//

It's been eight weeks since school has ended. Now, me and the boys are starting high school.

Oh, I'm so nervous. Cory has bothered Eric all summer, doing his homework and going to summer camp, while I've been at home watching the third and fourth season of Beverly Hill, 90210 on TV all summer long.

I wanted to learn from the twins, Brenda and Brandon how high school is. And it's kind of fun...and scary.

Zack's been at summer school since school was let out. I could only help this would help him in high school.

Today, I'm in the bathroom, trying to fix my hair into my usual ponytail before grabbing my backpack and walking downstairs.

"Come on, kids. Hustle," Mom called.

"I'm here," I say as Zack came downstairs too.

"Come on, eat breakfast if you want to be on time for your first day of high school." I grab my toast off the plate and the bacon. "Your first day of high school. You must be so nervous."

"A little," I answer, biting into my strip of bacon.

"Not really. I'm just a little tired," Zack says. "By the way, I found Cory and Shawn's plan."

"What plan?" Mom asked.

"Their weird plan," I answer. "I'm just following along with it. It's to friend the baddest guy in high school, Harley Kiener."

"It's terrible, I'm in," Zack says.

"Do you guys need a ride to school?" Mom asked.

"No thanks," I answer. "I'm going to take the bus with Cory and Shawn."

Mom smiled. "Oh, Shawn..."

I quickly look to Zack. "Mom, please, shush."

"I'm good on a ride to school, Archie's dad is picking me up," Zack answered.

The doorbell rang. I ate the last of my food. "Oh, that must be one of the boys."

I got up, going to the door and opening it. "Betty, I lost the plan," he first said.

I slump. "Hi and good morning to you too."

"Sorry, just a little..."

"Nervous? I am too." I push Shawn back away from my door. "Now, let's go before-"

"Wait," I heard my mom's voice say before she walked out of the kitchen with a camera. "I want to get a picture of my Elizabeth's first day with her best pal." Me and Shawn share a look before smiling. "Oh, come on, you two. Pose. Look excited." I throw my arms around Shawn, both of us grinning wider. Mom snapped a picture. "Amazing."

I grabbed Shawn's arm. "Okay, we're going, mom." I close the door behind me before grabbing my skateboard on my porch.

We made to Cory's house a minute later. We entered through the kitchen door.

"Cory, I lost my copy of the plan," Shawn told him. "I knew I shouldn't have left the old school. I was so cool in the old school. They had no right to pass me. I am an idiot!"

"Shawn, we've been through this on the way here, thirty seconds ago. You're not an idiot," I tell him.

"See? Shawn and Betty are not reinventing himself," Mrs. Matthews motioned to us. "Hold on, Betty is that a jean jacket?" I look down at my jacket. "I thought you hated those things."

"I...figured I might try something new," I reply.

"Shawn are those sideburns?" Mr. Matthews asked.

I just noticed them as Shawn points out to them. "You mean the ones on my face?"

"It's just that when you saw you yesterday, they weren't on your face, were they?" Mrs. Matthews asked, approaching.

"Mrs. Matthews, you just can't accept the fact that Cory, Betty and I are growing up. And we're old enough now to..." She sent him a look. "Buy our own hair."

"Shawny, you've got a glue spot on your cheek," I say, pinching his cheek.

"Oh. Okay, thanks."

"All right, look, we've got all the answers to high school right here," Cory showed us a notebook full of writing. "Having a big brother finally paid off."

"Cor, sign this," Eric gave him a paper.

'"With regard to my brother, Eric Matthews,'" Cory read. "Hereafter referred to as Oh, Great One, I, Cory Matthews, hereafter referred to as insignificant speck, pledge never to contact the Great One, verbally or non-verbally, during any and all school hours, from this day forward, forever and ever.'" Cory looked to Eric. "Amen."

"Hey. Nice to see you're looking out for your brother on his first day," Mr. Matthews told Eric.

"Dad, word gets out I'm related to a seventh grader, I lose all my status. I mean, I might as well just strap on a tuba and join the band."

"So your social status means more to you than your brother?" Mrs. Matthews asked.

"Mom, look, I don't like walking all over Cory any more than you do. It's just to keep up appearances. I mean, he's my brother." He wrapped an arm around Cory. "Of course I love him." Then walked away.

Mr. Feeny walked in. "Amy, Alan," he noticed me and the boys. "Etcetera."

"So Mr. Feeny, are you feeling any regret that you're losing us from your class?" Cory asked.

"Ms. Cooper, yes. You two, no."

"What can we do for you, George?" Mr. Matthews asked.

"There is a large, rusty object, blocking not only my driveway, but most of the light into my kitchen."

"That's my new car," Eric told him.

"May I assume it moves?"

"Sure, like the wind. Especially downhill. Oh, you want me to move it?"

"Well, we certainly can't count on anyone stealing it."

Eric followed Mr. Feeny out, Shawn said, "You know, it just hit me. High school means we're through with Feeny."

"This is the greatest day of our lives," Cory grinned.

