I was still shaken up from what Mr. Beckwith said at the assembly, that, during lunch, I just sat there quietly while Mowgli, Shanti and Jane talked about the home project.

"OK," Shanti said to me. "So, we talked it over and decided to meet at your house tomorrow at ten o'clock. We'll see what we have to work with, then we'll go from there."

"There's a good plan right there!" Mowgli said with his mouth full of food, disgusting Shanti and Jane, who said. "This is what comes from having a jungle boy as a classmate.

"And if you think I don't know what you're up to, Junie B., think again." she added, sensing that Junie B. had snuck up behind her, hoping to make the pouch.

"Darn it!" she said, before noticing the depressed look on my face.

"How come you're talking, Nathan?" she asked. "Does the nosy catwoman have your tongue?"

I looked at Junie B., then at Mowgli, Shanti, and Jane, asking them. "Do you know about this?"

"Know about what? The home project?" Mowgli asked. "Of course, we know about it. We're all in this together."

"Not that." I said. "I meant what Mr. Beckwith said back there."

"You mean the part of this being our last year inside Foster City School?" Jane said. "Of course, we know about that!"

Junie B. did a gasp. "Last year? No, no, no! How can school end? 'Cause Mother said I have to go to schol 'til I am an old teenager. And I am not even six years old yet."

"Not you, Looney Bird Jones." said Shanti. "He was actually referring to those in the 5th Grade. You're fine for another few years."

Junie B. let out a relieved sigh as she sat next to me. "Whew, that's good to hear."

Jane rolled her eyes, then said to me. "Look, Nathan, the truth is there'll come a time when we all have to graduate from elementary school..."

"Graduate?" I said in surprise.

"Well, that's the way how it works." explained Jane. "You spent five years at elementary school, then you move your way up to middle school..."

"Middle school?!" I said loudly.

Everyone turned when they heard me raise my voice, much to Shanti and Jane's embarrassment. Even the Imaginaries took notice while doing their deliveries.

"Wowie wow wow." said Junie B. "That sounds like a big deal."

"It does." said Jane. "As well as an even bigger change for all of us."

"But what if I don't want to change schools?" I asked.

"Nathan, there's no point of arguing your way out of this." said Jane. "It's bound to happen sooner or later."

"But I don't want to it happen!" I said back. "I wanna stay here!"

Shanti got up from the table, gathering up her supplies, while saying. "If you're going to be unreasonable about this, then what's the point of working on your stupid home project?"

As Shanti walked away, Jane said. "Oh, and one last thing, I doubt your Imaginary friends are welcome in middle school, whether it's here or there."

As she went to catch up with Shanti, Mowgli turned to me, saying. "Hey, don't mind what they said, Nate. It'll work out."

Then, he gave me a pat on the back and walked away, as did the Imaginaries, who were listening to the conversartion.

"Imaginaries aren't allowed in middle school?" Jim said with disbelief. "Now that's just crazy talk."

"That's not crazy talk. This is crazy talk!" said Patrick, who started babbling in gibberish...until Morph landed on him in the shape of an anvil.

"Heh, I'm actually starting to like this thing." said Squidward.

Back inside Room 29, during the last few minutes of class, I just sat quietly on my desk, reading "The Prince and the Pauper," when Mr. Beckwith walked up to me, saying. "Nathan, Mowgli just told me what happened during lunch. How are you holding up?"

I looked up at him, asking. "Is what they're saying true? About going to middle school?"

Mr. Beckwith let out a sigh. "Well, I was going to wait to tell you after the start of the New Year, but...yes. It is, in fact, true."

I turned away, but listened to him say. "Look, Nathan, I know it's hard to believe, but at some point in our education, we all have to move from one school to the other. And as you move up a grade, things will only get harder and harder for you to handle."

I looked back at Mr. Beckwith, saying. "Miss Presse said the same thing last year."

"So you understand what I'm saying?" he asked.

"I do, sir." I said, nodding my head.

"Good boy." said Mr. Beckwith. "Now, come on. Buck up. There's still time between now and then to make the most of what we have here. And there's a certain project that's waiting to look real."

"But, what about Shanti and Jane?" I asked.

"I'll see to it they stay on board." Mr. Beckwith said, just before the bell sounded for the end of another school day.

As I got out from my desk, Mr. Beckwith added. "Oh, and try not to worry too much about middle school for now, OK?"

I nodded quietly at him, then went to the cubbies to get my stuff.