The Next Day
Liz walked down the hallway in the general direction of class, or it
was at least the last time she had checked. Ever since this morning
she'd been totally spacey. She shook her head as if to clear it from
thoughts and turned to Maria. "So, how'd everything go with you and
Michael last night?"
"Well." Maria smiled. "Really well." She said. "We were just
talking...and, he asked me out." Her smile got wider.
"Really? Wow that's great!" Liz exclaimed.
"Have you told Alex..about...you know...yet?" Maria asked.
"No. Kyle either." She answered.
Michael was doing the same thing he seemed to do everyday in school:
looking for Maria. Since he rarely paid any attention in school, it
was the only real thing that kept him there. And he found her talking
with Liz. He waited a minute or so before walking over to them. "Hey."
He said.
"Hey there, Spaceboy." Maria smiled.
Michael smiled. Not that he'd ever admit it to anyone but himself, he
actually liked that nickname. "So, how's it going?" He asked.
Max walked down the hallway. He saw Maria, Michael and Liz walking up
ahead. He walked up to them and wrapped his arms around Liz's waist
from behind. "Hey." He smiled at her.
"Hey yourself." She said, letting her head sort of fall back gently on
his shoulder. "Now if we could just find the other four." She said,
scanning the visible hallways for them. She was still concerned about
Isabel. She didn't know her all that well but it would be obvious how
hard it would be to get over something like that.
Alex stood at his locker. He looked up and saw the four. He walked
over. "You guys are all back together?" He asked. "Uh, when did this
happen?"
Maria smiled and took Michael's hand. "Yesterday."
"Yeah. Isn't it great?" Liz asked, smiling. Everyone seemed to be
happier since yesterday.
Isabel walked into the school. She was running a bit late having
forgotten to set her alarm. It figured that Max didn't call her, but
that was usually because she left before he did. She turned down a
hallway and saw the whole group minus 2 standing there. Sighing, she
walked over, careful not to let herself seem too vulnerable. "Hey
guys."
"Right." Alex nodded. "Terrific." He said, trying to hide the
bitterness he had. Why wasn't Isabel back with him?
"Hey Isabel." Maria said.
"You ok?" Liz asked her. She didn't want to seem like she was pushing
or anything.
"Hey. And Liz I'm fine. Really." Isabel insisted.
Liz didn't believe her but let it be for now. She had, after all,
promised Max she's talk to Isabel later.
Tess walked over to the others. "Hey guys." She said.
"Hey Tess." Maria and Max said.
Alex's eyes widened. "OK, Maria's being civil to Tess, am I in the
twilight zone?"
Liz smiled at Alex's comment and didn't say anything but decided to
add to his confusion. "Hey Tess. What's up?"
"Oh, nothing." Tess said with a smile, thinking back to the severe
make out session she had with Kyle last night.
"That look says different, but I won't ask...yet." Liz said, a
mischievous gleam in her eyes. Now this was the way things were
supposed to be.
Alex's eyes widened at Liz's friendly attitude to Tess. "OK, someone
tell me what's going on here?" He asked.
"What do you mean, Alex?" Max said.
"You four are all.....lovey dovey with the hand holding and all that.
And Liz and Maria not clawing Tess's eyes out."
"Gee, thanks." Tess said, pretending to be hurt by the last statement.
"Let's just say that there have been a few changes around here."
Michael said.
"I'll explain it after school and I want all of you to be there in
case I have trouble remembering stuff." She said, giving each of them
pointed glances. "And Alex, no need to have a heart attack. Things
change." She said cryptically.
"Way to go for being vague." Michael said sarcastically.
"Well, good to know that I haven't gone into some parallel universe
here or something." Alex said. "There is an explanation to all of
this."
"Personally I think a parallel universe would be a lot less
interesting. The explanation isn't going to be much better." Isabel
said, joining into the conversation a bit.
Alex looked at Isabel. He wanted to hold her in his arms like Max was
holding Liz. But, he knew they were over. He knew she didn't want to
be with him. He sighed. "Well, I gotta go. Classage." He said.
"But we don't have class for another ten minutes." Maria said. Alex
was already leaving.
"Ok, did that seem kinda harsh to anyone?" Isabel asked, almost not
realizing that she'd said it out loud.
Max sighed. Maria looked at Isabel. "He's just....uhm....going
through stuff." Maria said.
"Yeah. Problems with me. He probably hates me." Isabel said bitterly.
That would be just her luck, wouldn't it?
"He doesn't hate you. I know he doesn't." Michael said, trying to
reassure Isabel, but it didn't seem to be working.
"Trust us Iz, hating you is the furthest thing from his mind." Max
said. Maria and Tess nodded in agreement
Isabel didn't believe them, no matter how much she wanted to.
Kyle walked around a corner and ran directly into Alex. "Man, what's
wrong with you?" He asked.
Alex fell back a bit. "Hey, watch it." He snapped. He looked up and
saw Kyle. "Oh hey. What do you mean?" Alex asked.
"You look damn mad at someone. What's up?" Kyle asked.
"Nothing." Alex said.
