When a troubled kid from the trailer parks is made out to be a liar by a teacher, who's going to believe him?

Everyone knew that Shawn Hunter had little interest in school. Most teachers were happy to pass him through their class as quickly as possible and perhaps receive a little homework on special occasions. Both teachers and student tried to forget each other as quickly as possible. Then there was his English Lit teacher who expected homework regularly and had the audacity to expect him to maintain a strong C average or else his social life would be directly impacted. This teacher also had this thing about becoming a better person which sometimes seemed more important than grades. The only other teacher to have any expectations for him that weren't of failure was his principal who also taught something- history. Maybe? Whatever the class, Mr. Feeny's expectations were even higher than Mr. Turner's. It didn't matter what your GPA was the man was convinced that you could do better. He was also all about personal growth. In spite of these annoying traits, Shawn liked both men very much. However, he had to fight both in the area of grades as he wouldn't be Shawn Hunter if he didn't. But ultimately, he would do as they asked; he knew they cared about him and his future. So these were the teachers typical of his school experience. There was one, however, who stood out among the rest and not for a good reason.

Katherine Tompkins.

She was a strange amalgamation of the types of teachers in his life. She wanted nothing more than to pass him through her class and be rid of him. Except when Jonathan Turner was around. Then she seemed to be very much like a female Mr. Feeny, as appalling as that was. However, that was only at school. He did not exist outside of the school premises even when she was standing in front of him in his own home. That was fine with Shawn; he didn't like her either. Then came the day right after one of her boring lectures where she made it clear that it was not just her classroom she wanted him out of.

Shawn and Cory slept through most of that class, or at least as much as was possible when an annoying alarm clock kept screeching for them to wake up and it wasn't possible to shut it off. This was nothing unusual though and both fully expected to be written up for it. They always were. Cory wandered up to her desk to pick up the pink slip that would go home yet again to his parents. Shawn headed for the door. Giving him his slip was pointless; it would end up in the trash where Jon would inevitably find it no matter which receptacle he buried it in.

"Not so fast, Shawn."

Shawn, with his hand on the door knob, responded with a slow, exaggerated turn and even more exaggerated roll of his eyes.

"What?"

"Come here, please." It was a demand not a request.

"You're wasting your time giving me that. It's going in the trash as soon as I walk outta here."

"I'm not giving this to you."

"Finally, starting to catch on, huh?," he quipped with a sardonic smile. "Took long enough."

Miss Tompkins looked like she was biting her tongue. Literally.

"That's all, Cory," she dismissed the other boy. "You can go now."

Cory gave Shawn a worried look over his shoulder and said as neutrally as he could, "I'll just wait for Shawn if it's all the same to you."

"It's not," she pointed at the door. "Go to your next class."

The boys exchanged looks and Shawn gave him a subtle nod that he was all right. He knew Cory would go no further than just outside of the classroom door and would witness anything that happened.

"Reading me the riot act is also a waste of your time and breath."

"This is going straight to Jon."

Shawn shrugged. It'd been almost a week since he'd brought one home; Jon was expecting it. His caretaker actually had a small chalkboard hung in the hallway between the bedrooms and bathroom that read: 5 days since Shawn brought home a pink slip. He grinned. That 5 would be back to a 0 after today.

"So what?"

"So I'm bringing it over tonight."

Shawn's eyes narrowed and his smile disappeared. "You trapped Jon into another date. So what?"

She glared at him. "So I'm coming over tonight before Jon and I go out. I have some things to discuss with Jon about your performance in my class. It's atrocious, you know."

Atrocious- that was new one he could add to his list of words from teachers that meant "Shawn's a problem I no longer want to deal with, get him out of my class".

"What's your point?"

"My point is that it's Friday. And I have a date with Jon. I'm coming over early."

Shawn gave her a dead stare. "And?" he prompted irritably.

He was clearly pushing her to the brink of a meltdown. Most teachers weren't this easy to topple. Most would fight with everything they had not let him know he was getting to them. It wasn't usually until the end of the year that they would crack and yet here they were just five months into the year and she was showing signs of a breakdown.

"I'm coming over tonight," she said again, trying to control her temper. "I have a date with Jon."

