Chapter 71: Finishing

Heading back to Preston's house Samantha and Preston started to go over various formatting and design issues while Dresden threw in some suggestions for presentation and quality control. Jeffrey was busy piling the money and checking on their supply of Oobleck and Slime.

"Is the data correct Preston?", Samantha asked.

"It looks good to me", Dresden spoke up.

Preston pulled up his lab book notes and checked again. Samantha and Dresden were looking over his shoulders.

Jeffrey shook a few jars of the glowing Oobleck and after testing some of them, he wondered if he could apply Benford's law of statistics. Then he realized it was stupid and did everything the old way by opening each jar and squishing each with a popsicle stick.

Various smells of orange and lavender wafed in the air, other jars clumped and sparked, still there were some that were tougher or softer.

"Hey Dresden, slime #15's consistency is awesome", Jeffrey yelled as he squished the material between his fingers.

*ploosh* *plish*

The slime made a pleasing sound, the tactile sense of the gloop clinging to his fingers was just as satisfying.

"Ooh, let me try", Preston barreled his way toward Jeffrey taking a piece of the material from his hands without asking for permission.

"Me too", Samantha joined in.

Dresden just shook his head at his science interested friends. Dresden focused on the project materials before closing the folder on the computer and organizing papers. After a brief moment he joined in the excitement.

"So what's so special about this one?", Dresden asked the three playing with the slime.

"It's just fun!", Jeffrey responded.

"What he said", Samantha agreed.

"I can't describe it, but it's good", Preston chimed up.

For a moment they all grabbed at the slime material. Jeffrey was the first to notice when his popsicle stick made the slime cling to it with a unique shape.

Dresden pulled out a folder of experimental recipes he worked on for R&D and marketing.

"mmm... teaspoon of corn starch, chalk and talcum powder, soap for scent, baking soda substituted for borax", Dresden listed the recipe.

"Nice job", Preston complimented his friend.

Dresden looked up from the document and said, "thanks"

Samantha suggested, "We should make a special edition slime with this!"

The three boys in the group looked at her blankly.

"What do you mean?", Jeffrey asked.

Samantha grabbed a few writing utensils and the whiteboard and started to erase some things.

"We could throw in some sort of lottery or make it a special gift. This is definitely one of the better slimes, but we've got plenty of ones that are similar or do different things. So instead of trying to make this a new type, we just give it a special distinction", Samantha explained.

Suddenly the door to the room opened. Preston's dad brought some crackers and snacks.

"Hey Preston, I brought your friends some snacks and tea", Preston's father Henry said.

"Thanks Dad, we appreciate it", Preston responded.

"Thanks Mr. Liu", Jeffrey, Dresden and Samantha echoed.

"No problem, your parents will be picking you up soon. So finish up what you're working on", he responded.

"No problem we will", Dresden spoke for the group.

With the snacks in front of them, they started eating. Preston grabbed the sesame cakes and candies, Jeffrey went with the milk candies called cow tails, Dresden picked up the bricks of noodle shaped cracker and raisin cakes, while Samantha went for the saltine crackers.

Also on the tray of snacks, we're some strawberries and 4 packs of capri-suns.

The science group was busy eating their snacks.

*munch* *munch*

Sitting on the carpet, the sunlight cast a soft yellow light through the window blinds.

Jeffrey ate quietly watching his friends, another peaceful moment passed almost as if in preparation for some more excitement.

Samantha started to mark some of the jars with a sharpie. Preston and Dresden moved to help, they had all finished eating. Jeffrey went to organize their supplies and start cleaning up.

"Do we have a phase 3 guys?", Preston asked.

"Like what?", Samantha responded.

"I dunno, something beyond the science fair?", Preston added.

Jeffrey and Dresden stayed silent watching the two talk. Jeffrey and Dresden shared another glance, but seeing as the other didn't have anything to add they let Samantha and Preston start talking.

"There's always next years science fair", Samantha brought up.

Preston sighed, "Yeah maybe... "

Dresden stepped in, "hey our science fair project isn't over yet. Plus maybe Jeffrey will come up with another idea."

"Hey", Jeffrey objected to being dragged into the conversation.

"Why is this on me? Shouldn't you guys be pulling your weight in the ideas department. That's why I invited you guys into this group", Jeffrey said.

"Yeah yeah, you were practically begging me to join", Preston brought up with a smirk.

"mmhmm, and you almost quit a few days in", Jeffrey retorted.

Preston reached to mess with Jeffrey's short hair, but seeing as Jeffrey recently got a haircut there was nothing to mess with.

"Guys lets not do this again", Samantha said rolling her eyes. Dresden smiled at the relationship they had all developed. Dresden has something to say, but it seemed he held back this time.

Soon each of their parents came to pick them up. Samantha leaving first, Dresden and Jeffrey left around the same time. Soon it was just Preston alone in his room.

Heading downstairs, Preston went to feed the family fish in the fish tank.

"You have fun Preston?", Jeffrey's Dad asked.

"I sure did", Preston responded.