The (Not so amazing) adventures of Max

Fourth Entry: The Almost-Genius Plan

Saturday, August 5th

Three days until high school, and today was all about one last epic hangout with the guys before the big day. We met at Ben's house, which is practically our HQ. His basement is stocked with old beanbag chairs, a TV that only half works, and snacks that his mom pretends not to notice we raid.

Leo, being the "idea guy," suggested we do something legendary to cap off the summer. I should've known right then that "legendary" would translate to "potentially disastrous." The plan? A giant water balloon ambush on the kids at the park. Ben's eyes lit up like Christmas when Leo explained it, and Alex, always up for chaos, started filling balloons before Leo even finished.

We prepped like we were going into battle, with Alex calling out a countdown and Leo giving a dramatic speech about "brotherhood and water warfare." We looked ridiculous carrying bags of water balloons and darting across the neighborhood, but in our heads, we were stealth ninjas.

The ambush started perfectly. We hid behind a set of bushes and launched our water balloons at unsuspecting kids playing tag. The shrieks, the splashes—total chaos. But chaos works both ways, and soon the tables turned. The kids regrouped like mini generals, gathering buckets and hoses, and suddenly we were the ones getting soaked. Ben took a direct hit to the face, courtesy of a kid who looked about eight but had the aim of a pro pitcher. I was too busy laughing at Ben's stunned expression to dodge my own watery doom.

Alex slipped, Leo tripped over a tree root, and I ended up with a shirt that looked like I swam in it. By the time it was over, we were drenched and outnumbered, but grinning like maniacs. We called a truce and collapsed on the grass, catching our breath while the kids bragged about their victory.

I think that's what makes this group great. We plan for epic moments, we end up soaked and defeated, but we're still laughing by the end of it.

Ben's mom came out to see what all the noise was and just sighed when she saw us. "Hose off before you come inside," she said. Classic Mrs. Ramirez.

Tomorrow, I guess it's time to start thinking about school supplies and making sure I actually remember my schedule. But for today, we're the kings of summer, even if we're soaking wet and slightly out of breath.

Three days left. High school, get ready. Or maybe I should be the one getting ready.