Sure, in the back of his mind, he knew that he was avoiding commitment but, looked at by any way, he was still doing the right thing. Maria and a relationship were the last things that he needed. But staring at her now, in her little Crashdown uniform, bustling from table to table and joking with customers, he knew that keeping his desires in check was going to be a hard battle.

“Michael, I’m taking off. I need to pick up Max in ten minutes. I’ll be right back.” And with that said, Isabel slipped out of the booth and walked through the door lugging close to ten shopping bags at her sides.

Of course, it was Michael’s luck that Maria chose that moment to take a short break in the now empty seat across from him.

He felt himself drawn in by her lips. She was unconsciously licking them as she examines something in the seat beside her. A grin played at her lips and he felt himself wishing that he could be the one to make her smile. She looked up at him and he broke his obsessive thoughts that always plagued his mind.

“Michael, honey. I never knew you cared so much about your soft skin before.”

He gave her an incredulous look but remained silent, not trusting his voice yet.

“And I never took you to be one for daffodils.” Her smile widened as his heart melted. She placed a bright yellow bottle of lotion on the table directly between them.

“It’s Izzy’s,” he managed to choke out. ‘Smooth,’ he silently cursed himself. He always thought that his voice would be the end of him. Now she would know what she did to him. Luckily though, her eyes told another story. They were sparkling with happiness. Why would she be happy to know that he wanted her… needed her… hell, who was he kidding? He loved her.

Not wanting to drown a beautiful death in her eyes, he avoided her face entirely and instead focused on the back of the lotion bottle as she droned on and on about Max and Liz.

(DIRECTIONS: Use daily as necessary.)

He wished that Maria came with directions. He reflected on how it would make his life so much easier. More than anything, he wanted to ‘use her daily as necessary,’ but it couldn’t happen. Life needed to remain clear, focused, and simple and it wasn’t with her around.

If only I had known what would happen when I talked to her. I never meant to lose myself… lose my heart. If there had been any warnings… he chuckled to himself at the thought of “Maria Warnings” like on the back of the lotion bottle.

(WARNING: Keep out of reach of children.)

‘Children’… meaning anyone not responsible enough to handle it safely. Which, of course, described him exactly. If only she had remained out of my reach. The second that he touched her, he knew that he was finished. A single brush destroyed the years of being aloof.

Unfortunately, that was only the beginning.

(WARNING: Avoid contact with eyes.)

After that electrifying touch, he couldn’t keep his eyes off of her. At night he found himself outside her window, hoping to catch a glimpse. She was his eyes’ obsession.

Was she aware of his eyes following her every move? No, probably not. And even if she did, he reasoned, it didn’t matter. It never could matter. All it could… no… all it WOULD ever be is observing and dreaming. But he knew that he was wrong. It already was so much more. SHE was so much more.

(WARNING: For external use only; not to be swallowed.)

Too late. He had already taken this little blonde girl and let her in his walled up heart. Even Max and Isabel hadn’t been able to go to some places that she had made it to. And he enjoyed it. Maybe that’s what scared him so much. Maybe it was the fact that he enjoyed something that he spent so much time arguing against. It now became clear that it was only a matter of time before his resolve was destroyed. She was weakening him everyday.

(WARNING: Discontinue use if signs of irritation appear. If it persists, consult a doctor.)

She was like a drug and he was addicted. He wondered if there was a cure for Maria, would he want it? Did he want this infatuation to end? Could he live his life without her?

No. She was his Maria. His light. His heart, soul, and love. She was everything that he wanted in life. She was his future. He wanted to spend every single day of his life in her arms. He loved her.

“Earth to spaceboy! Hello!” Her voice snapped him out of his deep contemplation. “What planet were you on?”

He shook his head, clearing away the muddled thoughts. Before he could find his voice and tell her all that he wanted to say, she was called away by an impatient Liz.

She just walked away. Walked away without knowing about the revelations that the guy she loved had come to.

As Isabel and Max entered the restaurant they saw a rare sight: Michael smiling. This was not just any smile either. This was one of pure bliss.