It proved immediately very difficult to try and ask around rade if they were in roup. Most of them were setting up their booths, and it was hard to go up to someone just walking around if they too pletely failed to do this assig.

  “Oh man, if it’s Latte we’re in luck, easy coffee,” Kalei said.

  “No good, I see her over there,” Oka said as she sed the Fang Fair. “She’s with Elisa Burwell. And Chellsi and Mikei-Kei. Oh, and that weird little gremlin-like girl and her friend. That’s a weird group.”

  “What’s their presentation about?” I asked.

  “What do you think?” Oka asked.

  “Coffee and Osiris?” I said. "And if Chumbler's there, probably gambling too maybe?"

  “Yup and yup,” Oka said.

  “It’s poio look at people actually at booths,” Kalei said. “Look for people who are standing away from the booths.”

  “Would they even show up?” I asked.

  “Well, we showed up,” Oka said.

  I was ready to give up after thirty more seds of searg the outer areas of the Fang Fair. We stopped at a er that had a bunch of potted palm trees and chairs shoved in it. Iris Arco was also sitting there, she was the only person from my grade I reized in the er.

  “It’s useless,” I said. “Why do we need all our partners anyways?”

  “Oh, we all have to sign off ohing at the end,” Iris said. “I have a pn for mihough.”

  “n?” I asked.

  “I didn’t do my Fang Fair thing, so I’m gonna do my usual trick to just get out of doing css stuff,” Iris said.

  “We didn’t do ours either!” I said.

  “Wait, are you our partner?” Oka asked.

  Iris pohe idea for a moment.

  “Oh, yeah that would make sense, wouldn’t it?” Iris said. “Maia got paired with Lillia ce’s group, so I kinda just gave up there because I was banking on just doing the minimal effort possible while Maia put it together.”

  “That’s kinda mean to your best friend.” Oka said.

  “No, it was her idea!” Iris said.

  “ Oka, don’t tell me you wouldn’t pawn this whole thing off oa if you could.” Kalei said.

  Oka's immediate expression gave away that she in fact totally would pawn the whole thing off on me if she could.

  “Hey!” I said.

  “I would feel fairly bad about it if it makes you feel better,” Oka said.

  “It does, a little,” I said.

  “Whoa,” Iris said.

  “What is…oh,” I said. Iris spotted Aira and Laenie’s project.

  “I’m shocked she’s actually out here.” Oka said.

  “I’m shocked she isn’t g.” Kalei said.

  “I’m shocked she’s currently a-foot-tall wolf monster.” Iris said. “I was not aware she was an Exa i.”

  Aira spotted us staring and waved us over. I didn’t want to be near Laenie in her Exa form after the st time where she squashed Oka and I. She didn’t seem to be violee being a giant, though.

  “Hi, Aira…” I gulped. “And Laenie.”

  Laenie growled at us. Oka and I hid behind Kalei, who looked like Exa Laenie was the coolest thing she’d ever seen.

  “We’re testing the effects of lemonade on a wild Exa i,” Aira said, holding up a pitcher from their stand. “Laenie is positively a charmer if you give her lemonade five minutes before she turns.”

  Laenie gave a polite growl, then grumbled something else.

  “Ha! Good one!” Aira said.

  “Well…good luck, you two.” I said. “We should really be getting back to our project.”

  “Yep, agreed Zeta!” Oka said.

  “Yep, nice seeing you guys!” Aira said.

  We had to pull Kalei away areated back to Iris’ er of the gym.

  “Aw, I wao see her smash something.” Kalei said.

  “My ribs disagree,” I said. “Oh, I have an idea!”

  I got my pho and called Stel.

  “STELLA!” I screeched.

  “Zeta, why?” Stel said. ‘Ouch, that killed my ear. I fot to turn the volume down when you called because you haven’t called in so long.”

  “OK, guilt trip on two levels isn’t fair. I need your help.” I said.

  “With what?” Stel asked.

  “Could you please use your charming ways on Dr. Diast to get her to grade us good?” I said.

  “Excuse me? What did you just ask me to do?” Stel asked.

  “N-nothing?”

  “Wait,” Stel said. “Zeta, did you fet to do your Fang fair project?”

  “I uh—” I said as I hung up the call.

  “How did that go?” Kalei asked.

  “How did it sound like it went?” Oka asked.

  I dialed on the phone again.

  “Who are you calling now?” Kalei asked. “Another family member who bail us out?”

  “I’m calling Stel again,” I said. “To apologize.”

  “What is it, Zeta?” Stel asked.

  “I’m sorry,” I said. “And hi, Stel. I’m…sorry I yelled really loud and hurt your ears and that I never call you because I sud—”

  “Zeta, the mopey guilt trip thing does not make my anger lessen. Just leave me alone for a bit maybe, please?”

  “Myyregghh.” I said as Stel hung up.

  “That is a tragic sound you just made.” Kalei said.

  “Oh good, you found her,” Dr. Diast said, surprisih her sudden appearance.

  “Who?” Oka asked, prompting an elbow from Kalei. “Oh! Yep!”

  “That’s good, because I wao check,” Diast said. “You guys did the experiment part tht?”

  Diast sighed deeply at our silent respohat’s what I figured.”

  “Why didn’t you tell us that before?” Kalei asked. “Stop sighing at us and teach us!”

  “Dr. Diast, are you sabotaging us?” I said. “Are you gonna be a secret traitor?”

  “Saboteur!” Oka said. “Secret traitor!”

  “Why would I do that? You know it affects me ively too if you fail, right?” Diast said. “If you really o, and I really shouldn’t be rewarding your bad behavior…”

  “No, do it!” I said.

  “Reward us!” Oka said.

  “If you do freaking…” Diast sighed. “The fang ice cube experiment. It’s the easiest one. I suck as a teacher for even telling you. You get a red ribbon with that.”

  “But we’re looking for blue! Blue’s the best ribbon!” I said.

  “You disqualified yourselves from blue when you chose not to plete your projetil right now, literally during the event.”

  “OK, that’s fair,” I said.

  “Is it?” Kalei said. “I’m still o traitor mode.”

  “I’m not a secret traitor, who would I everaying you to?” Diast said.

  “That sounds like what a secret traitor would say.” Kalei said.

  “If you don’t stop, I’ll find a way to get the others to pass and not you.” Diast said.

  Kalei finally stopped at that, but still pouted.

  “Alright, there’s your hint,” Diast said. “Good luck."

  “OK, so let’s go to the library?” I said.

  “I’m not doing that,” Iris said. “I’m stig with my pn.”

  “We have to at least try,” Oka said. “We could squeak by with a red ribbon if we get the experiment done.”

  “I mean, suit yourselves,” Iris said. “e find me here if you wanna give up on this stupid thing.”