"S-t!" Tess started to laugh, but quickly stopped when she saw Liz's expression.

"Hey, you okay?" She reached out an arm and put it around Liz's shoulders, drawing her close and hugging her. Liz laughed at her friend's compassion and pushed her away.

"I'm great, Tess. No, better than great. I'm incredible." Her smile lit up her whole face, and Tess' eyes widened.

"He kissed you, didn't he?" Her voice rose, and Liz laughed while trying to quiet her down.

"Are you trying to advertise it to the whole world?" Tess' eyes danced with mischief, but Liz was too excited to really notice. "Yes, he kissed me." Tess let out a squeal, then clapped her hand over her mouth, giggling into it. Liz cocked her head as she spoke to her best friend.

"What are you so happy about?" Tess shook her head, a signal to Liz that it either wasn't important, or that Tess didn't want to talk about it. "Oh no you don't. What's going on?" They started to walk out of the school, heading towards Liz's car. Tess turned her head to look at Liz, her eyes shining brightly.

"Alex told me he loved me last night." Liz's mouth widened and she whipped her head to look at Tess.

"Tess! Why didn't you tell me?" Tess shrugged.

"It just seemed kind of private. But I had to tell you since you told me about Max." They had reached the car and Liz popped the locks, sliding into the car and starting it up.

"I didn't tell you. You guessed." Tess shook her head, her blonde curls bouncing around her face.

"You're stubborn. Did anyone ever tell you that?" Liz laughed and nodded her head, pulling out of the school parking lot, her mind flying back to the day that Max revealed himself to her. She had almost hit a car, and he had lain an arm on her forearm, sending a calm rush through her. She had found out that say, as had Isabel, Michael, Tess, Maria, and Alex. There were seven of them now, all bound together with this secret. She drove in a daze all the way to the Crashdown while Tess listened to the songs on the radio.

When they pulled in to the parking lot, Liz was surprised to see Max standing there. She felt a shiver go through her body as she turned the car off. Tess slipped out of the car and walked to the restaurant, leaving Liz with Max.

"Hey," she said, suddenly shy.

"Hey," he answered, equally as shy. "...I wanted to talk about last night."

Liz felt her heart plummet to her feet. He's going to tell me that it was a mistake; that he just got caught up in the moment. Her mind raced through dozens of irrational thoughts as she gazed at the handsome man. "I just wanted to say that I don't regret kissing you. It's something I've wanted to do since I met you. I'm sorry if it made you uncomfortable, or if I offended you, but-" He didn't get to finish his sentence because Liz cut him off with a kiss of her own. When she pulled back, she met his eyes, which were filled with unhidden surprise, and smiled.

"Does it seem like I regret it?" Max slowly shook his head and moved in for another kiss, which Liz accepted.

"Are they still at it?" Maria asked Tess as they prepared for work. They had been spying on the two for the past ten minutes. The "locker room" had a small, elevated window that allowed people to look in or out. Generally they kept black paper over it, but the girls had taken it down so they could spy on the cozy couple. Tess checked the window.

"They're heading in. Hurry! Cover up the window!" They started to laugh as they fought with the paper, trying to cover up the window without looking suspicious. They were still at it when Max and Liz walked in, holding hands and smiling at each other. The girls turned around and hid the paper behind their backs, refusing to look at each other for fear of laughing. Liz looked at them suspiciously.

"Were you two spying on us?"

"Uh uh." Maria adamantly shook her head as the black paper fell from her hands. She looked at it, then looked back up. "Uh huh," she said sheepishly. Tess tried to give her a "look," but ended up erupting into giggles. Max looked at Liz, who rolled her eyes and led him away from the giggling girls. Maria turned to the still laughing Tess and said flatly, "I don't think they noticed." Tess looked at her like she was crazy, then started to laugh all over again.

"Those two are nuts," Liz hissed to Max as they walked out of the "locker room." Max smiled and squeezed her hand.

"I don't mind," he whispered back, bending to kiss her ear. Liz smiled and gently pushed him away.

"Not here." Max complied, pulling back reluctantly. Liz squeezed his hand, then let go, seeing her father come in. Mr. Parker headed straight for Liz, his expression unreadable.

"Lizzie!" His expression may have been confusing, but his tone wasn't. He's pissed, she realized.

"Dad?" She answered meekly, trying to spare herself the lecture that was about to come. Mr. Parker eyed Max, then turned back to Liz. "What's wrong?" She questioned, starting to become worried. If he were mad at her, he would have asked Max to leave them lone already.

"Where's Tess?" His brown eyes changed, and he became troubled.

"In the back. Why?" Mr. Parker looked away, causing Liz to become even more worried. "Dad? What's wrong?" She felt Max squeeze her hand tight. Mr. Parker finally looked at Liz.

"Tess' father was in an accident. He was driving home from work when someone ran a stoplight. He was hit, and he was pronounced dead on the scene." Mr. Parker actually had tears in his eyes, tears for his old friend. Liz felt the moisture build up in her eyes, and she turned her head so her father wouldn't see her, laying it on Max's shoulder. He stroked her hair, and when she finally stopped crying, she pulled her head up from his shoulder and looked at him.