One week had passed since the trial had ended and Gus had been freed of all charges. Now, though, he was going back to school for the first time in almost two months. Since the high school wasn't scheduled to open back up until the next school year, him and the rest of he students would be finishing out their year at the elementary school.

Gus was nervous. What would it be like going back? But then he reminded himself that it didn't matter what all the other students said about him, because he had the five people who cared about him the most behind him.

He heard a honk, and he looked out his window to see Vince's car in his driveway.

"Bye, mom," Gus said, grabbing his backpack as he ran to the door. "Bye, dad. See you guys tonight."

"Have a good day at school, honey," his mom said.

"What's up, Gus Man?" Vince grinned as Gus climbed into the back seat of the car.

"Feels weird to be going to school in the afternoon," Gus said.

"You get used to it," Gretchen, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, said.

The three of them parked in the parking lot just as Spinelli drove in with her truck. Her, T.J. and Mikey hoped out and headed towards the others.

"So, Gus," T.J. said. "You ready? You haven't been in school for awhile."

"I hope so," he nodded. "I already know I'm going to be behind in my lessons. I have to go to summer school starting in June to make up for the lost time."

"What? That's totally not fair!" Spinelli exclaimed. "It's not your fault you were locking in jail for all that time."

"It's fine," Gus shrugged. "And they've already told me that it's not going to be held against me when I apply for colleges next year, provided I explain everything to the schools I want to go to."

"Well that's good news," Mikey smiled. "Come on, we should get in. It looks like it's about to rain."

The six walked into the school's main hallway, which was flooded with students. When they walked in, though, the commotion that had previously been going on seemed to die down and all eyes were focused on them.

"What are they all staring at?" Gus asked nervously as they parted their way through the crowd.

"Just ignore it," T.J. told him. "Come on; we've checked already. You're in our classroom."

The gang was about to turn a corner when they suddenly found themselves face to face with members of Vince's basketball team and T.J.'s soccer team.

"What do you want?" Vince spat at them. "We're trying to get to class."

"Is this really want you want?" Sebastian said to T.J., crossing his arms. "You're hanging out with total losers! And now you add in that Griswald punk-"

"You better watch it," T.J. said.

"And what about you, Vince?" Cole said. "You used to be on top. You're going to be nothing if you keep hanging out with these freaks."

"Then I'll be happy being nothing," Vince said firmly.

The jocks shook their heads.

"Whatever," Sebastian said, walking past the six, making a point to shove T.J. out of the way as he passed. "Don't say I didn't try to warn you."

"Same here," Cole said as he headed off in the opposite direction with the rest of the basketball team.

"Wow," Gus breathed. "You guys are-are-"

"We told you," Spinelli said. "We're done with them. All of them. It's just the six of us now."

"Come on, let's go find six desks together," Mikey smiled. "It's been far too long since we've all been in that classroom together."

…

AN- Well, this story is officially over. Thanks so much to everyone who supported it; you guys are the greatest!