“I still say I failed I can’t remember how to make bread” Maria said.

“I am sure that you do well on the next part and that will make up for it” Liz said reassuringly as they sat down waiting for class to begin.

Maria and Liz were still talking when Alex walked in and sat down in front of Liz smiled and said hello as Max and Isabel walked behind the teacher. The bell rang and Michael came in as the teacher eyed him.

“Good morning class today we start a new section in home economics” the teach Mrs. Kline started. “Relationships, I am going to break you into groups of 6 and today we are going to play relationship games and on Monday I will break you into pairs and you will go through the steps of a relationship, and the week following that all of you will become responsible for an egg as you practice parenthood. Okay the groups for today’s exercise will be Ray, Smith, Ritter, Lucas, Stewart, and Buell will be in group one. Group two will be Lanier, Seigler, Valenti, Soloman, Hatton, and Lumas. Group three will be Evans, Isabel and Max, Deluca, Parker, Whitman, and Guerin. Group four” the teacher started but Liz and Maria were looking at each they couldn’t decide if they should be happy or not.

“Okay move your desk so that are in groups, and I will hand out your relationship games” the teacher was saying.

“Michael doesn’t need a board game he is already good enough at relationship games without them,” Maria said to Liz who couldn’t help but smile as they arrange their desk together.

“Well isn’t this fun the six of us sitting here getting to play a game how quaint” Isabel said sarcastically.

“I am sure it won’t be that bad” Liz said trying to keep the peace.

“Okay and group three your game will be Men are from Mars women are from Venus,” the teacher said as she put the game down on Maria’s desk.

“In your case this might actually be true” Maria said looking at Michael.

“Would you keep you voice down” Michael said a little threatening.

“Or relax all I meant is that you have no clue when it to women” Maria said opening the box.

“So has anyone ever played this game?” Alex said looking over the directions.

“The object of the game is to be the first team to reach earth, we break into groups of girls and guys. The guys start on Mars and the girls on Venus one-person answers a question and everyone else must guess. You put your game piece on a, b, or c. however many game pieces are on the right answer is how many spaces you can move” Liz explained to them while setting up the board.

“How do you know that?” Alex asks.

“I played it with Kyle and friends once, it is actually kind of fun” Liz answered looking at Max for some reaction to Kyle’s name.

“Right let’s get started.” Max said, “Who goes first.”

“We do unless you object then we toss our coin if it lands heads up we still go first if not you do” Liz said smiling.

“You do know that the coin only has a face side,” Michael said understanding her smile.

“Yes,” Liz said picking up the card for the first question. “Okay my question, now remembers you have guess what I think the answer is not what you think the answer is. Men most dislike other men who are

a. Dishonest

b. Wimpy

c. Arrogant

Liz picks her answer while the others are debating.

“I say the answer is b,” Michael said.

“No it’s a” Alex said looking to Max for his answer.

“I agree with Alex, Michael the answer is what Liz thinks not you” Max reminded him.

“Maria you know her better chose” Isabel said not happy with this game.

“It’s c,” Maria said as she put the game pieces down.

“So Liz who was right” Alex asked.

“Michael” Liz answer surprised as anyone else. “I just thought guys don’t like other guys who are wimpy she explained.

“Thank you” Michael said. “Alright my turn” Michael picks up his card looks at one side and then at the other and says “Is there any way to get another card” he asked hopefully.

“No you have to go in the order that they come” Liz said.

“Right” he said he flipped the card over some more look at both question he could go with the safe one and be fine but if it went with the other one he would get a reaction out of Maria and that would be fun. “My question A women is sexiest when she is

a aggressive

b submissive

c ready, willing and able.”

Michael made his choice while everyone had theirs already done.

Maria, Isabel, Liz and Alex all chose C, while Max chose A. Max knew that is what Michael really did chose but also knew the answer that would come out would be C.

“Looks like your wrong Max, and everyone else is right” Michael said as he looked at Maria who’s head was down and couldn’t see him.

“My question The worst thing a man can be on a date is

A arrogant

B cheap

C desperate” Maria said not wanting to think about the question she made her answer, but kept wondering why Max chose A.

“Easy b” Michael said.

“If you say so Michael,” said putting his piece down next to Michael’s.

“I’d say A” Alex said.

Liz and Isabel were talking, “This isn't your opinion it is hers” Liz kept saying.

“I think that we might have the same opinion” Isabel offered “You put yours were you want I am saying b.”

“I go with Alex on A.” Liz said putting her piece down. “Maria what was your answer.”

