"Are your parents home?" Maria asked.

Isabel looked a little tense, but replied casually, "My dad and brother are out. And my mom died last year."

"I'm so sorry," Maria said softly as they entered the Evans home.

"Yeah well…"

Liz sighed and went over to Isabel. "I lost my dad a few years back too," she explained.

Isabel looked at her. "Did it ever get easier?"

Liz looked around. "No…it just recedes a little."

Maria watched them both. "Ok…we need a little pick me up. Ice cream?"

Isabel smiled and walked over to the fridge. She opened it up and pulled out a box of mint Oreo chocolate chip. "I believe we can work that out."

All three girls sat around the table and dug into the dessert. "I love this kind!" Liz said after a bite.

"I know," Isabel agreed. "Me and my brother totally pig out on it. My dad is always buying more."

"You have a brother?" Maria asked.

Isabel nodded. "You met him. Max is my brother."

Maria heard Liz nearly choke and cover it up with a cough. "Max is your brother?"

"Yeah, we're twins-at least we think we are," she added.

"What do you mean 'you think you are'?" Maria asked.

Isabel dug into her ice cream and explained. "Me and Max are adopted. We were six when dad and mom came and got us from the foster home. All we know is that we were found together and we've been inseparable ever since."

Liz exchanged a look with Maria. "You don't know your real parents?"

Isabel shrugged. "We don't remember."

Maria shook her head. "That must be awful," she said softly. "I mean, me and Liz have all these vivid memories of our childhood and you don't."

Isabel shrugged. "It's ok. Me and Max have a very good grip on what happened," she added.

Maria looked at Liz and started to laugh.

"What?"

"Sorry," she said to Liz. "I was just thinking…" she glanced at Isabel and finished. "I just said how we have all these memories and I remember how Liz would talk about this boy we knew in elementary school."

Liz covered her hands in her face and laughed. "Oh my god…I totally forgot about that," she cried out.

"Forgot what?" Isabel asked.

"Liz saw a little boy getting off the bus one day and stated-and she was six at the time-that she was in love. Liz swore he was meant for her. She even planned her wedding with her Barbie's one day!" Maria said.

Isabel laughed and Liz shook a hand at Maria. "Oh! You said it was fate too!"

Isabel looked at Liz. "So what happened?"

Liz sighed. "He moved before I got to know him. I was devastated."

Maria nodded. "She wore black to school the day he left," she mocked.

"Black?" Isabel asked.

Liz nodded. "Yeah. See my mom had just lost her aunt, and she wore black. So I thought you had to wear black when someone left…I was only six," she added.

Isabel laughed harder and actually snorted. Liz and Maria both busted out laughing and nearly fell off their chairs. Isabel smirked at them and flicked a tiny bit of ice cream their way.

Maria squealed and looked at Isabel. "Oh…" she gave a devilish smile and picked up her spoon. It was covered with ice cream.

"You wouldn't dare," Isabel said.

"Wouldn't I?"

Liz looked back and forth between them. "Guys…lets just-" Liz went to raise her hand and accidentally knocked into Maria's arm. Everyone gasped as the ice cream left Maria's spoon and landed on Isabel's shoulder.

"It's on now!" Isabel said as she picked up her spoon and retaliated. She hit Liz right in her chest. Maria laughed.

"Hey!" Liz called out as she dug out some a flung it back. Soon all three girls were laughing and covered in ice cream.

"Hey Isabel!" Maria called as she aimed and let a huge spoonful fly into her direction. Isabel squealed and ducked. The ice cream went through the doorway and all three girls froze when they heard a voice cry out.

A few second later Michael walked in with ice cream on his head. It took exactly four seconds till all of the girls were in hysterics.

"This is funny?" Michael called in a stern voice.

Isabel shook her hands. "I didn't throw it!" she protested.

"Maria did!" Liz said.

Michael glared at her. "Oh really?"

Maria wiped a few tears from her eyes and shrugged. "It was an accident. I was aiming for Isabel and she ducked. And then you-" Maria was over come with laughter again. "You walked in and…" she finally gave in and stopped trying to talk.

