Read Mind If I Read Your Mind? for Free Online Page B

ability to read their minds. Sure, it was a trick, but did that really matter? For a brief and shining moment, he would be a winner. He could actually see the possibility of triumph flash before his eyes.
    And he liked it. He liked it very much.

“Who wants to go first?” Mr. Wallwetter said as soon as the bell rang. His intense eyes scanned the classroom like an eagle searching for a big, fat snake to eat. “Do we have a volunteer?”
    â€œI nominate Cheese Sauce here,” Rod Brownstone blurted out, pointing to Billy with his beefy index finger. Some of the kids in the class snickered, but Billy ignored them. Growing up with the last name of Broccoli, he had gotten very good at ignoring cheese sauce jokes.
    â€œHow about it, Billy?” Mr. Wallwetter said. “Want to be our first speaker in the Speak Out Challenge? SOC it to ’em, if you get my pun!”
    Billy gulped. The Hoove still hadn’t shown up, and without him, Billy’s new speech wouldn’t work. The Hoove was now the main ingredient in his mind-reading demonstration. Billy was going to have to stall until he arrived … that is, if he ever did arrive. He hoped the Hoove wasn’t pulling another disappearing act like he’d done the night before.
    â€œThanks so much for the offer, Mr. Wallwetter,” Billy said, using his most charming voice and sociable smile, “but I’d rather go last, if that works for you.”
    â€œIt doesn’t,” Mr. Wallwetter answered tartly, tugging on his skinny little mustache.
    â€œThen how about next to last? I can make that work.”
    â€œCome right up to the front of the class now, Billy,” Mr. Wallwetter said in a way that didn’t leave room for argument. “Show us all your demonstration.”
    Billy looked around desperately for signs of the Hoove, hoping that he had floated in and was hovering somewhere above the fluorescent lights. No such luck. Billy’s heart raced with a combination of anger and nerves. The Hoove had sworn he’d be there when the opening bell rang. Promised. On his honor.
    â€œThe Hoove’s Rule Number One Hundred Forty-Three,” he had declared just that morning. “When you count on the Hoove, you can count on the Hoove.”
    Yeah, right , Billy thought. I’d do better counting on my fingers and toes.
    As Billy shuffled reluctantly to the front of the class, Rod made farting sounds with his mouth in time to Billy’s steps. Mr. Wallwetter didn’t seem to notice, though. He was busy writing Billy’s name on the board, along with the topic Billy had handed him just before class.
    A DEMONSTRATION OF MIND READING BY WILLIAM C . BROCCOLI .
    â€œCheck it out,” Brownstone snorted. “I bet that C stands for Cheese Sauce .”
    â€œHonestly, Rod, why don’t you knock it off already,” Ruby whispered to him. “It wasn’t even funny the first time.”
    Billy smiled at Ruby and she smiled back. Enjoy it while you can , he thought. In about two minutes, that great smile of hers was going to vanish when he made a total dork of himself trying to demonstrate mind reading and coming up with zippo.
    â€œAre you ready, Billy?” Mr. Wallwetter asked, putting down the chalk and walking over to his desk.
    â€œWe were born ready, weren’t we, Billy Boy?” came a ghostly voice from the back of the room. Billy looked up and there, sailing through the door in his hyperglide mode, was Hoover Porterhouse!
    â€œI was about to give up on you, pal,” Billy said aloud before he could stop himself.
    Mr. Wallwetter, not knowing there was a ghost in the room, thought Billy was addressing him.
    â€œWell, I’ll never give up on you, pal,” he whispered, coming over to Billy and giving his shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “Show us what you got, young man.”
    â€œLet’s do this,” the Hoove said. “We’re going to make their heads