Suzie Elliot, Evil Genius?

Chapter 11

The morning news carried a big feature about the evacuation of Ramstein Air Force base as the lead story. According to the reports, the military was calling it a spontaneous security drill, but there were a lot of skeptical reporters. Some rumors were very accurately mentioning weapons of mass destructions, while some were mentioning a terrorist attack, and the truly outlandish reporters even had eye witnesses who claimed to have seen aliens on the base.

Suzie was in heaven. Maybe now they'd leave her alone!

Class that day consisted of math and history in the morning, and art and reading in the afternoon. Mr. Kelly reminded everyone once more that they had to finish the paper on the Rubicon over Spring Break, so they should ask any questions they had now so they could ensure they understood what was needed. He also reminded them that there was a test on what they had learned in history the following day. Not that Suzie was worried about the test, as she always got all of her answers correct. Even being unfamiliar with the history subject prior to the class, she had absorbed it easily, and had no doubt about her ability to get another A+ on the test.

As for the paper, she was all too aware of what was required, she just had no idea what she would write about. Most of the decisions she had made she couldn't really write about. It was going to be a long Spring Break. What on earth had possessed her to promise Mr. Kelly that she would write a good paper?

In any case, the history lesson was as fascinating as ever, talking about how portions of the Roman Empire had survived after the fall. It was interesting to learn a little of the Byzantines, as she had never linked them to the Roman Empire before. Now she was going to have to read more about them! Tomorrow would be review, so today was the last lesson that would present new information for her to enjoy. That wouldn't stop her from learning more on her own though, which was how she usually learned any way!

While she hated the lesson to be over, she was looking forward to art for a change, but she had a mission to go on before lunch. She just hoped that Mrs. Williams went to lunch on time! When the lunch bell rang, she hung back just so she could be the last one out the door. While everyone went to the cafeteria, she joined a line of kids from another class heading past the art class. When she arrived, she peeked inside, nice and empty. Entering quickly, she headed over to Mrs. Williams desk and got to work.

Five minutes later she entered the cafeteria, Casey wasn't even done setting up her place at the table. Perfect.

"I don't want to go to art today. Pottery is boring," Suzie sulked, putting a little whine into her voice.

"Oh, I do!" exclaimed Casey," I'm making a vase to give to my grandmother!"

"That sounds nice," said Simone sweetly.

"I heard a couple of boys talking, and they said Mrs. Williams wouldn't buy any more of the pink glaze, and I wanted to make my platter pink," complained Suzie sadly.

"No way! I need pink! I was going to make my vase pink!" exclaimed Casey. "That is so not fair!" Nobody loved pink more than Casey, it was all she ever wore!

Suzie loved it. She wanted Casey nicely worked up for art class.

By the end of lunch, Casey had barely touched her beef carpaccio and spring salad, but was going on and on about how she was making a pink vase for her grandmother and nobody could stop her. The lunch bell slowed her down a little, as she was stuffing food into her mouth while she cleaned up, but only momentarily. As they walked to the art class, Suzie could hear Casey muttering in front of her the entire way. Quickly, she grabbed Simone's hand and held her back a bit from the rest of the class.

"Simone, when we get to class, let Casey get all worked up okay? But afterwards, when Mrs. Williams is sitting at her desk, ask to borrow her markers to put your name on your pottery." whispered Suzie quickly.