Chapter Twenty-One
Maria swung her head back and forth to the beat in her head as she walked down the hall to her locker a smile on her face. She suddenly came to a complete stop the smile vanishing as her mouth dropped open in surprise. Liz was leaning back grinning up at Tommy, one of the jocks on the football team, as he had her practically penned to the locker. Maria took off practically running down the hall towards them.
"So… are you still with Max?" She heard him ask.
"Why…would it matter?"
"Not unless it matters to you."
"Okay…hands off." She demanded pushing herself between them staring angrily at Tommy. "You have exactly ten seconds to vacate the premises."
Holding up his hands in the air he backed away slowly. "We were only talking."
"Yea…well now your not." She said drawing her brows into a frown.
"Catch you later Liz." He said turning and walking away.
Turning to Liz she demanded. "Okay…exactly what was that?"
"Who Tommy? He's harmless. Maria don't worry about it we were only talking."
"Liz…do you have any idea what the two of you looked like just now? I mean…I know you love Max, but for everyone else it looked like you were cheating on him with that…that…"
"I don't care what other people thinks." Liz said turning and opening her locker, grabbed the book she needed for first period then slamming it closed.
"What if Max had come alone and saw that?" Maria demanded.
"And…what if he had?" Liz countered as she held up her left hand wiggling her fingers. "The last time I checked I had no ring on my finger so Max has no hold on me."
Maria shook her head in confusion. "Ring…finger…okay what the hell are you talking about because you've completely lost me here, Liz."
Turning Liz walked away. "Well I don't have time to clue you in…see you later Maria."
"What…you've got to be kidding me here, Liz." Maria yelled as she watched her walk away. 'Calm down.' She told herself as she continued on to her locker, stopping she turned back and watched Liz exit the building. 'Everything's fine. Mike's gone. Everything's fine.' She tried to reassure herself.
Max sat on the bench in the lunch area a frown on his face. He'd stayed up all night thinking about what had happen yesterday at the park with Liz and no matter how many ways he turned and twisted the event in his head he still couldn't make any sense out of it.
"Hey." Michael said stopping in front of him. When Max didn't acknowledge him he waved his hand in front of his face. "Earth to Max…earth to Max."
Pushing his hand away he yelled. "Cut it out Michael. I'm not in the mood for your stupid jokes right now."
"Okay…" Sitting down on top of the table he sandwiched his hands between his knees. "What's the problem Max?"
"I don't what to talk about it." How could he explain to Michael what had happen at the park between him and Liz? Michael would probably think he was crazy to stop her when she was so willing to…to… Closing his eyes he took a deep breath running his hand through his hair. He and Liz has made out so many times that he's lost count, but Liz has only allow them to go so far before she pulls away and even though he wanted her he understands her hesitation. Maybe he's making too much of this? But everything in him was screaming the opposite.
"Okay, Max…doctor Guerin is now open for business so why don't you tell me what's wrong."
"I can't…not this." He said, closing his eyes as he sighed. "You'd probably laugh if I told you."
"Laugh. When have I ever laughed, Max?" As Max stare up at him his brows pulled into a frown, Michael said. "Okay…okay so I've laughed a couple of times, but I swear." He crossed him self. "Scouts honor." He held a hand in the air. "I will not laugh."
"You were never a scout Michael." Max couldn't stop him self from smiling as he shook his head. "You're a clown, you know that don't you?"
"Well I try." Michael said. "Why don't you tell me what's going on?"
"I know it's stupid, but I
can't…can't…"
"Okay we've determined it's stupid now why don't you stop stalling and tell me what's wrong."
"It's Liz." Max admitted. "We were at the park and things got out of hand. It was so unlike her that I…I don't know maybe I over reacted."
"Okay… what happen to cause you to over react?"
"How far have you and Maria gone?" Max asked staring at him intently.
"What?" The question was so unexpected that it took a few seconds before he realized that the topic was now directed to him and Maria. "Why?" He demanded, turning his full attention to Max.
"I need to know, Michael." He said getting to his feet as he return Michael stare.
"Third base…now tell me what this has to do with Liz?"
"Third base." Max echoed closing his eyes in frustration.
"Max?" Michael demanded.
"Liz and I have only gotten to second, until yesterday." He said.
"Okay…second until yesterday. What's the problem?" Michael asked confused.
"I've always wanted to go farther. To be complete with her, but she never let it go to far before she stops me. But yesterday she… it was like she was playing with me. Like she was trying to see how much control she had over me."
Michael drew his brows into a frown. "Okay…exactly what did she do?"
"She… she touched me."
"Touched you?" Michael demanded staring at him as if he'd lost his mind. "I've seen her touch you so many times that it makes me sick."
"No." Max demanded. "I mean she touched me in front of the other people in the park. She… touched….me." He said willing him to understand.
"Oh…oh…okay…she touched you." He said as understanding finally dawn on him. "Wow…Liz … our Liz… in a public place?"
"Yea… my sentiment exactly." Max said staring in front of him.
"Maybe you imagined it?" Michael said. "You know with everything that's been going on. Maybe you imagined what you wanted to happen between the two of you."
"Yea…well I don't know how I could have imagine my belt unhooked and my zipper down?" Max countered angrily. "Something's going on with her. I can feel it."
"She's been through a lot in the past few months. Just give her a little time, Max." Michael said looking out in front of him.
"Yea… give her a little time." Max said, but everything in him knew that time isn't what she needs.
TBC
