The Problem with Being Popular
Part 7
When Liz woke the next morning she dreaded the thought of school again. She wanted to talk to Max, knew that she needed to but she was a afraid of what he would say. She had all ready worked out the details of what she needed to say, so now it was all up to him.
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Max was getting ready for school, with only one thought on his mind. Would Liz even try to talk to him, or would it go back to the way it was before where he never existed. Even if she didn't make an effort to talk to him, he had to talk to her. He'd spent all of the night before thinking of their situation, and he only had one thing he had to ask her, one thing he needed to know for sure.
He finished getting ready and got in his jeep to go to school. He was truly glad that Isabel had her own car and they didn't have to ride to school together. He couldn't field anymore questions from her. All morning she'd been asking "Max are you ok, what's wrong." He couldn't bring himself to tell her that she'd been right. When this whole thing started she had known that it was to good to be true, he just didn't want to believe it. In some ways he was glad that he hadn't.
When he arrived to his first hour biology class, he was glad to see that he had gotten there before Liz, took some of the awkwardness away. He took his usual seat, got his things out, and waited.
Right before the bell rang she pushed the class room door open and took her seat next to Max.
She looked over at him hoping that he would just smile at her and forget that the whole thing had happened. That's not what happened though. When she looked at him he would look somewhere else, the board, his book, the teacher, out the window, any place that wasn't her. It was making her miserable. She needed to talk to him. She didn't want to wait until lunch.
She took out a piece of paper and scribble on it, folded it and passed it over to Max.
She was pleased that he didn't rip it up and throw it away. He read it.
Max,
Please meet me in the eraser room, after this period.
He looked it over about three times before he wrote back on it, and slid it across the table to her.
With some hesitation Liz opened and read his only word.
OK.
She let out a sigh of relief and turned her attention to the teacher. She would get to tell him everything that she needed to. Then it would all be up to him.
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Maria Deluca pulled up to school that morning in her red Jetta. Michael was waiting for her in their usual meeting place. She walked up to him. Not fully prepared for what was going to happen.
"Tell me what happened last night." He was in a foul mood. Isabel had talked non stop about how Max was upset, and hurt about something, something that she was sure involved Liz. Michael needed to know.
"What are you talking about." She asked innocently. Not quite sure how much he knew yet.
"Isabel is convinced that something happened between Max and Liz last night. So you are going to tell me what it was."
She released an exasperated sigh, he was on one of his search for the truth kicks… "Michael, I don't think its really my place to tell you."
"What do you mean 'not your place." He mocked her words. He was beyond annoyed now. "Tell me." He said more forcefully.
"I'm not getting into this with you Michael." She stated simply before walking towards her first class. She really didn't want to be the one to tell him. Him and Max had this brother thing, and she knew that if he found out about it being a dare he would be beyond upset.
He watched her walk away from him. "This isn't over Deluca." He shouted after her before turning to go to his own class.
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The bell rang letting all the students know that first period had finally ended. Liz all ready had all of her stuff packed up and bolted for the door the moment she heard the bell. She knew she couldn't take it if she had to walk to the eraser room with Max. It would be far to awkward. Would she make small talk, should it just be silent, she decided to cut all of those decisions out and just go there separately.
She got to the eraser room in record time. Where she sat on a stool in the corner and waited, for what seemed like hours. Before the door finally creaked open and Max appeared. Closing the door quickly behind him, he made the decision to lock it. He knew things need to be said here and now and he didn't want any interruptions.
He took a stool from the other side of the small, mostly dark room. He placed it in front of where Liz was seated and waited for her to start.
"I'm sorry."
Max just looked at her, it looked like she was about to cry. Was that all she had to say to him though. Yeah sure he was sorry too, but he knew there was more than that that needed to be discussed.
Liz took a deep breath and continued. "Max I'm sorry. I know I can say that a hundred times and you may never forgive me. But I truly am. I'm sorry that I hurt you, I'm sorry that I betrayed you, but I'm not sorry that it happened, because if I had never been dared to ask you out that night I never would have gotten the three most amazing nights of my life, and for that I will never be sorry."
Max looked at her, in the darkened room, he could just make out her face, to see that there were tears running down her cheeks. He knew when he opened the door and came in here that he would forgive her. If she said what he hoped she would say, he knew he would.
"Liz." He started softly. "There are some things that can never be forgiven, and this isn't one of them. I was hurt when you told me last night, more so then you will probably ever know. To even think that someone that I care for so much could put me through humiliation like that, but I also know that I want you in my life. I want to be with you."
Liz couldn't believe what she was hearing. Had he really forgiven her. Were they really going to be together.
"Max." Liz said brushing the tears away. "I want to be with you too." She got up from her stool and went to his open, and waiting arms, where he held her for the first time. She knew she fit perfectly in his embrace, and she wanted to stay there, for an eternity.
The only thing he needed to know was answered. She cared for him, as much as he did for her. Even if that was all they had, they could work through anything.
TBC
A/N: Thank you so much to all of you that have left a review, it gives me the encouragement to continue this story. This part was a little short, the next will be much longer though. So thanks once again and keep with the R&R.
