Sorry everyone!
I didn't intend for this chapter to take so long but I'm suffering from
serious writer's block. I've been
working on other chapters. Now that its nearing fall, I'm hoping my brain
will start thinking about school
so I can FINALLY finish this chapter and get to the good stuff!! (
Thanks for your patience!
Liz
Max, Liz and Sera waved as they approached Michael and Maria at the entrance of the cafeteria.
Sera noticed Kyle's absence and regarded Maria with a quizzical look.
"He was dragged off by the no-necks. Apparently they wanted to celebrate his being named
captain."
"Wonderful. That means we'll be graced with a testosterone overloaded Kyle in Study
Hall." Sera said turning to Max.
"And that's different from regular Kyle how?" Max joked, dropping Liz's hand long enough
to select two cherry colas from the soda machine.
"Too true!" Sera laughed. "OK, I'm new here and all so someone's going to have to walk me
through the cafeteria. What's edible, what to avoid with a ten-foot pole. Et cetera."
"As a general rule. Avoid anything you don't bring yourself." Michael deadpanned waving
his brown paper bag at Sera.
"Great! Now you tell me! Well, there's a salad bar, that can't be too bad right?" she asked
hopefully looking at each of her friends.
"Or, A voice sounded in her ear. "You could eat the Kung Pao Chicken and Szechuan Beef
that I got from The Golden Wok."
Sera turned to see Isabel carrying four paper bags ornamented with the jade green dragon symbol
of The Golden Wok.
"What are you doing here?" She asked as she hugged her friend.
"My class was 9-12, and I figured that this being the first day of school you guys needed a
special break."
"Uh huh." Sera said narrowing her eyes at Isabel.
"OK, OK my study group wanted to dine at McDonalds after class!"
"Again? Geez your study group really digs their Big Macs!"
"Yes apparently the attendees of Roswell Community College believe that McDonalds is a
gourmet restaurant. During our summer workshop I know they ate there 3 out of 4 days."
Iz recalled with a shudder.
"Well, I have no problem taking these off your hands." Sera said as she reached for two of the
bags Isabel was holding.
They walked outdoors to the courtyard and found a table. Iz and Sera began emptying the bags as
everyone else rubbed their hands together in anticipation.
Everyone dug into to the fabulous food with gusto. A few minutes later, a dripping wet Kyle
flopped down between Iz and Sera.
"My two favorite girls!" Kyle said starting to put his arm around both of them.
"I'd reconsider that!" Iz said with a stern look as she avoided his arm.
"TWO favorite?" Maria asked looking pointedly at her almost-brother.
"Three..FOUR favorite." Kyle backpedaled when he noticed Liz smirking at him.
"See Kyle, you're not allowed to play favorites around these four." Max said as he absently
ran a hand through Liz's long dark hair.
"What happened to you?" Sera asked setting her chopsticks down and examining her boyfriend.
"This is what the football team considers congratulating someone when they make captain.
Attack by water balloons and water guns. Hence, a very soaked Kyle."
Iz snorted as she rolled her eyes. "Boys!"
"Hey it wasn't just the guys.some of the cheerleaders did it too."
"Guess my invitation got lost in the mail." Sera remarked dryly taking another bite of her Kung
Pao Chicken.
"It was just a couple of the girls."
"Really? Which ones?" Maria asked although she was pretty sure she knew the answer.
"You know Vicki, Amy, Amber and Mam." The last name was muffled as Kyle swiped his
hand across his mouth.
"I'm sorry. What was that Kyle? We didn't quite hear you." Liz grinned evilly at her friend's
discomfort.
"Pam." Kyle said in a quiet voice, then tilting his head to peek at his girlfriend.
Sera looked from Kyle to Maria, Liz and finally Isabel before commenting.
"That must have been nice!"
"Pam Troy still chasing the not so eligible bachelors of Roswell?" Iz asked with a grimace.
"Of course and your brother and mine are at the top of the list." Maria said dryly.
"Lucky them!"
