"I don't know. I didn't think that far ahead. I just know I wanted to be alone with you."

*I knew this mind reading was going to get us into trouble. * Liz smiles seductively at Max and cuddles against his side.

Max wraps his arm around her. "My house, we can go to my house." Max turns the jeep in the direction of his house.

"What about your parents?" Liz asked, worried they might run into either his mom or dad and have to explain why they aren't in school.

"They're both at work, and won't be home for hours. We'll have plenty of time." Max squeezes Liz's shoulders and kisses the top of her head.

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

Michael is straddling the bench at their usually table in the quad with Maria leaning back into his chest. "Hey Issy" Maria says as Isabel sits down next to Alex.

Isabel notices Kyle and Sandie are sitting really close to each other today and acting just a bit more friendly then normal. She smiles to herself. *It looks like we all have someone special now.* Since Max and Liz aren't showing to lunch, she figures she'll have to figure out what the plans are. "Hi guys, are we on for tonight?" Alex and Sandie nod their heads yes.

Kyle wraps his arm around Sandie, "I have practice today after school. I don't think the coach would be very happy if I miss two practices in a row. I join you out there afterwards."

"You know I'll be there, but I'm not so sure about Max. He said to count him in, but he looked really wiped out earlier."

"Yeah I noticed that too. During second period he could hardly keep his eyes open."

"Liz too, and she has these dark circles under her eyes. It's almost as if she didn't get enough sleep last night."

"That's a fact, during third period she couldn't stop laughing, and even though I think my jokes are funny, they weren't that funny, if you know what I mean."

"We know, believe me, we know." Retorts Maria.

"I'm so hurt DeLuca." Alex attempts to look hurt as Isabel cuddles into his chest, "Even if you're not always funny, I wouldn't change a thing about you."

Maria ignores the comment from Alex and Isabel and concentrates on the issue at hand. "It's a definite! She didn't sleep much last night! She always gets that way when she doesn't get enough sleep."

Alex looks around the quad to see if he can spot the two in question, "Speaking of Max and Liz, where are our two lovebirds."

"I wouldn't count on them showing for lunch today. They were on their way to the parking lot a few minutes ago. I figured the eraser room must have been occupied." informs Isabel before drifting out into her own reverie. *I wonder what they were really up to, and where they were going. Why did they feel that they had to leave school to take care of whatever they were going to take care of? Are they hiding something from us, something we should know about? *

"Has anyone noticed Max or Liz acting a little the last week, or even today?"

"Why, what's up?" ask Michael as he turns his gaze toward Isabel.

"I can't quite put my finger on it, but it's like he, no they're hiding something. Take last night as an example. Max tells me he's leaving early in the morning to pick up Liz, and for me to get another ride. Later, supposedly after Max went to bed; I went to talk to him, but he was gone. From what you three said, Max and Liz didn't get any sleep last night. Do you think they know something they're not telling us?"

Michael and Maria exchange glances they both think they know what's going on, but don't think it's their place to say anything. Besides they don't think Isabel would want to know they suspect Max and Liz might be sleeping together, or not sleeping, but sleeping together if Maria were to explain it.

"No, nothing out of the ordinary, other than they both looked tired today. Maybe they with everything that happened yesterday neither of them could sleep. Max could have talked to Liz on the phone, and if she was really upset of shaken, gone to comfort her. You know how Max is. He'd do anything to keep Liz safe."

"I'm sure you're right Alex. I'm probably making something out of nothing."

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

Max and Liz enter his room and Max locks the door behind them. Max unbuttons his shirt as he advances toward Liz. If Liz had any doubts about what Max had in mind; she didn't now. She smiles playfully, and puts her hand out in front of her trying to slow him down as she backed away. "Now Max, you know we can't stay here that long. We have to be back at school before next period."

Max smiles mischievously and slowly says, "We might be a little late." Max continues to advance toward Liz until she backs all the way against the wall, he then reaches up, cups her face gently in his hands, and kisses her tenderly. *Don't forget I can read your mind. You knew exactly what we we're coming here for. That's why you're here, because you want me as much as you know I want you.*

Liz wraps her arms around his back and up his shoulders. "I can't hide anything from you anymore can I?"

