Jeffy lay tangled in his blanket, his pencil-tipped nose poking from beneath. He groaned, rolling over as the alarm continued to shriek. His father, Marvin, appeared in the doorway, looking both anxious and exhausted. "Jeffy, buddy, it's time for school. You don't want to be late again, do you?" "But, Daddy! School is boring! I wanna stay home and play with Mr. Hippo!" "If you get up and dressed, I'll let you take Mr. Hippo with you—just this once."

Jeffy shuffled to the table, clutching his favorite stuffed hippo. Rose, his mother, placed a plate of pancakes in front of him, while Marvin sipped coffee with a worried frown. "Eat up, sweetie. You need energy for your first day back!" "Can I put syrup on my eggs? And my pancakes? And—" "Just...try not to make a mess, Jeffy."

Marvin knelt to straighten Jeffy's backpack. Jeffy fidgeted, eyes wide as he watched the crowds. "You'll do great, Jeffy. Just listen to your teacher and remember, no trouble." "What if they don't like Mr. Hippo?" "Everyone will love Mr. Hippo. Now go on, you got this!"

Ms. Jenkins, the teacher, greeted each child with a bright smile. Jeffy marched in, helmet on, holding Mr. Hippo high above his head. "Good morning, class! I see we have a special guest today. Who’s this, Jeffy?" "This is Mr. Hippo! He helps me learn super fast!" The other children giggled, whispering, but Jeffy just grinned and took his seat.

Jeffy sat with a group of kids, Mr. Hippo perched beside his lunch tray. Junior, a classmate, eyed the stuffed animal curiously. "Why do you bring a toy to school? Aren't you too old for that?" "Mr. Hippo gives me superpowers. Watch—" Jeffy attempted to balance a milk carton on his head, sending it tumbling into his mashed potatoes. The table erupted with laughter, and even Jeffy couldn't help but join in.

Ms. Jenkins called on Jeffy to solve a math problem at the board. He hesitated, gripping Mr. Hippo for courage. "You can do it, Jeffy. Just take your time." "Um... is it five?" "That's right! See what happens when you try?" The class applauded, and Jeffy's eyes sparkled with pride.

Jeffy burst through the door, waving a smiley-face sticker. "How was school, champ?" "It was awesome! Mr. Hippo and me are the smartest ever!" "We're proud of you, Jeffy. Maybe school isn't so bad after all?" "Only if I can bring Mr. Hippo tomorrow too!" The family laughed together as the sun set, the day ending on a note of warmth and hope.