Liz Parker walked down the halls of West Roswell High. She scanned the hallway trying to find Max Evans. She had spent the weekend at his house. Her parents had been out in the desert again for a stargazing campout. She had a light smile on her face as she remembered how kind and loving Max had been to her all weekend. Never letting her out of his sight, getting things for her, cooking for her, helping her fall asleep. Liz would always start off the night in Isabelle's room, but she would always go to Max's room and climb into bed next to him.

She couldn't sleep any other way. Besides, she enjoyed waking up in his arms and she knew he enjoyed having her next to him.

They had decided to take things slow. They didn't want to rush the relationship, especially after what had happened to Liz.

Liz anxiously looked around for Max. She couldn't find him anywhere. She had left him that morning to go get some clothes from her place. It was the most time she had been apart from him in three days and she desperately wanted to see him.

The bell for homeroom rang and she sighed and walked into class. Oh well, she would see at lunch.

Liz took her seat next to Maria who was talking to a girl behind her. Maria turned to talk to Liz when she noticed her best friend take her seat.

"Hey, Liz," said Maria. "Where were you all weekend? I was really worried. I kept calling you and no one would answer and you missed your shift on Saturday..." asked Maria, concerned.

"Oh my god!! I'm so sorry. I totally forgot that I had to work," said Liz.

"Where were you Liz?"

"Umm... I was at Max's.." said Liz quietly.

"Wait... did I hear you right? You spent the ENTIRE weekend at Max Evans' house?" asked Maria, surprised.

"Ummm... yea."

"Why?"

"Well on Friday night, I went out with Josh," said Liz, quietly so no one else would hear her. "We went to a club and he had a little to much to drink. Anyway we took a drive and he tried to....."

"Oh my god Liz! Are you okay? I mean did he..." said Maria, really concerned.

"No. I managed to get away. But I was really scared, Maria... I mean, really scared. So I went to Max's. He calmed me down and helped me out. He healed my cuts and stuff. He was really sweet."

"Liz... you should go to the police or something." said Maria.

"NO. No police. It happened and no one got hurt. I just want to forget about it. It's over and I'm fine." said Liz, trying to convince herself more than Maria.

"Liz....." said Maria, concerned. "It's okay to be scared and upset over what happened. But if you do something about it, it might make you feel better."

"No police, Maria." said Liz, stubbornly. The teacher began teaching.

Liz walked out of homeroom with Maria. Maria was still trying to convince her to do something about the attempted rape. Liz saw Max standing across the hall. She smiled at him as he came up to her.

"Hi, Max..." said Liz. "Hi, Liz... Hi, Maria." said Max, giving Liz a big smile.

"Max, thank God you're here. Maybe you could talk some sense into her. Tell her she should report what happened to the police." said Maria.

"Maria! I told you no police," said Liz.

"Fine. No police." said Maria. "But Liz you shouldn't let Josh get away with this."

"He won't," said Max, as he walked Liz and Maria to their next class.

Liz walked over to her usual lunch table. As always she was the first one to arrive. She had spent the entire English period convincing herself that she should just forget the entire thing with Josh had never happened. It would be best for everyone. All Liz wanted to do was move forward with her relationship with Max. That's all she wanted was to love him and be with him. Nothing else mattered.

A hand on her shoulder interrupted Liz's thoughts. She smiled and turned, thinking it was Max. Her smile faded though when she realized it was Josh.

She immediately pulled away from him. "Josh... What are you doing here?" said Liz, looking down at her lunch.

Josh took a seat next to her. She scooted over, so she wouldn't be so close to him. "Liz, I'm really sorry about what happened... I mean I was so drunk and .... well you know how it is," said Josh.

"Josh, just leave me alon.... wait. What do you mean how it is?" asked Liz.

"You know, Liz, we were dating for a week and that outfit you had on.... and the alcohol. I couldn't help myself."

"What the hell? You couldn't help yourself? What kind of reason is that? You really hurt me, Josh, and all you can say is that you couldn't help yourself...." Liz couldn't believe what she was hearing. All the anger, sadness, fear that she had felt this past weekend came to the surface. "You tried to violate me. You tried to take something from me that didn't belong to you. That I didn't want to give you." Liz's voice was getting increasing louder as she got angrier and angrier. She stood up and faced Josh. "You tried to rape me, you piece of shit." Liz said that loud enough for the whole student body to hear.

Max had arrived to hear the entire exchange.

"You tried to rape me. You tried to force yourself on to me. You hit me, frightened me, ripped my clothes, and all you can say is that you couldn't help yourself." Liz was becoming very emotional.

Max walked up and put an arm around her. "Liz calm down." said Max, trying to restrain her.

"Whoa Liz... I never meant to hurt you and all but you were sending signals..." said Josh.

"What?" said Max. He stopped restraining Liz. "Signals?"

"Yea. Signals. Like she wanted to ..... you know." said Josh, standing up to face Max. That set Max off. He grabbed Josh by the collar and threw him up against a nearby wall. "You think you can try to hurt her, just because in your messed up little mind, you thought she was sending SIGNALS? I should kick your ass all the way back to New York for hurting her. She is the sweetest, nicest person in this world. She doesn't deserve scum like you trying to force yourself on to her." Max had pure rage in his eyes.

Liz put a hand on his arm, trying to pull him off of Josh. "Max...." she said.

He looked down into her eyes and saw no more fear in them. Max reluctanly let Josh go and he turned around and put his arm around Liz and started to walk away.

"You know what she's like, man. You've been out with her before. She's a little tease. She's all nice and warm and receptive but when you try to get with her, she says no," said Josh to Max.

Max stopped walking away and turned around and gave Josh a look of pure hate. He walked up to Josh and punched him right in the nose, sending blood everywhere. Josh collasped to the ground.

"Owwwwwwwwwwwwwww! You broke my nose," said Josh clutching his nose.

"You're gonna get much worse if you ever talk to or go near Liz. You understand? " said Max, threateningly.

"I could charge you with assault buddy, for what you did to my nose." said Josh, getting up from the ground.

Just then, Kyle Valenti stepped forward. He was one of the many students watching all the drama. "Well, you can go ahead and charge Max with assault, but I'm sure that my father will want to investigate an attempted sexual assault, which is much more serious than an assault. So take your pick!" said Kyle.

Liz smiled a thank you at him.

"Go back to New York, Josh. You're not wanted here." Liz turned around and grabbed Max's hand and led him away.

Later that night, Max and Liz were sitting on her roof cuddled up in her lawn chair. "Max, thank you.... for everything." said Liz.

"Liz, you don't have to thank me. I only did what came naturally to me. Loving you, protecting you, helping you," said Max stroking Liz's soft hair.

"I know." She leaned over and kissed him softly. "I love you, you know."

"I know," said Max. Liz laid her head on his chest as both of them looked up to the clear sky filled with stars.

"Look, Max, a shooting star. Make a wish," said Liz, as she pointed up to the sky.

Max looked down at her in his arms. He kissed her softly. "I already got my wish."