"Oh, check out what I've done with my locker!" Adam says to Bree and me as we stand by his locker in the hallway. He opens his locker. "Ta-dah!" Adam sings. "Here's where I keep my books. Down here I keep random strands of hair I've collected to make fake mustaches." Bree and I give him disgusted looks when he shows us the hair he collected. "And here is where I stockpile old lunches, or, as I like to call it, my tum-tum yum-yums."

Leo walks over to us, holding a slip of paper. "Hey, Leo. What's that?" I ask.

"My progress report. I can't believe my science teacher says I'm always late to class."

"Well, you are always late to class," Adam says.

"I know that, but I don't need it publicized," Leo says.

"Look at this!" Chase says, running up to us. "An A-! I knew my Home Ec teacher had it out for me. Always criticizing my muffins."

"Ha ha! I beat you! I got a D+! Plus because I'm better!" Adam says, holding out his report card.

"Adam, the plus is...you know what? It's just not even worth it anymore." Bree says.

"D is not a good grade, but we don't really expect you to get good grades," Chase says. "I'm engineered to be the smartest person on the planet, and I just got an A-. I've been relegated to the huddled, unwashed masses of minuses, like you!" Chase points to all four of us.

"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!" I say, sitting next to Chase on a bench.

"I have got to find a way to reclaim my superiority," Chase says.

"Well, you could sign up for the student of the semester competition," Leo says.

"What's that?" Chase asks.

"Every semester, kids compete to see who can best improve the school," Leo explains. "Whoever gets the most votes wins free pencils, a bumper sticker, and a cheesy picture of himself on the wall!"

"And that cheesy picture will show everyone that my brilliance reigns supreme!" Chase says. He stands up. "I am so gonna win!"

"I call your free pencils! No, wait, I'll take the cheesy picture. They both sound so good!" Adam says. The bell rings.

"Race ya!" Adam and Chase say, running out of the hallway.

"Hey, Cass, you ready for gym glass?" Andi, one of my friends I met when I first came to the school asks me.

"You know it!" I say as the two of us run to the gym. Andi and I have a lot in common. We both love sports and playing video games.

"Oh, no. Science class is all the way at the other side of the school. If I'm late again, I'm gonna get detention." Leo says. He turns to Bree. "Unless..."

"Unless what?" Bree asks.

"I don't want to sound crazy, but can you use your bionic speed to rocket me over to science class while I ride on your back like a fighter pilot?" Leo says.

"What? No way." Bree says, walking away from Leo.

"Pleeeaaase?" Leo begs. "It's the only way I'll make it on time."

"Leo, I'm a girl, not a method of public transportation," Bree says. "Besides, no one can see me using my bionics."

"But...but...there's no one around. Come on!" Leo says. "If I don't make it, I'm gonna be in big trouble! Do you really want that on your conscience?"

"I can live with it," Bree says.

"Fine. I guess I just expected more from my...sister." Leo says, giving Bree a puppy-eyed look.

Bree looks around. "Okay, fine. But just this once. Hold on." Leo jumps on Bree's back, and when she super speeds away, Leo falls off.

"Ow," Leo says when Bree super speeds back. He gets up from the floor.

"What part of hold on did you not understand?" Bree asks.

"I'm sorry, this is my first time going Bree-back riding!" Leo says. He hops on her back and she super speeds away.

"Whoo-hoo!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Hey, vote for Chase. Tell your friends." Chase says as he hands out business cards to random students in the hallway. "Vote for Chase for student of the semester. Here's my website, where you can peruse my platform, marvel at my skills, or even play a game of Chase trivia, where all the answers are about me." He sees Adam, Bree, Leo, and me and walks up to us.

"Hey!" He gives Leo a business card. "What do you think?"

"What do I think, or what's appropriate to say to your face?" Leo says, making me laugh.

"Chase the dream? Really?" I say taking the card from Leo. Bree takes the card from my hand.

"Please do not give these to anyone I might want to become friends with." She says.

"I've got a whole plan. Check it out." Chase says. "I even linked the latest facial recognition software to the school database to create a laser-automated attendance system." When a student walks into the school, a red laser scans him.

"Andrew Lamb has been late three days in a row." A voice recording of Chase says. An officer escorts him to the principal's office.

