Five Times Revenge

by Lindsay Eland

  His heart sank in his chest.

  It wouldn’t fit on the jack.

  He sighed and leaned back in the chair, then clicked off the computer. Two jacks maybe? One half of the car on one jack and the other half of the car on the other? Then it was getting the jacks to the school and back to his dad’s garage by morning.

  If his dad found out … well, he pushed that thought away.

  The clock above his head said one-twenty. He still had time, but he should probably head back. Ray stood, checked his name off the list, and then walked out into the Saturday sun.

  The walk back to the shop dragged, but he pushed through the door in time.

  “Where’ve you been?” his dad said. He tossed him another rag. “There’s a car waiting for you in stall three. Go take care of it.”

  CHAPTER 46

  Pearl

  Monday. Pearl walked into the cafeteria with her lunch, sat down, and searched the buzzing room. Dutch walked by with a lunch tray and Ray sat in a corner pulling something out of a crumpled brown paper bag. Adam and Perk were hopefully busy setting up the little video camera across from Dutch’s locker.

  “Come on, Mrs. Bali. He tripped.”

  Pearl spotted Hill.

  The lunch aide, Mrs. Bali, was talking to him, and Pearl could see Hill’s hands lifting in a “what-did-I-do-it-was-an-accident” sort of way.

  Whatever he had done, he’d get off the hook. He always did.

  Unless.

  She might not be an Adam Baker or a Perkins Irving, but maybe she could get back at Hill in some small way?

  Pearl scanned the lunchroom and found Jordan McDonald sitting at the table near the front of the lunch line, his tray filled with spilled chocolate milk and his misshapen glasses beside him. That must’ve been what Hill had “accidentally” done. Dutch sat next to him.

  “I’m going to get some pretzels,” Pearl said. No one seemed to hear her, or at least no one said anything back, so she got up, left her sandwich, apples, and chips on the table and made her way to the lunch line.

  But before taking a place behind Hill, Pearl walked up to Jordan. She chanced a glance at Dutch and he smiled. “Hey, Jordan,” she said.

  He looked up at her. “Uh … uh … hi?”

  “I was wondering if I could borrow your lunch card for a minute. I’m not going to use it, promise.”

  He shook his head and looked down. “I don’t think so.”

  Dutch leaned over to him. “No, it’s okay. You can trust her,” he said.

  Jordan gave him a you-can’t-be-serious look then sighed and slid the card over. “You’ll give it back?”

  “Of course. Oh, and Dutch, if you could let Mrs. Bali know that Hill took Jordan’s lunch card, I’d appreciate it.”

  He grinned and squinted. “Sure.”

  Jordan asked something else, but Pearl was already making her way to the lunch line.

  Here goes nothing.

  She strolled over and “accidentally” bumped into Hill. “Oh, sorry, Hill.”

  He turned and grinned at her. “Hey, no worries, Pearl. You can bump into me anytime. Actually, how about dancing with me at the spring dance?”

  Pearl ignored him. “So, hey, did you finish the essay for science yet? I’m not sure if I did it right.”

  He raised his eyebrows. “What essay?”

  “That one on the different types of cells. It was confusing how she wanted us to do it. It took a lot longer than I thought it would.”

  “Uh, no,” Hill said. “I … uh, haven’t finished yet. When is it due?”

  “Tomorrow.” Pearl’s stomach twisted out of tune inside her as she continued. “Dutch showed me his, and it looks really good.”

  Hill looked over at Dutch. “Really?” Then he grabbed his lunch tray and turned back to her. “That’s good to know.”

  She shrugged and smiled. “Well, see ya.”

  She grabbed a bag of pretzels, paid her fifty cents, and walked off, sitting down at the table ready to watch her little plan unfold.

  Dutch walked up to Mrs. Bali, squinting as he told her.

  Mrs. Bali nodded at him, then walked over to Pearl’s table, her hands on her formidable hips.

  “Hill Parmar,” Mrs. Bali said, holding out her hand. “It seems you’ve taken someone’s lunch card?”

  “What are you talking about?” Hill asked. “No, I didn’t.”

  “Don’t try this with me again,” the woman said. “Just empty your pockets.”

