Eaglebait

Protagonist Wardy Spinks is kicked out of military school for blowing up the chem labHe entails in Evanston High School - placed in a gifted/talented track, feels like a loser.Wardy is bullied for his looks, his anti-social behavior and inability to fight back. He is flunking every subject, but building a laser in his basement.Heinrich Guterman, brilliant exchange teacher, becomes Wardy's mentor - helps him with the bullying problem. Wardy becomes his lab assistant.He's in love with Meg, his pretty bio lab partner, but she won't speak to him.His grandmother listens to him and helps him - his parents are divorcing and too busy with their own miseries to help.With some artifice, Wardy gets help on laser fuel - blows holes in the basement walls.Twist with mentor-teacher at the end. Wardy discovers his attitude makes a difference in how others treat him. Maybe not such a loser, after all.