Poor Liz, he thought. I did this to her and it’s all my fault.

Almost as if Liz had read his mind, she partially opened her eyes and smiled meekly.

“I know that you’re thinking that it’s all your fault, but you and I both know that it was as much my choice as yours.” Liz whispered kindly.

“Technically, it’s neither my fault nor yours because our hormones were running wild and there was nothing that was going to stop them. Anyway, though we have to suffer the consequences of what we did, the fact is that we are part of each other forever, Liz; and there’s nothing that can compare to that. Even though we are not anywhere near ready to be parents, I promise you we will be the best ones any kid could ask for.” Max smiled lightly at Liz, who was again, fast asleep in his lap.

At 7:40, Alex, Maria, Isabel, Liz, Michael and Max met up again at school acting as if nothing was wrong. However, Max had become increasingly more over-protective of Liz than ever. (And he was bad before!)

“Don’t worry about me, Max, I’ll be fine! Besides, you’re in all of my classes, so we’ll be together the entire day. Which, in my opinion is not a bad thing in any way, shape or form!” Liz said.

“Not a bad thing at all,” Max whispered, pulling her backwards so his arms were around her stomach and the back of her head was resting against his chest. “but I still worry and I want to make sure that you are okay, because I don’t know what I’d do if anything ever happened to you!”

The bell rung and everyone shuffled off to homeroom. Liz slung her silver GAP satchel across her chest, Max tossed his backpack over his left shoulder and the two of them walked hand in hand to homeroom.

Over the next few weeks, Liz and Max had become even quieter and more secretive than ever before. Furthermore, they had skipped three academic classes and were caught quite a few times in the eraser room, though the volume of kissing that was being done was much lighter than the first time they had been found out. Their parents had also noticed that they were together constantly. If Max wasn’t at Liz’s for dinner, she was at his house. If they weren’t doing homework at one’s house, they were at the others. This had even begun to worry Isabel, Alex, Maria and Michael. It had become so bad that their parents and the principal had decided to talk to them.

“Ayare, la terrea fue unidad cinco, pagena dos ciento. Verdad?” The Spanish teacher asked.

Each student nodded their heads, pulling their homework and books out of their bags. All of the sudden the teachers phone rung loudly, making everyone jump from the surprise. After a quick “Hello”, two “Yes’s” and a “Goodbye”, she looked up from her desk, right at Max and Liz.

“Ms. Parker and Mr. Evans, you are both to report to the office immediately.”

They stood up nervously, and, tossing their bags over their shoulders and left the room.

“What do you think that they want, Max?” Liz asked shakily.

“I don’t know, Lizzybeth, but we’ll find out soon enough.”

As they walked into the main office, Max took Liz’s hand, as well as a long deep breath.

“Um. . .”

Before Liz could say anything else, the secretary pointed in the direction of the principal’s office, without even bothering to look up form her desk.

Liz and Max walked slowly up to the door and Max knocked twice.

“Enter,” an assertive voice announced from behind the door.

Liz let go of Max’s hand and opened the door cautiously, not knowing what they were going to find.

“Ah, Max, Liz, so glad you could join us,” The principal said cheerfully. “please, please, sit down!”

Besides the principal, both Liz’s and Max’s parents were sitting there in front of them. They looked at each other and sat down in the two chairs closest to the door.

“I bet that you two are wondering why I’ve called you down here and why your parents are here also. Well, the fact is, we’re all worried about the two of you. Both your teachers and you parents have noticed some behavioral changes within these last few weeks and your uncharacteristic actions lead us to believe that something is wrong. For instance, you each have cut three academic classes in the last two weeks and have also been caught on a number of occasions making out in the eraser room, which is something that this school does not condone. Now, we can do this the easy way or the hard way.”

As the principal finished his last sentence, vivid memories of Agent Pierce torturing Max in the White Room, flashed through both of their minds.

“Liz, why don’t we let you begin,” he said bluntly.

“I don’t feel like anything is wrong, we just have grown closer as a couple and are spending more and more time together.” Liz stated as quickly as she could without seeming nervous. “And yes, we have been caught making out and yes we too have cut three academic classes, which we both take full responsibility for doing, but, we have served detention for doing so and I know that I don’t feel that this meeting was at all necessary!”

