~*~ A Couple Hours Later ~*~
Valenti got home from his date with Amy and Maria had gotten tired after her watching a movie on the couch with Kyle and she fell asleep. Amy was outside waiting for Maria and Jim was in the kitchen. He had mumbled something about women when he had walked in but Kyle walked out to the car.
"Mrs.DeLuca, Maria kinda fell asleep and you know how she is when someone wakes her.... so is it alright if she spends the night?" Kyle asked
"Ya I suppose so. So I guess Maria told you about your father and I. Do you think he'll be ok?" Amy asked
"He'll be fine. He can take it." Kyle replied
"Ok, well you take care then...." Amy chirped as she pulled out of the driveway and went home.
When he went inside he found his dad sitting at the table.
"Hey," He said quietly.
"Oh, Hi Kyle. I suppose you know right? What is with women? I just don't get them. One week they love you the next week they think you'd be better off as 'just friends'. Can you believe that?" He said more to himself then to Kyle.
"Women...." They both said and Kyle went off to check on Maria.
"Hey dad?" Kyle called, although careful not to wake the sleeping blonde.
"Yeah?" Valenti answered.
"It's alright if Maria spends the night, right? She ah... kinda fell asleep on the couch, and seeing as how Amy left already..." Kyle trailed off.
"Yeah, sure son." Jim said dismisively.
"I'm going to bed."
"Ok."
"Hey dad?"
"Yeah?"
"You gonna be ok?"
"Ya, fine why?"
"Nothing, just asking..." Kyle said as he went off to bed.
~*~ The Next Morning ~*~
There was a wrap at the door in the morning. Valenti had gone to work so only Kyle and Maria were there. Kyle got up from the couch to answer to door.
"I'm coming!" He yelled grumpily. He got up and walked to the door. When he opened it he came face to face with Michael Guerin.
"Where's Maria?" Michael said coldly. He glared at Kyle who was in his boxers.
"Hi to you too. Chill Guerin, She's in the shower." Kyle said
"What? Why is she here?" Michael asked. Michael felt jealousy raging.
"Why is that any of your business and how did you know she was here?" Kyle asked.
Michael stepped in without waiting for an invitation and his eyes were dark and cold.
"Liz told me. She called Maria and her mom had said she was here. And it is my business so get out of my way. I need to talk to her." Michael said.
"Well, did you ever think that maybe she doesn't want to talk to you? Didn't it cross your mind that maybe she's sick of you shit and she's moved on with her life?" Kyle asked getting a little angry himself now.
"That's not true." Michael said simply.
"Oh? Isn't it?" Kyle said.
"Valenti, don't push me" Michael said.
Then Kyle shoved him.
"Just leave Guerin."
Without thinking Michael hit him.
Kyle's nose was bleeding but Kyle just laughed.
"You punch like a girl." He quipped although he was holding his nose, secretly in pain.
Just then Maria came out of the washroom, towel drying her hair.
She saw Kyle's nose and walked towards the two.
"Michael, What'd you do?!?!?! Kyle, oh my God.... are you ok?" Maria asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"Michael! Why are you here?" Maria asked getting angry as she grabbed a tissue from the table and handed it to Kyle.
"I.. I... uh.... I need to talk.. to you." Michael stammered.
Maria looked at her watch.
"Shit! I'm late for work. so I can't talk right now." Maria said as she pushed past Michael.
She ended up running to the Crashdown while the two boys were still at Kyle's glaring daggers at eachother.
Finally Michael broke the silence.
"Why was she here?" He asked flatly.
"If you must know Amy and my dad went out on a date and Amy broke up with him." Kyle replied distantly.
"So? That doesn't explain why Maria was over here, over night." He said, emphasizing the words 'over night'.
"Because she didn't want to be alone. She wanted to hang out with me ok?" Kyle said.
Michael smirked, "Right, I'm sure she did. I'm late for work too so I'm leaving. I better not here of any more night time trysts Kyle or you'll be sorry." He said, no emotion in his voice.
~*~ Half an Hour later ~*~
Maria shifted uncomfortably while she was taking orders. She knew he was looking at her. She could feel his eyes on the back of her. *Why won't he just leave me alone* She thought as she put on a smile and went to the table.
"Hi, welcome to The Crashdown Café. I'm Maria and I will be your waitress," She recited as she had a million times before. Maria handed the two girls each a menu, told them the specials, and left. The she went to check on another table.
"Have you decided?" She asked the man at the other table.
"Yes miss, I have. I'll have a Space Burger, Saturn Rings, and an Alien Blast." The man said as Maria took his menu and went to the back. She didn't look at Michael. She put the order slip on the metal rack and put the menu under the counter.
"Why won't you talk to me?" She heard his voice from behind her.
"I've been busy and I am now, too." She replied.
"Sure." He said sarcastically as he went behind to the kitchen again and dinged the bell. Maria walked over.
"Order for table three is up." Michael grunted
Maria took the order and walked over to the table. As she walked back she heard someone walk through the door. She looked up and smiled as she saw Kyle standing there.
Kyle looked at Maria was and without hesitating, he walked right up to her.
He smiled. "Hey, can we talk?" Kyle asked
"Yeah, um, sure" Maria said as she lead him through the back room and outside. They leaned against the door.
Michael heard the two go through the backroom and go outside. He walked there and realized they were leaning against the door so he couldn't go outside without being noticed. Michael went by the window and watched them He couldn't hear what they were saying though.
"Maria, about last night. I meant everything I said and I really do want to be with you but I don't want to start if your going to go back with Guerin..." Kyle started.
"Kyle... Kyle, stop. Michael and I are long since over. I don't care what he says. I'm sick of him. I don't want to be with him. I am breaking his stupid little cycle. I want to be with you, ok?" Maria said confidently.
"Ok, well what are we going to do about our parents?" He asked.
"Maybe we should keep us a secret for now, just until we find a way to tell them, k?" She asked.
"Yeah ok" He said as he kissed her.
As Michael watched them kiss, he felt the anger surge through his body.
"Umm.. I have to get back to work but I'll see you later...." Maria asked as she slowly pulled away from him
"Yeah, ok." Kyle said as he walked away and she opened the door to see Michael standing there. His brooding figure was seething with pent up rage that he was no longer constraining.
"Why didn't you just tell me you were with him?" Michael asked angrily.
"What!?! You were spying on me?!? Ugh, I cannot believe you would go that low..." Maria said in disgust as she tried to walk away.
"I had to. You wouldn't tell me what was going on." He said bitterly walking in front of her.
"Michael! You were the one that broke it off not me ok? So you should just deal with it. It's not any of your business anyway!" Maria snapped at him as she once again pushed past him.
"It was before...." He whispered as she walked away. Michael went into the ally and punched the wall to alleviate some of his anger. All he managed to do was screw up his hand so he had to go show Mr. Parker and then he got let off early. Michael left as soon as he could and Maria heard Mr. Parker calling Jose, the other cook, to see if he could come in.
"Stupid Michael...." Maria thought to herself as she served up all of the orders that were done.