Chapter 6: Smart and Smarter
A/N Just a little bit of Cassie and her dad at the beginning and a lot of Chase and Cassie in this chapter.
The next day I went to school early to work on a project for language arts, I had to write a 5 page essay on the Wrinkle in Time. I finished the book in 2 weeks but essays are not my thing. I got about 3 pages in and I got bored and fell asleep, when I woke up Chase wanted to hang out and of course I said yes. And I don't regret it one bit, but now I have to get the last two pages done in time for 6th period.
I finished the essay and turned it in, not my best work but it will have to do, oh and I also got my progress report. I was walking down the hallway when Chase ran up to me "Cassie! Cassie! Look at this" Chase shouted as he handed me his progress report.
"An A minus?" I questioned not getting what the big deal was.
"Exactly, an A minus" he shouted exasperated
"Well, I got all A's" I laughed then looked up at Chase's face "I mean… I like what you're doing with your hair"
"Thanks" He smiled "I was going- Hey, don't do that"
"Do what" I asked innocently.
Chase spotted Adam, Bree, and Leo and ran over to them "Look at this!" chase said as I caught up. "An A minus, I knew my home etc. teacher had it out for me. Always critizing my muffins"
"Why I liked those muffins" I asked frowning.
"Ha ha!" Adam mocked "I beat you I got a D plus! Plus, because I'm better!"
"Adam, the 'plus' is- you know what? It's just not even worth it anymore" Bree gave up.
"D is not a good grade but, we don't really expect you to get good grades. " Chase said causing me to snicker. "I'm engineered to be the smartest person on the planet, and I just got an A minus. I've been relegated to the huddled, unwashed masses of minuses, like you"
"Excuse me" I crossed my arms.
"And when I say you I mean them, those three" Chase quickly covered.
"Chase I know this must be hard for you, but, I mean look at the bright side" Bree sat next to Chase on the bench "Seeing you fall flat on your face is really fun for us!"
"I have got to find a way to reclaim my superiority" Chase thought out loud.
"Well, you could sign up for the student of the semester competition" Leo offered.
Chase snapped his attention to Leo "What's that?"
"Every semester kids compete to see who can best improve the school. Whoever gets the most votes wins free pencils, a bumper sticker, and a cheesy picture of themself on the wall!" Leo explained with fake enthusiasm
"And that cheesy picture will show everyone that my brilliance reigns supreme! I am so gonna win"
"He really is full of himself" I thought out loud but not loud enough for Chase to hear.
"Says the one who boosts his ego just by existing" Leo laughed.
"Yeah, I really need to control that"
The bell rang and Chase and Adam raced to class, I Saw Mattie walking down the hall "I really should go follow them, if I don't I won't be able to sit next to Chase. I mean get a seat" I added before I ran after them.
After class I was walking down the steps when chase walked up to me "Vote for Chase" He said with a smile.
"I don't know I think I'll skip voting this time" I pretended to be in thought. I laughed as Chase pouted "I'm just kidding of course I'll vote for you"
He smiled as he turned to Adam, Bree, and Leo and gave a card to Leo, "What do you think"
"What do I think or what's appropriate to say to your face" Leo asked
"Chase the dream?" Bree took the card from Leo "please do not give these to anyone I might want to be friends with"
"I like them" I smiled at Chase.
"Yeah, cause they have Chase's face on it" Leo muttered causing Adam and Bree to laugh.
I glared at Leo as Chase continued ignoring the comment "I've got a whole plan, check it out. I've even linked the latest facial recognition software to the school database to create a laser automated attendance system" Chase led us over to the door where Andrew walked through and a giant laser scanned him.
"Andrew Lamb has been late three days in a row" Chase's voice rang through the speakers. The security guard took Andrew to the office, that thing better not get me.
"Straight to the principal's office Andy" Chase commanded pointing towards the office. When he was one Chase turned to us. "He'll thank me for putting him on the right path."
