Chapter One

Alex Keaton inwardly sighed as he followed his sister through the front doorway to their new house in San Pueblo, California. It had been a horrible day. There was nothing worse than being the new kid in school. Nobody knew about him or his long list of accomplishments and every girl he had encountered seemed to look right past him, as if he weren't even there. They all seemed too busy to notice him. To busy having their eyes on other guys. Another guy to be exact. Some stupid guy with some stupid long hair, a stupid shell necklace, straight, stupid, perfect teeth and a stupid pop band. The guy who sat in front him in English class. A guy named Keith Partridge.

"I love California!" Mallory sighed, flinging herself onto the couch as if struck with a dream- or was it lightning? Alex would have preferred the latter. "And can you believe it? Keith Partridge-the Keith Partridge- goes to our school!"

"I wouldn't exactly say amazing was the word, Mallory." Alex ignored his sister's good mood much too despondent in his own. "Why? Why would they do this to me: right in the middle of senior year? This is setting me back months… do they expect perfection under these circumstances? I mean, come on. I had a life in ohio. People knew me."

"Oh get over it, Alex. We should be thanking our lucky stars your reputation hasn't followed you. Can you imagine what that would do to me?" Mallory stood and headed for the mirror on the wall. "Like how can you expect Keith Partridge to ever ask me out if my brother is known all over school as the biggest overachiever of the century?"

Wasn't the creep saying 'hi' to her enough? "Mallory? How can I just get over it? Huh? Our hippie parents moved us back to California to relive their glory days and connect with their friends, completely ripping us away from the last seventeen years as I knew it. How will I survive? Do you know how much money this cost us?"

"You're just being melodramatic." Mallory held up her hair with a hand and changed poses in front of the mirror. Probably trying to find out which angle was her best: Alex knew she didn't have a good angle; she always looked ridiculous."You and I both know that we moved because of Dad's new job."

Alex put his hand on her shoulder, willing her to stop her primping. "If that's what helps you sleep at night, then you keep thinking that." He shook his head, picked up his briefcase and sat at the table to do his homework. He couldn't handle this right now.

"Whatever, Alex." Mallory sighed again and sat on the couch feigning personal control until her mother came in the door, arms full of groceries. "Mom! Guess what I found out at school today? " She jumped up and ran to her. "Keith Partridge -the Keith Partridge- goes to my school!" She squealed before her mother could say a word.

"Oh my. Keith Partridge, huh?" Elyse pretended to be thrilled for her daughter, though it was apparent to Alex that she hadn't the slightest idea how much future danger Mallory was in. "Who's Keith Parridge?"

"Only the cutest man alive! Lead singer and lead songwriter of one of the best groups in the world." Mallory sighed dramatically.

"Who is…?" Alex prodded her, knowing his mother still had no idea what

"The Partridge Family!" Mallory squealed in delight, causing Alex to cringe. Yeah, this would have to stop. Especially if they expected him to get any homework done.

"Mom…"

"The Partridge Family..." Elyse took a seat on the couch, thinking. "Well, isn't that interesting!"

"Mom," Alex repeated, "Don't tell me you are a Keith Partridge fan too." Just kill me now!

Elyse looked to Mallory."It just so happens I ran into a neighbor at the store today by the name of Partridge and she invited us over for dinner Friday night."

Mallory's eyes grew big. "Really? You're not making this up? "

"Mallory, there's no guarantee that this Partridge is related to your Partridge. I just thought it was interesting that-"

"I get to meet Keith Partridge? The Keith Partridge!" Mallory didn't allow her mother to finish. She did a little dance around the living room, hugging herself. "I get to meet Keith Partridge!"

"Mom!" Alex covered his ears, "You just had to say that, didn't you?"

"Now hold on a minute. Like I said, there's no guarantee that this Mrs. Partridge is in any way related to Mallory's classmate. They just happen to have the same last name is all."

Mallory screamed again, "Keith Partridge!"

Alex's frown deepened. He really couldn't take any more of this. "I'm going to do my homework… In my room… Where it's quiet."

"Alright." Elyse rose and headed for the kitchen. "I'll call you when dinner's on the table."

"Sounds good"

"I think you're going to like what I'm making tonight..." She said, pausing at the door.

Alex didn't bother to reply, not even sure if he wanted to know what she was making. At least one good thing could come out of eating at the Partridge residence that Friday: he'd be eating some real food for a change.

What was he saying? He'd be sitting at the same table as Mallory and the world's worst classmate watching them make eyes at each other. He couldn't do this. He wouldn't do this.

At the top of the stairs Alex turned around and headed back down, heading towards the kitchen. "Hey, Mom? Mommy? About Friday night…"