The Trouble with Mark Hopper by Elissa Brent Weissman Page B

grumbled.
    â€œFor . . .” Miss Payley prompted.
    â€œFor announcing your grade to the class, especially because it was a bad grade.”
    â€œAnd . . .” continued Miss Payley.
    â€œAnd?”
    â€œAnd . . .”
    â€œAnd it wasn’t a nice thing to do? Which is why I’m sorry. And I hope you do better on the next test?”
    â€œThanks,” mumbled the Mark who just wanted to get to art club.
    â€œThank you,” said Miss Payley. “Tomorrow you will apologize to the rest of the class.”
    Mark almost argued with her because what he just did was bad enough— How many freaking times did he need to apologize? —but decided to keep quiet. He tightened his lips and crossed his arms.
    Miss Payley turned back to the other Mark, who was tracing the outline of the floor tiles with his foot. “This is going to be a fast-moving class, Mark,” she said to him. “I know this is only the very beginning, but I don’t want you to fall behind.”
    â€œI won’t,” promised Mark.
    â€œWell, just in case,” Miss Payley continued, “I think it might be a good idea to set you up with a study partner. That way you can be sure to keep up right from the start. I think that’s a better idea than waiting a few weeks and seeing how it goes, because then it might be harder to catch up.”
    Mark’s eyes widened at the idea. Maybe Jonathan could be his study partner. Then they would definitely become friends. Or maybe Jasmina—she seemed really nice and smart, and he was pretty sure she had Miss Payley a different period. “Okay,” Mark said. “I’ll do that.”
    â€œGreat,” said Miss Payley. “Mark,” she said to the other Mark. “Putting your behavior this morning aside for a moment, you really seem to be catching on to the work quickly . . .”
    â€œThank you, Miss Payley,” called Mark as he started out the door.
    â€œWait!” said Miss Payley. “Hold on one second, Mark. Mark, I would really like it if you and Mark would be study partners.”
    Both Marks froze.
    â€œExcuse me?”
    â€œWhat?”
    â€œYes, I think you two will work wonderfully together,” Miss Payley said with a playful smile.
    Mark thought he’d work better with someone he actually wanted to like.
    Mark thought he’d work better with a dead dog.
    â€œYou can have your first study session tomorrow afternoon. You can use this room.”
    â€œUm—”
    â€œBut—”
    â€œThat’s all, Mark Hoppers,” Miss Payley said. She put on her jacket and picked up her bag. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said.
    The two Marks stared at each other—one seething with anger and one consumed with worry—but they both could have sworn that from the corner of their eye they saw Miss Payley do a little jig on her way out the door.

Chapter 12
    The Trouble with the Mastermind Tournament
    That night, Mark made a list:
    Reasons I cannot be Mark Hopper’s study partner
    1. I am doing perfectly in math (and every other class) so far, so I don’t need a study partner.
    2. Mark needs so much help that it will take time away from my homework and my grades might drop.
    3. We have the same name and it could get confusing.
    4. I maybe want to join debate club and then I will not have time to meet him after school.
    5. I need time to prepare for the Mastermind tournament.
    Then, just so it didn’t seem like he was complaining about something that could not be changed, he made another list:
    Alternate solutions for the other Mark Hopper
    1. Get him a different study partner.
    2. Put him in regular math.
    3. Let him move back to wherever he came from.
    His handwriting got heavy and messier while writing that last suggestion, and by the end of the sentence, it was so heavy that his period made a hole in the paper. He knew he couldn’t show the list to Miss Payley with