Chapter 3
"Max!" Isabel whispered firmly to her brother in their History class. "Max!" she repeated.
"What?" he replied suddenly, taking his attention away from the front of the class.
"Quit doing that" she replied, looking him in the eye.
"Doing what Iz?" he answered with a puzzled look on his face.
Isabel sighed as she flipped her long blonde hair off her face, "Quit tapping on the table with your fingers, its really annoying".
"I wasn't tapping" he answered quickly, obviously confused.
Isabel continued to stare at him, noticing the puzzled look that he had upon his face. He was really going crazy. Never in all her life had she known him to be like this. He obviously couldn't handle his problems on his own, but he wasn't opening up to her. They had barely spoken in weeks. Every afternoon he would come straight home after school and sit in his room, listening to what we know as 'Max's depressing music'. Something was definitely up with him. It was obvious that he was still in love with Liz Parker, everybody that knew him well could understand that.
Moments later the bell went, signaling the end of their History lesson. Max stood up quickly and attempted to make a run for the door.
"Max" Isabel said as she gently grabbed his arm as he attempted to walk past her. "What's wrong?".
"Nothing Iz. I'll see ya at home, ok?" he replied, keeping his eyes firmly on the ground.
Isabel sighed, releasing her grip from his arm, "Whatever you say Max". "But just remember that I'm your sister, I notice things".
"I know", he replied kissing her on the cheek. "I will be ok, so don't worry" he said, forcing a smile.
Isabel watched him walk out the door. She didn't know what to do about her brother. He was acting very weird, she thought as she walked out of the classroom. Perhaps he just needed a guy to talk to. However her thoughts were soon disrupted when her good friend, Elle passed her in the hallway.
"Hey Isabel. I got a call from my agency, I'm going to be in the new Pantene add!" she beamed happily, as she purposely flicked her shiny long brown hair from one shoulder to another.
"Are you serious? Congrats!" Isabel replied happily for her friend, as she linked arms with her and walked towards their next class together.
* * *
"Wow Liz. Careful now" a familiar voice said to Liz as they quickly grabbed her small body in their strong arms.
She balanced herself and peered up slowly, looking into the soft and caring eyes of her good friend Michael. "I'm sorry Michael, I just needed to get out of here" she sniffed.
Michael's face fell when he realized that she had been crying. He pulled her towards him and held her tightly, cupping her small head into his large hands. Her whole body shivered against his. "It's ok Liz, I'm here", Michael said softly, stroking the back of her head.
"I'm sorry to have to do this to you Michael" Liz said softly, looking up into his soft eyes. "You have enough problems of your own".
Michael held Liz closer and continued to stroke her hair. "Liz if I owe anyone for helping me in this world, its you. You have helped me through a lot, especially with Maria. This is hard for me to say, because I'm a guy and all, but um you are like, um a sister to me Liz".
Liz slowly pulled away, wiped her eyes and smiled, "that's really sweet of you Michael. Thank you".
Michael, now embarrassed stared down at his feet and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Well I mean it Liz. So, um do you want to go outside and talk?".
Liz's grin widened as she looked to see whether the Michael that she knew had just said this, "You want to talk Michael?".
"Well yeah of course. You see Maria has been teaching me how to get in touch with my feminine side!" he said grinning.
" Oh I see" Liz replied, forcing a smile. "Look thanks for the offer, but I don't want to force my problems on you Michael" Liz said, her face unhappy again.
Michael sighed, taking her small hand and looking into her eyes, "Liz you are one of the most un-selfish people I know. You always think of others before you think of yourself". He watched Liz, noticing how upset she was, realizing that she needed him.
" I have only just realised myself that sometimes you have to let talk about your problems. The longer you keep them to yourself, the worse it gets" Michael finished.
"I suppose that's true. I am meant to be seeing the new counselor Mr Jenkins nos, but I guess I can see him some other time, Liz replied softly as they both walked outside.
That night whilst Liz did her shift at the Crashdown she managed to smile at the little things in life which made her happy. She loved the way that the cute elderly couple, Nancy and Jack made an effort to come to the Crashdown every 'Seniors Tuesday' to have their regular steak and vegetables, or how Maria sung to herself happily as she danced around cleaning the tables.
Talking to Michael that afternoon had definitely helped her. He had become so supportive and understanding. So unlike the usual Michael who usually couldn't give a stuff about feelings and relationships. She couldn't complain though because she was definitely liking the 'new' Michael!
Maria walked over to Liz and gave her a flashing smile. "Guess what chica?" she said.
"What?" Liz replied eagerly.
"I, Maria Deluca have been asked to sing at that new club on Oxford Street this Saturday night! How mad is that!" Maria beamed happily as she jumped up and squeezed Liz tightly. "And you my friend are going to come with me so that we can check out all those hot college students".
"That's awesome Maria, I'm so happy for you! But hey I think you already have a charming boyfriend!" Liz replied, squeezing Maria's hand. If anybody deserved to get a chance to sing in a top club like the new one on Oxford Street, it was Maria. She had been waiting for this opportunity for years.
Maria jumped up again hugging Liz. "This is going to be mad! I can just picture it now - my own professional band on the stage and thousands of people singing with me and cheering me on". She paused for a moment, thinking of what else she may need during her star performance. "Oh and Liz, I may need you to be my manager so that I can get out of signing all those autographs at the end!"
Liz laughed loudly and wrapped her arm around Maria's shoulders. "Miss Deluca, just remember that you have not reached Hollywood just yet, but I'm not going to stop you from dreaming about it girl!".
"Love ya Lizzie!" Maria replied happily. "I will just finish those tables so that we can close up and finish that ice cream in your freezer, ok?" she asked.
Liz nodded and gave Maria a thumbs up whilst she continued to count the change in the cash register.