  He pulled out a stick of gum, a five-dollar bill, an eraser, and Jordan McDonald’s lunch card. “But I don’t know how this got here. Seriously.”

  “Come with me, young man.”

  Pearl watched Hill follow Mrs. Bali out of the lunchroom and to the office. It actually worked! Her fingers fluttered over imaginary strings. She’d done it. Sure, she’d still set Dutch up to be bullied by Hill, but at least she’d gotten him back for Jordan, too.

  At the end of lunch, Pearl gathered up her things and started for class. “Hey, Pearl.” She turned to see Dutch. “Thanks for that,” he said. He squinted over and over again. “That was really cool.”

  Her cheeks were hot and her heart skipped a note or two. “I can’t believe it worked.”

  Dutch shrugged. “I can.”

  They were both silent, the rush of students milling through the hall blurry in the background.

  “Jordan and I made this for you. It’s just out of a paper napkin.” Dutch held out a white paper flower. “My grandpa taught me.”

  “Wow, thanks.” Pearl twirled it around her fingers. “It’s really cool.”

  He shrugged. “Well, I better get to class.” Squint.

  “Yeah, me, too.” Could he see how red her cheeks were? She turned and walked to her locker, placing the flower on the top shelf where it wouldn’t be crushed.

  “Hey, Pearl,” Sari said. She leaned on the locker next to Pearl’s. “You ready to go to class?”

  “Sure.” Pearl closed her locker.

  “What are you smiling at?” Sari asked.

  Pearl shrugged. “Oh, nothing.”

  CHAPTER 47

  Dutch

  1. Stay near locker

  2. Wait for Hill to walk by

  3. Let him see iPod

  4. Give him fake homework assignment

  5. Pray he doesn’t drag me to bathroom

  Dutch was glad that Ray was nearby fiddling with something in his locker. He was prepared to get hauled off to the bathroom as always, but he was hoping that with Ray there he could avoid it.

  Hill had followed him to his locker after lunch … waiting, circling, just like a shark.

  Mrs. Bali had made him return the lunch card to Jordan, apologize, and then sentenced him to a week of eating lunch in the office.

  “I’ll get out of it,” Dutch had heard him brag. “I always do.”

  “That was still really cool,” Jordan had told Dutch. “I can’t believe Pearl Wagoner did that.”

  “Yeah.”

  Pearl was a lot braver than Dutch had thought.

  And had he—squinting, dorky Dutch really given her—the brave, smart, beyond-beautiful Pearl Wagoner—a paper rose?

  His face squinted again and again at the thought.

  Maybe he was braver than he thought?

  Ray coughed loud into his hand and when Dutch looked up, he nodded.

  Dutch took a breath in. His throat felt sticky and he had the feeling of plunging headlong on a roller coaster.

  He opened his locker and pulled out the nonworking, disassembled-and-then-reassembled iPod and set it on the top shelf of his locker so Hill could see it. Hill was behind him now; he could feel it. Dutch was glad that Pearl wasn’t nearby watching. He didn’t want her to see him scared, humiliated, pushed around. Even if he had volunteered for it.

  “Nice iPod, freak.” Hill leaned against the locker next to Dutch’s and sneered. “I’m surprised you can afford something like that. And actually, I’m not sure someone lik
e you should have something so nice.

  “Well,” Hill continued. “I appreciate you giving it to me.” He reached up and took it. “I already have one, but it’s always nice to have another.”

  “Don’t, please,” Dutch said.

  He laughed. “Pwetty pwease?” he said in a mock baby voice. “Sorry, freak.” He held the iPod up and looked at it, then smiled and slipped it into his pocket. He leaned against the locker again. “Hey, I hear you have the science essay done.”

  “Science essay?”

  “Yeah, stupid,” Hill said. “Did you even learn to read?” He pushed Dutch against his locker just enough that the metal rattled against Dutch’s shoulders. “Now give it to me. I need it.”

  “Okay, okay.” When Hill backed away a little, Dutch opened his backpack and pulled out an essay copied straight from one of their textbooks.

  Hill snatched it up and nodded. “Good job, Dutch Dork.” He laughed. “I’ll make sure to get a really good grade on it.” He pushed Dutch against the locker once more and turned to leave, immediately ramming into Ray’s chest.

