DISCLAIMER: I do not own Horton Hears a Who!.

JoJo woke up the next morning shivering and he was certain that his little blisters snuck into his room and short-sheet his bed. Not that it bothered ultimately him. If he had been too warm, he would have fallen asleep. And if he'd fallen asleep, he likely would have had another bad dream about his dad.

JoJo lied there for a minute, half expecting his dad's over-enthusiastic voice to pierce the quietness of the room saying the usual, "Rise and shine, son!" But it was Sally's voice he heard instead.

"It's time to get ready for school, JoJo," she called through the door. Her voice was gentle, not too loud, and very understanding toward JoJo's hatred of being woken up.

JoJo started down the hall to the bathroom to brush his teeth and wash up. He simply wanted to just take care of his morning routine and avoid any possible encounter of TEAM DADDY or worse...

"Oof!" JoJo bumped right into someone. Dizzy from the hard blow, JoJo looked up until he finally saw his dad looking at him.

Ned and JoJo both exchanged deer in headlights expressions.

Finally, Ned cleared his throat and said,

"Um, excuse me, JoJo."

He started inching back until he was finally far enough away from JoJo to make a beeline into the kitchen.

JoJo watched as Ned went on his way. Suddenly, JoJo no longer felt up for breakfast and decided to just skip it all together and go on to school.

Normally if anyone in the McDodd household skipped breakfast or dinner, it warranted a weak scolding from Ned, but with things currently in their state of being, JoJo didn't have to worry.

During lunch at school that afternoon, JoJo was starved. He dropped his tray at his regular table with Iggy, Beanie, and Coby.

"Has anyone started working on their letter to the Mayor, I've already finished mine," Coby said.

"I wrote my first paragraph," Beanie said through a bite of his chicken sandwich.

Iggy stretched his arms around the back of his head. "I haven't started. You know me, I always cram."

"What about you, JoJo? For you, this assignment should be cake," Beanie said.

JoJo gave a quick nod. He picked up a carrot stick and abscently began stirring it in a little cup of ranch dressing.

JoJo's friends exchanged looks.

"Is this about the feild trip? Cheer up, man. The Mayor didn't mess it all up," said Iggy.

"Yeah, and if it weren't for him, we would have never happened," reminded Beanie.

'Well maybe we would have been better off,' JoJo wanted to say but he didn't. Maybe if he kept quiet his friends would grow bored of asking him all these annoying questions.

"Are you still bothered about your dad crushing your desk?" Coby asked.

Beanie almost spit out his soda. "Oh man that was wholarious!"

JoJo glared at him. "No, it wasn't," he huffed.

"Dude, JoJo!" Adin Maxwell called from across the cafeteria. JoJo watched as Adin head-nodded a few freshman girls on his way. They pressed to one another and giggled stupidly.

Adin was a sophomore but he and JoJo had been friends since they were in elementary school.

"What's up, dude?"

"JoJo's being all emo and won't tell us his feelings," Iggy teased.

"Oh, boy!" Adin fake groaned.

JoJo rolled his eyes. He wanted to tell them what was on his mind. They were his friends, after all, but he was just too ashamed. What would they think of him?

"It's this." JoJo sighed. He reached under the table, found his backpack, and pulled out his notebook. It was still set on the page.

Coby took the notebook. As he and read it aloud, JoJo felt his back heat up word for word. When Coby got to the line about Ned looking like the Giant Meatball, everywho burst out laughing except for JoJo, who thrust his arms around his waist in aggravation.

"It's not funny!" he snapped.

Coby finished reading and then handed the notebook back to JoJo.

"Gosh, JoJo. That was some really, really mean stuff," Coby said. "I can't believe your dad read it."

JoJo eyes fell on some crumbs on the table. His heart felt like a crumb. He was no better than the Grinch. JoJo decided not to tell them about how Ned cried.

"Why don't you just apologize?" Beanie asked. "I'm sure if you two talked things over he'd forgive you."

"Yeah," Iggy agreed. "And then you can laugh about the Giant Meatball together."

JoJo buried his face in his hands. Any normal day, JoJo barely even talked to his dad. Sorry was more than just one word to spare. JoJo would have to recap all the reasons why he was sorry. He'd have to look Ned in the eyes (Seuss forbid him from crying again), possibly hold his hands, and then suffocate in one of Ned's tightest, most inescapable hugs. JoJo hated being mushy and he didn't want to have to go through all that. It was embarrassing...but he also hated seeing his dad's feelings hurt. And he knew that if he didn't apologize soon, his dad would continue to think that he hated him.

"I know!" Adin exclaimed. "We'll role play. I'll be your dad and you just keep being JoJo." Adin picked up a sugar cookie and held it to his chest.

"What's that?" Beanie asked.

"Why, this is my mayoral crest, young man." Adin replied, straining to mimick Ned's voice.

JoJo gave a small chuckle. His dad would totally say something like that.

"Let's begin!" Coby clapped.

They all leaned forward on their elbows.

"Okay," JoJo began. He took in a breath and faced Adin. "Um, dad?"

"Yes, my dear son?"

Beanie snickered.

"I have to tell you something..." JoJo squeezed his eyes shut. He was shaking.

"Come on!" Iggy urged. "You can do it!"

JoJo felt his stomach stir like a whirlpool. It was the same feeling he used to get when Ned would invite the whole town to his birthday parties have everywho screech out the Happy Happy Birthday To You song.

"Uhh, JoJo. Still rolling, dude," Adin whispered impatiently. He cleared his throat and worked his Ned voice. "JoJo, tell Daddy what's wrong."

Once again, everywhoburst out laughing except for JoJo. This wasn't getting anywhere but on his last nerve.

"Enough!" he protested. "I can't do this!"

"Then what will you do, JoJo?" Coby asked.

Luckily the bell rang and JoJo didn't have to give an answer.