As the morning sun filtered through the blinds, casting soft golden rays across the room, Melanie giggled quietly to herself as she stretched. She was still wrapped in the warmth of Max's bed, his scent lingering on the sheets, but she carefully slipped out, grabbing her phone as she padded to the far corner of the room.

She pressed Cherry's contact, and within seconds, her best friend's excited voice rang through the phone.

"Girl, finally! I was starting to think you got lost in paradise!" Cherry teased.

Melanie grinned, lowering her voice so she wouldn't wake Max. "I mean, you're not wrong—it was basically paradise. You should've seen the resort, Cherry. It was unreal. The beach, the sunsets, the food—I'm talking five-star, chef's kiss level food."

"Ugh, I'm so jealous! You're over there living the dream while I'm stuck here in boring Hiddenville."

Melanie chuckled. "I promise, next time I'll sneak you in my suitcase."

Cherry gasped dramatically. "Oh, you better! But okay, enough about the vacation—spill. I know something's going on with you and Max."

Melanie's breath hitched slightly. "W-What makes you say that?"

"Oh, come on, Mel," Cherry said knowingly. "Ever since you moved here, he's been different with you. I mean, let's be real—Max doesn't just like people. But you? You're the only person he's nice to. It's like he has this 'I'm a tough guy' act with everyone else, but with you, he's... different."

Melanie bit her lip, a blush creeping onto her cheeks. "Yeah... you're not wrong. We kind of—okay, definitely—have a thing."

Cherry let out a squeal. "I knew it! Oh my gosh, I need details! Wait—does Phoebe know?"

At that, Melanie hesitated, chewing on her bottom lip. "Not yet."

There was a brief silence before Cherry sighed. "Melanie... you know you have to tell her, right?"

"I know," Melanie groaned, flopping onto the couch. "It's just—I don't know how she's going to take it. I mean, it's Max. Her twin brother. What if she flips out?"

"She might," Cherry admitted, "but she's your best friend. She deserves to hear it from you, not find out on her own. If she does, she's gonna be way more upset that you kept it from her."

Melanie sighed. "You're right. I'll tell her. Just... on my and Max's terms."

"Good girl," Cherry said approvingly. "Now, go back to your boyfriend before he wakes up and realizes you're gone."

Melanie smiled. "Already on it. Talk later, Cherr."

"Later, lover girl."

Melanie hung up and tiptoed back to the bed, slipping under the covers as quietly as possible. She turned onto her side, pretending to be asleep, but the second she settled in, she felt a shift beside her.

A low, sleepy voice mumbled, "Nice try, Mel, but I know you weren't here a second ago."

Melanie kept her eyes closed, feigning innocence. "Mmm? What are you talking about? I've been right here."

Max let out a chuckle, his voice still thick with sleep. "Liar."

Before she could react, his fingers found her waist, and suddenly, he was tickling her. Melanie's eyes shot open as she burst into giggles, squirming in his arms.

"Max! Stop—no fair!" she shrieked between laughter.

"Admit it! You were up to something," he smirked, tightening his hold as he kept tickling her.

"Okay, okay! I was on the phone!" she finally gasped, breathless.

Max smirked, finally stopping as he pulled her against his chest. "Mmm. And who, exactly, were you on the phone with so early in the morning?"

Melanie buried her face against him, mumbling. "Just Cherry."

Max hummed, running his fingers lazily through her hair. "And what was Cherry so desperate to talk about?"

Melanie hesitated for a beat before mumbling, "Nothing important. Just my parents."

Max raised a brow, clearly not buying it. "Mhm. Sure."

She peeked up at him, her lips curling into a teasing smile. "What? You are my boyfriend, but that doesn't mean I have to tell you everything."

Max smirked, pulling her closer. "Fine. Keep your secrets. But just so you know, you suck at sneaking back into bed."

Melanie giggled, nuzzling into his chest as his arms wrapped tightly around her. "Noted."

As Max's breathing evened out again, Melanie let herself relax in his embrace, feeling nothing but warmth and comfort. For now, everything was perfect.

As the morning light continued to seep into the room, Melanie sighed softly, still curled up against Max. She could have stayed there forever, wrapped in his warmth, but school was calling. Carefully, she untangled herself from his hold, making sure not to wake him as she slipped out of bed. Max let out a sleepy groan but didn't stir, allowing Melanie to quietly grab her phone from the nightstand.

