surface, so he thought that they may have sunk. He pulled the goggles back down over his eyes, and looked underwater. They weren't there either.

His head burst back up out of the water, and he turned all around frantically looking. He refused to himself to actually swim around, and decided to stay near the edge of the pool. Wally officially couldn't feel his limbs and was shaking very violently.

He didn't even realize his towel, shoes, and socks were gone until he saw him. Yes, him, as in another kid. A video camera was in one of the kid's hands, and Wally's possessions were in the other.

"MICHAEL! YOU BUTTMUNCH! GIMMIE BACK MY STUFF!" Wally hollered. "No way! It's payback time!" said the Michael person.

Michael Philips was one of Wally's worst enemies. The were both overly competitive against each other in gym class at school, and when the neighborhood kids got together and played something, Wally and Michael also were competitive then.

Mike, as everyone called him, was getting revenge at Wally because his team won a deck hockey game in gym the other day. But, this definitely wasn't fair. It was only a stupid deck hockey game, which Wally wasn't even trying very hard to win.

"You made me look like a moron in front of Christy Patterson, and that was sooo not cool," Mike told Wally, "And now, it's your turn." Well, that answered to Wally why Mike was being so drastic.

"Dude, I'm naked, and you have it on cam-er-a. That's not fair!" Wally shouted in fury.

"Well, I'm not the one who went swimming in 20 degree weather!" It still wasn't fair. Mike just didn't understand why Wally even did this and Wally wanted his clothes back, so he got out of the pool, failing to hide what needed to be hidden, and saw Mike's face through the gate. "This isn't funny, just gimmie my shorts and I'll never beat you or any team that your on in anything ever again." Secretly, Wally planned not to keep this promise.

"Sorry shorty. Not gonna work." And with that, Michael Philips fled away from the gate. Wally could now open it from the inside, so he did. Then, he ran, completely naked besides the goggles suffocating his forehead. Wally didn't even try to hide it. He was pretty happy that the streets were deserted.

"YOU JERK! THIS ISN'T FAIR REVENGE! UGHH! I'M GONNA JACK YOU UP IN SCHOOL IF YOU DON'T GET OVER HERE!" Wally screamed, chasing after Mike, full speed. He wanted to blush in embarrassment from being naked in public, but he was actually so fired up over stupid Mike that the feeling of being frozen while moving was melting away. Or maybe it was just because he was running so fast…

He didn't care how his feet were feeling, slamming against the street. Michael was still in sight, and only two houses down. That little brown eyed, buzzed cut, freckled bastard…

Then, Mike sprinted down ahead of Wally, and made a sharp turn. When Wally reached the place he turned, Mike was out of sight. He stomped his foot onto the street.

"MICHAEL PHILIPS, YOU ARE SO DEAD IN SCHOOL ON MONDAY, THAT IT'S NOT EVEN FUNNY!" Wally hollered throughout the neighborhood. He kept screeching "GET BACK HERE," and vicious threats that were said at such a volume that Wally was probably attracting attention from people who were in their houses to the scene.

So, he walked to the tree house on numb feet, thinking angry, angry, thoughts about Michael that made him even more furious so that he forgot about the fact that he was butt naked.

Yet, he remembered as he was walking up the tree house steps. 'Oh, crud…' Wally thought. They would all see Wally and laugh madly at him.

While Wally was in the elevator, he felt his body heat returning. He was still wet from the pool water, and now with sweat from chasing for Michael three quarters of a mile. He was still panting.

Wally thought quick. Someone was probably in the lobby, at least one person. It was the afternoon, and something probably happened. He clasped his hands over what he didn't want to be seen until the elevator door parted. He sighed in relief that it was clear.

Numbuh Four then went back into the elevator and tapped the numbers of the hall his room was in. He caught his breath and felt how cold his throat was. Wally was most likely the craziest kid in the neighborhood, or maybe even in school.

Then he was in his room. He put on boxers, and his cozy, warm feety pajamas. He was exhausted, and his joints were feeling kind of stiff again. His nose was running. He sniffed, and lay his head down on the pillow in the middle of the boxing ring. Another cold?

Wally's hands were placed across his stomach. He wondered if he would ever get his sneakers back. Then, while he was thinking of a way to get revenge on stupid Mike, he drifted into sleep. But he had one last vague thought before he was entirely asleep: that there was proof that Wally could swim. And it was in Michael Philips camera.

Numbuh Four decided that he wanted it, just so he could shove it in everyone's face.