Sara put her palm against the wood and tried to summon a psychic ability she just didn't possess. She sighed quietly. If only she could be Superman for five seconds! Then she could look though the closed door and see if Michael was already in the room waiting for her.

She had been avoiding Michael like the plague for the past week and a half. Ever since she had walked in on him getting out of the shower, which had been a wonderful follow up to the embarrassment she felt for having acted like such a slut at the lake.

Of course as soon as Sara found out Michael had been roped into volunteering for the book drive as well, she had fought against it tooth and nail, but her mother always won. So here she was standing in front of a closed door inside the old town library. And somehow she couldn't seem to make the fist she had formed complete the simple task of knocking on the hardwood door in front of her.

"Well, here goes nothin', Sara mumbled to herself.

And then she took a deep breath, closed her eyes and set her hand into motion.

Her eyes shot open suddenly when her fist made contact with something much softer than the hard surface she had expected.

"Oh my God, Michael, I'm so sorry"! She blabbered embarrassedly.

"I thought… I mean"… She went to push the hair from her face, but then left it hoping it would help cover her burning cheeks.

Then Michael was giving her that smile that tore through her like a lightning bolt.

"It's no big deal, Sara. I don't bruise easily".

Sara felt her blush deepening as she stepped passed him into the dreary room, somehow managing to avoid tripping on the boxes stacked haphazardly on the floor despite her curtain of auburn hair.

She pushed her hair behind her ears out of necessity and looked around, all the while trying to calm her nerves and settle the butterflies in her stomach that always seemed to accompany her whenever she was around Michael.

"Um, I was working over here on these stacks", he said making his way through the maze of boxes. He was wearing a navy blue short sleeved t-shirt and Sara couldn't help but notice how his faded jeans fit just right in all the right places. She swallowed hard as he disappeared around a stack of boxes.

Sara stood on her tip toes to just barely see the top of his head.

"I think the M's are mostly in this area", he continued sounding further away. "That's where the last volunteers left off".

Sara followed his voice to a small cleared out area with only enough room for two at the very most. And it would be close quarters.

She was about to suggest that she work in another area when he handed her a few books and started packing the box in front of him.

Sara closed her mouth and shoved the books into the box positioned on her side of the table. She told herself she could do this; she could spend what would be roughly three hours before they could break for lunch, alone bumping elbows with Michael . Yeah right, she told herself. Her heart was galloping faster than a race horse on crack. How was she going to remain cool and calm?

And God was it hot back here! She pulled her t-shirt away from her skin and glanced at Michael. She saw a small bead of sweat forming on his temple and watched as it rolled lazily down his cheek.

She held in a sigh, "Um, I'm thirsty. I think I'll go get a soda or something".

She felt his fingers wrap around her wrist.

"Sara, wait", he said and then let go of her arm.

He knelt down and dragged a small cooler out from beneath the table. He popped it open and pulled out a bottle of water.

"Sorry, I only brought water. I thought that was what you liked".

Sara wrapped her fingers around the bottle careful not to brush his hand.

"Um, water is great, thanks". She unscrewed the cap and took a deep gulp. It felt wonderful gliding down her dry throat. She felt Michael's eyes on her and then she was looking into them.

He looked away and then back down at the books he was holding in his hands. Sara couldn't help but wonder what he had been thinking. Was he feeling uncomfortable with her as well? Maybe he was afraid she would try something?

Oh, God! She would have to think of that! She felt her cheeks flame and sped up her book packing trying not to meet his eyes.

"Um, Sara, I was um, thinking maybe we should talk about um, about what happened between us"? Michael stuttered.

Sara froze, the book in her hand hovering over its future resting place in the big brown box.

Why did he think they needed to talk about things?
Sara just wanted to forget she had acted like the world's biggest slut and maybe in a few years she could actually look at Michael without feeling so embarrassed.

"Um, yeah sure, Michael", Sara said after a few beats and almost knocked over her water bottle when she finally managed to move again.

"What about it"?

She could feel Michael's eyes on her as she continued to pack.

"I think we've been avoiding each other, Sara", he said softly.

Sara froze again and then brought her gaze up from the box to look at him.

She nodded.

"Yeah, I guess so. I mean I was avoiding you. I just… I feel like… You must think I'm such a slut"! She blurted. I mean the way I acted, God! How could you think anything different"?

Michael was studying her and she wished she could pull the words back into her mouth. 'Cause if he hadn't thought her a slut before, well now she had gone and put the idea in his head that maybe he should think it.

"I don't think that about you, Sara. I could never think something like that", he said and Sara could see that he really was just as uncomfortable with all of this as she was.

"Well that's good, because I don't make a habit of doing stuff like that", Sara said rubbing her arm along her sweaty fore head. Why did it have to be so damn hot back here?

Michael nodded. "Yeah, and I usually lock the bathroom door", he said apologetically.

Sara felt her hot cheeks get even hotter.

"Oh, God, I'm sorry I barged in like that! I was um, hung over and"…She began, but he held up his hand.

"Its okay, Sara, something like that was bound to happen eventually. I'm just glad we're talking about it", he said his face turning more and more pink all the while he spoke.

"I had kind of hoped that the two of us could be friends, but after everything that's happened… I guess what I'm trying to say, is I think we should start over and I think the only way to do that is to talk about everything that happened to make us avoid each other like we have been".

Sara could tell he was embarrassed about her having seen him naked; it was obvious by the redness in his face. And she had been surprised and was still quite a bit embarrassed herself that he had brought it up. She never would have mentioned it. But now she understood. He was trying to get everything out on the table so that they could maybe start over and be friends. She felt her heart fill with regret, but also with relief. After all how could they ever be anything more? She swallowed the lump in her throat and reached to touch his arm.

He was avoiding her eyes by looking into the box in front of him.

"Hey", she said softly, getting him to look up at her.

"I would like that, Michael, for the two of us to be friends, I mean".

Michael smiled and Sara thought he looked relieved too.

"Good, I'm really glad, Sara".

They worked quietly for a few minutes and then,

"You're taking Christy to the dance", she said suddenly and then wondered where the words had come from.

What was wrong with her? Why had she just asked him that? But then wasn't that what friends did, talk about stuff like who they were going to the dance with?

Michael looked surprised.

"Um, yeah, I guess I am. I mean I am, yeah". He sounded unsure.

"You're probably going with David, right"? He said and shoved another book into the box.

Sara nodded, "Yeah, he asked me about a week and a half ago".

Michael nodded.

"It should be fun, huh? I mean if I don't kill myself out on the dance floor, that is".

Sara laughed.

"I think you'll do just fine. Just remember, relax and breathe. I mean dancing is supposed to be fun, right"?

Michael grinned, "If you say so".

Sara laughed again and tossed a book at him.

"We need to work faster, Scofield".

His grin deepened, and Sara smiled back thinking maybe this book drive thing wasn't such a bad idea after all.