She always made it a point to call her parents whenever she could. Even if it was just for a quick check-in, hearing their voices gave her a sense of comfort—especially since they were always off on missions, busy with work. This morning, she needed that reassurance.

She tapped their contact and held the phone to her ear, waiting for the familiar voice of either her mom or dad to pick up. It rang once. Twice. Three times.

Nothing.

Melanie frowned, ending the call and trying again.

Ring. Ring. Ring. Voicemail.

A strange feeling settled in her gut, something uneasy, something off. She stared at the screen, her thumb hovering over the redial button. Normally, she wouldn't panic—her parents were always busy, and it wasn't unusual for them to miss her calls. But today, something about it felt different.

Her stomach twisted. Her fingers clenched slightly around the phone.

Relax, she told herself. You're overreacting.

If something were really wrong, she would have gotten a vision. That's how it always worked—if danger was coming, if something was truly amiss, her powers would alert her. But nothing had come to her. No flashes of disaster. No warnings. Just... this unsettling feeling in her chest.

I'm just being paranoid.

Melanie shook her head, inhaling deeply before locking her phone and setting it down. Dwelling on it wasn't going to help.

She padded into the bathroom, flicking on the light as she stared at herself in the mirror. Her hair was a little messy from sleep, her cheeks still flushed from the warmth of Max's embrace. Taking another deep breath, she turned on the sink and splashed cool water onto her face, hoping it would shake off the unease still lingering in her gut.

"This is ridiculous," she muttered to herself, gripping the edges of the sink. "I'm fine. They're fine. It's just a missed call."

Deciding to push the thoughts aside, she grabbed her toothbrush and started getting ready for the day. As she brushed her teeth, she let her mind wander to something else—anything else. School. Seeing Cherry and Phoebe. Figuring out how to tell Phoebe about her and Max.

She would tell her. Soon.

Once she finished brushing her teeth, she turned on the shower, letting the steam fill the bathroom before stepping in. The warm water cascaded down her body, easing her tension slightly, but that nagging feeling in her gut remained.

It wasn't a vision. It wasn't anything she could see.

But something felt wrong.

Still, she had to shake it off. For now, all she could do was trust that she was just overthinking it.

And hope that she was right.

☆

The classroom buzzed with the usual low murmurs of students waiting for their graded exams, but Melanie was too busy poking fun at their teacher's unusually large backside to worry.

"Why does Mr. Big Booty look so mad?" she whispered to Phoebe with a smirk.

Phoebe sighed, shaking her head. "Mel, it's Mr. Begbouday. And he hates when people call him that."

As if on cue, Mr. Begbouday's thick eyebrows furrowed as he slammed a stack of papers onto his desk. "Who's making a crack? Is it someone in the rear?"

A chorus of laughter erupted through the room. Even Cherry had to cover her mouth to stifle a giggle.

"Oh, laugh while you can," Mr. Begbouday continued, "because I've graded your exams, and soon you'll be the butt of the joke."

Melanie leaned over to Max, whispering, "I don't know what's bigger—his ego or his behind."

Max stifled a laugh but refocused his attention on his latest project sitting on his desk.

Phoebe, meanwhile, was preoccupied with something else. "Max, what is that?" she asked, eyeing the odd contraption in front of him.

"It's a Proton Particle Power Booster," he said smugly, tightening a few screws. "Made it with spare parts no one was using."

"Uh, we weren't using them because they belong to the school," Phoebe hissed.

"Oh, come on," Melanie teased. "What's the worst that could happen? The school implodes? We finally get a day off?"

"This is for Max Thunderman Day," Max declared proudly.

Phoebe rolled her eyes. "Oh yeah? And when is that? The th of Doesn't-Existuary?"

Cherry gasped dramatically. "Snark away, but after I pull the best prank this school has ever seen, there'll be a whole day named after me," Max continued.

Melanie snickered. "Yeah, and right after that, we'll get a Melanie is Awesome Day—which honestly, we should have had years ago."

"Check it out," Max continued, ignoring her. "I'm going to clamp these cables to a giant turkey—"

Phoebe's hands shot up. "Okay, for legal reasons, we should stop listening to him right now."

Cherry barely had time to snort before Mr. Begbouday reached her desk. "Miss Cherry, here's your exam. You got 100%..."

Cherry's face lit up. "Oh my gosh—"

"Of the answers wrong."

Cherry groaned. "Ugh."

"Miss Thunderman," Mr. Begbouday continued, handing Phoebe her paper. "B."

