Lincoln stepped out of the van with the rest of the crowd. They did have a bus route for their neighborhood, but his mom insisted on driving the kids to school this particular day. Lincoln didn't think they were missing out on the experience, though (eleven children in one vehicle can achieve the same effect).

He took a deep breath and made his way to the school. Lori appeared and walked next to him.

"Hey," she greeted, "Just wanted to remind you. We're going to go get ice cream after school today."

"Okay?"

Lucy appeared next to him suddenly. He hated to say it, but he was starting to get used to Spooky evaporating next to him whenever he wasn't looking.

"Dad always takes us out for ice cream on our first day of school," she explained in a monotone fashion. "That way we have something to look forward to. Even when we have a bad day."

Lincoln nodded. "Huh. Cool."

He had to admit; it was a neat trick. And it worked, he was already looking forward to it as he walked in.

"We'll see you later, Lincoln," Lori patted his shoulder and disappeared among the crowd of teenagers.

"Bye, Lincoln!" the girls all spoke in unison, separating and going off to their individual classes.

He followed the hall by memory, even waving to Mrs. Botch along the way, and ending up at Mrs. Johnson's classroom. Plenty of kids were already in there, split off into groups or just doing their own thing. A group of guys in the back corner took notice of him and stared. Lincoln knew his white hair was an eye catcher but this seemed next level. The group of girls towards the front of the class stared too. He couldn't tell what anyone was thinking.

He sat in the seat they had previously discussed the other day. He took a deep breath and got out a notebook and pencil. He hated school. The whole deal. Teachers were mean. Classmates were cruel. He never even made anything closely resembling a friend. Classes seemed pointless… well, there were some things he thought were cool, but he could never really enjoy them.

Things are different here, he reminded himself. Things can be different.

The bell rang, and the teacher walked into the room with the last few stragglers. Everyone took their seats, and no sooner did Mrs. Johnson stand up for announcements.

"Alright, class," she spoke while shuffling some papers, not immediately looking up at everyone. "Everyone take your seats, we have a new student joining us today. Lincoln, would you like to stand and introduce yourself?"

Lincoln nodded and stood from his seat. He got to the front of the class and started sweating. So many eyes on him…

"Hi," he waved. He coughed and continued, "I'm Lincoln Loud... and I…"

He paused. He may not have had any friends, but he knew how to present himself. He didn't want to be "the guy with ten sisters," why not shake it up a little?

"Uh…" he stalled.

Come on… he told himself. Be funny. Make them laugh!

He glanced over at Mrs. Johnson. This may not be the best story to tell at this time, but he thought it would be worth it.

"I hid my first-grade teacher's glasses in a fishbowl," he told the audience in front of him. Everyone looked confused, including the teacher, who furrowed her brow.

"Why?" the girl in front of him asked.

"So she could find her car keys," he explained, "I hid those in there too."

People were starting to catch on and started snickering. This was good, they're warming up to him.

"So," Mrs. Johnson pieced together, though not without a bemused smile, "You put her glasses in the fish bowl to help her find her car keys?"

"Yeah," Lincoln smiled, "She, uh… she'd been looking for them for three days."

The class was starting to giggle in unison.

"Why'd you do that?" the teacher asked, also chuckling.

"She was just… mean," Lincoln avoided those other descriptors he was familiar with. "Nobody liked her."

Mrs. Johnson lowered her head, rubbing her eyes with her thumb and finger, shoulders shaking from contained laughter. The students saw this and relaxed enough to laugh and giggle as well.

"Thank you, Mr. Loud," she finally said, standing up. She was still smiling. "You can take your seat now. Everyone open your history books to chapter seven; today we're starting the Napoleonic Wars. Clyde, would you mind sharing your book with Lincoln until we can get him one?"

"Sure thing," the boy next to Lincoln answered. He scooted his desk closer to Lincoln and splayed the text book across the tables. "I'm Clyde, by the way."

"Nice to meet you," Lincoln shook his hand.

He felt like today would be a good day. Later, at lunch, he sat down next to Clyde. He was a good kid, a bit delicate, but a good kid, nonetheless. He had a group of friends, all of which were inexplicable redheads, but are somehow not related. Inevitably, the conversation fell to Lincoln's hair.

"I don't know, man," Lincoln answered when Rusty asked him about it, "I feel like it's a Benjamin Button kind of deal."

"What's your damage, snowball?"

Lincoln froze and turned in his seat. One of the older kids, a middle school boy, towered over him. He looked like a copy and paste of someone he met earlier, but Lincoln couldn't think of who.

"Who're you?" he wondered.

"You beat up my brother at the mall on Saturday!" he jabbed a finger into his chest. "Remember that?"

Lincoln bit back a curse. He wasn't supposed to fight anymore. No more fighting, that was the deal. So he had to think of a way out of this.

"Sorry," he shrugged, "Don't remember."

"Little kid," he explained, "Blond hair. You broken his skateboard."

Lincoln shook his head and pushed his lips out like he gave a good deal of thought. "Nope. Can't remember. Sorry."

"Mother Ffff…" he threw his head back and never finished the curse. "Everyone saw you on YouTube! You're the only white-haired kid in this school!"

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yeah!"

"Did you check?" Lincoln prompted. He held his arms out, as if to say, "Did you think about that?"

The boy's eyes flicked down, giving it some thought. He held his chin, for extra concentration.

Oof. Not the sharpest tool in the shed, are you, All-Star?

The older boy walked away without another word, but Lincoln couldn't let it go.

"Hey!"

The boy turned around.

"What's your brother's name?"

"…" he finally answered. "Rex."

Lincoln nodded. "Tell Rex," he said, "If he touches my sisters again; he'll go from Rex to Racheal."

The bully blinked. "I don't get it."

"Didn't think you would," Lincoln muttered. He turned back in his seat and sighed. He looked to the other boys around him and they stared back at him with wide eyes.

"Dude…" Rusty spoke in awe.

"What?" Lincoln shrugged. "I don't like bullies."

"That was awesome!" Clyde cheered him. "I mean, granted, Connor isn't that smart. He should really consider a tutor, but still!"

Lincoln sighed and shook his head. "I can't get into any more fights, guys."

"We can totally help you!" Rusty suggested. "We can draw up some plans and stuff!"

Lincoln felt his tense shoulders relax. He could get used to having guys like these around.