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(Roswell Elementary #1)
By Emily
Max Evans spread the sleeping bag out on the floor. His best friend Michael Guerin was staying over tonight. It was their last night of freedom. Tomorrow they'd be going back to school. But at least they would finally be at the top of the totem pole. They were in 5th grade at last!
Max brought out the crumpled sheet of paper with their class list printed on it for at least the five thousandth time since he received it a week ago. He stared at Liz Parker's circled name. Last year in 4th grade, he hadn't been in her class. But this year, he could see her for hours every single day. Well, Monday through Friday anyway. Max couldn't think of anything more perfect.
"Are you still looking at that dumb thing?" Michael asked, getting annoyed. He was always on edge lately. It was even worse now that summer was over and he had to return back to school. "I'm gonna tear it up and throw it out the window if you don't quit it!"
"I gotta make it so that she sits next to me," Max said suddenly.
"What do you mean?" Michael asked warily.
Max didn't say anything... But he had a look on his face. That stubborn look he got. And Michael started to get worried.
"You're not talking about using your powers, are you?" Michael was shocked.
"Shhh!" Max hushed.
"Max, we don't know how to control them real good," Michael said a little quieter.
"No, you don't know how to control them real good," Max corrected with a smile.
"That's not true!" Michael protested. "You're not that much better than me!"
"Look, I don't want to get in a fight," Max replied. "But I gotta do it, Michael. It's Liz!"
"Yeah, right, it's Liz..." Michael said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "It all makes sense now."
Max tossed a pillow at Michael's head. Michael caught it, shot a long angry glance at Max, and sighed. Max's stupid crush on Liz Parker was going to get them in big trouble. He just knew it.
Liz Parker and her best friend Maria DeLuca huddled together outside of school. Pow-wow time. It was a tradition. They giggled and whispered together, looking around every once in a while to keep up with what was going on around them.
Just then, Maria spotted Alex Whitman. They had grown very close last year when they were in the same class, because Maria had been separated from Liz.
Now she wasn't sure what to do. Could she still be friends with Alex this year now that they were all in the same class? She hoped so. She really wanted Liz to like Alex. She wanted them all to be friends. She was always talking to Liz about how cool Alex was. He better not blow it!
"Alex!" she called. "Over here!"
Alex came running towards them, grinning. He fidgeted uncomfortably in the suit his mom had made him wear. "Maria, hey!" he said happily.
Maria moved back a little so Alex would have room to join them. "Alex, this is Liz," she said proudly, feeling the unity.
Liz stared at the gawky, skinny, dark-haired boy with the infectious smile. Her own smile appeared before too long. She was immediately taken with him. "Hi, Alex," she said warmly.
Alex's grin spread even wider, if that was even possible. Maria was absolutely tickled. They liked each other! She excitedly grabbed both of their hands. She looked at Liz for a moment, silently asking permission. Liz nodded.
"Alex," Maria said. "We like to do this little pow-wow thing before school starts..."
When they walked into the classroom a few minutes later, quite a few kids were already there. They all stared at each other guardedly. Liz nervously chose a desk. Maria immediately took the one next to hers. And Alex decided to sit behind Liz.
The room began to fill up as more and more kids trickled in. Nobody really said much. That's the way it always went on the first day of school. But that would quickly change as they grew more used to each other. Maria looked around, wondering if any of these strange kids would one day become a future friend.
Just then, the door squeaked open once again. Michael Guerin, Max Evans, and his sister Isabel Evans stepped through the doorway. Those three always traveled in a pack. Maria thought it was really weird how they always managed to get into the same classroom. Some kids had all the luck.
Maria blinked as the class collectively drew in a gasp. She squinted. Was that really Isabel? She was positively scrawny last year. But now she looked so... so... grown-up! Her eyes widened as she turned to Liz in surprise.
A giggle escaped from them both. They turned to look at Alex, wanting to include him in their amusement. But he was just staring at Isabel in stunned disbelief.
Maria looked around. In fact, nearly every boy in class was looking at Isabel in the same way. And all the other girls were giving Isabel dirty looks. Maria didn't really understand what was going on with everybody.
Then that disgusting troublemaker Michael Guerin picked her to sit behind. Just her luck. Maybe their teacher would move his seat somewhere else. She hoped so.
Michael glared distrustfully at the back of Maria DeLuca's head. She was always chattering away like a brainless little bird. She would be really fun to torture this year.
Isabel and Max sat in the back together. Max gazed longily up where Liz was sitting. Kyle Valenti was sitting in the seat that would soon be Max's, taking a load off his cowboy boots. But not for long! Max smiled to himself.
Just then, a man entered the classroom. His purposeful stride and stern mannerisms made everybody want to face forward and pay attention. It was Mr. Raddish, their teacher.
Liz sighed as she stared at him. He was handsome!
Mr. Raddish adjusted his bow-tie, pushed his glasses up his nose, and began to speak. "Good morning, class," he began. "Welcome to 5th grade. I am your teacher, Mr. Raddish. We're going to be learning a lot about science this year. It's a great fascination of mine. And I hope to pass my passion on to you..."
Michael's head swam as Mr. Raddish's voice droned on and on. It was all the same to him. It didn't matter what he did. Every year, without fail, his teachers wound up hating him. He had a 'reputation'.
Alex grinned in spite of himself. Was it just him or did that Mr. Raddish have a really big round head? Just like a radish. He immediately dubbed him Mr. Radish-Head. He couldn't wait to share that with Maria and Liz.
He turned his head slightly so he would have a view of Isabel Evans. She had grown amazingly beautiful over the summer. And what a body! She was really smart too. And just as pretty on the inside as she was on the outside. He could tell. Someday... he thought to himself. Someday.
And Liz sat up as straight as she could. She was probably the only one in the entire classroom that was absolutely fascinated by Mr. Raddish's introductory speech. So he liked science... She vowed that she would become the best scientist in the class just for him.
Still speaking, Mr. Raddish walked down the aisle that would take him right by Kyle Valenti's desk. Max smiled. Now was his chance. He briefly closed his eyes, willing Kyle's pencil to roll softly off the desk and right into Mr. Raddish's path.
It happened an instant later. Mr. Raddish slid awkwardly across the floor while the class erupted into laughter. Mr. Raddish indignantly reached down to pick up the pencil that had caused this little escapade. He turned and looked accusingly at Kyle Valenti. Everybody knew who Kyle was, because he was the Sheriff's son.
"Mr. Valenti," Mr. Raddish began. "You have some explaining to do."
Kyle was confused. "But, but... I didn't--"
"Save it, Mr. Valenti. Pick up your things. I'm moving you to the back." Mr. Raddish looked around, trying to figure out where to put Kyle. His eyes landed on Max. "You," he said, pointing to Max. "What's your name?"
"Uhh, Max Evans, sir," Max managed to squeak out. He could feel everybody staring at him.
"Okay... Kyle, Max. Switch desks. Immediately."
Isabel looked frantically at Max. She didn't want to be stuck next to Kyle. He was such a jerk. And those cheesy cowboy boots were a definite fashion no-no.
But Max didn't notice. He was too busy privately celebrating his victory. He gathered up all his things and practically ran over to take his place at the desk next to Liz's.
She surprised him by giving him a welcoming smile. He just looked shyly down at his desk. He could sense Michael's objection radiating out from somewhere behind him. But he didn't care. He had what he wanted. He was sitting here, next to the most beautiful, most perfect, most wonderful girl in the world. Even if she didn't talk to him, or even look at him for the rest of the year, that smile made it all worth it.
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