Would you want to grow up here? I have to.
I'm alex mack.
I was just an average kid
Until my first day of junior high.
One minute I'm walking home, the next, there's a crash
And I'm drenched in some weird chemical.
And since then...
Nothing's been the same.
My best friend ray thinks it's cool.
And my sister annie thinks I'm a science project.
I can't let anyone else find out.
Not even my parents.
I know the chemical plant wants to find me
And turn me into some experiment.
But you know something?
I guess I'm not so average anymore.
So, clearly, whoever pulled that fire alarm last week
When there was no fire
Committed a very serious offense.
That's right, miss hamilton.
You know, it's not only stupid and illegal
It's dangerous.
Now will be a good time
To talk about fire prevention.
Miss hamilton: Please remove those bracelets, miss flanders.
This is history class, not band practice.
Now, what is your question?
I was hoping we could see firefighter pruitt's helmet.
Of course.
Okay, fire prevention.
Let's talk about outlets...
Extension cords, flammable liquids...
Heaters, waste baskets...
Axes, axes...
Axes...
Extension cords...
Gasoline...
Nitro...
Fire!
I'll get the fire extinguisher!
Wait! The door is stuck!
Let me try, it's my job.
Alex?
Back away, everyone, I'll get this under control.
Go for it, alex!
I'm just doing what anyone else would do if they were me.
Wow.
Miss mack, you're... You're...
You're a hero, is what you are.
It was nothing.
I think you deserve this more than me.
For her courage
In the face of real danger.
Ms. Mack.
Her selfless act of bravery.
Ms. Mack.
Her unrivaled...
Ms. Mack, ms. Mack.
Ms. Mack?
Miss mack?
Ms. Mack! Alexandra.
I think firefighter pruitt might like her helmet back.
Thank you.
I think we've learned a lot
About fire safety
And the dangers of pulling false alarms
From lieutenant pruitt.
Let's all thank her for being here.
Oh, and by the way, class
Our first mid-term exam will be held next Monday.
That's right, people.
Yes, miss flanders?
What's a mid-term?
Well, it's an evil plot to make you learn everything
And I mean everything we've covered in class so far.
Multiple choice
And one open-book essay question
Requiring genuine thought.
Be prepared.
Wow, our first mid-term.
As soon as you get out of elementary school, it gets ugly.
Well, I think this whole testing thing
Is destroying our creativity.
I mean, multiple choice questions?
That's so... Retro.
Hi, libby.
Hey.
Um, I'm really glad
You asked what a mid-term was.
I wasn't quite so sure myself.
Actually, I was just kidding.
Jocelyn, neil, wait up for moi!
What a jerk.
I know, I sounded like a major idiot.
Not you-- libby.
Really, "wait up for moi?" please!
You guys are just jealous.
She's the most popular girl.
So what?
Popularity is so... Retro.
Yeah.
If that's retro, I want to be retro.
Libby: I know it sometimes seems like
I'm not paying attention, but I am.
I mean, I love history.
It's important to me that I do well.
Really? I had no idea.
The french revolution's so interesting--
The most fascinating
Historical event ever.
I agree.
Libby: I was wondering
Is there any additional reading
That might help me prepare for the mid-term?
Of course there is.
Here's a list
Of french revolution- related material.
All of these books are available
In the library.
Great, I was just on my way there now.
Thanks a lot, miss hamilton.
See you on Monday.
Thank you, libby. Good luck.
Mr. Alvarado
Perhaps you should consider putting in
The same sort of effort that miss flanders is.
Hey, libby, wait up.
What's up, rodney?
That's raymond
And you dropped this.
Yeah, so?
Don't you need it
To do additional reading?
I got plans tonight.
Reading will interfere with them.
But I thought you...
Could I make it any clearer to you?
Alex seems pretty worried.
Of course she's worried.
She's never had a mid-term before.
I remember my first mid-term.
Miss boarcow, chem 101.
I committed the periodic table of elements to memory
By giving it a melody.
For my first mid-term
You taught it to me.
Hey...
♪ hydrogen, helium, lithium, beryllium ♪
♪ boron, carbon, nitrogen ♪
♪ oxygen! ♪
So of course you both aced it.
Uh, miss boarcow graded
On the curve.
The other kids never forgave me
For getting all the answers.
I know the feeling.
Genius can be lonely.
Alex is keeping up.
Don't you think?
Annie: Mom, if she doesn't know the material by now
It's probably hopeless.
Flashcards are excellent learning tools.
I'll help her prepare some.
No, leave her alone.
You two are just going to make her more nervous.
Alex: 1792, the reign of terror, madame guillotine--
Oh, why do I feel like I'm going to be sick?
Relax, al, it's just a mid-term.
If you're like this now, how will you be able
To get to-- da-dum-- final exams?
I'll probably be hospitalized by then.
Ready?
I hate this, ooh, I hate this.
Look at you, look at what this pressure is doing to us.
It's not right.
Now, this is supposed to be
A safe environment, a community.
We should feel free to risk
To... To grow, to fail.
Do you have to use that word?
Look at libby flanders.
Wouldn't it be cool
To be so cool about it all?
I wouldn't be surprised
If she's in an extreme case of denial.
You sure you won't float the answers
Off miss hamilton's desk to us?
Right now I'd do almost anything
To get out of taking this thing.
Oh, no!
I forgot my book for the big essay
And my number two pencils.
I'm not cut out for mid-terms.
I'm a wreck!
You should calm down
But you only have 20 seconds to get to your locker and back.
I forgot number two pencils.
And you thought you might find them at the alarm box.