Michael glared and took Isabel's bowl out of her hands. He walked over to Maria and dumped the whole thing on her head.

Maria screamed and looked up at him. "Oh…" she went to hit him but slipped on the ice cream and toppled into him instead. Both of them collapsed onto the floor.

"Oh my god," Liz got out before starting to laugh. Isabel wasn't far behind.

Maria glanced down at Michael. She was completely on top of him. His black shirt was now covered in melted ice cream. "I…I'm…"

"Maria?" Michael said suddenly.

"What?"

He looked up into her eyes. "Would you please get your knee out of my crotch." Maria gasped and went to get up, but not before pushing Michael down into the ice cream even more. "Jerk," she mumbled.

Michael huffed and finally got up. "Thanks for ruining my shirt," he said.

"Yeah? Well you deserved it," she said in a nasty tone.

Liz held up her hands. "Whoa! Lets keep our brains in check."

Isabel nodded. She glanced at Michael. "What are you doing here?"

Michael tore his eyes off Maria and looked at her. "Looking for Max," he explained.

"He's not here," Isabel said.

"Yeah, he was with you last," Liz added. Maria noticed how she was blushing.

Michael eyed Isabel. "But something happened and he left," he said softly.

"What happened?" Isabel asked, concern seeping into her voice.

Maria noticed Michael eyeing her and Liz. "Um…me and Liz should get going," she said suddenly.

Liz looked at her but nodded. "Yeah…I should get back to work."

Isabel shrugged. "Ok…um, do you guys wanna clean your selves up first?"

Mari shook her head. "No it's ok, but we should help you clean up your kitchen-"

"That's ok. Me and Isabel will handle it," Michael interrupted.

Maria nodded. "Ok, so we'll see ya later?" she asked Isabel.

She nodded. "I'll stop by the crash."

"Cool. Bye guys!" Maria called and she led Liz to the door.

"Bye," Liz called out also.

*************************************************************

"What was that about?" Isabel asked Michael. "We were just hanging out." Michael sighed. "I couldn't care less about what you and Maria DeLuca do," Michael said defensively.

Isabel lifted her eyebrows. "Who said anything about Maria?"

Michael huffed and started to pace, careful not to slip. "We have more important things to talk about," he said sharply.

Isabel eyed him. "What other important things?"

"Me and Max were talking about something that happened a few years back. Remember when you were mad at me about that dream you had?"

Isabel shrugged. "Yeah. So what?"

Michael stopped pacing and looked her straight in the eye. "It really happened."

Isabel looked confused. "My dream was true?" Michael nodded. "So what? I'm clairvoyance or something? Come one Michael," she said.

"Just think about it. Other things have happened Isabel," he replied.

She rolled her eyes. "Other things? God Michael, you're starting to sound like one of Max's stupid alien books."

Michael glared at her. "Then explain it Isabel!" he challenged.

"It was just a coincidence," Isabel replied. "A stupid coincidence!" she stomped out of the kitchen with Michael right behind her.

"Could you open your mind just a little bit?!"

Isabel spun and looked at him. "Open my mind? How about my life? I just maybe found some good friends and now they probably think I'm a snob."

Michael sighed. "You offered to clean up to kitchen for them."

Isabel shook her hand at him. "Uh no, you did."

Michael pointed toward the kitchen. "I'm not cleaning it up by myself!" he exclaimed.

Isabel pointed at it too. "Well it's not gonna clean itself!" she shouted back. All of a sudden, both of them gasped.

"Did you feel that?" Michael asked.

Isabel opened her mouth then stopped when they heard the back door open. Isabel froze. Someone was walking into the kitchen! She waited to hear her father or brother protest to the mess, but nothing came.

"Isabel?"

It was Max. Isabel glanced at Michael before going toward the kitchen. As soon as she walked in she gasped. Michael bumped into her a second later.

"Isabel?" he walked around her and stopped when he saw the kitchen. It was spotless. Not one drop of ice cream was in sight.