  Ray squared his shoulders and Dutch watched his fists clench. “There a problem here, Dutch?” he asked.

  Hill backed away a little and made to pass him. “Nothing, man. Dutch here was just helping me with some homework. Right, freak?”

  At that, Ray slammed Hill into the locker. “His name is Dutch,” he spat. Then he turned to Dutch. “You good?”

  Dutch nodded and looked from one to the other.

  Ray looked just as terrifying as Hill did—maybe even more. Bigger and broader, he loomed over Hill, his face inches from Hill’s.

  If someone didn’t know better, they’d think that Ray was bullying Hill rather than defending a friend.

  Hill sidestepped Ray and started down the hallway, turning once to sneer at Dutch.

  “Was that enough for the video?” Dutch whispered.

  Ray slapped Dutch on the back. “Oh yeah. We got him.”

  CHAPTER 48

  Adam

  Adam’s mission? “Distract Ms. Gingko for Perk.”

  Perk’s mission? “Get inside Parmar’s office with the mini video camera, delete the real video, replace it with our video, and get out.”

  Ms. Gingko was peeling an orange when Adam walked in, claiming he needed to wait there for his mom to pick him up. “Dentist appointment,” he said.

  “I can call you down when she arrives,” Ms. Gingko said.

  “Can I just wait here for a few minutes?” Adam asked. “If she doesn’t come by in a few, I’ll go back to class.” He used the face that usually worked well with most teachers.

  Ms. Gingko sighed. “Five minutes, Mr. Baker.”

  Just then, the school nurse walked in. “Is Mr. Parmar here?”

  “His meeting should be almost done,” Ms. Gingko said. She brushed the orange peel into her small garbage can.

  “Has his new desk arrived?”

  “Yes, so he’ll spend the rest of the day organizing, I’m sure. It’s a mess right now.”

  Parmar’s office was a mess and he got a new desk? Where was his computer?

  Adam stood up. “Actually, Ms. Gingko,” he said starting for the hall. “I think my appointment is for tomorrow. Sorry.” He started off without waiting for her response.

  What should he do? Think.

  First: find Perk. Then … Dutch. Yes, that’s who he needed.

  He walked out of the office and started for Perk’s third-period class—language arts. He had to get him before he walked into the office. He rounded a corner and almost ran into him. “Oh, hey.”

  “Why aren’t you in the office?”

  “Change of plans. Parmar had a new desk delivered so his office is a disaster. I’m assuming his computer’s still there, but I’m not sure.”

  “Shoot.” He shrugged. “Well, we’ve gotta try. He could send off Hill’s application any second.”

  “All right,” Adam said. “You stay in the bathroom and then in five minutes head to the office. I have an idea.”

  He rifled through his brain at the lists of schedules he’d tried to memorize. If only he had Pearl’s memory.

  Third period. Dutch was in math? No, science.

  Adam started toward the science room.

  He dashed down the hallway and stopped in front of the science room. “Hi, Mrs. Turner,” he said, grinning at the teacher. “Mr. Parmar needs to see Dutch in his office.”

  Once Dutch had joined Adam in the hallway, Adam handed him his phone.

  “What’s going on?”

  “I need you to call Ms. Gingko and pretend you’re a teacher … Mr. Franco, maybe? Say that you’re sending a boy to come down to clean up Parmar’s office as punishment.”

  “What?” Dutch asked. “What went wrong?”

  “I’ll explain in a minute. Just call. If we don’t get the new video uploaded, then we can’t get Hill.”

  Dutch took the phone and dialed the number that Adam recited. “What’s Mrs. Gingko’s name?”

  “Her desk says Deborah, but I think she goes by Debbie.”

  Dutch paused then said, “Umm, hello, Debbie? This is Mark Franco. There’s a boy coming to the office in a minute. As punishment for being late to my class again, I’m making him clean up Mr. Parmar’s office for his new desk. I talked to Bob and he said that would be fine.”

  Adam heard a higher voice on the other end but couldn’t make out what she said.

  “Yes, I understand. Thank you. Meeting? Oh yes … yes, the meeting. Uh … got to go. Bye.”

