How had this happened? Had he sat straighter when the teacher asked for a volunteer? He had tried to keep his eyes down and his body perfectly still. He didn't remember doing anything to draw attention to himself, but somehow, Mr. Green had picked him to show Tess around the library, anyway.

Not that he minded, really.

Tess was a sweet girl, but being around her drove him crazy. He couldnıt think straight.

He suddenly realized that he hadn't said anything in quite a while.

"Um...this is the...card catalog. We have it on computer," Max rested his hand on the terminal casually.

Tess smiled at him, "I see that."

Max's heart was beating doubletime when she finally looked away and blushed.

Had he just been staring at her? Oh god...he had.

Yep, Max Evans...total jerk.

"Sorry. Um...over here is the nonfiction section, which is, uh, my favorite."

Tess followed a step behind him.

"Really? Iım more into fiction myself. Science fiction, actually."

Max turned to look at her. "Really?"

Tess scratched uncomfortably at her neck and looked down.

"I'm not exactly sure why I said that."

Max just smiled at her, suddenly wanting to put her at ease.

"There's some tables back in the back where you can read or study. Do you...want to sit down for few minutes and talk," he held his breath for some reason.

She smiled back, a brilliant smile that curved her eyes into cute little half moons.

"Yeah, I'd like that."

Max didn't know why, but his heart beat a little faster as she passed by him.

He froze as the movement brought back memories of Liz and that night at the Crashdown when he grabbed her and kissed her...

If anyone could have told him then that heıd feel this way about another girl, he wouldıve denied it to the death.

How could he be falling in love with someone else?

******

"Falling in love with someone else," Maria sputtered. "How can you even think that?"

Liz shook her head.

"I don't 'want' to think it, Maria."

As they headed out to Maria's car after school, Liz happened to glance toward the library. Through the window, she saw Max and Tess sitting close at one of the tables.

Liz stopped up short. Her stomach knotted up like a fist. What was happening?

She turned to Maria and pointed at the window.

"Tell me how to not think it."

Maria came to stand beside her.

As Max gazed intently at Tess, Maria looked at them, then back at Liz.

"I'm sure there's an explanation for this. You see, he would never cheat on you, because he KNOWS I'll kick his a-" Maria started for the library door, but Liz grabbed her arm and held her back.

"No, Maria. Let me handle it my own way, okay?"

Liz stared at Maria with that stubborn look on her face until Maria relented.

"Okay, we'll do it your way. And then, if that doesn't work, I'll try it my way. Alien-head-in-a-basket."

******

Her way.

Liz wasn't one to back down from a confrontation. So she waited by the Jeep until Max appeared. He was walking slowly, his mind obviously turning something over.

Liz had only a moment to be glad that Isabel and Michael hadn't shown up yet before Max looked up with a startled look. He looked down and swallowed before speaking.

"Hi, Liz."

He climbed into the Jeep, obviously glad to avoid conversation as long as possible.

Liz waited, and stood facing him with as much cold logic as she could muster. She was determined to give him the benefit of the doubt.

But Max had yet to meet her eyes, and the silence was stretching a bit.

"Max, look at me."

Max slowly slid his eyes toward hers, still not fully facing her.

Liz hesitated at the cornered look she saw there.

"Whatıs going on, Max?"

"Nothing," he swallowed nervously and glanced away again.

Anger flooded through her. Nothing?

"I don't believe you. I see the way you look at her, how you act around her," Liz bit her bottom lip to stay in control.

She couldnıt bring herself to say the name, but Max didn't need her to tell him who she was talking about.

He seemed to fight with himself momentarily before speaking.

"Liz, I don't know whatıs going on," he began urgently. "And I donıt want to hurt you. Thatıs the last thing I want to do."

She narrowed her eyes and he hesitated.

"But..." she pushed him on.

He looked away, giving her a moment to fight for composure.

When he looked back at her, his face was set.

Liz knew that look and she suddenly, desperately wished to be somewhere else, anywhere else but here and now, having this conversation.

But he was already beginning...

"If you want me to be honest with you, there's something there between Tess and I. I donıt know what it is..."

Liz forced a painful smile. "But you want to find out."

Max leaned in slightly. "I need to, Liz. And it's not fair to you to keep...pretending."

Liz swallowed past the tightness rising in her throat. "You mean pretending that you care about me?"

He looked panicked. "No! I meant...can't pretend I don't feel a...a connection to her, of some kind."

She waited for him to explain, but he stopped himself from continuing.

She nodded.

He was saying that he wanted to spend time with Tess, find out where the relationship might lead.

It hurt, and she couldnıt stop the sarcasm from creeping in.

"And itıs just a happy coincidence that she's built like a Victoria's Secret model," she bit out.

"Liz," Max looked at her tensely. "You know me better than that."

"Yeah...yeah, I thought I did. But I have to admit, I have this creeping doubt, I mean, are you going to use this excuse every time you feel an attraction to some girl?" Tears were threatening, but she blinked them back.

Max stared at her, then shook his head, obviously holding back anger. "How many times do I have to apologize for not being normal? I donıt know what this is, Liz, but I can't fight it. Itıs who I am." He looked straight ahead and hunched his shoulders. "Maybe you just can't understand."

With that, Liz could see him closing down, pulling away. And she couldnıt bring herself to stop him.

"Maybe I can't. Maybe I shouldn't have to." Her eyes moved across his impassive face one last time. How could he do this to her?

She turned and walked away, ignoring him when he finally stirred and called after her. She was ice; she was stone. He hadnıt broken her heart again. She wouldn't let him.

She was sure now.