I'm Liz Parker, I'm "sweet -Sixteen" and boy was I kissed last night!! I can almost say I've never been kissed until last night. No other kiss could compare. The few pecks and kisses I've experienced this last year, since I was allowed to start dating, can't even be considered kisses compared to Max Evans' kiss.

Max Evans. My Max..... I love the sound of that. But is he mine? Will he ever really be mine? Max is no ordinary guy. He's extra-ordinary in every way. And he kissed ME last night! His first kiss, and it was with ME! Liz Parker, who lives in a small town and up until a few months ago, lived a very boring, dull life.

Max's kiss was...magic. It was like when two chemicals come together and cause instantaneous combustion, an explosion, but then simmer and continue to boil together in compatibility. I think that's what we do.. we sizzle and boil when we are together, and if we get too close, we explode.

Max told me he had been saving up for his first kiss for forever, and he had been saving it for me! I feel hot and cold goosebumps when I think of that. Max Evans says the sweetest things. He's sensitive, loving and a born leader who has to take care of everyone around him. He's my hero, in more ways than one.

But now, as I get ready for school this morning, I wonder what the day will bring. For although Max came to me last night and finally let his guard down and kissed me, I still wonder how he will act today. For the characteristics of Max that I love, are also the same ones that can keep us apart. Max's sense of responsibility, and the need to be the one to take care of everyone for "their own good" can easily backfire on our chance together. Will he go back to the "I have to protect you, and keep away from you" Max, or will he be the sweet, romantic, open, happy guy he was at the dance the other night. The one who told me he had been waiting all his life for that night together.

I guess I won't know until I am actually face to face with him again. Am I scared? I'm terrified! And yet, my stomach feels like it's riding a roller coaster when I think of that kiss, and how Max looked right before he kissed me. How his strong, warm arms wrapped around me, made me feel safe and yet on fire at the same time.

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Liz walked into school the morning after she and Max had kissed, with excitement and worry. How was Max going to act?

But the first person she saw was her best friend Maria, and that took her mind off of everything else when she saw her.

Maria looked terrible! Liz had not had a chance to talk to Maria after they had first talked at the dance. Maria had gone off with Michael, and then Liz had been with Max, and then in jail with Alex. They had a lot of catching up to do, and from the look of her best friend, not all of it was going to be good.

"Maria? What's wrong?" Liz asked as she came up to the small pixyish blond who was just closing her locker.

"Hey Liz." Maria stated, in a falsely bright voice. Her smile pasted on.

"Maria? No... no way... come on, we've got to talk." Liz said and started pulling Maria out of the school and toward the parking lot.

Maria knew it was useless to argue with Liz when she set her mind to something, and she really wanted to talk to Liz anyway. So she followed along docilely.

The two petite girls did not go unnoticed. Several pairs of eyes watched them walk toward the lunch area benches and trees that were spread out for the kids to enjoy while relaxing during lunch.

Max Evan's eyes followed Liz with an intensity that Max was now known for when looking at Liz. He had waited for her, hoping to catch her before her first class, and maybe even kiss her once to start the day, and to let her know he wanted to continue to kiss her and be with her. But he could tell from the miserable look on Maria's face, and the determined look on Liz's, that he would have to wait. He knew all about responsibility, and wanting to take care of the ones you loved. Liz was a lot more like him then she realized. He sighed and headed to his first class. He'd catch up with her later.

Another pair of eyes watched the girls as they went off. These eyes were filled with pain, and were particularly focused on the small blond. "I knew I'd hurt you, Maria, " whispered Michael Guerin as he too turned and walked toward the art room.

He needed to paint, to let out his emotions. He had come to school today to see Maria first thing this morning, just from a distance, to see how she was doing. Now he was sorry he had. She looked as bad as he felt. Thank God she had Liz. Liz was the female version of Max. And he always thanked God he had Max. Sure Max could be bossy, and try to tell him and Isabel what to do at times, but that was only because he was so used to them looking up to him for advice and support while they had been growing up scared and vulnerable after they had realized they were different.

He sighed. You deserve to feel miserable Michael, you really screwed up this time. You hurt the only decent thing that ever happened to you. He thought, as, shoulders down, hands in his pockets of his jacket, he headed toward the art room.

One more pair of eyes followed the girls before he too turned away....