I'm Liz Parker and today will most likely be the worst day in my life! I sit here, almost in denial, of the events that occured last night. They play through my mind like a sordid bad movie.One moment, I'm standing before my mirror, pretending that Max and I were wed.The next instant, I'm standing,alone, on my balcony having just danced with a future version of him. Then he was gone.The events between those two moments are paralyzing in that I have no one to share them with. Nor would Maria, my best friend or any of the others,especially Max, understand what transpired.I face the day with a tremendous amount of anxiety. What must Max be pondering at this very minute?-END JOURNAL-

I sluggishly walk down the school hallway trying desperately to be invisible to the crowds of people I pass. I proceed to my locker and notice a piece of notebook paper halfway hanging out of one of the metal slats. I grab it quickly and notice a familiar scent on it. I melt in my own happier memories before I snap and realize there are other students around. I cram the note in my jeans pocket and dart off quickly to biology.

Maria jolts out of the masses and confronts me. "Hey, Liz. Are you avoiding me for some strange reason?"

"Hey, Maria,uh,no" I blurt out. "Can we talk later?" I ask as I am walking backwards down the corridor.

"sure, whatever Einstein! blasts Maria.

I continue in quick strides til I reach my class. I ease in through the doorway and make like speedracer to my seat. I arrange things on my desk and get situated when a warm sensation floods over me.As I glance up, I see Max slink in and slip into his chair three rows over from me.

I peer over towards him and make direct eye contact. I can feel the coldness coming from his stare. Those honey colored eyes seem to be projecting blue flames.He still remembers what he saw last night.And then a flash consumes me-Max looking at me with Kyle-. Did that just REALLY happen? in the middle of the day, without touching each other?

I instantly grab my backpack and books and zoom out of the classroom, noticing those eyes watching my every move.

I dart down the hallway and enter the restroom. I press my back against the hard tiled wall and attempt to regroup. I suddenly recall the note in my pocket. Pulling it out, I unfold it and notice familiar handwriting. It reads;

" Liz, We need to talk ASAP!! Meet me in the eraser room!! 5th period Max"

My eyes close tightly and I sink down the cold wall until I reach the floor. This will be a difficult task to carry out. Future Max told me not to reveal any details of why he was here.How will I explain this to Max. I cover my head with my nervous hands and sit silent for a moment.

"Hey, Liz! Trying out some new yoga moves between classes?" Isabel shouts."I find yoga so relaxing. It clears the mind.Are you OK? Max is acting weird too today!Did something happen between you two SOULMATES? My hands droop beside me and I just glare up at her.Again, I collect my backpack and books and bolt out of the restroom. "What's her problem?" Isabel quips as she primps in the mirrer. "What a drama queen!"remarks a friend of Isabel's nearby. They both look at each other and laugh outloud.

I enter the classroom again, only this time I never look over at Max, though I can sense his stare in my direction. This miserable day can't end soon enough. Time passes, the bell rings and I dash out into the massive crowds and disappear. Max is probably looking for me, but I will be long gone. I can't finish school today so I eagerly make up an excuse to leave, check out and I'm out of here!

Max is walking to the cafeteria when he runs into Michael. "Have you seen Liz?" he asks Michael as he's scanning the hordes of people entering the lunchroom. "Yeah, she was walking-no running to the front office. I called to her to get her attention, but she ignored me as usual" pouted Michael. "Thanks" Max replys,as he too darts away rushing towards the front office.

