The walk to Michael's apartment was a nice one. Most of the conversation was idle and unimportant, but it was nice for Maria to be out of the house, especially with Michael by her side. When they finally arrived the apartment was virtually spotless, and there were a few candles lit. Maria looked up at Michael.

"So you're expecting something to happen here?"

"I'm not expecting anything to happen, just hoping."

"Just hoping, huh?" Maria said looking into Michael's eyes.

Maria put her arms around Michael's neck while Michael pulled her closer to him. He kissed her softly on the mouth. He began to deepen their kiss by brushing his tongue against her lips. Maria allowed his tongue to enter her mouth as she made tiny circles in his hair with her fingertips. Michael broke their kiss and let his lips travel from her lips to her neck. There he stayed for what seemed like hours, this Maria did not mind. She was so wrapped up in the feeling that she did not notice they started to move towards the couch until the cushions touched the back of her legs. Maria pulled away from Michael.

"Do you want to stop?" Michael asked her.

"Just sit down," she said breathlessly.

Michael sat down slightly disappointed until Maria straddled his legs and began to kiss him passionately. Immediately Michael responded by wrapping his arms around her waist. It was Maria's turn to break their kiss, in doing so caused a frustrated groan from Michael that was quickly replace with a lustful one when Maria removed his shirt. With her hand on his tight chest she continued their kiss. Michael unbuttoned Maria's waitresses uniform and slipped it off her shoulders with no protest from her. Maria lifted her arms out of her uniform never breaking the kiss. While holding onto her arms Michael kissed her collarbone and moved toward her shoulder. In a sudden quick move Michael turned Maria around and laid her onto the couch. Maria squealed with surprise.

"Hey, no fair!" she pouted.

"What's wrong?"

"I wanted to be on top," she said with a smirk

"We have plenty of time for that." Michael continued his oral assault on her body, pausing only to come back to her lips.

"I love you Michael."

"I love you too."

They were both so wrapped up in each other that they did not hear the front door open and close.

"Hey Michael, I brought some food home for us. I-," Max stopped suddenly.

"Oh my God!" Maria gasped. "Oh My God!"

Max immediately turned around facing the door. "I'm so sorry. I just left Liz's," he stammered.

"Don't you ever knock?" Michael yelled.

"I didn't know Maria was here. I didn't see her car outside, and Liz told me she went home after helping her decorate." Max said trying desperately to defend himself.

Maria scrambled to get her clothes back on. "I think that I should go," Maria said blushing deeply.

"No, I'll go. Maria, you stay. I'm so sorry." Max repeated

"It's alright Max. I should be getting home anyway." Maria looked at Michael. "It's getting late."

Michael pulled his shirt back on. "I'll walk you home."

"No, take my car. It's the least I can do."

Max held out his keys still not turning around. Michael snatched them away. Maria, still straightening her uniform, walked past Max towards the door. At the sight of her Max began to blush making Maria feel even more self-conscience.

"See you later Max, thanks for letting us use your car," she spoke while opening the front door.

Michael followed Maria out. "Thanks Maxwell."

*

Both Maria and Michael were quiet on the ride back until Maria started laughing.

"What's so funny?" Michael asked raising one of his eyebrows.

"I guess this makes us even," she explained giggling.

"I still don't know why you're laughing. And who are you even with?"

"Max and I, we're even. You remember when I walked in on him and Liz at your apartment when I was looking for you?"

"But still how is that funny?"

"It's not funny ha ha, it's more ironic than anything else."

Maria looked over at Michael and reached over to touch his arm. "Thank you."

He looked over at her for a second before bringing his eyes back to the rode. "For what?"

"For getting my mind off of things, even if it was for a little while." Maria slid over and kissed him on the cheek. Michael found her hand and laced her fingers with his.

They pulled in front of Maria's house and noticed that all the lights were out.

"Good," Maria sighed. "She's asleep."

After quietly opening and closing the doors on Max's car they both walked quietly towards Maria's window. It was still open from when they left earlier. Michael helped Maria climb in and then tried to come in after her, but she stopped him.

"Michael, if you come in, I know that we would finish what we started at your place."

"Would that be such a bad thing?" After asking this question Michael lean forward and began slowly kissing Maria. When he pulled away she spoke.

"No, I mean, yes it would be a bad thing."

This time she initiated their kiss. After a few minutes that seemed to last a few lifetimes, Maria pulled away.

"Now go before I get caught."

"Bye Maria."

"Bye Michael"

Maria watched him walk away, start the car, and drive off. She took a deep breath and closed her window. Maria lied down on her bed still looking out of her window. She just about had a heart attach when someone turned on the light in her room.

"Where were you this time Maria, and what is it that you started at Michael's?"

"Mom, I thought you were asleep."

"And I thought that you were home in your bed, safe."

"I was safe mom. I was with Michael. He would never let anything happen to me."

"That's beside the point. You know what? You and me, we're going to have to talk about how this house is going to be run from now on. And I am going to have to find a way to make sure that I never come into your room expecting you to be there and you're not."

"What is that suppose to mean?"

"I'm not tolerating the lies and disappearing anymore. You will only be leaving this house for school and work. You will have no car privileges, and when I'm away you will be staying with someone. No more being here by yourself since I can't trust you. And no more Michael, that boy has been nothing but trouble from the start. He's been arrested; you've disappeared with him to, God knows where, on several different occasions. Not to mention that's he's broken your heart.

Maria was shocked. She could not believe what her mother was saying. It's one thing to be grounded, it's quite another to be forbidden to see the love of her life.

"Mom you, you can't do this. I haven't done anything wrong."

"Oh I can do this and I just have, and this is only the beginning."

The beginning, Maria thought, no this isn't the beginning it's the end.