Chapter 61

BANNED!

Finally, Monday comes around. It’s Brainzilla’s first day back from the hospital. It’s my first day back from the mental hospital. We’ve barely set foot in homeroom before we get called to Mr. Tool’s office.

Those guys really know how to give a girl some space. Like, thismuch.

The rest of the Freakshow is already sitting in Mr. Tool’s office when we arrive. Flatso is wearing tons of navy eye shadow, which gives her a menacing, glowering look. Everyone else seems blank, except for Zitsy, who is staring at Mr. Tool as if he’s a cliff he might fall off. We’re definitely not at our best, and being called in to see Mr. Tool isn’t making things better.

“What’s up?” I ask.

“Chicken butt!” Zitsy says involuntarily. He clamps a hand over his mouth as nobody laughs.

Mr. Tool taps his fingers against his desk impatiently, then snaps up a paper lying there. “What do you know about this?” he asks, brandishing one of our Rally for Reason fliers.

“Um… that we’re pro-reason?” I say, looking at the others.

“I made that,” Eggy announces. “We wanted to do something positive for the school.”

“Well, I’m afraid that this event has been canceled,” Mr. Tool announces. “You can’t simply schedule an event on school grounds without the proper permission and clearance.”

For a moment, we all just stare at one another.

“How do we get the proper permission and clearance?” Zitsy asks.

Mr. Tool gives him a narrow-eyed smile. “You can submit an application to my office.”

“Okay.” Tebow stands up, as if the matter is settled. “We’ll do that.”

“I’m afraid your application has been denied,” Mr. Tool says.

Tebow—bless his sweet, innocent self—looks confused. “How can it be denied if we haven’t submitted it yet?”

Mr. Tool throws our flyer in the trash. “That’s how. This event is not happening. Not this weekend. Not next weekend. Not in my lifetime.” He shoots a look at me.

“Why?” I ask. The word dribbles from my lips like a coffee spilling from the edge of a chipped mug.

“Because you can’t handle it.” Mr. Tool’s voice isn’t mean, but his words stab through me, anyway. I feel all eyes dart to Brainzilla, who is studying the carpet, unmoving in that comfortable chair of his. It takes all my energy not to lunge across Mr. Tool’s desk and take a swipe at him. What’s he trying to do—make Katie take another bottle of pills?

I hear the door open and turn to see Tebow’s back as he leaves the office. Eggy is next, and then the rest of us rise and file out.

Our event is banned.

Operation Happiness is over.