“On Sunday, Elizabeth logged in to the Kid’s Time Blog, where everyone from school chatted. Elizabeth saw that Dino Parker made a drama column about Ms. Hogan- Miller. She read all of it.”
It was fifth grade and the last day of school, Olivia was helping Mrs. Hogan-Miller clean up her stuff for the last day of school. She entered the classroom. It was beautiful with blue walls and tan desks. But Mrs. Hogan-Miller hid her face so Olivia couldn’t see her.
“Hi,” Olivia said.
“Hi honey, Elizabeth is supposed to be here” Mrs. Hogan-Miller said.
“Um, she can’t come because she’s in lunch detention.”
“Why?”
“Oh, she’s being lunch monitor…” Olivia said, playing with her hands and looking around.
“Well, only Mrs. Leona, a teacher, can do that sweetie. You should tell your friend that.”
“Mrs. Hogan-Miller you didn’t hear? Students can be lunch monitors!”
Elizabeth actually was in detention for not doing her homework and Olivia just saved her best friend from getting scolded at the loudest-shouting teacher in the school. Olivia knew this because she heard Bryant Marcello getting scolded at before.
After those awkward moments, they started to clean. Mrs. Hogan-Miller seemed really nice, Olivia thought.
The whole school was released from class. You were able to see all the 6th graders to 12th grade in one big huddle and you could hear them speaking. Elizabeth wanted to know what they were saying so she pulled Olivia by the arm and dragged her to the group. They heard rumors about Mrs. Hogan-Miller. Like, “She’s so ugly under her mask.” Or “She’s so mean and weird!”
Olivia rolled her eyes from the embarrassing comments about Mrs. Hogan-Miller. Then a boy named Rico Donic said “Fifth graders, let’s see your luck. Whoever’s in Mrs. Hogan-Miller’s class stands where the fourth pole is and needs to hold this sign.” Rico held up a rectangular sign that read: LOZRS- IN MIS HOGAN MILERS CLESS!
Olivia rolled her eyes, and opened up her report card: B’s and C’s and next year’s teacher: MRS.HOGAN-MILLER! She took the piece of paper and stood next to the pole. Elizabeth opened her report card: B’s and 1 C in behavior, and… MRS.HOGAN-MILLER! So she stood next to her best friend Olivia.
But Olivia didn’t know why everyone in Willow Pine Falls was acting like her teacher Mrs. Hogan-Miller was a sea monster. There were rumors around the school like crazy!
When she went to history class Dino Lewis whispered to her best friend’s big brother “Mrs. Hogan-Miller gives test on the first day of school!”
Then, when Olivia said “Knock it off!” The whole hallway looked at her like she had purple hair or something! That was it. Olivia Houston would show that Mrs. Hogan-Miller was the nicest teacher ever!
Olivia went over to her best friend Elizabeth’s house and they talk over the whole idea. They sat on Elizabeth’s bed with the door closed.
Olivia was pointing down to the floor as if she was the president trying to get elected for a second term and she said, boldly and powerfully, “We need to make a change about what people think about Mrs. Hogan-Miller. I think we can show she is a really good person.”
Elizabeth stopped listening to Olivia after she said ‘I think.’ Elizabeth started day dreaming she was the most famous person in the world and she was giving out autographs. “Yay, attention!”
Elizabeth’s older brother Jake barged into their room with his headphones on and taunted them, “Amateurs, you can’t change Mrs. Hogan-Miller! She is the worst teacher ever. Good luck with your nerd clan.”
When Jake started closing the door, Olivia tried to kick him. Elizabeth let it go– she didn’t really care.
Olivia said, annoyed, “Can you please tell your brother to how to act?”
Elizabeth rolled her eyes, “ Calm down Olivia it doesn’t really matter, just don’t talk to him and he won’t talk to you. He gets into other people’s business which isn’t right but that’s what older brothers do and you just have to ignore him.”
Olivia just said, “Ugh.”
Elizabeth’s mom called, “Honey, you and your friend need to go to sleep because tomorrow is the first day of school.”
