Read Online The Clueless Girl's Guide to Being a Genius by Janice Repka - Free Book Online

instruction and motivation, almost anyone can be a math wiz.”
    â€œMaybe,” he said. “And maybe frogs can fly.”
    It was the same thing Principal DeGuy had once said. The other teachers were nodding madly. They were so set in their ways, they weren’t even listening. If only they realized how much progress my students had already made. They were doing the harder work and doing it well. But if the rest of the world still treated them like boneheads, they might lose confidence and stop trying. I could never prove my theory if that happened.
    I gathered my orange peels and placed them in my brown bag. From the corner of my eye, I caught a movement. Something was scurrying across the floor, something fist-sized and hairy.
    â€œTarantula!” Mrs. Underwood screamed.
    Mr. Green, the biology teacher, dropped on all fours and followed the spider. “Romeo, or Juliet, whichever one you are, I’ve got you this time.”
    In the end, things were just as they had been before I went to the lounge. Mr. Green’s pet tarantulas (which I later learned were mascots for the Carnegie Spiders wrestling team) remained on the loose, and, to the other teachers, my students remained boneheads. But things were about to change.

10
    Mindy Has a Meltdown
    I decided to put it to a class vote,” Professor Wigglesmith told us the next day. She was wearing another one of her boring gray suits, and it made me think: If a yawn had a color it would probably be gray. Anyway, she told us all about the Great Math Showdown and said winning it would prove to everyone we weren’t hopeless dolts. A lot of the kids seemed to be buying it, but I happen to be a little more careful about what I put in my shopping cart.
    â€œThe competition will require practice, but you’ll get extra credit, and that will go a long way toward helping you pass class,” she said. “Those who think we should enter the competition?” Adam, Keisha, Eugenia, Salvador, Hunter, LeeAnn, and Roland raised their hands. “That makes seven. Anyone else?” She turned to put the number on the board, writing it low, probably to avoid having to use the dreaded stool.
    While her back was turned, Roland held up a paper that said Vote for the competition or I’ll breathe on you.
    Bobby raised his hand. “Me too,” he said. “I’ll vote for it.”
    Professor Wigglesmith changed the number to eight. “Those who don’t want to compete?” Eight other kids raised their hands. “We can’t make a decision with a tie. Who didn’t vote?”
    â€œMindy didn’t vote,” said Roland.
    â€œShut up and mind your own business,” I said, slumping down in my chair. Getting my math grade up was one thing; wasting my time on some lame math contest was another. There were two good reasons not to do it. First, I had to stay focused on getting ready for the Twirlcrazy Grand Championship, which was coming up and might be my last chance to compete, since the Baton Barn was closing. Second, I might have been stupid, but not stupid enough to believe I was smarter than the smart kids.
    â€œMindy? What about you? I know you could use the extra credit. If we set the practices later in the evening, you would still have time for your baton.”
    I leaned back in my seat. “Sorry, I don’t think so.” Professor Wigglesmith was wasting her time. I already had a solid C, and between class and after-school tutoring, I spent enough time on math. Nothing could make me give up free time to crunch more numbers.
    â€œCome on,” said Adam. “Give us your vote.” From the tone in his voice, he was practically begging.
    He locked eyes with me, and a tingle crept up my spine. Adam’s smile was so sweet I gained two pounds. After all the new lip gloss and cute outfits I had tried, I finally had his attention. “Okay,” I said. “As a favor for you, Adam.”
    Cheers