Dad had the kids already enrolled into a local public school so they could resume their education immediately upon arrival. However, this meant they'd be starting two weeks later than everyone else. It was like the first day of school...but much more stressful because everyone else knew what they were doing and where they were going.

Zachary had no clue. And not much help either.

After four hours of running from class to class and generally being an anxious and confused mess, Zachary was relieved when the bell rang for lunch. He spent the first five minutes fixing his locker and backpack. He hadn't had time to put anything away neatly and so was forced to shove everything in haphazardly. He looked around him and saw the halls were already empty for the most part. Just a few people like him and his sisters who were organizing things and a few other people slowly walking so they could talk. Zachary hurriedly grabbed his lunchbox and followed them from a distance, hoping they would lead him to the cafeteria.

"I really need to get a map of this place. Or have Rebecca draw me one..." He walked through a door leading outside into an open area and breathed a sigh of relief as the group of students in front of him turned at a sign reading "Cafeteria".

He was about to follow them in when he heard a noise like a shout. No one was outside with him though. Zachary stood still, listening. After a few seconds he reasoned that he imagined it. He reached for the door handle and then yanked his hand back. There it was again!

He ran around the corner of the building where he heard the sound. A short, black-haired boy with glasses stood up against a wall, pressed there by a taller, stronger guy.

"What are you, deaf? I saaaid pick them up, Carol!"

"My name is..."

"Pick them up!" He yelled in the boy's face.

Zachary wasn't sure what was going on and walked closer. The boy glanced shamefully at him as he proceded to pick up the books around him. He stacked them in his arms and stood up, facing the taller guy again.

"Anything else?"

"Yeah, there's a spider on the wall behind you."

The boy's eyes went wide as his head spun around. Zachary gasped as the tall guy slammed his fist into the bottom of the books, launching them upward into the boy's face and onto the ground again.

"Hey, Carol, you dropped your books again, you stupid nerd!"

Zachary dropped his lunchbox and ran towards them.

"Hey! Knock it off!"

The tall kid spun around. He obviously was in school for the sports and not learning, judging by how muscular he was.

"And who are you, lunchbox?"

"Leave him alone."

"Make me!"

"Don't do something you'll regret. I don't want any trouble."

The kid's face turned into one of mock compassion. "Oh, I'm sorry, neither do I." He walked up to Zachary and offered him a handshake. "I'm Big Jim. Shake my hand, tell me your name."

Zachary narrowed his eyes. "Don't do something you'll regre-"

Without warning, Jim sent a flying punch to Zachary's gut. Or...rather the air where Zachary's gut was. He had leapt nimbly to the side, leaving Jim off-balance and face-first on the ground.

"Oh you'll pay for that, lunchbox!"

In the blink of an eye, he was up and launched himself at Zachary. Zachary jumped backward and spinning to the side, delivered a single punch to the back of Jim's head. He crawled on the ground for a brief moment, struggling, and then collapsed.

Content that Jim wasn't getting up for a while, Zachary approached the boy. "Sorry about that. What's your name?"

"My name's Carl. But half the school calls me Carol. You new here?"

Zachary bent down to collect his books. They were all books on advanced sciences and physics.

"Yeah, my name's Zachary."

"How'd you learn how to fight like that?"

Zachary bit his lip. "I've studied Taekwondo and Karate for years. In my old school, I was bullied a lot more than I care to admit..."

Carl bent down to help. "Well, it was nice knowing you, Zachary. Hope you find another good school."

"What?"

Carl gave a sympathetic smile. "Every new kid that messes with one of CJ's gang gets their butt kicked so hard...they don't return."

Zachary stopped and looked over his shoulder at the unconscious Big Jim.

What had he done?