Sera came down to breakfast Friday morning to find her mother and Charles already seated at the

table, waiting with expectant looks on their faces.

"Morning, what's up."

"Well, we're kinda worried, about you. I know you and Kyle are having some problems, but

it seems like more than that is bothering you. Your whole demeanor has changed. And

we're, well, we just wouldn't be proper parents if we didn't worry about you."

"I'm fine Mom." Sera said grabbing a glass of OJ.

"Yes I know, you keep saying that, but we want you to know that you can come talk to us

about anything."

Sera sighed, "I know Mom, and thank you Charles. I just don't really…I need to work this

out on my own."

"Just know we're both here for you." Charles said standing and reaching out to his

stepdaughter. Sera smiled and took Charles' hand. "I know. Thank you. Hey would it make you feel better if

I told you I was going to Rachel's party tomorrow?"

"You changed your mind about that?"

"Well, after you talked Rachel, Kayla and Tonya into ganging up on me and forcing me

to go, did I really stand a chance?"

"I did not tell them to gang up on you." Nicole defended herself.

Sera cocked an eyebrow at her mother as she placed a waffle in the toaster.

"OK, maybe I suggested that they try and convince you to go, but only if you want

to."

"I do. Tim said he'd pick me up so I wouldn't have to walk in alone."

"Tim Malamud?"

"Its not a date mother, we're just going as friends, two recently dumped friends, who are

leaning on each other for a little support."

"Sure."

"Mother!"

"Honey, if you say its not a date, its not a date."

The waffle popped out of the toaster and Sera snatched it with one hand, pouring coffee with the

other. Charles saved Sera from her mother's prying. He walked to the counter and peered over her

shoulder. "One of these days I'm going to have to try your fancy coffee."

"Oh no you don't! The Carmel Mocha Swirl is for me, you can have your unimaginative

French Roast."

"What time do you think you and Tim will be home from your date...I mean from the

party." Nicole continued talking, as if her husband and daughter were not trying to change the

subject.

"OK I'm leaving, you deal with her!" Sera laughed as she leaned to hug her stepfather and her

mother.

Mr. Hammond was directly in front of Sera as she closed the classroom door.

"Ms. Davidson, cutting things a bit close aren't we?"

"Yes sir."

Sera quickly slipped into the classroom and sat next to Maria.

"Hey."

Sera looked at her and smiled. "Hey."

"Um listen, I know I've been kinda of bitch this week, barely speaking and all."

"No, that's OK. I completely understand. Its all a little, well, no, it's a LOT strange and

freaksome."

"If it helps, its not just you. When Lizzie told me about everyone, I was less than rational.

More to the point, I ran screaming from the Crashdown."

"Really?"

"Really."

"I know its going to take awhile for everyone to trust me, if they ever do. And I'm OK with that. After everything you've all

been through, I'll take whatever you can give."

Maria offered her a small smile as the bell rang and Mr. Hammond stepped in front of the class.


Sera, Kayla, Tonya, Chris and Devon were hunkered over a newspaper at lunch.

"I think we should see the 10:20." Tonya said looking at the group

Chris shook his head, "We should go later, the last game didn't end till 10:15."

"We could still make that!"

"I will not be within a 10 mile radius of you, until you've had a post game shower." Kayla

informed Devon.

"I thought you liked me all sweaty." Devon grabbed his girlfriend and pulled her to him,

dropping a sloppy kiss on her lips

"Oh god! You two aren't going to do that all night are you?
Tonya asked with a worried

expression in Sera's direction.

"No need to give the 5th wheel that look. I'm fine with the smoochies. Just don't get way

extracurricular with them and we're 5 by 5."

"Remember in cheerleading camp how I banned you from watching SNL?" Kayla asked.

"Yeah."

"Well the same goes for Buffy!!! You quoted three lines in one sentence!"

"Actually it was four, Buffy refers to herself as 5th Wheel Buffy in Fear, Itself."

"You're kidding me right?"

"Just illustrating my obsession!"

"I think you should stop watching too, Kayla" Tonya teased. You caught on to those

quotes awfully fast!"

"I'll remain a loyal fan as long as Xander is on the show."

"See I just don't get this whole Xander thing. Nicky's cute and all but he's the reason you

watch the show? Now James." Sera was cut off when Kayla's hand clamped over her mouth.

"No, No more drooling over Captain Peroxide! That's all I ever hear about! James

Marsters this, Spike that."

Sera removed Kayla's hand from her mouth, "You just want Angel to come back and be with

Buffy."

"Well, they were so good..

"Hey I hate to interrupt the little Buffy lovefest the two of you have going, Chris interjected,

but we still need to pick a time for the movie."

"What are you going to see?"

The group looked up to see Tim standing near their table.

"Don't you have class right now dude?" Devon asked as Tim reached onto his tray and

snagged some of Chris' fries.

