Mrs Enid Hallgrim was sitting in her office and was jotting down something's for today's class. Mrs Hallgrim always came to school and did early work for the next class. Things were going good, Mrs Hallgrim was in a good mood and was looking forward to teaching her students. Mrs Hallgrim remembered her students from head to toe, especially Hilda Pearson. Just then Mrs Hallgrim heard the phone ring and picked it up, holding it in against her ear to listen and answer.

Enid: Hello?

Johanna: Hi, Mrs Hallgrim, this is Johanna Pearson.

Enid: Oh, of course. Hello Mrs Pearson, how May I help you?

Johanna: Listen, um, there's something I should tell you.

Meanwhile outside of the school, students were entering the school grounds and 5 students were standing in a row with their whole heads covering their faces. It was Hilda Pearson, Frida Marston, David Anders, Trevor Holgersen, and Sarah Bluewell. It's been 3 days since they've been turned into trolls and now after a while it's time to head back to school, the one place where there's a bunch of kids that mess around and will freak if they see the gang becoming trolls, in which they'll tell their parents and soon enough they'll call the safety patrol, leading to their permanent end.

David: Is this really worth the risk.

Hilda: I don't even like school.

Frida: I know, but we had to go back eventually. And now, it's time.

Sarah: If only we'd just have a peaceful day of school.

Trevor: I second that.

The kids just looked at each other nervously and took deep breaths at the same time, before walking into the school with all the courage they could muster. Walking across the playground, the 5 troll kids looked at their sides and saw the kids minding their own business and talking with one another. But the kids just paid attention to the front doors ahead, entering inside and walked to their lockers. They all looked around and just saw no one looking at them with suspicion.

Reaching their lockers, the kids opened them and pulled out their things and placed in things they didn't need for either until other classes or the rest of the day. Then they proceeded to walk to class. Entering the classroom, a couple students were inside and the gang just ignored them and walked to their desk without making any eye contact. Upon reaching the desks, the kids just sat down and pulled their seats against their desk, before looking around and saw that no one were looking at them, making them sigh in relief, and look at each other with calm faces.

Hilda: That was easy.

David: So far, so good.

Sarah: Do you think anyone will notice the noses?

Hilda: We'll tell them their fake, like part of costumes, and we'll be on our way to a costume party.

Trevor: But what about tomorrow when we have the same nose!

Hilda: I don't know! I'm trying to-

Hilda stopped talking when they heard the school bell ring and immediately a bunch of students came in and took their seats, all set and ready for a new day of school. Just then Mrs Hallgrim came in and walked to her main desk, placing her things down and looking at her students with a calm and patient expression, like she always did on most and good mornings.

Enid: Good morning, class. How are you all doing?

Everyone in the classroom just gave gestures of gratitude and appreciation. Enid looked at all of her students and scanned them, before seeing 5 students with hoods over their heads. Hilda, Frida, David, Trevor, and Sarah. They were all making faces of peace and looked like they were trying to pay attention while trying to hide another emotion they reckon not share. Enid then walked past the desk and over to Hilda's, looking at her with a calm face. Hilda saw Mrs Hallgrim coming by and took a deep breath to hide her nervousness.

Enid: Hilda?

Hilda: Uh, yes, Mrs Hallgrim?

Enid: Are you okay?

Hilda: Yeah, I'm fine.

Enid: Are certain?

Hilda: Of course! Why wouldn't I?

Hilda just made a sheepish laugh while making a nervous smile. Mrs Hallgrim just looked at Hilda, shrugged, and turned back to her desk as Hilda let out a sigh of relief. Approaching her desk, Mrs Hallgrim turned back and faced the entire class.

Enid: Okay, then. Let's begin with today's lesson.

For the rest of the school day, they went through their daily routine of learning. First math, then science, and then English. Throughout the class, the 5 kids turned to trolls just paid attention to their teacher and didn't make any eye contact with any other student, in hopes of not drive any suspicion towards them. It was already 3 hours and a half before the bell rang and it was time for lunch. The kids then walked out the classroom and went to their lockers for their lunchboxes or went to the cafeteria to buy their own lunch. Sarah and Hilda went to get their lunchboxes, and Frida, David, and Trevor bought food from the cafeteria. The 5 kids then met up with each other at a table on the corner of the cafeteria and looked up at each other from their food with nervous faces.

Sarah: So? How has your days been going?

David: Okay so far. It seems that no one is caring or getting suspicious about the troll noses and skin.

Frida: That's great.

Trevor: Do you think we might make it through the whole day.

Hilda: But still? Why hasn't anyone take notice?

David: I don't know, but maybe let's take this moment to enjoy without any worry.

Hilda: I guess, but still!

Frida: So, what will we do if someone does find out?

David: Get out while we still can?

Sarah: But how can everyone? If we just keep doing the same thing as before, then we might make it through.

David: I guess.

Frida: Sure.

For the rest of the day the kids enjoyed their lunch and talked about things like, especially now Sarah and Trevor were becoming part of the group. After talking for about a half hour, the school bell ran and their lunch was over. Trevor, David, and Frida placed their trays in with the others and Hilda and Sarah placed their lunch boxes away. Afterwords they met by the front doors as all the other students walked outside on the school grounds to play for recess. Walking outside, the kids made sure their clothes covered most of their bodies to prevent any chance of turning into stone, before walking out onto the playground where the other kids were. After standing out on the pavement under the sun for a few seconds, they concluded that it was safe to walk around.

Sarah: So? What do you wanna do?

Hilda: How about a game of tetherball.

David: Sure.

