"Maria... we can't talk about this now. I'll tell you later ok?" This way... it gave me some time to think about whether or not I would tell everyone. Though for some reason, I felt sure that time was not something I had a lot of.

* * *

I didn't see Max, Michael or Isabel at all for the rest of the day. Maria, I managed to avoid. I knew she was looking for me. And I knew that we would end up having our talk at the CrashDown after school. I wasn't looking forward to it though. As the day went on, I became more and more certain that Max was in serious danger. And so I decided that I couldn't keep this to myself. Maybe if he, and the others, at least knew I had my suspicions, then we would all be more careful and aware... It made sense right?

* * *

Leaving school I saw Max, Isabel and Michael walking toward the jeep.

"Max!"

A slight smile touched his face as I got closer. Isabel and Michael proceeded to climb into the jeep.

"How are you feeling? Is your ankle ok?" He asked quietly.

How could ANYONE want to hurt him.

"Ummm...what? Oh my ankle. Oh it's fine. Feels fine. Listen Max, I need talk to you. All of you."

Michael, suddenly interested, leaned in closer. "About what?"

"Ahh.. well. I have to tell Maria too. So could you all come by the CrashDown?"

Max had that concerned look once again. "Ah, ok. We'll come by after you close tonight?" That should have been great. The perfect time. No one else around. No one to overhear anything. But instead of saying 'Yes"...

"NO!" I practically shouted. What was WRONG with me! I wasn't acting like myself. Ever since that morning I had been on edge. Jumpy and overreacting to small things. I guess the idea of someone hurting Max was a little too much for me to bear and still behave normally. Suddenly I realized that through the entire day, the presence of the bullet was lodged in my mind. It was there even now, looming over Max. Over us. And I knew instinctually that after closing would be too late. I felt it, the bullet ... not the pain, but it's presence lingering. When I focused outward again, Max, Isabel and Michael were taken aback. A look of surprise on their faces.

"I mean.." Taking a breath to calm myself, wishing I had some of Maria's oils with me. "No. I have to talk to you before that. It's important." I realized that I was worrying them, so I quickly threw in, "Besides, Maria won't let up until I spill it, so the sooner the better." I smiled then, as naturally as I could. Michael nodded. Isabel went back to fixing her hair into a ponytail. Max was still looking at me as though he could see into my soul.

"Liz?" he said, taking my arm and leading me away from the jeep, "Is everything ok? I mean, you seem a little... nervous." "I..". I was about to tell him again that I was fine. Then I realized that in an hour I'd be telling him everything. He'd know that I hadn't been ok. I'd been lying to him. After everything that he had told me. Everything that he had shared with me. I couldn't look up. I couldn't look at him. So I looked everywhere else instead.

"No Max. I'm not ok. Something happened to me this morning, and it's got me scared. I can't talk about it right now though.." Finally I looked up into his eyes... 'He's so wonderful' .. "Please come as soon as you can? Promise me?" I whispered. He nodded slowly, and suddenly I knew I could not wait another moment to touch him. Life was fleeting. I was consumed with the knowledge that I could have died that day if he hadn't saved me. I could think of nothing else other than how completely alone and empty I would feel if anything ever happened to him now. If he ever left me. So I followed my heart. I'm not sure if Max even realized what I was about to do. If he did, he didn't stop me. I reached for him. My hand slide behind his neck, my fingers slipped into his soft hair. I gently pulled him toward me, and then I touched my lips to his. 'Bliss' I thought to myself. "Absolute bliss.' I felt his fingers in my hair and then his hand gently resting at the back of my neck, holding me to him.

My heart was now screaming, 'Hold on to him! GO WITH HIM! Don't let him out of your sight.' But it was that 'feeling' once again that told me he would be fine as long as he showed up at the Cafe early. And so I slowly began pulling away from him. I opened my eyes and looked into his face. His eyes slowly opened. I knew he was going to say that we shouldn't have done that, so I quickly whispered to him, "Promise me that you'll be there in an hour." Once again he nodded slowly. "No. I need you to say it Max. Please." He still had his hand in my hair and he tipped his head forward so his forehead was touching mine, "I promise." He whispered.

Suddenly I felt better. That everything would be ok now. I smiled feeling relieved in some way, then turned and began running toward Maria as she pulled up a short distance away in her mom's car. Last thing I saw as Maria and I drove away was Max. Still standing where we had kissed.