"Miss Tompkins," Shawn folded his hands in front of him and gave her a look of mock concern. "Do you have short term memory loss or somethin'? You keep repeating yourself."

"I have a date with Jon on the weekend. You will be staying at Cory's tonight."

Shawn frowned at her. "No, I won't."

"Yes, you will, Shawn."

"Uh, no, I won't," he argued. "Morgan's having a slumber party tonight and six little girls are all the guests Mrs. Matthews wants to deal with."

"You're going to the Matthews tonight."

Shawn gave her a perplexed look. He could not understand why she insisted on this as though she had some control over what went on in other people's homes. Part of him was tempted to show up at the Matthews' house and tell them him his social studies teacher told him he had to stay with them this weekend. That would most certainly get a call home to Jon and interrupt her precious date.

"No," he said, forcefully. Shawn paused a moment and considered his words. A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Out of respect," he placed heavy emphasis on the word that meant so much to her, "to the Matthews, I'm not gonna to just show up uninvited on a weekend I know they're busy.

She glared at him. "Shawn, you aren't understanding me. I don't care where you go, just as long as you aren't at the apartment tonight. You can come back tomorrow afternoon."

Shawn stared in disbelief at her. What was she saying? Sleep on the streets if you have to just don't be around? Was she actually trying to kick him out of his own home? Yes, he decided, she was. She was trying to dictate when he could and could not be in his own home. And she didn't even live there!

The boy stared at her for so long with a look of shock that slowly turned to anger that she became slightly afraid of his reaction. His eyes flared with fury.

"You're not the boss of me!"

"Shawn," she sighed as though he was the most unreasonable person in the world. " Jon does everything for you. He's rearranged his entire life you and what good has it done? Nothing's changed. You're still the same awful student you've always been. For once in your life, stop being so selfish. Let Jon have his life back for a day."

The words hurt. Even though they were uttered by someone he didn't care about. To insinuate that he was somehow such a problem that Jon had to give up everything to appease him hurt deeply. He knew he shouldn't care what she said, but he did because deep down he worried that Jon shared her sentiments. If Jon wanted a day to himself without him, to have his old life back, then he could have it; they'd been through this before. But Jon and only Jon could tell him to get lost for a day. No one else. Not even Audrey.

Slowly, he backed away from her and towards the door. His expression never wavered; he did not let the tears that wanted to fall even get to the surface. Instead he stared her down until he got to the door.

It was in that moment that Katherine realized with horror what Shawn intended to do. And if he succeeded, Jon would be furious with her and there would certainly be no date that night or possibly any other night. She tried to block him before he reached the door but the boy was too fast for her. Her only hope was that she could reach the English Lit teacher before he did.

Shawn knew every short cut there was in the John Adams High and he exploited every one to get to Jon's classroom a full minute ahead of the social studies teacher. He knew Cory would be behind him somewhere.

It was a rare occasion that Audrey wasn't in the room with Jon, and this disappointed him greatly.

When Jon saw the look on Shawn's face, he quipped lightly, "Yeah, I wish she was here too."

"Where is she?"

Jon smirked, "Right behind you."

Shawn tensed, afraid that the horrible social studies teacher would be the one at the door. Slowly he turned and was deeply relieved to see the student teacher walking into the classroom, studying a paper she had in her hands.

"Hey, Shawn." Audrey greeted him with a smile and a squeeze of the arm as she passed by him on her way to Jon's desk.

Shawn let out a sigh of relief that they were both there.

"You okay, Hunter?" Jon asked. The fact that Shawn was sitting in his classroom looking out of breath and upset and without Cory was a bit concerning.

"No, I'm not."

"What's up?"

"Miss Tompkins."

"Oh, I guess you know," Jon glanced at Audrey. "I've got a date with her tonight."

Shawn didn't realize that he was holding his breath waiting for Audrey's reaction. The student teacher sat down in the chair Jon rarely used and appeared to be engrossed in the paper she'd walked in with. If she heard, and Shawn was sure she did, she did not give any indication that she had. Shawn knew that a quiet Audrey was an unhappy Audrey. He wrinkled his nose.

"Yeah. But, Jon, she told me I couldn't be at the apartment tonight. She told me to go stay with Cory." Shawn knew there was no way Miss Tompkins had Jon's approval on this, but still he felt panicked at the possibility.

