Author ; Zoya 
Disclaimer ; ( I hate these things) I own nothing.
Couple (s): all in due time =)
Summary : Three best friends and their trials through pretty much what every teenager goes through during their high school years.
AN : It's going to be a long one folks, frustrating and long. It's been a while since my fics ad I've been working on this for a while. Enjoy!
~--
School's always been a blur. Well for me anyway.
Let me tell you a little about my life. My mom got pregnant with me at the age of 14; she decided an adoption agency would take care of me. The agency was shit. It took them 6 years to find a home for me. They said that they were looking for the most special home and when they finally did they had to make sure the home I went to was filled with love and care.
They put me with Hank. Now let me make this clear for you, Hank had 2 loves in his life. 1. Beer 2. The monthly check he'd get for keeping me. The owner of the agency was friends with Hank and knew his poor financial situation, he decided he should help a friend out and suggested this idea. Hank heard the amount of money and adopted any poor sucker. That sucker turned out to be me.
In a way, Hank ignoring me taught me something. Be independent. Nothing comes without a price. Those morals have always stayed with me.
Anyways, back to school. I wasn't popular, my reputation was that of a rebellious, stupid bad boy, loner who stared and glared at everyone intensely with his electric hair.
That was until 5th grade came along and I met her, Maria Deluca. She was the weirdest girl on the planet. The weirdest girl who wasn't scared of me, who treated me as an equal; the weirdest girl in the world who showed me you aren't always alone, there's good in everyone.
The weirdest girl in the world who I love to this very day, our journey together is one I'd never change.
15 Years Ago
It was the last month of school, June. Kids were outside enjoying the warmth of the sun at recess. But one kid, however, was held back by his teacher.
One look at that scene and any student in Roswell Elementary would be able to tell you why the teacher was holding the child back.
It was Ms. Topolsky talking to Michael Guerin about his incomplete homework, again.
"Michael. If you don't start doing your homework, I'm afraid you'll have to repeat the 5th grade." She said kneeling down and placing a comforting arm on Michael's shoulder. His home life wasn't great and every teacher knew that. They'd let him get away with it from the beginning but enough was enough. He needed to start trying. The schools reputation was going down and Michael wasn't helping at all.
Michael looked at her intensely and then did his usual shrug. Ms. Topolsky sighed and got up. She walked back to her desk and gave in, "Michael, you may go outside."
He just stared at her then slowly walked out of the classroom. He walked down the hallway and stared at all the cubby holes and hooks for the students. He envied how they were always full, filled with jackets, extra shoes, home made lunches with an extra snack.
When he reached the end of the hallway he opened the doors leading him to the playground. Instead of running out and screaming like the other children, Michael sat down on the steps. He looked around the playground and rolled his eyes at the laughter of each child. His gaze slowly went up towards the houses across the street. He growled, he hated the houses, they hid and held mystery to what was behind them.
The bell rung but Michael just sat there, trying to solve the mystery that's plagued him for all his time at school. The kids rushed passed him as if he wasn't even there. Some took acknowledge but others breezed it off.
After most of the kids were gone he said what he always said before he went inside the school, "One day, I'm going to leave here. My mom's going to find me and take me away from Roswell."
In Class
"Ms. Topolsky? May I come in?"
The petit blond looked up from her desk and smiled at the principal. "Of course Principal Adler come in."
The old man smiled and walked into the room with a small little girl. He held the girl by her shoulders as if she'd run away if he let her go. He looked towards the empty hallway, "Before the kids come I wanted to bring our new student in. Her name's -. "
"Maria, Maria Deluca age 10. Well 10 ½ if you want to be exact. Mom said it isn't important to count the days but I think it is. 'Cause, I mean it's your birthday, the day you were born. It's fun and magical. Like last year my birthday was fun but it was really sad because my mom told me we were moving and I didn't want to move here. It's really boring. But we move all the time so it's ok."
Ms. Topolskys' glasses dropped on her desk. Mr. Adler just gave a weak smile and spoke, "Well uh, thank you Maria."
Ms. Topolsky fixed her glasses before speaking to Maria, "We'll have an interesting year won't we?" She grinned when Maria smiled. "Welcome to Roswell Elementary Maria."
"Hi Ms. Topolsky!"
"Hey Teach!"
"Principal Adler, is Michael in trouble again?"
"Am not!"
"It's probably Kyle."
"Hey!"
The principal gave a farewell glance and spoke, "Have a good day." Ms. Topolsky nodded and looked back at Maria. "You ready for introductions?"
Maria grinned in response. The class filled and no one took notice of Maria. She walked through the isles and looked around, listening to all the voices. Every conversation seemed typical; they were all deciding what to play next recess. But one conversation in particular, made Maria glance as to who was talking,
"Hey Isabel!"
"Ew, go away Alex."
Maria saw the brief pain struck on the boys face as he walked away. Alex. Maria mentally reminded herself to remember Alex. He looked like a cool kid.
She looked around the classroom, her eyes caught the attention of a small brunette who was getting out her homework and checking it for any errors. She saw something white fly onto Liz's lap.
She looked up from her desk and her eyes widened when she saw the paper. She opened it up and glared at what was shown on the inside. She looked back and heard snickering. Apparently this must've happened a lot of times for she knew who threw the paper.
"Kyle!"
"Liz!" He mocked. His friends behind him snickered.
