Lincoln's Poetry Reading

It was 4PM, when the gang left the convention center and everyone was still glowing with joy from all the fun they had. "I still can't believe you got ten thousand dollars, Linky" Dana said with pride, "who would've thought that your characters would be loved by so many people?" The rest of the crew also showed their encouragement in their own fashion, which ranged between high fives or noogies from the boys and hugs from the girls.

But in an instant, bitter reality soon struck the group like a punch from a boxer and they realized it was time to bid farewell to three of their friends. "Well, guys; I guess this is adios, for now" Joey murmured with a sigh, "I'll see you all later." After that; Becky, Chaz and Dana also said their goodbyes and prepared to split as well...Lincoln quickly brought up an idea.

"Hold up, guys" he called out suddenly, "we've still got a few more hours to kill...why don't we go and do something else?" Intrigued, everyone looked at the "man with the plan" and asked what idea he had in mind. "Well...Haiku said something about a poetry reading happening, this week down at the Burnt Bean" he recounted, "she originally had it planned for another day but considering the current circumstances..."

Before he could say anything else, Becky smiled at Lincoln and brought out her cellphone in the blink of an eye. "Say no more, lil' man" she stated, "just give me a few seconds and hopefully, the Gal Pals will be a-go for the Burnt Bean." As the young high schooler started texting away at her phone, Clyde leaned over and asked Lincoln who were the "Gal Pals" that she was talking about.

"It's a nickname Carol came up with when we were at the spa" Lincoln said with a shy chuckle, "guess they thought it was appropriate for our friend group." Upon hearing this, Clyde began to feel a little teary-eyed; causing Lincoln to go into a mild panic. "Hey there, buddy...what's wrong" he asked with concern, "are your allergies acting up again or..."

Upon hearing his friend's concerned tone, Clyde quickly wiped his tears away and turned his head in sadness. "No...it's not that" he muttered sadly, "I guess...I guess it's just...now that you have so many new friends, there won't be room for me in your life anymore." The moment she heard these words from him, Becky's thumbs suddenly stopped typing; which worried everyone.

"Hold up, McBride" she muttered, "did you really think that my friends and I would ever try to replace you or any of Linc's OG friends...well, you're wrong." Not expecting this sort of response, Clyde turned her way and looked up at Becky in confusion. Then; she casually approached Clyde, got down to his level and placed a tender hand upon his shoulder.

"No one could ever replace someone's life-long pal, Clyde" she assured, "we're just...helping Lincoln's circle of friends expand a little is all." Not long after saying this, Jordan and Stella quickly sounded off in agreement with their older companion; adding how they'd already been friends with Lincoln before. "Besides, Clyde; any friend of Lincoln's is one of ours too" Jordan stated, "thus, you're more than welcome in the Gal Pals crew."

Clyde was at a loss, due to the unbridled amounts of joy welling up inside of him. Then, all four ladies placed their hands atop one another and asked the boys to join them. A split second after that, everyone counted down from three and shouted "Gal Pals;" while the boys added the extra line of "with some guys in there too."

With that settled, Becky finished typing in her text message and sent it off; hoping to get a speedy response. As luck would have it; a few seconds later, her phone started buzzing and she could see response messages from all their friends. "What did they say, Becky" questioned Lincoln, "will they be coming with us to the Bean?"

Alas, his inquiry was met with a disappointed shake of the head; causing Jordan and Stella to frown a little. "Carol says that she and Whitney have some stuff to get together for the upcoming park cookout we have planned" she sighed, "but Haiku, Cici, Cristina and Phoebe are all more than willing to join us." The moment the cookout was mentioned, Chaz raised his hand and said he would like to volunteer and go "help" the girls in picking up supplies.

"Are you sure you're gonna go help...or will you just be trying to sneak more free samples again in the grocery aisles" questioned Joey, "remember what happened last time?" With a flustered blush on his face, Chaz said that the event in question was uncalled for. "I told you, that was not me overloading on the free samples" he cried out defensively, "there was another guy in that store who looked almost like me!"

