Chapter One

"And all students will not be allowed any passes for the remainder of the year."

Waller's voice echoed through the intercalm just as Ray was going to swallow away his bologna sandwich for lunch. The announcement surprised him so much, that he almost choked on it.

Lily laughed. "Nice going there, Ray."

"Yeah, I heard about that announcement," Robbie sighed, picking at his food. "Ed and Ted were telling me about it this morning as I was heading to class. Something about leaving a trail of cookies and their new biology experiment...they said it wasn't there fault, but--"

"Wait," Ray interupted. "You're telling me that this is all Ed and Ted's fault?"

"Not exactly," Robbie explained. "They said that Waller had them all wrong. It was supposed to be for school."

"But Waller didn't believe them, did he?" Lily asked. When she saw that she left the boys speechless, and Robbie chewing on his celeri stick, aiming for the right word to say next, she laughed. "You know what I think of all this?" she chuckled. "I think that Ed and Ted learned a very valueable lesson. I mean, c'mon guys. Leaving trails of cookies?"

This lit Travis up. He smiled. "Lily's right," he said. "It's like Buddha says: 'Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful'."

"Aw, Buddha boy, Buddha boy," Ray sighed, "You've done it again, haven't you? Quoting Buddha...and everything he says...like, uh...Like I always say--"

"Like you always say?" Lily smirked. "Ray. You don't always say anything. You always say everything."

"Hey Lily," Ray struggled, coming to his own defence, "I always say something. I'm not some stuipid geek who always says the first thing that comes to his mind all the time."

"Um, Ray," Robbie put in, "Yes. You are."

"Huh?" Ray squinted his eyes, trying to decipher these alternate beings that he thought were supposed to be his friends. "I thought I knew you guys. I really thought I did. And now you're...you're all not believing in me, aren't you? Huh? Well, I'll tell you what I think about that, I think--"

"Ray!" Lily stopped him with a punch on his shoulder. Ray gave a face, but still massaged the indent of where Lily had slapped him.

"Hey. That hurt," he said, giving out a little whimper. Lily rolled her eyes.

"Well guys," Robbie said, a little relieved, a little distracted, both at the same time, "I've gotta go. I'll see you later."

"Wait. Where do you think you're going?" Lily asked. "What, all of a sudden you're just going to get up and ditch your closest friends?"

"No. I have to go and meet someone. I'll be right back. Besides. Here comes Audrey. I'm sure you'll want to talk to her...Travis..."

Travis looked up at Robbie, giving him a half smile. They all knew about their current fight, but it was all getting back together, slowly but surely. Though it was rumored that Travis had somebody else on his mind.

Ray gaped at Travis in a protective motion towards Lily. Lily and Ray had just decided on being friends for now, but Ray still had his hopes up. He had been crushing on Lily since the first time he laid eyes on her--

As a small, loose-toothed seven-year-old, when she had moved into the neighborhood.

Within a heartbeat, Robbie was gone, and Audrey came to take Robbie's seat. "Hey guys," she greeted. Then, looking at Travis, she smiled. "Hi, Travis."