Chapter 2: Broken Hearts and Lies

AUTHOR'S NOTES: I want to give my heartfelt thanks to those who reviewed me! Also I'm on spring break now so I'll be updating the story more often. Furthermore please keep on reviewing my story and let me know what you think!

Maria was anxiously waiting for Michael to answer the door. It felt like she had been waiting for him for hours when it had only been a few seconds. Finally the door swung open revealing Michael half asleep. Maria was a bit taken with his half clothed

appearance before finally started to speak.

"Hey…umm…I was just walking by…and I…umm…thought I see how you were doing." Maria said stammering.

"Well I'm fine…tired but fine…" Michael replied with annoyance.

"That's good….I didn't mean to bother you I just…I just wanted to see you and…maybe talk…" Maria said.

"Talk? Ok well I guess you could come in for a bit…" Michael said gesturing Maria into the house.

"Thanks…I think we need to talk…about us…" Maria said looking into Michael's eyes.

"I don't see why…we're not together…you were the one who decided that." Michael said coldly.

"I know…and I just…I thought we could talk…" Maria whispered.

"There's nothing to talk about! What do you want Maria? Do you want to stab me even harder than you already have?" Michael shouted.

"I didn't mean to hurt you…I'm sorry…" Maria replied tears forming in her eyes.

"Well you did…a lot…and I think maybe you should go now…" Michael said opening the front door.

"I'm sorry…I shouldn't have come over…I just wanted to…never mind…" Maria said walking out the door.

"Bye Maria" Michael said before slamming the door leaving Maria alone.

"Bye Michael…" Maria sighed before walking down the street.

Michael sat on his couch and lay down. He knew he shouldn't have been so harsh on Maria but he was really tired of the way she was acting. He just didn't know what to do anymore. He wanted everything to be normal between them. He wanted them to be together. He hated the way he was feeling now, lost and confused, and he knew he needed her to be with him to make these feelings vanish. He decided he'd apologize tomorrow and maybe try to fix things between them.



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Liz hadn't slept at all that night. All she could think about was the dream she had had. The more time that passed by the less she remembered but she could she hear the gunshot ringing in her ears. She wanted to see Max so much, to run into his comforting arms but it was still really early in the morning and she didn't want to wake him. She knew it was only a dream but it seemed to be more than that…almost like a warning. She decided to get up and visit Maria. She thought maybe she'd talk some sense into her an ease her anxieties. She got out of bed and quickly put on a sweater and some jeans and stepped out onto her balcony. She took a step and tripped over something before realizing it was a pair of boots. Maria was lying on the lawn chair next to the window.

"Maria? What are you doing here?" Liz cried out startling Maria.

"Huh? What? Oh…Liz it's you…" Maria responded groggily.

"You still didn't answer my question! Why are you sleeping on my balcony?" Liz said confused.

"Oh ya…I went to see Michael yesterday…you know to talk and then I was coming home and I didn't really want to go home so I came over here." Maria replied slowing waking up.

"Why didn't you just come inside? I mean weren't you cold?" Liz questioned.

"No…no…I was fine…and I didn't want to bother you…" Maria said.

"Well you should of anyway! I'm your best friend Maria…That's what I'm here for…" Liz said gently.

"I know I know…. I just…. I had a terrible fight with Michael last night…I mean he kicked me out of his place and yelled at me and…." Maria cried fighting back tears.

"It's ok sweety…I'm sure he didn't mean it…He loves you so much…." Liz reassured.

"I'm not sure of that anymore…I'm so confused! I hate it so much…I miss him so much…" Maria whispered.

"How about we go downstairs and get some breakfast? It'll make you feel a whole lot better!" Liz exclaimed.

"Fine…but you'll have to let me in on all the details of your date with Max! I mean at least of one us has a normal love life…" Maria replied following Liz down the stairs.



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Max hadn't slept very well that night. He remembered having a weird dream but couldn't recall any of it. All he could think of was that Liz was in it. He wasn't too worried about since Liz had been in it he thought it was probably a good one. He still though maybe he should talk to her about it and see if they couldn't figure it out together. He got up and hastily dressed. It didn't take him long to reach her place. He entered the café and found Maria and Liz sitting in a back booth in what seemed to be a serious conversation. He walked over to them and sat down in the booth.

"Good morning ladies…What's going on?" Max said kissing Liz on the cheek.

"Oh…umm…nothing…we were just talking about…school…" Maria said hesitating.

"School…ok…it looked pretty important to me but if that's what you say…" Max replied perplexed.

"It was nothing really Max…We were just talking about school…" Liz said avoiding Max gaze.

"You said that already…ok…so…Liz could I talk to you in private…it's important…Sorry Maria…" Max said getting up from the booth.

"That's fine…I'll just sit here all alone…don't worry about little old me…" Maria murmured.

"Ya sure…is there something wrong?" Liz enquired following Max to the kitchen.

"Umm…nothing serious really…I just wanted to ask you if you had a weird dream last night." Max said checking to see if anyone was around.

"A weird dream? Umm…ya I did actually…how did you know?" Liz asked.

"I had one too…I can't really remember any of it but you and me were standing out in the open somewhere…" Max said.

"Ya same with mine…" Liz answered.

"Do you remember anymore of it? What happened after that?" Max questioned.

"Umm…I…I don't remember…sorry…I woke up… after that I think…." Liz said.

"Oh that's ok then…probably wasn't anything…I just thought maybe something important happened in the dream." Max replied disappointed.

"Well I don't know so I guess we should just forget about it!" Liz said stammering.

"I guess so…I just wish I could think of what happened after that…" Max said puzzled.

"How about we go out today! I really want to spend some time alone with you…" Liz pleaded.

"I never refuse a lady…how about we take a drive…" Max said.

"I'd love to… Let me just go and get changed…I'll just get my things upstairs and be right down." Liz said before rushing up to her bedroom.

Liz shut the door as she got into her room. She sat on her bed and closed her eyes.

Liz didn't know why she hadn't told Max about the dream. She knew she should of…but she couldn't bring herself to. She was afraid that by telling him she would be wishing it to come true. And the fact that Max had had the same nightmare scared her even more. She kept on reliving it inside her head. The smile on his face before the horrible gunshot and the red everywhere. She just couldn't tell him. She hated lying to him but she needed to protect him and what they had. She opened her eyes and stood up. She got changed and ran back downstairs.

"What took you so long?" Max inquired.

"Oh nothing…I just couldn't find my keys." Liz replied.

"Oh ok then we're ready to go!" Max said leading Liz outside.

"Ya…let's just get out of here…I really want to just get out of here…" Liz whispered.

"Are you sure you're alright Liz? I mean we could just stay in if you're not feeling good." Max said worried.

"No! I want to go…I want to spend time with you…" Liz assured.

"Good then…we'll take a nice drive through the desert…it'll be great." Max said smiling.

"The desert? Umm…I don't think that's such a good idea Max…" Liz cried out.

"Why not? We always do…what's so different about today?" Max interrogated.

Liz wanting to scream out that that's where the horrible dream took place and if they went there something terrible might happen to him. If she said anything he would know something was wrong and the last thing she needed was for Max to be worried. She just bit her lip and looked down at the floor of the car.

"Nothing…nothing is different…The desert is fine…it's great…I can't wait… just great…" Liz said staring out into the horizon.