"Well, they look happy." Isabel remarked. The others all nodded their heads, and went back to their lunches until their friends sat down to join them. Max kept looking up at his blond friend and his…what? What does he call Liz? On the outside he just called her one of his best friends. He knew that, and he knew his must call her only his friend to not get her hurt. Oh, come on Max, you can be honest with yourself. She's your love interest, your life, your soul, your goddess, your lover, and your destiny. Yes, she's all that, but you can only say that to yourself. Max repeated that over and over in his head, but as Liz sat down next to him, he started to forget what he was telling himself.

"Hi guys. How's your lunch?" Liz asked her best friends in the whole world. There were grunts in between chewing, so Liz took that as a good answer. "I heard about your assignment. If you and Alex ever need some privacy, we understand." Isabel teased as she looked to Maria. "Oh, I think we will in a little while. Isn't that right honeycombs?" Maria asked Alex, somehow keeping a straight face. "Um, could we not call each other by pet names?" Alex asked, obviously uncomfortable. Isabel kept a laugh to herself. Leave it to Maria to keep Alex without something to say.

"Well Max, how does it feel to have one of the most popular girls as your wife?" Isabel asked, using finger quotations on the word "wife." Max glanced over to Liz to see if she was uncomfortable. She was busy getting money out of her pocket to go and buy her lunch. "Um, I don't know. I haven't really thought about it." That was a lie, but he didn't want to start thinking about the whole thing again. He looked back over to Isabel, and she mouthed "sorry." He nodded and went back to his Tabasco and peanut butter sandwich.

There was a pause as everyone thought of something to say to steer the conversation away from the touchy subject. "Um. I'm going to get in line for hot lunch. Anyone want to come with? Maria?" Liz asked. "Oh, no. You know how I think of my body as a temple. School food does not come in here to pray," She pointed to her stomach and then continued, " I also thought I might start on a diet or something." Michael looked up and said, "Why? You're not fat." Liz saw the look that Maria and Michael shared. Maria smiled at him, and Michael returned the gesture. Aaahhhh, true love, Liz thought.

With that thought she looked over at Max. "You?" Even thought he knew he shouldn't, he agreed. They trudged across the lawn into the caf, and got in line. Liz was all of a sudden self-conscious when she took a hamburger, fries, and a milkshake. "Maybe I should start eating healthy, or a diet or something." The dark haired beauty said as she grabbed a salad. "Eat what you want. You'd still be perfect." Max couldn't believe he had just said that. Liz shyly smiled at him, and replied thanks. Max had to get out of there. She was smiling at him, and he knew he was going to lose control. "Um, all of sudden I'm not really hungry. I'm going to go back if it's okay with you."

No it's not, thought Liz, but she let him go. He almost lost control, and Liz smiled. Only a little more until he budges! She turned around and saw the longest line of her life. I'm going to be here awhile, she thought grimly. "Hi there. Some line huh?" said a voice behind her. She turned around and saw those eyes she had stared at yesterday. "Hi, Derrick. Yeah, we're going to be here awhile." Liz replied. They looked on as five kids got their lunches paid for, but it barely made a dent in the line. "So when are we going to get together for the assignment?" Derrick asked. "Well, I'm free tomorrow. I don't care where though. If you want we could go down to the Crashdown and work there."

Liz then told him that she worked there and lived right above it after he asked. "Sure. After school?" he asked. "Sure. Wacky assignment huh?" He agreed, as they moved up in the now dwindling line. "I wasn't really looking forward to going to a new school with new people. Then that weird assignment, but now I'm just glad and relieved that I got a partner that I'm glad is my wife." Liz laughed as she blushed. He's really nice and cute, but I still wish I had Max. They stepped out in the bright sunshine after paying for their lunches. "Well, I'm sorry to say goodbye, but I see you're going back to your friends. Bye." Liz watched him start off to an out of the way tree. She stopped him and asked, "Don't you have anyone to sit with?" He shook his head no and said, "Except for the girls who flirt with me. I'm sorta hiding away from them though. Hence the tree." He pointed and laughed. "Well, can you blame them?" Liz asked.

Oh my gosh. Did I actually ask him that? Me? Max's soulmate? Liz stole a glance back at Derrick to maybe apologize, but he was smiling. "I was hoping you'd say that." Liz blushed for the second time, and asked, "Well, would you like to sit with my friends?" He looked past her to the circle of friends. "Are you sure they'd be ok with it?" Liz nodded. "Okay then, I would love to eat lunch with my wife." Liz laughed and led him to her friends.

Max saw Derrick walking with Liz to them. Even though he had barely eaten his sandwich, he felt like he had just eaten a whole elephant when he saw them together. He couldn't believe that Liz had invited him to sit with us, but mostly in front of himself! Now Max, don't be so immature. Here's an opportunity to see Liz's new husband. Maybe I can win her back to me with this lunch. Still, it hurt to see Liz laughing and joking with another guy. Max even saw a bit of a blush on her face. Okay Max, you're on, he said to himself as his lover sat down with her husband to eat lunch…