"Hey guys," Alex waved.

"Hi Alex!" Maria said happily, and gave him a hug.

"So, what's up?" Alex asked casually, eyeing Liz.

Maria caught his look, but didn't say anything.

"Ugh. I have so many tests today. I'm just tired from studying. I want to go home," Liz said.

"Ah yes. The woes of a high school student in midterm turmoil." Alex said jokingly. Liz smiled. "Wow! I actually got Liz Parker to smile! Someone give me an award!"

Alex and Maria laughed. Finally, Liz joined in. Alex hadn't heard Liz laugh in a while. She had a great laugh. It was too bad that it had been silenced for so long. They made their way to class, and Alex was glad that at least he had contributed to starting Liz's day off well. He knew he couldn’t make her feel better when she went to biology or geometry or history, but it was better than nothing.

"Hey guys, you know what we should do? We should rent a movie tonight. Just chill, get some popcorn, have a little bash en mi casa."

"That's a great idea Alex. Are you busy tonight Liz?" Maria knew as well as anyone that Liz didn't do anything anymore. But, she asked anyway.

"No, I'm free. What should we get?"

"Hmm…." Alex thought. "What about 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind'?" Alex saw Liz's face freeze, and immediately knew he had said the wrong thing. "Sorry Liz. I was just kidding, you know. I didn't mean anything by saying--"

Soon Alex realized that Liz wasn't paying attention to what he was saying. He saw Liz looking out in front of her. He saw Maria turn to that direction. He too, turned. Through the pulsating throngs of West Roswellian students was none other than Max Evans.

*****

Max Evans saw her, and knew that she saw him too. She looked like an angel. All the people surrounding her blurred. All he could see was her, like a vision from heaven. Her beautiful, cascading hair framed her divine face. Her eyes, the color of cocoa, spoke to him, even though he was fifty feet away. What he missed from her face was her dazzling smile. He had taken that away from her. He knew that. Sometimes he wished he could take it all back, just to see her smile again. Just to see her give him that smile she saved for him, the one that made his heart melt. The smile that made Max Evans fall in love with her in the first place.

*****

Liz felt the things around her disappear. She heard voices say that they needed to get to class, and she should too, but she didn't pay attention. Her eyes and ears, and all her senses focused on one person. Even from so far away, Max felt like he was right in front of her. He could connect with her from anywhere. She was lost in his eyes, and yet, she could barely even see them. She only felt his presence around her. She felt like she was in a trance, enraptured by this person who she cared for so much. She never felt resentment after that day in December. Most other high school girls would go out with tons of guys to make their ex- feel jealous. She could never do that. Max was the only one for her. If it wasn't him, there was simply no one else. Out of every being in the entire universe, the one she was supposed to be with was Max Evans -- him and no one else.

*****

All the masses suddenly disappeared, leaving Max and Liz standing in the hallway. They both blinked and saw that no one else was around them. Maria and Alex were gone, and Liz hadn't even noticed until now.

Liz felt the urge to go up to Max and say something. But she didn't know what to say. She felt like she had nothing to say. This feeling of now knowing what to do was so much more painful and awkward than it ever was. The more they prolonged their feelings, the worse they felt.

Max could see Liz's confusion. He knew it, because he felt it too. It was suffocating, to see the girl of his dreams so tortured, knowing he was to blame for it. He kept telling himself it was for the better. It was for everybody's benefit. That was simply it.

He couldn't look at her anymore. Just when it seemed she might say something, he turned away. He knew if she said anything to him, he would have to throw away all he ever told himself. He never realized how weak he was inside. Liz was his weakness. Liz was also his only source of happiness. But Max couldn't see that.

He walked away before she could approach him.

Liz felt as if she had been slapped in the face. He just turned and walked away. It was like he didn't even want to associate with her anymore. And yet, she couldn't feel anger. She could never get angry because she truly did understand him. Everything was so contradicting. She could understand why he chose not to be with her, but that feeling of understanding proved more than ever to her that they truly did belong together.