He says, "Nope," as he leans in closer and kisses her passionately.

She runs her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck. *What am I going to do with you Max Evans?*

Max found another reason to like reading each others minds. He can let Liz know what he wants to say without having to stop kissing her. *Whatever you want Liz, whatever you want.*

*There go my grades. * Liz eases Max's shirt off of his shoulders.

Max releases his embrace, allowing her to remove it completely. *I'll do my best to make it worth it.* Max unbuttons her shirt and slides it off of her shoulders and down her arms. Their kisses grow in intensity, more hungry and full of need. Max slides his hands under the red T- shirt she's still wearing and caresses her soft flesh. *Do you know what you do to me Liz Parker?*

*I know what I want to do to you.*

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

Kyle stands up from the table, and takes Sandie's hand pulling her up with him. "We'll see you guys later. Sandie and I have some things that we need to talk about." Kyle leads Sandie away from their friends.

"Isn't it great? Those two look really good together." Maria says as she watches Kyle and Sandie disappear into the school.

"Yeah, and he's the luck one."

Maria turns to look at Michael over her shoulder. "What do you mean by that Guerin?"

"Her parents know the truth about us, and will probably accept their bonding and all that goes with it. Unlike your mother who would kill me if she found us together."

"You got that straight spaceboy, but then you have to admit the sneaking around does make it a bit more thrilling doesn't it. Besides I wouldn't like it if my mother sensed when we were getting intense."

"If your mother could sense that, I'd already be dead."

"So Michael, who's the lucky one?" Maria raised her eyebrows at Michael and smiles seductively as she runs her hand down his inner thigh.

"Okay you two back to the subject at hand," injects Alex.

"Sorry Alex, we have to . . ." Maria starts and Michael finishes ". . . take care of that thing."

"Yeah, that thing we had to take care of. See ya later." Maria and Michael both get up and head toward the bleachers.

"It looks like you and me Issy. What should we do?" Alex asks with an uncontrollable smirk on his face.

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

Kyle escorted Sandie straight to the eraser room. He figured if there is someone else in there, he will simple kick them out. They've had their turn, but now it's his. He turns the door nob and walks right in. He is pleased that it is unoccupied. After locking the door he turns to face Sandie, who is wearing a surprised expression on her face.

She heard some of her fellow Junior classmates talking about some of the things they did in the eraser room, and she was scared that Kyle was expecting that from her. "Kyle, why are we in here?"

Kyle wraps his arms around Sandie, pulling her stiffened body next to his. Bring his lips down to meet hers. She doesn't respond as he expected her to. "What's wrong?"

Sandie backs out of his embrace. "Kyle, I'm not ready for that."

"Ready for me to kiss you? What's wrong, I thought . . . but last night . . . it felt so right . . . I thought you wanted me to kiss you?" Kyle's puzzled my Sandie's reaction.

"Kyle, that's not what I was talking about. I did and I do what you to kiss me. It just . . . " Sandie looks around the room. "I've heard stories about the eraser room, and I'm not ready for that."

Kyle starts laughing both from relieve, as well as Sandie's misgivings about the eraser room. Sandie looks at him with contempt in her eyes. You can hear the pain she feels in her voice as she asks, "Why are you laughing at me?" She can't believe that Kyle would laugh at her because she's not ready for their relationship to progress this fast.

Kyle forces himself to stop laughing. "I'm sorry Sandie. It just the eraser room is where two people go to be alone. What we do or don't do in here is strictly up to us."

Sandie looks at the ground embarrassed. She can't believe what she thought Kyle brought her into the eraser room to do. She should have known he wouldn't try to rush her into something she wasn't ready for. *He must think I'm moronic.*

"Sandie if you want to leave, we'll leave, but first, I still want to kiss you. Sandie looks into his tender eyes. "Really?," she asks timidly.

