AN: my first Alex Mack story, Enjoy! And drop me a line, let me know what you think!
1.
It had been almost two months since the destruction of the Paradise Valley Chemical plant at the hand of Danielle Atron. Alex Mack or the Accident Kid as she was also known had found herself a local celebrity for a time.
Things calmed down and very quickly went back to normal after Alex took the antidote and her powers disappeared. Most of the people who worked at the plant and weren't knowingly involved in illegal activities, were hired to work at Sedgewick Chemical who was already in the process of rebuilding the plant in Paradise Valley.
Things weren't all roses for Alex though. About a week ago, she got off the grounding her parents had given her for keeping her powers and being the accident kid from them, She, Ray, Robyn, and Nicole went to the movies. They got separated in the concession line and Alex's friends got their snacks first. Alex told them to go on into the theatre and get seats, she'd join them as soon as she got her snacks. Her friends nodded and went on ahead.
The theatre had gone through a major remodel since the last time Alex was there and because of this she walked into the wrong theatre by mistake. It was there that she saw her boyfriend Hunter, in a back row, kissing Rachel Tyler!
Alex thought her heart had shattered into a thousand pieces. She ran out of the theatre before Hunter even knew she was there.
Her friends found her an hour later, under a tree in the park, crying her eyes out.
When she told them what happened, Ray wanted to go back and beat that two-timing rat, Hunter, half-to-death.
Alex, though she appreciated the offer, reminded Ray that he would probably lose that fight.
After crying on and off for a week, Alex was beginning to feel a little better. The problem was that Hunter kept calling and couldn't figure out why no one in the Mack house would talk to him. Then big mouth Driscoll struck again. Ray made the mistake of telling Louis what happened and he blabbed to someone at school that Alex dumped her boyfriend because he cheated on her. The rest of the gossips at school went to work and before long, Because of Alex's recent status as local celebrity, the whole thing had grown to the point it was now causing reporters to start calling the Mack family again.
Alex's parents decided, middle of the school year or not, it might be best to get out of town for a while, so, they took some the funds from the latest round of damages the court had forced Atron's estate to pay them and booked a Caribbean Cruise.
"We sprang for one of the more expensive ten-day cruises," said George Mack as he finished packing and barely restrained himself from ripping the ringing phone out of the wall, "Hopefully it will keep us out of town until this mess blows over."
"And hopefully give me enough time to fight down the urge to strangle Louis!" added Alex
"Alex," said her mother looking around, "Did you say goodbye to Ray?"
Alex nodded.
"Yeah," she replied, "He said he was going to go find Louis and make him eat his hat!"
"You know, I hope he does," said her mother in an uncharacteristically sarcastic moment, "Maybe that Driscoll boy will finally learn to keep his big mouth shut!"
"Don't hold your breath." Said George
There was no fondness between George and Barbara Mack for Louis Driscoll. Not after his big mouth nearly got them all killed!
The Macks finished packing and headed out to the car. Loading their stuff in wherever they could. They were soon off down the road to San Diego to board their Cruise ship, The S.S. Enchantress! One of the two largest cruise ships in the world.
All the Macks were gazing around in almost childlike wonder as they boarded the enormous ship.
The cruise director told them how to get to their state rooms.
A few minutes and a couple of hallways later, they arrived at staterooms 2311 and 2312. Alex was in 2311 and her parents were in 2312.
Alex walked into her room. It was a nice state room complete with a queen size bed, a small sitting area a small balcony, her own private bathroom.
Alex flopped back on the bed and sighed happily.
"If Annie could see me now," she smirked, Annie returned to college a few weeks after the plant ceased to exist so she couldn't come with them. But she understood their need to get out of town for a while.
Reporters had tried to get to her to for a time, but it seemed they finally had begun to lose interest.
After the Macks met their stateroom attendant and did their muster drill, Alex decided to explore the ship.
She had been told that there was a teen hangout area and she decided to go and check it out.
A little while later, she found it. It was called Tidal Zone.
As soon as Alex walked through the door, she had a shock. There Talking to a crew member, stood Hunter, of all people!
The Crew member was telling Hunter that there would be more stuff in the teen area available after the ship set sail.
Suddenly, as she stood there, her emotions shifting back and forth between shock and anger, Hunter noticed her.
"Alex," he said, "I want to talk to you!"
"I don't think that there is anything left to say Hunter." Replied Alex coolly
"Ah come on, Alex, don't be like that." He pleaded, "You know Rachel means nothing to me."
"Sorry, Hunter, I have better things to do that deal with you right now." Said Alex fighting the urge to punch Hunter right in the face.
"Like what?" said Hunter suspiciously.
Alex glanced around desperately looking for an excuse.
Just then a tall dark-haired boy with blue eyes walked in. he was wearing a blue shirt, grey jeans and a grey denim jacket with a hood.
He walked over to one of the pool tables and began to rack up the balls. When Alex saw him, she got a crazy idea.
"I'm sorry," said Alex turning to hunter, "But I've met someone, I'm on my way to see him and I'm already late, Excuse me."
She turned and hurried over to the boy.
"Hey," she said hugging the stunned young man.
"My name's Alex, Please, play along with this!" she whispered, "I'll explain later."
"Okay," he whispered back, "My name is Josh."
Out loud he said.
"Hey Alex, I was wondering where you were."
"I got held up," replied Alex picking up a pool cue, "but I'm finally here. Are you ready to play?"
Josh nodded picking up his own pool cue.
Hunter scowled as Josh motioned for Alex to take the first shot, called the break, and begin the game. Hunter turned and stalked angrily out of the room."
"Is he gone," asked Alex, "Who had her back to Hunter.
"Yeah," said Josh, "He's gone."
Alex sighed in relief.
"I can't believe that worked," she said putting down the cue, "Thank you so much."
"You're welcome," said Josh, "Um, Alex, is it? I don't mind helping people. but I would at least like to know why?"
"Okay, I suppose I owe you that much," said Alex nodding, "That guy was Hunter my ex-boyfriend who has evidently followed me on this cruise. I dumped him after I caught him cheating on me."
"And now here he is following you around bugging you to get back together with him." Nodded Josh in understanding.
"As if I didn't have enough to deal with," sighed Alex half-sitting, half-leaning on the edge of the pool table and burying her face in her hands.
"Maybe if we talk to one of the stewards, before we set sail, and tell them what's going on, they'll kick Hunter off the ship." suggested Josh.
"Yeah," said Alex lifting her head out of her hands, "That's a good idea!"
"Um Alex," said Josh, "I don't know how to tell you this, but you're glowing!"
To Be Continued…Please, review!