Everyone else was mere moments away from calling Chaz out on his claim...until Lincoln quickly called out in his defense. "He may actually be telling the truth about that, guys" he said firmly, "one April Fools Day, my family and I hired doubles to pose as us so that they would face the onslaught of Luan's pranks." Naturally, the group chuckled softly at Lincoln's story, thinking it all sounded...a bit absurd.

Somehow, he could sense their disbelief and decided to present some proof. Once he brought out his phone, not only did he show photos of the doubles. But he also played video clips featuring them, causing everyone to gasp at the sounds of their voices.

"Wow...it's creepy how near identical they sound to your family" Jordan gasped, "but...why is your double so...so...wrinkly." With an embarrassed shrug, Lincoln confessed that they had to hire an old man to play him; due to his white hair. "Wait...Wait, hold on a minute" Jordan said suddenly, "so...that wasn't you hitting on Mrs. Johnson last April?"

The group couldn't help but shudder at the idea. "I mean...I like Mrs. Johnson, she's an awesome teacher" Lincoln groaned, "but I could never like her...that much." Upon saying this, Joey jokingly implied how Lincoln only had a "specific type" of older women he preferred. Not a second after he had said this, Becky and Dana swiftly slapped their friend on the back of the head; while blushing profusely.

One brief scolding later, Chaz went off to join Carol on her market excursion. But not before promising to not abuse the free samples policy. Soon after Joey said his farewells and departed, the gang went off on their way to the Burnt Bean Café.

"I gotta say, guys; I'm a bit anxious about this next stop" Lincoln murmured, "I've never tasted coffee before and...while I like hearing poetry, I'm not sure if I'll be able to write any of my own." Clyde also confessed his wariness in sampling coffee, worried that it might agitate one (if not several) of his allergies. "I understand your concern, Linky" Dana said kindly, "which is why I see you as more of a...Mocha kind of guy."

When the boys asked what, exactly Mocha was; Becky described it as a sort of "hot chocolate mixed with a dash of Espresso and warm crème." Upon hearing the description, Lincoln and Clyde suddenly started licking their lips; apparently drawn to the hot chocolate. "Now, as for being a poet; do you remember what Haiku said" questioned Becky "'even the simplest of topics can be described with the most beautiful words.'"

Upon hearing these words, Lincoln realized that his friends were right; all it took was the right choice of words to bring out a beautiful poem. "I can't say I'll be the next Lord Byron, Tolkien or even Shel Silverstein" he confessed, "but I will give it my best shot, you can bet on that." Clyde and the girls cheered loudly for their friend and happily patted him on the back, as they headed off on their way.

(Line Break)

Upon their arrival, Lincoln was surprised by the atmosphere of the café. From stories he had heard; Lincoln thought the place would be filled with dreary décor, people all in black clothes wearing berets or fedoras and the smell of coffee and burning tobacco from cigarettes. But much to his surprise, the Burnt Bean was like a combination bakery/café.

While there were some people dressed in black sweaters, pants and berets (just as he presumed;) the establishment looked rather pleasant. Beside the entrance, he spotted a space containing a shelf board. Atop it sat a small row of books and below it, he saw a rather lovely plant; its flowers appeared to be blossoming slowly.

Up ahead, he spotted the stage; which was stationed before a large bay window overlooking the block. On said stage, he spotted an eighteen year old; sitting atop a stool and reading from a book. The words she spoke were soft yet carried a strong sense emotion with them.

As soon as the girl finished reciting her piece, the other patrons (including Lincoln's crew) proceeded to snap their fingers rapidly. "Uh...forgive me for sounding stupid about this" Clyde muttered, "but why is everyone doing that?" Upon saying this, the boys suddenly leapt in alarm; as Haiku suddenly popped up behind them (seemingly out of nowhere.)

