The mystery of Saganash.

Off to school.

(Max p.o.v)

Everyone was talking over one another during breakfast, while Sav was wearing some headphones to help drown out the noise as she texted her gran that everything was a-ok on her end and I was building a replica of a sandwich you'd find in Scooby-Doo.
"How can you all just feed your faces?" Sal suddenly burst, only for them to continue with their conversation. "What are we going to do about this? Kate and Erik are gone and we're all alone!?"
Once Sal shouted that, everyone fell silent and looked towards him at the head of the table.
"Hey, we're not alone. You know, we've got each other." I pointed out to him and the others.
"Yeah, and they're, they're not gone, they're just... you know, not here right now." Daniel added.
"Kinda like my parents if you think about it.... Except Erik and Kate were forced by the looks of it and mine weren't.... So not really like mine but somewhat." Sav pointed out before her phone went off, making her look and I noticed she tried to act like everything was fine.
"Keep it together, Sal, you're supposed to be the smart one. We need you to come up with a plan." Tess told to reassure him.
"Me? I don't know what to do, I'm just a kid."
"Sal's right, I'm the oldest. I'm in charge. And I say, uh..." Daniel began before seeing all our focus was solely on him, making him start to panic a little. "I need to clear my head."
We all watched in somewhat amusement as he started to do his jumping jacks. Of course, Sav's phone went off again making her let out a sigh and see it was the last person she wanted to talk to right now based on her look.
"Everything ok?" I asked not wanting her to feel bad in any way, despite not having known her for long.
"Mandatory monthly drop off at school by my father to keep him in my life in some form. I don't know, it was my grans idea. I gotta run if I'm gonna run to pick up spot two blocks away and make it to school on time. I'll see you guys at school." She told as she got up and grabbed an apple before grabbing her bag and leaving the group.
"I'm confused." I admitted to the others.
"We try not to question it and ask about her family life, since she doesn't like talking about it. Doesn't even like telling people her last name cause of it. Not even Sal knows her last name." Tess told with a shrug before we all grew silent again and continued to watch Daniel do jumping jacks.
"So, what are we supposed to do?" Sal questioned making Daniel move back into his seat.
"Why aren't we calling the police?" He asked.
"'Cause they'll split us up." Anika remind him.
"I know you'll use any excuse to get 'officer Adorable' to come over, but we can't take the risk. Besides, I don't wanna have to wipe your drool off the floor." Tess playfully teased.
"I don't drool." He told as he wiped his face to be sure.
"No, hey, we drop everything and keep looking until we find 'em." I suggested to them.
"You mean..." Anika started making us all minus Sal speak as one.
"No school!" The four of us shouted as one.
"I'll call and tell 'em you're sick." Daniel told.
"What about you?" I asked since he was 17.
"I don't go to school. De Money is taking a gap year." Daniel told with a little dance at the end.
"De money?" Tess repeated in confusion.
"That's my new nickname instead of Canned Ham."
"Sorry, Canned Ham, you know the nickname rules." I told him.
"Is that why you haven't given Sav one?" He asked making me look away from him.
"She already has a cool nickname." I told avoiding eye contact, and I knew that just made Daniel start to smile.
"Does someone have a crush?"
"What? Pfft, no." I spoke, and even I could tell that didn't even sounding completely convincing to myself, causing Anika and Tess to share a look with Daniel.
"That's so cute, Max has a crush on Savanna." Anika teased making me just stare at my sandwich to avoid looking at them.
"How romantic." Tess added to the teasing as Daniel poked me in the arm to try to get me to admit it.
"I hardly know the girl for starters. But she is cool to talk to.... When she actually decides to talk. Now I don't have a crush on her, and don't try doing all this when she's around." I told, making the three share a look like they were silently agreeing to do the complete opposite.
"I don't know if we should all take a sick day." Sal told the four of us, cutting into the teasing they were doing."They might get suspicious."
"Let me guess, you volunteer to go to school." Tess told him.
"Well, if you really think somebody needs to, I guess I could take one for the team." He told, making us all think the same thing. "What? I like school. Is that so weird?"
"Max, you should go to school, too." Tess told, shocking me at what she said.
"Excuse me?"
"Think about it. That Tim guy's probably gonna check and make sure you show up for the first day at your new school." She explained, making me lightly hit the table with a closed fist.
"Good point."
"Besides, your girlfriend will get lonely if you don't show up." Daniel told.
"She's not my girlfriend." I quickly told, making them chuckle in amusement minus Sal, who just seemed confuse over the whole situation.
"Yet." Anika added.
'They really are acting like my siblings.'

"Hi, Uh, it's Erik Hunter. It looks like the girls have come down with something. I think it's the flu. I'm gonna keep them home for the day. The boys and Sav will be in." We heard Daniel tell into the phone as he faked Eriks voice to the person on the other end and saw me and Sal coming down the stairs to head off. "Our new one, Maximilian, is really psyched for his first day. Maximilian is really smart and I want to make sure he's challenged in school. I would recommend you put him in all the hardest classes."
Of course as soon as I heard that, I started to try and signal Daniel to not do that to me. Only for him to do the opposite.
"Don't worry about the workload. He can handle it. Thanks so much, have a great day, bye-bye." He told as he held me away with one arm and quickly hung up, giving me a smile. "That's for calling me Canned Ham."
"Okay, fair enough."
"Come on, we're gonna be late." Sal told in a panic as he grabbed me and began to pull him out of the house.
"Tell your girlfriend I say hi!" He shouted out, making me shake my head at it.
'She probably wouldn't even be interested in me, if I did have a crush on her.... Totally no crush.'