Episode 1: Another School Year

CHAPTER 1: READY, NOT READY ALREADY

Charlie Brown was getting dressed for school. He was excited and nervous at the same time. He was excited because he could begin the new school year on a high note, as he and his friends were starting fourth grade this year. On top of that he finally had a girlfriend in Frieda, the girl with the naturally curly hair. As it turned out, she harbored a crush on him since Linus first introduced them. She didn't previously act upon her feelings only because she was nervous about what other kids would think. And she was also nicer to Charlie Brown than some of the other girls, barring Peppermint Patty and Marcie. So she finally told Charlie Brown how she felt about him and was the first girl in school to give him a valentine on Valentine's Day. They've been inseparable ever since.

He was also nervous because even with Frieda by his side, he was still very much Charlie Brown. While his baseball team had their best showing in who knows when, not losing games at huge margins as they usually did, he was still losing games. He was a bit more optimistic about it than he had been in the past. But he was also nervous because he still didn't think folks respected him enough to think he would be good at something. Although he had improved a bit on his personality, some of the flaws were still prevalent. But with the support of Frieda, Linus, Sally, and Snoopy, he felt like he could deal with any trouble that came his way.

Sally, on the other hand, was not excited about starting school. In fact, she was even more nervous than her brother. She was starting second grade and that meant more homework than she had before. Not that she looked forward to going to school in the first place. Every year school started up, she had some sort of complaint. On top of that, she heard that her teacher was very strict. She was very nervous about that.

"What if the teacher sends me to the dungeon?" she asked her brother. "They'd lock me up and I wouldn't see the light of day until I was 25!"

"They don't have a dungeon at school, Sally," Charlie Brown replied. "If you're bad, they may ask you to stay after school, but they wouldn't put you in a dungeon."

"Why would they make you stay after school? If school was already out, why would they keep you there? They had already taught us for the day!"

"You'd stay after school for what they call 'Detention,'" said Charlie Brown. "If you pushed a kid on the playground, or didn't do your homework, they'd make you stay after school for detention and you either sit at a desk moping, or they'd make you write one hundred lines on the marker board."

"Remind me not to push anyone on the ground," Sally said as she grabbed her backpack. Charlie Brown grabbed his backpack as well and they both grabbed their lunches and left for the bus stop. As they were leaving they walked by Snoopy's doghouse and spotted the beagle doing some work inside his house. He was too busy to pay attention to the two kids.

At the Van Pelt house, Lucy was trying to get Rerun from under his bed as he usually did when he didn't want to go to school. Linus was already getting his stuff together. He also walked into Rerun's room to see if he came out yet.

"Come on, Rerun," said Lucy, her patience wearing thin. "We're going to be late!"

"No," said Rerun, "you two are going to be late. I'm staying right here until next summer. Or Christmas, whichever comes first."

"But you start first grade today," protested Linus. "It's a big day for you."

"I'm too young to deal with this much pressure!" Rerun exclaimed. "I'm only six years old!"

"Look Rerun," Lucy started, "we don't like going to school, either, but we know we have to. If we're going to make it in this world, we need the education. Think of it as going to work, like mom and dad. They have to leave for work, too, just like we need to go to school. Besides that, it's Macaroni Monday today."

"Well, I do like macaroni and cheese," Rerun said, pondering. "Okay, I guess I'll go, seeing that it's Macaroni Monday." He crawled from under his bed and got his stuff. Soon, the Van Pelt siblings were out the door, as well.

Frieda was walking down the sidewalk towards the bus stop. She was singing to herself a song she had learned for a show she did during the summer. She was in a talent show over the summer break. Charlie Brown, of course, Linus, Lucy, Sally, Snoopy, and Schroeder were there for support. It wasn't a contest where someone would win a prize, but a showcase of different talent around the tri-county region. She had gotten a standing ovation, making her friends proud. When she got to the bus stop, Charlie Brown, Sally, and Schroeder were already there.

"Hey Schroeder, Sally," she greeted.

"Hi, Frieda," they both greeted.

"Hey handsome," she said to Charlie Brown, who blushed right away.

"Hi, Frieda," said Charlie Brown, happy to see her. They kissed each other. "How are you?"

"I'm great this nice day," Frieda said. "The morning's not too cool; the birds are chirping, plus a whole new school year is about to begin. And I'm with my favorite boy." And she held Charlie Brown's hand. At that moment, Lucy, Linus, and Rerun came walking up.

"Hey everybody," greeted Lucy. "I'm glad we made it on time, in spite of SOMEONE almost making us late." She glared at Rerun, who only smiled nervously and turned red with embarrassment.

"Who do you have for your teacher this year, Charlie Brown?" asked Linus.

"Someone named Mrs. Edmonton," answered Charlie Brown.

"Looks like we're in the same class again," Linus responded. "That's who I have as well. I hope she's as good as Ms. Othmar was."

"Well I got Mr. Garrett," said Lucy. "I heard he's the most handsome teacher in the school. You hear that, Schroeder? You may have some competition."

"Take her, Mr. Garrett, PLEASE!" retorted Schroeder.

"I have Mr. Garrett as well," said Frieda. "I don't care if he looks like George Clooney, Brad Pitt, or Robert Patterson put together, my eyes are only for Charlie Brown."

"Thanks, Frieda," Charlie Brown said.

"I feel the same way," Sally added. "No good-looking teacher will ever take the place of my Linus!" She hugged Linus's arm.

"YOUR LINUS?!" he retorted. "Who do you have anyway, Sally?"

"I have Mr. Frumple," said Sally.

"Mr. Frumple?!" shouted Lucy. "What in the world kind of name is that?"

"I don't know, but I did see him during orientation," Charlie Brown said. "Let's just say he was a very rotund, sloppily-dressed person. I heard he's very strict and takes no prisoners. Sally even thought he'd throw her in a dungeon if she was bad."

"We have no dungeons at school," Rerun reasoned.

"Who do you have, Rerun?" asked Charlie Brown.

"Looks like I got Mrs. Halverson," he said.

"She's also a good teacher, Rerun," said Linus. "You'll like her."

At that moment the bus arrived to take the kids to school. They all boarded and the then the bus left for school.

NEXT CHAPTER: NEW KID IN TOWN