Helena and Barbara strolled down the hallway towards Barbara's classroom. During the teacher's meeting that morning, Barbara had felt the stares of her colleagues. One offered to get her morning coffee, another offered to help her to her classroom, and another offered to get the things out of her mailbox for her. She felt like screaming 'I'm not helpless' at the top of her lungs. After the meeting she had found Helena waiting for her outside the room, putting Moon in her backpack. Mr. Mathews had finally broken down and agreed to let her bring the cat, but she had to keep the poor thing in her bag all day. She would eat outside so Moon could come out. Barbara held her books as Helena placed her bag on her shoulders. Moon stuck her head out of the unzipped pocket and appeared to be enjoying the ride.

Barbara noticed the look on Helena's face and realized she was feeling somewhat like Barbara was feeling. The students in the hallway were watching her and some were whispering. Helena held the door to Barbara's classroom open for her and closed it after she entered.

"Got your schedule?" Helena waved her senior schedule. "It will be ok. If you need me, I am right here." She placed a hand on the senior's arm in comfort. Helena nodded and walked off to her first class of the day.

"Look who is here," Ashley Scoot pointed to Helena as she slid into a seat in the back.

"I hear she was living with the homeless last year after her mother died," Mark Douglass said.

"I hear she is living with that injured teacher now," Emily Higgins pointed out.

"Look at her clothes. That style was so last year," Ashley laughed.

Helena crouched down farther and reached her hand in her bag for a friend. One year, it is just one year. And it isn't even a full year it is more like nine months.

The teacher entered and passed out the class reading list. The final bell rang and class began. Here we go.

Barbara finished writing her daily notes on the board as her students began filling in. She could hear the whispering behind hands, and someone making a spitball. In the reflection of the white board she saw Sam Martin getting ready to send his wad across the room to a girl in the front row.

"Sam, that's two days worth of detention if you try that." Barbara spoke up as the young man was taking in his firing breath.

Sam quickly put away his toy and leaned over to the guy next to him. "How did she do that?"

"They say she can see everything and knows everything about computers and Shakespeare. My brother got thirty days of detention from her once for throwing his Hamlet script in the trash to make a point. I ain't messing with her, man."

Barbara smiled. At least my reputation is still intact. That is why I always get the 'good students.'

"Alright class let's begin," she turned around so she was facing the students.

"But the bell hasn't-"Sam was interrupted as the bell rang.

By the time lunch came around, Helena wasn't sure if she wanted to cry or beat someone senseless. Her first four periods had been terrible. Everyone was talking about her as if she didn't exist. The teachers didn't recognize her when she raised her hand, and the cheerleading squad kept knocking her books on the floor in between classes, making her late to class.

Helena held Moon close, letting her lick milk off her master's fingers. The cat rubbed Helena's neck affectionately and hopped down to go take care of business. Helena didn't bother with a leash since she knew the cat would come right back.

"Hello, Helena Kyle." Helena looked up to see Ashley Scoot and her gang standing on the other side of the outdoor table.

"Go away, Ashley."

"So tell me, Kyle, what's it like living with a broken teacher. Bet she has you doing all her chores. Just took you in so you could be her hand maiden."

"Leave me alone."

"Do you smell that, Emily? Smells like last years clothing style. Where did you get those clothes, Kyle? The garage can you lived in last year?

Helena stood up, her temper rising. Moon came running around the corner, hair standing on end. "Leave me alone, Ashley."

"Or what? You're going to send that scrawny cat after us?"

The head-pounding teen realized she had to get out of there before her eyes started changing. "No, I will do this." Helena flung her tray at Ashley, picked up her bag that Moon had crawled back into, and ran to the bathroom.

Helena sat on the bathroom floor as her eyes began changing back and forth. Moon stood at the door meowing, trying to get Helena to open the door for her. The changing teen staggered to the door and cracked it enough for the kitten to escape.

"I realize it is the first day and in most of your classes you are doing nothing, but I am a firm believer in jumping right in. So today we will begin with the comedy, Much Ado About Nothing. We will begin in the front and work our way around the room. Every person reading fifteen lines before passing it on. Matt, will you begin for us. Start at the beginning."

'"I Learn in this letter that Don Pedro of Aragon Comes this night to Messina."' Matt began to read and was interrupted by streak of black that ran into the room and jumped on to Ms. Gordon's lap.

"Moon what is it?" Barbara picked up the cat and stared into her eyes. She began meowing loudly; giving her sign that Helena needed her.

"Class, I need to take care of something. Chris you're in charge. Continue reading and I will be asking questions when I get back so you better be prepared." Barbara wheeled out her room and closed the door behind her knowing that teens would be teens when there wasn't a teacher in the room. "Ok, Moon, where is she?"

Moon hopped down and led the way to the bathroom where Barbara found a curled up Helena on the floor. Helena sat up and Barbara could see the girl was still fighting to get control. Her eyes continued to flash back and forth.

"Come here, Helena." Helena raised herself to her knees and rested her head on her mentor's lap. Barbara ran her fingers through Helena's short hair and Moon licked her fingers as the pair tried to help Helena calm down.

Helena's breathing slowed and soon fell in pace with fingers running through her hair. Moon sat back and began to clean herself and Helena sat up wiping her now clear eyes.

"Want to talk about it?"

"No."

"Alright. You better get to class then." Barbara pulled out a pad and wrote Helena a pass to her next class. As the two prepared to leave the door opened and Gibson Coffca walked in.

"Uh, oh, sorry. My bad," he walked out and then returned. "Wait a minute. This is the guy's bathroom. What are you doing in here?"

Helena and Barbara glanced around them and began to laugh. In the heat of the moment, Helena hadn't realized she walked into the guy's bathroom, and Barbara had been so concerned about the teen that she hadn't realized where they were.

"Sorry about this. Our mistake. We were just leaving." Barbara offered her hand to Helena and helped her off the floor.

"Hey, you're Helena Kyle. We have PE and math together. What do you think about all those formulas? I can memorize them easy, but when you have to solve them, that's what sucks."

"I don't really know. Barbara helps me with homework and stuff."

"Perhaps we should study together sometime."

"Uh, maybe. We have to go now."

"Of course. See you around, but hopefully not in the boys bathroom again."

Helena and Barbara exited the bathroom and laughed on their way to class. The morning had been terrible, but one trip to the bathroom was making it a better day.