"Yeah, Chemistry with Seligman, totally boring, I had to take a break. So what movie?"

He plopped down next to Sera. She glanced at Kayla who quirked her eyebrow then shrugged her

shoulders.

"If we can pick a time we're going to see From Hell."

"Excellent, I've wanted to see that for awhile. Have room for one more?" Tim asked staring

straight at Serena.

"I, uh, She looked to her friends for an answer and was rewarded with amused faces, desperately attempting to stifle giggles. Sure, why

not, the more the merrier right?"

"Great, so after the game huh? See you then. I guess I'd better get back before class gets

out." He leaned close to Sera, picked up her hand and kissed the back. "I'll see you tonight."

Kayla couldn't take it anymore, as soon as Tim was out of earshot she burst into laughter.

"What was that all about?"

"Don't ask me, Sera said shaking her head, but this switch from Goofus to Gallant is starting

to freak me out."

"I'm beginning to think Malamud was abducted by aliens and that's the pod person they

put in his place." Sera choked on her VitaminWater before forcing a smile at Devon's comment.

"You're not like considering dating him are you?" Tonya asked incredulously.

"NO! Are you kidding me? I'm just thankful that I have someone to go with tomorrow."

"We asked you to go with us you know." Kayla reminded her.

I know..I just don't want you guys to feel like you have to drag me along to keep me from

moping."

"CAN WE PLEASE DECIDE ON A TIME TO SEE THIS MOVIE???" Chris bellowed.

The girls quickly focused their attention on the newspaper to appease their friend.


Throughout the course of the week Sera and Kyle had perfected the art of ignoring one another.

Despite the proximity of their seats it was easy to construct an invisible barrier that only Max

could penetrate.

"You and Liz going to Rachel's party tomorrow?" Kyle asked when Max handed him the

seating chart.

"Yeah, I think Liz wanted to stop by for a bit."

"Yeah, well I guess we'll see you there then."

"We?" Max said, his eyes darting to Serena.

Sera flinched at the word but kept her eyes on her Trig homework, she may have an invisible

barrier up, but she definitely heard that.

"Yeah, Isabel's coming with me. She didn't tell you?"

"No, I uh, that's interesting!"

"Yeah, I told her I didn't want to go alone and she said she'd go with me, but that I owed her big."

Max laughed. "And you still wanted her to go with you? You're braver than I thought."

"Tell me about it. I'm slowly learning that to be in Iz's debt is a scary place."

Max smiled and nodded his head in the affirmative before turning his attention toward Sera.

She met his eye and smiled slightly.

Pulling out a pen and paper Max wrote Sera a note.

Liz says you're going to the party with Tim Malamud?

Yeah, he came to the Crashdown last week and asked me. Maria was less than thrilled.

Maria worries.

I know, and it's appreciated. I told Tim that this is a friend's only thing-nothing more.

And he's OK with that?

He'd better be! That's all he's getting!

Max laughed, folded the paper and tucked it inside his book.

After Study Hall, Sera regaled Max with her lunch time saga as they walked to Government.

"It really took the whole half hour to pick a movie time?"

"It was ridiculous. I wanted to bring Maria over to settle negotiations."

"Maria is always good at deciding things like that. Usually it involves her saying THIS is

when we're going and that's that."

"I know! Its one of her greatest qualities."

Talking about me again girlfriend? Maria asked as she fell into step next to Max.

Sera glanced around the hallway "Did you just appear out of thin air? I didn't see you behind us!"

"Sup!" Michael said as he suddenly appeared at Sera's side.

Her eyes bugged "What, where, how?" She looked at Max for an explanation.

"I think you failed to notice what hallway we're in."

"Huh?"

Max pointed to a door behind Sera, when she turned to look, she felt like smacking herself in the forehead. "Of course, what was I thinking?"

"I'd say you are not thinking with your libido unlike some people here who shall remain nameless." Max said shooting a meaningful glance at Michael who simply shrugged and entered the classroom.

Maria on the other hand took the bait, "Max Evans are you insinuating that I've just come from the Eraser Room?"

"No, I'm not insinuating anything, I'm saying straight out, you've just come from the Eraser Room."

Maria gasped in mock outrage. "Well I never, oh who am I kidding! Of course that's where I've just come from!
"Again?"
Liz asked as she joined them.

"What? It's not like we're in there all the time!"

This earned her three identical yeah right looks and one snort of as if, courtesy of Sera.

"Hey, Hey! People in glass houses….none of you have any right to make fun of me for logging Eraser Room time!"

"Yeah, well given my current situation, I think I'm safe in saying I won't be seeing the inside of that room for a very long time!" Sera said rather wistfully.

"Oh Sera, don't be too hasty, personally I don't think your 'situation' with Kyle is permanent."

You don't?" she asked looking at the vivacious blonde as the group made their way to their seats. "No, it's temporary, it's like Ross and Rachel, you're on a break!"
END CHAPTER