Gordon doesn't have to go back to school until September and spends his whole summer in the new pool. Celebrating getting his cast off by diving right in, as soon as he is home.
He has to take a test at the end of August to ensure he is eligible for third grade as he has missed so much school, but thanks to his dads tutoring he passes the test easily and is allowed to join his gang on the first day of the new school year.
Virgil graduated elementary school in June and has moved onto the middle school across the street, and their dad has agreed to let John skip the fifth grade and move straight into the sixth as he needs to be challenged. School is too easy for him. Scott is now in the tenth grade, and is still refusing to drive a car.
His dad has tried talking to him, his grandma has tried but he doesn't want to know. He did try. He got as far as putting the keys into the ignition but his hand froze and visions of accidents flashed in front of his eyes. He just can't do it.
Driving a car is the only thing Scott has ever failed at.
*TB*
"This prank you have been planning for the last 2 months, do I want to know Gordo?" John asks him. It is the final day of their summer holiday and Gordon has spent it in the pool, when he isn't swimming he's lying on an inflatable raft working on his tan.
"Nope. Don't want you implicating your self Johnny. What you don't know won't get you grounded!" He advises.
John groans. "And there is no way I can talk you out of it?"
Gordon eyes up the only brother who will be in the same school as him with an evil smirk on his face, but he doesn't answer.
"Seriously, Gordon don't do this, the last time you pulled a prank at school you got suspended. And you nearly died!" John reminds him.
"I know. Johnny it's okay. I have this. I know what I'm doing and yeah if I get caught I will probably get suspended. Or you know, expelled!" Gordon replies.
"Not helping Gordo!" John tells him.
Gordon opens his mouth to protest some more but is interrupted by their grandma calling them in for supper.
Gordon expertly climbs up on the raft before cannon balling into the water, getting John soaked.
"GORDON!" He shouts at him, glaring at his younger brother as he drags himself out the pool, laughing hysterically at the sight of the angry red head.
"It isn't funny! I'm telling grandma you did that on purpose" John tells him.
"Tattle-tale!" Gordon tells him, sticking out his tongue.
"Spoilt brat!" John replies.
Gordon pushes past him on the way into the house, causing John to lose his balance and fall in.
"Johnny?" Gordon asks tentatively.
John bursts up out of the water. His face thunder.
"I'm going to get you for this fish face!" John threatens. Climbing up out the pool and chasing him through the house.
Gordon's survival instinct kicks in and he hides behind his grandmother.
"Hiding behind an old lady, real brave Gordon" John tells him sarcastically. "Get over here now!"
John lunges for him and the two of them start to fight in the middle of the kitchen. Both still soaking wet.
Scott and Virgil split the fight up. Scott holding Johns arms pinned to his sides while Virgil deals with Gordon.
"He hit me!" John protests.
"I had to. He bit me!" Gordon replies.
"I don't care who did what to who, you are both going straight to bed!" Grandma tells them. "I am in charge while your father is out of town and I don't tolerate fighting."
"He started it!" Gordon protests.
"And I am finishing it. Bed both of you. If I have to call your father, you'll both be sorry." Grandma tells them.
Gordon wriggles free of the grip Virgil has on him and storms up the stairs slamming his bedroom door behind him.
Scott releases John who doesn't hesitate to follow him.
"What was that about?" Scott asks confused.
*TB*
Both of their bad moods have burnt out overnight and although neither will apologise they both accept they were partly to blame.
It is their first day of their new school year. And the four of them are waiting for the bus.
"You know if you just took your test you could drive us to school" Gordon goads Scott.
"If not taking my driving test saves me from years of chauffeuring you around then I will never take it!" Scott replies, laughing and refusing to take Gordon's bait.
"Fine! Just think next year Alan will be with us. I can't wait to tell him about the monster in the gym that we sacrifice one special kindergartener too on the first day of school" Gordon tells them rubbing his hands together in anticipation.
"You will not! Seriously Gordon were you even born with a Conscience?" Virgil asks him.
Gordon just shrugs.
He leaves his brothers and heads for the back of the bus which his friends have already claimed. Leaving their leader the middle seat. He may have missed the last 3 months of the school year but they know who their boss is!
"So what is this masterful prank?" Billy asks him.
"Sheep!" Gordon replies.
"Sheep?!" Billy replies confused.
"Yep, I will need you to cause a diversion during lunch. Pull the fire alarm or something so I can sneak out to the farm behind the school and I'm going to put all the sheep in the teachers lounge." Gordon tells him.
Billy is impressed, that's a prank of genius level!
"
The first part of the plan works perfectly as Billy pulls the fire alarm, and everyone is evacuated outside.
