A/N: Dear Jebas, two chapters in one night! ACHIEVEMENT!!! Read, review, and enjoy!

~Larien~

Tonto

The summer had not been particularly kind to 12-year-old Nathan Explosion. Puberty had set in, causing him to outgrow a lot of his pants and all of his shoes. His voice was deeper, too. Much deeper. He still felt very awkward in his new body. What's more, he'd taken on more of those Native American features.

The townspeople in New Port Richey, Florida, thought Nathan couldn't possibly be anything other than adopted. He didn't favor either of his parents. Of course, his mother had assured him time and time again that he was not adopted. Thanks to this summer, people were talking more than ever. He just wanted them to shut up.

The dark-haired preteen stood in the entry way of his new school, staring at all of the students crowding the hallways. Today was the first day of the school year, and, finally having reached seventh grade, Nathan had been shuttled to an entirely new school building. His classmates were pushing past him, eager to start their day.

Nathan just stood there, glaring. He didn't want to go into this new building. He didn't want to look more like his dark-haired ancestors. He didn't want to have a deep voice that still cracked sometimes. And he didn't want to be in this stupid, awkward body!

"Move it, Tonto!" a blonde girl snarled as she pushed past Nathan. He stared after her for a minute, watching the way her bottom swished as she walked. That was another thing about this summer: He'd begun to notice girls.

A teacher standing in his classroom doorway near the entrance broke Nathan out of his trance. "Come on, Tonto, time to get to class. Hurry it up, or you'll be late," the man said flatly. Nathan grunted and began walking towards his first class of the day.

He hated school.