“Hey, it’s Michael! Hey Michael!”

“Hey,” Max greeted him.

“Didn’t see you all summer,” Alex said to Max.

“Had a job. Moving boxes.”

“For all the little old ladies,” Kyle snickered.

“At least I have cash, which is more than you morons can say. Saving up to buy me some wheels.”

“Where were you all summer, Michael?”

“Spent most of it down at the beach,” Michael said.

“So, how was the action down at the beach?” Max urged.

“Met one chick, she was sort of cool.”

*********************

Maria stood at the admin office. A woman in a long flowered dress walked past. Maria did a double take – Mrs Parker? Liz’s mother?

“Um hi, it’s my first day here, is there anything I have to do?” she asked.

“Fill out this form, dear,” Mrs Parker said, not recognizing Maria. Then she left. Maria examined the forms. Realising she didn’t have a pen, she stopped a woman under the bench, looking for something.

“Do you have a pencil?” she asked the woman. Then she recoiled in shock. Her mother, Amy DeLuca!

Amy pulled a pen out of her boofy bun. “Uh, thanks.”

The bell rang, and Maria ran to homeroom. Past 2 guys in leather jackets. She froze in shock.

Alex and Kyle?

“Every teacher I’ve got this semesters failed me at least once!” Alex complained. Maria sighed and ran into homeroom. She sat down next to Tess and heard Mrs Parkers voice over the loudspeaker.