A Journey of Apocalyptic Proportions (Coming Soon)

Chapter One

TONY

            "I found what you're hiding, nudnik."

            I pause midchew, debating whether or not I should lift my feet from the floor of the stall, just in case whoever in here looks under the stall door.  Swallowing the chewed-up remains of the sandwich still in my mouth, I slowly lift my beat-up Converse from the stained tiles, tucking them on the seat with the rest of me as one of my hands reaches down to snatch my lunch bag up from the ground beside the toilet.  Please leave, I think, blinking really hard with a silent wish.  This isn't the droid you're looking for.

            I see two smaller feet edge closer to the stalls, bright purple shoes leaving scuff marks on the floor.  The feet pause at the stall next to mine, one of them tapping.

            "I hope you realize I saw you lift your feet.  I'm not stupid."

            My breath exits my lungs in one long sigh, making me cough slightly.  Begrudgingly, I shake my head and pick up my lunch bag, standing and then exiting my stall.  The turquoise door swings shut behind me, coming back to hit me slightly in the back.  I turn to face her, keeping my face completely straight.

            "Max," I greet.

            She smiles, folding her skinny arms across her dinosaur  t-shirt-adorned chest.  She pulls at one of her brown braids, trying to adjust the skiing cap on her head.  "I can't believe you eat lunch in the bathroom.  You're such a loser."

            I roll my eyes.  "I may be a loser but at least I was enjoying myself, at least until you came in."

            Cracking a wicked smile, she eyes me up and down, scrutinizing.  "What possibly could you be enjoying alone in the bathroom, Vincent?"

            "My name's Tony," I correct impatiently, checking my watch.  There's ten minutes until lunch period ends.

            "You look more like a Vincent."

            "Max."

            "What?  You do!"  She frowns in confusion.

            "Why are you in here? This is the guys' bathroom. Better yet, what do you even want with me?  You never talk to me.  Heck, you never really talk to anyone.  And what's this with me hiding something?"  The questions pour out of my annoyed mouth, not really important to the situation, but they are things I've actually been wondering for a while.  Max never really hangs out with a certain person, save for this one guy I wouldn't be able to name.  Sure, she says random, usually meaningless things from time to time, but she doesn't usually have conversations with people just for the heck of it.  It's always impossible to try to figure her out.

            "Oh, I have a preposition for you.  Also, I just wanted to point out that I know what you're hiding.  If you don't agree to my preposition, which I feel like you won't, I can just blackmail you.  I mean, there's nothing wrong with my preposition, but I don't feel like it's your kind of thing."  She shrugs, picking at the black nail polish on her fingernails.

            I raise my eyebrow.  "And what am I hiding, then?"

            Some blonde guy wanders in, waddling slightly from the urge to, you know, go.  He stops midstride, eyes glancing between Max and I, waiting for an explanation, I presume.

            Max rolls her eyes. "Out, alien scum.  Can't you see we're in the middle of a conversation?"

            The apologizes hastily as if he's committed some heinous crime and quickly backs out of the room, leaving Max and I alone again.