Chapter 8

Liz's POV

I made sure I got up early the next morning so I could talk to my grandparents. When I came down, they were making coffee and putting out the pastries. When they noticed me, they called me over.

"What are you doing up so early?" Grandpa asked.

"I needed to ask you about something I heard about yesterday." They shared a look.

"Okay what?" He replied.

" I met Isabel and Ava yesterday and they said Michael killed his foster mother but got away with it, all because some evidence went missing. Is it true, because I don't see you hiring him if it was? Plus he doesn't come off that way."

"Honeybear, yes part of that is true. A year and a half ago, Michael's foster mother, Cheryl, was found beaten and stabbed to death in their trailer. By the next morning, it was all the town could talk about. The sheriff took both Michael and his foster father, Hank in for questioning that night.

The way the town has it, Hank told them he walked in on Michael killing her, but he was too drunk to use as a credible witness. Michael swears he didn't do it, that he was at Serena's that night. Only problem is her family was out of town so he had no alibi."

"Then how did he get off?" My heart kept sinking with every word. Part of me wanted to yell that it wasn't true, but I hardly knew him.

"There wasn't enough evidence to prove it was him. I still don't believe he did it, anyone could see that he loved Cheryl very much and that she loved him. There is no way he could kill her." Right then a customer came in and Grandma went to help her. Grandpa turned to me.

"Look, your grandmother likes to see the best in anyone and I can't hold that against her, but I don't want you to hang out with Michael unless it's at work. He's bad news, Liz, the only reason he even still has a job here is because of Claudia."

"But he was never found guilty."

"I'm not saying he is, I'm just trying to protect you."

"But he's Serena's brother. Are you saying I cant be friends with her?"

"No, I like Serena, just not Michael, Serena comes from a good family and Michael, well he comes from the other side of the tracks. If he comes around, just leave, I'm not going to lose you too." Serena pulled up and honked, I grabbed my stuff and headed for the door.

"I'll think about it, Grandpa. " I noticed it was just Serena in the Jetta. "Hey, no Alex this time?" I asked as I got in.

"Nope, he got his car fixed last night. Is everything all right, John didn't look too happy?"

"Yeah, everything is okay, he's just worried about something. I know I said this yesterday but I am sorry about lunch. Its just Isabel seems different than the others."

"She used to be, we were all really close when we were little. She, Alex, Michael, and I were inseparable. Then Ava moved here and it was like she completely changed. Izzy was gone and Isabel "Ice Queen" was born."

"Isabel and Michael used to be friends?" That shocked me. They were completely different.

"I know, they are so different, a lot like you and Mike."

"That's true, we are so different, like polar opposites."

"I don't think you are that different."

"From what I heard, we definitely are." I mumbled.

"Oh, I see they told you."

"Yeah, they did and to tell you the truth at first I didn't know what to think. I mean he didn't seem like a-a-a-."

"Killer?" She sounded so angry.

"Well yeah, but I didn't see you sticking behind him if he did it. But why didn't you tell me when I asked about him, that made me wonder if it might be true."

"Did it ever cross your mind that it's none of your business, or that maybe, just maybe I wanted you to get to know him first, before you judged him?" She had pulled into the school parking lot, finishing as she got out. When I got out, she was waiting for me.

"That's why you didn't come yesterday, isn't it? Not because you liked Isabel, but because you were mad that I didn't tell you everything. Well answer me one thing. Why did Isabel get a chance and Michael didn't? I tried to warn you about her and you said you wanted to give her a chance, but the second they say something about Michael, you jumped to believe them." I didn't have an answer for her. "You know I figured if anyone would understand an not listen to gossip, it would be you." After a glare, she left.

I knew everything she had said was true so I didn't even try and stop her. You'd think that with the life I had I would have found out the facts before jumping to conclusions. I guess I really hadn't changed that much after all. The rest of the day went pretty much down hill from there. Since I chose Serena the day before, Isabel and Ava wouldn't even go near me. By lunch, they were teasing me and calling me a stuck-up princess. Serena and Alex wouldn't talk to me either. At lunch, I was walking into the quad and saw Michael and Serena talking. Not watching where I was going, I tripped and fell in front of everyone.

