You will never be excepted. You will always be an outcast. Outcast. Outcast. Forget your life in Whoville, you are nothing. Nothing at all…

Jojo awoke from an unpleasant dream. He had been haunted by these dreams ever since he was old enough to see the dream in his mind. He hated those dreams. Hated them.

He'd always been the smallest of all 97 kids in his family. And he was the only boy, too. He acted different, so his sisters thought he was strange. His dad treated him like he was the best which made Jojo feel worse. His mom always treated him well, because that's a mom's job. His schoolmates made fun of him because he was small. That is why Jojo had to act tough, had to hide his hurting. And that is why he had those dreams.

Jojo got up and got ready for school. Another day of hidden pain. After breakfast, yet another meal where his dad tried to associate with him, Jojo grabbed his backpack and was off to school.

Once he got there, he bent down and tried to look invisible. He was small enough, right? Nope.

"Hey Nono!!" the head of the gang of jerks, Leo, called out to Jojo. Jojo clenched his fists. Leo knew his name was Jojo. He just loved to be a jerk. Leo ran up to Jojo, picked him up by the scruff, and pulled him up into the air. Suddenly Jojo was face to face with Leo.

"Nono! I called you! Come on over here!!" the next thing Jojo knew, he was being carried to the group of creeps. He was dropped onto the cement and landed with a thud. Jojo tried to get up, but Leo held him down.

"You answer when we call!" Leo growled.

"You didn't say my name." Jojo replied.

"Yes we did, Nono." Leo said.

"Its Jojo. I'm sure your pea brain can hold that much." Jojo said with an ounce of courage.

"Ohhh, its like you wanna get hurt! Noon break, we'll teach you a lesson, buddy boy!"

With that, Leo got up and ran to class with his gang. Jojo could feel their footsteps like earthquakes in the ground. I just led myself to my own death. Stupid! Stupid! Jojo thought to himself. He couldn't get up. Not enough strength. He just laid there, hoping someone would help him. Be tough… Jojo heaved himself up and limped to class.

"Jojo, you are late." Mrs. Kien, his English teacher, announced as he walked in. "We will discuss this at morning break." Great, I'll get killed BOTH breaks. This is not my day. He flopped into the only empty seat left, next to May, the prettiest girl in his grade. I wonder why this seat isn't taken, Jojo thought, it would've been right as she sat down. He looked for evidence as his teacher said something about writing books. And as he checked the back of his seat, he saw in huge, block letters, RESERVED FOR JOJO O'MALLEY!!

Jojo looked at May. She passed him a note. It read:

Jojo, I had to save you from getting the last seat that would've been in the back with the deadly Leo… I saw what happened this morning. Its not like I… ya know. But two close encounters with Leo is deadly.

He looked at May, put on a forced smile, and mouthed "Thanks." she mouthed back, "no biggie." he stopped smiling and looked at his desk. He'd die 3 times if anyone found out about this incident. The prettiest girl?? Come on!!

At morning break, Jojo went over to the teacher's desk. "Oh, Mr. O'Malley. Over there." his teacher pointed to a room in the back. "Just sit there until I tell you to come out." Jojo nodded and headed toward the back.

He entered the room. There was no one. He sat in a chair and waited. And then-

"What are you in for, Mayor Boy?" a girl's voice said behind him. Jojo fell off the chair. Up behind him, there was a girl with some glasses. They were purple. Her hair was very dark brown, almost black, and she was light brown.

"I'm not Mayor Boy. I'm nothing like dad. I'm Jojo."

"Oooookaaaayy, Jojo."

"Don't talk to me."

"I will talk to you, Jojo."

"But-"

"I WILL TALK TO YOU!"

Jojo felt himself get smaller. "OK." he squeaked. She stopped. "Uhm- sorry." His eyes went down. "Its- Its ok. That's the least of my problems." She walked over to him and patted him on the head. "Its ok, I'll be here." "I don't have- friends…" "Well now you do." There was something in her voice that comforted Jojo. Maybe she'd be different.

"I didn't hear what you were in for yet." said the girl.

"Late for class."

"Ahh."

"You?"

"Forgot my homework… For the 10th time."

Jojo laughed.

"Children? You two have half an hour left of Morning break!" the teacher called. "Come out!" They headed for the door. Jojo stopped. "I didn't get your name."

"Sybel."

"Cool name."

"So is Jojo."

"Thanks."

And they headed out, together. Once they got out, Jojo and Sybel saw Leo heading toward them.

"Well , well, well. Who do we have here? Awww, Jojo and Sybel. Or is it Nono? Wonderful nerd pair. Jojo and Sybel sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-I-N-G…"

And Jojo felt it all come up. All the things Leo had said. Nerd. Idiot. Ya scared? You'll never fit in. Nono. Get out of Whoville, outcast! Jojo couldn't take it anymore. He was done.

"Shuttup, Cleo."

"hat did you call me?"

"Cleo, Cleo."

"You shuttup!"

As Leo's hand cam down to pick him up by the scruff, Jojo closed his eyes. I've done it. I'm dead BEFORE lunch. But then he opened his eyes. Anger. Fury. And before he knew what he was doing, he punched Leo in the stomach. And Sybel punched another.

"You. Are. Dead. At. Lunch."

And Leo shoved them out of the way. "Get me something that soothes pain!!"

Jojo sunk to the ground. The world spun around him. "I'm gonna die." Sybel cut in. "No, you'll be fine." Jojo stared down the hall where Leo went. "I hope."

Lunch rolled around. Jojo ate with Sybel. "This is my last meal." Jojo said. "Shuttup, Jojo. You'll be fine." "I hope."

"Quit saying I hope."

Jojo grinned. "I hope."

"Jojo!!"

"Seriously, I'm dead."

"After you're dead, wanna come to a party?"

"If I'm alive."

"Good. My house." and she gave him directions.

Break came quick. Jojo slunk around trying not to be seen. He hid behind a bush.

And a shadow cam up behind him. He turned. Sybel. "You scared me!" She laughed. "Whatever." she sat down next to him. Another shadow. "Nice try Sybel-" "I'm still next to you." Jojo stopped. That had to mean-

"Hey, Nono. Remember our appointment?" Leo. Jojo turned. Leo was smiling. He picked up Jojo by the scruff. And Sybel by the other.

"Sybel had nothing to do with this!" Jojo said.

"Well she does now."

"Do what you want with me! Leave her alone!"

"Really?"

"Yeah."

Sybel stared at Jojo. Then she stared at him from the ground. Leo dropped her. Respect. That was what was in her eyes.

Leo dragged him away. It was over.

DA DA DUNNNN!!

TO BE CONTINUED…