Max: seeing her come out the front door, he puts on a huge silly grin: his eyes sparkle as he greets her… "Hi Liz, sorry I didn't call last night, but I was out before my head even hit the pillow."

Liz: getting into the jeep, she is having a hard time sitting still; she's just so, so bubbly… "Yah, I know what you mean, I almost fell asleep in the car on the way home. Um, I'm sorry about my Dad's grilling you like that last night. I had no idea he was going to be doing that or I would have warned you."

Max: he keeps sneaking glances and grinning at her as he's driving: … "No harm done. Actually I thought he took it easy on me." Turning a little more serious… "Uh, Liz we still need to sit down and talk… you know… about this future me. I need to make sure I understand everything correctly. I don't have to work today, so I'm pretty much open after school. How about you?"

Liz: she is surprised by how calm she remains: it isn't as painful as it once was, she might even be looking forward to actually being able to talk about it openly and honestly… "I'm free most of the day. I just need to help close. So do you want to go somewhere after school so we can talk?"

Max: relieved that she didn't seem to get upset… "Yah, why don't we go right after school for a drive in the desert. That'll give us a chance to talk in private."

Liz: a suggestive smile begins as a different thought occurs to her… "Um, is that all you were thinking of doing on this…ah… private drive into the desert?"

Max: raising his eyebrows at her in pretended shock… "Why Liz Parker, what else did you have in mind?" {Mental note to self: need to go to drugstore at lunchtime}

Liz: coyly… "Well, if you can't think of anything else to do other than talk, I guess I'll have to instead."

Max: to say she surprised him the other night is an understatement, that she keeps on surprising makes him the happiest guy on earth or the most scared… "I have a feeling that things are never going to be boring between us." As he pulls into the school parking lot, he spies an anxious Maria.

Maria: determined not to let her prey slip away, she pounces on Liz the moment her feet hit the pavement… "Good morning Max, lovely dinner last night, but with everything going on, Liz and I missed out on our normal nightly girl talk. You understand, don't ya?" Leaving a slightly worried Max, she drags Liz to the most private place she can think of, the eraser room.

Max: before he can object Maria and Liz have already disappeared: frowning he mumbles… "Did she say nightly?"

Michael: silently coming up behind Max… "Yep, she did, scary ain't it? No telling what they're always critiquing." Slapping Max on the back… "So, ya still in one piece. I guess you survived the parent inquisition last night. What's on for today?" He escorts his now very troubled friend to their lockers for the start of the school day.

Maria: locking the eraser room door and lodging a chair-back underneath the door handle for added security, she turns to her best friend… "OK, we are not leaving until you spill. What exactly did you do or should I say did he do that had you glowing?"

Liz: amused but trying to be discreet… "Maria, I can't talk about… you know… what goes on behind closed doors… well they were closed until his Mom knocked… anyway, we're going to be late for class."

Maria: stepping in front to stop her attempt to exit… "Oh, no, no, no… I don't care if it takes all day… we are not leaving until I get details. So start spilling. Wait, what do you mean until his Mom knocked?"

Liz: staring intently at her shoes, she starts out very reasonably… "Uh, well the fight between Max and Sean made me realize how much Max still means to me…and well…uh…. Later that night…I sorta went to his house… you know just to talk…um… it was raining, so… uh… I had to… climb thru his open window to get out of the rain… and well… it's not my fault he looked so, so incredible… in just his boxers."

Maria: her emotions start ping ponging all over: absolutely shocked, … "Wait a minute, you went to his bedroom in the middle of the night… and… and I can't believe it… you, Miss Prim and Proper… you seduced Max Evans?" Seeing her friend nod yes, excitedly… "So how was it? Uh… I gotta ask… uh… are there… any, you know, differences? I mean they are basically human, right? No… uh…. unusual equipment or anything? " Suddenly very serious… "You did use protection, right? Nothing, you know, weird happened, did it? When did his Mom come in? She didn't catch you in the middle of something, did she?" Starting to move into hyper-drive… "So tell me, tell me, tell me…."

Liz: putting both hands on Maria's shoulders so she doesn't hurt herself… "Maria, breathe, you need to breathe, remember breathing is good, better now?" Taking some deep calming breaths herself… "OK, Maria, yes, Max and I have… cemented our relationship… we're both very happy… of course we used protection… and uh… er… nothing unusual happened… his Mom did not catch us. I sorta… hid in the closet."

Maria: still hovering somewhere around hyper-drive, she continues to babble out questions… "So how was it? Did it hurt? What was it like? What'd he do? What'd you do? What'd you say? What'd you do afterwards? More than once?" Starting to wind down… "He made you hide in the closet? How tacky. Hey, if you guys weren't planning anything, why'd ya already have protection?"

Liz: "Maria, some of those are very personal questions and I'm not answering them. However I will say that Madame Vivian was very right."

Maria: a little confused by that statement… "Madame Vivian, what'd she say?"

Liz: as she is pulling the chair away from the door… "I'll only tell you if you promise me not to say anything in front of or to Max or tell anyone else. You promise?"

Maria: slightly indignant… "Of course I won't say anything, girl scout's honor."

Liz: "Maria, you were never a girl scout. But since you did promise, Madame Vivian said …" As she opens the door and starts to leave… "That he would never leave me wanting." Not giving Maria a chance to make further inquiries, she practically runs down the hall all the while grinning.

Maria: finally realizing that her friend escaped… "Hey, get back here. No way am I going to let you get away with ending it like that. I must have details!" Stepping into an empty hallway, she has to postpone further inquiries for now; she's late for class.

Lunchtime, local drug store.

Michael: aimlessly wandering around the store… "So Maxwell, what'd we come here for anyhow? Hurry up would ya, I wanna get something to eat."

Max: desperately wanting to get rid of Michael… "Well, if you're so hungry, go across the street to Mickey D's and get a burger."

Michael: "Naw, that's OK. I can wait, just grab whatever it is you came here for and lets go." As he sees what Max finally grabs, his eyes just about pop out… "Ah, Maxwell…"