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her mouth, he smacked it, with a big, fat kiss. He stood there, waiting for her to say, “I love you, too, bawlgrammit.”
    Delly’s eyes went wild. She coughed, like a cat hacking up a hairball. Then she puckered up, too.
    Novello closed his eyes for the kiss he knew was coming.
    Instead, Delly turned her head and spit the biggest goober those children had ever seen.
    The crowd gasped.
    Novello’s eyes flipped open. “What the . . . ?” he wondered.
    And Delly slugged him.
    She dropped him, hard. As he hit the ground, air blew out of him, like a popped tire.
    She bent down. With her mouth as close to his as it would ever get, she growled, “You try that again, I’ll knock you into next week,” and walked away.
    Tater was still staring at the spot where the spit hit. “Wow,” was all he could say.
    The crowd giggled.
    â€œSomething funny?” Novello hissed.
    They all shook their heads.
    Danny Novello couldn’t stop loving Delly. But he couldn’t forgive her for refusing him, either. From then on, most of his mouth meanness went to her.
    He was waiting for Delly with a pack of kids when she came out for recess. He and Tater stood in front of her, so she had to stop.
    â€œHey Danny,” Tater shouted, “it’s Ms. Pattison.”
    â€œThat’s no Ms.,” Novello yelled, “that’s a monkey.”
    The crowd exploded with laughter.
    Delly exploded, with punches. But she was wild; mostly she was pummeling air.
    And Novello was laughing. “I feel a flea. A bug’s biting me.”
    Till she got him. In the gut.
    â€œOof,” he exclaimed.
    She jumped him, and he toppled, like a tree taken down by a tiny lumberjack.
    â€œAyeeeeee!” he screamed.
    He landed with her on his chest. “Open wide,” she hollered, “here comes lunch.” She cocked her right fist behind her head, all ready to send a knuckle sandwich to his mouth.
    Ms. Niederbaum stopped the delivery. She grabbed Delly’s arm, then hoisted her off him.
    â€œWhat the glub?” Delly exclaimed.
    â€œWe’re taking a trip,” Ms. Niederbaum said as she carried her across the playground.
    â€œHow many weeks on Alaska this time?” Delly grumbled.
    But they did not travel to Alaska. They went straight to the place big trouble ends up: the principal’s office.
    As Ms. Niederbaum set her down outside Ms. McDougal’s door, she said, “I think you’ve done it this time.”
    And Delly, who’d lost her surpresent, her Dellypresent, and Lionel Terwilliger, muttered, “Nothing left to lose.”
    She was wrong about that, too.

Chapter 16
    A ll afternoon Delly sat in the chair. “Must’ve forgot about me.” She snickered.
    Then, from down the hall, she heard Clarice’s voice. “We’re here to see Ms. McDougal.”
    â€œIt’s about Delly,” Boomer added.
    â€œChizzle,” Delly murmured. She watched them walk toward her.
    Boomer shook his head when he spotted her.
    â€œDelly,” Clarice sighed, as if the word meant something sad.
    Ms. McDougal was at her door. “Mr. and Mrs. Pattison, come in,” she told them, and they disappeared.
    It was a long time later when the principal called, “Delaware, please join us.”
    She trudged to the door.
    Boomer and Clarice were sitting against the wall. Boomer’s eyes were red and his jaw was tight. Clarice was clenching her chair so her knuckles were white.
    Delly slumped to her seat.
    â€œI’ve told your parents about your trip to the river and the fight at recess.” Ms. McDougal began.
    â€œHunh,” Delly mumbled.
    â€œFor the rest of the week, you’ll have detention, and recess on Alaska. Your parents have decided on a punishment for home.”
    Boomer’s mouth barely moved. “Your room, for a week.”
    Delly’s head popped up. For Dellypunishments, it was puny. “That’s it?”