BOOM!: Part Six

     "Why?" I said, gasping for breath as I ran down the hallway.

     "We're supposed to be at the gym in one minute!" she explained. "Didn't you read the bulletin board yesterday?"

     I shook my head, even though I knew Vicky couldn't see. The large doors of the gym suddenly came into view and they were closed, which was never a good sign.

     "Be careful with that," Vicky whispered, thrusting a paw towards my project as she pushed open the door slightly with her other arm. We swiftly crept in and stood at the entrance, watching to see what was happening.

     Mr. Googlesworth was standing on the stage with a big, pudgy smile glued to his face. "Welcome, everyone, to our first ever Science Fair!" he announced with a booming quality in his voice. "Today, we have a panel of three expert judges who will be looking for creativity, beauty and efficiency in your projects. Scores will be tallied, and the closest participant to a perfect thirty will be crowned the winner. We will also have second to twentieth place runner-ups. Now, participants, please line up against the entrance of the stage, where you will present your projects to the judges."

     After the hasty explanation, a murmur of excitement suddenly broke through the crowd. Even the teachers looked very excited. Ms. Fringle was calming the students who were having a horrible case of the jitters from the thought of being in front of all those people. Vicky and I sneaked up towards the rest of the students who were waiting in line.

     "Where's Lila's group?" I whispered, looking around curiously for their project.

     "They told me yesterday they would be hiding behind the bleachers to add some extra touch-ups to the project," she said, pointing towards the back of the gym.

     "Okay. So, what's your plan?"

     "Well, it's pretty straightforward," she explained enthusiastically. "Lila's group has been building this really large volcano replica and basically their goal is to show the judges how an eruption would look like from an aerial view. Yeah, I know, it's stupid. The hole at the top is where all the lava is supposed to come out and also where you put in the baking soda. Lila specifically told me to put in one tablespoon. I had to do it of course because it's too messy for her to do it. But I'll be adding five tablespoons instead, and five cups of vinegar instead of one."

     I grinned after Vicky finished explaining the plan. "That's brilliant!" I exclaimed, giving her a high five. "Simple, yet catastrophic."

     "Of course! Just imagine the look on the judge's faces when the fake lava splats on to their faces," she laughed, her eyes twinkling with delight.

     "But," I said, stopping her from running towards the bleachers, "you said everything that you did to me was a plan. What about when you kicked me out of your house?"

     Vicky sighed. "Some of that was real. I was a bit angry, but I also did it because I knew you would be bugging me for details all the time if I was spying on Lila and she would most likely get suspicious soon."

     "I saw you crying alone with Ms. Fringle yesterday, though," I said in a quieter tone.

     Vicky laughed, as if it was all a big joke. "It was mostly Ms. Fringle's fault. She asked me why I wasn't talking to you anymore and I couldn't tell her the truth. So I suddenly went into fake tears and told her rubbish. And by the way, it was horribly obvious that you were standing at the door." She winked after she ended the last sentence.

     I grinned sheepishly. "Wow, you're a really good actress. You had me really riled up. All this happened just because of…Lila."

     Vicky paused for a moment, not knowing how to reply to this. However, she quickly regained composure. "Take your project with you," she said. "Stand at the front door, while I go tell Lila and her friends they can stand in line while I add the baking soda. When you see them get in line, head towards the bleachers and you'll add the four cups of vinegar in the bottle while I place the baking soda in the volcano. Got it?"

     I nodded, eager to start the plan. It seemed to have no flaws. It was almost too good to be true, but in my mind, that was a good thing.

     I hurried to the front door of the gym, while Vicky scuttled off towards the bleachers. I waited impatiently for a few minutes and finally caught view of Lila and her friends heading towards the line. A smug smile formed on my lips, and I dashed to the deserted area. However, to my embarrassment, I smacked right into a blurry figure.

     "Oops, sorry!" I cried out, falling to the ground on my behind, but my project luckily still lay in my arms.

     "Devyn!" the figure said.

     I rubbed my eyes and looked more closely. It was Vicky, who was looking rather alarmed.

     "What is it?" I asked, being lifted up from the ground by the baby Moehog.

     "You won't believe it!" she said, brushing her legs with her hooves. "The extra baking soda was already added in there and so was the vinegar!"