Kyle wraps her in his arms once more. This time Sandie relaxes in his embrace and welcomes his lips as they touch hers. The same electrical shock they felt the night before was there again this time. They pulled back and smiled wildly at each other before kissing once again. As things start to heat up, Kyle pulls back slightly. "Sandie, about this connection with your parents, do you think they know."

"Know what Kyle?"

"Know what we're up to, because last night I got the distinct feeling that they knew what we were feeling. It least what I was feeling."

"To some extent I think they do, but it's not something you have to worry about. They would have said something if to me if they didn't approve. They know use both really well." "They don't know me that well." Kyle says as a matter of fact, and then he remembers, "the connection."

Sandie nods her head. "Does that bother you? Them knowing so much about you, I mean?"

Kyle thinks about it for a few minutes. "I suppose not. It sure beats the interrogations I usually get from the fathers' of the girls I've dated in the past."

"Have you date a lot?" Sandie asks feeling self-conscious.

"Enough to appreciate what I have now." Sandie responds with a shy smile. Kyle kisses her lightly on the lips, being careful not to deepen the kiss this time. He doesn't want to scare Sandie, and figures that they need to get to their classes.

As Sandie and Kyle step out of the eraser room they come face to face with Tommy and a few other guys Kyle hung out with during football season.

"Hey Kyle. Now I see why you stepped into play hero. You wanted a piece of that tart yourself." Tommy moves closer to Sandie and reaches out to touch her, but she pushes his hand away. "Your boyfriend has a problem keeping his girlfriends happy. On the other hand, I would be enjoy showing you what a real man fells like."

Kyle moves in between Sandie and Tommy, and Sandie clings to his arm. "Lay off Tommy."

"Why, are you afraid she'll take me up on my offer like Liz did with Max? Rumor has he's been slipping into her window at night and doing things to her you've only dreamed about."

"Tommy, you don't know what you're talking about. I swear one more word like that about any of my friends and you'll be picking yourself up off the floor."

"I thought we were your friends Kyle. What happened to that? Aren't we good enough for you anymore, or is it that you think you're better than we are?"

Sandie feels the muscles in Kyle's arm tightening and knows he's about to lose control. "Kyle, lets go, it's not worth it." she pleads.

Kyle turns his head only slightly, not take his eyes off of Tommy. He doesn't what to upset Sandie any more then she already is, so he tries to explain why he can't just let this go. "Sandie, If I let him get away with this, he'll never stop. He'll keep coming back; each time getting worse than the last. Do you understand what that could means for you, for all of us? He's a jerk Sandie, a jerk that has to be keep in his place, or he'll really get out of control."

Sandie can't believe this is happening. Kyle coming to her defense once again. The only difference is this time he's willing to go to blows to do it. She doesn't pretend to like it, but she understands it. She presses her lips together, nods slowly, dropping her hands from his arm, and slowly backs away.

Tommy, not even looking at Kyle, but at the guys with him; continues to be the jerk that he is and calls out, "Listen to your little girl friend Kyle. Tuck your tail between your legs and scurry away to join that group of strays and misfits you call friends."

Kyle wants Tommy to see what's coming. He calls "Oh, Tommy." When Tommy is looking straight at Kyle, Kyle throws a right hook hitting Tommy square in the face. Tommy, caught off guard, falls to the floor clenching his jaw. "I warned you Tommy, now either you straighten up, or the next time you won't be able to pick yourself up. You got me?"

Kyle backed away from Tommy. Takes Sandie's hand in his and lead her the other direction down the hall.

Tommy continues to glare at Kyle. *I'm going to get you for that Kyle Valenti. I'm going to get you and your little tart.* *************************************

Max and Liz lay sleeping peacefully in each others arms. They both sit upright in bed when they hear someone knocking on his bedroom door. *Your parents?* Liz thinks panicked jumping out of the bed and grabbing her clothes.

Max looks at the clock on his night stand. *No, it can't be, they won't be home for another hour.*

They both stare at the door as it opens. "Isabel!" Max pulls his blanket further around his waist.

Liz pulls her clothes tighter into her, using them to cover herself. Both Max's and Liz's eyes double in size as they see Isabel standing in the doorway.