"Straight to the principal's office, Andy," Chase says. "He'll thank me later for putting him on the right path."

"See, Chase, this is why I'm the fun twin and you're the boring one," I say, receiving a glare from Chase.

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

"That's frog abuse," Leo says.

"Fine, we'll do it after, but it's gonna get messy," Adam says.

In the cafeteria, Adam was in line getting his food. "Ooh, turkey! Ooh! Gravy!" Adam dumps the whole container of gravy on his food and a machine scans his tray.

"Step away from the gravy!" A voice recording of Chase says.

"Don't tell me what to do, turkey!" Adam says. Chase and I walk up to Adam.

"Adam, that's my nutritional scanner, ensuring that everyone gets a perfectly balanced nutritious lunch," Chase says.

"Chase, I don't think your scanner's a very good idea," I say. "When I tried to get a donut computer you suggested I should eat an apple instead."

"Of course it is! Who doesn't love being told how to eat properly?" Chase says. Adam and I sit down at a table.

"More green beans?" The machine says to a student. "Too many fries. A cupcake? Really? I wouldn't, but it's your health."

"Apparently everyone," I say watching the students get annoyed with Chase's suggestions.

"Chase, you're going about this all wrong. Let me help!" Adam says. "Look, I know how to win you votes."

"Ooh, me too! Can I help?" I ask Adam.

"Sure!" Adam says.

A minute later, Adam rolled in a DJ cart with blaring lights and music while I sat on it. I was wearing a blue sparkly hat, and Adam was wearing a red hoodie and a pair of dark glasses. "Everyone say hello to Deejay Jersey Chase!" Adam says, using a microphone.

"Adam, Cassie, what is going on?" Chase asks us.

"We're helping you win!" Adam says.

"Uh, I think he means..." I grab the microphone from Adam. "We're helping you win!"

"I do not need a cheesy deejay setup!" Chase says.

"I know. That's why we brought you this awesome deejay setup!" Adam says.

"It's a lunchtime dance party!" I say over the microphone. I hand Chase the microphone, and Adam, the students, and I start dancing while waving spoons.

"Go gravy! Go gravy! Go gravy! Go gravy!" Adam says.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

In the hallway, Leo was playing a video game when the school bell rings. "Shoot! I'm gonna be late again!" Leo sees Bree walking with Ethan and pulls her aside. "Hey, Bree, buddy, my beautiful bionic bestie. Is there any way you can spin those little toe wheels and shoot me over to science class again?"

"Sorry, I'm on my way to study hall with Ethan. We've got to go get ready for a big Algebra test." Bree says.

"Come on, Bree, we'd better go, or else we won't get seats together, and when I'm minus you, I'm negative," Ethan says.

"Pleeeaaase?" Leo begs again. "It'll only take a second. I'm feelin' the need...the need for Bree speed."

"Leo, I told you, I'm not your bionic taxi," Bree says.

"I didn't say you were a taxi. You're more like a cute little trolley without the bell and annoying stops." Leo says.

"I told you, no," Bree says, walking off with Ethan.

"Hey! Why don't I just skip science class and hang out with you and Ethan?" Leo says, putting his arm around Ethan and Bree. "You know, we can study and laugh and talk all about how you can perform the National Anthem with your armpit."

"Ethan! Go to study hall. I'll meet you there." Bree says, handing Ethan her pink binder.

"But I..."

"Go."

"Okay, but I'll be thinking about you the whole way there, my little coefficient," Ethan says.

"Aww! One plus one equals you and me!" Bree says. Ethan walks into the cafeteria.

"You two have a weird little thing going on," Leo says, giving Bree a weird look.

"Hop on," Bree says. Leo jumps on her back.

"Hi-ho, silver!" Leo shouts. Bree gives him a weird look. "I mean, you know, whenever you're feelin' it." Bree super speeds away with Leo on her back.

Later that day, in the cafeteria, I looked around to make sure everything was clear. "Okay, all clear," I say to Adam. Adam carries in a vending machine with his super strength. Chase walks in.

"Hey!" He says.

I jump when Adam sets the vending machine on the cafeteria floor and screams in pain. "Ooowwww!"

"Adam, for the last time that is not a giant lunch box!" Chase says.

"No, it's part of your new campaign to win student of the semester," I say. "We...I mean you...put a vending machine in study hall."

