CHAPTER 9

Liz' POV

Finally! The day is over! I don't think I could have faced another second. It's been one of those days where everything that happened just made the idea of suicide VERY appealing. I made a complete fool of myself in front of Max! I mean how could he ever like a Klutz like me? I just feel like stamping my feet and screaming. Could I be any more unlucky? I scared him off completely! He didn't say another word to me for the rest of the lesson! Aghhhhhhh, I'm doomed to be alone!

By lunch time everyone in the whole school had heard about it, even Maria and Alex, and believe me they're always the last ones to know.

I'So Chica I hear someone's been drawing attention to themselves!' giggled Maria.

Liz let her head plunge into the table and connect with a thump.

'And been flirting with one Max Evans!' added Alex.

'We were just laughing! Not flirting!' insisted Liz raising her head from the table to look at her two friends. 'Kyle is gonna have a fit,' groaned Liz as she let her head fall back to the table.

'Ahh, I understand now! All this was just a master plan to kill Kyle. Good move Lizzie,' quipped Alex.

At the sound of yet another groan from Liz, Maria sat down and began to stroke Liz' hair.

'Awww, come on Chica, it can't be all that bad!'

'I'm doomed! I'm gonna die alone! A lonely old spinster that no one knows and no one visits!' muttered Liz without raising her head. 'Why? Why me?'

'Aww Lizziebear, Maria and I will bring our families to visit you at least once a year!'

'OW! Maria!' Alex yelped as Maria smashed a fist into his arm. He looked down forlornly at the aching limb.

'Just ignore the idiot, Liz. Come on let's go get some lunch!'

Maria pulled Liz to her feet and began to drag her towards the food. Suddenly she walked slap bang into a very large, strong wall.

'KYLE!' Maria squeaked with over enthusiasm. 'HI!'

'Hey Maria,' he grunted in confusion. 'Uh, Liz could we talk?'

'Actually we were just going.'

'It's OK Alex,' interrupted Liz, detaching herself from Maria. 'Let's go.'

Leaving the canteen, Kyle dragged Liz into the eraser room.

'This'll cause even more talk.' Liz smiled cautiously up at the boy beside her, preparing for what was to come.

Kyle didn't answer, he just studied her.

Liz sighed, ' Look Kyle, I am really not in the mood! I've just had the mother of all bad mornings and I really just want to get through lunch time without impailing a knife in my stomach so if we could just get this over with it would be much appreciated!'

Kyle's face softened immediately and he smiled at the beautiful girl in front of him. He just couldn't believe that this girl had ever agreed to go out with him! Liz Parker the most beautiful girl in the school, sought after by most jocks but warned off by Kyle. She was truly amazing but her most beautiful feature was that she didn't even realise how amazing she really was! He loved her, yes Kyle Valenti, player of the school, was in love with Liz Parker! And so, when he heard about what had happened with Max Evans, via Pam Troy, he had nearly gone mad with jealousy.

'Liz, I just. I just wanted to ask you about this morning, I mean, there are a lot of rumors flying around.'

'Yeah most of them from Pam's own lips I bet,' muttered Liz under her breath. There was definitely no love lost between Pam and Liz, they were arch rivals to the end. Pam Troy, vain, popular, blonde, annoying, plastic and a slut, everything that Liz Parker wasn't but wanted everything Liz Parker had. She wanted Kyle, not because she liked him, no in fact Pam was lusting after Max Evans, just another reason to hate Liz, but she wanted Kyle because he was Liz' and it was up to her to personally make Liz' life a living nightmare! Of course she wasn't the only one of the popular group who hated Liz, oh no, among Pam Troy's minions there could be found one Tess Harding, christened Gerbil by her haters. Her fixation with Liz was more of a mystery, there seemed to be no particular reason for it.

Liz sucked in her breath, 'Ok Kyle, I don't know what rumors are going round so I'm just gonna tell you what happened, OK? Right Max Evans walked into Bio and came over to talk to me like he should seeing as he's my lab partner. We were talking and I said something funny, he laughed and I joined in. The Parrot walked in and told us to shut up, that's it, end of story! We were just messing around like friends do!'

Only then did Kyle see his girlfriend's tired eyes and ragged face. Immediately her felt sorry, how could he have doubted her?

'Liz, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have listened to the rumors. Are you OK?' he asked. 'You look exhausted. You should take a break!'

Liz rolled her eyes inwardly, only Kyle could start off a conversation by trying to accuse her and the turn it round so he sounded concerned. 'Yes Kyle, I'm fine! I can relax on Sunday, I have two shifts at the Crash tomorrow. I'll be fine! Just don't worry!'/i

And that was my lunch time! Great hey? And now you find me walking home with at least five tons of books. Can you believe how much work they set us for just one weekend? Really! I have ten text books in my arms, my bag over my shoulder, and I'm trying to balance two plastic bags on top of all that!

'Hey! Are you OK there? Do you want a ride?'

Max? Oh joy! 'Uh, yeah sure.'

And so I'm climbing into Max' jeep, he got it for his birthday last year. And how do I know this? Because I stalk him! No, I saw him and Issy driving in it for the first time on their birthday and well, I put two and two together and Voila! Of course Pam is gonna have a field day when she finds out I've been riding around with Max. No I did not say. ewwwwwww, get your minds out of the gutter! I meant getting a ride with Max. damn it why can't I say it right.. ummmm. Traveling home with Max. Yeah that sounds better! So anyway where was I before I started talking about riding Max? Agh! I didn't mean that! Right I'll shut up now..

Stop laughing!

'Look Liz I'm really sorry about earlier and everything.'

Huh? He's apologizing to me? Why the hell is he apologizing to me? Wait a second. Whoooooooooo I didn't scare him off!! Do the happy dance! OK perhaps not now, but later.

Now smile and talk, and make sense! 'It's OK, really you have nothing to say sorry about.'

'Ok, but all the same, I'm really sorry.'

Awkward pause! Awkward pause! Say something Liz!

'Mushrooms.'

MUSHROOMS?!?!? Why the hell did I say that? What on earth made my say that? Help! Please Help! I'm dying here!

'What?'

God, he looks scared to death which is hardly surprising seeing as you just randomly brought up the topic of Mushrooms!!!

'I was just asking where Isabel is.' That was OK, I can understand how where's your sister could come out as mushrooms. NOT!!

'Oh she's at the match, Pam asked her along.'

He took it? He believed that was what I was saying? Whooooooo! Good save Parker! Now breathe, breathe. And try and say something coherent this time!

'The match? Oh yeah, Kyle's playing.'

Uh, real smooth Liz! Great just great, you just had to bring Kyle into this didn't you?

Well he brought Pam into it!

She's not his girlfriend!

Right stop arguing with yourself and get out of the damn car. We're at the Crashdown.

'Thanks Max. See you!'

'Bye Liz!'

Aghhh, he's so gorgeous and I'm such an idiot!! Why me??