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I want to thank everyone for their feedback and patience. I'm happy to have the next part right here for you.
-

Chapter Eleven

Liz and Kyle held on to each other for a few more minutes before finally pulling away. Liz studied Kyle’s face for any changes that may have happened during the past few months, but she saw none. He looked exactly the same to Liz. His hair, his face, his clothes. Everything about him looked exactly like the Kyle she knew so well.

Kyle didn’t have time to look for any changes on Liz. All he could focus on was the dirt all over her face and clothes, and her slightly swollen bottom lip. His eyes widened and he cupped her face in his hands. “Damn, Liz, what happened to you?”

Liz suddenly felt self conscious about her appearance and she looked away from Kyle. “Oh, it was nothing. It’s no big deal.”

As Liz spoke, Kyle looked over her shoulder and noticed the guy standing by Liz’s mustang. His eyes went back to Liz questioningly. “Did he do this to you?” He asked.

Before Liz could say anything, Max was already walking towards the porch.

“I didn’t lay a hand on Liz,” he stated defensively as he walked up the steps and stood in front of Kyle.

Though Max was taller than Kyle, he didn’t intimidate him. Kyle focused his full attention on Max, and for a moment, Liz was certain that they were going to end up pulling out their penises and start measuring them. “Kyle, he didn’t do anything to me,” Liz said as she stepped in between Max and Kyle. She then placed her hand on Kyle’s chest, gently pushing him a few feet away from where Max stood and effectively getting Kyle’s attention back on her. “This is Max, okay. He just gave me a ride home.”

Looked between both Max and Liz for a minute before deciding that she was telling the truth. “Then what happened, Liz?”

Liz shook her head and tried to give the most convincing smile. “It’s not important.”

“Not important?” Max asked in shock. “Liz.”

“It’s not important right now,” Liz interjected, looking back at Max pleadingly.

Max was about to argue, but he could tell that it wasn’t what she wanted at the moment. So he relented. He looked back at Kyle and shrugged. “It was nothing. She just fell down. Nothing big.” His eyes went back to Liz and he saw the relief on her face before she mouthed a ‘thank you’ to him. He gave her a brief nod. “Look, I should get going. I’ll see you later, Liz.”

“Hold up, man,” Kyle said before Max could leave and stepping past Liz. “Sorry for accusing you like that. I’m just really protective of Liz. I’ve known her my whole life.”

“I can tell,” Max replied, trying not to sound so hostile when he said it.

Kyle held his hand out to Max. “No hard feelings?”

Max stared at Kyle’s hand for a moment, feeling reluctant to shake it. Though Kyle seemed like a nice guy, he couldn’t get the image of Kyle’s arms wrapped around Liz only two minutes ago and it brought intense feelings of jealousy for him. His eyes then went to Liz, who was watching the whole exchange with a curious look, wondering what was going to happen next. Max then remembered that Kyle was someone who mattered to Liz. So finally, he shook Kyle’s hand.

“Yeah, no hard feelings,” he said, releasing Kyle’s hand. “I’ll see you around.”

Kyle gave Max a friendly smile and nodded. “Yeah, that’d be great.”

As Max started to leave, Liz grabbed his arm to stop him. “Max, wait,” she said before turning to Kyle. “Hey, can you wait inside for me? I need to talk to Max.” Kyle nodded and went back in the house. Liz turned her attention back to Max, who wasn’t looking at her. “Max, thank you for not telling Kyle about what happened earlier. I just don’t want to deal with it right now.”

Hearing her say that brought back that violent anger he’d been feeling earlier and that wasn’t good. “Liz, you need to go to the police.” because if you don’t, I might have to find those punks and deal with them myself, he immediately thought. No way was he letting those guys get away with what they did.

“Let’s just let it go,” Liz replied with a sigh. “It’s over now, and I’m fine.”

That’s because I got there before anything happened,” Max stated, completely shocked and even more infuriated by her reluctance to do anything about what happened. “But if they try something again…”

“I really don’t think they will,” Liz insisted.

“Well, forgive me if that doesn’t fill me with comfort.” Max started walking away again. Only he wasn’t going to get his car. No, this time, he had a new destination in mind. He could barely stand the thought of what could’ve happened to Liz if he hadn’t gotten there in time, but the idea of there being a next time was too much. He had to take care of this.

Liz followed him. “Max, what are you going to do?” Something about the way he looked before he turned away worried Liz. She had a feeling that Max wasn’t going to let this go. “Max, please just don’t do anything stupid,” she pleaded, picking up her pace so she could catch up to him. She than grabbed his arm to stop him and made him look at her. “Going after those guys isn’t going to accomplish anything.”

“It’ll make me feel better,” Max snapped and started to walk away again, but Liz wouldn’t release his arm and even tightened her grip on him.

“Max, please,” she begged, hoping that he would listen to her. She could tell that he wasn’t about to let this go, and it scared her. “I just want this to go away. Just let it go. Please.”

Max could still feel the fury in the pit of his stomach just waiting to be released. All he wanted to do was find Sean and his friends and bash their skulls in. But Max could see the worry in Liz’s eyes, worry for him, worry for what could happen if he did what he was thinking about doing. That didn’t stop the storm that was raging inside of him, it did control it however. He just wanted to make this all okay for Liz and if just moving past this was what she wanted, than he’d do it.

“Fine,” he said finally, his fists clenched tightly at his side. He was more frustrated than ever right now, and it was hell trying to control himself. “But I’m going to an eye on Sean. And I don’t think you should go anywhere alone for awhile. Okay?”

Liz nodded her head, smiling a little at how concerned he was for her. “Okay. Thank you, Max.”

Max nodded his head. Then he remembered that Liz was still touching his arm. He looked down at it for a moment, just relishing the warmth of her touch, letting it soothe his soul, unaware that it was having the same affect on Liz. Finally Liz released Max’s arm, much to his disappointment, and she wrapped her arms around herself, feeling a little cold.

“You should get inside,” Max told her as he recovered from the loss of her touch. “It is getting kind of chilly out here.”

Liz nodded her head. “Yeah, it is,” she agreed as she rubbed her arms, trying to keep the cold out. She really wanted to go inside, but at the same time, she wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Max. “Why don’t you come inside with me? It’s warmer in the house.”