Melanie raised an eyebrow. "Back up, Big Booty—Phoebe is the best student in this class. She studies hard and gets 'A's. It's her thing."

Cherry gasped dramatically again, pointing at Phoebe. "It is her thing!"

Phoebe tried to calm them down, but a part of her was fuming. "Sir," she added, forcing a polite smile, "there must be some mistake."

"No mistake," Mr. Begbouday said flatly.

Max, meanwhile, was still fiddling with his invention, trying to keep it hidden. But Mr. Begbouday had sharp eyes.

"Max, what is that?" he asked, peering over Max's desk.

Max looked up innocently. "This? Oh, just a simple machine I made, Mr. Begbouday."

"Simple? Like the jalapeño toilet paper you made last week?" Mr. Begbouday scoffed.

Melanie grinned. "Oh, that was a classic."

Phoebe groaned. "It was not a classic. We almost had to call the fire department."

Mr. Begbouday grabbed the device. "I'll be locking this in the cabinet so no Bouday gets hurt."

Max's face fell. "That was so forced."

Melanie smirked. "Yeah, I give that joke a D-minus."

Mr. Begbouday ignored them. "Speaking of grades..." He turned to Phoebe with an almost smug expression.

Phoebe folded her arms. "Shouldn't I have gotten an 'A'? I don't think I got anything wrong."

"You didn't," Mr. Begbouday admitted. "But I don't give 'A's... to anyone, ever. It's my thing."

Phoebe's jaw dropped.

Cherry gasped for the third time. "Phoebe, looks like we've got a big Big Booty problem."

"It's Begbouday!" he snapped, slamming his hand on the desk.

CRASH!

A glass beaker from the science shelf shattered onto the floor.

Melanie and Max exchanged glances.

"Is it, though?" they asked in unison.

Mr. Begbouday turned to Melanie with a smug grin, holding up her test. "Miss Melanie, you also received a B."

Melanie's jaw dropped. "Excuse me?!"

"You heard me," he said, sliding the paper onto her desk.

Melanie snatched it up, scanning over her answers. Every single one was correct. Her hands clenched into fists.

"No. Nope. No way," she huffed. "I earned an A! I deserve an A! My brain is a gift to this school, and you dare give me the same grade as—" she gestured wildly at Max, "—this menace?"

Max scoffed. "Rude."

Phoebe leaned over. "Melanie, I get it, but don't—"

Too late.

Melanie picked up the nearest object—a crumpled piece of paper—and chucked it at Mr. Begbouday. It bounced off his shoulder harmlessly.

"Oh, real mature, Miss Melanie," he deadpanned.

That only fueled her rage.

She grabbed a textbook and launched it.

Mr. Begbouday yelped as he ducked just in time, the book hitting the whiteboard behind him with a loud thud.

"Mel, stop!" Cherry whispered, eyes wide.

Phoebe reached for her, but Melanie was already on a warpath, grabbing a stapler.

Max's eyes widened. "Oh, this just got interesting."

"Melanie, no!" Phoebe grabbed her arm just as she cocked back, but Melanie was in full fury mode.

"I deserve an A, Big Booty!" she shouted, throwing a handful of pencils like tiny daggers.

"IT'S BEGBOUDAY!" the teacher roared, ducking behind his desk.

"Oh, that's it, we're getting her out of here," Max muttered.

He and Phoebe lunged at Melanie, Cherry right behind them. They each grabbed one of her arms, dragging her toward the door as she kicked and squirmed.

"UNHAND ME! JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED!" Melanie yelled, struggling.

"Yeah, yeah, we'll get justice outside," Max grunted, yanking open the door.

Cherry held her legs as they hurriedly shuffled her out. "Girl, you are too strong for someone so tiny!"

"I work out!" Melanie shouted as she grabbed a dry erase marker from the teacher's desk and threw it behind her.

Mr. Begbouday popped up just in time for it to hit him in the forehead.

"Ow! That is IT! Detention!"

Phoebe groaned. "Ugh, we tried!"

Max smirked. "Worth it."

And with that, they hauled Melanie out the door, her furious protests echoing down the hall.

Max, Phoebe, and Cherry practically dragged Melanie down the hallway, her body still thrashing in protest.

"I SWEAR, I'M GONNA—"

"Okay, Mel, breathe!" Phoebe urged, tightening her grip as they stopped near a quiet corner.

Melanie panted, fists clenched, her body trembling with barely contained rage. Her face was flushed, her chest rising and falling rapidly.

