Author's Notes – For some people who were wondering, the last line in the last chapter, when they freaked out about the candles was because what set the spell off to make him a kid was that candle from the monster attack in a previous part…he just has bad luck with candles lol.

Summary – Tommy goes back to school, only not in the role he wants.

-o-

Back to School

Tommy

-o-

(Day 5, Reefside Elementary School)

"It'll be fine Tommy." Handing me my backpack and urging me towards the door, Jason does not seem to understand that this is a very very bad idea. Not just a normal bad idea either, I don't know why but just the thought of being here is not a good one.

"I don't wanna." Holding my black backpack tighter, I shake my head hard. I know I shouldn't argue with him since my dad did put him in charge, but this really is a bad idea.

"Tommy you have to go to school, I can't watch you during the day because I have to go teach my friend's class at the school next door, okay? It wasn't easy for me to get the principle to agree to this…well easier then I thought, but anyways I can't watch you during the day so you need to go in here and learn, well whatever it is you learn in third grade. Alright?" That's another thing I don't understand, how come he's a teacher all of the sudden. He wasn't two days ago. Then suddenly he has a yelling contest with some woman with short hair and he's now a teacher. Adults are so complicated.

"Wanna stay with you." Hugging onto Jason's leg tightly and once more giving him a sad puppy look, I even throw in a whimper. "Don't make me go in there."

"Tommy it will be fine. Besides if anything happens I'm just in the very next building, okay? Now you just go in there and make some friends and try not to break anything alright?" Opening the door and nudging me into the classroom before I can protest, Jason smiles at the teacher who's already started class. "Hi, sorry we're late but had to get things straight with the records office."

"That's fine, you must be Thomas Scott." Looking up at Jason unsurely as the teacher calls me by his last name instead of mine, I finally give a nod when Jason silently says 'yes'. "He is supposed to be in this class right?" Grr.

"Yeah." Rubbing my back reassuringly, Jason knows where this is going just like I do. I hate when they do this in front of other kids.

"Is he advanced?" Can I go home now, please?!

Sighing and pinching the bridge of his nose, Jason just take me home. "Not exactly."

Tugging on Jason's jacket, I give him a longing look at the door silently begging to be let free of this.

"He's just short for his age, most of the guys in our family are until they hit about fourteen." I still don't understand why I have to pretend he's my dad though. Whatever, right now I just want to get out of here. "Listen I have to go teach Dr. Oliver's classes now, so um, here you go, and I'll see you later Tommy." Don't leave me here.

Looking up at him as he backs up towards the door and the other kids eye me like a pack of wolves, I think I'm going to cry here. They're going to kill me Jason!

"Alright Tommy have a seat at one of the empty desks and let's continue with the lesson." Waiting until I slowly move to one of the empty desks in the back of the class, admitting defeat for the moment, the teacher turns back to the board. "Now let's try and see if we can't learn something today shall we?"

Reaching into my backpack and pulling out my notebook and a pen I sigh softly as I try to keep up with what's being written on the board, my notes basically unreadable to anyone but me because of the scribbled and shaky writing.

Getting tired of this after the first ten minutes, I forget about the notes and go to drawing like I usually do.

-oooooooo-

(15 minutes later…)

"Thomas I am not going to call you again." Huh? Uh oh.

Looking up from my dinosaur drawings I see that the teacher has clearly called me more then once. Oops.

"Yes mam'?"

"I said can you tell me the answer to the problem on the board." Hands on hips she is definitely not loving me right now. Um, great which problem would that be now? This is going from bad to worse.

"I, um…" Looking over the board full of questions and sentences, I feel my face heat up in embarrassment as more than a few of the other kids are now snickering. "Um, which problem is it again?"

Giving two boys a stern look as they began to laugh out loud, she rolls her shoulders before moving back to the board. "Next time please pay closer attention. Now it's this sentence, tell me the verb, adjective, and pronoun." The what now?

