He bent down to pick up the basketball as it bounced off the backboard. What was really going on with he and Liz?? They were friends, awkward friends who spent much of their time staring at each other. He drove towards the basket and effortlessly layed the ball in the hoop. But he'd always stared at Liz. Only for the past few weeks had his stares been returned. Isabel and Michael knew now. They weren't happy but they knew and they lived with it. Isabelle had accepted and even sympathized with the fact that her brother couldn't simply sit back and watch Liz from a distance any longer. Both she and Michael kept a close monitor on their friendship however. Making sure that it went no further than a friendship. Dribbling the ball between his legs, Max cut to the right of the basket, stopped, and layed an easy jumpshot through the hoop.

"Hey.." Isabel stepped outside. She was wearing a loose fitting pair of black sweatpants and a plain long sleeved cotton shirt.

"Hey," Max stopped dribbling the ball and he did a double-take at his sister's wardrobe. "No date tonight?" he smiled innocently and she simply shrugged.

"What about you?" she inquired.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he looked at his sister though he knew what she was referring to.

"I mean you going to meet Liz at the Crashdown?" Max looked towards the ten foot basket, releasing the ball from his hands. It sailed through.

"She's doing something with Kyle tonight," Max dismissed the issue and Isabel moved under the basket to gather the ball for him. As soon as the ball entered Max's hands he released it towards the hoop. For the first time in the fifteen minutes he'd been out in the driveway shooting baskets, the ball hit the front rim and bounced to the ground.

"It really bothers you doesn't it?" Isabel questioned as she failed to retrieve the basket this time, just watched her brother jog under the basket to pick it up himself.

"Kyle and Liz? no, I-"

"Max don't lie," Isabel started to say and Max looked over at her.

"Look Iz, I'm fine with it - I play basketball with Kyle sometimes, I hang out with Liz. Nothing else..."

"Speaking of which. Max, have you even talked to Michael today?" Isabel questioned.

"Yeah sure I have..." Max continued to take shots from far out and avoided any form of eye contact with his sister.

"When? You didn't hang out with him fifth period. You were with Liz in the bio room, and I saw him alone in the caf -"

"We were making up a lab -"

"Max, you're ignoring him," Isabel finally stated what had been bothering her for the past week. Max opened up his mouth to say something but Isabel interuppted, "between review sessions with Liz," there was something about the way she said the words that made Max finally look her in the eye, "and six hour basketball tournaments with Kyle you -"

"I play whenever they need an extra man - it's not like I'm there every day after school."

"No, you're at the Crash after school 'til it closes," Isabel attacked.

"You guys can come with me? Not like I make it a solo affair.."

"What so we can watch you stare at Liz for two hours? I think I'll pass."

"What - did you come out here to criticize me? Forgive me for having a life.."

"That's the whole point Max, we're not supposed to -"

"-not supposed to have a life?" Max continued and the way the words came out of his mouth made Isabel sigh loudly.