Slightly boring chapter ahead, just so that you are warned. But if you don't read it, you won't understand anything in the next chapters. So read it, or be confused. You choose.

Disclaimer: I really don't own much of anything, because almost all of my characters are based on real people or someone's (namely Mrs. Pierce's) characters.

"Let's hear from, ahhhhhh, Taina!"

Light began to filter through the thick gray coating obscuring my vision.

"Excuse me?" I groggily replied. "Could you please repeat that?"

"Taina, could you give us the answer to number 8?"

"Sure." I shook my head, as if trying to shake some sort of 'tired ooze' out from my ears. My eyes finally cleared enough for me to see all my algebra materials on the desk in front of me. "Dr. Bates?" I gasped. "Why am I here? I—''

"Did you do the assignment?" Dr. Bates asked me with some surprise lingering on her face and in her voice. I always do my homework, and I always pay attention.

"Of course. The answer is, um," I scanned my paper. "x-squared over 25 minus the quantity y minus two squared over 64 equals one."

"Right. And, ahhhhhh, Ryan, could you give us the next one?"

I smiled up at my algebra teacher, and ducked my head, like I was looking down at my paper. I didn't understand how I managed to get here, back in the Algebra II class I had been hurrying to when I was sucked into Tortall. Shouldn't time stay the same or something? While I was in Tortall, just about 24 hours had passed, but probably only 24 minutes had passes here. And why hadn't I blacked out like I had when I went to Tortall?

I tried to make myself concentrate on hyperbolas, but my mind was back in Tortall. I jumped almost halfway out of my desk when Dr. Bates asked, "Neal, did you learn any of this where you came from?"

My head snapped around to see Neal, leaned back in his chair, shaking his head.

"You'll have to get the notes from someone, then."

"Yes, uh, m'am, I will," he replied, unsure as to what he should call her. Titles are quite different in our world than in his, and he luckily realized this. I'm not sure what she would do if he called her 'lady' or something.

I continued twisting around in my chair and staring at him. He was, for some fortunate reason, wearing jeans and a T-shirt, while I was still in my dress. I hoped that didn't mean that my old clothes were gone in some fictional country forever. I didn't think I could explain that to my mom.

Neal was also constantly wearing an expression of bewilderment. I must have looked the same when I arrived in his world, I decided.

No, another part of me said, you knew where you were, and some of the people you would meet. This is completely new for him.

Once the bell finally rang for lunch, I shoved everything into my book bag and hurried over to Neal's desk. I thanked my lucky stars yet again that he had gotten different clothes. Even worse than my wearing jeans in Tortall would be his wearing hose in high school.

"Is this where you live, then?" Neal asked me nervously. I had a feeling that 'nervously' would be how he said most things now.

"Sort of," I began to explain that we didn't all live where we went to school, but that was when I saw a curly haired blonde boy exit the classroom. "Oh, no!"

"What is it?" This question was both nervous and apprehensive.

"I thought I saw Joren." I grabbed Neal's wrist and dragged him over to the door. I searched the crowd, praying I was wrong and it was just Emma with bleached and curled hair. It wasn't.

I rushed up behind him, still pulling Neal along with me, and snatched Joren's elbow.

"What are you doing here?" I hissed.

"Little witch!" He snarled back. "I don't know what you've done, but you had better get me home right now!"

"Stone Mountain," Neal stepped in. "Have you forgotten the lesson from this morning already?"

"Don't fight, not here, not now!" I protested. "You guys are in the same boat now!" And you're going to have to tolerate each other until you get back!"

"You can send me back now!" Joren demanded.

"If wishes were watch bands," I snapped, getting ready for an argument. Then I relented, sighing. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be so rude." I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. "Please believe me when I say I didn't mean any of this, and I can't send you home. Now, we're all going to have to get along, because I want you both to stay with me until you can go to Tortall." My mini-speech done, I desperately hoped that Joren would calm down and Neal would back off.

"All right." Joren finally mumbled.

Neal nodded, in the same confused, jerky way as when I'd first met him. I smiled warmly back.

"Where can I find some food?" Joren asked, his eyes down and his hands stuffed deep in his pockets.

"I'll show you." I offered, and strolled ahead of the two, feeling just as sorry for Joren as for Neal.