  Dutch clicked the phone off. “How was that?”

  “Did she fall for it?”

  “Seemed to,” he said, shrugging.

  “That’s all we can do.” Adam dropped his phone in his pocket. “I’m going to hang around the office and make sure Perk doesn’t get stuck in there.”

  “Good luck,” Dutch said.

  Adam dashed back down the hallway. “Thanks for the help,” he called over his shoulder.

  He hoped this worked.

  CHAPTER 49

  Perk

  Adam had made it happen.

  He didn’t know how, but when Perk walked into the office, Mrs. Gingko, peeling apart an orange, told him to go right in. “And make sure you are respectful with his belongings. I’m warning you that he knows everything in his desk, so no funny business.”

  “Don’t worry,” Perk said, and walked in, closing the door behind him. No computer out in the open like he’d hoped. Perk rifled through everything, looking for a computer bag or a briefcase. His fingers itched to look through the files he saw stacked along the wall, but he resisted. Another time. Right now, there was only one thing he needed to find.

  Bingo.

  A black bag sat behind Parmar’s chair and Perk pulled out the thin metallic laptop. He logged on, pulled the camera out of his pocket, and connected it to the computer. He uploaded the file, making sure to give it the same name as the real video. A box popped up. “Hill Application Video already exists. Replace existing file?” Perk clicked Yes.

  “I’m back, Debbie.”

  Parmar’s voice.

  Perk froze.

  What had Adam said to Mrs. Gingko?

  “I thought you were going to start putting things away for me,” Mr. Parmar said. “I don’t want to waste my whole day arranging everything. Besides my car is due for a wash.”

  The doorknob turned as Perk started for the window. It was the only way out.

  “What? What phone call?” The shadow of Parmar’s feet underneath the door retreated as Mrs. Gingko said something else.

  Perk lifted the window and started to climb out. He stopped. Adam had somehow gotten him in, so he needed to be there. Right? He turned from the window just as Parmar pushed open his office door and said, “Who’s the kid?”

  “Uh, hi, Mr. Parmar.”

  “Oh, it’s you. You’re Percy, Perry, Pritens?”

  “Perkins, Mr. Parmar. I was …” What had Ada
m told Mrs. Gingko? “Sent down here.”

  The principal looked around the room. “Well, it doesn’t look like you’ve done anything. Franco’s an idiot. Get back to class.”

  “Oh … okay. Thanks.” Not wasting any time, Perk rushed out of the office. Mrs. Gingko was on the phone and glanced up at him. He started down the hallway.

  “Hey!”

  Mrs. Gingko. He pretended he didn’t hear her.

  “Hey, you!”

  His heart skipped. He stopped then turned. “Yeah?”

  She held out a citrus-dotted hall pass to him. “You’ll need this to get back into Mr. Franco’s class.”

  Perk sighed. “Oh, yeah. Um … thanks. I forgot.”

  She turned on her heel, and Perk ducked down the next hallway. Adam was leaning against the wall by the water fountain, waiting. He stood up when he saw Perk.

  “Were you able to do it?” he whispered.

  Perk nodded. “Yep. It’s uploaded and ready to go.”

  They high-fived each other.

  “Do you think he’ll look at it before he sends it?”

  Perk crossed his fingers. “Let’s hope not. Now we just wait.”

  CHAPTER 50

  Adam

  Adam met Perk at his locker after school. “Did you hear about the recital tonight?”

  Perk pulled an apple from his backpack before zipping it shut and slinging it over his shoulder. “No. Is Pearl in it?”

  “Yeah. I didn’t know, either, but I overheard someone mention it last period. We should go.”

  “Definitely. And maybe we can test out the codes for the doors. I don’t have them yet, but I’ll look them up when I get home.” They started down the hall and pushed through the front doors.

  “Good thinking. I’ll call everyone and let them know.”

  “Yeah, okay.” Perk bit his apple.

  “You should bring Tommy,” Adam said.

  Perk shrugged. “Maybe. He hasn’t been feeling well.”

  “Bummer. Did he go to school today?”

  “No, you know how it is when he’s sick.”

  Adam started off down the opposite sidewalk. “Well, hopefully he’ll be able to make it.”