The principal frowned, seemingly unpleased with Liz’s statement.

“Let me refresh your memories, Mr. Evans, Ms. Parker, this is not the first, but the SECOND time that the two of you have been called here, not to mention your parents on an issue dealing with sexuality. However, this time the topic of discussion ALSO deals with skipping three classes, and West Roswell High School will not tolerate that. Now, you two must also realize that it wasn’t just the faculty and myself who thought this meeting to be compulsory, but both of your families have also noticed some rather uncharacteristic demeanor and therefore have asked to call this conference.” The principal finished, settling back in his chair.

“If I may speak,” Liz began stately.

The principal nodded in agreement.

“Thank you. Now, as you are all aware,” Liz addressed the adults present, “Max and I are both teenagers. And in being of that stage in life, we are allowed more independence and less structure in recreation than when we were of a lesser age, or am I incorrect in that statement?” Liz interrogated properly.

“That is true, mija, but you mustn’t forget that you have a future that is riding on how well you do within these next two years of high school and not for anything, but a family that cares deeply for you and never sees you anymore,” her mother tossed into the conversation.

“I know, mama, but you too must understand that I am capable of making my own decisions, even if they might be the wrong ones sometime. And furthermore, I am an individual, and one that is involved in an extremely serious relationship. Though I do immensely enjoy the time that I spend with my family, I also have been surrounded by them my entire life, which is, in no sense an awful thing, but it does make me feel like I deserve more time with my boyfriend and best friends. Would you not agree?” Liz asked assertively.

“Well, yes, Liz, but I do not, in any sense condone you spending all your time on your friends and none on your family. Or do I agree to sit back and watch you screw up your chances at getting into an Ivy League University,” her mother gently chastised her.

Liz nodded her head slowly and gathered her thoughts as she did so. “Mama, I’m sorry if it seems like I have been acting in such a manner, but I am growing up and breaking away from my family. And I’m not ruining my chances for college, I promise you that. I still have one of the highest GPA’s in school and I swear I will not miss any more classes. But more importantly, I love Max, and when you love a person as much as I do him, as you are well aware, you want to spend every moment by their side. I also need my friends because they are my emotional and moral support, not to mention the five people in the world who are closest to me. Frankly, and I hate to be this blunt, but I would rather be with my friends than with my relatives on a Sunday afternoon because I don’t have to be perfect around Max, Maria, Michael, Isabel and Alex, like I feel I must around my extended family.” Liz established matter-of-factly.

Max smiled and wrapped his arm around her. She fell back instantly and let her head land softly on his well-toned shoulder. He gently kissed her forehead and let his chin rest momentarily on it, finally letting his head fall on top of hers.

“Mr. Evans, do you have anything to add to Ms. Parker’s comments?” The principal calmly asked Max.

Without so much as a word, he lifted his head off of Liz’s and used his right index finger to tilt her chin upward, so that her mocha brown eyes met his honey beige ones. Automatically, Liz knew exactly what he was trying to prove and parted her lips lightly, anxiously awaiting his touch. The corners of his mouth turned up slightly as they connected. He could feel her soul and see her dreams as she could his. Her tongue was cool and moist against his, as was his tongue to hers. Their lips fit perfectly together and even though both of their parents were watching, as was the principal, the kiss felt so right and natural. They drew apart and sat back in their chairs, Liz placing her head back on Max’s shoulder.

Max looked directly at his parents. “Mom, dad, if a guy can do that in front of both his parents AND his principal, I think that you can pretty much guess that he is head over heels in love with his girlfriend, and with Liz, who wouldn’t be? Besides, I don’t think that you two should worry about me, I’m not fourteen anymore. I’m a big boy now, and I can handle myself.” Max said strongly, though they both knew that was not quite true.

His father began to open his mouth to speak when Max cut him off. “And, I also promise that I will not miss any more academic classes.”

“Well, Phillip, I guess that there is really no sense in arguing with Max, he does have a good point.” Max’s mother, Diane, consulted his father.

