chapter 6

LOUD LUNCH

As usual, the lunchroom was crowded. Rufus and Dan were holding their trays, trying to edge over to where Willy was sitting.

“Hey, guys, . . . wait up,” said a voice behind them.

It was Clara, standing with a girl named Lisa—a new girl in school that year. They looked funny standing together. Clara was tall and wore her blond hair in pigtails, while Lisa was the smallest kid in the class and had dark, curly hair.

“Hey, Clara,” said Biff, coming out of the lunch line to stand beside them. “Does she really play basketball? I mean, she’s not much bigger than the ball.” Biff’s friends behind him laughed.

Lisa frowned, but she didn’t say anything.

“You’re no giant yourself, Biff,” said Clara, looking down at him. Clara was almost a half-foot taller than Biff.

“Maybe she’s the team mascot,” said Dan. “Little Lisa, the mascot.”

“Don’t you start talking trash about Lisa!” said Clara angrily.

“It doesn’t matter,” murmured Lisa.

“Dude,” Clara said to Dan, “she’s one of the Scrubs, too, you know.”

“Since when is she one of the Scrubs?” asked Dan.

“Since I say she is,” replied Clara.

“Come on, it’s not some exclusive club. She tries hard, just like you.”

“Yeah,” said Lisa.

“Yeah, but she’s the way the Scrubs used to be,” said Biff. “Dan won over half his matches this year.”

Dan looked at Biff in surprise. He wouldn’t have thought Biff was keeping track.

“Okay, great, but so what?” asked Clara. “I was high scorer on our basketball team. Who cares? I’m still a Scrub at heart. And so is Lisa.”

“Come on, Dan,” said Biff. “Sit with us. That table’s going to be too crowded anyway.”

Dan hesitated. But he decided he just couldn’t turn Biff down.

“I’ll see you around, guys,” Dan said to Rufus and Clara.

So he had lunch with Biff and his loud friends. Clara glared at him from their nearby table. Rufus and Willy looked puzzled. Lisa just kept looking down at her lunch tray.