Biting my lower lip and figuring the sentence might as well be written backwards, I give a small shrug. I can barely read that, how am I supposed to know what the detailed stuff of it is?

"It's not that complicated Thomas, now just think about what each one means and then pick them out. What's an adjective describe, what does a pronoun describe, and a verb?" I have no clue what those words even mean!

"Um…I, uh…" Giving her a lost look I finally shrug showing I give up.

"Maybe he should go back to the first grade, already looks like he belongs there." The comment coming from the blonde boy to my side, I don't know whether to hit him or just be still. Okay and where did the thought of hitting him come from? No hitting, that's the rule, daddy would never like me getting into fights over something like other kids being stupid.

"Alright that's enough. Now the next person who makes a snide comment is going to be in detention with me after school, is that clear?" Okay so being quiet was definitely the right choice.

When most of them give a yes answer, she nods and turns back to the board, quickly pointing out the answers before moving on to another kid. Great so those were the answers now if I only knew why they were the answers.

Trying to keep up and at least pay attention after that mess, I manage to get down a few more notes before becoming lost as to what the teacher is trying to explain and once more becoming frustrated and bored. I'm going to be here forever. Almost sure I'll end up dying of boredom in this chair I'm snapped awake as the bell suddenly rings.

It's time to go? That doesn't seem right since it's only nine o'clock. Everyone else is going though, but they're leaving their stuff.

"I want you all back in ten minutes is that clear. That doesn't mean ten minutes past the first ten, that doesn't mean ten minutes from an hour from now, I am getting tired of you all extending your mid-class break, so anyone who does, you'd better be in a coma." Um okay.

Slowly closing my notebook and getting up, I meekly head up to the front of the room as everyone leaves before clearing my throat to get the woman's attention. This is not my day to be on good grounds with her. "Um, what's going on?"

Looking up from her book she'd started reading the teacher is clearly a bit surprised to see me still here. "We have ten minute breaks here since the classes are so long. We don't expect kids to sit still for three solid hours so there are three breaks in each to let you all stretch, talk, get something to drink, or go to the bathroom, understand?" Oh, um what if I don't have to do any of that?

"Yes mam'."

"Good, then you'd better get going you only have nine minutes now." Picking up her book again, she is apparently not going to tell me anymore. Sigh, alright then, I guess I can find something to do for nine minutes.

Looking around the hall and seeing kids already in groups talking, I definitely think this is going to be pretty much like my normal school. Okay well just because everyone already has friends doesn't mean that they're going to be mean to me right? Right. Is it time to go back to class yet? Glancing back in the room, I give up on that idea deciding going and waiting in there isn't an option as the teacher clearly wants this time to herself.

"Great, so now what do I do?" Leaning against the wall and trying to think of something that can eat up the time I nearly decide to just go walk around when something hits me in the head. Growling as that hadn't hurt but it certainly wasn't nice, I look up to see who'd done it and if it was perhaps an accident.

"Hey why don't you watch where I'm aiming sissy." Rolling my eyes as it's the nasty blonde kid and his pals from class, I guess it wasn't an accident. Fine I'll just turn my back on him and ignore them and be more mature.

Not getting more then a few steps, I'm once more hit with a wad of paper to the head, and am growing increasingly angry about it. "Stop it!" Huffing and balling my hands up I turn once more to march away from the laughing boys, feeling fairly brave as I know no one would actually hurt me in school.

"Why don't you make us?!" Throwing a few more wades of paper at me, they are very good shots and very quickly pissing me off. Oops, bad word, I didn't think a bad word. Wonder where that came from.

"I said stop it! So stop it or I'm telling!" Instantly regretting having said that last part as I know that was really not smart, I'm not the least surprised when this sets them off laughing and calling me a sissy again.

"Oh are you gonna run home and tell your daddy?" What did he say? Across the hall and on top of him before either of us can blink, I don't care what the rules are no one talks about my dad!