Where did alex go?
I don't know.
Is that all you can say for yourself?
It's not how it looks.
I forgot about the open-book essay...
So you were ill-prepared.
I forgot my book...
And you decided to delay the test for everyone else.
No, that's not it.
I was just at my locker...
First, you will complete
You own personal fire drill.
After we go back in
We'll go to the principal's office
And you can explain the whole thing there.
Miss hamilton?!
I didn't exactly study, if you know what I mean.
It really wasn't on my list of priorities.
We need to talk.
Not now, alice, I'm kind of busy here.
That's alex... And we really need to talk.
Guess you forgot something.
Thanks.
Where did you find it?
You want a reward?
A confession.
I found it where you didn't mean to leave it.
Excuse me?
I was at the wrong place at the wrong time.
Now hamilton thinks I pulled the alarm.
Well, I didn't do anything, and you can't prove I did.
Wouldn't you rather confess than have me tell on you?
That was a pretty extreme way
Of getting out of a test.
Alex, how can I expect you to understand?
I choked, plain and simple.
I mean, our first big test, you know?
Yeah.
Sometimes I wish I could be more like you.
You wish you could be more like me?
You're so real.
You don't worry about being popular and stuff.
I really admire your courage.
Courage? Me?
You're the type of person
Who stands up for what she believes
And fights for the underdog.
I could never ask you to take the fall for me.
That would be just asking too much.
You're so good and I deserve what I get.
So go ahead and tell on me, alex.
I understand.
Go ahead.
I'll see what I can do.
It wasn't me, but I can't tell you who it was.
I don't know.
I really can't say.
I can't answer that.
I'm going to have to plead the fifth.
If I have to take the blame...
I will.
Libby: So, from what I hear, alex mack pulled the alarm.
Miss goody two-shoes couldn't handle the pressure.
You never expect it-- the quiet ones.
She going to be so busted.
Class, due to the reprehensible actions
Of one of your schoolmates, who shall remain nameless
I'm postponing your exam till Friday.
Same time, same place...
Twice as hard.
And we will all look forward to miss mack's
Oral report on fires through history.
Extensive library research required.
Class dismissed.
Ray: What is miss hamilton talking about?
There's no way you pulled that thing.
No, but if I have to take the blame, I will.
What?!
Alex... You're the coolest.
Oh, no, really, I...
Take it.
We have to hang out soon.
Really?
Absolutement.
Libby flanders?
You're covering up for libby flanders?
Why take the fall for such a snoot?
There were... Extentuating circumstances
Or whatever you call them.
Libby's actually very nice.
If she had any character
She would turn herself in.
She was going to, but I wouldn't let her.
It's complicated.
You have to trust me on this.
We trust you.
We just don't trust her.
You can't understand.
I'm just trying to have a little courage and compassion.
Nothing like courage, compassion...
And instant popularity.
Hey, annie!
Ray... What are you doing here?
We're going to study.
Big history mid-term coming up.
Yeah, I've heard rumors to that effect.
Go on up.
She's already up there
With, uh... Lily flanders.
Libby flanders is up there?!
Forget about it.
Why do I have to call him?
Because he already knows everyone else's voice.
I have to hang up.
Oh, come on, don't be a chicken.
Hello?
Um... Hi, uh, greg?
Yeah, this is greg.
Somebody likes you.
Alex, we are going to have a lot of fun together.
All these dates swimming through my head.
History is way too historical.
It's weird.
I'm not really nervous this time.
I guess my nerves are already maxed out.
Hey, you guys know where alex is?
You would know better than we would.
I can't believe alex would makes friends
With such a... Phony.
See, libby's got what they call a...
Cult of personality.
Those like alex who are unsure of themselves
Gravitate to people like...
Her.
I'm going to get some water.
I'll be right back.
Libby: It's all set up.
Girl: Excellent.
It's amazing how you found such a willing victim.
We just have to figure out what to do
With all the time we used to spend studying.
Oh!
Alex, we got to talk to you!
I have to get my stuff.
Alex, listen.
Want to bet the alarm goes off
During the test?
Nobody would be that obvious.
No? How about libby?
What are you talking about?
Listen and listen fast.
I just heard them.
Libby thinks you're a sucker with a capital "s."
She's going to pull that alarm.
No way.
Yes, way.
Libby?
Alex!
I can't believe this.
Neither will anyone else.
Sorry, alex, but you just made it so easy.
Whoa...
Oh...
Hey, what is this?!
Alex?!
You might want this back.
Hold it right there, miss flanders!
It wasn't me, I swear.
It isn't polite to swear.
It was alex mack.
I tried to stop her.
She put that bracelet there
And she's hiding inside that locker.
Open the door, you'll see.
This doesn't make any sense.
No, it doesn't.
Miss hamilton, I don't know what's going on...
Save it for the principal.
Follow me, young lady.
You can collect your exams on the way out.
It was almost worth the wait.
You all did quite well for yourselves.
Nice work.
Nice work, miss mack.
My trick is studying for the same test three times.
And never mind that oral report.
I gave it to someone else.
Is libby okay?
Punishment can lead to growth.
Libby will be spending a lot of time in the library.
And maybe you'll think twice
Before taking the fall for someone.
I think I will.
Hate to say we told you so, alex
But we told you so.
All right, so she's a slime ball.
Libby: Listen, alex...
You may think you're smart, but we both know
There's something weird about you.
I don't what it is yet, but when I do
I promise you, you're dead.
What a delightful girl she is.
And what is she talking about, alex?
I have no idea.
Wait for me.