2001

Max's favourite time of day was when he got to hang out with his best friend Zoey. And on days like today, with the sun shining and the birds chirping, that meant walking home from school. Zoey's family had lived across the street from his house for as long as Max could remember and he could remember quite a ways back or so it seemed to him. He could even remember first grade and not everyone did. Still Max liked fourth grade much better than first. Sure, there was more homework, but not nearly as many things to do. He hadn't even had his gaming console back in grade one. Weekends must have been a real drag back then. But the best thing of all about fourth grade was that after months of asking Max had finally got permission to walk home from school without his parents.

Zoey had been walking home from school for ages, but for some stupid reason Max's parents had thought he still needed a ride. It wasn't even really that far anyway and if Zoey was walking then Max wanted to walk with her.

"I almost can't believe they said yes," Zoey said as they put their first steps off school properly and onto the sidewalk.

"Me neither!" Max exclaimed thrilled. He turned, grinning to look at her.

Zoey still had the same beautiful red hair she's always had. Though it was thicker now and came down to her shoulders, it still had a curl in it. Her eyes were brilliant blue which today matched the colour of her sweater. Zoey always wore sweaters to school even when it wasn't cold. Max didn't quite understand why, but as long as she wasn't uncomfortable he supposed it didn't matter.

"So what do you wanna do tonight?" Zoey asked.

"Movie?" Max offered. "Dad bought popcorn yesterday."

"Nice," Zoey said. "Sounds like a plan. So long as we can agree on a movie."

"We've managed it up until now haven't we?"

"True," she replied, turning to narrow her eyes at him. "Though sometimes I think you just cave and let me pick."

Max gasped in mock horror. "How dare you accuse me of such a thing," he said, but it was hard to keep the grin off his face.

"You're just the worse," Zoey laughed, punching him in the shoulder.

"Ow," Max said, laughing.

On a sudden impulse, Max jumped up off the side of the road and began walking along the very edge of the curb, holding his arms out to keep his balance.

"It's only like what three inches to fall," Zoey giggled at him. "What's with the balance beam arms?"

"Don't knock it till you try it," Max replied.

And like he knew she would, Zoey complied, walking behind him with her arms out. Zoey had always found time to tease him, though in the end she followed where he led the same way he followed her.

"Fun right?" Max asked. Zoey agreed and they walked like that all the way until the end of the block when the curl ended and they were forced to walk on the road again.

They talked about movies the rest of the way, trying to come up with one to watch. When their houses came into view they both stopped dead and turned to face each other.

"Rock, paper, scissors," They both said at the same time.

"Ha," Zoey exclaimed. "Scissors cut paper." She laughed then added. "You are so predictable."

Yesterday she'd beaten him with rock so he'd decided on paper today, but Max was starting to think that he was just doomed to never win rock paper scissors for as long as he lived. That is, at least, when he was playing with Zoey.

"Yeah yeah," Max sighed. "So pick."

"I pick your house," Zoey said like she always did when she won.

"You know the whole point of this whole 'winner gets to pick' thing is that the winner can pick their own house," Max said as they turned towards his place.

"Yeah, but my house doesn't have your dad's dvd collection," Zoey shrugged. "And you mentioned something about popcorn."

Max raised an eyebrow at her "And," he inquired.

"And my brother is having a bunch of friends over today and will probably want to hog the tv," Zoey shrugged.

"Fair," Max laughed.

"There are good things about having an older brother," Zoey added. "But sharing the tv isn't one of them."

"Well, he is seventeen," Mas added. "Maybe older means first dibs on the TV?"

"In that case I'd like to request a birth order change," Zoey chuckled. "So I can claim first dibs on the TV."

"But then we wouldn't be in the same grade," Max said, sulkily.

"No silly, he'd get born later," Zoey explained. "But I'd be the same age."

"That works for me," Max agreed as they walked through his front door.

Zoey dumped her backpack in it's usual spot and went straight for the fridge. "Got any soda?" she asked.

Max smiled to himself. Zoey hadn't been a guest in this house for a very very long time.

"Try the pantry," Max said.