"It's a tradition that dates back three-hundred years" she murmured softly, "during this passage of time, it's been considered more peaceful to snap fingers rather than clap hands." Becky seconded Haiku's statement, while adding that there was a "legend" behind the trend of snapping. "Long story short, people claimed you couldn't 'clap and hold your beer at the same time'" she said with a slight eye-roll, "doesn't make much sense but today, snapping just seems quieter and cooler."

Suddenly, the group was greeted by the proprietor of the Burnt Bean; a woman (possibly the same age as Lincoln's mother) wearing a purple shirt, blue sweatpants, purple sneakers, a pearl necklace and crescent moon earrings. But the one thing Lincoln noticed most about her was the woman's hairstyle. She had long, blonde hair, which was tied up into a ponytail by a scrunchy and it showed off a beautiful blue streak that ran from the tip of her bangs to the end of her ponytail.

"Welcome to the Burnt Bean, folks" the woman said in a relaxed tone, "my name's Amanda, how might I help you?" After greeting the woman with a light bow, Haiku pointed towards a poster advertising about the Open Mic reading. "My friends and I would like to join in" she stated, "if you have room in the roster, of course."

With a bright smile on her face, Amanda happily welcomed the group to join in and led them to one of the open tables to relax. "In the meantime; while you're waiting to go on stage, what can I get you kids" she asked, "cappuccinos, fraps, some tea?" While Haiku and the girls ordered a round of cappuccinos, the boys were thinking hard on what they wanted.

"Are any of the teas hypoallergenic" questioned Clyde, "I don't want to risk getting a sore throat, if I drink the wrong kind and I've got some...issues with gluten." Amanda chuckled softly at him and suggested going with a cup of herbal tea with a teaspoon of honey, which Clyde happily accepted. "This is just the trick to help refresh the body and soothe the mind" she stated, "I have a glass every day before I come here for work."

Feeling intrigued, Clyde thanked the woman for the tea and took a sip. Upon swallowing; he soon felt a warm, comforting sensation flow through his body. "Wow, this really is good" Clyde gasped with delight, "I should bring this up to my dads, they might like the tea too."

When Lincoln was asked for his order, he requested a mocha with a dollop of crème. After a minute or so of preparation, Amanda came back with the drink and handed it to Lincoln. Though hesitant to try it, at first; he took the cup in his hands, gingerly touched the rim to his lips and lightly sipped the drink inside.

Then, Lincoln suddenly found himself caught in a whirlpool of warm and pleasant sensations. But he wasn't sure if it was the warmth of the hot cocoa or the sprinkles of caffeine mixed in with it that was causing them. In any case, Lincoln drank every drop of it; leaving him in a mildly blissful state.

Upon seeing her friend in such a state, Stella couldn't help but smile; remembering just how easily her granny's tea was able to relax him. "That was delicious" he exclaimed with delight, "may I have a refill, please?" With a pleased giggle, Amanda happily refilled the boy's cup. But not before presenting a clipboard with a sheet of paper attached to it to the group.

"While you're maxin' and relaxin', do me a solid and sign your name on the list here" she requested, "it'll help me remember when it's your time to come on stage." With that said, she handed Lincoln a pen and went off to attend to other customers. After that, the group discussed who should go up first.

"I think I'll need time to think up a poem idea" Lincoln stated, "so, I'll probably want to go last." Everyone else nodded in understanding and quickly began to sign their names upon the list. When the last name was signed, everyone felt a different array of emotions about what was to come.

Haiku was anxious to be back up on the stage, her previous visit here still resonating in her mind. The other gals were already hard at work thinking up their ideas and Clyde...was doing his best not to pass out from nervous shock. Lincoln meanwhile, was a mix of many feelings; anticipation, excitement, joy and even a smidgen of fear.

"Haiku says that poets can make even the simplest of topics sound beautiful" he thought deeply, "so...what kind of topic would seem beautiful enough for a poem?" While he sat in his chair, munching on a donut and scratching the cap of his pen against his forehead in thought; Amanda climbed up onto the stage and readied the mic. "How are y'all doing, folks" she asked pleasantly, "welcome to the Burnt Bean's Open Mic Poetry Reading."

