I guess Les is the type to strongly hold a grudge, because my six-and-a-half-hour shift is jam-packed with unnecessary and tedious tasks. I sweep the floors of non-existent dirt, stock full shelves, wipe spotless windows, and so on.

By nine o'clock, as I scrape the last of the gum off of the counter edge, I poke my head over and stare at Les, who still works on her crossword.

"Okay. I'm done. There cannot possibly be anything else for me to do," I say, exhausted.

"I don't know," she mutters, erasing something and frowning down at her paper, "I think I saw a mouse running around here last week."

I roll my eyes, standing. "Look. I'm sorry I tried to steal a chocolate bar—"

"Four chocolate bars."

"Okay, four chocolate bars—"

"And a lighter."

"And a lighter—"

"And a pack of cigaret—"

"Okay!" I cut her off, shoving the bucket of stale gum towards her. "The point is, I'm sorry. I've learned my lesson. Can we please just stop with the pointless tasks?"

I realize then that she hasn't looked up from her paper the whole time I've been here, because when two cold grey eyes are suddenly boring into mine, I'm taken aback. She stares at me for a second, then looks back down.

"No."

"What?" I scoff. "Why?"

She sighs, seeming agitated as she puts down her paper and gives me her full, terrifying attention.

"Because," she says, "you haven't learned your lesson. I get kids like you coming in here every day trying to steal shit from me, and I'm tired of it. So I'm making sure you won't do it again — and I don't care how many times you have to sweep the floor until you learn your lesson. And if I can't teach it to you, then I guarantee that something else in your life will. You're privileged and ungrateful, and now you answer to me."

We stare at each other for a moment, and I narrow my eyes.

"You're an asshole."

"Don't I know it." She smiles, looking back down to her paper. "Now, I believe I mentioned a mouse. I'd start with moving all the fridges out and checking for holes in the walls. Unless, of course, you'd rather me tell your dear old dad what you did. He seems to think so highly of you. You can call him up right now, if you'd like."

I narrow my eyes, trying to spot a bluff. She doesn't look back up at me, just licking her finger and turning the page of the paper. She wants me to back down, give up, but I won't. She doesn't remember how big my pride is. Still, I don't think she's bluffing, and I don't want to give Jesse any reason to send me to a foster home, so I sigh and head towards the back.

~

At ten-forty-five, after I've made sure all the labels on every one of our products is facing outwards and I've counted all the cash in the register (under Les's watchful eye), I'm finally let off. I close the door firmly, silently hoping I break that stupid little bell as I huff down towards where Jesse is parked. His eyes follow me closely, and I realize he's searching me for a negative reaction so that he has an excuse to ban me from going back. I quickly plaster a content expression on my face as I walk towards the passenger side and open the door.

"Hey—"

"How was it?" he asks immediately as I toss my bag inside and get in after it. I roll my eyes.

"Just fine."

"You get a break?"

"Yep."

"How long?"

"Fifteen minutes."

"You get access to water?"

"Uh-huh."

"Tips?"

"A little."

"You have to lift anything heavier than ninety pounds?"

"What, you read the whole rule book?" I ask in irritation, buckling my seatbelt. He raises his hands in defence.

"Hey, I'm just making sure you're working in a safe environment," he says airily, turning the key in the engine. He glances sideways at me as I cross my arms and blow a piece of hair from my eyes. "You have fun?"

"I did," I say, painting a smile on my face with artist's precision. He nods, shifting the car into drive and pulling off the side of the street.

We drive in silence, and I stare out the window at the now dark streets. As we turn into the Tanner's neighborhood, I feel Jesse look over at me.

"So, your first day of school tomorrow," he states, "you excited?"

"Ecstatic," I answer dryly, "not sure I'll be able to sleep tonight."

He smiles, despite my sarcasm. "You'll have fun. You're a smart kid, I can tell."

"I get it from my mom," I answer, and he swats me upside the head as I grin. He mirrors my expression, shaking his head, and I turn my attention back out the window, feeling slightly better.

~

The next morning, I wake up to a sharp knock at my door.

