Summer was over, and school had started once again. Scout and I were in the 5th grade, while Jem was in 9th grade, but that really didn't matter to us, we still saw ourselves as equals, and nothing was going to change that.
Sam was still living at my Aunt's, but he always came by to see us every day, but this time he was going to see us off to school.
"When are they going to allow a girl to wear pants to school, and not just for gym?" Scout asked, openly disgusted with her uniform.
"I'd say about 30 more years." Sam answered.
"I'll be married at that point." Scout responded.
"So will Dill…" Jem added, getting accustomed to his uniform.
"You'll probably be married before us, Jem." I stated, smiling.
"I don't know about that…" Jem responded, in an unconvinced tone.
"You three better get to school, or you'll be late." Atticus said, reading his newspaper.
"Alright, see you later, Atticus." Jem said, as he walked out the door, and Scout and I soon followed.
"So Jem, do you have a girl?" I asked, curious.
"Nope." Jem answered.
"I guess some people aren't as lucky Scout and I." I said, smiling.
"Most people aren't as lucky as you two." Jem retorted.
Scout and I both laughed, and we continued our trek to school.

When we got to the school, Jem ran to his homeroom, and Scout and I headed to our homeroom.
"Ah, and you two are?" The teacher asked.
"Dill Harris." I answered.
"Jean Louise Finch, but I go by Scout…" Scout answered.
"Pleasure to meet you, you two just take a seat right there." He pointed at the two empty desk, and we both took our seats.
"Hey, is your daddy still a nigger-lover?" Cecil provoked.
"Leave her alone, Cecil." I said, firmly.
"What are you going to do about, shorty?" Cecil said, provoked me.
"Keep provoking her, and you'll find out…" I threatened.
"Dill, he's not worth it…" My friend, Chuck, saw everything, and he came up to me, so we could both calm down.
I took a seat, and I just ignored Cecil from then on; he gave up trying to provoke us, and he took his seat. The teacher seemed to be interested in our reactions, and seemed to be going by his own rules.
"Thanks Chuck." I said, smiling.
"No problem, Dill…" Chuck said, smiling back.
"You did well controlling yourself, Scout." I said, looking at her.
"It wasn't easy…" She grumbled.
"Alright, take a seat everyone!" The teacher shouted.
"Now, I'm supposed to be going by the school's system, but I think I want to talk about our own opinions on Negro's, I have a few friends who are not white, and they are human just as much as anyone else, so why so we still treat them like dirt, Cecil?" The teacher was looking at Cecil, it seemed that this was his idea of a punishment.
"Because they deserve it." Cecil answered.
"Is that your opinion or your folks?" The teacher asked.
Cecil just growled, and he didn't answer him anymore.
"Alright, what's your opinion on Negroes?" He asked.
"I agree with that they are human, and that they don't deserve the pain we give them." I answered.
"Good…" The teacher responded. "What about you, Scout?"
"Same as Dill's answer." Scout answered.
"Alright, those who feel that Negroes deserve the crap they get, stand on this side, and those who feel that they don't, stand on the other side." The teacher ordered.
We all got up, and Scout, Chuck, Walter, and I stand on the side who thought they didn't deserve it; others came up and joined our side of the area, including the teacher. While, the people who thought the opposite of us, stood at the other end of the class, Cecil was included in this group.
"Now, people who think that they do deserve it... were you born that way, or were you made that way?" The teacher asked.
"It just the way we are." One kid answered.
"So you're saying that you're born that way, then why do these people disagree with you?" The teacher asked.
"Because you're not born to be racist, you're made that way!" I shouted, so everyone could hear me.
"That's right, Dill… It seems to me that some parents feel the need to teach their kids to hate and fear the same people they hate, people who are of a different shade, or who's eyes are oddly made, and right before you turn six, seven, or eight… I just want to say to the ones who think that Negroes deserve what they get, just throw what your parents taught you about them, and make up your own opinion of them, that is you assignment for the day. I'll be taking papers by the end of the day…" The teacher sat down at his desk, and one by one, he got papers from all of the students, including Cecil's. Scout thought he was odd, but in a good way, and I was thinking that it was about time we got a teacher with sense.

It was now after school, and we began to walk home from school, and then I noticed that he had seemed unconditionally happy.
"What's got you in a good mood?" I asked.
"I'm on the football team now." Jem answered, smiling.
"What position are you?" I asked.
"Wide receiver, they specialize in passing and catching." Jem answered.
"That's cool." I said, smiling.
"Is your arm going to be okay, Jem?" Scout asked, concerned.
Jem's left arm was a little bit shorter than his right, this is because when Bob Ewell broke it on that night, the positioning of his hand never really got back into place; he could still use both arms and hands, but too much pressure would cause a lot of pain to him.
"I should be fine, as I long I pay attention." Jem answered, trying to reassure his sister.
"Just be careful…" Scout said, worried.
"Don't worry, I will be." Jem said, smiling.
"So, how was your day?" Jem asked.
"It was interesting." I answered.
We told him about the teacher, and what he had the class do; Jem seemed surprised that someone like that existed.
"This crazy world is just will with all kinds of people." Jem stated.
"You're growing up, Jem, and not just in education, but as a person." I stated.
"You and Scout are too." Jem stated.
"It's kind of like we lost our innocence, but we soon found it again." Scout stated.
"Kind of like saving a mockingbird, you feel so bad for the creature's broken wing that you do your damndest to heal it, and when you see it fly away from your hands, it just makes you smile to see that innocent creature fly and sing to its heart's content." I stated.
"That's good analogy, Dill." Jem complemented.
"We may know a lot about this world's horrors, probably more than we should, but we're still kids, and we should enjoy our time as kids, while we still can…" Scout said, with the realization that Jem will graduate in three more years.
"Jem… when you go off to college, can you promise that you'll visit us?" I asked, wanting him to come by and visit when he inevitably graduates.
Jem caressed my head, and responded: "Of course I will… After all, both of you are family, and I could never replace you guys."
Scout and I smiled at him, and we continued our trek home, the home that I belonged to.