Allison closed her eyes.
“One!”
She felt something slam down on her foot. Something else jammed into her stomach. “Umph!” she grunted as she fell and rolled down three steps.
“Are you all right?” asked Deedee.
“Huh?” said Allison. She was on the stairs, somewhere between the eighteenth and twentieth stories.
“Sorry,” said Ron. “I didn’t see you. Deedee and I were racing up the stairs, and then you suddenly appeared.”
“You knocked off her shoes and socks!” exclaimed Deedee.
“Oh, I ripped your windbreaker, too,” said Ron. “I’m sorry.”
“That’s okay,” said Allison. She picked up her shoes and socks. “Race you up the stairs!”
All three ran up to Mrs. Jewls’s room. When they got there, they were so pooped, they sat with their heads flat on their desks and their tongues hanging out.
“Hi, Allison,” said Rondi.
Allison raised her head. “Hi, Rondi,” she said happily. “What did I miss while I was absent?”
“When were you absent?” asked Rondi. “Hey, how come you’re not wearing your shoes and socks?”
Allison hung her socks from her ears. “What do you think?” she asked. “It’s the new look!”
Rondi laughed.
“Allison,” said Mrs. Jewls, “you seem to have a bad case of the sillies this morning.”
Allison giggled.
Jason entered the room carrying a glass bowl with a goldfish swimming inside it. “Look what I brought!” he said.
“What’s the name of your goldfish?” asked Mrs. Jewls.
“Shark!” said Jason.
Everyone laughed.
“It makes him feel important,” Jason explained. “Where should I put him?”
“How about on top of the coat closet?” suggested Mrs. Jewls.
Jason had to stand on a chair on his tiptoes. He held the bowl at the very bottom as he tried to nudge it over the edge of the closet.
Allison turned around to watch. She didn’t want to miss this!
g
Chapter 20, 21 & 22
Eric, Eric, and Eric
Mr. Kidswatter’s voice crackled over the loudspeaker. “MRS. JEWLS, SEND ERIC TO MY OFFICE, AT ONCE!” He sounded mad.
Mrs. Jewls was confused. “When did we get a loudspeaker?” she asked.