She quickly looked back down at the counter and began scrubbing furiously. *Now what does that mean?* she wondered. *All Michael does is give me conflicting signals. First he can’t stand me, but he kisses me, then says it was only to ‘calm me down’. Then it seemed all he wanted to do was make out with me during his every waking moment, but he changes his mind and tells me that he ‘can’t get involved’. He gives me that beautifully hand made napkin holder, then tells me not to help him again. He wants to know why he would want to make an good impression with my mother, but then he saves the day by filling in for her missing wrestler. And then when I kiss him he blurts out ‘Mud. I’m thinking about Mud’. Yet now he’s over there starting at me.*

She chanced a quick glance up, he was still looking. That now familiar warmth filled her belly. *Why do I keep hoping he’s going to change his mind?* She groaned in her mind. *I even put my heart and soul into that song for him, and he didn’t even show up.* She sighs heavily and continues her conversation with herself in her mind. *God, I wish so badly that he had heard.*

***********************************

Michael couldn’t take his eyes off of her. She stood there wiping the same spot on the counter over and over again, like it was the most important thing in the world to her. She glanced up and met his eyes for a moment before looking back down and rubbing furiously at the counter again. *What was that about?* he wondered.

He turned his thoughts back to Max and Isabel, trying to concentrate on what they were saying. But his mind and eyes kept straying back to Maria. *Why can’t I get her off of my mind lately?* He thought angrily. Somewhere in the back of his mind a voice whispered, *It was that song!*

********************************

Flash back to the night of the blind date concert

After he and Isabel had left the library, she had offered to drive him home. He had refused, telling her he would rather walk. The disappointment was acute, he had wanted so badly to find Nasedo, to have some connection to his home. He didn’t want to go home, he didn’t want to crash at the Evans’, so he just kept walking until his feet led him to the concert. He stood there for a moment wondering if he should go in. Iz had told him she had heard a rumor that Maria was singing with Alex’s band. *Maybe I should go in and check it out.* He quickly walked around to a side door and slipped in before he could change his mind.

It was dark and hazy inside, a great cover so no one would notice him. Max was up on the stage, his lips passionately caressing Liz’s. But he broke away suddenly, turned and fled the stage. Liz looked bewildered for a moment but promptly got hold of herself and followed close behind. Michael didn’t know what was going on. He started to follow, but stopped as his attention was snagged by the newest person to enter the stage. He is captivated, mesmerized. The room began to hum with the sound of the band. Maria’s eyes, wide with fear, searching the crowd.

“You can do it Maria.” He whispered. Had he spoken aloud?

Her eyes still searched the crowd, looking for someone. She began singing, her voice quivering slightly.

“I can feel it comin’ in the air tonight/ Alone/ And I’ve been waiting for this moment for all of my life/ Alone, Alone”

Michael’s eyes widened, she is wonderful. Her voice gained emotion and confidence as she continued.

“Well I remember, I remember don’t worry/ How could I ever forget/ It’s the first time, the last time we ever met.”

Michael couldn’t take his eyes off her, couldn’t blink. He felt as though she was singing for him alone.

“But I know the reason why you keep the silence up/ No you don’t fool me/ The hurt doesn’t show, but the pain still grows/ It’s no stranger to you or me.”

She spoke to his soul, she understood his pain.

“I can feel it, comin’ in the air tonight/ Alone…”

He slowly turned and made his way out the door, into the night.

*********************

“Michael!!”

He shook his head to clear it of his musings and looked away from Maria, who was still absent mindedly cleaning the counter.

“What?” he asks, his eyes now focused on Iz.

Max and Isabel exchange a look, then glance back at him quizzically.

“What?!” he asks again, irritably.

Isabel answers, “Michael, are you aware of the fact that you have been sitting there totally out of it? You’ve been staring at Maria for like the past fifteen minutes.”

Michael looks at Isabel, then over to Max.

“I’ve gotta get out of here,” And with that he stood and quickly strode out the door.

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