The Ooze Read Online Free Page A

“Bye!” I yelled on my way out.
    We live only two blocks from Shadyside MiddleSchool. I ran all the way there and made it before the bell rang.
    A girl with curly red hair raced up the front steps ahead of me.
    â€œHey, Al!” I shouted.
    She looked over her shoulder. “Hey, Al!” she shouted back at me.
    I’m Albert, of course, and her name is Alix. But we kid around, pretending we have the same name. This year we were going to be partners in the Science Bowl.
    â€œYou know when Louis Pasteur was born?” I asked.
    â€œ1822,” she shot back at me. “You know what elements are in water?”
    I said the first thing that popped into my head. “Peanut butter and jelly.”
    She laughed.
    â€œSo do you think we’ll win?” I asked her.
    â€œAre you kidding?” Alix grinned. “We’re the team to beat! No sweat!”
    We ran down the hall together and made it to class just as the bell rang.
    â€œOooh, Al-vin. You almost got a tardy slip,” Eric Rice whispered.
    He likes to call me Alvin because he thinks it makes me mad. He’s a total jerk.
    But he’s also the toughest kid in the sixth grade. And he sits right behind me. So I try not to get into any arguments with him.
    â€œWho did their memorization?” Miss Scott, our teacher, asked.
    All the kids raised their hands. Even Eric. As if he ever does his homework!
    I raised my hand, too. Then I realized I couldn’t remember what we were supposed to have memorized.
    â€œWho can tell me what the capital of Peru is?” Miss Scott asked, glancing around the class.
    As usual Toad waved his hand the hardest. We all called him Toad—even the teachers. But no one could remember how his nickname got started. He was on one of the Science Bowl teams Alix and I would be competing against.
    A fly landed on my desk. I watched it rub its front legs over its head again and again.
    â€œHow about you, Melanie?” Miss Scott asked.
    â€œIt’s Lima, isn’t it?” Melanie answered.
    â€œAre you asking me or telling me?” Miss Scott replied.
    â€œWell, maybe a little of both,” Melanie admitted.
    To that fly, I bet my desk is like a huge desert, I thought. I wished I had a little crumb to give it.
    â€œWell, you are right,” Miss Scott said. “The capital of Peru is Lima.”
    â€œBoy, did she ever luck out,” Eric muttered.
    Huh? I hadn’t really been paying attention.
    â€œEric?” Miss Scott asked. “Did you have something to add?”
    â€œNo, Miss Scott,” Eric answered.
    â€œWell, maybe you can tell us the capital of Brazil,” Miss Scott said.
    There was a pause. We all waited for Eric to say something.
    I peered out the window—and noticed some little kids playing dodgeball outside. I used to love to play dodgeball.
    â€œThe capital of Brazil, Eric,” Miss Scott repeated.
    â€œNow?” Eric asked. “You mean like right now?”
    â€œWell, soon, Eric,” Miss Scott said. “The school year ends in June!”
    Everyone in the class laughed.
    Except Eric, of course.
    I kept staring out the window again. That kid in the yellow sweater is going to get creamed, I thought. He is way too slow for dodgeball.
    â€œEric, the capital of Brazil, please.”
    â€œWell, let’s see,” Eric said slowly.
    â€œYou did memorize the capitals over the weekend, didn’t you?”
    â€œOh, sure,” Eric said. “Could you repeat the name of the country, please?”
    The kids laughed harder.
    â€œEric, if you didn’t study over the weekend, I’ll have to ask you to stay after school today,” Miss Scott said.
    â€œI have baseball this afternoon,” Eric said. “You can’t keep me after school today.”
    Baseball is a good game, too, I thought. Which do I like better—dodgeball or baseball?
    â€œSchoolwork before baseball,” Miss Scott declared.