I have been dying to write this for so long. This one's gonna be good! A lot of people ask me "Jenna, why physics? What made Alvin like physics?" Well, here's the answer.

Alvin's POV

As I was continuing to adjust to my break from being Mr. Popular, life decided to throw a new hurdle my way. It hadn't been long since the whole incident, at least…it didn't FEEL like long. I'm not good with telling time. It all just blurs together in my mind.

Maybe it had been a week? Maybe a month? Couldn't have been a year though….cuz I would remember that. I'd guess it was around 3 months post-popularity incident. I was trying my hardest to keep my grades up, but I still ran into trouble.

Maintaining a decent, not even "good" just decent, grade in all my classes was extremely difficult. Without the Most Improved Award hanging over my head, I didn't have the grit or drive to motivate me. Even with all the free time from not having parties and sports games to attend as much, I still felt like there wasn't enough time to complete my assignments.

I felt like I was falling behind faster and faster now. Progress reports had just been sent home yesterday and I had a solid D in Math, but now I was flunking Science, ELA, and History because I'd been slacking off in them in order to push myself harder in math. Gym and art were at least Bs! Not that it mattered.

Dave went off on another one of his lectures about trying harder and I turned him out because I didn't need to hear it for the millionth time. I WAS trying hard. It felt like I was walking a bunch of dogs at once. If I paid attention to one dog for too long, the rest would tangle the leash and trip me. But, I also couldn't pay attention to all of them at once.

I needed something that could raise all my grades at once. It would solve ALL my academic problems! It could help me make it to the end of the year, so I could enjoy my summer without Dave staring at me with those disappointed eyes. Did something like that exist? I found out a couple days later in Miss. Smith's class. And that, my dear friends, is where this story begins.

Miss. Smith pointed to a chart on the chalkboard while I was busy working on a new design for one of my comics. I was totally listening to what she said, even if it looked like my attention was focused on the drawing in front of me.

"Remember, everyone. Today's the last day to sign up for or transfer out of any after school activities." She droned on, causing my eyelids to droop. "The school is also offering some special enrichment classes to help those of you who want to boost your overall grade point average. If any of you are interested, sign up sheets are in the main office."

My eyes widened. Ohoho! An extra school class that could raise my grades in multiple classes at once!? It was too good to be true! I wondered what sort of classes I could choose from. There had to be SOMETHING on the list that appealed to me.

I got out of my chair and was immediately seen by my evil teacher who I am like 99% sure is some super villain in her spare time. "Alvin, take your seat. Class isn't over until I dismiss you! We've been over this!"

"But….but….but…." I sputtered.

"Sit down, Alvin." Hissed, my brother, Simon.

I grumpily sat back down in my seat. Then, I wrote a note to myself so I wouldn't forget to check the….NUTS! Where did she say the list would be? Aggravated at myself, I raised my hand.

"What is it now, Alvin?" Miss. Smith glared into my soul with her laser-like eyes.

I let a small squeaky noise out before talking. "Where…uh….where are those extra…currentular uh…doohickeys again?" I knew I had the word wrong, but was unsure how to correct it.

"She just said it." Eleanor, the little one of the Chipettes, told me angrily. "It's the main office."

"Also known as Alvin's favorite place to be." Brittany, Eleanor's ANNOYING sister, teased me. Sure, I get sent to the office a lot. Wait! That gives me an idea.

I took the note I had been writing and wadded it up. Reaching into my backpack, I pulled out a straw. It didn't take a genius to know what I was about to do. I stuck the wadded up paper in my mouth, then I put it in the straw and blew with all my might.

BULLSEYE! The spitball hit Miss. Smith, right in one of the lenses of her dorky pink glasses. She wiped it off and then looked at all of us. "Who did that?"

Several fingers pointed directly at me. I smirked, holding up the straw. "Oops." I lied. "I was aiming for Simon." Simon hadn't even been on my radar.

"Principal's office! Now!" My teacher reacted to the situation exactly as I had hoped.

"Well, if you insist, Miss. Smith." I replied, trying to hide how excited I was. Ohoho! This was my ticket to the office and the list! I hurried out the door and rushed to the main office, my heart pounding. Goofing off always gives me such an adrenaline rush!

It didn't take me long to find the list once I was in the office. My eyesight blurred as I looked at the choices. Dang it! I couldn't read ANY of them. Not without….urgh…my geeky red glasses. I hated wearing those things.

I made a quick trip to my locker to grab the glasses. It was tricky working the combination lock without them, but I managed somehow. Back in the office, the options on the list came into full view. Oof! Man! This was a lot to read. Okay, maybe I could just start at the top and work my way down until I found one that seems fun.

Agriculture? No, HARD pass.

Organic Chemistry? Ew. Science.

Interpretive Dance? Possibility…

Music Appreciation? Ohoho! THAT'S THE ONE! I remember my pal Kevin telling me he took Music Appreciation once. All they do is listen to music and write down what they think of the songs. With this class, my grade point average would go up just enough to push me to passing in my failing classes!