When it was the morning, Olivia yelled, “Wake up Elizabeth!”
“No! Make it night again! Make it night again!” Elizabeth sobbed.
Olivia picked up Elizabeth and then dropped her. Elizabeth started standing up from the hard floor with her night eye patch on and said,”Okay, I’m up.”
The two girls started getting ready for the first day of Willow Pines Middle School. Elizabeth wore a pink skirt with a white shirt and a ripped jean jacket with grey flower combat boots. Olivia wore high waisted shorts with a purple flower jean jacket and a white silver t-shirt and tall brown boots with wedges.
Elizabeth’s mom dropped them off in the school yard. Students were standing nervously around the school making a big deal about all the kids who were going to Mrs. Hogan-Miller’s class. Everyone was creating new rumors about Mrs. Hogan-Miller just to scare Elizabeth and Olivia out of their plan so they could prove she is a mean teacher.
Jake, who was going to high school, said, “She gives tests everyday, even on the first day of school and if kids give her presents, she throws them out in the stinky cafeteria garbage bin.”
Dino Parker, Jake’s friend, who was another popular kid going into high school said, “And she hates children and the only reason she became a teacher is to torture them.”
Olivia said proudly, “Well, that doesn’t matter because this year we are going to change what everybody thinks about Mrs. Hogan-Miller and we are going to prove that she is nice.”
Elizabeth said, “Yah! You people are going to change how you think about Ms. Hogan-Mill-e-r!” and then her voice trails off because she is fainting. Olivia rolled her eyes– she knew Elizabeth loved attention. Then the door opened. Olivia, while holding poor fainting Elizabeth, said “Let the expedition begin!”
Elizabeth and Olivia walked inside the hallway. They saw Ms. Hogan-Miller’s classroom. They went in. No one else was there except Ms. Hogen-Miller, who was chewing an apple. The classroom was dark, creaky, and there were spider guts on the walls.
“Um are you sure we should do this expedition business? Because I think we’re gonna get killed if this is what we’re dealing with,” Elizabeth whispered to Olivia, moving her finger in a circle. Oliva shoved her further inside the room. Ms. Hogan-Miller didn’t notice them. She was busy trying to memorize kids names.
“Hi… Ms. Hogan-Miller. I’m Elizabeth Mcenroe, and this is Olivia- Houston- we’re in your class.” Ms. Hogan-Miller turned the light on. She had a messy unkempt blonde hair, pinned all over. She wore a grey and yellow suit, with a gray skirt and gray clogs. Her legs were very wrinkly and her skin looked damaged. A bandage was by her blue eye and pointy glasses. They had no idea how old she was– she could be 30 or 60. She looked at them.
“Hi girls! Welcome to my classroom. You guys are going to have a great time. If you behave nicely,” she said in a friendly tone with a mischievous smile.
She looked down at her dirty fingernails. Elizabeth couldn’t stop looking at her ungroomed hair.
She whispered to Olivia, “Did like a roach die in there?”
“Just stick with the plan!” Olivia whispered. Ms. Hogan-Miller shouted to the hallway,
“Come on kids! Get in, it’s time to learn!” All the kids slowly came in. They thought she was going to say something. When she welcomed everyone, they thought she sounded nice, but most of the kids thought she was just playing tricks on them.
Mark Edmonds said, “She can’t be this nice. Look at that wardrobe. Messy nails, ugly hair…” Elizabeth sighed.
“Don’t judge a book by it’s cover!” she said to Mark. Then the day began.
When recess started and everybody was supposed to be outside, Elizabeth and Olivia stayed and asked if they could stay after to talk to her. Ms. Hogan-Miller nodded. Olivia’s eyes met with Elizabeth’s. Elizabeth knew that Olivia’s eyes meant C’mon it’s business time we need to talk to Ms. Hogan-Miller about her appearance and what people think about her.
They went to Ms. Hogan-Miller’s desk and said, “There are a few things we need to talk with you.”
Ms. Hogan-Miller smiled and nodded and said, “You may begin happily.”
Elizabeth says, “Mrs. Hogan-Miller, we know people are saying mean things about you and we want to change what people think about you.” Elizabeth and Olivia’s eyes meet.