When I looked up everyone was laughing except Michel and Alex. Serena was leaning on Alex, who was giving her a disapproving look. Even though I was hurting, I picked myself up and went to some trees near by. I never thought this would happen, not that I saw me coming in here and ruling the school, but on Sunday, I had friends and a potential boyfriend. Now, no one liked me and the guy I liked could be a killer. I had taken my sandwich out and started eating when I felt someone staring at me.

I looked up and saw Michael looking right at me. I felt a shiver run through me and felt ashamed for jumping to conclusions. It's easy to see that Ava and Isabel rule this school, and they only way to do that is spread rumors. But what Grandpa said kept running through my head, not the bad boy part, but the "I don't want to lose you too," part. Serena grabbed Michael's arm and broke our eye contact. I finished my lunch and headed to my locker. As I walked by Isabel's table, Ava started talking loudly.

"It's no wonder she crashed her car, she can't even walk." Everyone started laughing, so Ava raised her voice even higher. "Hey Liz, if your grandparents decided to let you get a car after you're healed, warn us, because we don't want to be killed too." The whole table broke into hysterical laughter. I stumbled, but didn't fall, before I knew it a tear rolled down my cheek. They laughed even harder. I practically ran into the school.

Everywhere I went everyone was pointing and laughing. The rest of the day went by so slowly, that when the final bell rang, I grabbed my bag and practically ran to my locker. After getting my stuff I left and started to walk home. I knew I shouldn't, but what choice did I have? On my way, I figured I could think things through. I got about a block and heard a very loud bike. I stopped, turned, and found Michael stopping by me.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Was the first thing he said when he got his helmet off.

"I'm walking home, why?"

"I heard Claudia talking about your injuries and how you need to do as little as possible for the next week and a half. That includes walking and after that fall earlier you can't be feeling every good. So again, what do you think you're doing?"

"In case you haven't noticed some injuries have kept me from driving. That's even if I could get behind a wheel and since Serena drove me this morning, this is the only option I have."

"What, could she not take you? I thought she had to work tonight?"

"Not couldn't take me, more like didn't want too."

"She told you she wouldn't take you?" He actually sounded mad.

"Well no, but after this morning I didn't see her offering to take me anywhere. Plus, I really don't blame her." I said as I turned to leave.

"Look, you can't walk home, why don't you just ride with me? I have to be at work soon anyway." I stopped and turned back around.

"Why?" was all I said?

"Why, what?" He looked confused.

"Why are you being nice to me, after everything. Serena had to tell you what happened."

"Yeah she did, but I've learned to deal with it. Everyone is going to think what they want. I can't change that so why make it a big deal. I figured once you heard you'd be just like everyone else. I'm not going to hold it against you, I can only guess what I'd think if our rolls were switched. Anyways, if you get hurt and John finds out that I could have helped you, well let's just say I don't want him mad at me." I had really started to hurt and was tired from the day I had so I agreed. He looked somewhat stunned that I went so easily.

"How are we going to do this? Encase you haven't noticed, it normally takes 2 hands and I'm down one." I waved my broken arm.

"Okay hand me your bag then get on." I did as he asked. He then handed my bag back and I put it on. After he climbed back on, he pulled my good arm around him.

"Now, hold on tight." He picked up his helmet, started to put it on, and then suddenly turned around. This made it so we were face to face. My arm tightened because of him turning, He looked into my eyes and then down at my lips. I did the same, I decided right then that his lips were defiantly made for kissing. We started to lean in and I wetted my lips. Right before we kissed a car pulled up and honked. We both jerked back, Michael had to grab me so I didn't fall off. I looked over and saw that Serena was the driver. She arched her eyebrow at Michael and drove off.

Michael cleared his throat and put the helmet on me. We didn't say anything else until we got to the Crash. When we got there, he got off first, got the helmet off me, and then helped me off. I thanked him and turned around.

The person I noticed was Grandpa, who looked livid. Then I noticed the Crash was packed with high school kids. Everyone was there, Ava, Isabel, Alex, and Kyle. They all had grown 2 heads. Grandpa pointed at the back and then us. Michael and I went quietly.

"What were you thinking, having her on that bike in her condition? If she had fallen off she could have seriously messed up her injuries." Michael's head was bent down.

"He was helping me Grandpa, I swear. I had fallen at school, then missed Serena, and was walking home. He was driving by and wouldn't let me walk. I was already starting to hurt so I figured it was useless to fight him." Grandpa looked like he was torn between yelling some more and thanking Michael.