The kids then walked over to the tetherball and went to the 4th empty tetherball set. They took their places and Sarah did the first serving, pushing the ball to each other back and forth. While they all played the game they playfully bashed the ball around and sometime jumped in the air gleefully. Things were going great! The friends looked at each other with happy faces in knowing that everything was going great. Maybe nothing will go wrong. But all those thoughts and feelings all went away when the 5 friends stopped playing when they noticed something that made their hearts squirm. Students were coming their way and looking at the 5 friends with faces of surprise and curiosity. The kids immediately stopped playing tetherball and looked at the kids approaching them, making them unease.

Hilda: Uh, can we help you?

Student 1: Is it true?

Frida: Is what true?

Student 2: You are you all trolls?!

Immediately Frida, Trevor, David, Sarah, and Hilda's eyes widen from that question.

Hilda: What?! Pfft! No! That's ludicrous! Really, I mean where did you ever hear a silly thing...like...that...

Hilda trailed off when she saw 2 students approaching with faces of fear and nervousness. It was Bagsy and Kelly, Sarah's siblings. Sarah looked at them for a second before becoming stunned in realization. They told them.

Sarah: YOU! You rats!

Bagsy: We, uh, we, we, just-

Sarah: You told everyone!

Kelly: Well, technically we told one person-

David: WHO THEN TOLD ANOTHER STUDENT!

Bagsy and Kelly just flinched in David's shout.

Hilda: What did you both do?!

Kelly: Well, we have told Anders, but didn't think he'd tell anyone else.

Sarah: What?! You idiots?! How could you do this?!

Bagsy: It was a mistake! We're sorry, Sarah! We-

Sarah: AAARRGGGHH!

Sarah then couldn't hold it in and just launched herself at Bagsy and Kelly, showing her troll teeth and troll face as the hood came off completely. Trevor, Frida, David, and Hilda all gasped in fear from the sight and rushed to Sarah. All the students next to them screamed in fear and began to rush away from the scene in fear and as Sarah was about to grab the pair, but fell to her knees and screamed from experiencing a hear source. Hilda got to Sarah and immediately shoved the hood back over her head, stopping the sunlight from turning her head into a large rock.

Sarah then gasped in relief and recovery, feeling the heat instantly fade away pretty quickly. Sarah then got back on her feet and looked up at Bagsy and Kelly, who were hugging each other with eyes eyes of fear. But as Sarah stood up Bagsy and Kelly both run off while screaming loudly, leaving 5 troll kids alone on the playground. After a few seconds on the playground, they took the same idea and all ran as fast they could to the front doors of the school, shutting the doors behind. But unknown to, Mrs Hallgrim was watching from her office window.

Hilda, Frida, David, Trevor, and Sarah rushed down the school hallway and bursted into Mrs Hallgrim's classroom, shutting the door behind. Everyone turned to each other with nervous and scared faces. They had known. Everyone at school had discovered their secret of them becoming trolls. All the kids looked at each other and became scared what will become of this now the truth was out.

David: Oh, no...No! They know!

Frida: David, it was just those kids! For all we know everyone else might not know!

Hilda: I'm not taking any chances!

Hilda then rushed down towards the window and began to unlock the window, sliding it open.

Trevor: What are you doing?

Hilda: We can escape out the window, make a break for our home, and pack our things before running out-

Just then they heard the classroom door opened and turned back with horrified faces, and saw the one person they thought of never seeing. It was Enid Hallgrim, their teacher. She entered the room and closed the door behind her, looking at her students with a calm manner.

Frida: Mrs Hallgrim!

Hilda: Uh, hi?

David: Mrs Hallgrim! We don't know what you saw, but we can assure you that-

Enid: David, it's okay. I knew.

At that moment, all the kids just became speechless from all this. Hilda even closed the classroom window and walked over to Mrs Hallgrim with wide eyes of shock.

Hilda: Wait? What...

Enid: It's true. I got a call from your mother hilda, and all of your parents about this. About how all you kids have been turned into trolls.

David: You? You did?

Enid: Yep.

Sarah: But why didn't you say anything?

Enid: Because I asked Hilda and she said it was fine. But I thought about recommending you all telling everyone, but after seeing you all so worried, I agreed to keep it a secret.

The five troll kids just looked at their teacher and saw her looking at the kids with a calm and supportive smile. The kids looked at each other, back at the teacher, and made wide smiles of confidence. Hilda thought she could trust Mrs Hallgrim, because she remembered when Mrs Hallgrim trusted her and gave her moral when the baby troll came into the school during parents night. Just then the classroom door opened and everyone saw a bunch of students looking in with scared faces. But they knew why.

Student 1: Mrs Hallgrim! You shouldn't go near them!

Enid: Kids, it's okay! These kids won't hurt you, just because they're turned into trolls, okay?

Student 3: But...

Enid: I knew from the very beginning and I didn't reveal it because they were scared of being around you all, and I'm sorry, I'm very sorry. But you don't have to be afraid of your fellow students. Understand? The conflict between us and the trolls are over.

All the students outside in the hallway looked at their teacher for a moment before looking at each other with uncertain faces, before looking back at their teacher and saw her making a face that's telling them that things are gonna be okay. Then one by one, the students began to walk into the classroom as the bell rang, signaling their next class. Sarah, Hilda, Frida, David, and Trevor watched everyone walking in without faces of hate and aggression and smiled that things might be at peace, before they proudly took off their hoods and revealed their troll faces. As all the students took their seats, the 5 troll friends began to think now that everyone knows, but seem to be okay with, things will be okay and better here at school.

Enid: That's right. Now then everyone, let's continue the lesson.

To Be Continued In:

Work Among Them