Max gave her a polite smile and shook his head. “Thanks for the offer, but I really should get going.” Max shrugged and looked down at the ground. “Besides, I think you and Kyle have some catching up to do.”

Liz could hear the tone in Max’s voice when he said Kyle’s name. He’d obviously gotten the wrong impression about them. “Max,” she said, taking a step closer to him, “Kyle and I are just friends. I mean, we were together in the past, but that’s been over for awhile.”

Max’s eyes went to hers and he could see that she meant it. A feeling of relief and joy washed over him, but he was careful not to let it show. He and Liz were only friends and he wasn’t ready for her to think any differently. “It doesn’t matter to me, Liz. It’s your life. You can do what you like.”

Liz cocked her head curiously, studying Max’s face. She could tell already that Max was just putting up a front, that seeing her hugging Kyle upset him more than he was letting on. But she chose not to dwell on it at the moment. She’d had enough drama for one night. She nodded her head and another chill went through her. “I guess I should get inside now,” she said, wrapping her arms tighter around herself.

“Yeah, you should,” Max said, nodding his head in agreement. “I’ll, uh, I’ll see you later, Liz.”

Max started to leave again when Liz suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck, taking him by surprise, and held him close to her. She didn’t know any other way to thank him for what he’d done for her tonight. Words just weren’t enough. So she just held him to her, hoping he could feel just how important he was to her through her touch. She could tell that he did when his arms came around her waist and pulled her closer to him. They both felt intense sparks being in each other’s embrace and loved every second of it. After a few minutes they released each other, but they were unable to find the will to leave each other just yet.

Max didn’t want to leave. He would gladly stay with Liz forever, enjoying the warmth of her touch and the sweetness of her voice. Momentarily forgetting their ‘just friends’ rule, Max found himself running his fingers through her hair, tucking it behind her ear. Slowly, his face got closer to hers, his eyes focused on her lips.

Liz’s heart thumped wildly in her chest as Max’s lips got closer to hers. Her entire body was alive and tingling with anticipation for his kiss. Her eyes drifted shut when their faces were only a breath apart, and for a moment, she thought she might pass out from excitement.

But just as Max’s lips were about to connect with Liz’s soft, pink ones, he suddenly realized what he was doing. What the hell was he thinking? He was supposed to be her friend. He wasn’t supposed to try and kiss her, especially after she was almost attacked earlier. There was something seriously wrong with him. Her eyes were still closed, waiting for his kiss, as he stepped away from Liz, feeling ashamed of himself. “I really should get going now, Liz.”

Liz opened her eyes, feeling a little stupid and self conscious by the rejection, but she played it cool, refusing to let Max see what his presence did to her, and how excited she had been in anticipation of his kiss. Instead, she took a step back from him as well and gave her head a shaky nod. “Right. Um, then I’ll see you later.”

“Sure. Bye, Liz,” he said as quickly as possible before turning and walking away, eager to get away as fast as possible.

Once he was out of sight, Liz closed her eyes and sighed in frustration, wondering what the hell had just happened? Did Max really almost kiss her? And boy, did she wish he had. She’d fantasized so many times about what his lips would feel like against her. She didn’t get her wish, but the knowledge of what they had almost done filled her with so much excitement.

Oh, for god’s sake, Liz, she mentally chastised herself, feeling a little ridicules. She was getting so worked up over a kiss that didn’t even happen. It’s silly. That’s what she tried to tell herself as turned and headed towards the house, but as she walked inside, her body still tingled with excitement.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

“So, tell me about Kyle,” Tess said enthusiastically as she and Liz walked into the kitchen of her parents spacious three-story home. Tess opened the refrigerator and pulled out a plate of cherry pie while Liz grabbed two smaller plates from the cupboard. She’d been able to think of nothing else since Liz introduced them at the Crashdown earlier today. The moment their hands touched, Tess had felt sparks. She’d never felt that with a guy before.

Liz shrugged as she pulled open a drawer underneath the counter and grabbed two forks, placing them on the counter by the plates. “What do you want to know?” She asked as she watched Tess cut two slices of pie and place them on the plates.

“I don’t know. Tell me anything,” Tess said, unaware that she was practically gushing like a silly school girl in front of Liz, another she never was when it came to a guy. “I mean, you grew up with him.”

“Um, he hates corn.” Liz grabbed her slice of pie and a fork and started eating, savoring the taste of the sweet cherries in her mouth.

Liz, come on!” Tess whined. “You can do better than that.”

Liz laughed, a mouthful of pie still in her mouth. She didn’t know if Tess was aware of how obvious she was being about her feelings for Kyle, but she found it very amusing. “All right, all right. He loves football, and I mean, loves football,” she said. “It’s practically a religion in the Valenti household. He likes all types of music, but don’t ever try to get him into rap. He can’t stand it. I once played him a Kanye West song, he actually covered his ears and wouldn’t stop until I turned it off.”

“No rap music, got it,” Tess said, making a mental note in head like Liz had just shared with her the secrets of the universe. “Anything else?”

“It’s not like there’s going to be a test on him, Tess.”

“I know that, I just, I want to know more about him. That’s all.”

A knowing smile spread across Liz’s face as she watched Tess. “You like him, don’t you,” she stated.

Tess rolled her eyes and sighed. “Am I that obvious?”

“Pretty much,” she answered before taking another bite of her pie. “But I think it’s sweet. And I think he likes you too.”

Tess’ eyebrows rose, becoming hopeful. “Really?”

I saw the way he was looking at you at the Crashdown earlier. There was some definite attraction there.”

Tess became quiet, unsure of herself as a thought came to life in her mind. “And…are you okay with that?” She asked uncertainly, feeling concerned for her best friend’s feelings. “I mean, you two dated for over a year. I’d understand if you didn’t want me to get closer to him.”

“You don’t have nothing to worry about, Tess,” Liz assured. “Yeah, we dated, but after my mom died…things just changed between us; I changed.” She could see the sympathy in Tess’ crystal blue eyes when she brought up Nancy and quickly changed the subject. “Anyway, Kyle and I ended up realizing we were better friends than anything else.”