Upon saying this, the patrons proceeded to snap softly; instead of clapping their hands in applause. At first, Lincoln tried many attempts to follow the crowd and snap along with them. But each time he tried, he could only hear the faint sounds of skin rubbing on skin.

Almost instantly, Jordan quickly noticed his struggle and offered to help him out. "Here's how you snap your fingers, dude" she said while taking his hand and fingers in hers, "you just lightly place your thumb and index finger together and..." In a split second, Lincoln's fingers flicked against one another; creating a noticeable snapping noise.

After that, Lincoln started snapping them more frequently and confidently; which made him laugh a little with pride. "There you go, Linc" Jordan cheered, "now, you can snap along with the rest of us." Soon after she had said this; Dana jokingly pointed out that Jordan was still holding the boy's hands.

With a nervous yelp, she quickly let go and turned away; all while desperately trying to hide the traces of red on her cheeks. Eventually, the open mic began and numerous patrons took the stage; each one offering unique styles of poetry. Lincoln scrunched his brow in confusion, as one reader recited her work while performing an interpretive dance.

Another poet's work sounded dreary, at first but it invoked a great deal of thought-provoking emotions in the audience; Lincoln especially. Then, the Gal Pals crew looked at the list and noticed that it was almost time for one of them to take the stage. "Next up on the Open Mic is Hildegard Matthews" Amanda announced, "come right on up, Hildy."

Upon hearing this, Lincoln scratched his head in confusion; wondering just who this "Hildegard Matthews" was. Then, he saw Haiku rise up from her seat and make her way towards the stage. "Um...Haiku, I think you might've misheard her" he stated, "she was calling out for someone named Hildegard or Hildy."

With a soft laugh in her throat, Haiku smiled at her friend and said that she heard the owner quite clearly. "Thing is...Hildegard Matthews is my real name" she confessed, "I go by my Goth name Haiku because it was the first style of poetry I came to love." To say that Lincoln and the others were surprised by this reveal would be a huge understatement.

But he didn't know which was more surprising, the fact that his Gothic friend possibly got into such a complex form of poetry at a young age or that Haiku wasn't her real name. In any case, he found the reveal to be rather interesting. Upon taking the stage, Haiku reached into the back of her dress and brought out a journal.

"Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen" she greeted stoically, "my poem is entitled 'Silence,' I hope you enjoy it." Then, with a wave of her hand; a bongo player from off-stage began to play some soft musical accompaniment.

(Haiku)

Silence is Blissful, Silence can be Sweet

In a chaotic world, it can offer a retreat

Silence is rare, when you're among your peers

Whenever their chatter suddenly fills your ears

But silence is also still, Silence can be Cold

Especially when you want a hand to hold

Silence can bring you peace of mind...or it can be horrific, if you're perhaps, blind

Silence is golden...but it's fragile as glass.

So, enjoy every quiet moment...before they all pass

There was a soft yet enthusiastic round of finger-snapping from the other patrons, once Haiku finished her poem. It truly was an odd yet beautiful piece, even Lincoln and Clyde thought it was pleasant. As the young Goth girl took her seat, once again; the boys sent her a congratulatory thumbs up.

The next one on stage was Jordan, who offered up a poem about the simple yet extravagant beauty of the Spring season. While it wasn't a topic people would commonly use for this style of poetry, the crowd still loved it. When Stella took the stage next, she offered up a short yet sweet haiku on schoolyard stresses and the relief of Spring Break; which her Goth friend surprisingly found appealing.

Soon after her, Dana took the stage and asked for a nearby bassist to offer up some musical accompaniment along with the bongos. "Good afternoon, everybody" she said casually, "my poem is simply entitled...'Life.'" Upon saying this, the musicians began to play a soft melody; which signaled Dana to recite her poem.