“C,” was all she could say nobody got it, she looked at Michael whose eyes said something but she couldn’t tell. “Your turn Max” Maria said handing him the box of cards.

Max read his card both sides, and started “ Besides love, one of the best things about marriage is

A never having to date again

B having someone to blame

C having someone to share the blame” he made his decision and saw that everyone had chosen the same answer, the correct answer, C.

“Am I really that predictable” he asked.

“Yes” they all said at once.

“Good to know” Max said. “Is your turn” he said handing her the box.

“Right” she began to read her card turning it over several times.

“Has anyone noticed that happens a lot with this game?” Alex asked.

Max and Michael shook their head in agreement.

“My question The superhero I’d most find intriguing in bed is

A Superman

B Spider Man

C The Incredible Hulk” Isabel read having already made her choice.

“Do I have to answer this question I am her brother” Max said looking not happy with the question.

“You can take the cave” Liz explaining that was the only way of not answering.

“I’ll do that” Max said putting his piece there.

“Okay we chose Superman for the obvious reasons” Maria said.

“I think I will go with Superman too, Michael” Alex said.

“Not me I’m going to join Max in the cave,” Michael said.

“So Isabel what did you chose” Liz asked.

“The well, or cave. Didn’t like any of them Batman maybe, Bruce Wayne was rich after all” she explained. “Alex your turn.”

“Liz what does a Mars only mean” Alex asked showing her the card.

“It means that you ask the question and Max and Michael must agree on it, if they get it right then you move three spaces if not we move three spaces” Liz explained.

“Sounds good, It’s hardest for a man to hear the line

A We need to talk

B Let’s be friends

C There’s someone else” Alex made his choice, while Max and Michael begin to think about the answer.

It stuck Max that despite everything Alex knew about him he didn’t know a lot about Alex. Michael was thinking the same thing; maybe they should do something about. Michael thought did I really just think that.

“Do you two have an answer and no tricks to read minds?” Maria said quietly.

“Um they can read minds” Alex asked nervous if that was true Isabel would be upset all he could think of during the game was how beautiful she was.

“No we don’t read minds,” Isabel said reassuringly to Alex.

“Max Michael do you have an answer” Liz asks but saw by the look on their faces that they didn’t.

Max and Michael talked some more and finally said “C we choose C.” Max said as Michael put the pieces down.

“Good guess but the wrong one, the girls move three space all they need is four more and they win” Alex said.

“Yes, Alex would please hand me the box” Liz said smiling this was fun despite the title of the game it was good to be doing something normal together as friends. She picked up her card.

“I wonder how many times she will turn her card over,” Michael asked to no one in particular.

“Okay a Venus only question I am most moved by a man who communicates through

A Song

B A letter

C his touch” Liz said knowing the answer without thinking she looked at Max as she said the last one. Taking a step back wasn’t going to be as easy as he thought.

Maria and Isabel looked at each other and put the pieces down on C without even talking about it.

“Hey Liz how many points do we get for putting our two cents in” Maria asked.

“One” Liz answered. Still looking at Max he might take a step back but she didn’t have to.

“It looks like we win the game,” Isabel said finding herself having a good time in spite of her self.

“Do we play again are do pack it up and wait and see who gets married next week” Alex asked.

“We pack up I don’t think that we can handle another round” Maria said starting to clean up the game. She was still thinking about Michael and his question.

“Good idea” Liz said helping her.

They sat and chatted for about ten minutes when the teacher announced that it game time was over.

Once the desks were back in rows, she started “Class next week you are going to spend the week as either married couples, dating couples or couples about to become married. You will work on budgeting, compromise and communication. Through this you will learn that it takes hard work to make a relationship work. I have divided you up into pairs, the chat is hanging up by the door check and on Monday morning be prepared to begin your relationship,” she said as the bell rang.

“Maria will you see who I am partnered up with, I have to run or I’ll be late for gym” Liz asked as she left the room but not before looking at Max one more time.

“Sure, Alex you coming to Math” she said avoiding Michaels eyes she knew he was watching her.

“Okay lets see Whitman getting married to Evans, I” Alex read out loud which made Isabel stop.

“What did you say?” Isabel asked.

“Whitman getting married to Evans, I” Alex said again.

“That’s what I thought I will see you on Monday dear heart” Isabel said as she left the room.

“DeLuca married to Guerin” Maria read it to her self, of course Michael it would be Michael, maybe she could switch with Liz. “Parker dating Valenti, maybe not.”

“Maybe not what Maria” Kyle asked.

“Nothing” Maria said as leaving with Alex behind her.

Kyle saw his name and was happy.

“Max was the last one to check, he would get Michael’s as well.