Tess noticed the way Liz got when she mentioned her mother, but she knew not to press Liz about it--she never talked about her mom, nor did she ever want to--, so instead, she focused back on the conversation. “So, you’re okay with it?” She asked one last time.

“Yes, it’s all right with me.”

Great. Thanks, Liz,” Tess said happily. Realizing she’d forgotten all about her pie in excitement, she grabbed her fork and started digging in. They ate in comfortable silence for a bit, when Tess remembered something. “Oh, hey, what did you do last night?”

Liz popped her head up nervously “What?”

“You said you were going to tell me why you lied to Maria at band practice.”

“Right. Uh, I…” Liz went silent as the events from the other night replayed in her mind. She’d tried to hard to completely block everything out, but now it was back full force.

“So,” Tess continued when Liz didn’t speak. “Where were you?”

Forcing the memory to the back corner of her mind, Liz managed to look casual as she spoke. “I, uh, I was out with Max last night.” She decided to leave out the part where their evening was ruined after Sean and his buddies had tried to commit sexual assault on her. She knew that Tess would lose it and insist that she go to the police like Max did. Though, her better judgment told her that Max was right, another, dumber part of her just wanted it all to go away. She didn’t like it, but that was the part that she was listening to.

“Oh, I see?” Tess said with a smirk, finally taking her mind off of Kyle as she remembered what Liz had told about Max and Maria. A thought occurred her, and not for the first time. “When are you going to tell Maria about you two?”

“There’s nothing to tell.”

“Are you sure?”

The sound of the front door opening followed by Mr. Harding’s, “Tess, can you help me with these bags?!” drew Tess’ attention and saved Liz from having to answer a question she wasn’t ready to answer.

“Coming!” Tess shouted back then turned to Liz. “Hold on a sec.”

Liz nodded and internally sighed in relieve as Tess walked out of the kitchen, leaving Liz alone with her thoughts. Taking another bite of her pie, she started thinking about Tess’ question about Maria. She really wanted to tell Maria the truth about Max. She hated lying to her, but she still didn’t know how Maria would take her being friends with Max, especially now that she was starting to have feelings for him. She just couldn’t tell Maria yet. She had enough on her plate at the moment to worry about her nagging guilt over Maria and her desires for Max.

Still, as Tess came back into the kitchen with Mr. and Mrs. Harding, holding bags of groceries, Liz promised herself that she would deal with both Maria and Max soon. Soon, she reminded herself. I’ll tell Maria soon.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

“You idiot! Can’t you do anything right!” Pam screamed as she sat next to Sean in the front seat of his car. “I told you to scare her, not try to rape her, you fucking moron!”

Sean clenched the steering wheel in his hands, his entire body tense and on edge as he controlled his desire strangle Pam. She’d been screaming at him nonstop since he called her earlier this morning--hung over as hell, he might add--and told her what had happened. He’d offered to come pick her up so they could talk, but she told him that she didn’t want to be seen around town with an attempted rapist, choosing instead to take her own car and meet him at a place of her choosing.

An hour later, Sean found himself at the Quarry listening to Pam’s screechy voice as she continued to yell at him.

“We were drunk, Pam,” he explained, trying to get control of the situation and his rapidly rising frustration. “It just got out of hand. But I think it’s okay. I mean, it’s been almost an entire day since it happened and I still don’t have the police on my ass.”

Pam scoffed. “Yeah, ‘cause thinking is your strong suit.” She exhaled loudly, taking a moment to think about what he said. “But maybe you’re right. Maybe Liz really is that dumb. If it were me, I’d be wearing your balls as earrings.”

“What ever.” Sean was quickly starting to regret helping Pam with Max and Liz, but he was in too deep now. Pam could make his life a living hell if he decided not to help her. Laying his head back on the head rest of his seat, Sean pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling the consequences of all the alcohol he drank the other night. “What do you want to do?”

“Well, for starters, you are going to lay low for awhile. I don’t want her changing her mind about calling the cops,” she said in calmer tone, but on the inside, she was seething. She really hadn’t meant for Sean and his friends to do what they did. She just wanted them to scare Liz a little, get back at Liz for making Max dump her. What’s done is done, she told herself. No sense in dwelling on it. She had to focus. She wanted Max, and there was no way she was going to let that little bitch have him. “I’ve got to figure out a way to keep her away from Max.”

“Seriously, why are all of you so fucking obsessed with Max?” Sean asked in annoyance. He was hung over, tired, and facing the risk of going to jail and all because of Max. “He must have a big cock or something, ‘cause I don’t understand it.”

Pam didn’t even pay attention to him as her mind worked to come up with a plan. Then it came to her, and she felt dumb for not thinking of it sooner. A mischievous smirk spread across her face, knowing that soon Max would be coming back to her and Liz would a thing of the past.

Earth2Mama
Alien_Friend
mary mary
keepsmiling7
begonia9508
Ms_BuffyAnneSummers
LilithAnn
zaneri1
clueless

A/N: Thank you all for your wonderful feedback. Here's chapter twelve!
---


Liz was a bundle of nerves when Monday came rolling around. She hadn’t seen Sean around town or heard a word from him since the attack on Friday, which she was thankful for. She’d been able to push thoughts of that night out of her mind for the most part, and not seeing him only helped that. But now, it was all she could think about. Several times, Liz found herself looking over her shoulder to make sure Sean wasn’t there. Every loud noise made her practically jump out of her own skin. She tried to control it as best as she could when she was around her friends. Still, when three o’ clock came, Liz couldn’t contain her sigh of relief, knowing that the day was finally over.

“What’s up with you?” Maria asked as she and Liz walked out of class together.

Liz looked at Maria. “Nothing. Why?”

“You’ve been acting kind of strange today.”

“Oh, it’s nothing,” as she spoke, she could feel the lies becoming easier the more she told them. “I didn’t get much sleep last night.”

Maria nodded her head, accepting Liz’s answer. The fact that Maria believed her so easily only increased Liz’s guilt. If only Maria knew the truth. She probably wouldn’t be so quick to trust me, she thought to herself as they walked down the hallway towards Liz’s locker. As she put in her combination, Maria leaned against another locker and slung her book bag over her shoulder as she watched Liz.