I located the clipboard that had the sign up sheet for Music Appreciation. I grabbed a pencil laying on the table and prepared to write my name.

And then, I stopped. That ol ADHD had kicked in and my attention shifted to another sign up sheet with a word on it that made my head tingle.

PSYCHICS! A whole class on how to get psychic powers!? Maybe it's a study on how psychic people use their powers? Or famous psychics throughout history? I HOPED it was a class on expanding your psychic abilities though. I had ALWAYS wanted to be psychic! To see the future! To read minds! Think about it! Psychic Alvin! Kinda has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?

Before I could second guess myself, I had impulsively added my name to the sign up sheet. I thought my problems were solved. Everything was going so well! The universe had just handed me an opportunity and I had answered the door.

A day later, my brothers, Jeanette, Ellie, and I all met up in the cafeteria. We sometimes ate lunch together as a group. Brittany would have been there too, but she was running late. Principal's Assistant duties or something was keeping her held hostage.

"So, did anyone sign up for those special extracurricular classes?" Jeanette asked us as a group. "I'm taking a gardening class." She nibbled some apple slices in between talking to us.

Simon was making ham and cheese rollups as he joined in our discussion. "Organic Chemistry." Of course he'd pick that one. It sounded like something he'd find fun. Me? Not so much.

"I didn't choose one of those special classes." Eleanor squeezed a grape too hard and the juice squirted at Theo, who ducked to avoid it. "But I did decide to try out for Volleyball."

"And I'm taking an extra cooking class." Theodore smiled and then shoved his cheeks full of popcorn. Wait, did Dave let him have popcorn for lunch? No fair!

Sensing it was my turn to talk, I jumped in. "I signed up for one of the special classes."

Theo, Simon, and Eleanor's jaws dropped. Jeanette gave me a cute smile that said "good for you, Alvin."

I decided to talk more to fill the silence. "That's why I asked about where the list was."

"Ohhhh." Theodore said, sipping his juice box. "I just thought you were trying to make Miss. Smith mad."

"You signed up for extra school? YOU!?" Eleanor's blonde pigtails swished as she turned her head to stare at me.

"Hey, I need a quick way to, you know, not flunk my classes." I explained.

"This isn't a quick "fix it" method." Simon told me sharply. "These classes are hard work."

"I'm aware." I grinned. "I found a really cool one, so I'm pretty sure I'll be able to give it my best shot."

Theo seemed less shocked by my decision now. "What did you sign up for, Alvin?" He asked sweetly.

Ohoho! I had been waiting so long to tell them. "A class about Psychics. I can't wait to see what sort of psychic powers I unleash!" I waved my hands around pretending to channel my soon to be real psychic abilities.

Until Jeanette pulled up the list on her phone and ruined everything. "Uh, Alvin?" She tilted her head as she read the word. "This doesn't say psychics. It says physics."

Wait, what? No! I MISREAD IT EVEN WITH MY STUPID GLASSES ON!?

Simon burst out laughing "Oh my gosh."

Dread crept over me like a blanket. I didn't even know what I'd signed myself up for. "Physics?" I questioned aloud. "What's physics?"

Simon chuckled again. "Oh please can I tell him?" He folded his hands on the lunch table.

"Go right ahead." Eleanor urged. "I wanna see the look on his face."

Simon cleared his throat and then, just like Jeanette did,….he too ruined my day. "Physics is the study of matter, energy, forces, the universe, and everything inside it. It's one of the three most well known branches of science. The other two being Biology and Chemistry."

OH NO! OH NOOOOO! What had I DONE!? "It's a science?" I asked, as disturbed as I could possibly be. "It's a SCIENCE!?" I repeated louder. "Are you telling me I signed myself up for a SCIENCE class!? Nohoho! Science is the WORST!"

"Yep, you did." My younger, and definitely smarter brother told me with a hint of sympathy. "And the period to drop and switch extracurriculars has passed so….tough break."

"Ooooh ouch." Theodore frowned.

"This is HILARIOUS!" Eleanor cackled. "Also, think about it, why would the school teach a class on psychics?"

And then, Simon joined right in with the teasing. "I'm just impressed he knew that psychics has a P an H and a Y in it."

Jeanette tapped her reusable water bottle on the table to make them stop laughing. Then, she spoke. "I don't think it'll hurt to try it out. You might have a great time." She told me, midnight blue eyes shining.

"No, No, Jeanette." I replied painfully. "I'm gonna be bored out of my mind! Science hates me and I hate it." As evidenced by my current F in science!

Then, just when I thought things couldn't get worse, Brittany returned from wherever she'd been. "Hey, guys! What's up?" The girl in the pink skirt and lighter pink top with a picture of her face on it took her seat next to me.

And Theo immediately caught her up on my big problem. "Alvin accidentally signed himself up for a science class."

"Really?" She studied me with her icey eyes, almost as if she didn't believe it HAD been an accident. "He can get out of it, right?"

I sighed. There was no hiding this. "No. I can't. I'm stuck. I can't drop it until next week." I groaned pitifully. "An entire week of physics." I gagged on the word physics. "I'd rather go on another archeology trip or to space camp." Which would still be boring and intolerable, but less than a physics class.

