We're going into Milo, Melissa and Zack's 8th grade year next and here is where the Milanda/Zalissa arcs come to a head. I'm thinking of at least 2 more parts to this arc before we finally see how Milo and Melissa became a couple. So it'll be the start of 8th grade, winter break, spring break then I'm thinking summer between 8th and 9th grade is when the Milanda/Zalissa arcs will close. So let's get started...
Today was the first day of school at Jefferson County Middle School and Zack had frozen at the sight of the new student. It was a cute blonde cowgirl the same age as Milo, Melissa, Zack and Amanda - 'Calamity' Jackie Cartwright.
"What's wrong there, Boy Band? You look like you've seen a ghost!"
"I was afraid this might happen..." Melissa said, looking to Zack's sustained frozen state.
"What's going on, Melissa?" Amanda asked.
"This happened when we were at a Wild West ranch last year. While Sara was looking for the filming location of a Dr. Zone episode, Zack had fallen for this girl Jackie, the great-great-great-great granddaughter of Calamity Jane...kinda like how Milo is a descendant of Murphy's law. Basically, she has the same curse as Milo. Zack went looking for every dangerous stunt there was just to impress Jackie until it turned out that Jackie was too wild. Never thought she'd end up here, or that Zack's old crush would resurface," Melissa explained.
"I'll get Zack to Murawski's class..." Milo said, removing Zack from the scene of the crime. Once they were close enough to Murawski's class, Zack had snapped out of his trance.
"How long was I out, Milo?"
"I'd say about 11 minutes."
"What happened?"
"Jackie Cartwright happened...that cowgirl from the ranch last year?"
"Man, why'd it have to be her?" Zack said, slamming his face into a row of lockers.
"I feel ya, Zack," Milo sympathized. "You ever feel like you want one thing, you've finally gotten it but then that one thing turns out to be not as special as you first thought?"
"Is this about Amanda, Milo?"
"It is...but it could also be about your own conflict. It's like this, Zack. You're with Melissa now, but Jackie's back and from what I just saw back there...you still like her, don't you?"
"I do," Zack confessed. "Sounds like you, doesn't it?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, you're with Amanda but your heart's telling you you're meant to be with Melissa. Maybe some mysterious force is telling us that we're meant to be with other people, Milo..."
"You mean...me...and Melissa?"
Zack nodded in confirmation. "Have you thought about that possibility at all, Milo?"
"It's not that I haven't thought of it at all. I mean, who hasn't? It's just that I'm in a big mess..."
"In a pickle, as it were..."
"HEY! Who told you I volunteered for Kosher Dilly patrol for Danville Days this year?"
"Amanda did."
Milo growled in frustration "Oooh, that slippery Latina! I am so gonna get that Amanda Lopez next time I see her!"
"Chill, Milo! Let's get back to our girl issues. We're gonna need some way to manipulate a situation to where you and Melissa and me and Jackie can have ourselves a double date..."
"But how are we gonna do that? You've got Melissa and I've got Amanda," Milo reminded Zack.
"I'll think of something. Let's just get 8th grade started already..." Zack scoffed as the first bell rang. The first day passed quietly, aside from a few Murphy's law mishaps and Jackie flirting with Zack.
September soon gave way to October and Halloween. As per Milo and Melissa's tradition, they went in costume together to the JCMS Halloween Party - this time as Jaden Yuki and Alexis Rhodes from 'Yu-Gi-Oh! GX'.
"Here's something I don't get, Melissa..." Amanda started. "Alexis was a blonde, so shouldn't Jackie be Alexis?"
"Save it, Amanda. Milo and I have done matching costumes since we were little kids. Our tradition should not be questioned, Lopez."
"I only moved here last year and even I know better than to mess with the Murphy/Chase Halloween!"
"Ditto to that, Boy Band!"
As is customary for any Murphy/Chase Halloween...Milo and Melissa overdid it with the sweets and got hit with stomach bugs.
"How many years in a row is this, Melissa?"
"I'd say 10, Milo. We always tell ourselves not to overdo it the next year..."
"Maybe we should start listening to ourselves more, Melissa."
"Does that happen a lot, Magenta?" Jackie asked Amanda.
"Every year since Milo and Melissa were little, Jackie..." Amanda remarked. "It wouldn't be Halloween without their antics. I remember back in 6th grade, Milo and Melissa went as Kurt and Kyle Busch...they were so in character that night, they even wrecked each other on the outdoor go-kart track. It was ridiculous! But they didn't care as long as they were having fun together..."
"I'm surprised Danger Zone and Queen aren't boyfriend/girlfriend yet..."
"To be honest...so am I."
Milo and Melissa won Coolest Costumes...again...and were rewarded with a spotlight dance. This time, it was to Taylor Swift's 'Sparks Fly'. However, they stopped short of kissing each other, both of them thinking 'No, not yet...now's not the right time...they're with someone else...'
However, that would all change the day before Winter Break - December 23. That's when the JCMS student body would be hit with the most stunning news of the school year - Milo Murphy and Amanda Lopez were officially breaking up.
Upon the news breaking in the school newspaper, everyone in school was shocked...save for Milo and Amanda, who were quickly intercepted by Melissa, Zack and Jackie.
"Just saw the school newspaper, guys..." Melissa said.
"Yeah, Milo. Sorry to hear about you guys' breakup," Zack added in.
"School newspaper's overexaggerating things anyway," Milo said in his classic chipper tone. "It was like this, Zack - over the Thanksgiving break, I got to thinking 'what if there comes a situation I'm not prepared for and Murphy's law ends up hurting Amanda?' and I just couldn't take that chance."
"So it was more to keep me safe while still getting to hang out with you, Melissa and Milo, Zack," Amanda finished for the jinx.
"That's totally Milo..." Melissa said. "Anyway, Milo...you want me to come over for Christmas Eve dinner tomorrow night?"
"Aw, you know you're always welcome at my place, Melissa! My family loves you!"
"Let me guess...another Murphy/Chase tradition?" Zack asked.
"Yeah. I guess I never told you guys about the time Milo holed himself up in his room waiting for me to come home from Florida..."
"Well, I know this story..." Amanda said. "4th grade, you were heading to Florida to see extended family for the holidays, Milo was a wreck that whole week then Christmas Eve comes around, everyone else thinks you're not gonna be there but Milo still has faith in you and in true 'Home Alone' fashion, you run into Milo's arms just as the Christmas lights come on."
"Aw! Now that's just doggone sweet, Queen!" Jackie gushed. "To think that Danger Zone would go through all that just for you..."
"You don't know the half of it..." Melissa said as the final bell rang for the day. Winter break was here.
That's part 1 of the 4 part conclusion to the Milanda/Zalissa arcs! Part 2 is Winter Break, so stay tuned for that and remember...
IT'S MILO'S WORLD AND WE'RE ALL LIVING IN IT!