Gordon knows he only has a 5 minute window as he sneaks out through the rear field and into the dark behind the school. Managing to lure the sheep into following him he gets them into the teachers lounge and back out to the playground before he is missed, joining his class and pretending he has been there all along. Surrounded by his fellow third graders it is easy for him to lie and say he had arrived at the same time they did.
"Sorted?" Billy whispers to him, as they stand around waiting for the all clear to go back inside.
"Yeah" he whispers back unable to keep himself from smiling.
"Old Bellend is going to be so angry" Billy tells him. No fear or remorse in his voice.
"I know!" Gordon replies gleefully. "Wonder if I could frame Johnny. That will teach him for hitting me, nah he's so boring no one will believe he could do this!"
Gordon's English teacher is the unfortunate one who opens the door to the teachers lounge after they are given clearance by the fire department to return.
He has no idea there are 15 sheep crammed in there and they all make a desperate break for their freedom, and he is trampled.
Wincing in pain he slowly gets to his feet and surveys the damage. The sheep have poohed all over the carpet, eaten books and several house plants, broken vases and three mugs.
The students are all forced to remain indoors as the loose sheep are rounded up with the help of the farmer who is at a loss as to how they ended up in there in the first place.
They almost get away with it, until the farmer remembers to check the security cameras he had installed after an incident the year before when one of his sheep were attacked by a dog which had gotten loose.
Gordon isn't surprised when he is summoned over the schools tannoy system to go to the principals office. He is surprised to find his father there already. He wasn't expecting him to be there.
And his father looks absolutely furious.
"You wanted to see me sir?" Gordon asks him trying to maintain his look of pure innocence.
"I am giving you one chance to tell me why you are here Tracy, before I expel you" he tells him.
Gordon looks at his father, who is still standing beside Mr Bell, his arms folded, looking like he whole heartedly supports any punishment being suggested.
Gordon suddenly finds the words sticking in his throat and he is unable to speak.
"Not going to try defending yourself Tracy?" He asks the now petrified 7 year old.
Even Gordon knows he has crossed a line this time.
"If you wish to appeal the expulsion you will have to submit a form through the correct channels" he says turning to address Gordon's father now. "And there will be a bill for the damage and the cleaning and any injuries suffered"
Without looking back at Gordon, his father just nods. "I will take him home and think about it all this evening."
"Come Gordon" He tells him, before leading him from the office.
His dad does not say a word to him, before dragging him into the house and up the stairs into his room.
"You do not leave this room without my permission Gordon", finally breaking the silence.
Gordon knows he has gone too far this time, actually getting expelled feels a whole lot worse than he thought it would.
*TB*
News of Gordon's expulsion even reaches Scott at the high school.
"I think dad will actually kill him this time!" He tells Virgil and John as they get off the bus and head towards the house.
"He'd deserve it" John replies, without a hint of sympathy.
The house is deathly silent, as they enter. Alan is playing quietly in the living room while grandma cooks dinner and their father searches the appeals process for the expulsion.
"Distract dad, I'm going to check on squid" Virgil tells them.
"Okay. Be quick. You don't want to get caught up there right now." Scott advises him.
"I will keep grandma busy, you get dad" John tells Scott, John might not have a lot of sympathy for Gordon, but he won't get Virgil into trouble if he can avoid it.
Gordon is lying on his side, his arms wrapped around his plush squid. He is awake and staring blankly at the wall opposite, he doesn't even acknowledge Virgil's presence.
"Gords? You okay?" He asks him tentatively.
He doesn't answer him so Virgil walks further into the room, and sits down beside him. And gently starts to stroke his hair.
"I can't stay long, I just wanted to make sure you are alright. Dad didn't hit you did he?"
Gordon shook his head. Jeff Tracy was a lot of things but he was never violent. And apart from the odd smack across the knuckles he never hit his boys.
"Look just stay up here out of the way and this whole thing will blow over. Although he might be looking at boarding schools as we speak so don't quote me on that!" Virgil tells him, still stroking his hair.
Gordon manages a small smile. Which alleviates some of Virgil's concern. As he gets up and slips out of the room.
To find his dad waiting for him on the other side of the door.
"He okay?" He asks Virgil.
"Yeah, He will be" He replies.
"Good" is all he says to him before he heads back down stairs. He always knew one of the boys would check on him and deep down he knew it would be Virgil. And he has no intention of getting angry with his boys for caring about each other.
*TB*
The following day, Jeff makes his mind up to appeal the expulsion.
John comes home from school the following afternoon with a petition his teachers have organised, and hands it to his dad.
His dad reads it with disgust.
"The Gordon Tracy Proposition: reintroduce corporal punishment to all Kansas schools!"
"I am not signing this John" he tells him.
"I think you should. Read it, it states that if the paddle was available he wouldn't have been expelled and it wouldn't have disrupted his education. And just think if this is passed future generations of school children will all hate him!"
