The library was empty when Lizzie walked in. Paolo was waiting for her in the back. She sat down at the table he was at and opened her books.

"Hi" he said but she didn't answer." Look I'm sure that you don't want to work with me as much as I don't want to work with you but hey I am sure that you want to get a good grade...don't you?"

"Yea I do...what a brilliant discovery" she said putting as much sarcasm in her voice as she could.

"So are we working together or what?" he asked ignoring her tone.

"Yea sure..." she said.

They divided up the project and started the research. After a while when they looked up and at each other at the same time they fell silent.

"You sill owe me an apology..." Lizzie blurted out suddenly.

"What/" Paolo said drawing back in confusion.

"You know what I mean! For leading me on..."

"Oh fine then if it will make this less painful. I'm sorry for leading you on...happy?"

Lizzie stared at him. She noticed the bitterness in his voice. "Why did you do it?" she asked finally" I can't believe that you did it out of totally mean purposes! Tell me Paolo why" she said yearning to hear him say something that would make it easier for her to forgive him.

"Look it wasn't anything personal...it wasn't about you...it was about Isabella and my wish to get revenge for all the pain she caused me" he said sitting back and looking t her with dim eyes from which all the clearness and light disappeared the moment he mentioned Isabella and their past together. 'I just wasn't thinking. I wasn't thinking about how you would feel. I thought that no one would no it was you...I never thought how you would feel when you realized that I didn't like you. Tell me Lizzie did you like me?"

'I still do' she thought but said "sadly yes."

"Well I didn't see that. I didn't consider it...after Isabella broke my heart in a cold unfeeling way and stuck me with the award show all my love for her was wiped away with anger and pain and hurt pride. I didn't think...I couldn't think. I know that's probably no excuse but you asked me to tell you why...so I told you" he finished and then after closing his eyes for a second he returned to the book in front of him.