"Crap, crap, crap!" Odd yelled frantically as he bolted to the Math Building. "Come on legs, don't fail me now!" Odd uttered, almost as though his legs would respond to this with a burst of strength.

As Odd entered the Math Building, he ran up the stares to the second floor as though they were as level as the ground he had previously been running on. As the door to Mrs. Meyer class came into Odd's view he was hit with a rush of energy much like a runner who sees the finish line for the big race.

*DONG* *DONG* *DONG*.

A sense of darkness fell over Odd as though the Sun had just been flipped off. Odd's body just froze in place, he knew what this meant. Unable to accept his loss in this battle, Odd ran for the door only to find that it was locked. He knocked on the door as though he were merely a normal student coming to ask the teacher a question or deliver something from another teacher.

"Hey Ulrich,", Jeremy stated, sounding very surprised at the figure in the doorway, "isn't that Odd?"

Ulrich peered towards the door just as Odd began knocking on the apparently locked door. "Yeah, it is." Ulrich's voice sounded almost hopeless as he knew the bell had rung about 30 seconds ago.

Mrs. Meyer walked over to her door upon hearing the knocking. She had been in a very good mood this morning, but that was about to change. As she opened the door, Odd put on the most innocent face he could make. It was a great face too, had someone not known him they may believe just about anything he said with this mask of a face he wore.

"Mr. Della Robbia, what a surprise. I see you decided to sleep in instead of come to my class." Mrs. Meyer's words were almost like a challenge to Odd, forcing him to come up with an excuse to allow him to take this test.

"Mrs. Meyer, might I say, you are looking very beautiful this morning." Odd said with a wide grin on his face. "I'm sorry I'm late, but I had to help Jim move some stuff in the Gym this morning and it took longer than we thought it would."

"Then explain your hair." She replied, already knowing Odd was lying, but was interested in seeing how long Odd could keep this up.

"I... Uh, Jim and I had to move one of those industrial size fans and he accidental turned it on while we were moving it. I would have fixed my hair, but I was low on time and knew I had to make it to your class." Odd's extreme flatteries wouldn't work here, maybe in the lunchroom, but not here.

"Mr. Della Robbia, I appreciate your efforts, but I'm not going to let you take the test. You know the rules, no late students can take the test without a note from another teacher. And I doubt Jim would go along with you on this one, especially considering that he goes on vacation during the week of finals." Upon hearing this, Odd knew he was done for. This was the end, he and his unmotivated legs had lost this race. Now it was time to beg, something Odd did more often than he would like to admit. "Please, please, please! I need to take this test or I won't pass your class, I'll have to repeat the grade!" Odd persisted with his begging for almost three minutes before Mrs. Meyer finally put an end to it.

"Odd, I'm sorry, but rules are rules. You are going to have to leave so I can administer the test."

"Just let him take the test." A voice said from behind Mrs. Meyer.

"Who said that?" She asked. Her question was answered as she turned to see Ulrich standing out of his seat.

"Ulrich, I'm sorry, but your friend can't take this test. Now sit down."

Ulrich didn't know what was coming over him. He felt like he needed to try to help Odd. They all knew how bad it would be if Odd was held back, they wouldn't have any classes together. But what Ulrich felt, it wasn't just a feeling of needing to help his friend, it was a strong sense of loyalty and brotherhood. He couldn't just watch as Odd was sentenced to this fate.

"I'm sorry ma'am, but I can't just let Odd fail."

"Ulrich, sit down before I have to punish you for this." Mrs. Meyer was beginning to become impatient. "Odd, leave."

"Oh, come on Mrs. Meyer, please. I'll help clean up your chalkboard for the rest of my life, just please let me take this test!" Odd already knew that wouldn't work, but said it anyway.

"He would probably just fail it anyway." Everyone turned to Sissi Delmas, being her usual degrading and hateful self. "Why even bother giving him the test, he won't pass, we all know it."

Ulrich felt a sudden burst of anger overcome him. "Shut up Sissi!"

Sissi was appalled by Ulrich's words, almost seeing it as a personal attack on her.

"It's true, we all know it. Little pee brain over there couldn't pass an exam to save his life, let alone finals like this." Mrs. Meyer was about to speak but was cut off by Ulrich.

"I said shut up Sissi!" He didn't know what was coming over him, he had always hated Sissi, but right now he felt anger, not directed at her or anyone else, but at the situation.

"All of you to the principal's office immediately!" Mrs, Meyer yelled, finally able to stop the argument. "I want you out of my classroom now!"

"But I didn't do anything!" Sissi argued.

"Delmas, Stern, Della Robbia, to the principal's office, NOW!"

All three children knew that this was serious. Mrs. Meyer rarely yelled, they knew they had set her off.

They all slowly left the room, other than Odd who was never really in the room to begin with. As they reached the hall the door behind then was closed by a very impatient and angry Mrs. Meyer.

Next stop, the office.

Follow and review, that's the fuel for these stories.

Things I did while writing this: sat in a car on a trip headed back home from vacation. Listened to rock music. Read other fan fiction, all very good.