(September 1st 2000, 7:28 AM)

Timmy and Francis were both waiting for the short bus, the stop was pretty close to their homes.

Francis was Timmy's cousin: she had moved here from England with her mom, Helen's sister, at the start of the summer holidays.

-"It's awesome here!" She exclaimed.

"At least we don't have to wear uniforms. We had to wear long sleeves even in summer back in Derby, remember? Hassle. Hassle, hassle, hassle!"

Timothy knew what she meant. The horror of the paisley texture of the Lees Brook Community School uniform jacket meant Francis had to wear long sleeved shirts underneath. And of course, no taking of the jacket.

Timmy then went into a full rant about middle school.

-"Timmy. Timmy, Timmy Timmy. Tim-Timmy, Timmeh. Timmy... (This new school seems promising to me. We have grown into older kids now, and it is our turn and responsibility to be examples for the future generation and primary school children. Although obviously we, eleven year-olds, will never truly have the knowledge of our teachers, for they have greedy hands, and dare to...) "

-"The bus's coming, Tim! Come on!"

Just before the end of his rant about middle school.

The duo gets on, greeted by the driver, a short woman with colorful hair, who seems to have just started her job. They go to the back row, made of five seats and two empty spaces near the windows. Timmy applied the brakes and the bus went back on the road...

But only after ten and a half seconds of driving, the bus suddenly stopped.

Francis and Timmy leaned over to see who the latecomer could be. "The new guy, surely!" the latter thought.

-"Well hello ma'am! Excuse my d-delay, I just m-m-moved in and I didn't really know the bus s-schedules."

- "Huh, you're good for this time." the bus driver said. "But it's just because you're a new guy!"

Oh no. Oh no, no, no. That bastard was back. That dirty little son of a bitch with his metal smile and his stupid laugh had come back to make his life hell.

Timothy quickly turned his head towards the window, trying to hide from the unwelcomed newcomer and praying to all the gods in existence that he would not see him. But Francis had other plans, and decided to add her two cents to the situation.

-"Hey, new guy, come here!"

Jimmy looked up in the direction of the voice calling him, and his face lit up when he saw the girl to pair it with. He came over and sat down next to her, not seeming to notice Timmy, much to his delight.

- "I'm also a new girl, my name is Francis! I know it sounds like a guy's name but the doctors thought I was one at my birth... And this is..."

She grabbed Timmy by the arm, but despite the disapproving noise he made...

-"My cousin, Timmy!"

His eyes met those of the crutch kid, who gasped at the sight of the guy in front of him.

-"Do I know you? Of course I know you!"

He reached out his hand and Timmy grabbed it, squeezing it as hard as he could. But Jimmy didn't seem to notice.

- "I'm really happy to s-see you again, Tim-Tim. At least I won't find myself alone in this m... m... musty old town."

"Musty old town?!" Timmy thought. "I think this place is probably ten times better than the shithole you used to live in."

Silence.

Then Francis spoke.

-"Wait... Isn't he the annoying guy from scouts, who you managed to get convicted and evicted for homosexuality, but who came back because, after re-reading the rules, this one applied only to the scout leaders and not the scouts themselves?"

-"Yep, that's me!" Jimmy said, all playful. "You really thought you were going to get rid of me like that ?"

He looked at the annoyed redhead with a petty but amused grin.

In fact, he had already forgiven him for the "scout accident". He didn't know why ! This kid put his entire soul and body into his mischievous plan to bring him to his demise, and all out of pure jealousy and hatred for his obvious innate talent for comedy. And yet, he didn't seem to be able to hold a grudge against him.

During the rest of the trip, Francis and Jimmy talked joyfully to each other, while Timmy took out his MP3 player to listen to the latest Iron Maiden album, "Virtual XI", released in 1998.

As "The Angel and the Gambler" came to an end, so did the bus. As they got off, Timmy saw that the two others were still talking. He just hoped that Jimmy wouldn't start like-liking his cousin, and that he wouldn't have to see his ugly face at every family gathering.

The three young companions then advanced towards the South Park middle and high school -because yes, it does both- for the first time.