"But those aren't even healthy foods," Chase says. "Is that key lime pie?"

"I don't know. Gimme a buck and I'll find out." Adam says. The three of us watch as two students check out the vending machine.

Chase smiles. "They love it!"

"Of course they do. They're getting their meal from a machine." Adam says. "And you didn't think you needed our help. We're totally gonna win this thing for you."

"Adam is right, Chase. We have so many great ideas!" I say as Adam and I sit down at a table.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. You're gonna win this for me?" Chase asks, walking up to us.

"Yeah, we just said that," Adam says.

"Don't you think your sudden popularity has something to do with our ideas?" I say.

"No," Chase says. "I think that people are finally realizing my campaign slogan, "Chase the dream," is about me. I am the dream!" Chase sees that Adam was struggling to understand what Chase was saying. "It works on a lot of levels. Don't hurt yourself."

"But our strategies were ten times better," Adam says. "You just can't deal with the fact that Cassie and I are better at something than you are."

"Oh, really? Ten times better? What'd you use, all your fingers and toes to count that one out?" Chase says.

"Leave him alone, Chase," I say.

"You know what? You always treat me like an idiot. But not this time because I'm entering this contest, and Cassie is going to help me." Adam says, getting up from his chair.

"Yeah! You better watch out because we're taking you down!" I say, getting into Chase's face.

"You wouldn't," Chase says.

"Are you not listening? She just said that we would take you down! Come on, Cassie!" Adam says. Adam grabs his backpack, but it was attached to the chair and he walks out with it. I follow behind him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Here you go. Vote for Chase." Chase says as he passes out business cards to random students in the hallway. "Here you go. Vote for Chase. And don't forget to stop by the nurse's office for your free scoliosis screening, sponsored by...yours truly."

"'Scuse me! Comin' through! Who wants to ride on the high school party bus? Whoo-hoo!" I say as I ride in the hallway in a yellow vehicle while Adam sat next to me in the passenger seat. All the students in the hallway walk up to the party bus.

"Do you honestly believe that giving kids rides to class is gonna make them want to vote for you?" Chase asks Adam.

"Who's going to class? We're just cruising the halls." I say.

"Hey, everyone, wouldn't you rather walk to class, knowing you're also fitting in 2% of your daily exercise requirement?" Chase says. Adam and I give Chase weird looks as some of the students get on the bus.

"No? Okay." Chase says.

"Attention, party bussers! There will be no stops, so if you're looking for a ride to class, plan your jumps accordingly." I say, driving away. Leo walks up to Chase.

"Well...my scientific polling, which consists of all your crumpled-up business cards in the trash can shows that Adam is beating you by a comfortable margin," Leo says.

"If I'm gonna compete with him, I have to start thinking like a simple-minded creature, one who goes through the day on basic instinct and random impulse, like a dog or a monkey or a sea slug." Chase says.

"Or Adam." Leo and Chase both say.

In the cafeteria, Bree was studying when Leo walks up to her. "Bree! You have to help me! I left my geometry homework at home. Can you run and get it...you know, hop on the old Bree-way?"

"I told you, I'm done running you around. I'm starting to get a Leo-sized dent in my back." Bree says.

"But if I don't turn in my homework, I'm gonna get an F," Leo says.

"Well, then, maybe next time you'll be more responsible," Bree says. "Now, Ethan's coming. Go...be somewhere else." Leo walks into the hallway and sees Ethan.

"Hey, Leo. Where's Bree?" Ethan asks.

"Bree...went home sick," Leo says. "Yes, she, uh, she hit her head...on the water fountain. It happens."

"She okay?" Ethan asks.

"Oh, yeah, she's fine. She probably won't even remember it tomorrow." Leo says. "Don't bring it up!"

"Toot, toot! Comin' through!" Adam says as he rides the party bus in the hallway. Adam wanted to drive the party bus since I was doing it for a while. I sat in the passenger seat next to him.

"Hey! Have you taken a ride on the hallway party bus yet?" Leo asks as he sets Ethan inside the bus. "It's just like a super fun rollercoaster with a maniac at the wheel! Go. Go. Go, go, go, go." Adam drives the bus away with Ethan in it.

