Maria cleared her throat and tensed her hands on the wheel. "Um, see, me and Isabel were talking..."

Max sighed and sat back in his seat. Isabel. Ok, now he understood. He was being set-up. Walked right into that one big guy, he thought.

"And we decided that we needed to have a night out and just relax and we're inviting you," She said quickly. "So, it'll be blast, you're gonna have so much fun. We're picking you up at 7:00."

Max shook his head. "You go though all of this to ask me out? I'm touched," he said dryly.

Maria sighed as she turned onto Main Street. "Max, you can't spend your life in a bubble!" she exclaimed.

"Bubble?" he asked.

"You know what I mean," she said. "You should really come with us...Michael is," she added.

Max eyed her. He couldn't believe that Michael was going out in the same area as Maria. He'd spent the whole summer acting as if she was diseased, only talking to her when necessary. What about me? I treated her like she had the plague. Max sighed again as he felt his guilt rising even more.

"Michael's really going?" he asked, unable to keep the surprise out of his voice.

"Yes, why shouldn't he?" Maria asked harshly.

Max realized he had just hurt her feelings with that last remark. Bring on the guilt. Again. He was really not good with human contact today. Max wanted to tell her was sorry, but he could do it. He had spent so much time going into his shell, that he wasn't sure he could find his way back out.

Maria pulled the car up in front of the UFO Center and stopped. "Max...the four of us only have a week to hang out," she said.

A week? But school is still two weeks off, Max thought. Then he caught on to what else she had said. "The four of us." Max felt his chest tighten. Soon it'll be six again. And in a week no less. Max knew a week was not enough time to prepare for her return. Not even three months was long enough. And Max knew that for a fact; it's how long he'd been trying.

"Max, you ok?" Maria asked.

"Thanks for the ride," he mumbled without even looking at her. He climbed out of the car.

"Max wait!" Maria called as she climbed out too.

Max turned around and stared over the roof of the car at her. "A week huh?" he asked, not looking her in the eyes.

"Yeah...a week," she repeated. "Listen..."

"Maria, I'm ok," he protested.

Max looked everywhere but at Maria's face, cause if he did, she'd know he was lying. He glanced across the street, and nearly gave himself a stroke. His eyes locked on the girl walking down the street.

*I didn't hear you leave
I wonder why how am I still here
And I don't wanna move a thing
It might change my memory

Oh, I am what I am
I'll do what I want
But I can't hide...

And I won't go, I won't sleep, I can't breathe
Until you're resting here with me
And I won't leave, and I can't hide, I can not be
Until you're resting here with me

I don't wanna call my friends
For they might wake me from this dream
And I can't leave this bed
Risk forgetting all that's been
Oh, I am what I am
I'll do what I want
But I can't hide...

And I won't go, I won't sleep, and I can't breathe
Until you're resting here with me
And I won't leave, and I can't hide, and I can not be
Until you're resting here...
And I won't go, and won't sleep, and I can't breathe
Until you're resting here with me
And I won't leave, and I can't hide, I can not be
Until you're resting here with me
Oh, I am what I am
I'll do what I want
But I can't hide... And I won't go, I won't sleep, and I can't breathe
Until you're resting here with me
And I won't leave, and I can't hide, I can not be
Until you're resting here...
And I won't go, and I won't sleep, and I can't breathe
Until you're resting here with me
And I won't leave, and I can't hide, I can not be
Until you're resting here with me...* "Here With Me" by Dido

"Look, I know you're hurt," Maria started, but Max tuned her out. He was positive she was still talking, but he didn't hear her. All that mattered was the girl.

Her blue sundress frayed right above her knees as she glided down the sidewalk. Max could tell her hair was longer then the last time he had saw her, but it still looked as soft and silky as he remembered. Max numbly recalled this scene from his daydream he had this morning. It was exactly the same. Her dress even had daisies on it. Max didn't have to feel it to know his heart was beating like a set of drums at the sight of her. At the sight of Liz.

"Max! Are you listening?!" Maria called out to him.

Max glanced back at her and opened his mouth, but he couldn't form the words; his voice was gone. Max looked to find Liz, but she was gone. He quickly glanced down the street, both ways, not seeing her anywhere.

"What are you looking at?" Maria asked as she spun around to look also.

Max finally found his voice. "Um...nothing," he mumbled.

Maria looked at him and studied his face. "Max...are you sure you're ok?" she asked softly.

"Yeah...yeah, I'm fine." Except I'm imagining seeing the girl I love, who dumped me, walking down the street, he added in his head. "I swear," he added out loud.

Maria finally nodded and sighed. "Ok, but will you at least think about what I said?" she asked.

Max had no idea what she had said, but agreed anyway.

"Great, so I'll see ya at lunch?"

Max knew if he declined the invite Maria would be upset, so Max put on a smile. "Looking forward to it."

Maria smiled back too, but Max could tell hers was just for show too. He waved as she climbed back into her car and pulled away. Max felt like scum. This was Maria, one of his best friends, and he was dreading just having lunch with her. He promised himself he'd make it up to her as he glanced back at the spot he had seen, or well imagined, Liz.

"I need to get a grip," Max mumbled to himself.

"Max, what are you doing here?" Max spun to see Milton strolling toward him.

Max just remembered that he wasn't even on his way to work when Maria had stopped him; that was just an excuse. He was on his way to the cave to think.

Max spent just about all of his time either in his room, work, or the cave thinking. And today he was headed to go have a "Liz think-athon".

"Um...just thought you might want some help setting up," Max said to his boss.