Chapter 3

Author's Note: Sorry it took so long for an update; here it is! I just wanna mention that i know i had originally said this is a 'fluff' fic. That's how it started out -I guess- but it's not turning out that way, so.. Also, in the show, Liz worked for Congresswoman Whitiker for a bit there; in this fic none of the storyline happened. The story may be starting off slow, but it does pick up! Thanks so much for the feedback; hopefully yall will like this new update!

The following morning, Liz grabbed something to eat for herself as well as sneaking something for Max before heading off to school. Ironically, the week was going by faster than Liz would have thought. Already it was Friday, which meant she had the weekend to hopefully relax as well as doing whatever homework the teachers felt necessary to assign over the weekend.

As she was about to close her locker, she looked over and smiled, seeing the pictures she had placed inside her locker; one of her, Maria and Alex taken the year before as well as a few of her and Maria. One in particular caught her attention; one of her and Max taken the year before. She, Max, Michael and Maria had been hanging out at the CrashDown after hours; the original plan had been to study, but that turned into them all simply hanging out. She had been sitting in Max's lap, the two of them kissing every so often when Maria made some comment, pulled a camera out of her bag, and taken a picture of them. They had been so happy then. All of them.

"I've never seen him that happy before," a soft voice said from behind her. Liz quickly turned around to see Tess standing behind her.

"Tess, I-" she began, scolding herself for not taking the picture out of there months ago.

"Liz, it's okay, really," she assured her. "I've been thinking…since you and I talked yesterday…" she began. "I'd like to try to be friends with you. I mean, I see no reason why we can't be," she paused, "except for.."

"Tess, Max and I aren't even together," she assured her.

"Neither are we," she said, smiling. "At least, not in the romantic context. I mean, yeah we used to be married in another world, but…" she said, trying to break the tension. The two girls laughed as they stood beside the lockers.

"I was sitting in my room, and I was thinking… the only real friend I have here is Isabelle; even that lately has kinda on the rocks." She paused. "Well and Kyle, but it'd be nice to have another girl friend to talk and hang out with," Tess explained. Liz looked at her and smiled, knowing she was serious about it.

Just then, then bell rang.

"I guess that's my cue. Geometry, here I come," Tess said, sounding very unenthused.

"Maybe we can get lunch together or something sometime," Liz said.

Tess smiled. "I'd like that." The girls exchanged goodbyes before heading off to their first class, which for Liz happened to be Chemistry. She took a deep breathe before heading into the classroom.

Max was already sitting down at their table when Liz entered the lab. She sat down beside him, trying not to think about how close she was to him. She would like nothing more than to lean over and kiss him right there. To feel his arms around her once more. But all that had to wait.

"Hey," he said softly.

"Hey Max," she said back before reaching down to pull her notebook and pen out of her backpack. She could feel Max's gaze on her even before she sat back up and looked over, catching him looking at her.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing. It's just… I saw you, talking to Tess," he said. She should have known.

"So?"

"Nothing; just caught me off guard I guess," he said. Liz decided not to comment on it, instead flipping through her notebook to make it seem like she was doing something.

"So uh, how are you?" he said, desperately wanting to talk to her. It was driving him crazy, her being distant from him.

"I'm- I'm good," she said. "You?"

Before he could answer, the teacher came in, ready and set to go for the day's class. Liz made an inward sigh of relief, glad she was saved by the appearance of their teacher.

"Okay class, tell me what you thought of last night's homework." With that, the day officially began.

When the bell rang, Liz was one of the first ones up and headed towards the door, for her next class. US History wasn't her all time favorite class, but it was a class she didn't have with Max and right now, despite wanting to spend time with him and be near him, she knew deep down she had to take things slow.

"Liz!" She stopped dead in her tracks, instantly recognizing the voice from behind her. She'd recognize it anywhere. Just then Max appeared at her side, carrying his chemistry book. "You left so quickly at the end of class I didn't have time to ask you.." he trailed off, his gaze going all around.

"To ask me what?" she asked.

"Well it's just… I know you said no the other day; about the Gomez concert, but I-"

"Max," Liz pleaded. She looked up into his eyes, feeling even more torn about her decision. Her heart was telling her to go but her head was telling her not to.

"Please say yes," he begged. "It'll be a lot of fun. And the concert isn't until ten anyhow. We could grab a bite to eat, drive there, see the concert, and drive back home; it'll be a little late when we get home, but.." That wasn't all they did in the other timeline, she remembered. Future Max's words echoed through her thoughts.. That's the night that things between us were cemented...We made love… A shiver ran up her spine.