"Don't ever talk about my dad. He could beat you and anyone else in the world up and if I did tell him you'd be in such big trouble." Growling and suddenly more then wanting to pound his smug little face in, I ignore the group around us that's now encouraging a fight.

"You are so dead." Shoving me off him and into the wall hard, the blonde pins me there beginning the taunts once more with his friends. "Aw does the lil sissy want down? Don't worry I wouldn't hit a girl, lucky for you." You are so dead.

Squirming and struggling to get free as the other boy easily holds me a bit off the ground, I'm torn between once more becoming enraged or giving in a crying for Jason to come protect me. "I'm not a girl!"

"Yeah come on Paul you know the girls around here could beat him up. So he can't be a girl." I hate school! I hate other kids! I want to go home now! "Besides that is the ugliest hair cut I ever saw on a girl."

"Stop it! Let me go or else!"

Snickering the group closes in a bit more, becoming too close for my liking. "Or else what? You gonna cry? Gonna be a tattle tail? Come on cry for us cry baby." This is getting worse and worse.

"I'm not gonna cry I'm gonna hurt you now let me go!"

As another round of 'eewwwws' go up, the boys are just about to say something else when the bell rings again. Debating on it for a moment, they finally drop me to the floor in a heap as their fans are all leaving with groans and heading back to their classes. "We'll finish this on the next break sissy. See ya in class."

Groaning and pulling myself up, I slowly straighten my shirt before heaving a sigh. This was not what I needed today. Perhaps remaining in the room with the teacher wouldn't be such a bad idea after all. I could be quiet if I try, she might not even notice me.

-ooooo-

(1 hour later…)

I'm going to kill Jason for making me drink all that orange juice this morning. I'm not gonna make it. I know I'm not gonna make it. Why won't the stupid bell ring already?!

No sooner then the bell goes off I'm out of my chair and dashing to the door. Gotta go! Gotta go so bad! Where was the bathroom? I know I saw it when Jason brought me in this morning. It was by the doors right? Right?!

Breathing a sigh as the door comes into sight, I shove through it only to stop cold as the familiar voice meets my ears. "Yeah well I still say she'll let us copy from her." No, no, no, not fair! How on earth did blonde boy beat me here?

Okay so decision time, do I hide over here by the door till they leave, go find another bathroom, or try to be invisible and slip past them. Dang it! Taking a deep breath and knowing I won't make it another minute, I move past the wall separating the door and mirrors to the other half of the bathroom with the toilets.

"Yeah well I say she ain't gonna let you. If she wouldn't let ya look under her dress then she ain't gonna let ya copy her test."

Rolling my eyes at this logic, I slowly head past where the boys are at the wall, slipping thankfully unnoticed into the one stall in the corner.

Wishing they'd leave, but figuring that isn't going to happen soon as both continue to talk about this girl, I just better hurry up and forget about them before I have bigger problems to deal with then just getting picked on.

Stupid jeans! Pulling at the buttons and zipper, I am going to have a talk with Jason about these over fancy jeans. Sure they're fine when ya don't have to go like crazy but in situations like this they are definitely not good. Finally getting the last snap undone and sitting down, I also wish they'd make the toilets a workable height for standing up. This is so not my day.

Alright so I guess I could go out there and join them at the wall like a farm animal, but um, no, that just isn't gonna be happening. Even if they weren't out to get me like I'd pee in front of everyone else? What am I a cow?

Finishing up and getting myself straightened back out I listen for a second and not hearing anymore nasty talk about looking up girls dresses, head out of the stall. Honestly I wonder if this is what the girls put up with. I mean I know the difference between girls and boys, my dad had that talk with me not too long ago, but I still can't help but imagine how much harder it has to be for girls to try and stand at the wall like animals too. Hm, I guess I'll have to ask Jason or Kat about that later.

Barely out of the stall and still thinking over how to ask Kat what their bathrooms look like, especially over the phone since she had to go back to work yesterday, I don't see the hit coming till I'm pushed into the wall.