(Dana)

"Life...Life can be like a lime

It's often sweet and (moans with delight) oh, so sublime

Then...quiet...speechless, like a mime

OR BOLD AND NOISY LIKE A CRIME!

SO, DON'T YOU DARE WASTE MY TIME; 'CAUSE LIFE CAN STOOOP...

(the music stops and a spotlight shines on Dana, who flipped a coin from off her thumb towards Amanda)

on the dime.

The crowd's fingers snapped wildly, as Dana took her bow. She truly felt proud of herself, afterwards; especially since poetry was something she so rarely practiced. Coming up onto the stage next was Phoebe; who, on the outside, tried to calm and collected.

But on the inside, she was utterly terrified; like..."final exams are next week" levels of terrified. "I dunno you guys" Phoebe muttered nervously, "what if I go up there and choke...or worse?" As he watched his friend wring her hands nervously; Lincoln was suddenly reminded of how his sister, Luna was in a similar spot.

He also remembered how Luna got over her fear, which gave him an idea on how to help his friends. "Hey, Phoebe" Lincoln called out suddenly, "I think I might have something that could help you out." He then explained how reciting a simple mantra over and over helped Luna overcome her stage fright.

"If it worked for her; maybe, it could help you out" he suggested, "I mean...it's not 100% guaranteed...but it's worth a shot." Phoebe considered the idea carefully and realized that it was the best option she had. After taking in a few breaths, she thought up the perfect mantra and recited it in her head; "Go with the flow and you're good to go."

As she took to the stage, Phoebe continuously chanted this mantra to herself. But the moment the spotlight turned her way, she suddenly froze like a deer in the headlights. For a moment, she dared not move a muscle, worried that she might mess up and humiliate herself.

But then; she took in a deeeep inhale, let it out evenly and recited her mantra in her mind..."Go with the flow and you're good to go." After collecting her nerves, seconds later; Phoebe smiled at the crowd and took the mic. "My poem is called 'Picture Perfect'" she said calmly, "I hope you'll like it."

With a nod of her head, the bassist began strumming a soft tune and Phoebe began to share her work.

A pic is worth a thousand words...but what does it truly say

Does it tell you "you're the greatest...or that your should "go away?"

A pic can share your deepest thoughts, it can also share your fears.

It can show off incredible beauty, bringing all onlookers to tears

A pic can say "I love you" or it can say "we're so done."

But which pic can express my feelings, which portrait's the right one?

I see paintings of crying clowns...but why do they cry, I don't know.
I see snapshots of famous celebs showing off their glow

I've seen realism, surrealism and loads of modern art.

But I ask "where is the anguish...WHERE IS THE HEART?!"

I like to see pics of people in their most natural of stages, instead of those fake creations we see on magazine pages.

I want pics that tell me stories...of laughter, joy and love.

I want stories about the ground beneath us...and about the heavens above.

A pic is worth a thousand words, that's quite a hefty amount.

So, as you work your magic; make each one of them count.

As everyone's fingers began snapping, Phoebe took a bow and thanked everyone for her time. Lincoln also snapped along with them, even though he felt that the poem's topic was...a bit on the nose (considering she was a photography student.) But Lincoln could sense references to more than just photography pictures in her piece.

As Cici took the stage, she presented a poem on the trials of middle school and how the right friends can help you through them. Becky took the stage next and did a poem on the "wonders of fashion;" which, surprisingly got a positive response from everyone. When Clyde took the stage, he presented...a most unusual piece entitled "Ode to Lori."

But after the ninth word that rhymed with "Lori," Clyde was given the hook (both figuratively and literally.) As Clyde fought desperately to finish his ode, Christina decided to check up on Lincoln. When she looked over her shoulder, she saw him either relentlessly scribbling away on a notepad or erasing what he already had on the page.

Sensing that he needed more time to work, Christina decided to go up on stage next. The poem she presented was an already existing poem written by Emily Dickinson. When her friends asked why she chose such an idea, Christina confessed that she felt too nervous in presenting something original.