     I gasped. "So you're saying…"

     "Someone's already tried to sabotage their project!"

     "But…who?" I whispered, my mind whirling with dizziness.

     "Here is our next group!" Mr. Googlesworth suddenly announced from the stage. "Lila, Allison, Kathy, Monica, and Vicky, with their replica of a volcano, most commonly seen in Mystery Island!"

     The crowds clapped and cheered, some even whistling loudly. Mr. Googlesworth made a motion for everyone to quiet down. Lila coughed and then glared at Vicky.

     "Um, where is the project, ladies?" Mr. Googlesworth asked, amused.

     "Hold on, sir, we have a slight technical difficulty. Could we have a minute?" she said in a poisonously sweet voice.

     "Of course, of course."

     Vicky blushed and ran back to the bleachers, soon pushing out a large table on wheels that held an amazingly detailed replica of a volcano. Even I was horribly impressed from its realness.

     "Ah, as you can see, our last member has our project!" Lila exclaimed in a forcefully cheerful tone.

     Vicky pushed the cart up to the stage, where some strong Skeiths from the sixth grade helped lift it up on to it.

     "As I said before, we have Lila, Allison, Kathy, Monica, and Vicky, wit-"

     "Uh, Mr. Googlesworth?" a voice suddenly piped.

     The Tuskaninny peered down, frustrated by the interruption.

     "Yes, Ms. Vicky?"

     "I'm not with Lila's group," she said merrily, as if it was big relief that had wilted away.

     "Then who are you with?" inquired Mr. Googlesworth, confused.

     "Me," I suddenly said, flashing a big smile.

     I could feel Vicky nudging a small thanks to me and instantly it felt like all the things that I had been worrying about were now gone. With Vicky alongside of me, it felt like nothing could stop me.

     "Well, okay Ms. Vicky, but it'd be more efficient if you could notify us of these matters at an earlier time," he said, giving her a 'what you did was wrong' look.

     Vicky nodded innocently, batting her eyelashes. The principal smiled and then looked up at the group, who were glaring heatedly at the Moehog.

     "Are you girls now ready to start?"

     "Yes," Lila hissed, knowing that Vicky and I were now best friends again. "Let the show begin."

     The Acara suddenly began walking around the project, flashing out an arm and motioning towards the top of the volcano.

     "Our group decided to recreate the eruption of a volcano from an aerial view," she exclaimed exuberantly. "It's quite hard to predict the eruption of a volcano, but we're quite brilliant, so we can tell that the volcano's ready to erupt any moment now! Brace yourselves!"

     She stood in front of the project with her arms spread out, so she could hide the view of Monica, a pink Lupe, pouring the vinegar into the hole.

     "Oooh, I think I hear the rumble!" Lila said.

     "I think everyone hears the rumble," whispered Vicky, her eyes widening in shock.

     "What is going on, Ms. Li--"

     "AAAAAAAAAH!"

     A huge mound of red foam-like substance exploded out of nowhere, landing on top of Mr. Googlesworth's head.

     "BOOM!"

     Another huge mound of it landed on the judges, making them all cry in panic.

     "BOOM!"

     More and more flew out flooding the stage.

     "BOOM!"

     The crowds were all beginning to stand up and back away as the foam was now dripping over the edge of the stage, like a waterfall.

     "WHAT'S GOING ON WITH OUR PROJECT?" Lila shrieked, covered in the red, smelly foam herself. "IT'S EXPLODING!''

     "I think the person who did this added a whole lot of vinegar! More then we would have added!" Vicky cried to me, ducking beneath a table as liquid-foam exploded everywhere.

     "Stop this immediately!" shrieked a purple Grarrl, who was one of the snobby judges sitting at the judging table, which was now hidden from view because of all the foam.

     "I-I can't!" cried Lila. "I don't know how this could have happened!"

     'I SAID STOP IT AT ONCE!"

     "BOOM!"

     The biggest pile of the foam splattered right on top of the Grarrl and she emitted an ear-splitting shriek that made my ears almost explode.

     I gulped and dashed underneath the table where Vicky was hiding, wondering how this science fair could be anything but a catastrophe.

To be continued…