"What?" The English Lit teacher wasn't sure he'd heard Shawn correctly. "Why would she say that?"

"Because she doesn't want me around. She thinks she's gonna stay over night. She told me I could come home tomorrow afternoon."

Jon paled at the idea and gave the student teacher a quick, nervous look. "She is not staying the night, Shawn. I don't where she got that idea- it did not come from me."

Shawn had a feeling the emphasis that the idea wasn't his wasn't just for his benefit; he could tell his teacher was very worried about what Audrey might be thinking.

"It came from her," he said, wanting to back Jon up in case Audrey had any doubts. "She told me she didn't care where I went- Cory's or somewhere else. She just told me not to be there."

"Oh, you're gonna be there. Audrey and I've already discussed it; she's gonna come over and stay with you until I get back."

"Okay," the teen said, feeling some better. He slumped down in a nearby seat with a thump.

Jon and Audrey exchanged concerned looks.

"Shawn," Jon crossed his arms over chest and frowned. "What exactly did Kat say to you about tonight?"

Shawn inhaled deeply. "She said and I quote, ' Shawn, you aren't understanding me. I don't care where you go, just as long as you aren't at the apartment tonight. You can come back tomorrow afternoon.' She also said that you do everything for me. That you've rearranged your entire life for me and it hasn't done any good. Nothing's changed. I'm still the same bad student I've always been. She said I should stop being selfish and let you have your life back for a day."

Jon (and Audrey too) stared at him in surprise. Both looked appalled.

"She said that to you?"

Shawn nodded.

"Shawn," Audrey said, standing up and coming around to the front of the desk to stand next to Jon. "Are you sure you heard her correctly? That you weren't just upset and maybe read more into what she said?"

He shook his head. "I know what I heard. I couldn't believe it either."

Audrey looked astonished and Jon looked angry. Before either of them could say anything further, someone walked into the classroom; Shawn heard her before he saw her.

Jon didn't look happy to see the other teacher. In fact, he was infuriated that she had the audacity to walk into his classroom after what she had said to his kid.

"Jon," Miss Tompkins said as though absolutely nothing was wrong. She gave Shawn a small smile. "I need to talk to you."

"Yeah, I need to talk to you, too." Jon motioned her over to a corner of the classroom so they could have some privacy yet Shawn and Audrey could still hear what was being said.

Something was very wrong here, Shawn knew. Miss Tompkins knew why he was in here when he should have been in Mr. Feeny's class. But she was acting too casual, too nice, too normal.

Katherine listened solemnly as Jon told her what Shawn had told him. She listened and did not say a word to defend herself. She nodded in all the right places and made those awful cooing sounds of agreement. Then she pulled out the pink slip. Jon stopped talking and she took over. She told him about all the problems Shawn had been causing in her room and almost every incident she recounted was exaggerated. Shawn listened in horror as she then proceeded to blame him for their conversation and tell Jon with a sincere, straight face that Shawn had made it all up to avoid getting into trouble.

Jon looked conflicted and so did Audrey. Shawn couldn't believe that they were actually considering believing her over him. His pulse began to race. Although, he had to admit that Katherine's acting was so good that he would have considered believing her too, if he hadn't be a part of and witness to the conversation. Jon took the pink slip from her and said little else.

Shawn was dismayed. He knew Jon had to consider what she told him; he wouldn't be much of a parent if he didn't. But one of the two of them should have his back, yet it seemed that Audrey, too, was taken in by her lies. He was NOT going to cry with her in the room, but that's what he wanted to do. After all, if Jon and Audrey didn't believe him, what hope did he have?

It was clear Jon wanted Katherine to leave his room and she did. But as she did, she stopped in front of Audrey and insisted that the younger woman leave with her. Audrey's response lifted his heart:

"Oh, no, this is my classroom and you are not kicking me out of my classroom. Jon's the only one who can tell me to leave."

Shawn was elated by this. Katherine's cheeks flared red and she left without another word.

"Shawn," Jon sat back against the top of his desk. "What's the pink slip for?"

"Sleeping. Cory and I both fell asleep and got written up."