"Nice," Leo says as he walks back into the cafeteria. "Hey, so, bad news...I just ran into Ethan, and he can't meet up."

"What? Why?" Bree asks, worried.

"He had to go pluck his nose hairs," Leo says. "It was looking like a jungle up in there. So...now will you go get my homework for me?"

"Fine," Bree says, getting up from her seat. "But wouldn't it just be a lot easier for me to zip into your geometry class, mark an A in the teacher's book, and then zip back out?"

"Hey!" Leo says.

"Not gonna happen!" Bree says. She super speeds away and then comes back. "Leo, I looked everywhere. I couldn't find your stupid homework."

"What?" Leo looks in his backpack and finds his homework. "Well, will you look at that? It was right here the whole time. You...have a nice day." Leo leaves and Adam drives the party bus into the cafeteria.

"Here you go, sir. The corner of cafeteria and Bree." Adam says. Ethan gets out of the bus.

"Bree? Leo said you went home." Ethan says.

"What? He told me you were plucking your nose jungle." Bree says. "But...I'm glad you didn't because it's adorable." Adam and I give disgusted looks.

"Looks like you were wrong, Adam. This looks like the corner of awkward and gross." I gagged.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

In the hallway, Chase is grilling burgers for the students. "Here you go. Enjoy your chee-ase burger!" Chase says.

"A hamburger cart? That's the best you got?" I ask as Adam and I walk up to Chase.

"The only thing juicier than my burgers is what you're about to eat, which is a big, heaping pile of hot, tasty defeat," Chase says.

"Well, speaking of defeat, care for a foot rub?" Adam asks, gesturing to a foot massage across the room.

"What's that?" Chase asks.

"That is my 2-minute massage stop, winning hearts and minds ten toes at a time," Adam says. "Oh, go ahead, people. First come, first served." The students run over to the foot massage area and Adam and I take a burger from Chase's grill.

"Oh, so good," I say with my mouth full.

"You know what? I've really had it with you two." Chase says.

"Aww. What are you gonna do about it?" Adam says in a baby voice.

"You know, you really can't enjoy a burger without a little ketchup on your buns," Chase says. He grabs a ketchup bottle and squirts ketchup down the back of Adam's pants.

"Ha! Jokes on you. I kinda liked it." Adam says.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The next day, Adam, Chase, Leo, and I are waiting in the hallway to find out the results of who won the student of the semester. "Ah, this is it, the moment we've all been waiting for," Chase says.

Adam gasps. "They found a talking horse that fights crime?"

"No. It's the student of the semester results. Miss Thistle gets to open the results because she's the oldest teacher in school." Leo says. We watch Miss Thistle as she struggles to open the envelope.

"Oh, just give me the stupid thing!" Chase says, snatching the envelope out of Miss Thistle's hands. "I mean...let me help you, ma'am." Chase opens the envelope. "Yes! Yes, yes, yes! I...tied with Adam?"

"Yes! I half-won!" Adam exclaims. He turns to me and gives me a high five. The school bell rings. Chase turns to Miss Thistle.

"There must be some mistake. Maybe you missed a few. Count again, please!" Chase says.

"No, Chase, she's not gonna make it through another count!" Leo says. He sees Bree at her locker. "Oh, I've got to go. My ride's here." Leo walks up to Bree. "Hi, Bree."

"Let me guess: you need a lift?" Bree asks.

"Oh, well, I wouldn't want to impose on you. Let's go!" Leo says.

"All right, hop on," Bree says as Leo hops on her back. "Oh, but hold on tight. This one might get a little bumpy."

"Wait. What?" Leo says. Bree super speeds through a desert. Leo swallows a bug, and they stop at the lab. Bree drops him to the floor.

"Are you crazy? I think I swallowed a june bug!" Leo exclaimed after spitting out a bug from his mouth.

"What? You said you wanted a ride." Bree says.

"To math class, not Ohio!" Leo says.

"I had to teach you a lesson, Leo. You totally took advantage of my bionics." Bree says. "And you lied to me and my little decimal point. I mean Ethan."

"You're right. I'm sorry. I guess I deserved it. I just got a little carried away." Leo says. He chuckles. "With you carrying me away. Oh, come on. That's funny." Adam, Chase, and I walk into the lab.

"I can't believe we tied," Chase says. "Now we each have to write an essay to determine the winner."