"Well, well, if it isn't the lil sissy. Whatcha doing in there, huh?"

Snorting and standing up straight, I brush myself off before giving my little blonde 'friend' a look. "If you really don't know then maybe you're the one that needs to go back to first grade." Moving to walk past him and the other two boys that'd come in, I don't get far before they blocked my way. This is not good.

"What I think is that you were in there peeing like the lil girl you are. What's the matter can't go like a boy, well then maybe you're in the wrong bathroom."

"Just because I don't want to stand out here and pee in front of the rest of you farm animals doesn't mean I'm a girl or that I can't go standing up so leave me alone." Moving again to side step them, I'm stopped short as a one of the boys grabs the collar of my shirt and pulls me back a bit. Time to yell for help yet?

"Naw I bet he's right he probably doesn't pee like a girl, he probably has to wear a diaper. Do you need a changing table? Should we go get the nurse to help you?" Grr, that is it! I wanna hit them! I know I shouldn't but they are making me so mad I just wanna do it so bad!

Having enough of this, I shove the boys away from me before letting out a low growl. "If you all don't leave me alone I'm gonna…I'll…I'll do something really evil and mean to you and you'll be sorry!"

Laughing as I stomp out of the bathroom the group quickly follows me. "Hey come on where you going? Come on we weren't done playing."

"Go play with yourself." Okay that sounded sorta…wrong. I can't decide why, but I'm still sort of happy with it.

"Now that's just not nice. Here we are letting you into the boys bathroom and do you appreciate it, no. Well then I guess from now on you're just going to have to use the same as the other lil girls." Grabbing me from behind the three quickly and easily shove me through the door right beside us before closing it and holding it closed.

Stumbling into the room and taking a minute to regain my balance, I growl at the door, not seeing just what is so funny. Okay so they pushed me, so what, was it really so funny that they should be laughing like hyenas on the other side of the door?

Snorting and turning around, I cringe when I run smack into someone that had apparently come up behind me. Going to apologize, I don't really have a chance as the lady cuts me off.

"And just what may I ask are you doing in here?" Looking down at me in a very unhappy way, of course it would have to be my new teacher.

"I, um, I just-" Trying to get the explanation out I'm however beaten to it as the boys have also become aware of my company.

"So did you see them?! You're gonna get in trouble, I'm telling you this is a bad idea! We're not gonna watch out for you, we don't wanna do this, we're gonna go back to class now and I think you should too." I'm going to kill them.

"And what exactly do you have to say for yourself?" I didn't do it?

"I, but they, and then…and, but..they pushed me in." Pointing to the door and feeling tears starting to sting my eyes as I never can handled confrontation with adults I back up slightly only to be grabbed by the arm.

"Well than you can explain it to the principle." But I didn't do it! Marching me out of the bathroom, she heads for Principle's office and this is bad. Are we gonna see Randal? And wait how do I even know that name?

Biting my lip and knowing this is definitely not someone I should be around, but why? Sure I'm going to get in trouble, but that shouldn't be making me have trouble breathing. Finally unable to take it anymore I don't have a choice, I have to stay away from this person. Pulling free from the teacher's hand, I back up shaking my head. "No, no can't go in there."

"You come over here right now, this is not up for debate young man." Standing firmly in place just a few feet from the principle's door she is clearly getting madder, but I just can't.

"I can't go in there, it's bad, something's bad." When the teacher obviously doesn't believe me I don't have a choice and take off.

"Get back here right now!" Following me at a brisk pace, the teacher groans as I scramble out the door and across the lawn into the next building where Jason said he'd be teaching the older kids.

Panting heavily, my legs beginning to hurt a little at the sudden rush of forced movement I get down the hall checking in each doorway to see if Jason might be there. Forget this! "Jason! Jason!"

The second I see his head stick out of one of the rooms I'm on him in a flash.

"Honestly!" Coming up to us, the teacher looks at the confused and lost Jason for a minute before pointing to me. Uh oh. "I suggest you have a serious talk with your son."

