From the Viewpoint of Tommy Hooks

I don’t know what everybody is talking about with Johnny. I got to class late. Whatever went on with him happened before I got there. I do know that Mr. Gates got something against Johnny. He has ever since Freshman year. As soon as he found out that Donnie was his brother.

Donnie is super cool. He’s funny. My brother, Fish, is his best friend. His real name is Fred, but everybody calls him Fish. You get it. Fish Hooks. Anyway, Mr. Gates didn’t like Fish because all the other students loved him. Now, he doesn’t like Johnny because of the same thing.

Mr. Gates didn’t let me participate in the project because I was late. I tried to tell him that I was in the Gym. Coach Pinkly can verify it. He had me stay to practice for an upcoming game. But when Greg Hair and I were going for an alley-oop, I fell and hurt my leg. I then had to go to Nurse Whitefox.

Whitefox. That’s such a strange name. But I think “Nurse” is an even stranger name. Nobody ever talks about her first name. They only call her “Nurse” so that must be her name. Anyway, you can ask Nurse Whitefox to prove that I was there. Gates didn’t believe me.

When I got to class, Mr. Gates was yelling at Johnny for opening the window and blowing papers around. It was hot in the room. I can understand why he opened it. Gates asked me to stay after class. He needed to talk to me about a make-up assignment. After class, I was happy to see Gates leave the class in a hurry. He said that he’d be back. I got a big laugh from the other students in the room when I told him not to squeeze the Charmin.

I used the time to hand out invitations to an upcoming party that I’m throwing. I even invited Betty Knight. I didn’t expect her to take it, but she did. I doubt that she will actually come. But we’ll see.

We all walked out of the classroom together. Shortly after that there was this massive explosion. It didn’t know where it came from. It felt like it shook the floor from under my feet. After a while, Gates came running back down the hallway. He told us that the science wing was destroyed. That’s when the investigation began.

By the way, here is your invitation.