"It's okay; everyone feels shy, when they first take the stage" Haiku stated, "even I felt that way, when I first said one of my poems aloud." Finally, the time came for Lincoln to show his stuff. But everyone wondered if he had anything ready yet. "It's you're turn to go on stage, buddy" Clyde whispered, "you ready to roll?"

Lincoln remained silent for a few more seconds, before stamping the tip of his pen upon the paper and sighing with relief. "Wow...I haven't burned my brain up that much since our last math quiz" Lincoln gasped, "but...I'm all finished; I just need a drink, before I go up." After taking a small sip from his mocha, Lincoln picked up his poem and walked up onto the stage.

"Afternoon, everybody" he murmured softly, "my poem is...something personal and it's dedicated to some special people in my life." The other patrons couldn't help but go "aww" at his statement, while Clyde and the girls wondered who he was talking about. "My poem is entitled...'Family'" he said with a calming sigh, "I hope you'll enjoy it...and I hope those who've inspired me to write this will as well.

After taking a moment to calm his mind and relax himself, Lincoln began to recite his piece.

Family

Family is those who help guide you through whatever harsh trials you ever run into.

Family is those who help watch your back, should you ever find yourself under attack.

A family is full of people who pick you up whenever you're down. They are the one who promise to make sure you'll never frown

Family watches over you, whenever you feel alone; regardless of how much their eavesdropping might make you groan

(Audience chuckles softly)

But when even among those who share your blood, you might still feel out of place.

Which is why, for me; a family...can be found in a friendly face.

Family can be those who help get you through the day.

Family are those you grew up with, laughed together and play.

Family, come what may, are those who stand by your side.

They are those who help keep your secrets, even the deepest ones you hide.

TRUE family comes from trust; through friendship, joy and love.

(he looks over towards Clyde and the girls with tears of joy streaming down his face)

And it is to you, my most beloved friends...that I say (sniffle) that you're a cut above.

So, wherever you may find them; in your house or neighbor's yard.

Always stand by those you call family...for losing them can be hard

Once he had finished, Lincoln was met with a deathly silence; one that lasted almost a solid twenty seconds. Then; as he began trudging off the stage, the room echoed with loud sounds of snapping and soft yet pleased murmurs. Within moments, Amanda appeared on the stage beside him and patted Lincoln on the back proudly.

"How about that, folks" she said while wiping a joyful tear away, "that was truly a deep piece...give him a big hand." The sounds of snapping rang loudly for almost a solid minute, after Amanda's words were said. Utterly surprised by this response, Lincoln (while chuckling bashfully) took a few bows and headed back to his table.

Upon his arrival, he saw that everyone was struggling to hold back their tears. "OH MY GOSH, GUYS; ARE YOU OKAY" Lincoln cried with shock, "did my poem upset you...did I say something wrong or did I..." Before he could continue, Lincoln's words were suddenly cut off by Clyde nearly squeezing the life out of him.

It didn't take long for the ladies to join in on the embrace, which only confused Lincoln further. Finally, Clyde softly inhaled through his nose and asked "did you really mean all that?" Lincoln was caught off-guard by this inquiry, to say the least and asked what if his bestie could elaborate on it a bit more.

"He's referring to hat you said in the poem...you know, about family" Jordan spoke up suddenly, her eyes ready to burst with tears, "did...did you write that about us...and did you really mean what you said?" Only now did Lincoln fully understand why they were crying; by looking through the subtext of his words, his friends realized that he was speaking about all of them.

With a bashful blush upon his cheeks, Lincoln admitted that they were...half right. "The other side of my inspiration comes from my own biological family" he confessed, "yes...they've all done me wrong...but somehow, I still love them and will continue to love them." In that moment, Clyde was left feeling so amazed by Lincoln's words that his glasses almost fell off his face.