"Yes!" Both boys exclaimed before doing their handshake, but stopped in the middle of it.

"You know what, Shawn? We're in high school now," Cory said.

"Yeah, we do have to be cooler," Shawn said as they did a new one.

"I actually like the one they always did," I tell Mr. Mrs. Matthews.

***

We left for school, entering through a door.

"This is it!" Cory slammed the door open.

"Ouch!" I heard, but I ignored it.

"High school! What happens to us now will determine our entire futures."

"We're gonna own this place," I say, positively.

Shawn looked to us. "Are my sideburns on straight?"

"Shawn, what are you worried about?" I chuckle.

"Look, it's just a school," Cory said.
"There's the lockers. There's a class and..." A kid walked by. "A kid in his underwear."

"They took my clothes!" he said.

"Who?"

"Seniors. Seniors took my clothes."

"Why?"

"Just 'cause I'm a new guy."

"Well, I'm a new guy."

"Well, good luck to ya."

I look to Cory nervously now as Shawn said, "Uh, Cor?"

"No, no. Don't worry about it. He must've had it coming," Cory tried.
"He must've done something-

"Hey!" A bigger kid called, picking Cory up and pinning him to the lockers.

"What did I do?!" Cory exclaimed.

"You were almost in my way."

Cory pulled out his notebook. "You're Frankie Stecchino, right?"

Frankie put him down. "Yeah, how'd you know?"

""Strong territorial sense."

"We are just looking for our homeroom, you know?" Shawn chuckled.

"It's in there," the smaller one pointed to the lockers.

Shawn looked at the lockers. "In there?"

"Right there."

"Thank you." Shawn opened an empty locker. "Thank you very much. Hey, I'm the first one here."

"Shawn, don't leave me here," I whisper, but he already closed the locker. "Shawn."

"And what about you, Barbie?" the short one asked. "Why are you here?"

"It's a school," I say, but I thought, What would Dylan McCay do? "And don't call me Barbie."

"What did you just say?"

"Betty," Cory whispered.

"You heard me." I cross my arms, giving the stink eye.

Frankie looked to the smaller one. "That's never happened before. I like this girl." Then turned to Cory. "And now for you. Why was you almost in my way?"

"You know, if I was in my homeroom, I wouldn't be anywhere near your way," Cory said.

"Huh?"

"I think he's saying, that if he was someplace else, he wouldn't be here," the shorter one answered.

"What? You saying I'm gay?" Frankie asked.

"No. No, I didn't say that. Come on, let's finish him off."

"No, I need to be alone with my thoughts."

Frankie and him walked away. Cory opened the locker. "I think we can go now."

"No, thanks. I think I feel a lot safer in here."

I walk towards the locker. "Shawny, please."

"But the view is better out here," he said, stepping out of the locker.

"Shawn, if Harley Keiner's the biggest and meanest, then who are those two who almost killed us?" Cory asked.

"What if they were the nice guys?" Shawn asked. "What if they're the welcoming committee?"

What is this place?"

I grin as I recognize a familiar face. "Hi."

Both boys jumped before we all hug- "Topanga!"

"What's with you guys?" Topanga asked.

"I'm normal," I say.

"We just missed you, that's all," Cory told her. "Walk in front of us."

Shawn moved me next to Topanga. "Yeah, walk in front."

"What are you staring at?" Topanga said.

"Uh, nothing," Shawn said. "New blouse?"

"Yeah, I got it over the summer.

"Summer was very good to you."

"Yeah, well, at least what I grew is real," she said before taking off Shawn's sideburns.

"Ouch!" he said.

I began to smile and hug Topanga again. "Oh I missed you, Topanga."

"Oh, I missed you too, Betty," she replied before the bell went off.
"That's homeroom. I checked the list, we're all together. Room 218. We have Mr. Turner."

Cory looked over the notepad. "Turner...Turner..." He looked up. "He's not on here. What if he was so bad, Eric didn't want to tell me anything? What if he was just like Feeny? Only Feenier."

"Teachers," Shawn said. "The one thing here, I am not afraid of. I haven't met one yet that I couldn't take down.

A guy dressed in a leather jacket and sunglasses greeted us. "Hey!"

"Hey," we all greeted.

"That is Harley, I know it," Cory said.
"That is Harley Keiner.

"That guy's gotta be 30 years old," Shawn said as the guy was using the pay phone.

"He's a lifer. I think I made a very good first impression."

"I don't think so, Cor," I say.

"I'm telling you, Betts. It's him." Cory went up to him. "Excuse me. Excuse me. Sir? My name's Cory Matthews and I want to be your friend."

"Cool," the guy replied with.

"Yeah. I'll hold your coat for you, I'll stand in lunch line for you. I'll even do detention for you."

"Yeah, nice offer. Why don't you just do the homework?"

"I'm not sure you want me doing your homework."

"I want all my students doing the homework."

I was hoping Cory would catch on, but he didn't. "You're so mean they gave you students?"