"What happened?" Picking me up and sighing when I wrap around him as tightly as possible I know he's probably wondering how on earth things got this bad in two hours. I told you this was a bad idea.

"First he didn't pay attention in class. Second he snuck into the girl's room. And finally when I went to take him to the principle's office he ran." But it was wrong!

"Listen I'm really sorry that he's given you apparently a bit of a workout, he's just…he's got special needs and there's a reason for his reaction to seeing the principle, but it's a long, long story, he wasn't trying to be bad though I swear, he was just scared." Okay he's taking this much much better then I thought he would.

"Listen Dr. Scott, I understand that he clearly has special needs, but I can't accept this behavior. I will gladly give him extra help and be more patient then with the others, but his behavior has to improve." I wasn't doing anything though! The other kids started it, why aren't they in trouble?

"Alright, look I'll talk to him, I promise, just I don't know, I'll keep him up here with me for the rest of the day then talk to him when we get home, alright?" Yes, yes very good idea, Jason. Me not going back down there good thinking.

"Fine, but I will not stand for this behavior to continue." Blah blah blah. Watching her go I really hope Jason changes his mind about the whole me going back there tomorrow thing.

"Tommy what on Earth happened? You went in the girl's bathroom? Why?" Sitting down against the wall and setting me down in front of him, I can tell he's trying to not sound upset, but he's definitely not happy either.

"I-I was getting pic-picked on by the other k-kids." Swiping my eyes with the back of my hand, I don't want to get in trouble anymore. At least he's listening to me and not just making snap judgments like she did.

"And this resulted in the girl's bathroom how?" This is probably because I was looking down Kat's shirt a few days ago huh. He probably thinks I really did go in there on purpose.

"Th-they pushed me in. I had to pee and they were in the boy's ba-bathroom and when I got done they called me a girl cuz I was in the stall, and I said no I wasn't and they kept teasing me and then they pushed me in there."

Sighing and nodding, he thankfully believes me. "Alright, it's okay, shhh it's going to be okay. We'll figure something out."

"I don't wanna go back there."

"I know. You don't have to today, you can stay here with me and draw or something while I teach, alright? Will that make you feel a bit better?" When I give him a small nod in response, he stands back up slowly before putting me on my feet. "Alright, just don't make a lot of noise okay, I'll give you some paper and colored pencils to draw with." Finally something I want to do.

Leading me into the room, Jason heads over to the table Kira, Conner, and Ethan are seated at before putting me down in the empty chair by Kira. Okay this is good, I remember them from my birthday and then they've come by a few more times. "He's gonna sit here for the class, can you guys just keep an eye on him while I teach and still keep up? If you miss anything I'll give you the notes after school at the house okay?"

"Yeah no problem." Nodding and putting the ball away that he'd been tossing up in the air, Conner leans over to give me a smile. "Hey there kiddo, rough first day?"

Nodding and looking down, I kick my feet nervously as they don't quite touch the floor. I hate being the center of attention.

"Here you go, this should keep you from getting bored." Handing me a deck of cards with pictures of dragons on them, Ethan sits back as Jason returns with colored pencils and paper.

"Here you go Tom."

"Don't worry he'll be fine, besides what's gonna happen, worse case is he falls out of the chair. Go teach, we got it covered, and I'll take him to lunch with us since he probably doesn't wanna go to the teachers lounge with you and see Randal." Aw, I like the girl in yellow and black, she's so cool.

"Good, I'll give you guys some money before you go, thanks." Heading back to the front of the class, Jason gets everyone's attention back on him. "Alright so, sorry about that little interruption, but I'm sure no one minded taking a break from the lecture too much. Anyways, this is Tommy, and he's not feeling very well so he's going to stay here with me for the rest of the day, well me and his babysitters. So everyone back to your seats you can admire his cuteness after class, right now I'd at least like to get halfway through the lesson so we're only a week behind instead of two."

To be continued………..