Timmy had arrived at the school a few minutes after A.J., the latter always having a hard time sleeping during exam week. Today's exams were in English Literature and World History so that's what the two boys quizzed each other over. When Julius Caesar came up during the history portion, much to Timmy's dismay, the warning Caesar was given did come up. Despite turning a bit pale A.J. didn't say anything, thinking it was just the result of a slight hangover from the drinking last night. They continued to quiz one another until the buses arrived making it too noisy to study in peace. Feeling confidant the two walked into the cafeteria to buy breakfast and wait on the others.

Not long after they finished eating and planning on skipping every class without an exam for the library, the rest of their little gang sat at the table. Chester was clearly sporting a hangover. Elmer and Sanjay began shooting questions at them, the drinking having ruined their plans not to cram again and making it difficult for them to concentrate. History was their first class and all too soon the minutes disappeared causing Chester to unleash a few curses as they made their way to class.

"Was the guy who tried to invade Asia but lost, Cleopatra or King Tut?" the blonde haired boy asked nervously. History was by far his worst subject.

"Neither, you're thinking of Alexander the Great." Timmy replied, trying to hold back a yawn.

"Aw man! I'm totally going to bomb this test! And my head hurts."

"You should have participated in last night's review session then instead of drinking three times as much as everyone else." The young genius said.

"Do not listen to him. He is just upset that you slipped him a drink." Sanjay told the blonde, "You know what alcohol does to him do you not? It causes him to make many mistakes."

Slightly hurt by the truth of the statement A.J. rushed to the classroom ahead of the others to look inside a textbook.

As they entered the classroom Elmer noticed the bags under Timmy's eyes that had nothing to do with the booze.

"Are you alright Timmy?"

"Later."

The boys took their usual seats in the front corner away from the teacher's desk. A.J. was already seated in the second row, Elmer sat in front of him, Timmy sat on A.J.'s left with Chester behind him, and Sanjay on Chester's left. After a short speech on corrections they're teacher gave out the exams. Looking down, Timmy's heart dropped as he saw a blank page staring back at him. What if he hadn't actually woken up? Was this just his nightmare torturing him on an all new level? There was no way he'd be able to handle that, not knowing if he was awake or not, he'd lose his mind.

Chester kicked his seat, moving the desk forward a couple inches. Instinctively Timmy looked up at the clock to see that ten minutes had already gone by. Underneath the blank page was the actual exam. Chuckling nervously at his overactive imagination, no doubt fueled by his lack of sleep, Timmy started to answer the questions on the exam.

After their exam the boys skipped their next two classes to hang out in the library. None of the teachers cared. Chester looked up answers for the history test on a computer while Sanjay looked for them in a textbook Chester took from the classroom and A.J. calculated scores. So far Chester hadn't gotten a single question right, Sanjay was getting 3/4 of the questions right, and A.J. hadn't missed any. Meanwhile Elmer was getting Timmy to talk about his sleepless night at a table away from the others.

"I know no one was able to slip you a drink so why are you so tired? Did you hook up with that girl Tootie introduced you to?"

"Nope"

"Wait, your dad and the neighbors weren't in the backyard again, were they?"

The two shared a disgusted look at the memory.

"Okay scratch that, so fess up, what kept you up?"

"I had a nightmare alright?"

"Oh. Well what was it about?"

When Timmy didn't reply and his friend's subtle tries to get him to open up again failed, Elmer decided it was a lost cause so he changed the subject.

"So when'd your dad move back into the house?"

"What are you talking about? My dad hasn't set foot in the house since Christmas."

"Well there was a light on in one of the other bedrooms last night when I was on my way home and it was on again this morning. Chester and I knocked on the door thinking it was you but no one answered."

"The light was on?" Timmy thought it had just been his imagination.

"You don't think someone was breaking into your house do you?"

Timmy scoffed, "like there's anything in my house worth stealing. Maybe my mom or her boyfriend came back looking for something she wanted. Remember when she sent that guy Ben to take some vases out of the garage?"

Elmer wasn't able to reply as the librarian began to yell at the girl who'd just entered drinking a can of coke. It was Tootie followed by Trixie and Veronica. Mr. Varner was a book fanatic who considered the library a holy place that students were continually trying to desecrate in any way they could. Bringing food into the library sent him into a fit that led to a long, loud lecture about how much damage could be done by the food item in question, how much money it would cost, and how it was inconsiderate to the few students (like A.J.) that used the library 'properly'. The record lecture had gone on for two class periods when a senior brought back a book without its cover and stained in mud.