"Oh, dude, you're never gonna win with that. Kids want fun stuff like Jacuzzi's in math class and hallways paved with candy" Adam said. I'm pretty sure kids don't want that, or at least I don't. "Oh, and I also think biology would be a lot more fun if we could juggle the frogs before we dissected them"
"That would be…" I started but Leo cut me off
"That's frog abuse"
"Yeah frog abuse that's what I was going to say" I said awkwardly.
"Fine we'll do it after but it's going to get messy" Adam changed his previous offer.
I walked into the lunch room passing Adam on the way out "Where's he going" I asked Chase.
"He has this big idea on how to get me more votes" Chase said as we sat down.
As soon as I sat down Adam came back in with a giant DJ system "Everybody say hello to DJ jersey Chase!" Adam called through a microphone.
"I'm guessing that's his big idea" I said to Chase. He just nodded as we walked over to Adam.
"Adam what is going on" Chase asked pushing the microphone away.
"I'm helping you win or should I say…I'm helping you win" Adam said the last part into the microphone.
"I do not need a cheesy DJ setup" Chase tried to tell Adam.
"I know that's why I got you this awesome DJ set up" Adam said before he bought the microphone back to his mouth. "It's a lunchtime dance party!" He set the microphone down and started twirling a lattle "Go gravy! Go gravy!"
"Adam, Adam don't" I tried to get him to stop but soon everyone joined in, One guy came up and gave Chase a high-five.
"So this isn't awkward or anything" I said gesturing to everyone.
I walked into study hall with Chase and saw Adam carrying a vendi-machine
"Hey" Chase shouted at him. "Adam for the last time that is not a giant lunch box"
"No, it's part of your new campaign to win student of the semester" Adam explained. "I- uh, I mean you put a vendi machine in study hall"
"Those aren't even healthy snacks" Chase pointed out, "Is that key lime pie"
"I don't know, give me a dollar and I'll find out" Adam held out his hand.
I handed him two dollars "Get me a pack of gummies"
Adam handed me the gummies and I ate them watching people buy stuff from the vendi machine. "They love it" Chase smiled
"Of course they do they're getting there meal from a machine" Adam told Chase. "And you didn't think you needed my help. I'm totally going to win this thing for you"
I froze "Don't you mean Chase is going to win this" I laughed nervously hoping he'd play along.
"No, I'm going to win this thing for him, like I said" Adam said setting his book bag down
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. You're going to win this thing for me" Chase said as we walked over to the table Adam was at.
"Yeah, I just said that. Twice" Adam said putting up three fingers, "Don't you think your sudden popularity has something to do with my ideas"
"No" Chase shook his head "I think people are finally realizing my campaign slogan 'Chase the dream' is about me. I'm the dream" please just let him have it Adam, please. "It works on a lot of levels don't hurt yourself"
"But my strategy was ten times better. You can't just deal with the fact that I'm finally smarter at something than you are"
"So I'm going to go before I get caught between the famous Davenport Brother feuds… again" I told them but they didn't even hear me.
Later that day I put my books in my locker and saw Adam drive away with a huge puff of smoke following him. I walked over to Chase.
"What was that" I asked when I got over to Chase.
"Adam is competing against me in the student of the semester" Chase explained leaning against the stairs.
"Well" Leo said as he walked down the stairs "My scientific polling, which consists of all your crumpled-up business cards in the trash can- shows that Adam is beating you by a comfortable margin"
"If I'm gonna compete with him I have to start thinking like a simpleminded creature. One who goes through the day on basic instinct and random impulses, like a dog or a monkey, or a sea-slug" Chase looked at me than Leo
"Or Adam" We all said together
I was standing by Chase's burger cart where he was passing out cheeseburgers, I laughed at his word play, making myself a burger.
"A hamburger cart that's the best you got" Adam asked as he walked up.
"Actually it's a cheeseburger cart but, same difference" I shrugged laying lettuce on my burger.