“Well, I got to go,” she said. “Michael wanted me to tell you about band practice later this evening.”

Liz nodded as she grabbed her books. “Okay. I’ll be there.”

“Cool. Later, Liz.”

Hearing the sound of Maria’s retreating footsteps, Liz shoved her books in her bag and shut her locker, placing the lock back on. She walked out of school and had almost made it to her car when she heard someone saying her name. Turning around, Liz had to hold back her grimace when she spotted Pam heading in her direction. “What’s up, Pam?”

Pam stopped in front of Liz, a look of sadness marring her features. “Nothing much. I was just wondering if you’ve seen Max.”

“Why would I know where Max is?”

“Come on, Liz. You don’t have to pretend with me. I know Max broke up with me because you.” Pam stopped, waiting to see Liz’s reaction. She actually looked more suspicious than guilty and Pam wanted to scream. This bitch didn’t even seem the least bit guilty about stealing another girl’s man. It only fueled her hatred for the tiny brunette. But she kept it inside, reminding herself that she would have Max in her arms again soon. Pam shook her head and continued. “Anyway, I’m not mad or anything. I just wanted you to tell Max that he left some of his stuff at my place.”

Liz didn’t want to think about what Max might have left at Pam’s place. Details would only lead to thoughts of Pam and Max together. She appeared casual as she nodded her head, though deep down, she wanted to jump for joy at the news. She didn’t even care if Pam believed she and Max was a couple. If anything, that just made her happier. “Okay, I will. I’m sorry about Max.”

Pam shrugged. “It’s all right. I know these things happen. Can I just offer you some advice though?” Her face grew concerned, as if she and Liz were the best of friends and she was truly concerned for her.

Honestly, they should give this girl an Emmy, Liz thought as she nodded her head.

“Be careful around Max.”

“What do you mean?”

Pam sighed. “Look, Max is a great guy. Don’t get me wrong. But he has darkness in him.”

Liz’s brows furrowed even more. "Darkness?”

“Yeah, like, sometimes he’ll get really angry for no reason. It’s kind of scary actually.” As she continued on, she could see that she had succeeded in piquing Liz’s interest. “And, I mean, it’s no wonder where he gets it from. Just look at his father.”

“Wait, wait,” Liz stopped her. “What about his father?”

“You mean you don’t know?” Pam feigned shock and took a step back. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything. It’s not my place. Um, I’ll see you later, Liz.”

Liz didn’t say anything as Pam walked away. She was too lost in her own thoughts. It was dumb to listen to anything Pam had to say. She knew that, yet she couldn’t help but think about what Pam had just said. She realized she really didn’t know that much about Max. In all the time they had spent together, he never talked about himself or his family. And anytime she would ask, he would always find some way to change the subject. Stop, her mind admonished her. Stop listening to Pam. She’s just trying to cause trouble.

But even as her head was warning her against listening, the rest of her had already decided that it was time to find out what Max’s secrets were.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

This is a really bad idea. Her mind had continued to yell at her as she parked her car in front of Max’s house. She had asked Isabel where Max lived since she’d never been there and she had reluctantly given her the address. Liz knew that was going to bite her in the ass later, but at least she was there. Now what was she going to do? She’d been debating that the entire drive to Max’s house. She really wanted to know why Max was so secretive, but at the same time, she felt guilty, like she was betraying Max somehow by being there.

But did she listen to that part of her that was telling her to leave this alone?

Of course not!

Her curiosity won out like always. Stepping out of her car, Liz shut the door and made her way down the cement path leading to Max’s front door. Unlike the other houses on the block, Max’s home stood out like a sore thumb. The lawns on the street were all neatly manicured with gardens and bird houses, and other personal touches, while Max’s yard looked like it hadn’t been mowed in years. Weeds and bushes ran wild all over the place and the only personal touch this house had was a ratty, yellow mat that said Welcome in bold, black letters.

She raised her hand, turning it into a small fist, and was about to knock on the door when the sound of a loud crash made her freeze. Screaming voices soon followed and Liz reconsidered what she was doing. Should she leave? Should she knock? She didn’t need to answer that question though, because a moment later the front door opened and Max appeared, almost crashing into Liz as he started to storm out of the house. He halted when he saw her, looking surprised to see her there.

“What the hell are you doing here?” He demanded.

“I was just--” Liz’s words were halted when she caught site of Max’s left eye. It was swollen and purple. “Oh my god,” Liz gasped. She reached out to touch him, but Max pushed her hands away, almost like she were diseased or something. She paid no mind her slightly hurt feelings, though. Concern for him overrode anything she was feeling. “What happened to you?”

Max didn’t answer her question. “Get out of here. Now.”

“Why? What’s going--” before she could finish her sentence, a man emerged and stood beside Max, holding a half empty bottle of brown liquid, which Liz assumed was alcohol since the man appeared as if he could barely stand.

“Who the hell is this?” The man asked in a gruff voice before chugging down whatever was left in his bottle.

“Just someone from school, dad,” Max answered, avoiding Liz’s gaze he spoke.

Liz was sure that if had looked at her, he would’ve seen the surprise on her face at finding out that this barely stable man was his father. They looked so different.

Max’s father eyed Liz for a moment, grunting in acknowledgment before turning back to Max. “Here,” he said, digging through his right pocket and pulling out some money. “Go to the liquor store. I need more whiskey.”

Max nodded his head as he took the money and shoved it into his pocket. When Phillip walked back into the living room, Max finally looked at Liz, anger blazing in his honey brown eyes. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“I…um, I-I.” For the first time since she met Max, Liz didn’t know what to say to him She’ d seen him angry before, but she’d never seen it directed at her. She didn’t like it.

“Forget it.” He stepped outside, making Liz step back as he shut the front door. “I don’t care why you’re here, but you need to leave. Now.”

Liz was too stunned to do or say anything as Max brushed past her and started to walk away. It soon wore off though, and she turned around to follow him. “Max, wait!” It was difficult to keep up with him with her short legs, but she managed, barely anyway, to be in step with him. “That’s your dad?”

“Yep, the one and only Phillip Evans. Charming, wasn’t he?”

