CHAPTER 12

Jacob

“For someone just crowned king, you sure seem like you’re in a bad mood,” Ms. Linda said to Jacob.

“I am,” Jacob said. “All my favorite shows are finished for the season. That means I have nothing to watch for the next few months. What am I gonna do with my free time—READ A BOOK?!”

“Yes!” Ms. Linda said. “Reading is fun!”

It certainly is, as you, dear reader, can attest to—but probably only if you’re reading a series of books about Classroom 13. But since Jacob was part of Classroom 13 (who was somehow an actual student now—which hardly makes sense), he couldn’t read about himself. Now could he?

“You like TV, right?” 13 said.

“Boy, do I! It’s my favorite thing in the whole world,” Jacob answered.

13 said, “Well, now you’re king. You can make a law that says your favorite TV shows can’t go on break anymore and that they have to make more episodes right away. You can make it a law.”

So King Jacob made a proclamation (which is a fancy word for an official, public statement): “As of today, none of my favorite shows can go on break. They must keep going… forever!”

Jacob called the TV people over in Hollywood on the phone and told them the news. “Your vacations are officially canceled. Get off the beach, nix your travel plans, and tell your families to unpack their bags. You’re all going back to work to make more episodes of my favorite shows. I expect new episodes as soon as possible, so be prepared to work around the clock to make it happen, with zero bathroom breaks. Doesn’t that sound fun?!”

It wasn’t. Not for the TV people. Everyone had to pee really bad all of a sudden, and now they had to hold it. Plus, if they had to make shows forever, when did they get to go home?

Jacob’s answer? “Never. This is their reward for making such great TV.”