To be continued.
"Max!" Isabel whispered firmly to her brother in their History class. "Max!" she repeated.
"What?" he replied suddenly, taking his attention away from the front of the class.
"Quit doing that" she replied, looking him in the eye.
"Doing what Iz?" he answered with a puzzled look on his face.
Isabel sighed as she flipped her long blonde hair off her face, "Quit tapping on the table with your fingers, its really annoying".
"I wasn't tapping" he answered quickly, obviously confused.
Isabel continued to stare at him, noticing the puzzled look that he had upon his face. He was really going crazy. Never in all her life had she known him to be like this. He obviously couldn't handle his problems on his own, but he wasn't opening up to her. They had barely spoken in weeks. Every afternoon he would come straight home after school and sit in his room, listening to what we know as 'Max's depressing music'. Something was definitely up with him. It was obvious that he was still in love with Liz Parker, everybody that knew him well could understand that.
Moments later the bell went, signaling the end of their History lesson. Max stood up quickly and attempted to make a run for the door.
"Max" Isabel said as she gently grabbed his arm as he attempted to walk past her. "What's wrong?".
"Nothing Iz. I'll see ya at home, ok?" he replied, keeping his eyes firmly on the ground.
Isabel sighed, releasing her grip from his arm, "Whatever you say Max". "But just remember that I'm your sister, I notice things".
"I know", he replied kissing her on the cheek. "I will be ok, so don't worry" he said, forcing a smile.
Isabel watched him walk out the door. She didn't know what to do about her brother. He was acting very weird, she thought as she walked out of the classroom. Perhaps he just needed a guy to talk to. However her thoughts were soon disrupted when her good friend, Elle passed her in the hallway.
"Hey Isabel. I got a call from my agency, I'm going to be in the new Pantene add!" she beamed happily, as she purposely flicked her shiny long brown hair from one shoulder to another.
"Are you serious? Congrats!" Isabel replied happily for her friend, as she linked arms with her and walked towards their next class together.
* * *
"Wow Liz. Careful now" a familiar voice said to Liz as they quickly grabbed her small body in their strong arms.
She balanced herself and peered up slowly, looking into the soft and caring eyes of her good friend Michael. "I'm sorry Michael, I just needed to get out of here" she sniffed.
Michael's face fell when he realized that she had been crying. He pulled her towards him and held her tightly, cupping her small head into his large hands. Her whole body shivered against his. "It's ok Liz, I'm here", Michael said softly, stroking the back of her head.
"I'm sorry to have to do this to you Michael" Liz said softly, looking up into his soft eyes. "You have enough problems of your own".
Michael held Liz closer and continued to stroke her hair. "Liz if I owe anyone for helping me in this world, its you. You have helped me through a lot, especially with Maria. This is hard for me to say, because I'm a guy and all, but um you are like, um a sister to me Liz".
Liz slowly pulled away, wiped her eyes and smiled, "that's really sweet of you Michael. Thank you".
Michael, now embarrassed stared down at his feet and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Well I mean it Liz. So, um do you want to go outside and talk?".
Liz's grin widened as she looked to see whether the Michael that she knew had just said this, "You want to talk Michael?".
"Well yeah of course. You see Maria has been teaching me how to get in touch with my feminine side!" he said grinning.
" Oh I see" Liz replied, forcing a smile. "Look thanks for the offer, but I don't want to force my problems on you Michael" Liz said, her face unhappy again.
Michael sighed, taking her small hand and looking into her eyes, "Liz you are one of the most un-selfish people I know. You always think of others before you think of yourself". He watched Liz, noticing how upset she was, realizing that she needed him.
" I have only just realised myself that sometimes you have to let talk about your problems. The longer you keep them to yourself, the worse it gets" Michael finished.
"I suppose that's true. I am meant to be seeing the new counselor Mr Jenkins nos, but I guess I can see him some other time, Liz replied softly as they both walked outside.
That night whilst Liz did her shift at the Crashdown she managed to smile at the little things in life which made her happy. She loved the way that the cute elderly couple, Nancy and Jack made an effort to come to the Crashdown every 'Seniors Tuesday' to have their regular steak and vegetables, or how Maria sung to herself happily as she danced around cleaning the tables.
Talking to Michael that afternoon had definitely helped her. He had become so supportive and understanding. So unlike the usual Michael who usually couldn't give a stuff about feelings and relationships. She couldn't complain though because she was definitely liking the 'new' Michael!
Maria walked over to Liz and gave her a flashing smile. "Guess what chica?" she said.
"What?" Liz replied eagerly.
"I, Maria Deluca have been asked to sing at that new club on Oxford Street this Saturday night! How mad is that!" Maria beamed happily as she jumped up and squeezed Liz tightly. "And you my friend are going to come with me so that we can check out all those hot college students".
"That's awesome Maria, I'm so happy for you! But hey I think you already have a charming boyfriend!" Liz replied, squeezing Maria's hand. If anybody deserved to get a chance to sing in a top club like the new one on Oxford Street, it was Maria. She had been waiting for this opportunity for years.
Maria jumped up again hugging Liz. "This is going to be mad! I can just picture it now - my own professional band on the stage and thousands of people singing with me and cheering me on". She paused for a moment, thinking of what else she may need during her star performance. "Oh and Liz, I may need you to be my manager so that I can get out of signing all those autographs at the end!"
Liz laughed loudly and wrapped her arm around Maria's shoulders. "Miss Deluca, just remember that you have not reached Hollywood just yet, but I'm not going to stop you from dreaming about it girl!".
"Love ya Lizzie!" Maria replied happily. "I will just finish those tables so that we can close up and finish that ice cream in your freezer, ok?" she asked.
Liz nodded and gave Maria a thumbs up whilst she continued to count the change in the cash register.
To be continued.