Baby, I see your future and it's tied to mine
I look in your eyes and see you searching for a sign
But you'll never fall 'til you let go
Don't be scared of what you don't know*

Max took back his earlier thought. Everything would not be all right if Liz was here; and this was a true testament to that. He watched as Liz picked at her food, never really taking a bite. Her hair was all pulled up, exposing her neck. Max could tell every time she took a breath, swallowed, or was about to speak. He wanted nothing more then graze his lips over every part of it. Can we spell torture? He thought.

"So, how was your first day of school?" Ms. Parker asked.

Max just pushed his food around his plate and shrugged. Isabel nudged his arm and he finally spoke up. "Ok. I got stuck with gym, though."

"And that's bad? I loved gym," Mr. Evans said with a small chuckle.

Isabel rolled her eyes. "Gym is cruel punishment. I have it first period. I get to start the day all sweaty."

"What period did you get it, Max?"

Max cleared his throat and looked up. "Um…4th. Right before lunch." He saw how Liz shifted in her seat, but kept her eyes on her plate.

Max glanced at Isabel and noticed she looked uncomfortable too. She was caught in the middle between her brother and new friend. Talk about all of us getting' screwed, Max thought sarcastically.

But his was the worst. Max let his eyes finally settle back on Liz and his heart wrenched even more. He noticed how her neck was clenched tight and her eyes were shut. She's trying to get control, he noticed also. I may need some of that.

Max watched as she took a deep breath and her throat loosened some. Her eyes opened a second later and she looked right at him. Max held her gaze, trying to gauge her feelings. Liz shot him a pure look of devotion before letting her face go expressionless and averting her eyes.

Max's whole body reacted to that one second declaration, and he felt his cheeks get red. He glanced back down at his plate, hoping no one noticed his expression. He knew he was lost. One look, that barley lasted a second, could make him a lovesick fool.

"so…how did all of you meet?" Ms. Parker asked, looking at her daughter.

Liz looked at her mom, then at Isabel. "Isabel, Max, and Michael came into the Crashdown one day."

"Yeah," Isabel agreed. "we pretty much saw each other and were thrown together by circumstances," she added with a little smile.

Max knew Isabel was talking about how Maria and Alex jumped right in and started up a friendship.

"Circumstances?" Phillip repeated.

"Two of Liz's friends plotted a scheme to get us to hang out," Isabel explained.

"Let me guess: Maria and Alex?" Nancy asked with a laugh.

"The two and only," Liz said. Max saw how Liz responded with a smile, but it never reached her eyes.

"so, Liz, did you guys have fun the other night?" Nancy asked, remembering the sleepover.

"Yeah, it was fun."

Max thought back to that night and smiled at Liz. This time she actually looked back at him and gave a little smile herself. Mr. Evans, noticing the look between the two teens, cleared his throat and said, "I'm just glad you guys have made some good friends."

Max saw how Liz kept looking his way, but never making eye contact. He knew she was nervous about all of this and wanted to talk to her.

"Well, I think it's time for dessert," Phillip said, getting up from the table.

"Oh, let me help you," Nancy said and went with him into the kitchen.

Max watched them leave, then looked at Liz. "I had no idea-"

"this was a complete-"

Max and Liz both stopped talking and just looked at each other. Isabel sighed. "This is just…"

"Weird?" Max asked softly.

"Yeah…" Liz agreed.

"Can I just point something out?" Isabel asked, looking at Max then Liz. "Our parents are dating, ok? This is out of some after school special thing."

"I know," Liz replied. "I mean, I like your dad-"

"and your mom is really nice," Isabel added.

"but as a couple?" Max asked looking at both girls.

"Not good," they all said at once. Max shot another glance at Liz and saw her eyeing him.

"Liz…I think we need to talk," Max said softly.

Liz looked back down at her plate and shrugged. "There's not much we can do about it Max…"

Max knew she wasn't just talking about their parents. "That's not true-"

"Here we go, kids," Phillip said, coming back into the room. He took in their looks and stopped. "Is everything ok?"

Max eyes Liz then sighed. "Yeah…everything's fine."

Nancy and Phillip exchanged looks, but kept quite as they sat down dessert. Max poked at his with a fork when he felt Isabel kick him under the table. He jumped and shot her a look, but stopped when he saw her look into the hallway.

Max looked over his dad's shoulder and saw Michael motioning for him to come over. Max looked back at Isabel and could feel the cold coming off of her; she looked petrefied. Max looked back at Michael and saw him nod.

"Um…can I be excused?" Max asked.

"Why?"

"I have to go…to the bathroom," Max said. his father nodded and Max hopped up and walked around the table. As he passed by Liz, he noticed she was looking up at him. nearly stopped and bent down to her level, but kept walking and went into the hallway.

***

Liz knew something was up. she glanced over at Isabel and saw how white her face was. She glanced at her mom and saw her and Mr. Evans were talking. She leaned over to Isabel. "Are you ok?" she whispered.

Isabel seemed to come out of a trance and finally look at her. "something's wrong."

Liz took in Isabel's tone and knew it was serious. "What happened?"

"I don't know…I can feel it," Isabel replied, seeming to be as shocked as Liz was.

"Feel it how?" Liz said back, fear creeping into her voice.

Isabel's eyes shot back into the hallway and Liz craned her neck to look. Max and Michael were talking; Michael waving his arm and looking like a trapped deer. Max looked calm, but Liz could see how stiffly he was holding himself.

"This is bad," Isabel whispered mainly to herself. Liz looked back at her and shivered. Isabel looked like she'd seen a ghost.

***

Max listened as Michael explained what had happened. "Then it was perfect. Not one scratch."

Max looked back at Isabel and she gave him a pained look. Max finally looked over at Liz and saw she was watching also. "Max…me and Isabel have both had…weird things happen. What about you?"

Max looked at Michael and sighed. Now was as good as ever. "I think I…I think I was actually in one of Liz's dreams," he admitted. He glanced back at Liz and saw she was now talking to her mom. Max took the time to actually look at her and he was once more back in her bathroom.

"What do mean 'in her dream'?" Michael asked.

Max looked back at Michael. "We need to talk. all of us."

***