AN: Thanks for the reviews and alerts, makes me glad I had the courage to post this.
Now for housekeeping - Disclaimer: No I don't own the show or the characters from the show – sure wish I did though.
Michael opened the door. Maybe they haven't realised I left . Yeah, right, get real Guerin, he thought.
"Michael, did you talk to her?" asked Liz noticing Michael had walked back in.
Michael just stood there. Did Liz just ask me a question and not yell he thought to himself surprised
"No Liz, she ran off before I could."
"Let's give her some time then we can try and talk to her." Suggested Max
Michael couldn't believe it. He felt like he had walked into the twilight zone. Why wasn't anyone yelling at him for causing Maria to feel like this?
Isabel noticed Michael's look of wonderment. "Michael, what is wrong?" she asked
"Isabel, why aren't any of you yelling at me. I mean I'm the reason why she is like this."
"Michael, is that what you think?" asked Liz
"Michael you did what you thought you had to do to protect her." Said Alex "I might not like what it has done to Maria, but I understand you did it because you love her."
Michael just sank into a chair.
"Yeah but if you can understand, why can't she, why won't she to you or Liz?" Michael replied
"Michael we aren't too sure, but we will find out OK," said Max.
"Maria probably just finds it hard to talk to any of you because you all remind her of happier times." Said Kyle
Everyone looked at Kyle in amazement.
"What would you know?" snapped Michael.
"Well, apparently a hell of a lot more than you considering, I spent some time with her over the summer." Said Kyle" She is really hurting right now and I know that she spends her nights crying herself to sleep."
Michael just sat there with his hands in his face. What happened to his Maria? The Maria, who wouldn't hesitate picking a fight just to get her own way, Tess came over and put her arm around Michael.
"Michael, it's ok. We will work it out." She said
"Why should you care if Maria talks to us or not?" said Michael coldly
Tess hid the hurt that she felt with Michael's words.
"I don't. I just want to make sure I keep my grade average and I won't if she isn't talking because you all will be too busy trying to get her to talk, that you all won't put 100% effort into getting this Musical together."
"Glad to see you haven't changed Tess," said Liz, "still caring only about yourself."
Tess thought about what smart comment to throw back at Liz but couldn't do it because deep down she just wanted to feel apart of the group. Yeah sure, Max, Michael and Isabel included her in their lives, but part of their lives included Liz, Maria, Alex and even Kyle and they still haven't forgiven her for everything that had happened. So she decided not to answer. It didn't matter because max answered for her.
"Liz, that wasn't a very nice thing to say."
"Oh look, loverboy is standing up for you, how cute." Liz said sarcastically.
Isabel could see that this was going to get out of hand unless she stopped it.
"Ok you guys now isn't the time for this. We have to work out how to help Maria together. So I think it is time for all us to put our differences aside."
Max feeling silly for what was just about to start said" Yeah, you're right Iz, sorry."
Isabel looked at Liz who was looking at Max
"Sorry Isabel."
Tess also added a sorry than said, "I have an idea. Why doesn't Kyle go and talk to her?"
"I hate to admit it, but you may have just come up with a good idea." Said Liz and she smiled at Tess.
Isabel noticed this and thought maybe just maybe we can work everything out.
"Hold on, you want me to go and talk to her and say what exactly?" asked Kyle
"Um.. Liz, Alex, you have any ideas what to say to her?" asked max
"Max she hasn't been talking to either of us since that day we rescued you from Pierce." Said Alex
"What did she mean by having to be a stonewall?" asked Kyle
Everyone looked over at Michael
"What, I didn't expect her to throw that back at me." He said
"Well she did." She Isabel
"Ok, I'm lost. What does Guerin got to do with Maria and stonewalls?"
"Well Kyle, my darling brother used that line on Maria everytime she got to close to him." Said Isabel
"So you are saying that Maria is doing to everyone what Guerin did to her?" said Kyle
"Yep that about sums it up," said Alex.
