CHAPTER SIX, smart and smarter

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Progress Report Day; The day where the students at Mission Creek High receive their report cards to see what grades they have achieved. Emilia had gotten straight A's on her report card so she was beaming happily but she couldn't say the same for Leo as he wouldn't stop crying about what his science teacher had said about him.

The two had spotted Bree and Adam by the lockers as they approached them with Leo still looking at his report card in disbelief. Bree turned around to face them, noticing what Leo was doing, causing her to ask. "Hey Emilia. Hey Leo. What's that?"

"My progress report." Leo said before groaning again. "I can't believe my science teacher says I'm always late to class."

"You are always late to class." Adam said, causing Leo to shoot him a look as he replied. "I know that, but I don't need it publicised." Emilia's eyes widened as Chase had suddenly skidded, not giving anyone any time to ask questions as he suddenly started ranting. "Look at this! An A-minus! I knew my Home Ec teacher had it out for me. Always criticising my muffins."

Emilia walked around and stopped behind him before she started pulling him down to the floor, letting her back hit the lockers as she stroked his hair, whispering soft sounds to get him to calm down.

Adam looked down and chuckled. "Ha ha! I beat you! I got a 'D-plus'! Plus because I'm better!"

Bree stepped forward as Chase glanced up at him, raising a brow at his brother as he tried not to blush with Emilia still stroking his hair, hearing Bree tell him. "Adam, the 'plus' is— you know what? It's just not even worth it anymore."

Chase sighed before starting to pull away from Emilia, even though he didn't want to before standing up off the floor as he told Adam. "D is not a good grade. But we really don't expect you to get good grades." Emilia chuckled, too lazy to get up off the floor as she looked up at Chase who continued. "I'm engineered to be the smartest person on the planet, and I just got an 'A-minus'. I've been relegated to the huddled, unwashed masses of minuses, like you!"

"Hey!" Emilia gasped from the floor, looking up at Chase offended before he turned to look down at her, almost instantly replying. "Not you, Lia."

Chase walked over to the bench as Bree followed him as she said. "Chase, I know this must be hard for you, but, I mean, look at the bright side— seeing you fall flat on your face is really fun for us!"

Leo nodded in agreement before Chase thought out loud. "I have got to find a way to reclaim my superiority."

"Well, you could sign up for the student of the semester competition." Leo suggested causing Chase to look at him with wide eyes as he questioned. "What's that?"

Emilia groaned, getting up off the floor before walking over to her friends as she explained herself. "Every semester, kids compete to see who can best improve the school. Whoever gets the most votes wins free pencils, a bumper sticker, and a cheesy picture of himself on the wall!"

She pointed towards a picture under the student of the semester sign before Chase had theorised out loud. "And that cheesy picture will show everyone that my brilliance reigns supreme! I am so gonna win!"

Adam gasped from behind him before calling out to his brother. "I call your free pencils! No, wait, I'll take the cheesy picture. They both sound so good!"

"Race ya!" Adam and Chase both started running out of the hallway, leaving Emilia to groan before rushing after them. "Hey, wait for me! You idiots!"

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After receiving Chase the Dream cards from Chase himself, he had shown the group what he had done, demonstrating on how the laser automated attendance system worked.

Chase turned to the group after someone pulled Andy to the principal's office. "He'll thank me later for putting him on the right path."

Adam groaned at his brother. "Oh, dude, you're never gonna win with that. Kids want fun stuff like jacuzzis in math class and hallways paved with candy. Ooh, and I also think biology would be a lot more fun if we could juggle the frogs before we dissected them."

Leo shared a look of disgust with Emilia before telling Adam. "That's frog abuse." Adam threw his arms out as he shrugged. "Fine, we'll do it after. But, it's gonna get messy."

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Emilia had spent most of the day with Adam and Chase, watching how things played out. She noticed Chase had made a nutrition scanner for the students at lunch. She had also been caught up with Bree and Ethan, but noticed Leo caught Bree before hand.

Bree refused to be Leo's bionic taxi again, however Leo wasn't giving up. He walked over and wrapped his arms around Bree and Ethan before asking. "Hey. Why don't I just skip science class and hang out with you three? You know we can study and laugh and talk about how you can perform the national anthem with your armpit."

