I apologize for the major time jump.

September 5, Tuesday.

Mal stared at the large elementary school in both amazement and curiosity. The playground in the back of the school is where everyone entered. Most of the school children were on the large play structure, others on the swings or monkey bars and slides and some playing on the various hopscotches drawn up. Evie had given Mal a tour of the school she was assisting in during the school year ("I'm honestly so glad that after this school year when I graduate college I can go teach chemistry at the high school. I'm tired of children puking on me!)

"This school is way bigger than I ever imagined. Even on the tour, it seemed so small." Mal said aloud. "Weird."

"Is this school like the other one, mommy?" Penelope asked.

"Take out all the Halloween stuff and make the school bigger." Mal said. She sat down on her knee caps and smoothed out Penelope's purple flannel dress. "Are you ready for your first day?"

"Yeah." Penelope said, kicking a small rock with her black converse. "What time are you getting me?"

"I'll be out here when you get out ar three," Mal smiled. "Try to make at least one friend today."

"Boy or girl?"

"Either." Mal smiled. Last night Mal talked on the phone with Jay and Jay, being himself, had told Mal one thing. "She makes friends with GIRLS, no boys!" "Jay, she will make friends with anyone she wants."

"Uncle Jay say yesterday to be friends with girls only." The little girl said.

"Don't listen to him." Mal laughed.

"Uncle Carlos said same thing. And Uncle Doug."

"Don't listen to them either."

"And Chad say don't hang around the boy who has a lot of girlfriends."

"That's true."

"So who?"

"Be friends with anyone who's nice to you." Mal smiled. "And if you don't make a friend today than that's fine, it's still the start of the school year."

"Okay."

"Want me to walk you inside?"

Penelope looked at her mother and then turned her head. She spotted a group of kids, the same kids from the park. Almost all of them have ignored her since the rainstorm incident weeks ago. Geraldine still tormented her though, forcing Sonya to join her in teasing Penelope. The violet haired little girl turned to her mother and nodded.

Fifteen minutes later Mal and Penelope walked into the classroom. Most parents did so too and were just saying their goodbyes to their children. Penelope really wanted her mother to stay, but she knew that she couldn't.

"I'll see you after school." Mal said, hugging Penelope. "And remember, keep the magic low to almost nothing."

"Okay mommy." Penelope said.

Mal watched as Penelope took a random seat near the back of the room, only one other student sat there who was drawing on a piece of paper. Penelope did nothing. Mal stayed for another minute and walked out of the room, praying that Penelope's first day would turn out good.

Hours later around two thirty, Mal stood outside and waited the last half hour. The bell rang and five minutes later all the children came flying out of the doors and to their parents. It was easy to spot the violet haired girl who slowly walked out after a couple of minutes.

Penelope looked up and saw her mommy, grinning from ear to ear. She ran to her mommy's opened arms and jumped into them. "Mommy!"

"Hi Nelly," Mal greeted her with a kiss on her cheek. "How was school?"

"Fine." Penelope said.

"Did you make any friends?" Mal asked. Penelope shook her head. Mal's heart sank. "Okay, well, there's tomorrow." Mal smiled. She then noticed paint on Penelope's dress and ends of her hair. "Nelly, did you guys paint today?"

"Yeah."

"Did you wear an apron?"

"No."

"Why?"

"I don't know."

"How did you get it on your hair?"

"I don't know. Flying paint brush I guess." Penelope laughed. "No magic."

"Where's your painting?"

"I gave it to teacher because she nice. Her name's Ms. K."

"Well, okay." Mal said and smiled. "Wanna play for a bit?"

"No. I wanna go home."

"You sure?" Mal asked. Penelope nodded. "Okay. Let's get going."

Penelope smiled and held her mommy's hand as they walked. She was happy that her mommy believed her. She did not want to tell her mommy that Geraldine purposely put paint on Penelope's dress and dipped Penelope's hair into a paint cup.

"How was your lunch?" Mal asked.

Nor did she want her mommy to know that Geraldine and three other girls and a boy stole her food, leaving her hungry. "Yummy."

"What did you do during recess?"

"Play in sandbox." Penelope said. That was true, after a boy pushed her in there after calling her a Dragon Freak.

She hoped tomorrow would be better.