Kyle, Liz Maria also made a note to remember those names. Liz seemed like a cool kid; Kyle on the other hand seemed like someone she'd deal with later.
"Class, may I have your attention please." 25 pairs of eyes looked at the front.
"We have a new student. Maria," Ms. Topolsky moved to the side and the other blond girl smiled at the class. "Class please welcome Maria Deluca. She moved here today. Let's make her feel right at home ok?" The class rolled their eyes all except Liz and Alex. Maria smiled at both of them.
"Ew, she's so weird." Kyle said, again snickers came out of his group.
Maria rolled her eyes, "And here I thought the guys weren't all bird brains." The class giggled and some oohed.
Kyle's gang snickered; he turned around and glared at them. "Shut up!"
"Class quiet! Maria you can go sit beside Michael in the back while I get your
stuff out." Ms. Topolsky sighed as she turned around and wrote the lesson. It was going to be a long month.
~---
"…Remember to bring your gym clothes for tomorrow! And remember Report Cards arrive soon!" Ms. Topolsky's voice said,
trying to drown out the noise of the bell signaling the student to go home.
Maria started packing her things up; she was putting her final booklet in her bag when the thought hit her. How was she going to get home? Her mom was at some convention. Great, she thought. She continued to put her books away, her mind working out ways to get home. It wasn't as if she didn't know how to get there, but it was a pretty far walk.
As she put her backpack over her shoulders she glanced up and saw Alex Whitman still in his seat. She frowned and walked up to him, no one should be alone.
"Hey!" She chirped as she sat in the desk in front of him. He looked startled; no one had ever talked to him in a kind manner unless they were teachers.
"Um…I don't have any lunch money for you; I certainly don't have all my homework done so I can't give it to you. Sorry!" He rambled while keeping his eyes downcast on his desk.
Maria scrunched her nose, "I don't need any of that. I'm just asking what's up. Why are you still here?"
"I like staying after school." He said now trying to look at anything but her.
Maria wasn't going to give up, "That's the lamest excuse I've ever heard. What's the real reason?"
He finally met her eyes with his own. He was startled by her abrupt question and didn't know how to answer it. "Um..Er..I-I don't know."
"Ok. Hm, so I don't think you're scary or mean and I don't know anyone else in this class so, want to be my friend?" She smiled her best smile and took out her hand, just to make it official-like.
Alex's jaw fell to the floor. No one in the history of Roswell Elementary had ever asked him that. Heck, no one in history had ever spoken to him. "Is this a joke?"
Maria frowned slightly, "Not at all."
Alex felt bad for being a bit rude, after what seemed like hours he extended his hand and they shook on their friendship.
Maria giggled and Alex smiled. "Wow you're my first friend!" He exclaimed, he must have done something good today for this moment.
"Mine too! It's going to be a great! So, want to walk me home now best friend?" She grinned. Alex laughed, "Sure, want to help me pack up my stuff best friend?"
Maria smiled, "Sure!" She unzipped his backpack while he collected his booklets.
"NO! STOP!" He yelled when he saw her opening the bag. She stopped her movements and stared at him.
"What'd I do?" She asked confused. Her best friend was weird.
"Nothing, sorry. I just- It's just the only time someone else opens my bag; it isn't to put anything in it. It's to take whatever's in it out. I'm just not used to people being so nice to me." He said impressed at the fact that they remained steady eye contact.
Maria smiled softly, "Well best friend you won't have to worry about me ever hurting you. I'm your friend, I'm here to help. It's what friends do."
Alex smiled, he trusted her. For some odd reason he trusted her. Trusted every word she said.
"It's what best friends do." He whispered. They walked out of the classroom laughing. As they reached the school doors, Alex pushed the door and held it open for Maria.
"M'lady." He curtseyed. She giggled and went along with him. "Why thank you good sir." She said in her best lady like voice.
As she walked out he quickly ran to her side, they walked hand in hand all the way to her house.
"So," Maria said as they walked past houses. "Where do you live?"
"Oh, um it's pretty far. It's near yours though, but far." He chuckled nervously. Maria looked at him and shrugged, he was pretty weird.
"So, why did you ask me to be your friend? I mean there are thousands of other kids but, why me? I'm not cool, I get picked on, Isabel hates me, and I'm not good at sports. I'm smart but there's nothing else about me that's cool-worthy."
Maria looked at him and answered, "Because you're you. You think you're not cool but I think you are. I don't listen to what other people think. Why should I, they aren't me."
He smiled, "Thanks Maria. I think you're the coolest person I've ever met."
She smiled, "I know."
They continued their walk laughing and talking at the smallest things. A friendship was formed and it was getting stronger by the second. The good time seemed as if it would last forever but after 20 minutes they arrived at Maria's house.
"Wow," Alex said marveling the house, "this is so big."
Maria shrugged, "Its ok, not that big." It was true, it was an average house. Alex just liked to exaggerate, that's one of the quirks he had in his personality.
"Ok, I'm going home now!" He yelled to her while waving his arms in the air. He waited until she closed the door behind her. He inhaled, what day!
He gazed upon the horizon and began to walk the opposite direction towards his house; he had lied to Maria telling her it was close. If anything Alex's house was the furthest from where they were in Roswell, he had to take the public transit to get to where he lived. Being selfless for the only friend he'll ever have was just what made him different.