"She's harmless." Kyle began before being cut off by the girls.
"No she's not!!"
"Get with it Valenti, even I know that!" Michael's first reply since the food was placed in front
of him startled the group.
"Wow, he can talk in the presence of food. I'm impressed." Kyle joked, ducking as Michael
hurled a fortune cookie in his direction. **************************************************************************** **
Lunch was over far too early for the Pod Squad and company. Isabel bid everyone adieu as they
went their separate directions. Max, Kyle and Sera headed for study hall, while Michael dragged
Maria off to the eraser room before heading to the art room to work on his latest drawing.
Mr. Kulick had asked Liz over the summer to be his teaching assistant for Biology 102. Liz
readily agreed since it gave her an hour to do any work she had been assigned in her morning
classes; thus, freeing her of the homework burden during the evening. This way she figured she
could spend her evenings with Max, hanging out at the Crashdown, going out a date, saving the
world, whatever!
In study hall Max, Sera and Kyle choose seats in the back. Kyle pointed out that they were close
enough to the back door that Max could slip out and persuade Liz to ditch Mr. Kulick's class to
log some "Eraser room time."
"What is this eraser room you guys keep talking about?" Sera asked looking at the boys.
Max put on his innocent face and explained. "Its just a room where we clean the chalkboard
erasers."
"They have a room for that?"
"Its so the chalk dust doesn't fly all over the school."
"OK, now I know you're joking!"
"He's serious." Kyle concurred.
"Why don't they just take them outside and clean them if they think there is enough chalk
on them to be damaging to students?"
"Don't look at me. I didn't come up with the idea of the room." Kyle said with a shrug.
Sera ignored her boyfriend and continued on with her questions.
"So, if that's what the room is for, then why does everyone keep talking about it? It sounds pretty
boring to me? And Max why on earth would you take Liz in there on purpose?"
Max couldn't help but laugh at Sera's innocent question. Her perplexed look at his laughter did
nothing but make him laugh harder.
Kyle laughed too and pulled Sera to him.
"Don't worry! I promise to show you what the eraser room is about soon."
Max nearly toppled out of his seat with laughter. **************************************************************************** **
Max, Liz and Sera waved as they approached Michael and Maria at the entrance of the cafeteria.
Sera noticed Kyle's absence and regarded Maria with a quizzical look.
"He was dragged off by the no-necks. Apparently they wanted to celebrate his being named
captain."
"Wonderful. That means we'll be graced with a testosterone overloaded Kyle in Study
Hall." Sera said turning to Max.
"And that's different from regular Kyle how?" Max joked, dropping Liz's hand long enough
to select two cherry colas from the soda machine.
"Too true!" Sera laughed. "OK, I'm new here and all so someone's going to have to walk me
through the cafeteria. What's edible, what to avoid with a ten-foot pole. Et cetera."
"As a general rule. Avoid anything you don't bring yourself." Michael deadpanned waving
his brown paper bag at Sera.
"Great! Now you tell me! Well, there's a salad bar, that can't be too bad right?" she asked
hopefully looking at each of her friends.
"Or, A voice sounded in her ear. "You could eat the Kung Pao Chicken and Szechuan Beef
that I got from The Golden Wok."
Sera turned to see Isabel carrying four paper bags ornamented with the jade green dragon symbol
of The Golden Wok.
"What are you doing here?" She asked as she hugged her friend.
"My class was 9-12, and I figured that this being the first day of school you guys needed a
special break."
"Uh huh." Sera said narrowing her eyes at Isabel.
"OK, OK my study group wanted to dine at McDonalds after class!"
"Again? Geez your study group really digs their Big Macs!"
"Yes apparently the attendees of Roswell Community College believe that McDonalds is a
gourmet restaurant. During our summer workshop I know they ate there 3 out of 4 days."
Iz recalled with a shudder.
"Well, I have no problem taking these off your hands." Sera said as she reached for two of the
bags Isabel was holding.
