DISCLAIMER: I don't not own Horton Hears a Who!.

JoJo was anticipating breakfast the next day.

He spotted Ned working his way down the Hall of Greats that morning with Finwick wrapped in one arm and a newspaper tucked under the other. JoJo felt his heart quicken.

Should he say something? Should he turn around, run away, and hide in a tree stump like the Lorax? Or maybe he could just apologize.

As they passed each other, JoJo readied himself to say something. He stopped in his tracks and raised his index finger as if to say, 'I have something important to tell you.' He then opened his mouth and started to speak but Ned had already darted his eyes toward the other direction. He kept close to the side of the wall and didn't even stop for the usual mayoral-related chat.

Left standing alone in the hall, only a small huff managed to escape from JoJo's mouth and he still had his finger raised.

When breakfast was ready, JoJo crawled into his seat and anxiously awaited his twelve second chatting session. He still wasn't sure what he was going to say to his dad.

"Good morning, JoJo," Sally said. "What are you up to today?"

JoJo watched as Ned distracted himself with overfeeding Finwick.

"Uh, I guess I'll work on some stuff in the observatory," JoJo replied.

Ned continued to absent-mindedly burry his pet fish in colorful flakes of fish food.

"Sounds relaxing," Sally said. "Don't you think so Ned?"

Ned's eyes finally reached JoJo. The blue peepers were subdued, like the sky after a good rain.

The bell rang and the most agonizing twelve seconds of JoJo's life was finally over.

That evening, it was almost nine o'clock. JoJo decided to have an early night. He had gotten nowhere with his inventions. As he lied on his hammock bed, he could hear his father delivering water to his little sisters in their bedroom next door.

"Daddy, why does JoJo hate you?" He heard one of them ask.

JoJo wanted to kill whichever one it was, but because all of his little sisters sound the same to him, he refrained.

"Um...try not to spill your water, sweetie." JoJo heard Ned say.

Will Dad bring me a glass of water and tell me goodnight too? JoJo wondered.

Of course his father had been too distressed to do so the night before and he hadn't said anything to him all day so the question pretty much answered itself.

JoJo sighed and threw a pillow over his head. He tried to remember what he'd written in his notebook. He tried to imagine how his dad must have felt reading it word for word. Line for line.

I just wish he'd back off and leave me alone. JoJo remembered that line.

And Ned still offered to give him space, despite how bad he'd hurt him. JoJo clutched his pillow a little tighter. He should be soaking up this freedom. Freedom from any future embarrassment. Freedom from mayoral chats. He should be happy. He was finally getting what he'd wanted for a long time...right?

9:15 PM and no water.

At 9:46, JoJo found himself standing among a huge crowd of citizens at Town Square. The familiar smell of seasoned turkey legs and toasted corn dogs made JoJo realize that this was the Edible Parade.

"Hey, JoJo!" a throaty voice called out.

JoJo crained his head around. It was Trevedale. He was one of the many of JoJo's classmates who stood in the crowd clapping and cheering for the floats that passed.

"Here comes the Giant Meatball!" Beanie yelled out.

There it was, heaved up by two short little legs and balanced (just barely) by two short little arms. Ned McDodd the Giant Meatball worked his way up the street.

Everywho pointed and laughed.

"Oh, no!" Ned cried under the tumult of laughter and applause. "JoJo, I've embarrassed you again."

Suddenly, Ned came tumbling down the street. The crowed scurried away like a tampered bed of ants.

"JoJoooo!" Ned screamed. "I'm sorrrryyy!"

JoJo thrust up from his hammock bed, his heart a million miles away.

"It was just a dream," he breathed out in relief.

JoJo tried to catch up with his racing heart. He looked at his alarm clock. It was only 10:27. No way could he go back to sleep. JoJo hopped off of his bed and tip-toed down the hall. He could see from the gap under the door that his parents still had their lamp on. Suddenly he felt his heart taking off without him again. JoJo had so many things he wanted to say to his dad. I didn't mean what I said in my notebook, and I don't really think you look like the Giant Meatball, were some of the many things he had in mind.

But JoJo knew I'm sorry was the perfect, most appropriate way to begin...except he just couldn't bring himself to say anything.

Once again, he was too embarrassed.