Part Seventeen A
As usual the meeting was at Michael's apartment. Six of the eight were already there. They didn't say much to each other as they waited. All of them were aware that they were thinking the same thing and that was this time they were not going to take no for an answer. Maria was going to clear up a few mysteries today, even if they all had to gang up on her. They were not going to cave. Time had been spent discussing the matter previously.
It had taken them some time to come up with a reasonable explanation for Maria always winning arguments and finally they reached the conclusion that it was because she always took them on in small numbers, usually only one or two people. There was strength in numbers the teenagers had decided and they were all going to stay strong.
The blame for the total lack of answers had also been by majority vote placed squarely on Max's shoulders. The reasoning behind that was obvious. It was his job as leader to find these things out and his new "Girlfriend" status had obvious made him susceptible to what Alex referred to as the puppy-dog-look, therefore he hadn't completed his job. As Alex had explained to the rest during one of the many discussions on strategy to make Maria give up her summer activities, it wasn't his and Liz's fault that they fell for it since they had the excuse of years of friendship. Max's counter argument that after years of friendships they should by now have figured out immunity to Maria's puppy dog look.
It was Michael who ended that argument surprisingly with his 'the look is lethal' and there is no defence argument. Even more surprisingly it was Tess and Isabel who agreed with him. It was also Isabel who finally decided that since blame had to be apportioned and Michael was protected by the boyfriend thing the blame therefore fell on Max and Liz. Liz it was decided should share blame because she was technically the best friend and should by now know. Both Max and Liz were adamantly opposed to this but were overruled quite happily by the remaining members of the group.
No one explained why Michael was immune but the one thing that was unanimous was the shock felt over Maria's continued silence. After all, as bluntly and rather unkindly put by Kyle 'The girl had made babbling an art form.' This was, of course, taken very badly by the subject's sort-of/kinda/ex-boyfriend who had been heard on many a occasion telling her to shut up. Unfortunately he didn't extend that courtesy to anyone else and that particular discussion had ended rather quickly by all to prevent a fist fight defending the honour of the 'known for her babbling' subject.
Maria kung-fu act today in school had pushed their timetable up and increased the determination of all to find out where she had been. Surprisingly without having to use any of the persuasive techniques the 7 friends had prepared Maria had agreed to the meeting and to share the information.
The door opened and they all looked up expectantly but it was only Liz. She greeted them and then sat down where Max had stood up to give her his seat on the couch. Isabel looked at her watch and sighed loudly. It appeared that all of them were ridiculously early. There was still 15 minutes before Maria was due to arrive. Still no one said anything. They were waiting. And it had all been said already.
Outside Maria had just arrived. She sat in the car for a few minutes before squaring her shoulders and climbing up to Michael's door. She stood outside the door for another few minutes planning what she was going to say. She jumped when the door was opened suddenly and Michael took her arm and dragged her in.
"Damn it, Maria. You have been standing at the door for 5 minutes not to mention the time spent in the car. We're all waiting," impatience laced Michael's tone.
"I can't decide if their little radar thing creeps me out or really impresses me," Kyle whispered to Tess.
"You and me both," Tess whispered back.
"Excuse me. But didn't we say 6. I am exactly on time. Not my fault you are early."
"Since when do you stand on ceremony before coming in. Hell, you have your own keys."
"Wait a minute. She has keys. Why does she have keys?" Max cut in. "And why don't I have any?"
"Hellllllo. Max, did you forget you're a Czechoslovakian. You don't need keys." Maria emphasised her point by lightly tapping him on the head.
Max looked embarrassed for a second before remembering the reason why. He opened his mouth to enquire again but Michael answered him before he could speak.
"I gave her the damn keys okay, Max. Its my apartment. I am allowed to that right?", his tone was sarcastic.
Isabel decided to interfere before Max and Michael gave Maria and Michael a run for their money.
"Why don't we start? Maria you wanna tell us now?"
"Not particularly," came the dry answer in reply. Isabel smiled.
"You all have to promise not to yell at me, especially you Michael. And Isabel."
"Why me?" Isabel asked in surprise.
"You'll see." Maria answered cryptically, "Do you promise."
"Okay," Isabel replied. Maria looked at the rest of them.
"Yeah," Liz, Alex and Max said in unison.
"Alright, " Kyle replied and Tess echoed him.
Everyone looked at Michael.
"What? I'm not making some stupid promise I am not going to keep. She obviously did something I need to yell at her about."
"She is standing right here," Maria said, "And she is not saying anything until you promise."
It was the pleading looks on the others faces that caused him to reconsider.
"How about this I promise to try not to yell at you."
The teens turned their pleading looks on Maria this time. Like Michael she had little defence.
"Fine," she gave in.
