A/N: I'm sorry for skipping a week! I flew back home (I'm down in Galveston for college at the moment) last weekend, and so I had to get a lot of stuff done Wednesday, and I just plain forgot about it! On the plus side, AnimeFest was good! I promise I'll have the next installment written in time for next week! And I think I've explained everything well enough in this one that I don't need to write a super long author's note. So... enjoy!

Picture: John in a school uniform (navy shorts, white shirts, pretty standard) standing in front of a "St. Joseph's Catholic School" sign. He's smiling, but it's more of an awkward and nervous "oh my goodness I am going to die" smile.

John's mother had told him not to be nervous. All four of his older siblings had survived their first day at kindergarten and he would too. Mark, on the other hand, had told him that if he didn't watch himself, then someone would beat him up because he was too smart for his own good. Luke had told him not to believe anything that Mark said about school, ever; but he had also said that he didn't want to see his baby brother be the "lonely weirdo over in the corner" and that he needed to find at least one person.

"Just one person, John. That's your mission; just one per-"

"Luke, will you button your shirt properly, we're almost there!" their mother had cut him off, leaving Luke grumbling about how hot the school uniforms were. John didn't think they were very hot at all, just that Luke had an inability to wear a button up shirt the right way.

Once they got to the school building (which was about two feet from the church, so at least John had seen it before) his mom took a quick picture of him in front of the school sign, like she'd done for his siblings. John stuck close to her, clinging to her blouse, as they walked into the building. He didn't want to go; he just knew he was going to be bad at making friends, he just knew it! And then he would be the lonely weirdo in the corner who answered all of the teacher's questions too quickly and then people would beat him up after school because he was so small. All the other kids were towering over him like basketball athletes… oh, wait, those were second graders, no wonder.

"John, this is your room, don't forget the big 'kindergarten' sign over it, okay?" His mom was trying to pass him off to the nun standing at the door, but he only clung tighter to her shirt, hiding behind her. "John, come on, it's almost time for class."

John didn't want to let go, he would be perfectly content staying behind his mom all day, and he clung to her blouse even tighter.

"John, you just need to forget about what Mark said, go in there, and meet a few kids, alright?" And with that, she pried his hands off the hem of her shirt.

"John" he turned toward the new person, the nun at the door. She was older than his mom, and had a nice smile like his grandma. "I already have a seat at a table marked for you, and there's a girl sitting next to it that doesn't have any friends. Do you want to come meet her?"

That didn't sound so bad… if she didn't have any friends, maybe she wouldn't laugh at him for being small and answering the teachers questions too fast. And if they were sitting together, then they had to talk sometime, right?

He nodded, and took the hand she offered.

"Bye, John. Have a good first day!" his mom sounded almost relieved.

"Yes, ma'am!" he nodded.

The nun had him hang up his backpack on one of the coat hangers by the door, which were labeled with everyone's name, and then showed him which table was his. It was halfway between the window and a cork board that was decorated in bright colors, and had the days of the week and a calendar on it, as well as space for more things. His spot at the table was marked, again, with a name tag, and there was a girl sitting alone in the chair next to it.

"Evelyn, this is John. He's going to be sitting next to you, okay?"

"Okay!" Evelyn spoke with a thick accent. John thought he remembered his mom and a friend of hers talking about someone adopting a girl from Japan. The… Conners? He looked at the name tag by her seat. Yup, he was right. "Hi, I'm Evelyn." She held out her hand.

"I'm John" he took it gently. "My mom said you just moved here?"

"Yes!" she smiled brightly, and kept talking as they sat back down. Her accent was thick, but John could understand her just fine, and he realized that kindergarten might not be so bad.