Jeanette raised her hand. "If you need help, I can help you understand the material." She offered.

I was getting really annoyed with her now. "I don't want to understand it. I'm gonna nap as much as I can in that class. Then I'll switch out in a week and into something else that I actually have a chance of passing." Like Music Appreciation! The thing I almost signed up for before I made my enormous blunder.

Si shrugged his shoulders. "Or you could try and actually learn something? Maybe just a tiny bit." He suggested.

"Simon, stop tormenting him." Brittany hissed. Finally, someone was on my side.

My brother looked confused. "I'm not. That wasn't tormenting or teasing. I'm serious."

"It's an amazing chance. You could open your mind to so many possibilities." Jeanette added.

I stopped looking at her because now the mere sight of her face was making me mad. Would she just SHUT UP already? "Nope. I have made up my mind. I'm not going to be forced to learn something I have no interest in." I finished my lunchables mini pizzas and tossed the empty container in the nearest trash can. "Now, if you'll excuse me….I'm gonna go to art class and try to forget about this."

"Considering how much you forget, you won't have to try very hard." Eleanor commented with a wink.

I grabbed Theo's juice box and squirted her with it. I was very sensitive when it came to my spotty memory.

"Hey!" Theo shouted. "That was my juice!"

"Uncalled for, Alvin." Simon told me sternly.

"Apologize to my sister." Brittany snapped. "Or else."

"I'm sorry." I told Eleanor even though I really didn't want to. "But that was definitely called for." I muttered under my breath. I'd had enough of their teasing.

I stormed out of the lunchroom, a hurricane of emotions. I couldn't believe I'd made such a stupid spelling mistake. And now….I was gonna be trapped after school for an entire hour…being taught science junk that didn't have a chance of sticking in my brain. I needed to get out of that class. It was time for a new plan.

After school, I reported to the classroom where my Physics BLECH! class was held. There was a guy in a funny looking tan jacket with a bunch of weird flower designs on it standing by the door. He wore a blue and green striped tie and loafers on his feet.

"Welcome!" He boomed, sounding like a guy advertising something. "Come come, sit down. We're going to take a trip through the galaxy to discover the building blocks of the universe."

Galaxy? Space stuff? Okay, I'll bite. "Will there be aliens?" I asked the dude.

He shook his head. "I'm afraid not, young scholar. But, there are quantum mechanics!"

I yawned. "Yeah. Not interested. Also, I'm not a scholar." A scholar wouldn't be in danger of failing a new class every week.

"Perhaps not yet." There was a mischievous twinkle in his eye. It reminded me of my own. Weird.

"Not EVER." I repeated. "Science sucks."

He scratched his head. "You're Alvin Seville, aren't you?"

I pointed to my giant A on my shirt. "The one and only."

"Why, pray tell, have you signed up for this class if you have such disdain toward science?" The man asked.

"Well, that's actually what I wanna talk to you about. You're the teacher, right?" I said, twisting the ripped hem of my red hoodie with my hands.

"Yes. My name is Doctor Adam Wilson. But you can call me Dr. Wilson for short." He reached out a hand and bent down to get closer to my height.

I shook his hand. "Great! Nice to meet ya, teech." I replied. Then, I cut to the chase. "I wanna drop this class. I signed up by mistake."

He looked disappointed by that. "Are you sure?"

"Never been more sure of anything in my life." I said confidently. "This ain't my scene."

He looked at me with those twinkly eyes of his. "I'll tell you what, Alvin. You stay in my class today and if my lesson hasn't peaked your interest by the time you're dismissed, then I will sign the forms for you to transfer next week and you don't have to show up for any more classes. Deal?"

"Deal" I smirked back at the man, then scowled and took my seat. He was challenging me. I couldn't resist a challenge. Besides, what were the odds that one hour of listening to him babble about science would have any effect on me? It sure hadn't worked with Miss. Smith.

I looked around the room. There were a bunch of random posters on the walls that seemed to have nothing to do with science. Rollercoasters, waterslides, football and other sports, racecars and airplanes. Maybe he was like me and he just liked to decorate his space with all the random things he enjoyed.

I watched as the other kids in class, the majority of them quite geeky in appearance like Kevin and Cheesy, sat with excited and mesmerized grins on their faces. It was like they expected Dr Winslow or Walton or whatever to be a famous celebrity. Starstruck was the only word that could describe it. Starstruck or…brainwashed.

No, Alvin, you're being silly. I told myself. He's too nice to be an alien and he's not gonna brainwash you or zap you with anything and make you into an obedient little nerd drone. He's just some kooky science teacher who dresses weird and actually didn't hate your guts the minute he saw you. Everything is gonna be fine.

Alvin doesn't make the connection yet, but Adam sounds like atom and it feels like a fun name for a science teacher. Also, Ross Jr. had a brother named Adam whom his dad would always yell at. He was basically Ross Sr's inspo for Alvin.

Anyway, what do you guys think will happen next? How is this kooky teacher going to convince Alvin to give physics a chance?