2005

Boring brown eyes and dull black hair stared back at him. Without the beard he couldn't grow his face looked too round. Baby face people would call him if they were seeing what he was seeing. And the cherry on top, pimples breaking out on his forehead. Urg. Why did he keep looking in the mirror again?

Max turned away. He would brush his teeth without his reflection today.

At least when Zoey looked at him she didn't seem to see what he saw. If she was seeing every flaw he was sure she'd have said something or he'd have been able to see it in her expression. Then again maybe she was just doing that best friend thing and ignoring his pimples out of the goodness of her heart. Max only wished she'd have pimples too so he wouldn't feel so self-conscious about his.

Max finished getting ready for school and headed out his front door to meet up with his best friend on the lawn so they could walk together.

As she came into view he knew in an instant that he was wrong. Zoey with pimples wouldn't have helped. She was meant to be the way she was. His fixed point. His rock. The most constant thing in his life. Beautiful Zoey without pimples.

"You're late," Zoey said as he walked up.

"Had a disagreement with my mirror," Max laughed.

"I hope you told that mirror whose boss," Zoey chuckled back.

"Actually I think I lost," Max replied.

"Let me know next time you need backup," Zoey smiled. "And I'll be there to defend you against menacing mirrors."

"Thanks," Max smiled.

"Hey, what are best friends for," Zeoy replied with a shrug.

"Having your back in any situation," Max finished her sentence, a smile breaking out over his face.

"Couldn't have put it better myself," Zoey grinned back.

Max laughed. "That's because you were the one who said it," he reminded her.

"Exactly," Zoey replied. "And I know better than to argue with myself."

Max was still laughing as they began their walk. They talked casually as they made their way to school, mostly of classes 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. He used to learn every topic in the same room. Now everyday, four times a day, Max had to navigate halls full to bursting with kids just to get to his next class four times a day and to top it off he only had five minutes or he'd be late.

Max was sure it had been the constant sense of chaos that was high school that had caused him to black out all of eight grade. But now in the ninth grade Max felt a little more sure of himself and he wasn't the new kid anymore which was always a relief.

Though thanks to Zoey, Max could never remember feeling alone at school before. Even when he'd been the new kid or the 'too short to see over the crowd' kid, Zoey had always been there by his side.

And so she would be again after homeroom, because they had English together. Then he had gym and she had Social Studies and then Math together after lunch. He and Zoey always walked home together so all in all he didn't have that much to complain about, even with the separate classes.

What he did want to complain about was the homework. Long ago were the days of worksheets, now there were essays to write and very heavy textbooks to haul around. But again it wasn't so bad, because he and Zoey had a system. It involved being honest about how much actual homework you'd get done that night and only bringing the bare minimum of textbooks. Plus they took turns carrying them in the better load bearing of their two backpacks.

When the bell finally rang, Max packed up his things and gratefully headed to his locker.

Just as she always was Zoey stood there to greet him.

"She gave us textbook homework," Zoey whined when her social studies class got out. "I only need one page but it's not like I can rip it out."

"Maybe you could get a photocopy in the library," Max suggested.

"Oh that's perfect," Zoey said. Then she turned to him. "What would I do without you?"

"You'd have a heavier backpack," Max chuckled.

"I'll meet you in Math," Zoey said and with that she ran off.

Max collected his math text and binder and slowly made his way down the hall. Zoey was actually much better at math than he was, but she didn't brag about it.

Once he reached the classroom Max watched the clock, thinking the whole time that he should have told her to wait and copy the page after school. Thankfully Zoey ran into class just under the wire and sat, slightly out of breath in the desk beside him.

"You crazy," Max whispered at her as the lesson began. Zoey just laughed softly as she opened up her books to take down the notes for the day.

After the lecture came work time in which Max always tried to get as much of his homework done as possible so that he'd have more time to play video's games at home. It was a philosophy Zoey shared which is why teachers let them sit together.

When the bell rang Max had all the questions he hadn't finished copied down so he wouldn't need to bring his textbook home and there weren't even that many of them left. Today was a good day for video games.

"How many you got left," Zoey asked as they made their way back to the lockers.

"Ten," Max said. "You?"

"Three," Zoey replied casually in that non-bragging way she always did which he appreciated. "But I have Social studies homework that you don't have."

"This is true," Max smiled.

School being over for the day, Max gathered up all the papers they needed for homework tonight, putting them in a folder, and placing the rest back in the locker for tomorrow.

"Ready?" she asked when she had everything as well. Max nodded.

Walking home with Zoey was always the same, but never dull. Max wondered sometimes if he would even recognize his life without her in it.

They reached the house and for once Max won the rock, paper scissors. He chose Zoey's place since it had been a while since they'd been there. They settled in for their usual Monday video game night, when Zoey's mother, Maggie, came over to sit with them. This was definitely not a normal occurrence. Zoey paused the game and turned to face her mother.

"What's up mom?" Zoey asked.

"Your brother called us today," her mother replied with a smile.

"And…" Zoey said slowly, trying to get her to a point.

"Well you know how Andrew brought that girl up to visit last Christmas?" she continued. Zoey nodded. "Well he called to tell us today that she said yes and they're getting married."

"Cool," Zoey said, clearly not seeing how this affected her.

"I know you're a little old to be a flower girl," her mother continued. "But your brother said he wanted you to be a part of his wedding."

"Flower girl," Zoey groaned. "Come on, little kids are flower girls. I'm not a kid anymore, mom."

"You will always be my baby," her mom smiled in that annoying yet loving way that parents did. "Whether you are three or thirteen."

"Thirteen mom," Zoey whined. "I'm thirteen."

"And growing up so fast," Maggie sighed.

"Isn't it good enough that I just go to the wedding," Zoey offered. "Why do I have to do the baby job?"

"Alright fine," her mother said. "But if you go as a guest you'll need a plus one." She grinned and looked at Max.

"No problem," Zoey said, turning back to the movie. "Got my number one best friend all lined up."

Max froze. Weren't weddings the kind of things you take dates to, not best friends? But she had used the word friend so maybe he was just being paranoid.

"I'll call and tell Andrew that his little sister has refused to be part of his wedding," Maggie said.

"Don't lay on the guilt mom," Zoey groaned. "Please. Andrew will totally get it."

"His own sister forsaking him," Maggie said dramatically.

"Mom," Zoey whined. "You're so embarrassing."

Maggie laughed, leaned forward and kissed the top of her daughter's head before leaving them to their video games.

What do you guys think? Hopefully you can keep up with the fast updates. I just wrote most of this story in one night and have no patience whatsoever. :)

Sneak Peek Chapter four

"Oh so you are awake," Zoey laughed at him. "From that look on your face I thought you were sleeping." Max just went for the awkward smile and thankfully she seemed to think that was enough. "Not that I can blame you, I mean this wedding is super boring."

"I'm sure your brother doesn't think it's boring," Max replied.

"Well yeah of course, it's his wedding," Zoey answered looking at him as though he were thick. "I'm just glad the ceremony is over. At least at the reception there's food."

"This is very true," Max agreed.

They were sitting at a table near the long groom and brides table at the front with Mitch and Maggie sitting across from them.

The reception was being held in a great hall with high ceilings and big windows. There were huge and rather lovely flower arrangements all over the room, but with Zoey's dress to focus on Max had barely taken note of the wedding decorations.