Olivia said, “Okay, we need to talk to you after school about a few things because you have a meeting with the principal and we need to head to lunch. Trust us, the next day people will like you.”
Mrs. Hogen-Miller smiled and she became so happy about her school year because she had two amazing students who wanted to change the way people think about her. After they said that Olivia and Elizabeth headed to lunch. When they reached the lunchroom, Elizabeth went up to the counter Ms. Leona the lunch monitor was usually at and Elizabeth said, “Attention students at Willow Pine Falls middle school– you will see the new and improved Ms. Hogan-Miller tomorrow and none of you will say anything bad about her ever again.”
All the kids smiled and clapped because they were really excited about Olivia and Elizabeth’s plan and even the lunch ladies who never smile clapped as well. They all wanted to believe Ms. Hogan-Miller could change.
@@@
When school was over, the girls walked over to Ms. Hogan-Miller’s house and they opened the door and saw paradise. All of the furniture was gold and really comfortable and the kitchen was a luxury kitchen. The laundry room didn’t even have clothes in it, and there were just a bunch of empty bins because the space was so big. The walls were pink, purple, and green, and it looked springtime paradise to them. From the kitchen you could see the big blue fresh water pool.
Finally they came to Ms. Hogan-Miller’s room and it was beautiful. They sat on the couch.
Elizabeth started out, “You kind have the whole school against you because you are a part of this kind of rumor and we want to change that.”
Olivia said, “Yeah, we are going to have to change the way you look, talk, and controlling your anger.”
So Elizabeth said, “First let’s start with your appearance. We know that’s not the most important thing, but it’ll make people feel more comfortable around you.”
“Okay, so hair. Your hair needs a definite change. You hair is blond so let’s comb out the knots, straighten it and then curl it out so it will look perfect for tomorrow” Olivia said. That is what they did.
Ms. Hogan-Miller said, “Thank you so much you girls didn’t have to do this it was totally unnecessary.”
Elizabeth said, “Yes, actually we did. I thought there was a roach living in there.”
Mrs. Hogan-Miller blushed.
Olivia said, “Next is your wardrobe. We need to get rid of all your ugly disgusting horrible… mainly all your disgusting clothes. We can borrow from my mom permanently. She will say, “yes” because her friend Tory is a fashion designer and will re-design her clothes. Also… I will make sure she does.”
Mrs. Hogen-Miller shouted with a very high-pitched annoying voice, “Wait! We don’t know if they are the same size, lady.”
“Nah, you guys are about the same height, don’t worry” Olivia said.
Elizabeth was throwing out Mrs. Hogan-Miller’s old clothes while Olivia was getting her mom’s. Elizabeth gave Mrs. Hogan-Miller some tips for her wardrobe and hair to keep it nice.
Then they left the house and started walking back to Olivia’s house.
Elizabeth said, “Can you believe Mrs. Hogan-Miller’s house? It is beautiful we should totally go there more often.”
Olivia rolled her eyes, “Anyway our plan is going perfect so far all we need to do is make it work out tomorrow; just as we imagined.”
The next day, everyone came into Mrs. Hogan-Miller’s class thinking it would be the same creepy thing. There used to be spider webs everywhere, and dust everywhere, and you had to be careful moving your desk and chairs because they could fall apart. Elizabeth and Olivia cleaned it up when she was at a principal’s meeting. Mark Edmonds was really surprised and Mrs. Hogan-Miller didn’t do exactly what they said but she looked a lot better than she had yesterday. Ms. Hogan-Miller blushed and smiled as the students whispered things to each other like, “ What did she do with her hair? It looks perfect and it’s supposed to be ugly.”
Jake and Dino came inside the room to deliver something to Mrs. Hogen-Miller
“Well I guess your little nerd plan didn’t go SO bad… you guys can’t do many things but I guess this one you did,” he said, smiling. “You’re still a nerd though.”
Forty five minutes later it was history and William Norwalk was not paying attention. Actually, no one was paying attention but Ms. Hogan-Miller thought William was listening. He was playing with his fingernails when Mrs. Hogan-Miller called on him for a question.