"Figures," his teacher said. He stared at the paper in his hands for a moment then looked up at Shawn. "Board goes back to 0 you know."

"Yeah, that number needed to be changed away," he joked, hoping Jon would find the comment somewhat amusing.

The English Lit teacher gave a small smile. He crumpled the pink slip up and tossed it in the waste basket.

"Cool," Shawn said with a grin.

"Don't get too excited, Feeny's still keepin' score."

Jon was quiet for a time, then got up, and walked over to where Shawn sat. He leaned down until he was almost nose to nose with the boy.

"Are you tellin' me the truth about what Kat said to you?" he asked. His voice was low and his expression solemn.

"Yes, I am." Shawn held his gaze and matched his teacher's seriousness.

"You didn't exaggerate or make anything up?"

"No, I didn't." Shawn was very careful not to so much as blink. He didn't want any shifting of his eyes to be misinterpreted as a "tell" that would make Jon think he wasn't being honest. "Cory was outside of the room the whole time. Ask him."

Jon held his gaze for a long moment, then shook his head, and straightened up. "I don't need to."

Shawn felt like he was going to pass out as waves of relief and happiness that his teacher believed him washed over him. He felt Audrey's hand smooth his hair out of his eyes. He looked up into her calm gray eyes and smiled.

Shawn got his revenge later that night.

True to her word, Kat did show up at Jon's place fully expecting to go on with their date as planned. Shawn was prepared for this. As he watched Kat fawn over Jon and completely ignore him, Shawn was eating the coleslaw that had been in the back of the refrigerator for three weeks. It was as offensive and detestable as the woman in his home, but Shawn didn't need to eat much of it. He just had to choke down a couple of spoonfuls. Just before Audrey was due to come over, his stomach began to complain loudly at his poor choice of food.

Shawn sat the bowl on the kitchen counter and walked over to the adults. Katherine greeted him with a cold glare. He ignored her and turned to Jon. "I don't feel so good," he complained, putting a hand over his stomach. "I think I'm gonna throw up."

Jon gave him a funny look. "You were fine ten minutes ago."

"I think it's something I ate."

"The fridge is full of Au-" Jon stopped himself before he said "Audrey's leftovers". "Leftovers. How could it be something you ate?"

"The coleslaw wasn't great."

Jon stared at him in disbelief, putting his hand over his mouth for a moment. "The coleslaw should have been thrown out weeks ago when I asked you to clean the fridge out."

"Yeah, well, I didn't." Pain tore through his stomach. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

"Drink some milk, Shawn," Katherine offered, almost sounding sincere. "That'll take of it."

As he opened his mouth to give her a rude retort about her ridiculous advice, his poor stomach had enough and promptly emptied it's contents all over Miss Tompkins' new shoes. It was a perfectly time disaster. Unfortunately, Shawn was in too much pain to enjoy it and the enraged shrieks it garnered from his most despised teacher.

Date terminated: mission accomplished.

Audrey came over anyway which is what Shawn was hoping for. It was just too bad that he was still in the bathroom when she came in. Jon sat on the ledge of the bathtub with a wet wash cloth in hand for Shawn to wipe his mouth on after he threw up. He regarded the boy with an amused look.

"You know, this wasn't necessary."

"No, it was very necessary," Shawn insisted. "I couldn't let her get her way after trying to make you think I was lying to you."

"Shawn," Jon made a face as the boy threw up again. "I wasn't about to go out with her after that. Here take this." He handed hime the damp cloth.

"Huh?" Shawn leaned back against his teacher's leg and looked up at him through vomit-induced tears

"I wasn't gonna go out with her."

"But Audrey came over."

"Yeah, for a game night."

"Humph," Shawn said, feeling nauseated again. "Well, that stinks."

"Yeah, it really does," Jon said, making another face.

Shawn gave him an exhausted smiled. "You gotta admit, it was worth the look on her face when she got hit. Perfection!"

Jon laughed and so did Shawn, but his stomach did not see the humor in it and he threw up again.

He may have spent a good part of the night in the bathroom and he may not have felt like eating any of Audrey's cooking. But being fussed over by his favorite people and falling asleep in front the TV with them was well worth it.

He'd do it all again.

Definitely.

Well, maybe not.

That coleslaw was rank!