Episode III: Best Friends, communication problems

"Hey Al, can I come in?" Alex sighed when he saw Max Evens at the door.

"Max, its Alex. Not Al." Alex corrected.

"Alright… Al" Max grinned while Alex briefly wondered weather or he could kill the boy. Alex and Max had never really gotten along. Alex thought that it had something to do with the fact that Maria liked Max and that fact constantly got on his nerves.

"Well can come in?" Max asked once again.

"Uh Michael's studying with Liz at the moment…" Alex quickly said, hoping Max wouldn't catch him on his lie. Unfortunately things where not going well for Alex today.

"Stone-wall Parker studying? Yeah and I'm an illegal alien." Alex paused for a moment and at that Max went ahead and up the stairs.

"Why cant you get names right Max, it's LIZ not Stonewall Parker" Alex said following Max up the stairs.

Fortunately Liz and Michael had heard Max and Alex talking and had gotten out Michael's chemistry book.

"So what's that thing again?" Liz asked just as Max entered the room.

"For the fiftieth time that's a red blood cell" Michael impatiently said as though he had been explaining that fact for the last hour.

"Well what do ya know Stonewall Parker is actually studying…" Max said from the doorway.

"What did I tell you?" Alex said impatiently.

"What do ya want Max?" Liz asked at the same time.

"Actually, seeing as my sister and your sister are having a slumber party over at my house I was wondering if I could stay over here?" Max asked Michael.

"Yeah sure hang on let me ask, MUM!!" Michael yelled.

"YES MICHAEL?"

"MAX IS STAYING ALRIGHT?"  Michael hollered. Liz put her hands over her ears, Alex and Max followed suit.

"YES ITS FINE AS LONG AS HE RINGS HIS MOTHER" Michael yelled back an answer which sounded a lot like 'alright.'

"Yeah you can stay, just…" Michael started.

"Ring my mother yeah, I heard…" Max, said with a grin. Max went downstairs to use the phone and Liz closed the chemistry book with a slam.

"You can't tell him alright"

"Yeah I know, I'll take it to my grave" Michael gave Liz and Alex a grin. After Max came back upstairs Alex and Liz excused themselves and went to Alex's room.

"Ya think he'll tell him?" Liz asked

"Nope Michael may not do a lot of things but the one thing that he does do is keep his promises" Alex told his friend, he then hastily changed the subject.

"So what do ya think of Max?"

"He's alright, more Maria's type then mine though…" Liz said trailing off, she then smiled slyly, "What do YOU think of Max?"  Alex grimaced.

"So I take it you don't like him then?" Alex sighed.

"It's just that we've never really gotten along, with Kyle we like the same things (some of the time) and Michael theirs that unspoken thing that we have to get along when where around our parents but most of the time we don't…" Alex explained. Liz nodded and caught a glimpse of Alex's bedside table clock.

"Do you want to go and help your mum with tea?" Liz asked. Alex looked at Liz shocked.

"What I am aloud to want to get into the whole family thing." Alex nodded.

"Alright lets go down stairs."

To Be continued….