Chapter 36-The Effects

A/N So, this chapter is based on both 'Kisses and Basketball' and 'Smart and Smarterer', I know Max wasn't in the second one, but, well, you'll see what I've done.

Ever wondered the unusual stresses of being a preteen tomboy? We are often over-looked, but what goes through our minds is nothing like what you see. And going on a pity date with your best friend, has effects. My name is Max, and welcome to my world.

Laura-Stars

"How was your date?" L.E. asked, as I stormed into the house.

"Terrible," I muttered, starting to walk upstairs.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"No!"

"Someone's in a mood," Maurice commented, as I stormed past her. I went straight into my room, and just lay on my bed, starting to cry. At some point Zoey came in and sat on the end of my bed. Slowly, she put a comforting hand on my back.

"You okay Max?"

I shook my head.

"Bad date?"

I nodded, "He just went out with me so I'd play well," I sobbed.

Zoey sighed. "Well, Max, you're too good for him anyway!"

"No offence, Zoey, but I'd kinda like to be alone, is that okay?"

"Yeah, I understand," she smiled, standing up, "first broken heart."

I pretty much cried myself to sleep that night. I didn't go to school the next day either. L.E. didn't seem to care. It hurt, to be honest. My first crush had been forced to go out with me. I probably could've stayed on the date and be happy, but I had pride. I knew Zack had probably told Cody and Tapeworm by now. They probably thought it was so funny. My life was over.

Laura-Stars

"Max, you're gotta come out of your room," Zoey said, coming into my room. I didn't know it'd been so long. "It's the day of the championships."
"Oh yeah," I said, jumping up, "I've got to go!" I told myself.

"Can you handle it?" Zoey checked.

I nodded, although I was nerves.

Soon I was up, ready and dressed. I couldn't believe I hadn't been out of my room for two days. But, I'd been asleep a lot of it. "You okay, Hun?" L.E. asked me as I walked in the door.

"Yeah," I nodded, "I'm not gonna let that dufus get in the way of our winning the championships," I put on a smile, trying too seem happy.

"That's the attitude!" L.E. smiled, "Have fun,"
"I will," came my reply, "As long as Zack doesn't ruin it,"
"That bad, huh?"

I sighed, "It was just a pity date. The guys forced him to ask me out, just so I'd play well!"

"Aw, Honey. Don't worry, everyone has a bad date."

"Yeah," I said, picking up my bag. "I'm gonna go win the championships!"

"Good luck!" she yelled, as I walked out the door.

I needed it. But as I walked into the gym, I tried to look as confident as possible. Arwin was talking to the boys, probably giving them a pep talk.

"Hey guys," I said quietly, lifting an arm.

"Oh, thank goodness you're here," Arwin said, giving me a hug. "We couldn't have done it without you!"

"We didn't think that you were going to show up," Tapeworm admitted.

"It's the championship game, why wouldn't I show up?" I was pretending nothing had happened, or like it hadn't bothered me.

"Because Zack went on a pity date with you and you found out," Cody said with a smile.

Zack moaned, putting his head in his hand.

"Gotta stretch, feeling t-tight," Cody said, noticing the awkwardness.

"Look, I'm not gonna let dufus here get in the way of our winning the championships," I said confidently. I hope. The buzzer went.

"Okay kids, let's get in here," Arwin called. "Alright, alright guys. Let's get out there and kick some…"

"Et-hem," Carey said to get Arwin to not say the next word.

"Fun!" Arwin tried to save. "Okay, teamwork on three," we all put our hands together. "One, two, three,"

"Teamwork," we all said, running out onto the pitch.

Let's just say, the game didn't go well. Zack couldn't even make a simple basket! I get we'd fallen out, but Zack couldn't seem to play!

When the buzzer for the third quarter went, the score was 10-15. Absolutely crap! If Zack tried, maybe we'd be winning! Arwin gathered us all in to talk. "Okay, we're only down by five, and we haven't been playing our best,"
"Zack," I put in.

"Now I don't want to single anybody out,"

"Zack,"

"But we gotta get our heads in the game."

"Right, Zack?" I said with a smile.

"Can't we just talk?" Zack asked.

"No," came my response, as I turned and walked away.

The boys all talked some more, as I waited for the buzzer. When it did go, Arwin screamed like an idiot as we all went out to play. Zack couldn't get the ball in the basket again, so much so that Arwin put Cody in.