This time, Liz was too distracted with her questions to be taken aback by Max’s attitude. “I see. And may I ask how you are able to get his whiskey? You’re only seventeen.”

Max let out a bitter chuckle. “You never heard of a fake ID.”

“Yes, but--”

“Yes, my parents know about,” Max cut her off. “And, no, they don’t care…about anything I do, really.”

Liz was silent for another few feet before another question slipped out of her mouth. “How come you never told me about him?”

Max came to screeching halt and whirled around to glare at Liz. “You’re kidding me. Do you tell me every fucked up thing that’s happened in your life?”

Almost immediately Liz’s mom came to mind. “No, I guess not.”

“Exactly.” Max started walking again, faster than before. And Liz had to practically run to keep up with him.

“Max, wait, please. I’m sorry,” she said, hoping she could calm him down. She realized then that she was wrong. He was never this angry before. His rage she’d seen towards Sean had been more primal, created out of a desire to protect her. But she could see that there was something different about Max’s anger towards her. There was something behind that was unlike what she’d seen before. Vulnerability. She had discovered something about Max that he wasn’t ready or willing to share with her and now he was doing the one he knew how to do. Push her away. She ran few feet ahead of Max and came to a stop in front of him. “I’m really sorry. I shouldn’t have come here.”

Max didn’t try to move past her, but he wouldn’t look her in the eye. Instead, he chose to look past Liz, at the sidewalk behind her. “That’s right. You shouldn’t have.”
Liz touched Max’s arm hesitantly, unsure if that was the right thing to do at the moment. But she was desperate to get him to look at her.

When he finally did look at her, his eyes were hard and cold. “Go home, Liz. And don’t come back.”

This time, when Max walked past her, Liz didn’t follow, knowing that there was nothing more she could do. Besides, she felt too ashamed and angry with herself to talk to Max. Why did she have to come here? Why did she have to push Max like that? Shit! I’m so stupid!

Reluctantly, Liz walked back her car. She opened the car door and before slipping inside, she took one last look at Max’s figure in the distance. She had a bad feeling that she had just screwed her friendship with Max straight to hell.

Alien_Friend - Yes, it will. Max just needs to see that for himself.

Earth2Mama - Liz probably shouldn’t have surprised him, but your right. Liz does want to be there for him. As for apologizing…well, you’ll see.

keepsmiling7 - Pam will definitely be trouble.

Ms_BuffyAnneSummers - Wow, tell how you really feel about Pam. Can’t say you’re wrong about her though.

mary mary - He’ll eventually get over this, but it’s going to take some time.

begonia9508 - You’re right. Liz probably shouldn’t have done what she did, but she realizes that now.

LilithAnn - Yep, Max and Liz definitely need to go the police. But being open isn’t something that comes easy for either of them.

zaneri1 - Thank you. I hope you enjoy the next part.

angiebrenna - Well, here it is!

dreamon - Thank you. I hope you enjoy this chapter.

And just like I promised, here is the new part. Enjoy!

Liz was sluggish as she made her way to history class. Mr. Seligman’s class used on of her favorite part of the day. There, she could sit next Max without feeling like she was betraying Maria’s trust. Granted, they had to sneak texts to each other to have a conversation, but that was still better than nothing. And she new that nothing was all she would get when she stepped into that classroom today. It had been two weeks since she had shown up at Max’s home, and they hadn’t spoken to each since--correction. He hadn’t spoken to her since. Liz had tried to speak to him several times. She wanted to apologize for showing up the way she had, but he wouldn’t hear any of it. And when they sat together in class, he wouldn’t even look at her. It was like they’d never been friends at all. Fortunately, she had some ways to keep her mind off of Max, such as school and the band, and helping Kyle adjust and catch up in school. But in her opinion, those things still didn’t distract her enough. She missed him. Despite her confusing feelings for Max Evans, the one thing she knew for certain was that she needed him in her life. More than she thought possible.

With a sigh, she adjusted the strap of her book bag and continued walking. On her way to Mr. Seligman’s room, she spotted the door to the eraser room, the hotspot for teenaged hookups at West Roswell High. She’d never seen the room personally, but during her time at this school, she’d seen a few couples sneak in there for some alone time. She’d often thought about what it’d be like sneaking in there with Max. Her cheeks reddened at the thought. She was hopeless.

As she came closer to the door, she heard two voices coming from inside--one male and the other female. Not thinking anything of it, she started to pass it, but halted when the door suddenly swung open and out walked Pam.

When her eyes met Liz’s, a smug grin spread on her lips. This was her chance. Her strawberry blonde hair bounced slightly as she spun around to face Max as he stepped out of the room as well.

When Liz spotted Max, her heart stopped.

“I’m really glad we worked everything out, Max,” Pam said in a seductive voice, reaching out to stroke his arm.

Max looked down at her hand in confusion, wondering what the hell she was talking about. His eyes went back to Pam’s face and that’s when he spotted Liz standing behind her. He could’ve sworn he saw a flash of pain in her eyes, but she didn’t stick around long enough for him to be sure.

She quickly brushed past them, fighting back the tears that wanted to spill out.

Pam’s eyes watched in delight as Liz scurried away from them. When she looked back at Max, he was shaking his head in exasperation.

“You’re such a bitch,” he said, turning away from her.

Pam giggled in amusement as she followed him. “Hey, I didn’t see you rushing to tell her what really just happened in the eraser room. Trouble in paradise?”

Max suddenly, making her come to stop as he glared at her. “What’s going on between me and Liz is none of your business.” There was a hard edge to Max’s voice, warning Pam not to push him on the Liz subject.

Pam shrugged. “Whatever you say, Max. I honestly don’t care about your little crush on Liz. But what I said in the eraser room is still true. She will never understand you the way I do. Sooner or later, you’ll see that.” She leaned in slowly and whispered softly in his ear. “And when you do, you’ll come running back.”

She had hoped that her close proximity to him would illicit a physical response from Max, preferably in his nether regions. It had been a while since she’d gotten a good lay. It wasn’t that she didn’t plenty of options, but none of her other friends could hold a candle to the kind of lover Max was. Max’s hands slowly slid up her arms and stopped at her shoulders. She could feel his warm breath against her neck and shivered in arousal. No guy could turn her on the way that Max did, and she knew that she could do the same to him. But she was stunned when he didn’t drag her back to the eraser room like she’d been expecting. Instead, he gently pushed her away from him.

