"I feel like I've hardly seen you this past week!" Todd exclaimed
as he sat down across from Elizabeth in the cafeteria.
"Really?" Elizabeth said feigning surprise. "We went to the movies
on Friday."
"I know," Todd said smiling at her. "It's just that at a movie you don't
have much time to talk. But I understand. I was busy with basketball
and you were doing that assignment for the Oracle."
"Right," Elizabeth said taking a bite from her sandwich.
Todd stared at her for a minute. "What?" Elizabeth said squirming in
her seat.
"Nothing," Todd said looking away.
"What is it, Todd?" Elizabeth said.
"It's just that you seem so distant lately. I don't know if you're here or
not."
Elizabeth took his hand. "I'm here with you, Todd, okay? You can
trust me."
Todd grinned. "I know I can Liz, that's why I love you so much."
Elizabeth forced back a smile. "So what's going on with you, Liz?" he
asked.
"Nothing much," she said brightly. "You know, the same old, same old."
"You look great," Todd said gesturing towards her pink tank top and her
black skirt. "What's with the Jessica look?"
"Nothing," Elizabeth said defensively. "I just needed a little change."
"Just don't change too much that you get a new boyfriend," Todd teased.
"Don't be silly," Elizabeth snapped.
"I was only teasing," Todd, said concerned. "You know I didn't-"
"Right," Elizabeth said sheepishly. "Sorry, I've got a lot on my mind."
"Does any of it involve a six foot basketball stud?"
"Maybe," Elizabeth said coyly.
Todd leaned across the table and put his hand to her cheek. "It better,"
he murmured. Elizabeth gazed into his warm brown eyes and when he
kissed her, she didn't pull back.
"What was that for?" she said shyly.
"I just wanted to kiss you, do I need a reason?"
"No, I guess not," she said taking a sip of milk.

After the lunch bell had rung, Elizabeth walked to her locker with Todd
to get her books. She saw Conner McDermott leaning against her locker.
What is he doing here?
She thought agitated. Thankfully Todd didn't
notice and turned around down the hall towards his locker. She walked
towards Conner. "What are you doing here?" she hissed.
"I came to save you from the dangers of education," he said taking her
hand.
Elizabeth pulled her hand free. "Aren't you supposed to be in school?"
"Yeah, but I wanted to see you, and you're definitely more exciting."
Elizabeth blushed. "You want me to come with you?"
Conner nodded. "We can drive to the beach."
Elizabeth looked longingly at Conner, then at her classmates who were
filing into the classrooms. She slammed her locker shut. "Take me away,
Sir Conner!"
"Anywhere, my lady."

"Isn't this better than math?" Conner whispered as they sat on the beach
between kisses.
Elizabeth pretended to think about it. "It's a close call."
Conner rolled over on top of her, knocking her to the ground. Elizabeth
gazed up at him and they began to kiss again. Elizabeth pushed him off of
her. "This is going too fast," she murmured. "I have to go."
Conner pulled her arm. "You can't walk away now, Liz."
"You don't even know me!" she said brushing the hair out of her face.
"Well, why don't you try letting me in on some of it," Conner shot back. "I'm
good at a lot of things besides kissing."
Elizabeth let out a weak laugh. "If I told you about me, you'd probably wouldn't
want to be with me anymore."
"How can you say that?" he said pulling her down on the sand. "I know I like you
and that you like me…"
"That's just the problem!" Elizabeth said burying her face in her hands.
Conner was silent for a minute. "Have you told anyone about us? Jessica even?"
Elizabeth shook her head.
"Are you…embarrassed by me?"
Elizabeth looked up; her eyes were brimmed with tears. "There's something I
have to tell you, about myself. And you're not going to like it."
"Tell me anything," he said looking at her.
"Remember when you were in the hall and you saw me walking down the hall?"
"Yeah…" Conner said confused.
"Did you see the guy I was walking with? Tall, brown hair?"
"Yeah. He a friend of yours or something?" said Conner not catching on.
Elizabeth shook her head. Conner was silent for a minute then he grabbed her
shoulders and shook her. "He's your boyfriend?"
"Yes, I should have never gotten involved in this!" Elizabeth said sobbing.
"You mean you were seeing both of us? Do you plan on breaking up with him?"
Elizabeth shrugged. "I don't know! I though Todd and I were happy but then I
met you and things got all confused!"
"I trusted you Elizabeth!"
"I know," she cried. She wanted him to hold her, to kiss her to call her Liz
again. "I messed up, I'm not being fair to either of you."
Conner looked out at the ocean. "God…I opened up to you…I let myself
believe that you cared about me."
"I do care," Elizabeth said scooting behind him. She put her hand on his
shoulder but he shrugged it away. That small movement almost broke her
heart. "What are we going to do now?" she cried.
Conner stood up and ran hid fingers through his hair. "I think I need to get
away from you for a while."
Elizabeth nodded even though his back was to her and he couldn't see her.
"Just let me know one thing," Conner said turning around. "Do you love him?"
Elizabeth nodded.
"Do you love me?"
"I think I could."
Conner started to walk away but he quickly turned around and grabbed
her forcefully. He kissed her hard on the mouth. "This isn't just some sweet
little fling we have here, Wakefield. "It's physical and it's real. I'm in your head
and I'm in your heart. No matter how hard you deny it, I'm in you Wakefield.
Then he pushed her away and stormed off the beach.

"I came over as fast as I could," Enid said as she sat down on the edge of
Elizabeth's bed. Elizabeth was curled up in her armchair with a large afghan
around her shoulders. A box of tissue was on the floor and Elizabeth's eyes
were red from hours of crying. "I shouldn't be so upset," she said quietly.
"Conner was supposed to just be a mistake, a game. But if that's all it was
then why do I feel so bad?"
Enid looked at Elizabeth. She had no idea what to tell her friend. She had
never seen Elizabeth look so bad before. "You'll feel better in the morning.
Remember how sad you were when Todd left for Vermont or when you and
Jeffrey broke up? You managed to find yourself again."
"But Conner is myself," Elizabeth said crying. "We're so much a like. Like
that phrase, two people, one soul?"
"But isn't that supposed to be you and Todd?' Enid said confused.
Elizabeth looked out her window and a few minutes later she answered dully,
"Yeah, I guess you're right."

Okay, I promise to have Jessica and Ken in the next chapter! And thanks for all the
reviews :)