They walked outdoors to the courtyard and found a table. Iz and Sera began emptying the bags as
everyone else rubbed their hands together in anticipation.
Everyone dug into to the fabulous food with gusto. A few minutes later, a dripping wet Kyle
flopped down between Iz and Sera.
"My two favorite girls!" Kyle said starting to put his arm around both of them.
"I'd reconsider that!" Iz said with a stern look as she avoided his arm.
"TWO favorite?" Maria asked looking pointedly at her almost-brother.
"Three..FOUR favorite." Kyle backpedaled when he noticed Liz smirking at him.
"See Kyle, you're not allowed to play favorites around these four." Max said as he absently
ran a hand through Liz's long dark hair.
"What happened to you?" Sera asked setting her chopsticks down and examining her boyfriend.
"This is what the football team considers congratulating someone when they make captain.
Attack by water balloons and water guns. Hence, a very soaked Kyle."
Iz snorted as she rolled her eyes. "Boys!"
"Hey it wasn't just the guys.some of the cheerleaders did it too."
"Guess my invitation got lost in the mail." Sera remarked dryly taking another bite of her Kung
Pao Chicken.
"It was just a couple of the girls."
"Really? Which ones?" Maria asked although she was pretty sure she knew the answer.
"You know Vicki, Amy, Amber and Mam." The last name was muffled as Kyle swiped his
hand across his mouth.
"I'm sorry. What was that Kyle? We didn't quite hear you." Liz grinned evilly at her friend's
discomfort.
"Pam." Kyle said in a quiet voice, then tilting his head to peek at his girlfriend.
Sera looked from Kyle to Maria, Liz and finally Isabel before commenting.
"That must have been nice!"
"Pam Troy still chasing the not so eligible bachelors of Roswell?" Iz asked with a grimace.
"Of course and your brother and mine are at the top of the list." Maria said dryly.
"Lucky them!"
"She's harmless." Kyle began before being cut off by the girls.
"No she's not!!"
"Get with it Valenti, even I know that!" Michael's first reply since the food was placed in front
of him startled the group.
"Wow, he can talk in the presence of food. I'm impressed." Kyle joked, ducking as Michael
hurled a fortune cookie in his direction. **************************************************************************** **
Lunch was over far too early for the Pod Squad and company. Isabel bid everyone adieu as they
went their separate directions. Max, Kyle and Sera headed for study hall, while Michael dragged
Maria off to the eraser room before heading to the art room to work on his latest drawing.
Mr. Kulick had asked Liz over the summer to be his teaching assistant for Biology 102. Liz
readily agreed since it gave her an hour to do any work she had been assigned in her morning
classes; thus, freeing her of the homework burden during the evening. This way she figured she
could spend her evenings with Max, hanging out at the Crashdown, going out a date, saving the
world, whatever!
In study hall Max, Sera and Kyle choose seats in the back. Kyle pointed out that they were close
enough to the back door that Max could slip out and persuade Liz to ditch Mr. Kulick's class to
log some "Eraser room time."
"What is this eraser room you guys keep talking about?" Sera asked looking at the boys.
Max put on his innocent face and explained. "Its just a room where we clean the chalkboard
erasers."
"They have a room for that?"
"Its so the chalk dust doesn't fly all over the school."
"OK, now I know you're joking!"
"He's serious." Kyle concurred.
"Why don't they just take them outside and clean them if they think there is enough chalk
on them to be damaging to students?"
"Don't look at me. I didn't come up with the idea of the room." Kyle said with a shrug.
Sera ignored her boyfriend and continued on with her questions.
"So, if that's what the room is for, then why does everyone keep talking about it? It sounds pretty
boring to me? And Max why on earth would you take Liz in there on purpose?"
Max couldn't help but laugh at Sera's innocent question. Her perplexed look at his laughter did
nothing but make him laugh harder.
Kyle laughed too and pulled Sera to him.
"Don't worry! I promise to show you what the eraser room is about soon."
Max nearly toppled out of his seat with laughter. **************************************************************************** **