She asked, “Who was Julius Caesar?”
William didn’t know and couldn’t answer because he wasn’t paying attention. He started stuttering. Ms. Hogan-Miller got mad.
So she shouted, “William Cermit Norwalk! How dare you not listen to me in my class! You have detention for four weeks. If you had listened this wouldn’t have happened. You need to stop doing these ridiculous things! This abSURD!”
William started to cry. Olivia thought, “Well, he is the shyest kid in school, no doubt now, the most sensitive boy now!” Then Olivia hit her head and thought, partially scolded herself. “This isn’t a time for nonsense. Liz and I need to fix this, NOW! You can do this Olive just think, just think, Yes, I got it! I’ll just stay and talk to Mrs. Hogan-Miller, but even I can’t show my anger, I don’t want to be stuck with Crybaby Cermit!” Olivia stopped thinking and met eyes with Elizabeth. Mrs. Hogan-Miller knew that Olivia and Elizabeth wanted to talk with her. So Mrs. Hogan-Miller made sure that recess was early. Soon, everyone was out and it was just the three of them.
Olivia was furious. She tapped her foot madly. Finally she said, “You messed up, Mrs. Hogan- Miller, now the whole world hates you, and you know what I hate you TOO!”
Mrs. Hogan-Miller looked surprised. Olivia just went into the hallway humming so loudly, and madly that she couldn’t hear a thing. Elizabeth just comforted Mrs. Hogan-Miller and shouted, “Come here Olivia, say sorry!”
Olivia apologized.
And Elizabeth said, “It will be okay. We’ll make sure.”
Mrs. Hogan-Miller smiled, then Olivia gave Elizabeth the look, which is “Ugh. Everyone will totally hate us at the cafeteria.” Elizabeth rolled her eyes in agreement.
Once they reached the cafeteria, everyone was aiming spit-balls at them and throwing lasagna, but they missed, but then Elizabeth slipped and her clothes were full of Lasagna and mushy stuff.
Then Olivia said to everyone, “This isn’t funny we just had a little flipflop.”
The people in the lunchroom kept saying, “Boo!”
Elizabeth stormed into the bathroom, and then Olivia followed her to comfort her. Olivia said, “It’s okay Elizabeth. Nothing bad is going to happen. Nobody hates you.”
Elizabeth said, “This isn’t the kind of attention I wanted. I wanted everyone to agree and I wanted people to think I’m nice.”
Olivia got angry, “You know, this isn’t about you!”
Elizabeth said, “It’s not about you either!”
Olivia said, “I never said it was about me, I didn’t do anything!”
They kept arguing until Olivia began to leave the bathroom and Elizabeth said, “If we are going to keep arguing then I don’t think we should be friends anymore.”
Elizabeth and Olivia separated. Through math, science, English and writing Olivia would be correcting Elizabeth even when Elizabeth was correct.
Later that day, when school was over, instead of stopping by at Elizabeth’s house, Olivia went straight home. Olivia’s mom was in the kitchen making cookies. Olivia threw her bag down and slammed the door.
She looked at Olivia.
“What’s wrong…” her mom said.
“Elizabeth and I kind of separated, we had this big fight about attention and stuff, it was really weird. It’s boring though not being with her. Like today, I got lost trying to come home! I usually go to her house, I want to go back to being friends, but she’s the kind of girl that holds grudges, so I don’t know if she can do it.”
“Oh, honey, it’s ok. Just because you and your friend had a little mishap, it’s not gonna affect your friendship. All you need to do is say sorry.”
“But mom, I can’t! The fight was all about her, she wanted all the attention! I can’t do anything really.”
“Well you have to step the plate.” Olivia’s mom slid her a plate of cookies. Olivia said
“Mom. Don’t.” Olivia’s mom laughed.
On Sunday, Elizabeth logged in to the Kid’s Time Blog, where everyone from school chatted. Elizabeth saw that Dino Parker made a drama column about Ms. Hogan- Miller. She read all of it.
