Chapter Seventeen - Quick Thinking

All day Monday the students in Room 222 read, wrote, and even multiplied with insects. The room was changing quickly and it was all because of Bob. Multiplication charts and maps of Virginia were soon covered over with mosquitoes and moths. On every wall six legs reached out and thousands of eyes followed you blankly around the room. By Tuesday afternoon, Ms. Catarinas’ students were itching to be taught how to precisely draw insects.

An hour before dismissal, Ms. Catarinas dropped her students off at art where Ms. Ululani was ready to create. When she told them that they would be drawing their bugs today, the class went off like fireworks.

Every student at Edgeview agreed that Ms. Ululani was the best art teacher that they had ever had. She had grown up in Hawaii and loved to keep fresh flowers in her classroom. It was the best smelling place in the whole school.

The other reason she was the best was that she let each student really create. If someone was making a beach, she had sand at the ready. If someone needed a better forest, Ms. Ululani had real leaves. She found art in everything and the students loved her.

Kat and Lily sat together, both trying to sketch Bob as best as they cool. Both were still wearing their ‘Save Bob’ t-shirts as they worked. Michael and Jacob sat in the back, drawing martial artists doing flying kicks.

“Mantis style,” Michael told Ms. Ululani when she came around.

She smiled and handed Michael another piece of paper.

“Now draw me mantis,” she said.

Kat looked at her own picture. As hard as she tried, she couldn’t seem to draw Bob just right. It looked like a Picasso, everything in the wrong place.

The idea of Picasso brought back the nacho story from a few days ago. Kat dry heaved thinking about nachos thrown up all over her drawing.

Gross, Kat thought. I’ll never be able to look at art again.

“You alright?” Ms. Ululani asked Kat sweetly.

Before she could answer, the door to the art room opened. Principal Benbrook stood and surveyed the room before entering. He had a clipboard in his hand and looked as if this were the last place on earth he wanted to be.

“Hello Eugene,” Ms. Ululani said with forced courtesy. “How can I help you today?”

“Just doing an observation,” Principal Benbrook said tapping his clipboard. “I’m not here.”

Ms. Ululani tightened her ponytail and smiled. Observations in art class with paper and pencil. There was no way she could lose.

Principal Benbrook moved around the classroom slowly. As he peaked over shoulders, his eyes grew three times in size. He hid his fear and continued around the room.

Kat kept her head down and tried to redraw the legs on her daddy long legs. The joints weren’t coming out right and he looked more like a mutated snowflake than an insect.

Please don’t let him come over here, Kat prayed.

“And what are you drawing Ms. Westwood?” Principal Benbrook asked as he stopped in front of Kat and Lily.

“It’s a daddy long legs Mr. Benbrook,” she said trying to cover up her shirt.

“I hope that’s the same one you got rid of,” Principal Benbrook questioned.

“It’s the one we’re researching sir. Lily and me,” Kat said trying to avoid the truth.

Bob was still in the classroom. The supply of aphids wasn’t going anywhere. Once again the line of students outside the door waited for Lily to tell them all about Bob. Some of them had even brought money to buy ‘Save Bob’ shirts.

Kat crossed her arms in front of her t-shirt as Principal Benbrook continued to stare at her picture. She grinned and leaned back over her work, making sure to keep her body close to the table in front of her.

Lily leaned back, one arm slung over the chair and admired her own work. She would not hide her pride for Bob.

“Save Bob?” Principal Benbrook asked forcefully. His frustration bubbled over and he accidentally spit on Lily’s drawing as he finished his question.

Lily looked in shock at her work. She watched as her paper absorbed the tiny bubbles of saliva.

“Well?” Principal Benbrook demanded.

Lily felt her heart jump into her throat for the first time in her life.

“It’s a band,” Michael chimed in.

The rest of the class sat quietly in expectation. Jacob stared wide-eyed at Michael. Kat prayed that Principal Benbrook wouldn’t notice her own shirt. Ms. Ululani stood with her fingers to her mouth. Things were going too far.

“A band huh?” Principal Benbrook asked seemingly convinced.

“Yeah,” Michael said making a big show of it. “They’re kind of like the Beatles.”

Jacob snorted and covered his mouth to stop the laughing. Michael grinned at his joke and Principal Benbrook.

“Carry on,” Principal Benbrook said eyeing Michael. He picked up his clipboard and quickly exited the room.

Ms. Ululani blew a sign of relief. Even though Principal Benbrook had been in the room for less than five minutes, the tension that he created was as thick as fog in the early morning.

“Beatles?” Ms. Ululani asked Michael sarcastically.

The art class cracked up at Michael quick save. Kat shook her head and giggled. Lily only shook her head.

“I can’t believe you hid your shirt,” she said to Kat.

Kat’s smile melted off her face. Lily knew how to ruin every good moment.

Kat turned away from Lily and looked at Veronica.

“Some people never change,” she said loud enough for Lily to hear.

Lily twisted her pencil in her hand and stared at her own drawing. Ms. Ululani stopped by her table and admired her work.

“This is fantastic work Lily,” Ms. Ululani said approvingly. “You should be really proud.”

Lily glanced around her. Kat kept shading in her daddy long legs. No one was paying attention to her. No one cared.

“Thank you,” Lily said quietly.