Elmer went over to try to defuse the situation, which would be tough now that Tootie was giving Varner attitude. The girls were trying to talk Tootie into finishing her drink outside but she wouldn't do it. Dating the richest kid in town who had most of the teachers (and principal) wrapped around his finger by giving out bribes or generous donations had given Tootie a lot of freedom. Basically Tootie ran the school ever since she began dating Remy who had taught her money could buy friendship, something she hadn't had much of before. Plus Remy's parents had recently donated enough money to give the library a major upgrade so no book worshiping lonely old man was going to stop her from enjoying her coke. Knowing that the situation was under control Timmy moved to a secluded corner of the library by a window, leaving Elmer, Trixie, and Veronica to try to calm Tootie.

This was the only window in the library that always allowed phones to send and receive messages. Varner had a policy about cell phone usage, if he saw it he took it for the entire semester. Maybe Tootie was immune to the rules but Timmy certainly wasn't, not after getting into an argument with the old man when he was a freshman. Timmy had been using the school computer to read some news stories on an alternative News website for a class. The stories were comically fake and Varner logged him off the computer from his office. When he tried to log back in he found that he was locked out of the school's computers for three hours. Calmly he had explained the assignment to the librarian who didn't believe him. Not long after both their tempers flared and an argument ensued in which the teen had said a few that ought not to have been said. Mr. Varner had banned Timmy from the library for the rest of that school year.

He sent a quick text to his dad asking is he'd been in the house lately. The reply no so Timmy asked if his dad had finally decided on renting out a room in the house without giving him a warning. The reply came quick, his dad said he'd rented the room to a family friend who wasn't suppose to move in until late Friday night while Timmy was at a party. They would then be introduced the next afternoon when more ground rules would be laid out as Mr. Turner hadn't figured them out yet. Timmy's new roommate was having trouble back home and had contacted his dad in hopes of getting a place to stay for a few weeks. At the time it had seemed like a good idea to Mr. Turner to go ahead and rent them the room.

Annoyed Timmy turned the phone off, missing the text his father sent revealing the tenant's name. This wasn't going to be fun. His parents' friends weren't the best of people; generally they were only acquaintances or people they hadn't seen since before he was born. Plans to spend the next week with his friends were now ruined as his father would insist on him getting to know the tenant. Not only that but his faeries would have to be restricted to his room and brush up on their disguises. Poof was going to be a problem as he now preferred to wander the house acting like a human which would no longer be acceptable with another human in the house. He felt a headache coming on with all the preparations that he would have to make to avoid the family of faeries being discovered, but there was no time for that, A.J. was making his way over to Timmy to figure out his score on the test. Putting his phone back in his pocket Timmy put on a fake smile to hide his problem, for the time being. Finals were enough trouble for him and his friends without adding his new roommate into the mix.

A half hour later the fight with the librarian had been resolved with the arrival of Francis, who intimidated Varner more than anything else. A.J. had calculated history scores, and the group had relocated to an empty classroom. The teacher had put in a DVD before leaving after the group promised to stay put while he went out for a smoke.

A.J. wrote the scores on a clean sheet of paper before reading off the scores, " Alright Chester got a 37, Elmer an 88, Sanjay a 75, I got a perfect score, and Timmy got a 105."

Frowning A.J. looked at Timmy, clearly unnerved that his friend had gotten every question plus the bonus right while he'd made a stupid mistake by putting King Tut instead of Alexander the Great. The brains of the group glared at Chester, blaming him for the mistake on his test. Their next test was in an hour yet no one felt like studying. Lit would be over SAT words, short stories, and a couple of novels that they'd quizzed each other over all year, at this point even Chester could pull off at least a solid B. So the girls finalized plans for the party at Trixie's on Friday. Her father had hired a DJ, bought the decorations Veronica had picked out, bought the food Tootie had insisted on having, and had agreed that both he and his wife would not be home at all during the party. Currently only about fifty people were officially invited and they would each invite a friend who would probably invite another friend so the girls were planning on 200 people to show up. Of course her parents didn't know that or the plan to serve booze.

Come to think of it Timmy hadn't been officially invited by any of the girls until last night, probably because Remy and Tootie both hated him. Remy's hate wasn't surprising but her's, well that was a long story. Elmer had most likely convinced his girlfriend that it would mean a lot to Timmy to be invited instead of being the group's plus one. Not that it bothered him one way or the other, he had bigger problems.

The hour passed by uneventfully as did their test. In no time the school day was over. Tootie left with Trixie and Elmer in a limo Remy sent to pick her up, Veronica took the bus with Francis, Chester had to go straight home, and Sanjay was staying at the library to study with A.J. As tempting as it would be to spend the next few hours studying Timmy decided to pass. All he wanted was to get a couple hours sleep. So he walked home since riding the bus with Veronica and Francis was awkward, they sat in the back making out.

When Timmy got home the Striker Z was parked in the Turner driveway next to a beat up little car he didn't recognize. His father was leaning on the Striker Z's hood with a smile on his face. His son's shocked face at seeing the Dinklebergs in the back seat didn't seem to bother Mr. Turner at all.

"HI TIMMY!"

