Maria DeLuca stood by Max and Liz, chatting about meaningless topics such as Chemistry tests and what was on at the movies right now. It had been pretty dead at the Crashdown recently, and Liz (unlike Maria) was fortunate enough to be granted the week off. There had been only two customers in all day with the exception of Max and Liz, who were starting to really bug Maria. They couldn't keep their hands off each another, and although they were making their efforts to include Maria, they were completely immersed in their own private bubble. Just before Maria gave in and throttled one of the two, a third customer sauntered in and took a seat at one of the other tables. Maria nearly tripped over herself in her haste to get away from the loved-up pair, who were now holding hands across the table.

Ugh. How sickening.

Maria took the man's order and told him that it would be ready in around five minutes. Walking over to the kitchen, she repeated the order to Michael as carelessly as she could, who greeted her with a 'do I give a damn?' kind of look.

Maria raised an eyebrow at him. "What?"

"Nothing." He looked away from her and switched the grill on, beginning to heat up a long gone cold patty.

She stood there, watching him flip the burger before replying with "fine" and turning her back on him.

A clang filled Maria's ears as she heard a spatula being thrown down. "God Maria, what is up with you?"

Maria spun round and looked him straight in the eye. "What is wrong with me? What is wrong with me?! You, Michael Guerin, is what is wrong with me!"

Mr Parker looked up from his receipts and rushed over to the two. "Whoa you guys, time out. Go take a break and come back when you've cooled off." Maria glared at Michael before storming off into the locker room.

She heard the doors to the kitchen being slammed open, and Michael came right up to Maria, his arms outstretched. "Go on then, say it."

Maria groaned. "Say what, Michael?"

"Why've you been so cold? Why are you BEING so cold?"

"Do you need a list?"

"Okay then" Maria's jaw jutted out and she folded her arms. "All that stuff you said when you went on your whole 'I'm a King' ego-trip. That I'd be better off dead. That I was annoying and I never shut up. Oh, and that you'd 'SACRIFICED' going back to Antar for me, and that I'd been 'ungrateful' enough to break up with you. I don't know about you, but for me, that was just the icing on the cake."

"And- and you're so goddamn emotional. You're either the most perfect boyfriend in the world or the biggest dickhead I've ever seen. There isn't an in-between. Need more? Cos I can go on for hours."

"Look, I said sorry for all that stuff. Maria-" he looked to the ceiling. "I didn't mean it. Of course I don't want you dead. And I was... I was just bitter that we broke up. But you aren't exactly easy yourself."

Maria still had her arms folded. "Uh-huh?"

"Oh come on, you know you are. Why did you break up with me? To 'follow your dreams' and all that crap. And I let you go. But then next thing I hear is that you turned down your record deal because it was too 'Kylie' for you. Even though you were near euphoric when you got offered it. So euphoric in fact, that you decided it would suddenly be fine to have a little one-off fling with Michael. And you really thought that I wasn't gonna take that as a sign?" He grunted and ran a hand though his hair. "You know- I just can't keep up with you."

Maria looked down at her shoes. "I know, I know, I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry ok? But I had to break up with you... its too hard doing this."

Michael was really close now. She lifted her head to meet his gaze, eyes flickering back and forth from one eye to another. His breath was warm and smelt like Friday nights and Cheetos. "This?" he breathed onto her face, and kissed her.

Forgetting that they were meant to be having an argument, Maria's fingers tangled in Michael's hair as he pushed her back onto the lockers. He hoisted Maria's legs up round his waist and left his hands on her thighs.

"Are you guys ready to-" Liz's dad pushed through the door and put his hands over his eyes when he saw what the two were doing. "Oh, right, I'm sorry, just if you could- whenever you're ready-"

"Oh my god, Mr Parker! I'm so sorry!" gasped Maria. "We'll be out right now." But Liz's dad was already gone.

Michael let go of Maria as they straightened themselves out. Maria looked straight into Michael's eyes.

"We're gonna have to talk about this."

"Deal" agreed Michael as the pair rushed to continue their jobs. Neither could look straight at Mr Parker for the rest of the day.