Charlie Bingham Gets Clocked Read online

  “I did,” she said. “And you’re welcome.” She smirked.

  “What do you mean, ‘you’re welcome?’”

  Alyssa leaned out of her chair and pulled a note from Brad’s desk. She handed it to me, and I unfolded it.

  “Brad,” it said. “I bet Miss Walker wouldn’t let a thief onto the knowledge bowl team. – Alyssa.”

  My draw dropped, and I turned back to Alyssa.

  “Alyssa… Wow… Just… Wow.”

  She smiled, pleased.

  “You know,” I said thoughtfully, “Miss Walker was right. I really don’t think Carolina Park could have done any better.

  Chapter 8

  Five minutes later, the class lined up at the door and waited for the bell. Just as we reached our places, Mr. Wainwright walked in. I observed him from my place in line, thankful that I no longer had one-on-one time scheduled with him.

  Brad, on the other hand, turned a little green when he saw Mr. Wainwright, and I didn’t blame him.

  “Hello, Miss Walker,” said the music teacher. “I just wanted to check in on the whole clock situation.”

  Miss Walker tittered. “Oh, thank you, Mr. Wainwright. We’ve found the clock.”

  “You did? That’s excellent. Where was it?”

  “Well,” Miss Walker lowered her voice and said something to him. We all knew what it was, though, because as soon as Mr. Wainwright raised his head, he glared right at Brad.

  “Indeed?” was all he said.

  Brad shrank back against the wall.

  “No harm done now, though,” said Miss Walker.

  “I don’t know about that, Miss Walker. I’d be happy to oversee detention for the guilty party.”

  “Oh, that’s very sweet of you,” said Miss Walker, though “sweet” was not the word I would have chosen. “But I think I’d rather we just go grab some ice cream after school. What do you say?”

  You would have thought that Mr. Wainwright had just won the lottery. “That sounds wonderful,” he said.

  Miss Walker smiled.

  Alyssa raised her hand. “Miss Walker?”

  “Yes, Alyssa?”

  “We were all wondering, where did you get that clock? I mean, since it means so much to you?”

  Miss Walker beamed.

  “Oh, I don’t mind telling you. It was one of the most thrilling experiences of my life.”

  We waited expectantly. We were finally going to learn the history of the clock! What was it? A souvenir of one of life’s adventures? A sentimental gift? An award from the President himself?

  Miss Walker took a deep breath.

  “I got it for half off at Bargain Basement.”

  It’s not an exaggeration to say that the entire class was stunned. Even Mr. Wainwright seemed a little shaken.

  Finally, he cleared his throat. “That sounds like, um, a really good deal.”

  The bell rang, and we were released for the day. I turned back over my shoulder and watched the two teachers as they prepared to leave for their ice cream date.

  Half off at Bargain Basement. I shook my head. I had seen the light, and it was no longer tinted by love.

  Mr. Wainwright could have her.

  As the class walked out to the buses, I clapped Brad on the back. “I know you only did it to get off the Knowledge Bowl team, but thanks for coming forward anyway.”

  “No problem,” he said, but he lacked a certain something in his pep.

  “What’s wrong?” I asked. “You don’t have to do the Knowledge Bowl. No detention with Mr. Wainwright. Things are going pretty good.”

  “It’s Houdini,” he said.

  Do you know, in all of the hubbub over the clock, I’d forgotten all about that lizard!

  “I think I may have lost him for good,” Brad said. “Houdini will have the entire night to run all over the school. I’ll never find him.”

  “Sorry, man,” I said. I patted his shoulder, because he was right. Chances of finding one lizard in the entire school weren’t good.

  Up ahead of us, Alyssa was having a hard time as well. I could hear her and Rebecca arguing down the hallway.

  “You know,” Rebecca said, “since it wasn’t Charlie who stole the clock, you didn’t really find the thief after all. You were wrong.”

  Alyssa snorted. “That’s just what you think. You don’t know the whole story, and I can’t tell you, because you probably wouldn’t know how to keep a secret.”

  “I don’t believe you. You’re just--” Rebecca broke off and grabbed wildly at her head. “Eeeee!” she cried. “What is that? Help!”

  “Hey!” yelled Brad. “It’s Houdini!” He jumped forward and tackled Rebecca to the ground. Students streamed around on either side of the small scuffle. I saw Brad reach for the top of Rebecca’s head while she shrieked and pushed him away.

  Finally, he held his hand up triumphantly. “Got him, Charlie! I got him!” And there was Houdini the lizard, calming poking his head out of Brad’s fist and completely unaware of all the trouble he’d caused that day.

  Rebecca sat up, her hair in disarray, and pushed Brad over as she stood up. Then she stalked down the hallway without a backward glance.

  Alyssa and I each grabbed one of Brad’s arms and hauled him to his feet.

  “Hey, Houdini,” I said. He twitched his tail and blinked his good eye.

  Brad grinned at his pet. “You know, today wasn’t such a bad day after all.” He set off down the hallway, leaving Alyssa and I shaking our heads.

  “I don’t know about that,” I said. “But, hey, tomorrow can’t be any worse.”

  “Careful,” said Alyssa. “You never know.”

  We set off for home.

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