Dinosaur123– OLIVIA AND ELIZABETH’S NERD CLAN TOTALLY FAILED. REMEMBER CRYBABY CERMIT COMMOTION.
Polly4life– I know, they like totally failed they like, should really like stop it’s not like, like, like, nice!
Mega-Mark-460– Yeah, it should totally stop… (his mom was watching him)
Jurassic-Jake– I don’t know why my sister is so obsessed with this nerd clan. Did you hear they’re not even friends anymore. We should totally through lasagna at them again.
OctapusOlive– Stop. You guys need to stop making fun of our plan, we are doing our best. Don’t you see if we can help Ms. Hogan-Miller, it can be better for everyone. You need to shush yourselves.
Dinosaur123– ROFL.
Elizabeth pounded the keyboard. She didn’t want to say anything though… between her brother and Olivia it was too much. Elizabeth had nothing to do so she started writing a diary.
Day 1 (Without Olivia)
Things are going pretty bad. First of all, I checked the school blog. Everyone is mad at me! I don’t think our plan is going good without Olivia. I miss her! Maybe I was acting a bit crazy about attention… but Olivia, she’s just so bossy and gives you no choice to do things or she’ll stay your enemy forever.
Monday morning, Ms. Hogan-Miller paired Olivia and Elizabeth together for an exercise. She thought that they were still friends. The activity was to talk about what happened over the weekend. They both looked awkwardly down at the floor.
“So, what did you do over the weekend…” Olivia asked.
“Well, I wrote a diary, and I also saw the school blog…” Elizabeth said. Olivia brightened up.
“I know I saw it too. It’s so mean. They were talking about us and how our ‘clan’ was horrible! Even your own brother insulted you!” Olivia said. Elizabeth nodded.
“I know, I’m kinda used to it. I’m totally gonna get him for it, I don’t care. What I do care about, is our friendship… Maybe the whole thing we were fighting over wasn’t really that important” Elizabeth said.
“So… that means…”
“We could be friends again?” Elizabeth finished for her friend. Olivia thought for a second.
“Yeah. I think that’s permanent,” Olivia said, smiling.
“Now we have to get Mrs. Hogan-Miller back together so we can finish our expedition and people will like her again” Elizabeth said.
Olivia said, “I think I know what we can do. If we can show people that Mrs. Hogan-Miller can be nice for a whole month then people will start liking her again.”
Elizabeth said, “Okay when ELA is done let’s go to Mrs. Hogan-Miller’s desk and talk with her about it and we can start next week.”
Olivia added, “Let’s start planning this weekend and this time let’s do it at my house.”
When ELA was over, Elizabeth and Olivia packed up early so they would have time to talk to their teacher.
“Mrs. Hoggen-Miller, we have a few things to ask you,” Olivia said.
Elizabeth looked like she wanted to back out of the conversation because she thought it was risky. Olivia kicked her in the ankle so she would stay.
Elizabeth said rapidly, “Mrs. Hogan-Miller we really need you to agree to be really nice and show your kindness for the whole month so people in school will like you and respect you.”
Mrs. Hogan-Miller said, “Sure… it will make my life much more fascinating.”
Elizabeth and Olivia squealed a little and then they did their little happy dance. Mrs. Hogan-Miller started laughing, and then Elizabeth and Olivia went to Olivia’s house. Once they got there, Elizabeth and Olivia started planning.
“So we already have the hair, wardrobe, and shoes done. Next we need to change her attitude and the way people respect her. If we can change her attitude we can make people respect her until the next year’s sixth graders, and high school students and middle school students.” Olivia said.
Elizabeth replied, “You know what for once I think that can work.” Olivia laughed.
Soon after the whole talk, they had a snack of strawberry ice cream with a ‘Chocolate Paradise Milkshake’, and ‘Fruit-Z Mellows.’
When Elizabeth was about to go to bed her brother Jake stormed into her room and said, “You totally flunked it with that speech about Mrs. Hogan-Miller now everyone in the lunchroom hates you even William Nowalk and no one even talks to him so that’s just sad. Also you and Olivia aren’t friends anymore. You have a very very dreadful life.”