Cherry pressed a hand to her forehead. "Girl, you're overheating! You're gonna pass out if you don't chill."

Max smirked. "Ironically, I am the one not causing chaos right now. Feels weird."

"Max, not the time," Phoebe hissed, turning back to Melanie. "Okay, deep breaths. In through the nose..."

Melanie growled under her breath but obeyed, sucking in air sharply.

"...and out through the mouth."

She exhaled shakily. Her body was still tense, her fingers twitching like she was imagining throwing something else at Mr. Begbouday.

Cherry rubbed her back. "It's okay, girl. I mean, I'd be mad too! A B when you got everything right? That's straight-up villain behavior."

Max snickered. "I actually kinda respect it."

Phoebe shot him a glare.

Melanie took another deep breath, her vision clearing. She blinked at them, then groaned, rubbing her temples. "Ughhh. I hate that man."

"We know," Cherry said. "Literally everyone in the building knows."

"I should have thrown the stapler," Melanie muttered.

"Okay, no," Phoebe said firmly. "That would've been assault, and I don't know about you, but I don't have time for a court case this week."

Melanie groaned again and leaned against the lockers, closing her eyes. "I just... I deserve that A."

"You do," Cherry agreed.

Max leaned against the wall beside her. "Yeah, but you know what else you deserve?"

She cracked one eye open, glaring at him. "If you say 'detention,' I swear—"

He smirked. "A victory slushie."

Melanie exhaled, her body finally starting to relax. She eyed him. "You buying?"

"Pfft. No. But you are," Max said.

Melanie rolled her eyes, but a small smirk played on her lips. "Jerk."

"Duh."

Phoebe sighed in relief. "Okay, great. Crisis averted."

Cherry linked arms with Melanie. "Come on, let's get you sugar before you explode again."

Melanie exhaled one last time, shaking off the lingering rage as the four of them walked toward the cafeteria. But deep inside, she knew one thing—this wasn't over.

Mr. Begbouday owed her an A.

Melanie paced furiously across the living room, hands clenched into fists, her face still red from the outrage she felt. "A teacher who doesn't give A's? That's like a cheeseburger without cheese, a pizza without cheese, nachos without cheese!" She threw her arms in the air. "I need A's like things need cheese!"

Max, lounging on the couch with a smirk, chuckled. "So... this is about your awful chemistry teacher with the big—" he made a dramatic pause, "chip on his shoulder?"

"YES!" Melanie spun to face him, seething. "How am I supposed to get into Hero University when I have a teacher who refuses to give out A's?! It doesn't even make sense! If I earn the grade, I should get the grade!"

"I have an idea," Billy piped up, grinning as he and Nora darted through the room.

"Why don't you go to—"

Nora joined in as they both yelled, "Get Out of the Way University!"

"And major in—"

"MOVE!" they both screamed, zooming past their parents.

Melanie clenched her jaw and let out a deep breath, trying to ignore them.

Barb, sensing Melanie's growing frustration, placed a calming hand on her shoulder. "Sweetie, I know this is frustrating, but don't worry. Your dad's got this."

"That's right," Hank chimed in, crossing his arms confidently. "If my baby girl says she earned an A, then she's getting that A." He pulled out his phone. "I'm calling Principal Bradford. We're gonna arrange a little parent-teacher conference, and we will figure this thing out."

Melanie finally exhaled, some of her tension easing. "That's actually a great idea, Mr. T. Nobody gets anything past you."

"That's right," Hank said, puffing out his chest.

"Thanks, Dad. You are the best," Phoebe added, relieved.

Hank chuckled. "Hey, who left the back door open?"

"Billy," Nora said at the same time Billy shouted, "Nora!"

Max, still lounging, laughed. "I was watching the whole time, and I still don't know how this happened."

A sudden loud thud followed by a clatter made everyone turn toward the kitchen.

Melanie narrowed her eyes. "Max. What now?"

Max leaned back, grinning. "Oh, just engineering my legacy."

Phoebe crossed her arms. "Max, what is that this time?"

"This," he said, gesturing dramatically to his latest contraption, "is for a prank so big the school's going to name an entire day after me."

Melanie arched a brow. "Dancing Turkey Head Day?"

Max scowled. "No. Max Thunderman Day. You know that chemical in turkeys that makes you super sleepy after you eat them?"

"Of course," Phoebe said, arms still crossed. "It's one of the top ten evil chemicals, right after the stuff in asparagus that makes your tinkle