"Warm soda," Zoey replied, making a face.

"Just add ice," Max said, rolling his eyes.

Max called out to his parents and got an answer from his mother. He figured dad was still at work. He checked in, telling her Zoey was here to watch a movie. His mother replied by staying dinner would be at six and as always Zoey was welcome to join them. Then Max returned to the living room to find his best friend already sitting on his couch drinking soda with a bowl of popcorn in her lap.

"Such a good kid you are," Zoey laughed. "Checking in." She was using her teasing voice and Max knew she was just trying to get a reaction out of him.

"Did you even tell your parents you were coming over here?" Max asked.

Zoey shrugged. "This is always the first place they check before declaring me missing."

"Oh shut up," Max scoffed, shoving her a little and stealing her popcorn. "I know you told them before you left for school this morning."

"Na uh," Zoey countered. "I'm a rebel."

"A rebel who doesn't wanna get grounded or make her family worry," Max replied, grinning. He knew her too well.

"We gonna watch the movie or not?" Zoey asked. The pre-menu trailers were already rolling, so Max gave in and turned his attention to the screen, only occasionally deviating to steal more popcorn.

By the time the movie ended his dad was home and mom was calling them to dinner. Zoey joined them at the table, talking the whole while about how awesome the movie was and how grateful she was for his father's DVD collection.

After dinner, his parents said no more TV until they did their homework so they begrudgingly collected their forgotten backpacks and opened their books.

"I hate homework," Zoey said as she looked through the pages in front of her to find the one they'd been assigned that morning. "I mean I like school and even learning stuff is kinda great, but why they gotta make me keep learning stuff after I get home."

"It's a mystery," Max replied.

"At least I can do it here," Zoey smiled. "With you."

"Yeah," Max agreed. "I like homework more when it's with you too." They were silent for a while after that, only breaking the quiet to ask homework related questions as needed.

By the time they'd finished their worksheets it was late and Zoey had to go home. Max gave her a hug before she left, closing the door behind her. Then he went to the window and watched as she walked safely across the street to her own front door. It was strange, but sometimes he worried that if he didn't watch her walk, she wouldn't get home safely. Not that he'd ever say that out loud or anything, but it was good to check and make sure she got home safe.

"Mom," Max said, turning to face his mother who was sitting at the table going over some paperwork.

"Yes Max," she said.

"If I had a sister would it be kinda like having a Zoey?"

"I don't know honey," his mother replied. "Does she feel like your sister?"

"I don't know either," Max shrugged. "I don't have a sister to compare her too."

His mother got up and walked over to hug him. Max reached up to hug her back.

"You and Zoey have been inseparable since preschool sweetheart," his mother said. "In fact, according to your teacher she's the reason you stopped kicking and screaming and chose to embrace preschool. I remember you were so determined not to go." She laughed. "You got that stubborn look on your face and sat yourself down determined to stay home."

"I did?" Max asked.

"Yep," his mother smiled. "I, for one, am very glad you met Zoey." She kissed the top of his head.

"Me too, mom," Max replied.

Thank you to the guest reviewer Laya who was my first review on this story! Yes this story will continue. I already have two more chapters after this one written and many more planned.

As many of you will know if you read my other stories I am a bit of a spaz when it comes to updating. Writesalott isn't just my username. I actually do write a lot! Just check out the publication and completion dates on my stories and you'll understand. lol. I usually have a beta but this story (apart from chapter one) is being published unedited. Hope my typos are too bad and thanks again for reading.

Sneak Peek Chapter Three

They talked casually as they walked, mostly of school but also some movies they wanted to watch on the weekend and a new game for his console.

"Weekends never come soon enough," Max added.

"And rarely last long enough," Zoey sighed.

"Though I suppose it could be worse," Max mused. "We could get no weekends."

Zoey stopped walking and turned to face him looking very serious. "Don't even joke," she said.

Max couldn't help laughing at the look on her face.

They reached the school and had to go their separate way for homeroom since they unfortunately didn't have all their classes together. It had to be Max's least favourite thing about high school: all the topics being separated into different classes.