CHAPTER 15

Don’t get your hopes up, guys. This is a Hank Zipzer book, not a superhero comic where Captain Bowler pulls out an incredible move just in the nick of time. Remember, it’s me. Just plain Hank.

The ball took its good old time to reach the pins. By the time it got there, it was teetering on the edge of the lane, right next to the gutter.

Fortunately, it didn’t roll into the gutter until it had knocked down one pin, the one on the very, very outside. I watched that pin wobble for what seemed like forever, hoping that as it fell it would take down the other nine pins.

No such luck.

I scored a one.

“Bye-bye, Zipper Klutz,” McKelty said, handing me my backpack.

I was too embarrassed to even look at Zoe. I just grabbed my stuff and ran out the door without even saying good-bye.