“No,” he said with certainty. “I won’t.”

Pam was too surprised to move as Max turned from her and walked away. No guy walked away from Pam Troy. Not ever. Her hurt soon turned into anger, a burning anger that started to consume her. Max was going to pay for this. She didn’t know how yet, but he was going to pay.
Max slept with Pam. Liz shook her head. Why couldn’t she make herself believe it? She also didn’t have any reason to be bothered by it. She knew that Max had had a sexual relationship with Pam before. And it was none of her business what those two were doing. She and Max were just friends. Well, technically they weren’t even friends. Not anymore. But still, her mind kept trying to process what she had just witnessed when Max entered the room. Her whole body tensed as he came and took his usual seat beside her. She didn’t know why, but as she sat there, she secretly hoped that he would feel the urge to explain what she just saw, to assure her that there was nothing going on between him and Pam. But he didn’t say anything. He just stared straight ahead like she wasn’t there. Liz wished it could be that easy for her to pretend. Class went by like a blur for Liz. With most of her attention on trying not to notice back, she barely heard a thing Mr. Seligman was saying and knew she was going to have to borrow notes from one of her classmates afterwards. She’s surprised when she hears her name being called from the front of the room. She looks up from her notes, which she had pretended to find more interesting than Max, and saw Mr. Seligman staring at her.

“Excuse me, sir,” she said, smiling sheepishly at him. “I didn’t hear what you said.”

Mr. Seligman sighed in annoyance. “You and Mr. Evans will be partners on this assignment,” he said tiredly. He cocked an eyebrow at her and narrowed his eyes a bit. “Is that a problem.”

A small smile spread on her lips and she quickly shook her head, allowing Mr. Seligman to continue listing off partners. This was the perfect chance to get Max to talk to her. Surely he couldn’t ignore her this time. In the back of her mind, she remembered the assignment having something to with interview your classmate and writing a report about them, so he would have to talk to her.

The bell rang as soon as Mr. Seligman finished giving every student their partner. Like everyone else, Liz started gather her book and book bag, which had been resting against her desk. Max was doing the same when she looked over at him, and she quickly moved around the front of the desk to block his path.

She stared up at him awkwardly while he glared down at her in irritation, wishing she would leave him alone. When she’d seen him coming out of the eraser room with Pam earlier, he’d had to wanted to go after her so badly. He wanted to tell her that he wasn‘t sleeping with Pam, but he didn‘t, and he was quick to remind himself why he shouldn‘t either. He was still mad at her for showing up at his home a couple of weeks ago. She’d had betrayed his trust, but it was more than that. Her seeing where he lived…who his dad was, was a just a reminder that they weren’t for each other. Pam was right about that. Liz was beautiful and smart. A shining star in the black pit that was his life, but he wasn’t good for her. He was trash. Always would be. If he didn’t push her away now, eventually he’d ruin her life. Like his dad, he destroyed everything he touched, and he refused to do that to Liz. He had to let her go.

“I guess we should go somewhere to start working on our project,” Liz said, her voice slightly hopeful. She tried not to be. She didn’t want him to think she was desperate--even if she kind of was.

Max’s gaze became harder when he saw the spark of hope in her eyes. He had hoped that after two weeks, she would’ve finally given up and moved on. But here she was. She couldn’t see how bad their friendship was. How bad he was for her. It didn’t matter though. He had to push her away for both of their sake. Without a word, Max side stepped around Liz and left the classroom.

Liz watched him go, feeling her hopes crushed once again. She should’ve expected his cold behavior towards her by now, but for some reason, it still stung her. With a disappointed sigh, Liz walked out of class.
Liz’s bad mood followed her throughout the day and even during lunch. She sat by herself in the quad waiting for her friends to show, but was thankful for the few moments of peace. With the mood she was in, it wouldn’t take much to make her bite someone’s head off.

She was right in the middle of taking her anger out on her meatloaf with a fork when Kyle’s annoyingly chipper voice broke her out of her thoughts.

“You look like your in a good mood.”

“Yeah,” she snapped sarcastically. “I’m just a big ball of happy sunshine today.” Taking a deep breath, Liz tried to calm herself down. It wasn’t Kyle’s fault that Max was being a jerk to her. She looked up at Kyle with apologetic eyes. “Sorry.”

He shrugged, a smile still lighting his face as he sat down next to her, setting his lunch tray down on the table in front of him. “No problem,” he said. “You want to talk about it.”

Shaking her head, Liz went back to stabbing at her food. “Not really.”

Kyle’s eyes studied Liz, trying to decide if he should just let it go or not. He hated knowing that something was upsetting Liz and he couldn’t make it better. So much of her life was a mystery to him since she moved away from Los Angeles, and she hadn’t seemed to keen on sharing anything with him since their reunion either. He did know that none of her friends knew about how Mrs. Parker really died. The only reason he knew that was because she had specifically asked him not to tell anyone, which he agreed to. She wasn’t ready to deal with the pain of her mom’s death and until she was, she wasn’t going to be able to share the truth with her friends. Kyle understood that. But there were still things she wasn’t telling him or anyone else about--like her relationship with Max, or what ever it was that they had. All she had told him about since he met Max was that their relationship was complicated and that they were keeping it secret for now--another secret he was keeping for her. Even with all of his prying, she wouldn’t tell him anymore than that, which only made him more curious. He wondered if Max was the reason she was in this lovely mood.

Finally, he decided to let it go for now, hoping that she would talk to him when she was ready. He then changed the subject to his new favorite topic. Tess. “So, I wanted to ask you about your friend Tess…” he trailed off nervously, trying to find the best way to continue.

Despite her bad mood, Liz smiled as she asked, “Yes?” in a drawn out voice. She was more than happy to help her two dear friends make a love connection. Someone should be getting some romance around here since she certainly wasn’t.

Kyle felt his cheeks redden at the knowing look in Liz’s eyes. He was busted. “We’ve been hanging out lately and I think she might like me, but I’m not sure. Has she said anything about me at all?”