"Leo!" Emilia scolded as Bree panicked. "Ethan and Emilia! Go to study hall. I'll meet you there. Go!" Ethan turned to the brunette before saying to the girl. "Ok, but I'll be thinking about you the whole way there, my little coefficient."

Emilia rolled her eyes as Bree flirted. "Aww! One plus one equals you and me!" Emilia scoffed at the couple. "Ugh come on dingus. Let's go. You can flirt later." The auburn haired girl gently pushed Ethan towards the study hall with her following behind.

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Two days later, Adam and Chase were still trying to compete against each other in the student semester competition. Emilia had been studying with Bree for the most of the morning, rolling her eyes when Leo had came in, asking Bree for another favor. But as it turned out, his homework was in his bag the whole time.

"Oh, will you look at that. It was right here the whole time." Leo said, ignoring Emilia's glares before soon walking off.

The two girls turned around to see Adam pull into study hall, driving his cart with Ethan in the back. "Here you go sir. The corner of cafeteria and Bree and Emilia." Ethan got off the car and looked at Bree in confusion. "Bree? Leo said you went home."

"Of course he did." Emilia muttered as Bree replied back. "What? He told me you were plucking your nose jungle. But... I'm glad you didn't because it's adorable." Emilia stared at them in disgust before looking over at Adam as he grimaced. "Ugh. Guess I was wrong. This looks like the corner of awkward and gross."

Emilia laughed before getting on the back of the cart before Adam drove off. Later on, Emilia was stood beside Leo and Adam waiting for the results for the competition.

Chase approached them with a smug smile on his face before saying. "Ah, this is it, the moment we've all been waiting for."

"Yeah. For all this to be over with." Emilia remarked, gesturing to Adam and Chase. Adam gasped before asking. "They found a talking horse that fights crime?" Leo looked at him in disbelief before explaining to him. "No. It's the student of the semester results. Miss Thistle gets to open the results because she's the oldest teacher in school."

Emilia stepped forward, trying to catch Chase who had rushed forward, frustrated with how slow Miss Thistle was being. "Oh, just give me the stupid thing!" He widened his eyes before correcting himself in a softer tone. "I mean, let me help you, ma'am." Chase rolled his eyes before opening the envelope and jumped around in excitement thinking he won, only for him to be tied with Adam.

Emilia and Leo pulled Chase away who was pleading Miss Thistle to recount the votes before Leo said. "No, Chase, she's not gonna make it through another count." He glanced to the side to see Bree before saying. "Oh, I've got to go. My ride's here."

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The next day, Emilia was with Bree as they had noticed something off about Adam's essay. The girls had found Chase standing by the lockers and approached him as Bree said. "Uh, Chase, something's not right with Adam's essay."

Emilia examined the paper before reading out loud. "I should be student of the semester because I'm tall, I'm happy, and I will let you have dogs in the library."

"So, what's wrong with that?" Chase questioned, smiling at the girls before Bree replied like it was obvious. "Adam would have misspelled library. Adam would of misspelled dogs."

"Okay fine." Chase sighed before admitting. "I wrote it, put his name on it, and tanked my own essay. He had good ideas and deserved to win. So I got one A minus, I guess I can't be perfect at everything."

"Chase, that's not true." Bree said causing Chase to smile, thinking she was complimenting him but frowned when Bree added. "You're not perfect at a lot of things."

After Chase had congratulated Adam, Emilia walked up to Chase before saying. "That was a good thing that you did for Adam. You're a good brother, Chase." Chase turned his head and smiled at Emilia before replying. "It was no problem. I guess what Bree said yesterday was right. Adam may not be the smartest but he does have some really good ideas."

Emilia bit her lip before softly saying. "Chase, you do know you didn't have to prove to everyone that you're smart."

"Why not?" Chase asked before Emilia responded to him. "Because I already know you are." She smiled before kissing him on the cheek. Luckily for Chase, Leo had drove by in the yellow cart, causing Emilia to turn away, unaware of the blush forming on his cheeks.

"Hey Bree, good news! I found a new way to make it to class on time!" Leo called out, pulling to a stop so Bree, Emilia, Chase and Adam could get in.

Leo moved over to the passenger seat as Adam slipped in the driver's seat, exclaiming. "Buckle up guys! I'm hitting the afterburner all the way to art class!"

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