"Hey." He stood in front of his dad waiting for whatever news he had to share, but his father didn't say anything. He just kept smiling. After an awkward moment of his dad smiling at him Timmy broke the silence, "Well I'll…um…just head in then."

"Oh no you don't, we're going out for a nice meal with our neighbors."

"You've got to be kidding me, its 4:15!"

Mr. Turner's smile fell for a second before being replaced with a forced grin, "Don't be a spoil sport. Eating earlier is good for you."

"So is sleep which I didn't get much of so I'll just be on my way."

This time Mr. Turner had to block him from walking towards the house, "Now son don't be rude."

"I have to study for finals" he lied.

"Studying's for nerds now come on" before his son could protest Mr. Turner had pushed him into the passenger seat of the Striker Z, closed the door, and climbed into the driver's seat and drove off.

Uncomfortable didn't even begin to describe how the teen felt. Stuck in a car with his dad and his dad's lovers was the last thing he ever wanted to do. When he wasn't confined in a car with them Timmy had no problem being civil to them but now he was just doing everything he could not to look at them in the car's mirrors. This wasn't like his father to bring them along to eat out, so why now?

Soon the Turners and Dinklebergs were walking into the local diner. Timmy asked his dad if they could talk for a minute while the other couple went inside.

"Why couldn't I go into the house?"

"Well…I wanted us to be able to have a meal together!" his dad's smile clearly said that he thought that the lie would fool his son. However the look on Timmy's face said otherwise."Oh all right. Your roommate wanted the house to herself for a couple of hours to finish moving in."

"All I wanted to do was go upstairs and sleep, I wouldn't have been in his way."

Mr. Turner was torn between coming clean or putting off telling his son what was really going one. He'd been counting on delaying this moment until Saturday to avoid the inevitable fight.

"Your roommate isn't a 'him'."

"Whatever I still wouldn't have been in her way. She isn't one of your psycho friends is she?"

"No she's not. You've known her for years."

Timmy knew his dad was trying to avoid a confrontation. There was something about this woman that he wasn't going to like. So that was why he'd brought the neighbors. Mr. Turner knew his son didn't like discussing things like this in front of them and bringing him to the diner was just an added precaution. With the scandals surrounding his parents' new lives the teen did everything within his power to avoid causing a scene in public.

The dinner was more awkward than any of them had anticipated. For a while the Dinklebergs had politely inquired as to how Timmy was doing in school and what his summer plans were to which they received the shortest answers the boy could come up with. Then the three adults talked about their jobs, the weather, any safe topic for a public conversation really. As for Timmy, who took no part in the conversation, was trying to figure out who his roommate could be. Unless his elementary school principal had finally gotten fed up with Mr. Crocker's mother or one of his friends' mothers was moving in he thought his dad was lying about him knowing the woman.

Finally the torture of pretending that all was well and good between them the four left to head back home. Strangely enough Mr. Turner didn't take the direct route home but instead took the scenic route through the neighborhoods. Timmy just stared out his window, tuning out the conversation between the adults as to what they would cook Saturday and Sunday for the new guest. They drove through the trailer park, A.J.'s neighborhood, Veronica's, Trixie's, and after a two hour drive finally started heading back in the direction of their own neighborhood. It wasn't until the car drove by Tootie's house that something clicked in Timmy's head. There was no way, was there? Rolling down his window the buck toothed teen leaned out of the car to look back at the house and felt his blood turn cold.

"Timmy dear, I don't think that's very safe." Mrs. Dinkleberg said cautiously.

Someone yanked him back into the car just as they passed a street sign that would have hit him.

"Not her, anyone but her." He muttered.

Nervous as to what was coming Mr. Turner tried to soothe his son, "Now just calm down son, I told you earlier who was moving in or did you not read that last text I sent you? It's only for – "

Ignoring his father Timmy had turned on his phone to read the text in question. His face turned pale. "Why the HECK would you think it was okay to not give me a warning that she was moving it?! How long have you known she was coming and not told me?"

"There's no need for language son –"

"When did you agree to this?"

"About a month ago."

Much to the surprise of the other three occupants in the car Timmy didn't say another word. His blood was boiling but it was the concern he felt for his faeries that kept him from yelling at his father. He hadn't forgotten them yet so they hadn't been discovered. Sure Wanda had said they were in Faerie World but they could have come back early. As long as it was just him at home when they came back everything would be fine, for a while anyway.

Tensions were high as the Striker Z pulled into the Dinkleberg driveway. Just as his father was about to say something, Timmy jumped out of the car, walked to the Turner residence, and went inside. Her car wasn't in the driveway so he wouldn't have to deal with the first meeting yet. Locking himself in his room Timmy yelled several choice curses as he punched a few holes into his wall. By the time he'd calmed down enough to sit down it was late but he wasn't tired. How could he sleep now? He was now living for who knows how long with the red headed she-devil who had turned several years of his life into a living hell.