The girls, meanwhile could each feel their faces heat up and their hearts racing. Even Haiku's naturally pale complexion started to heat up slightly. Never before had they heard Lincoln speak so profoundly and full of emotion. Truly, hearing his poem helped them see him in a whole new light.

"Wow...who'd have thought Lincoln was such a deep thinker" Jordan thought in awe, "it makes him seem kinda...hot!" At the same time, Cristina was having similar thoughts about Lincoln; believing she was wrong to push him away from her due to something as trivial as an overzealous crush. Lastly, Haiku's mind and heart were caught in a whirlwind of emotions.

In spite of her typical Gothic nature and stoic personality, even she had moments where her walls came down; especially after something or someone has touched her heart. Meanwhile, Becky and Dana both stared in awe at their young friend; their jaws hanging with utter shock and their cheeks moist with tears. On the surface, they appeared frozen as statues.

But on the inside, both of their minds thought the same thing; "he is so passionate...if only he were six years older." At that moment, this tender scene was suddenly disturbed by the soft sounds of hands clapping. Lincoln turned around to see a young woman approaching from the "pick up order" line.

She had black hair that was done up into an adorable bun. Her lips were lightly coated with fire engine red lipstick, she wore a pair of blue-grey business jeans, a pair of golden hoop earrings and wore an orange t-shirt with the Burnt Bean's logo on it. Much to his surprise, this woman began to casually approach Lincoln; which made him a tad anxious.

"So sorry to disturb you all, children" the woman said apologetically, "but...I just wanted to come up and congratulate you all on each of your poems, especially you...Mr. Loud." Upon hearing the woman address him this way, Lincoln questioned her on how she knew his name. "Oh, yes...my apologies; I should really introduce myself" she muttered softly in an embarrassed tone, "my name is Margaret Chen and I'm the superintendent of the Royal Woods School District."

Once her name was revealed, the older girls suddenly became quite nervous. "Ma'am, I know it may seem strange gals our age with a boy Lincoln's age" Dana murmured anxiously, "but we can assure you that we're just here having a good time." After saying this, the older girls feared that Superintendent Chen would still scold them for hanging out with a grade school student.

But much to their surprise, the woman simply gave them a loud and hearty chuckle. "Rest easy, girls; you're not in any trouble and neither are the younger children" Superintendent Chen assured, "in fact, I'm thrilled that young Mr. Loud has some good company with him...especially after everything that's been going on lately." Upon hearing this, Lincoln's earlier joyful mood began to ebb out slightly.

"Oh...you've heard about that, huh" he stammered, "look...I can explain everything." The young administrator smiled at Lincoln and patted him lightly on the shoulder, which seemed a tad odd for a school official to do. "It's okay, young man...you don't need to say anything" she stated, "my associates have seen and heard enough to show me exactly what's been happening."

After saying this, Chen walked over to her seat and brought back with her a large folder. Inside of it was a thick collection of reports with the label "Royal Woods Child Protective Services" stamped on it. Along with these documents were reports filled out by people within the neighborhood and several business establishments all over town.

Poor Lincoln was beside himself with worry, upon hearing this bombshell news. He didn't know what Superintendent Chen might've heard, what was going on at the moment or what the papers she had were all about. But in his heart, he just knew that his family was the main focus of it all.

(First AN: Dana's poem in this chapter was loosely inspired by the one spoken in the café scene in An Extremely Goofy Movie. I thought it would be perfect for a gal like Dana, personally; the other poems featured, however all came from my noggin. So...I stealing.)

(Second AN: Superintendent Chen was a minor character featured in the episode, The Write Stuff. She was the one who gave Huggins an "above average" grade on his progress report. With all the stuff happening to Lincoln and with so much word getting out already...it was a matter of time until she found out.

This will mean some big grey clouds will be floating overhead of the Loud Sisters, very soon.)

(Third AN: Speaking of whom; come next chapter, we shall be seeing life in the Loud House after Lincoln momentarily defected. Rest assured, some long overdue retribution is coming their way)