“Kyle, if you want to ask Tess out, just do it,” Liz told him. “I know for a fact she’ll say yes.”
Kyle’s entire face lit up like Christmas tree when he heard that, but his voice was serious when he spoke. “And you’re okay with this?”

Growing bored of massacring her lunch, Liz put her fork down and looked at Kyle. “I am more than okay with it, Kyle,” she told him sincerely. “You and Tess would make a cute couple.”

“Thanks, Liz.”

Liz shrugged. “Just name one your kids after me and we’ll call it even.”

Kyle let out a laugh. “Done,” he replied before he started digging into his food.

“Yo, Parker!” Came Alex’s voice.

Both Liz and Kyle looked up and spotted Alex heading their way. Next to him was Michael and Maria and Isabel were trailing behind them, lost in their own conversation.

“Hey, guys,” Liz greeted as they all joined her and Kyle at the table. “What’s up?”

“We have some very exciting new, Ms. Parker,” Alex told Liz, grinning almost like the chesher cat.

Liz gasped in faux excitement. “Really?! Well, what is this exciting news?”

“We,” Michael started, moving his index finger from himself to Alex, and then to Liz, “have a gig.”

All the humor evaporated from Liz’s face. “A gig?” She asked grimly. “Like an actual concert?”

“Yep.” Alex nodded giddily. “It’s this Friday at the Aftermath. We’re going to start rehearsing after school. You up for it?”

At this point, Liz couldn’t hear Alex or anything else except the loud pounding of her heartbeat A queasy feeling settled in the pit of her stomach, and for a moment, she thought might start having a panic attack. She couldn’t perform in front of crowd. Just the idea of doing it made her want to throw up. Memories of her mom performing flashed through her mind. Her mother was pro up on stage. The way she would leave the crowd mesmerized by her voice and presence. Liz could never be like that. Before Liz could break down in front of everybody, a hand touched her shoulder, bringing her back to what was going on around her. With a calming breath, she looked over at the person who was touching her and saw Kyle wearing a look of concern all over his face. He knew why she was freaking out.

“Are you okay?” He asked quietly, his eyes searching her carefully.

Liz tried to keep her face as calm as possible as she nodded. “Yeah. I’m fine.” She wasn’t sure Kyle believed her or not, but it didn’t matter. She knew he wouldn’t say anything in front of everyone. She turned attention back to Alex, who was staring at her with a frown. “I’m sorry, Alex. What were you saying?”

Alex returned to his usual cheer once Liz flashed her usual bright, confident smile at him. That’s how she was at making people believe she was okay. “Band practice?” He asked her again. “After School?”

“Yes, I’ll be there.”

“Cool.”

Everyone carried on with their own conversations after that. Alex continued to ramble excitedly with Michael and Kyle about their show on Friday. Maria and Isabel were absorbed in their own discussion about whatever latest gossip was going around Roswell High. Something to do with Brett Sanders cheating on his girlfriend. That was all Liz could catch since she wasn’t really paying attention. They had tried to include her in the conversation, but after only receiving a few simple nods and one-word responses, Isabel and Maria decided to leave her be.

So there Liz sat with her friends, silently nibbling at her food. All she could think about now was making a fool out of herself in front of a crowd full of people. What am I going to do? She thought to herself as she tried to push back another wave of nausea that hit her. She didn’t want to perform on Friday, but seeing how excited Alex and Michael were, she knew couldn’t back out either. She couldn’t let them down. She was stuck.

Author is ready to update.

So glad you back. Can't wait to find out what will happen at the concert. And Can't wait to find out if Max and Liz will talk to each other.

From:
L-J-L 76

Can’t wait to read more of this. Welcome back!

L-J-L 76 - Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy this next part!
clueless - Thank you. Happy to be back!
Liz sighed as she felt her phone vibrate in her back pocket. She already knew who it was before she pulled her phone out. Alex had been texting and calling almost nonstop since she’d agreed to sing for him, wanting to set up rehearsal times. She quickly sent Alex a text back, agreeing to rehearsals on Wednesday, before shoving her phone back in her pocket and continuing her way to class. She’d had a nervous pit in her stomach ever since she agreed to sing for Alex and Michael’s band and the closer Friday came, the more that pit grew. She’d even contemplated feigning ill a couple of times, but cared too much about her friends to do that to them.

As she rounded the corner, she spotted Max with his back to her as he walked down the hallway. As she watched him, she couldn’t stop the glare that formed on her face as she watched him. Since Mr. Seligman had paired them together for a history assignment, Max had been working harder than ever to avoid Liz, even blowing off history class so he wouldn’t have to see her. And it was starting to aggravate her.

Yes, she made a mistake by going to his house and maybe she was stupid in thinking that their friendship could be salvaged, but she wasn’t going to ruin her grades because of him.

Seeing this as her only chance to talk to him, Liz quickened her pace to catch up with him and before he even had time to react, Liz grabbed him by the arm, opened the eraser room door and pushed hm inside.

“What the fuck?!” Max shouted in annoyance as he stumbled into the eraser room. He whirled around in anger, assuming it was Pam trying to seduce him again. That girl had become quite the stalker since he ended things with her and he wasn’t sure how much more he could take. But anger subsided when he found Liz instead, shutting the eraser room door behind her. He hated it, but his heart leapt at the sight of her and he couldn’t stop his eyes from soaking in her presence. Even wearing a simple, white t-shirt and a knee-length jean skirt, she was incredibly beautiful. But he was brought back to the reality of their situation when turned around to glare at him. Immediately, he put on a façade of indifference as he stared down at her. “Liz, what the hell are you doing?”

“Making you talk to me,” she snapped back, folding her arms across her chest. Just as he opened his mouth to speak again, she cut him off. “Look, if you want to stay mad at me, fine. If you want to end our friendship because of your issues, go ahead. I can’t stop you. But I won’t fail this history assignment because of you. So, I’m going to need you to get over yourself and come by the Crashdown after school, so we can work on it. Got it?”

Max wanted to respond, but what could he say? She wasn’t wrong to be mad. With a sigh, he nodded his head in acceptance.