End Part 17A
As usual the meeting was at Michael's apartment. Six of the eight were already there. They didn't say much to each other as they waited. All of them were aware that they were thinking the same thing and that was this time they were not going to take no for an answer. Maria was going to clear up a few mysteries today, even if they all had to gang up on her. They were not going to cave. Time had been spent discussing the matter previously.
It had taken them some time to come up with a reasonable explanation for Maria always winning arguments and finally they reached the conclusion that it was because she always took them on in small numbers, usually only one or two people. There was strength in numbers the teenagers had decided and they were all going to stay strong.
The blame for the total lack of answers had also been by majority vote placed squarely on Max's shoulders. The reasoning behind that was obvious. It was his job as leader to find these things out and his new "Girlfriend" status had obvious made him susceptible to what Alex referred to as the puppy-dog-look, therefore he hadn't completed his job. As Alex had explained to the rest during one of the many discussions on strategy to make Maria give up her summer activities, it wasn't his and Liz's fault that they fell for it since they had the excuse of years of friendship. Max's counter argument that after years of friendships they should by now have figured out immunity to Maria's puppy dog look.
It was Michael who ended that argument surprisingly with his 'the look is lethal' and there is no defence argument. Even more surprisingly it was Tess and Isabel who agreed with him. It was also Isabel who finally decided that since blame had to be apportioned and Michael was protected by the boyfriend thing the blame therefore fell on Max and Liz. Liz it was decided should share blame because she was technically the best friend and should by now know. Both Max and Liz were adamantly opposed to this but were overruled quite happily by the remaining members of the group.
No one explained why Michael was immune but the one thing that was unanimous was the shock felt over Maria's continued silence. After all, as bluntly and rather unkindly put by Kyle 'The girl had made babbling an art form.' This was, of course, taken very badly by the subject's sort-of/kinda/ex-boyfriend who had been heard on many a occasion telling her to shut up. Unfortunately he didn't extend that courtesy to anyone else and that particular discussion had ended rather quickly by all to prevent a fist fight defending the honour of the 'known for her babbling' subject.
Maria kung-fu act today in school had pushed their timetable up and increased the determination of all to find out where she had been. Surprisingly without having to use any of the persuasive techniques the 7 friends had prepared Maria had agreed to the meeting and to share the information.
The door opened and they all looked up expectantly but it was only Liz. She greeted them and then sat down where Max had stood up to give her his seat on the couch. Isabel looked at her watch and sighed loudly. It appeared that all of them were ridiculously early. There was still 15 minutes before Maria was due to arrive. Still no one said anything. They were waiting. And it had all been said already.
Outside Maria had just arrived. She sat in the car for a few minutes before squaring her shoulders and climbing up to Michael's door. She stood outside the door for another few minutes planning what she was going to say. She jumped when the door was opened suddenly and Michael took her arm and dragged her in.
"Damn it, Maria. You have been standing at the door for 5 minutes not to mention the time spent in the car. We're all waiting," impatience laced Michael's tone.
"I can't decide if their little radar thing creeps me out or really impresses me," Kyle whispered to Tess.
"You and me both," Tess whispered back.
"Excuse me. But didn't we say 6. I am exactly on time. Not my fault you are early."
"Since when do you stand on ceremony before coming in. Hell, you have your own keys."
"Wait a minute. She has keys. Why does she have keys?" Max cut in. "And why don't I have any?"
"Hellllllo. Max, did you forget you're a Czechoslovakian. You don't need keys." Maria emphasised her point by lightly tapping him on the head.
Max looked embarrassed for a second before remembering the reason why. He opened his mouth to enquire again but Michael answered him before he could speak.
"I gave her the damn keys okay, Max. Its my apartment. I am allowed to that right?", his tone was sarcastic.
Isabel decided to interfere before Max and Michael gave Maria and Michael a run for their money.
"Why don't we start? Maria you wanna tell us now?"
"Not particularly," came the dry answer in reply. Isabel smiled.
"You all have to promise not to yell at me, especially you Michael. And Isabel."
"Why me?" Isabel asked in surprise.
"You'll see." Maria answered cryptically, "Do you promise."
"Okay," Isabel replied. Maria looked at the rest of them.
"Yeah," Liz, Alex and Max said in unison.
"Alright, " Kyle replied and Tess echoed him.
Everyone looked at Michael.
"What? I'm not making some stupid promise I am not going to keep. She obviously did something I need to yell at her about."
"She is standing right here," Maria said, "And she is not saying anything until you promise."
It was the pleading looks on the others faces that caused him to reconsider.
"How about this I promise to try not to yell at you."
The teens turned their pleading looks on Maria this time. Like Michael she had little defence.
"Fine," she gave in.
End Part 17A