"Alex. You staying mad at whatever isn't helping you any. You and I
both know that you'll blow up at someone you really don't want to and
them regret it." Kyle advised.
Alex sighed. "Fine, it seems like everyone is hooking up with who
they want to be with, except me." He looked at Kyle. "It looks like
we single men are meant to roam the land of the ladies together."
Kyle didn't really find this the appropriate time to tell him he was
together with Tess, so he improvised. "What? Don't want to be with
Isabel anymore?"
"I do...But, let's face it....She has no interest in being with me."
Alex frowned.
"You ask her yet?" Kyle challenged.
"Remember, she broke up with me. And it's obvious how she acts that
she doesn't want to have anything to do with me."
"I don't know the details, but something happened. And...uhm..." He
lowered his voice. "Tess and I are dating too." His voice found itself
again before Alex could say something. "Give her a chance."
"You're dating Tess?!" Alex exclaimed, several students stopped and
looked at them.
"Yes I am. Just talk to Isabel. Really, what's it gonna hurt?" He
asked.
"Let's see.......there's my pride.....self esteem.....need I go on?"
Alex retorted.
"Dammit Alex. Do you always have to be so stubborn? You can't even see
what's in front of you, can you? Michael and Maria aren't even
fighting. We are all getting along great and something's wrong with
Isabel." Kyle blurted out.
"What do you mean?" Alex asked, a hint of worry creeping into his
voice. "What's wrong with Isabel?" Alex asked worriedly. "Is she
like sick or something?"
"I don't know she seemed different. Upset, depressed. That sort of
thing. She barely talked at all." Kyle answered.
Alex looked towards the others. "Oh."
"But really. You should go talk to her."
"Yeah, I will." Alex said. "But, I can't, not right now at least."
"Why not?" Kyle asked. "They're all standing over there."
"Because we've got to get to class." Alex said.
"Not for at least another 5 minutes." He replied.
"I like to get to class early." Alex said.
"Fine have it your way. In case you didn't hear, Liz called a meeting
after school. She wants all of us to be there." Kyle said, already
walking back over to the group.
Alex was going to say something , but decided to go to Bio instead.
"What was that about?" Liz asked the approaching Kyle, who stood next
to Tess, automatically putting an arm around her shoulders.
"Nothing much. Alex is going to meet us after school." Kyle answered.
Tess smiled and put an arm around Kyle's waist.
"OK, that's good." Max nodded.
"Yeah. Very. And we all should really be getting to class." Liz said.
Maria took note of Kyle and Tess. She looked at them. Then smiled
when she thought back on Tess's good mood. The two had obviously
gotten together.
Liz walked down the hallway in the general direction of class, or it
was at least the last time she had checked. Ever since this morning
she'd been totally spacey. She shook her head as if to clear it from
thoughts and turned to Maria. "So, how'd everything go with you and
Michael last night?"
"Well." Maria smiled. "Really well." She said. "We were just
talking...and, he asked me out." Her smile got wider.
"Really? Wow that's great!" Liz exclaimed.
"Have you told Alex..about...you know...yet?" Maria asked.
"No. Kyle either." She answered.
Michael was doing the same thing he seemed to do everyday in school:
looking for Maria. Since he rarely paid any attention in school, it
was the only real thing that kept him there. And he found her talking
with Liz. He waited a minute or so before walking over to them. "Hey."
He said.
"Hey there, Spaceboy." Maria smiled.
Michael smiled. Not that he'd ever admit it to anyone but himself, he
actually liked that nickname. "So, how's it going?" He asked.
Max walked down the hallway. He saw Maria, Michael and Liz walking up
ahead. He walked up to them and wrapped his arms around Liz's waist
from behind. "Hey." He smiled at her.
"Hey yourself." She said, letting her head sort of fall back gently on
his shoulder. "Now if we could just find the other four." She said,
scanning the visible hallways for them. She was still concerned about
Isabel. She didn't know her all that well but it would be obvious how
hard it would be to get over something like that.
Alex stood at his locker. He looked up and saw the four. He walked
over. "You guys are all back together?" He asked. "Uh, when did this
happen?"
Maria smiled and took Michael's hand. "Yesterday."
"Yeah. Isn't it great?" Liz asked, smiling. Everyone seemed to be
happier since yesterday.
Isabel walked into the school. She was running a bit late having
forgotten to set her alarm. It figured that Max didn't call her, but
that was usually because she left before he did. She turned down a
hallway and saw the whole group minus 2 standing there. Sighing, she
walked over, careful not to let herself seem too vulnerable. "Hey
guys."
"Right." Alex nodded. "Terrific." He said, trying to hide the
bitterness he had. Why wasn't Isabel back with him?
"Hey Isabel." Maria said.
"You ok?" Liz asked her. She didn't want to seem like she was pushing
or anything.
"Hey. And Liz I'm fine. Really." Isabel insisted.
Liz didn't believe her but let it be for now. She had, after all,
promised Max she's talk to Isabel later.
Tess walked over to the others. "Hey guys." She said.
"Hey Tess." Maria and Max said.
Alex's eyes widened. "OK, Maria's being civil to Tess, am I in the
twilight zone?"