I signalled play five while dribbling, but Cody's so stupid!

"Hi Max," he said, waving, as if that was what I was doing.

"No, that means front play five," I explained.

"Oh, that's the one where you fake it to me and give it to Tapeworm," Honestly? Yeah, just tell the other team!

"Okay, play three," I said, signalling as I dribbled round another player. "Cody! Basket," I said, throwing it at him.

"Huh?" Cody asked, as the ball bounce of his head, and miraculously landed in the basket. Everyone cheered at this amazing moment.

"Okay, get in here," Arwin said, as we all ran in. "Zack, Cody's hurt and we need you back in the game,"

"I don't want him back in the game," I argued, "I'd rather have dizzy here,"

"Okay, Max, Zack, I may not know a lot about basketball. But I know a little something about people," Arwin touched us both on the shoulders. "Okay, I know nothing about people," he admitted, "But I do know a lot about machines. And when two cogs aren't meshing it sounds like this," Arwin imitated a machine. "But, when two cogs are meshing, it sounds like this," he made an opera-ish sound.

"Okay," I said, stopping him.

"Now, you two cogs, fix it. Everyone else, clear out. You got 30 second. 29, 28,"

"Arwin," Zack said.

"Sorry," Arwin said, leaving.

Great. Now I had to talk things out with Zack.

"I'm sorry about what happened at dinner," he admitted, quickly.

"You mean the way you pretended to like me, I mean, like me, like me. Just so I would play well," I pointed out sadly.

"I wasn't pretending," he admitted, "Well, at first I was. But then I saw how pretty you looked and how much fun we had and I realized I do like you, like you, like you,"

"Well now I don't like you," I said, folding my arms. "Or like you, like you,"

"At all?" Zack seemed upset.

"Well I did," I told him. "But the like you, liking you made me not like you,"

"10 seconds," Arwin butted in.

"Well that stinks because we used to have a great time together," I was glad Zack cared, "Video games, spit ball, that time we put worms in Cody's pillows,"

"Look," I said, shaking my head, "Is there any way we can just pretend this didn't happen, and go back to being friends?" I was stupid for asking. Of course we couldn't!

"Yeah, friends," Zack lied.

"Good, one bucket and we have the championship, dude,"

"Let's do it, dude," we fist-bumped as the buzzer went and we ran into position.

The other team tried to score, but missed. Tapeworm caught the rebound and passed it to me. I dribbled down court as Zack ran down to be passed to. Everything seemed to be going in slow motion. I bounced the ball under the other teams' legs, and Zack caught it. Turning around as he shot the ball up and it bounced on the top before going in.

I put my hands up in the air in victory as the buzzer went and everyone cheered and screamed. We'd won the championship. Everything seemed perfect as we all high-fived and Carey even kissed Arwin! (Who fainted).

Laura-Stars

Everything seemed perfect. I wish it was. It seemed like Zack and I were friends, just friends, again. But I'm going to tell you the truth. Zack and Cody make out I was the one who distanced myself from them. They probably wouldn't mention some of the things they said to me, some of the ways they acted. It was all because of one kiss, a few seconds ruined a friendship. Forever.

A boy at school, Bob, was allowed to join a regular class for the first time. He had dyslexia, which gave him extra time on tests. Zack didn't know what dyslexia was before speaking to Bob, but when he did it was revealed to be the reason Zack struggled on tests. I went up to Zack at break, while he was talking to Bob.

"Hey Zack," I said with a smile.

"Uh, hi Max," he said, I should've known something was off from that moment.

"I, err, heard about your dyslexia. It's not a bad thing, you know, it just means you learn differently."

"Yeah, how do you know?"

"My sister has dyslexia, she's really clever,"
"Yeah, same sister who nocked someone out and got kicked out of home." He said turning to Bob, as both of them walked away.

"Bye, see you later," I tried, but they ignored me. As much as I tried to ignore it, I knew Zack had found a new best friend. We didn't stop being friends, but we were never as close again.

My name is Max, and welcome to my world. Do I need to say any more?

A/N Yay! Long (ish) chapter! I can't wait to post the next one! Agnes will be introduced soon, and we can also see what Max does for summer vacation. Tapeworm's going to move away as they go into eight grade. Max becomes a bitch (in my opinion) but there's a good reason… I can't wait! Oh, and thanks to 'guest' for the review.