"Hey, guys!" Max blurted enthusiastically to everyone and no one all at once. Bradbury was a small town. Even Max knew that. In fact, if you took more than three steps out your front door, and [i]didn't[/i] see someone you know, you are probably alright to act surprised, or even concerned, because the Rapture had probably just happened. Still, Max could never get over the thrill of running into friends from school. Grocery shopping, dropping off the twins at daycare, at her gym, wherever. It was exciting! Imagine, just going about your day, doing boring chore stuff, and then -- [i]bam![/i] -- there was someone to talk to! Someone you maybe hadn't seen in a couple hours, and then you had hours' worth of stuff to discuss! Max thrived on small talk. Which wasn't to say she wasn't capable of deeper conversation. For all her erratic tendencies, she was a good friend, with a proverbial heart of gold and loyalty bordering on innate altruism. 

But Bradbury didn't offer much of a chance to show that. Bradbury students even less so. 

Fortunately, max was far too idealistic to take it personally. 

[i]Un[/i]fortunately, it also meant she wasn't very good at taking a hint. So, when she herded her 'friends' from school into one tight little group, it was with blissful ignorance that she all but vibrated there between them. She still had her phone in hand, ready and waiting for that emergency call. But she knew her mother would be alright if she was a few minutes late getting home. She was always telling Max to get out of the house, anyway. 

Usually after she'd broken something playing with the twins. 

"Hi!" she said again, grinning around at somewhat bright and enthusiastic faces...because no one else had said anything yet. 

"Are you guys here just hanging out? I'm looking for stuff for my brothers' birthday next week, but I could find anything so I got a pretzel instead. And some ice cream. And cookies. Not for them, for me. But then I was thinking I'd look at some video games, Mom said she was saving up for a Wii, and if we get more than one controller, they can both play, so probably something loud. They like loud." 

She trailed off only when she'd run out of breath, and then tried to wait patiently for someone else to pick up the conversation. Then she forgot about waiting patiently, and started talking again. 

"Hey, do you guys play video games? What are your favorite ones? My brothers are only turning five, so it hasta be kinda easy, and nothing with, like, blood, Mom would hate that. The violence, not the blood, she doesn't mind blood, she's a nurse." Another beat. "SO, what [i]are[/i] you guys all doing here? Did you come here together? Is it a surprise? Or a secret? That's okay, you don't have to tell me, I don't mind."