"So, did you two do it yet?" Isabel asked Max and Michael.

"Well, how about you?" Michael asked

"I have come to the conclusion that I don't have to be sure. I know that they would let me be their friends and I figured that they are going to have enough to worry about with you two then to be distracted by wondering why I suddenly want to be friends with them." Isabel said matter of factly.

"Well, how considerate of you." Michael said a little sarcastically.

"Well, have you?" Isabel persisted

" I haven't even seen Maria."

Max was still quiet.

"Max? Did you?" She asked.

Max still didn't say anything.

"Max I am so sorry." She said

"I asked her and she told me she would tell me tomorrow which of course would be too late."

"Tomorrow? " Isabel asked confused.

"Yeah, I figure she just didn't want to hurt me and was going to try to think of a good excuse by then." Max said sadly. "Well, at least I won't have to hear whatever excuse she comes up with."

"Max, I am sorry. I never would have thought that she would turn you down." Isabel said.

"Well, Iz, it is back like it was and before the shooting she never would have given me a second look."

"I'm sorry Max. I was sure that she would say yes." Michael said. I can't believe she turned him down, he thought. If Liz turned Max down then he was sure that would mean Maria would turn him down too.

"Well, maybe it's for the best. It just proves that I was right. We don't belong together." Max said.

With that Max got up and left to go to his next class.

"Well, I guess it's my turn." Michael said.

* * * * *

Michael never did find Maria at school, so he decided to go to the Crashdown to talk to her. He still couldn't believe Max told Liz that he called Maria on a dare. How lame is that? He thought.

* * * * *

At the Crashdown, Maria is talking to Liz before she goes to the movies with Kyle.

"A dare? They called us on dares?" Maria asked.

"That's what he said."

"How lame is that?" Maria said.

"Maria, what am I going to do?"

" Liz, just go out with Max. You know you have had a crush on him forever. Just go."

"But what about Kyle?"

"Just tell him tonight that you know that you two are just casual and tell him you want to see other people. But right now, I have to get back to serving food to the hungry wolves we call customers."

"Ok, I'll talk to him tonight." With that Liz left the Crashdown to meet Kyle at the movies as Michael was coming in.

Michael sat down at his usual booth and spotted Maria. How am I supposed to start a conversation with her?

Maria saw Michael as soon as he came in. I wonder what he is doing here by himself. He usually comes with Max. Well, I guess I better go get his order.

"Hey, what would you like?"

"You. " Well, that was subtle he thought to himself.

Maria was speechless, all she could get out was: "Excuse me?"

"Well, you asked me what I wanted and I want you." This was the only way he could think of to just get it out there.

"Uh...well... what I meant was... what do you want that's on the menu?" Maria had no idea how to react to this. Normally she would have a snappy comment, but for some reason, she couldn't think of one at the moment.

"Actually, I am not that hungry." Michael what are you doing? This is never going to work.

"Ok.. well... I am just going to go ... uh...go." What the heck is going on? First he calls me on a lame dare and now he is sitting here saying he wants me.

Way to go Michael. You blew it.

Maria didn't know how to act, so she just went on working like nothing had happened, but all she could think about was what just happened. What the heck is in the water he has been drinking? She kept sneaking little glances over at Michael and every time she did, she caught him staring at her. She decided she would go back over to him and make sure he didn't want anything, since he kept sitting there.

"Uh... are you sure you don't want to order anything?"

Well, Michael, here's your chance to not screw up. "Listen, I'm sorry for being forward before. I just wanted to know if you wanted to hangout sometime."

"Hang out?"

"Yeah, just hang out."

Maria didn't know what to say. This was just too weird. She has never even talked to this guy before and then one night he calls her and the next day, he's asking her to hang out. There is definitely something in the water. "Uh, what exactly is going on?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you call me and then..."

"How exactly did you know it was me?"

"Well, I know 5 different Michaels and none of them sound like you, so by process of elimination, I knew it was you."

"Oh, well, nothing is going on, I just thought it would be cool to hang out, that's all."

"Oh, ok, well... uh... sure, why not?"

He couldn't believe it. "Really?"

"Sure, do you wanna hang out after my shift."

"Yeah, that would be...great."

"I get off at 9:00." With that she walked off smiling. She had noticed Michael before, on the days he actually came to school, but she never really even talked to him. This should be cool, she thought. Getting to know him.