"Time to wake up!"

I roll over and groan, and the knocking repeats.

"We're leaving in twenty minutes, so if you want breakfast you'll get up now!" Jesse's voice is farther away as he walks away from my door, and I cherish the warmth of my closet bed for one more minute before letting out a resigned sigh and pushing my covers off. I open the door, looking around at the empty hall before trundling over to the bathroom.

I look tired, and I splash some water on my face before brushing my teeth and staring at the pile of DJ's unwanted clothes that Danny donated to me after seeing that I only had four shirts and three pairs of pants. I scoff. I'd sooner go to school naked than wear any of it, so I just put on my flannel and same old jeans and make a mental note to go steal some more clothes after school.

School. I haven't been to school in a couple years. It's gonna be strange being back. I'm not sure I miss being forced to sit in a hot room with a bunch of sticky kids for seven hours.

Nevertheless, I make myself decently presentable, prodding at my black eye before sighing and leaving it. I get downstairs just as Stephanie pulls her shoes on.

"Here!" she says, tossing me an apple before dashing out the door. I catch it and follow her, climbing into the back seat as Joey starts the engine. He turns to me.

"Jesse made you lunch," he says, handing me a paper bag. I peek inside, seeing a messily made sandwich and a bunch of loose crackers. I snort.

"Lovely."

"Everyone buckled up?"

"Yep."

"Yep."

"Yep."

"No you're not." Steph points a finger at me, and I give her a sour smile.

"Let me teach you a valuable lesson, kid." I lean closer and beckon her in, lowering my voice. "No one likes a snitch."

"Put your seatbelt on, Alex," Joey says as Steph giggles, and I roll my eyes, complying.

We pull into the parking lot five minutes later, and I feel my nerves begin to surface before I push them down. I find myself wishing Jesse had been the one to drive us, but I hop out of the car regardless, taking a bite out of my apple and peering around.

The school is big, a lot bigger than I remember my school being back in Sacramento. As I begin walking towards it, Stephanie falls into step next to me.

"That's your school." She points towards the building I entered the other day, and then moves her finger farther to the right. "And that's mine."

"It's conjoined?" I ask, and she nods.

"Have a good day girls!" Joey shouts from the opened window as DJ hops from the passenger side. "Don't learn too much, or you'll be smarter than me!"

His hearty chuckle carries out the window as he drives off, and I roll my eyes, staring up at the front doors.

"What, scared?" asks DJ tauntingly as she passes me. "Don't worry, the teachers only bite if you fail."

She snickers as she walks off, and I shoot daggers at her back for a moment before finding the courage to move my feet.

I head for the office, because otherwise I have no idea where to go, and they give me a schedule and a map and send me off.

I then stand in the hallway, staring down at the slip of paper in my hand and swearing under my breath.

"Ms Lawson's class is that way," says a voice, and I jump about a foot into the air before whirling around to see the boy from the other day, Percy, standing behind me. His black eye has faded somewhat, and I shake my head at him.

"It's rude to sneak up on people," I say, beginning to walk the way he pointed me. Annoyingly, he follows.

"You looked lost."

"Well, I wasn't."

"Wrong way." He places both hands on my shoulders and spins me down another corridor. I scowl at him.

"Right, I think I've got it from here, Peter, thanks."

"It's Percy, actually," he corrects as I stop at a door that says 'Ms Lawson: Math.' I turn to give him a fake smile.

"Right, sorry Perry."

He follows me inside, and I give him a look.

"This is where our journey ends, dude," I say. He just grins and takes one of the two empty seats. The bell rings, and he gestures to the spot next to him.

"Take your seats, everyone!" a stout woman I assume is Ms Lawson walks up to the front, giving me a pointed look. I swear under my breath and plop down next to Percy.

"Now, we have a new student with us," continues the teacher, giving me a warm smile that I don't return. For further indication, she gestures at me with both hands. "Would you like to introduce yourself?"

Not really, I think.

"I'm Alex," I mumble.

"Pardon me?" Ms Lawson says, pointing to her own ear. "I didn't quite catch that."

