Foxworth Academy Read Online Free PDF Page A

walked around the room, handing each one a sticky note, before returning to their desks.
    “Now, please write your name on the paper, scrunch it up into a ball and pass it forward.”
    It was just like they had done earlier in the week with their paper subjects, and the students wondered where this was going.  And also like before, Mr. Martin went to the closet and pulled out the old bingo tumbler and sat it on his desk.  He collected the balls from the students, tossed them into the tumbler, and started rotating them around.
    “Two students will be selected this semester for a special project of epic proportions,” he began.  “You will take this assignment seriously and without fail.  You may choose to decline of course, but most students do not,” he chuckled.  He spun the wheel around and around, stopping once and switching directions. 
    The students gazed in eager anticipation, their eyes focused on the papers, trying to find their own distinguished crumple.
    Mr. Martin stopped turning the wheel and he flipped the metallic door open.  He smiled at the students as his hand dipped inside.  He fished out the first ball of paper, a blue one.  He opened it and read the name aloud.
    “Brett Logan.”
    The students gasped, some even clapped as they turned their gaze to Brett whose mouth hung open, his face as red as a tomato.
    “And joining Mr. Logan,” Mr. Martin said, pulling out a pink ball and unraveling it, “will be Ms. Ally Davidson.”
    More hoots and hollers from the class.  Everyone looked at Ally, who did a mock bow with her head.  Emotions ran through Brett; shock, embarrassment, fear, and trepidation.  Soon the bell rang to signal the end of class.  Mr. Martin had to raise his voice to get the attention of Ally and Brett.  “Please stay a minute you two.”
    All of the students exited the classroom until only Brett, Ally, and Mr. Martin remained. 
    “How do you feel?” the teacher asked.
    Brett shrugged his shoulders and Ally said, “Okay.”
    “Well, I would think you’d be honored to be chosen.”
    “Oh yes, we are, “Ally said, then looked at Brett, “I mean, I am.”
    “I am too,” Brett stammered convincingly.
    “Good, then I assume neither of you want to decline your assignment?”
    Both students shook their heads.
    “Great, we’ll begin Monday,” Mr. Martin said and turned to his desk.
    “Excuse me, Mr. Martin?” Ally asked.  “Umm, what is the assignment?  Like, what were we picked to do?”
    The teacher turned back to them and smiled.  “What have you heard?”
    Ally and Brett looked at each other, then back to the teacher.  “That’s the thing,” Brett said.  “No one has said anything about this class.  They just said it was cool.  I don’t even remember anyone saying anything about being picked or nothing.”
    “Listen,” Mr. Martin started, “this is history class in a school.  You will learn things in this class.  You will study in this class. You will take exams in this class.  But I’ll you give you one thing you said that was correct.”  He leaned in close and softly said, “It’s definitely cool.” 
    Brett and Ally stood there as the teacher walked back over to his desk.  He took the bingo tumbler and put it back into the closet.  “Now you better get going    or you’ll miss your next class.  You’ll find out your assignment on Monday.”
    They turned, walking out into a deserted hallway. 
    “This is so cool,” Ally said, turning to Brett.  “Don’t ya think?”
    “Yeah, I mean, no one ever said anything about being picked.  What do you think we’re picked for?  I hope it’s not some paper that only we have to do.”
    “Nah, it can’t be that simple.  And, he said it was definitely going to be cool.”
    By the time they got to lunch, some of the students could be seen pointing and whispering to each other, but not everyone was in on the secret.  The disclaimer they signed the first day of class prevented the