"I-I can't Max," she said. "I promised Maria we'd have sort of a girls night after closing up."

"Can't you do that tomorrow night or something?" he asked. He knew it wasn't right to ask Liz to blow Maria off, but he wanted this night with Liz so badly..

"I promised her. She's been bummed about the whole Michael thing," she explained, hating to have to lie to him more. She looked up at him, noticing his expression faltering, her heart breaking. I want to go with you Max, so badly! she wanted to say. She couldn't just keep avoiding him as she had; it wasn't fair to him.

"Max? Remember when we first sorta got together; then right after that you told me you needed time to step back from us?" she began.

"Yeah." Of coarse he remembered. Had he known they'd be where they were now, he wouldn't have wasted all that precious time and instead, spent every second with her.

"Well I sorta need that time apart now," she said. "This past year… you've got this whole destiny planned for you, and there is just so much going on in our lives right now-"

"Tess and I aren't together; we never will be," Max told her. Liz looked up at him.

"This isn't about Tess, Max," she told him.

"Then what is this about?" he asked her. "You and I were fine until she arrived here. Before I knew anything about my destiny…"

"This is about you and me and how we need to take a break; see where we are," she explained.

Max looked at her, his expression pained and determined at the same time. "I can't give up on us, Liz; I wont." Their gazes locked for a few seconds before Max walked away, leaving Liz standing in the hallway.

Liz sat outside with her lunch, unable to bring herself to eat it. The past few days had robbed her of her appetite, having to lie to Max as well as keeping him at arms length. She sat there, staring at the ground. Three class periods had passed since she and Max had talked in the hallway, and she still couldn't get his pained expression out of her head.

"Okay, I've been patient the past twenty four hours, but now… I want some answers," a familiar voice demanded.

Liz looked up. "Hi Maria," she said, pushing her Max thoughts out of her head.

"Since when do you and Tess talk?" she asked. Liz had been expecting this since yesterday afternoon.

"Well…" she began. "Tess and I are sorta working on being friends."

"Have you gone completely insane?" Maria asked. Maria continued before Liz could get a word in. "I mean, help me out here, cause I distinctively remember how upset you were before leaving to your aunts over the whole thing."

"Maria, I know you don't like her-"

"And you shouldn't either! I mean, have you forgotten not too long ago she was making bedroom eyes at the boyfriend which was formally yours?" she reminded her as she began to pace back and fourth in front of Liz, her arms flailing as she spoke. "I mean, granted they were married and ruled a planet together in another life but-"

"Maria."

"-This is not that life," she continued. "In this life in which we are currently living, its you and Max; Max and you. Not Max and Tess."

"Jeez, your acting like she was trying to seduce Michael instead of Max," Liz said.

"I just don't understand what happened. All of a sudden, you woke up and said to yourself, 'Today's the day I become friends with Tess'?"

Liz couldn't help smiling. "Well..." Maria stopped pacing and gave Liz a look. "Maria, you realize we never gave her a chance, right?"

"There was a reason for that," Maria said.

"I'm just tired of not getting along with her. She's in our social circle, Maria. She lives with the Valenti's, she's friends with Isabelle-"

"She has the hots for Max…" Maria said. It was Liz's turn to give Maria a look. "I get what your saying, Liz. I'm just looking out for you; I know how much this whole you/Max/Tess triangle has affected you," she explained.

"I'm fine, really. Tess and Max are no where resembling a couple. In fact, neither are me and Max!" Liz pointed out.

"Ha!" Maria said. "For the time being."

Before Liz could respond, Alex walked over to them.

"Hey Liz, hey Maria," he said, sitting down beside Liz.

"Hey Alex," both girls said. Alex unzipped his bag and pulled out a brown paper bag which held his lunch as Maria and Liz looked at one another. Alex back and fourth between the two after a few moments.

"Okay, is it me or am I sensing some tension between the two of you?" he asked. Liz looked at Maria, wondering the same thing. She and Maria had known each other since first grade; the two were more like sisters than best friends. She had known Maria wouldn't like the idea of Liz and Tess' newfound friendship, but she had hoped Maria would understand and be okay with it.

"No, everything's okay here," Maria assured both Liz and Alex with a smile on her face as she sat down on the other side of Liz.