Liz smiled at Alex's comment and didn't say anything but decided to
add to his confusion. "Hey Tess. What's up?"
"Oh, nothing." Tess said with a smile, thinking back to the severe
make out session she had with Kyle last night.
"That look says different, but I won't ask...yet." Liz said, a
mischievous gleam in her eyes. Now this was the way things were
supposed to be.
Alex's eyes widened at Liz's friendly attitude to Tess. "OK, someone
tell me what's going on here?" He asked.
"What do you mean, Alex?" Max said.
"You four are all.....lovey dovey with the hand holding and all that.
And Liz and Maria not clawing Tess's eyes out."
"Gee, thanks." Tess said, pretending to be hurt by the last statement.
"Let's just say that there have been a few changes around here."
Michael said.
"I'll explain it after school and I want all of you to be there in
case I have trouble remembering stuff." She said, giving each of them
pointed glances. "And Alex, no need to have a heart attack. Things
change." She said cryptically.
"Way to go for being vague." Michael said sarcastically.
"Well, good to know that I haven't gone into some parallel universe
here or something." Alex said. "There is an explanation to all of
this."
"Personally I think a parallel universe would be a lot less
interesting. The explanation isn't going to be much better." Isabel
said, joining into the conversation a bit.
Alex looked at Isabel. He wanted to hold her in his arms like Max was
holding Liz. But, he knew they were over. He knew she didn't want to
be with him. He sighed. "Well, I gotta go. Classage." He said.
"But we don't have class for another ten minutes." Maria said. Alex
was already leaving.
"Ok, did that seem kinda harsh to anyone?" Isabel asked, almost not
realizing that she'd said it out loud.
Max sighed. Maria looked at Isabel. "He's just....uhm....going
through stuff." Maria said.
"Yeah. Problems with me. He probably hates me." Isabel said bitterly.
That would be just her luck, wouldn't it?
"He doesn't hate you. I know he doesn't." Michael said, trying to
reassure Isabel, but it didn't seem to be working.
"Trust us Iz, hating you is the furthest thing from his mind." Max
said. Maria and Tess nodded in agreement
Isabel didn't believe them, no matter how much she wanted to.
Kyle walked around a corner and ran directly into Alex. "Man, what's
wrong with you?" He asked.
Alex fell back a bit. "Hey, watch it." He snapped. He looked up and
saw Kyle. "Oh hey. What do you mean?" Alex asked.
"You look damn mad at someone. What's up?" Kyle asked.
"Nothing." Alex said.
"Alex. You staying mad at whatever isn't helping you any. You and I
both know that you'll blow up at someone you really don't want to and
them regret it." Kyle advised.
Alex sighed. "Fine, it seems like everyone is hooking up with who
they want to be with, except me." He looked at Kyle. "It looks like
we single men are meant to roam the land of the ladies together."
Kyle didn't really find this the appropriate time to tell him he was
together with Tess, so he improvised. "What? Don't want to be with
Isabel anymore?"
"I do...But, let's face it....She has no interest in being with me."
Alex frowned.
"You ask her yet?" Kyle challenged.
"Remember, she broke up with me. And it's obvious how she acts that
she doesn't want to have anything to do with me."
"I don't know the details, but something happened. And...uhm..." He
lowered his voice. "Tess and I are dating too." His voice found itself
again before Alex could say something. "Give her a chance."
"You're dating Tess?!" Alex exclaimed, several students stopped and
looked at them.
"Yes I am. Just talk to Isabel. Really, what's it gonna hurt?" He
asked.
"Let's see.......there's my pride.....self esteem.....need I go on?"
Alex retorted.
"Dammit Alex. Do you always have to be so stubborn? You can't even see
what's in front of you, can you? Michael and Maria aren't even
fighting. We are all getting along great and something's wrong with
Isabel." Kyle blurted out.
"What do you mean?" Alex asked, a hint of worry creeping into his
voice. "What's wrong with Isabel?" Alex asked worriedly. "Is she
like sick or something?"
"I don't know she seemed different. Upset, depressed. That sort of
thing. She barely talked at all." Kyle answered.
Alex looked towards the others. "Oh."
"But really. You should go talk to her."
"Yeah, I will." Alex said. "But, I can't, not right now at least."
"Why not?" Kyle asked. "They're all standing over there."
"Because we've got to get to class." Alex said.
"Not for at least another 5 minutes." He replied.
"I like to get to class early." Alex said.
"Fine have it your way. In case you didn't hear, Liz called a meeting
after school. She wants all of us to be there." Kyle said, already
walking back over to the group.
Alex was going to say something , but decided to go to Bio instead.
"What was that about?" Liz asked the approaching Kyle, who stood next
to Tess, automatically putting an arm around her shoulders.
"Nothing much. Alex is going to meet us after school." Kyle answered.
Tess smiled and put an arm around Kyle's waist.
"OK, that's good." Max nodded.
"Yeah. Very. And we all should really be getting to class." Liz said.
Maria took note of Kyle and Tess. She looked at them. Then smiled
when she thought back on Tess's good mood. The two had obviously
gotten together.