Then he laughed, and before he left the room Elizabeth got up and kicked him in the shins. Then Elizabeth yelled, “For your information Olivia and I are friends again, and just because one little thing happened doesn’t mean my life is over. If you talk to me like this again you will be grounded for four weeks because I’m gonna te-ell. By the way you also totally deserved that kick.”
Jake said, “Oh I’m Elizabeth and I’m a stuck up person. The more stuck up I am the better.”
Elizabeth just went under the covers and goes to bed. Then Jake left.
The next day was Sunday. Mainly everything was going well, but it got really short because what felt like in three hours it was Monday.
They were really nervous if the plan would work out.
“If we fail, I bet we will have to switch schools because everyone will keep hating us,” Olivia said.
“Yah!” Elizabeth said. “In agreement. But we need to not just focus on what can happen wrong but on what can happen right.”
In Elizabeth’s diary, they started to keep notes on their progress with Ms. Hogan-Miller.
NOTE 1
If things flunk out then everything is my life will go wrong,and everyone will hate me and I will have a horrible life and end up selling food stamps.
Elizabeth :(
NOTE 5
Five days have passed and it is going well. It’s not that bad. Mrs. Hogan-Miller is being nice, and her hair still looks good. In the middle of math class, we convinced her and the principle to change the lunch food. We said Ms. Hogan-Miller did. We need her to keep the nice attitude so people will like her.
-OLIVIA
Note 10
Ten days have passed and it’s not going bad. Dino Parker I believe, he is actually being good since the lunch food. Jake is also actually proud of me and the way I am going through with this expedition. We got Ms. Hogan-Miller to ask the principal for more free time.
-Elizabeth
Note 15
Things are going pretty well I am actually really proud of Mrs. Hogan-Miller. It was a nice day. William Cermit Norwalk is maybe even becoming teacher’s pet!
-Olivia
Note 30
Whoo Hoo! The whole Mrs. Hogan-Miller expedition is finished. We just need to make sure everything turns out good and if everything turns out good then Mrs. Hogan-Miller and me and Olivia will have to make a speech so that we can be popular.
-Elizabeth
Once Elizabeth was done writing that note she gave it to Olivia.
Olivia said, “Since the plan is almost done all Mrs. Hogan-Miller needs to do is say she is proud to be a teacher and then our plan is done.”
Then Mrs. Hogan-Miller said,” The plan is done finally!”
Then Olivia and Elizabeth look at each other and Olivia said, “No not exactly in order to complete the plan you need to make a speech so that the school and the students can trust you.”
Mrs. Hogan-Miller smiled and said, “ Well, uh, I don’t know how to make speeches.”
Elizabeth and Olivia stared at each other and said, “Who doesn’t know how to make a speech?”
“Don’t worry I was just playing with you,” Mrs. Hogan-Miller smiled.
Elizabeth and Olivia sighed in relief.
This time, when everybody was sent out to go to lunch, Mrs. Hogan-Miller followed and stood on the podium where Ms.Liona usually stands. When Mrs. Hogan-Miller stepped up everyone cheered.
They start chanting, “Mrs. Hogan-Miller, Hogan-Miller, Hogan-Miller.” She laughed.
“Everyone, it’s a pleasure to see that you all enjoy me. I am so happy the school year is going slowly so that I have a chance to meet each and every one of you.”
Everyone blushed and cheered.
Olivia got up and said, “We’re very happy that you all appreciate Mrs. Hogan-Miller and that our plan worked.”
Elizabeth got up and said, “ We are so happy that we were able to help everyone in Willow Pines Middle school appreciate Mrs. Hogan-Miller who would do anything to make her students happy.”
Mrs. Hogan-Miller blushed and even the principle clapped. Then, after that year was finished, the students who got into Mrs. Hogan-Miller’s class the next year were really happy to be in her class and hear about how she got her fame.
Everyone in Willow Pines Middle School including Elizabeth, Olivia, and Mrs. Hoggan-Miller lived happily, luckily, and perfectly as anybody could ever live.
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