"Alex," I say through grit teeth, and she grins.

"Alex, wonderful! Welcome to grade eight math!" she gushes. I vomit. We move on.

The class is dull, but as she gets into the curriculum I realize just how behind I am. By the time the bell rings, I'm still staring down at the homework assignment in quiet confusion.

"You know," Percy begins, following my gaze as he packs away his binder, "you really wanna get these assignments done in class. It's super easy to fall behind."

I snatch the paper off the table and crumple it up in frustration. "Whatever."

He watches as I toss it over into the recycling.

"You'll regret that. Assignments are thirty percent of your mark."

I don't say anything, just standing up, grabbing the pathetic notes I took on a scrap piece of paper Percy lent me and leaving the class. I consider going back to get my homework, but the stubbornness in me refuses to turn my steps, and I march all the way down the hall and out the front doors.

I'm home in minutes, marching through the front door and heading straight for the stairs. Before I reach them, Jesse comes in from the kitchen.

"Woah!" he says. "Aren't you supposed to be in school?"

"I quit," I mumble, heading up the steps.

"Woah!" he says again. "Hold it!"

I stop, turning slowly to look at him as he approaches me.

"You just left?" he asks incredulously. I shrug. "Oh, jeez — what was so bad about it? You had one class."

"Yeah, a stupid class," I say childishly. An amused smile creeps onto his face.

"Let me guess. Math?"

I give him a look before turning on my heel and heading upstairs again.

"Hold on hold on!" He reaches over the banister and grabs the back of my flannel, tugging me back down the steps. I sigh in frustration, and his eyes trail to my fist, which is holding my crumpled notes. He holds out his hand, and I roll my eyes, giving them to him.

"Ah." He nods as he flattens out the sheet and examines it. "Algebra. It's tough stuff."

"Oh, shut up." I feel myself heating up, beginning to feel a little ridiculous. I snatch the notes from his hand and stuff them into my pocket, then crossing my arms.

"Look, Alex," Jesse says, still stifling a smile, "school can get hard — don't I know it — but you can't just leave when you're faced with a challenge. That isn't the Katsopolis way."

He puts a hand on my shoulder, and gives his best go at a fatherly look of understanding. I hand him back an unimpressed stare, despite the bite of warmth that itches at me after his words. He sighs.

"Look — I'll drive you back, and you'll go to your second class and you'll see that it's not bad at all," he says, dropping his hand, "sound good?"

"Do I have any other option?" I ask dryly as he walks past me and towards the door. He opens it in answer, and I sigh, walking back through.

"You got up late this morning, so I didn't get the chance to tell you," Jesse starts as we walk down the steps, "but I can't pick you up today — me and Joey have a job offer."

"For?"

"A new jingle."

I smirk. "You write jingles now?"

"Don't start," he says. "Anyway — you have to walk with Deej."

"I think I'll pass, actually—"

"Non-negotiable," he cuts me off, "but — and I'm saying this at a safe distance — Danny had the great idea that you two could go shopping after school. You know, for clothes, school supplies, etcetera."

I stop, giving him a look like he just spit up on himself. "And when Danny suggested this to you you thought 'oh, Alex'll love that.'"

"Hey, I don't like how you and DJ talk to each other, and you started it." He points a finger. "Now I want you to go with her and be nice, all right? For once?"

I roll my eyes. "I'm nice."

"Oh, yeah — you're nice and I'm bald." He snorts. "Anyway — you need some new clothes. I can't see you in that smelly old flannel anymore, and you clearly don't like any of the old clothes Danny gave you."

"You mean I'm not a fan of the lavender overalls? Shocker."

He smirks, then frowns, and suddenly is turning all around like a dog chasing his tail.

"Oh — shoot — I forgot Danny took his car to work," he says in frustration. My face lights up, and upon noticing, he points a finger at me. "No. Absolutely not."

"It seems like we have no other choice," I say dismissively, walking past him and towards the garage. "My class starts in five minutes — I'll be late if we walk."

"Your class started twenty minutes ago, actually," Jesse says, following me as I shrug.

"All the more reason."