"The only thing juicer than my burgers is what you're about to eat, which is a big heaping pile of hot tasty defeat"
I laughed lightly as I reached for the tomatoes, "Oh, well speaking of defeat, care for a foot rub" Adam gestured to his massage corner.
"What's that" Chase asked setting down his spatula.
"That is my two minute massage stop, winning hearts and minds ten toes at a time" Adam explained. "Oh, go ahead people, First come, first served
"That's awesome" I said as everyone abandoned Chase's stand to go to Adams.
"Cassie!" Chase shouted.
I slowly turned back around "I mean this chesses burger, this burger is awesome" I said quickly taking a bite.
Adam grabbed a burger "Mmm, good."
"You know what? I've really had it with you. "
"Aww, what are you going to do about it?" Adam said in a little baby voice
"You know, you really can't enjoy a burger without a little ketchup on your buns" Chase grabbed a ketchup bottle and squeezed some down Adam's pants.
I almost choked on my burger laughing. Adam turned to Chase "Jokes on you, I actually kind of liked that" then walked away.
It was finally the time to announce the winner of student of the semester and I was standing with Leo and Adam when Chase walked up.
"Ah, this is it, the moment we've all been waiting for" Chase smiled smugly at Adam.
Adam gasped "They found a talking horse that fights crime?"
"No, Adam, no they haven't and they never will find a talking horse that fights crime" I said shaking my head slowly.
"It's the student of the semester results, Miss Thistle gets to open the results because she's the oldest teacher in the school" Leo explained
"This is going to take a while" I whispered to Chase watching Miss Thistle struggle to open the letter.
"Oh, just give me the stupid thing" Chase shouted taking the letter from her, he froze than smiled "I mean let me help you ma' am" Chase rolled his eyes annoyed as he opened the letter. He jumped up and down as he read the letter "Yes! Yes! Yes! I…" Chase trailed off as he stopped jumping "tied with Adam"
Yes I half-won!" Adam shouted picking Chase up.
"Put me down" Chase shouted as the bell rang, Adam set him down and ran off. He turned to Miss Thistle "There must be some mistake. Maybe you missed a few. Count again, please" Chase begged her as she walked away.
"Chase" I grabbed his shoulders "We won't live to see her make it through another count. Let's just go"
I walked into the lab with Chase and Adam, Adam was writing in his notebook and Chase kept complaining about how he tied with Adam. I walked over to Leo and Bree as they talked, or fight. Adam shot lasers at Chase who deflected it with his force-field. He then shrunk his force field and shot it at Adam, sending across the room. Adam jumped up and screamed as he ran back at Chase.
"Bree should we do something" Leo asked worried.
"Nah, there bionic brothers it how they roll" Adam than through chase across the room "and fly"
Adam jumped up "Ha! I can still pin you in less than three seconds" Adam said than ran out of the room.
"Are you okay Chase" I asked following behind Bree and Leo.
"I'm good" Chase jumped up, straightening his tie "he always plays the physical card. This contest was my thing and he's trying to show him up"
"He's not trying to show you up, he did show you up. And instead of giving him credit you made him feel stupid. Which is how you always make him feel" Bree said before she walked out of the lab.
"Huh, now I'm starting to think she's smarter than you to" Leo said.
I smacked his arm "Leo" I walked over to Chase "Chase, she's right. Adam may be dumb but it doesn't give you the right to treat him like that. Now you have to do something to fix it" I told him before I followed Bree out.
The next day at school I walked over to Chase after hearing what he did for Adam, I smiled at him as I walked over. "I heard what you did, that was really sweet of you"
"Well, Adam deserved to win. It was just an A minus" He shrugged.
"Hey, Bree, good news. I found a new way to make it to class on time" Leo said as he pulled up in the hallway party bus.
"May I" Chase held out his arm.
"You may" I laughed as I took his arm and jumped into the back with Bree, Leo scooted over into the passenger side so Adam could get in. We buckled up as Adam drove us around in it, I smiled down at Chase and I's linked arms then up at Chase.