“Good.” And with that, Liz stormed out of the eraser room, leaving Max staring after her in surprise and even some amusement. He’d never seen Liz so fired up before, and he kind of liked it. Damnit! This girl was getting under his skin.
Liz was fuming as she left the eraser room. What bothered her most was that, despite him acting like a complete ass, she still wanted him. What the hell was wrong with her? She never let guys like that get to her, but so help her, all she wanted to do in that eraser room was grab him and kiss him senseless. Not only was it pathetic, but completely delusional as well. If she had tried to kiss Max, she was sure he’d be horrified. But even if being with him romantically wasn’t a possibility, she still hoped that they’d eventually be able to work things out. The last couple of weeks had been hard without Max’s friendship and she didn’t want to imagine how hard things would be if he wouldn’t forgive her. Damn him! She thought angrily. Life had gotten so complicated since she had met him.

On her way to class, she spotted Maria by her locker, grabbing some books. Guilt punched Liz in the gut as she watched Maria. She knew she had to tell Maria about her project with Max before someone else did. Really, she knew she had to tell Maria about her entire relationship with Max, but one thing at a time.

“Hey,” Liz greeted, leaning against one of the locker’s next to Maria.

“Hey, chica,” Maria greeted cheerfully as she shut her locker door. “Got plans tonight? Because Isabel, Tess and I were thinking about going to see a movie.”

Nervously, Liz started fiddling with her fingers. “Uh, I can’t. I have…plans.”

Maria’s gaze turned curious. “What plans?”

Closing her eyes, Liz took a deep breath before speaking. “Maria, Max is meeting me at the Crashdown this afternoon. We have a—”

“Max is meeting you at the Crashdown?! Maria snapped, her face contorting in anger. “Why? Are you two—”

“No, Maria, it’s nothing like that.” Yes, that was a lie, but the look of betrayal on Maria’s face as she stared at Liz told her that now wouldn’t be a good time. “Mr. Seligman paired us up for a history project. That’s all.”

Maria was silent for a moment as she studied Liz with suspicion, trying to decide if she was telling the truth. “Just a history project?”

Liz wasn’t surprised by Maria’s anger. She’d been expecting it. But there was a look that crossed her friend’s eyes that caught her off guard. A look that made her guilt ten times worse. “Maria, do you still have feelings for Max?”

Maria froze, visible stunned by the question. “Of course not,” she sputtered, her eyes darting in every direction except in Liz’s. “I just don’t want you to fall into his trap, Liz.”

“I’m not falling into a trap, Maria. Max and I aren’t even friends. We’re just doing this one project together.”

Finally, she looked back at Liz and, after a moment, seemed to accept Liz’s answer. “Okay, we’ll just have a girls’ night another time.”

Liz smiled. “Definitely.”

Liz watched Maria as she walked away. She felt like scum. How could she not realize that her dear friend was still in love with Max? And when the hell did her life become such a soap opera?
After saying goodnight to the last customer, Liz placed the closed sign on the door and she and Tess began the long, exhausting process of cleaning the diner. In between wiping down counters and putting chairs up, Liz would glance at the entrance of the diner, guiltily admitting to herself that she was still hoping Max would show up. But at this point, that seemed unlikely. A small part felt a little relieved, knowing it would save her the trouble—and the pain—of having to end the friendship herself. Knowing how Maria felt about Max, she knew she couldn’t continue this any longer. But the rest of her heart ached. She missed him and knowing that there was nothing she could do to fix the distance between them hurt more than she thought possible.

Tears began to form in Liz’s eyes and she quickly headed towards the back room, not wanting Tess to see her cry. She wiped her eyes furiously and opened her locker to grab coat and book bag.

“Are you waiting for someone?” Came Tess’s voice and Liz jumped in surprise.

“What?” She asked once she calmed down.

“Don’t think I haven’t noticed the way you were staring at the doors all afternoon.”

Liz tried to look casual as she slid her jacket over shoulders, but it was hard to mask the glum look on her face. And the pitying expression Tess was giving her only made her feel worse. “It doesn’t matter. He’s not going to show.”

Grabbing her stuff from her locker as well, Tess followed Liz out of the backroom, wanting to prod further, but the sound of the bell chime above the Crashdown doors made her pause. They both glanced towards the front of the restaurant to find Max standing there, his backpack slung over his shoulder and a notebook in his hand.

“Max?” The excitement in her voice was obvious, and so incredibly pathetic, but she couldn’t help herself. “What are you doing here?”

Max frowned as he walked towards her. “What are you talking about?” He snapped, looking mildly annoyed by her question. “You told me to be here for our project, so I’m here.”

And just like that, Liz’s mood shifted and all she wanted to do was strangle the jerk. What right did he have to be annoyed by her? “You’re late,” she bit back. If he thought she was so pathetic that she’d just sit here and wait all night for him, he was in for a rude awakening. “Tess and I are heading home.”

Without another word or glance in his direction, she started walking towards the entrance, fully intending to kick his ass out. Just as she was about to open the door, Max gently grasped her arm, stopping her in her tracks.

“Liz, please.” His voice was low and almost…sad. “I didn’t intend to be this late. Can you stay please?”

Liz snapped her head in his direction, prepared to ream him out for expecting her to just give in to him, but the dejected look in his eyes made her back down. She’d never seen him look like that before. Reluctantly, she could feel her heart clench in sympathy and she turned to Tess, who’d been watching the whole exchange with interest.

“You can head home, Tess.”

“Are you sure?” She asked, glancing between Max and Liz. When Liz nodded, she readjusted her backpack and left, gently squeezing her friend’s shoulder as she left. “I’ll see you tomorrow Liz.”

Once they were alone, Liz turned her attention back to Max, who was still standing there, his hand still wrapped around her arm as he stared down at her. “Why don’t you grab us a booth while I finish locking up.”

With a small nod, he reluctantly released her and grabbed the first booth on the right while Liz locked the Crashdown doors.

Must admit, like Max I love a fired up Liz.
Liz realizes Maria still has feelings for Max........now she must give him up, or the friendship that is.
Max was late for the work on the project, but they'll get started any way.
Thanks,
Carolyn

Very happy to see a new part! I can’t wait for more.

Please please please please please please come back and post more really really really really soon? Can't wait to find out if Max and Liz will talk more. And if Maria will catch them together.

From:
L-J-L 76