"Yeah, and when everyone at school reads my essay, I'm gonna be student of the semester," Adam says.

"Let me see that," Chase says, grabbing Adam's notebook. "It's just a bunch of badly drawn rocket ships."

"Yeah, next page," Adam says. Chase turns the page.

"A tiny-headed guy with a big mouth?"

"Yeah, that's you. Next page." Adam says. Chase turns another page.

"I, Adam Davenport, should be student of the semester. That's it?" Chase says.

"What? It's sharp and to the point." Adam says, taking the notebook. "Took me twenty-five minutes."

"You know what? I'm not even worried because the winner's gonna be the one who can write the best essay, and we all know that's me." Chase says.

"You think you're so smart! Well, you may be a better writer, but I'm a better..."

"That's right. You got nothin'." Chase says.

"No, I got this," Adam says. He fires his heat vision, and Chase blocks it with his force field.

"Oh, you think you're so cool because you have lasers. Well, guess what...I can fight back too!" Chase says. He forms his force field into a ball of energy and throws it at Adam, sending him flying across the room.

"Bull's-eye!" Chase says with a smile. Adam gets up and screams as he and Chase start fighting.

"Bree, Cassie, should we do something?" Leo asks.

"Nah, they're bionic brothers. It's how they roll." I say. Adam throws Chase across the room. "And fly." Adam jumps over a console and pins Chase to the ground.

"Ha! I can still pin you in less than three seconds!" Adam says. He leaves the lab.

"I'm good," Chase says, getting up. "He always plays the physical card. This contest was my thing, and he's trying to show me up."

"He's not trying to show you up, he did show you up," Bree says. "Instead of giving him credit, you made him feel stupid, which is how you always make him feel." She leaves the lab.

"She's right, Chase," I say. "You always complain about Adam picking on you, but now you're doing it too," I say. "I wanted to do something nice for Adam and make him feel good about himself by helping him win this contest, but because you were so obsessed about winning, your big ego got in the way." I leave the lab as well.

"Huh. Now I'm starting to think they're smarter than you too." Leo says.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Back at the school, Adam and Chase were waiting for the results of the student of the semester. "Hey, prepare yourself for the bitter taste of defeat, which I plan on spoon-feeding you in delightful bite-sized portions every single time I see you," Adam says.

"Mmm-hmm. Let's just see what happens." Chase says.

"And the student of the semester is...Adam Davenport!" Principal Perry announces over the speakers.

"Whoo-hoo! I beat you! Eat it! Eat the defeat!" Adam says. "Open your mouth!"

"Okay, Adam," Chase says.

"Lick the spoon! Lick it!" Adam says.

"All right! That's enough!" Chase says. Adam walks over to a group of students and I walk up to Chase.

"Uh, Chase, something's not right with Adam's essay," I say, holding up a piece of paper. "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 asks.

"Adam would have misspelled library. Adam would have misspelled dogs." I say.

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

"Chase, that's not true. You're not perfect at a lot of things." I say. I pat his shoulder before going to my locker. Chase walks over to Adam.

"Hey, Adam, congratulations. The best man won." Chase says. "And it was wrong of me to make you feel like you weren't smart enough to win."

"Yes, it was, it was very scrumptious of you," Adam says.

"Presumptuous," Chase says.

"That as well," Adam says. Adam and Chase hug. Leo drives up in the party bus just as Bree walks into the hallway.

"Hey, Bree, good news! I found a new way to make it to class on time!" Leo says.

"Yes!" Chase says as he, Adam, Bree, and I get on the bus.

"Let's do it!" Leo says, moving over to the passenger side as I sit in the driver's seat.

"Buckle up, guys! I'm hitting the afterburner all the way to art class!" I say.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Later that day, Chase, Leo, and I are standing on the stairs looking at Adam's cheesy picture on the wall. "Are you sure you're not upset about Adam beating you for student of the semester?" Leo asks Chase.

"Yeah, a little bit. But I'll get over it." Chase says. He pulls out a sharpie and starts drawing a unibrow on Adam's picture, making Leo and I laugh. "Yeah, I'm over it." Adam walks in.

"Hey!" Adam sees the unibrow on his picture. "I was gonna do that!" He takes the sharpie from Chase and starts drawing on his picture.