"They give all the teachers students.
I'm Jonathan Turner. You can call me Mr." The bell rang. "You're late."

"I like high school now," I say, going into homeroom.

***

In homeroom-

"Okay, I'm here for homeroom," Mr. Turner said. I'm here for English and I'm here anytime you just wanna talk."

"Cool," Cory said.

"Did I say you could talk?"

"I thought so-"

"You trouble, Matthews? You the guy who's gonna bring down the new teacher?"

"No, sir, that would be Shawn."

"Cory," I hiss.

"I mean that-"

"No, Matthews," Mr. Turner cut him off. "Good man, good man. "Shawn-Wait, don't tell me. Don't tell me.

Now, if Shawn is real trouble, Shawn is really gonna try to avoid making eye contact with-Hi, Shawn."

Shawn turned to Mr. Turner reluctantly. "How ya doing?"

"I'm good. So, Shawn, buddy-You know anything about The Odyssey?"

"Yes, I do."

"Yeah, besides that it's a book."

"No, I don't."

"Okay. Who knows what odyssey means?" Topanga raised her hand. "What's your name?"

"Topanga."

"Topanga," he called.

"It means a difficult journey."

"Yes, it does. An epic journey. About a guy just trying to get home alive. In fantasy worlds, with characters who have these ancient notions about loyalty and heroism."

"Yeah, who wants to read that?" Cory asked.

"Yeah, apparently you do." Mr. Turner approached. "What is that, X-Men?"

"No, it's-"

Mr. Turner already snatched the comic. "What, I don't know X-Men when I see it? It's a great issue, wasn't it?"

"You read X-Men?"

"Do I read X-Men? Fantasy worlds, epic heroism...Yeah, I read X-Men. In fact, let's all read X-Men. Your assignment is to read The Odyssey and this issue of X-Men."

"Finally! A cool teacher."

"My friend, Mr. Matthews, will lead the discussion on the similarities and the differences."

Cory leaned towards us. "Feeny with an earring."

***

After class-

"Guys, he's on to us. He singled us out on the first day," Cory said.

"No, Cory. He singled you out on the first day," I say.

"You singled me out," Shawn adds.

"Sorry," Cory said. "So, where's the next stop on this misery bus?"

"Uh, Earth Science," I read my schedule, looping my arm with Shawn's.

"Let's go," he said as the bell rang.

"I don't have Earth Science," Cory said. "I've got History."

I shook my head. "No. You mean-"

"We're gonna be separated?"

Students came in, seperating me and Shawn from Cory. "No! Cory!" we yell as we were pushed further away.

***

At lunch-

Me and Shawn pushed open the doors. "Well, you got off to a rocky start, but at least you made it to lunch," Cory said.

"Yep, my last meal," Cory sighed. "Chicken."

"How appropriate," I chuckle.

"You know, I wish it'd been macaroni and cheese," Cory said as we put down our trays. "Because when Harley punches me and I puke on him, it makes a bigger mess."

"Good thinking," Shawn remarked.

"Here's better thinking, ask your brother for help," I tell him.

"I can't. I signed that contract."

Me and Shawn share a look. "We can help with that," Shawn said.

We both stood up, approaching Eric's table. "Oh, great one," Shawn whispered.

"What are you doing here, Shawn and Betty?" Eric asked quietly then tried to cover it up. "I-I'm just calling them that. I don't know that their names are Shawn or Betty or anything."

"Too bad," a girl looked at him.

Shawn chuckled while I did too much dryer.

"He's mine," I whisper only low enough for her to hear causing her smile to fade.

"Well?" Eric asked.

"Okay, it's about your brother," I whisper.

"It's school hours. I have no brother."

"Yeah, and at 3:00, you'll really have no brother," Shawn told him before we walk back to our table.

"You think he'll be okay?" I ask Shawn.

"Hard to say, if Eric doesn't help. He's toast."

Harley Keiner walked in. "All right, who took the last piece of chicken?! I'm gonna kill the guy who took the last piece of chicken."

"He kind of looks like Dylan McKay, but a meaner version," I sigh. "90210 lied to me." A girl looked in Shawn's direction causing me to rest my head on his shoulder.

***

It was finally three o'clock and I found Cory as quickly as I could.

"Hi, Cory," I greet. "Got here as quick as I could."

"I want you to know, that whatever happens, I'm right here with you," Shawn tells him.

I smile. "Me too, buddy."

"Thanks, guys," Cory said. "But I'm pretty sure this is something I gotta face alone."

"Well, I don't know. It just doesn't feel right leaving you here."

A girl came downstairs. "There you are, Shawn."

"Now it feels right." He walked away with her.

Okay, I'm angry. "Great, but I'm not leaving you, Cor-"

"Hey, Betty." Archie greeted. He was different. No more glasses or braces. "I was going to celebrate the first day of school with an ice cream cone. Wanna go?"

I look to Cory nervously. "Go on, Betts," he told me.

I walk over to Archie, looping my arm with his. "Yeah, let's go." I smile.

***