"So, how did she break through your wall Guerin?" asked Kyle.
"Kyle, I wish I knew," said Michael.
"So will you do it Kyle? Will you go and talk to Maria for us?" asked Liz
"Yeah, I will talk to her but that is all. I'm not going to push her into anything. Agreed?" Kyle said looking at them all.
"Agreed," they all answered
"Ok well there isn't much else we can do. We have all been given our jobs for the show, so we should get started. I suppose we should all meet back here Friday to see what we all have come up with." said Max
"Max, what are you going to be doing other than giving us orders?" asked Isabel
"Don't worry, I will start canvassing for advertisers and talk to the office staff into helping us sell tickets and print the programs, as well as being there for the auditions, which properly should be held next week." He said.
"Ok then well I have to get time off work but that shouldn't be to much trouble." Said Liz smiling
"I will see you all later." Said Kyle as he walked out," Wish me luck."
Everyone else followed hoping that Kyle would be able to talk to Maria.
(Maria's POV)
Wow, I can't believe I just lost it like that. I feel like I have just unravelled all the work I did over the summer building my stone wall. Now after spending a few hours with them all I have to start all over again.
And rebuilding it doesn't seem right, do I build it only to have it torn down again?, but I guess I need to have my defenses up if I am ever going to face them again, it just hurts so much.
I've spent my life protecting myself from letting anyone see the real me, because eventually I know they would hurt and leave me so I don't give anyone the chance. Even Liz and Alex never really have seen the real me.
I made the mistake of letting someone finally see the real me, and he threw it back in my face. Never again, will I allow Michael or anyone else to have the power to hurt me again, I have learnt that lesson.
I know that Liz and Alex are probably hurting because of how I'm acting, but I can't spend time with them because it just reminds me of times that are now best forgotten. I'm just hope they can understand one day.
Mom didn't ask any questions when I asked her could I start working at the shop with her. I think she was relieved that she could now keep a closer eye on me. She also hasn't asked after Michael or any of the others, so either she is just relieved that I'm concentrating on my schoolwork and not my social life or she knows more than she is letting on.
I myself, are inclined to believe that she knows more than she is telling me. This could be due to the fact that she is dating Sheriff Jim Valenti. After spending most of last year thinking that he was the enemy he turned out to be the one to help get Max away from the Alien hunter/ FBI guy.
Thinking of Valenti leads my thoughts to Kyle. I always thought he was a creep because of how he acted when Liz broke off their relationship to go to Max, she needed Max more than she needed Kyle. I have hanged my mind about Kyle though after spending some of the summer with him. I realise that maybe I was being a little too harsh.
Kyle knows that he owes his life to Max. I don't know if the Sheriff told him everything because he doesn't talk about it at all. Actually it is sort of like an unspoken rule; we don't talk about any of them. We just talk about living with our parents and how it would be if they decided to get married and stuff like that.
I'm still sitting in the car park. I know that Mom will be expecting me home but I can't leave yet. The others are still inside; I wonder what they are talking about or if they are talking at all. I saw the look in Isabel's eyes earlier, I could pinpoint the exact moment that she decided she was going to get everyone talking again. Well all I can say is good luck to her.
Maybe I should leave before they all come out and notice me. Especially Michael, after all he was the one to come after me earlier. I heard him call my name but I just pretended I didn't hear him and kept I kept walking. If it had been anyone else maybe I would have stopped, but not Michael I couldn't face him. I think I need to go home and indulge in a great big bowl of ice cream while listening to my favourite song at the moment ' I Will Survive' by Gloria Gaynor. I keep playing it over and over again, searching for the strength to build my wall again.
Oh no, here they come, well Kyle at least, which means the others won't be that far behind. Kyle is coming straight towards me if he hurries up I can give him a lift because I remember him saying he wouldn't have his car till after he gets home, something about it being in the shop.
"Get in the car, Kyle."