"Maria, I don't know what I'm gonna do. I can't stand lying to Max anymore. What should I do?" Liz asked Maria as she took some food from Michael.

Maria started to answer as she walked towards her table. "Liz, you know you're obsessed right? I mean, you and Max...I dunno what to tell ya. This whole Future Max thing...all I can say is that no weirdo better ever come to me from the future."

"You're a big help Maria. I'm totally lost. My grades are dropping, I can't concentrate. I had to reroute everything just to avoid seeing Max. I don't know what I'll do if I do see him." Liz sighed, depressed.

"First thing you gotta do, chica, is get off your ass and start doin' your job. We'll talk later, promise." Maria replied.

*Maria's right,* Liz thought, *Maybe if I keep busy, my mind won't wander so much.*

At school:

The next day Liz , Maria, and Alex were having lunch together. Fortunately, Liz had seen no sign of Max all day, and she was in a very good mood.

"I just know I aced my history test."

"Good for you. I'm proud of you. You've finally gotten over the first hurdle of breaking up. You're beginning your normal routine, jumping back into things. If you ask me, you've been wallowing way too much lately." Maria said.

"I know. It's just that getting over Max has been really hard for me. Lying to him has been even worse. I can't even think about it or I break down. Ya know?" Liz replied.

"I guess so. Michael and me have never really been that. 'deep'". Maria told her.

"God, don't you people have anything else to talk about besides guys? I mean I've been listening to this all afternoon and all I can think is, they are people too, you talk they listen. Comprendo?" Alex asked.

"Shut up Alex. You are such a guy!" Liz shouted.

"Wow, did it really take you that long to figure it out? I mean, yours truly figured out that he was a guy approximatly two minutes before the great Liz Parker. Losin' your touch hun'." Alex said. Liz and Maria laughed.

"You always know how to make us feel better don't you Alex?" Maria asked.

"It's my specialty." He replied.

RING

"There's the bell, we better go." Liz said.

"Yeah, see ya later!" Maria replied.

"Bye!" Alex shouted after them.

BIOLOGY

*Oh no, there's Max. What am I gonna do???* Liz thought.

"Hey Liz."

"Oh, hi Max."

"How are you?"

"I'm fine, you?"

"Good."

"Good."

"Good morning class. Today we will begin Unit 5. Dissection! I'm sure you're all very excited. We will be starting with the squid, seeing as you all have dissected frogs before, right? Well anyway..."

"I guess we're partners huh?" Max asked.

"I guess so." Liz replied sullenly.

LATER ON IN CLASS.

"Alright class, time to clean up!"

"You wash the tools, I'll throw away the squid?" Liz asked.

"Yeah sure."

As Liz walked over to the sink she thought about how sad Max appeared every time he looked at her.

*He looks almost as lost as I feel* Liz thought. *He's become so depressed, so unattached. He's so unlike Max...* Liz let her thoughts wander. She walked back towards the desk where Max was cleaning up.

"Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow?" Max asked.

"Tomorrow is Saturday." Liz replied.

"Yeah... well, maybe at the Crashdown then, or something."

"Yeah, maybe."

The truth was, Max didn't know Liz had been avoiding him. Max had been avoiding Liz too. Seeing her was just too painful. Even biology class was torture. Knowing what they used to share, and why they didn't share it anymore...it was all too much for Max. He couldn't handle it. Everything was bottled up inside and Max felt like he was going to burst. All his anger, his sadness, his depression.

RING

The bell snapped Max out of his thoughts and told him it was time to go home.

IN THE PARKING LOT:

Liz was on her way out of the building when Maria snuck up behind her.

"Boo!" Maria shouted.

Liz spun around, startled. "Don't do that!" She said.

"Sorr-y!" Maria replied, laughing. "Anyways, I just wanted to tell you that I have to baby-sit for my little cousin, Josh tonight so I can't come over. Sorry. I know you really needed to talk."

"That's alright Maria. I think I'll just veg out all night anyway, you know listen a couple of really good CD's, maybe watch a chic flick... I'll be fine."

"Cool. Well, don't stay up too late, you have to meet me at the Crashdown at 10:00 tomorrow morning. Don't forget okay?"

"Got it, 10:00-Crashdown. See ya then."

"You sure you don't want a ride?" Maria asked for the last time.