"Okay, then I guess I should be thanking you, Michael, sorry for jumping to conclusions, it's just with everything that's happened we worry about her." Michael looked up and looked shocked.

It's okay John, I understand," He said looking at me, he then left to get ready for work. Grandpa just looked at me and shook his head.

"We will talk about this later." I just nodded and went to do my homework. The only booth open was next to Isabel's group. I figured they wouldn't try anything here so I went and sat down. Ava and Isabel leaned over and looked at what I was doing.

"First you choose Serena over us, now you're hanging out with her murderer brother. You are nothing like we expected," Ava said.

"Have you ever heard innocent until proven guilty? They could never prove he did it so that means he probably didn't do it." I had come to believe that after this afternoon there was no way he was what they said.

"No wonder your boyfriend and best friend were able to sneak around for so long, you are dumb and naive". My eyes got big and I had to take some deep breaths.

"How do you know that?" Ava just smiled and laid a paper on my table. I gasped when I saw the headline. There was a picture of Maria and Max together and one of me on the side. The headline read "HOLLYWOOD PRINCESS SECRET LIFE" tell all by ex-best friend and boyfriend. I flipped through the trash mag quickly and skimmed the story.

They had said that I was a drugging whore and that they had tried to help me and fallen in love in the process, but were afraid of what I'd do. They had a picture of Maria beaten up, anything I'd done it. I got up and was heading for my room, when I bumped into someone. I looked up ready to say sorry and noticed it was Serena.

"Hey," was all she said.

"Hi". I was on the verge of tears and really didn't want anyone to see. Everything was piling on top of me and I felt like I was drowning. It seemed everything that could go wrong had. I was gripping the rag-mag and she noticed.

"So anything in there true?" I felt like I'd been slapped. I knew she didn't know me that well, okay at all but the fact that she thought I'd do any of that hurt."

"Only that they were together and that I slapped her." I just looked down, I really wanted to go but didn't want to just leave. I truly liked her. Grandma saved me and called her to the front. I started to go up stairs when the first tears fell. I heard my name called and as soon as I turned, I wiped them away as fast as I could. When I turned, Michael was there.

"I just wanted to make sure you're okay. That riding the bike didn't make anything worse." He looked like a little kid, like I could say one word and it would hurt. I realized this was the first time I was seeing him and it probably wouldn't last.

"Yeah, I'm a little sore but good. Sorry to get you in trouble, and thank you, for everything." I started to go when he called my name once again.

"Liz thanks for what you said out there. I know you probably didn't mean it but thanks." He started to turn and it was my turn to call him, he stopped.

"You see I did, on my life I've been lied to a lot and can tell pretty much when I'm being lied to. I knew yesterday they weren't telling me the whole truth, but was so thrown from it I didn't even thing to second-guess it. After seeing you today, I know there's no way you could have done that."

As I was going up the stairs I heard him say "but I did." I was so tired I never even registered it until later. As I got upstairs, I sat in my bed and just stared at the paper. I heard a knock on my door and Sarah came in. I girl came in behind her.

"Hey, so I guess you saw it, huh?"

"When did it come out?"

"Yesterday, I was hoping you'd never see it." I looked at her and gave her that are you kidding me look, " I know I'm stupid." She rolled her eyes.

"Sorry about my sister, she's just a real bitch." I heard a small voice say. Sarah moved and I got a good look at the girl. She looked almost just like her sister only her hair was brown and she had more earrings.

"Oh sorry, Liz this is Tess. Tess this is my sister Liz." We nodded to each other and said hi. "So how bad was today?"

"What do you know?" I asked as they sat on my bed.

"That Ava was bragging that she got you to cry and she Serena seemed to hate you." Sarah shrugged her shoulders.

"That's pretty much true." I went on to tell them what happened. Sarah looked at me funny when I told them about the murder.

"So you just went of and believed them before checking everything out. Come on Liz, when will you learn?"

"You know I want to change, I guess it's just going to take longer than I thought." They stayed for a while longer, Tess telling me how she never thought he did it as well. I really like Tess; Sarah seemed to really like her and seemed happier. In Beverly Hills, she never really had a best friend, just as group.

I finished my homework and just had a bowl of soup while doing it. When I went out on my balcony everything came back and I finally let it all out. That's when I finally registered his words and was even more confused. My last thought that night was that it had to be better tomorrow. Little did I know.