“Hmm, I do agree with you, Di, but I don’t see why we, meaning the Parker’s and ourselves, couldn’t sit down and together and set some rules for Max and Liz, don’t you think?” Phillip proposed, looking from his wife to the Parker’s, who both nodded in agreement.

Nancy Parker glanced at the two teens, which had looks of horror and anger painted across their faces and waited for a response.

“NO!” Liz screeched angrily. “I will not tolerate a set of rules that will thwart the time that I spend with Max, and I know that he feels the same way!”

“And why the hell are you doing this now? Its not like we weren’t spending all our free time together with our friends three months ago, now is it?” Max snapped, jumping up from his seat.

“My God, Maxwell! What has gotten into you?” Diane Evans shouted, absolutely appalled by her son’s inappropriate outburst.

“And Elizabeth, this is completely uncharacteristic of you, of both of you! I do believe that the Evans’ are right. We do need to discuss this further, but privately. Sir,” Nancy Parker turned toward the principal as she spoke. “if you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to take Liz home now, if the Evans’ agree to do the same with Max, and canvass this in more detail with the two of them.” Nancy then looked toward Diane and Phillip Evans for approval. Diane and Phillip nodded their consent wordlessly and both sets of parents became focused on the principal waiting for him to validate their proposal.

“Well,” the principal began slowly, obviously contemplating the Parker’s and Evans’ plan; “I don’t see any harm in that, though I would like a full report from any one of the four of you some time in the near future.”

“That should be fine, sir.” Jeff Parker assured the principal. “Max, Liz, go gather your things, collect your homework and meet us at the main doors A.S.A.P., is that clear?”

Liz and Max nodded hurriedly and burst out of the small, stuffy office and into the large, open junior hallway via the side door. Their hands met half way, as they were both reaching for the other for comfort and support.

“Max, what are we going to do?” Liz whimpered softly, as small streams of tears began to run down the sides of her quickly paling face.

“I don’t know, Liz. This time I just don’t know. But what I do know is that you won’t go through this alone. Because no matter what, I will be right by your side every step of the way, okay?” Liz nodded slowly in response, pulled her left hand free of Max’s grasp and slid it firmly across his back, gripping his shirt with her already white-knuckled fingers. Max reacted to this by looping his right arm over her gently quivering shoulders and brushing her damp cheek with his thumb, which, in turn, had willed her head gently to rest on his upper arm. He removed his thumb from her reddened, but dry cheek and intertwined his right fingers with hers.

The junior lunch bell rung loudly, echoing through the empty, but quickly filling halls, signaling the forty-five minutes that their class had for eating and relaxation. As they continued to walk in the opposite direction of the mass of high schoolers, most of which they knew, they realized that their lives were so different than the others lives’; that they would never be the same, no matter how hard that they would try.

Though bleary-eyed, Liz easily picked Maria out of the crowd, because Maria was, after all, her very best friend. And though Maria was rather far away to clearly make out Liz’s expression, she knew immediately that something was drastically wrong, because Liz was, after all, her very best friend. Maria practically flew over to Max and Liz and threw her arms around her, as heavy sobs began to tumble out of Liz.

“Liz, sweetie, what’s wrong? Are you alright?” Maria asked Liz, extremely worried about her.

“My . . . our, ehhh, Max?” Liz lifted her chin off Maria’s shoulder and looked up at Max.

“Liz and I were called out of Spanish to go to the office where we found none other than the principal AND our parents there because they wanted to ‘talk’ to us about all the time we have been spending together and with you guys.” Max filled in for Liz. “And. . .” Maria questioned, shaking her head. “And, I don’t know how we’re going to keep this a secret much longer.” Liz said, answering Maria’s question. “But your dad will have a heart attack if he finds out you’re, well you know, let alone have had sex!” Maria commented in a harsh whisper. “I know, I know. That’s what we’re worried about, but we can’t talk now, we have to go home and “canvass” this further, as my mother said.” “Good luck, I’ll fill the others in, and one of you call me if you can. Or, Max, if neither of you can, update Isabel and have her call, ‘K?” Maria asked in a rush. “Yeah, that sounds fine. Oh, tell Izzy that she needs to take the Jeep home tonight.” Max threw over his shoulder as he and Liz were walking away from Maria.