He enters the front office and speaks with the secretary. "Hi, I'm looking for a girl. She's my lab partner and I need to get some notes from her. I was told she came in here just minutes ago" Max expels, out of breath from running. "What's her name?" inquires the secretary. "It's Liz, Liz Parker. I really need to find her. It's important" relays Max. "She just signed out. Something about not feeling well...Said she was going home, Look, here's the sign-out sheet" as the secretary pushes the paper over the counter for Max to view. "She's already gone, hon. You better catch up with her at home or on the phone". "Thank you" Max says as he turns and runs towards the door."How could she ditch me like that" he mumbles to himself. "I know something is wrong and I have to find out what it is". He halts for a second, turns around and heads back into the office. He meets up with the secretary,again. "Don't tell me! You don't feel well either and need to go home, right?" she slyly speaks. "Please!" pleads Max. "It's really important that I see this girl.I'll sign whatever I have to so that I can leave immediately!" he cries. "Sure, hon, but you'll owe me one" she says as she looks over her glasses hanging off her nose and winks at him. He looks strangely at her, rubs his eyebrow, thinking"WHAT IN THE HELL WAS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN" and signs his name on the sign-out form.Dashing outside to the parking lot, he jumps into the jeep and takes off.

Max is driving down the street, wind blowing through his thick black hair, thinking how simple things used to be. Now there was this incident that he could not stop thinking about.How could Liz do that to him. She tried to push he and Tess together, to force the issue, but he was in love with her, not Tess.And then to witness her and Kyle in BED together-it made him sick inside, his stomach was churning.

It couldn't be true. He slid the jeep over to the side of the road and stopped.Feeling sick to his stomach, he laid back in his seat for a brief moment and tried to let that awful feeling pass. He loved Liz so much that the sight of her and kyle together just ripped through his heart. Her eyes, the way they directly stared into his when he walked up to her window last night. She appeared as stunned as he was.She was hiding something and he had discover what it was.

He resumed his position in the seat and shifted into first gear. The tires spat out gravel as he blasted off and sped down the road to the Crashdown Cafe.

Pulling up to a parking space in front of the Crashdown, he turned the engine off. He had been here before like this many other times, but never felt his world was spinning uncontrolably. What would he say? What would she say?. Would they still be friends? It scared him to think this way, but he now realized it was his mission, his destiny, to find out the truth.

I was in the kitchen, talking to my dad, about why I was home early from school. "Liz? Why are home in the middle of the day, sweety?" my dad, Jeff asks. "I wasn't feeling well. I signed myself out of school" I pleaded."I'm gonna go up to my room and lay down for a while. Don't wake me up for dinner. I'll come down if I feel better or get hungry, OK, dad?" "Sure sweety. Let me know if you need anything" Jeff relates.

I leap up the stairs and head to my room. The door is slightly ajar. I kick it open and throw my backpack and books down on the bed only to find Max already there. Startled, I jump back against the door and it slams shut with me glued to it. My heart starts racing and I think to myself, this is gonna get ugly!!

"What are you doing here, Max, in my room?" I ask him sternly. "Liz. I just want to talk to you. Don't get so defensive". "You SHOULD be at school,you SHOULD be wolfing down chili dogs or something for lunch. You SHOULD NOT be here, Max!!" "Didn't you get my note?". "Yes, I did". "Something is not right here, Liz. I just want to know the truth". "There's nothing to tell, Max". "Since when are you and Kyle an item again? You two broke up a long time ago. You told me so yourself. So did Kyle" Max yells."How did he end up here, in your bed,Liz?". Max stares over at my bed and tears begin to form in the corners of his eyes. It is so difficult for me to watch this. I have hurt him so deeply. I am so ashamed. "Liz, please tell me why" he says sobbing, hardly able to speak. "Max, not here, not now" I say whispering. I gently take his hand in mine and raise it to my mouth to kiss it softly. "Please don't cry Max. I feel bad enough already. I didn't mean to hurt you" I say in a low, soft voice.

I grab a tissue from my nightstand and wad it up. I blot it over Max's left eye, then right eye and we lock eyes instantly. I feel the pain he is experiencing, that I caused him. I'm getting a flash, only it's Max's version of how he saw Kyle and I together.He is broken and empty. I must say soemthing. "Max, can we go somewhere, alone?" I inquire very quietly, waiting patiently for an answer. "I have an idea" he mumbles sullenly as he grasps my hand, leads me out of my window, onto the balcony and down the fire escape.