"What did I miss?" Alex asked. "I heard yelling but what happened?"

"Your crazy bitch of a friend attacked me!" Isabel spat as she began to climb out of the water.

Liz felt her own anger boiling. "Oh Isabel, is that how it happened? Because if I remember right, she just ACCIDENTALLY pushed you in and you shoved her. Then she attacked you -in self defense naturally - but you made the first move. You two went flying in the water and she kicked your ass! And then Michael grabbed her and she kicked his ass and then he went after her. Hmm," she continued speaking to Tess now as well. "You two girls are having a hard time keeping the interest of your boyfriends, aren't you."

"What's that supposed to mean, Liz?" Tess asked, narrowing her eyes.

Liz smirked, "Why don't you ask Max?"

Tess looked to Max but he avoided her eyes.

Alex grinned but none of it reached his eyes as he glared at Isabel but spoke to Liz. "Wow, I'm sorry I missed that. It's about time Maria laid Isabel out flat on her ass. By the way Isabel, that's a nice little bruise you have going there." Alex saw the hurt in Isabel's eyes and he broadened his grin to a smile. He knew he was being petty but after all the hurt she had caused him, he took some enjoyment in taking cheap shots at her.

Liz reached out for Alex's arm and said, "Yeah, it was quite a show." To Isabel she said, "You might want to put some ice on that," she changed her voice to whisper. "After all, being that everyone saw that little spat, you can't exactly use your powers to heal it. I mean, what would people think?"

Tess cleared her throat and tossed her head back. "You better watch your mouth girl or I'll be throwing your ass in that lake too."

Alex looked at Liz and was shocked to see the steel that flashed in the small brunette's eyes. "I dare you to try," Liz said coolly and then gave Tess a big smile as the blonde just rolled her eyes. "Come on Alex, I want to leave now. Too much of these people in one day is detrimental to my mental health."

"Sure," Alex shrugged. "Let's go." He held out his hand to her, she took it, and they walked away. "You know, I think Maria's attitude is rubbing off on you."

Liz snickered and Alex continued. "So, why don't you tell me what really happened?"

*****

Maria walked without knowing where she was going. Her head was too clouded with anger - anger at Isabel, anger at Michael and anger at herself for letting them get to her. She was half tempted to turn around and shove Isabel's head back under the water but she needed to cool off.

"Hey Maria!" A voice called and Maria looked up from the ground to see Gage coming at her from ahead.

"Hi," she muttered.

Gage jogged up to her and said, "Hey, I saw what happened back there. Look, I've been patient up till now, not asking what is going on between you all and why you hate each other so much, but there's only so much one person can take before the curiosity begins to eat away at them." He looked at her expectantly.

"I'll make this easy on you, Gage. Liz and I used to date Max and Michael but then those evil bitches stole them away from us. Isabel used Alex to try and make Michael jealous and it worked and he left me. There's bad blood between us now, obviously. There's a whole bunch more but it's too long of a story to explain."

"That's what I figured but I wanted to be sure. As counselors, we're not supposed to ask too many questions but I've had a hell of a time trying to keep peace between you all and it isn't working. At least now I can think of ways to try and make things run smoother between you all tomorrow."

Maria smiled for the first time and joked, "Decapitation is my suggestion. We could hide their bodies and no one would ever know. I mean, wouldn't it be easier to work with just three of us instead of seven?"

Gage smiled and shook his head. "Sorry, that's not in my contract but I have an idea."

"What's that?" Maria asked, propping her hands on her hips, putting a little bit of flirtiness in her tone.

*****

Michael stalked after Maria with waves of red pulsing before his eyes as he rubbed his aching jaw. He didn't know why he was following her or what he was going to say to her but they were going to settle things now. Why did she have to be so difficult? It's not like he had wanted to hurt her when he broke things off with her. He had explained this all to her before, hadn't he? He and Isabel were destined to be together since birth. Why couldn't she just leave things alone?

When he finally caught up with her, he saw that she tossing her head and smiling at that annoying counselor. He felt a scowl reach his lips. She had been flirting with that guy all day and it had annoyed him even though he couldn't explain why.

"Maria! I'm not done with you yet!" he growled as he walked up to her.

Maria glared at him and crossed her arms over her chest. "I believe you were done with me six months ago. Get the hell out of here, Michael! I'm busy." She turned her back on him and smiled at Gage once again. "God, some people can be so rude, can't they?"

Michael grabbed her arm and tugged on it. "We are going to talk right now, Maria! Take a hike College boy."

Maria struggled away from him and Gage glared at Michael as he pushed him away. "Look Michael. Maria said to get lost. She doesn't want to talk to you so leave her alone."

"Keep your hands off of me," Michael yelled pushing Gage away. "This has nothing to do with you college boy."

Gage stumbled backwards and then he stood up straight and his face twisted in anger. "You want some punk?" he challenged, flexing his muscles.

"Don't make me laugh. You don't know who you're messing with," Michael scoffed.

"STOP IT YOU TWO!" Maria yelled but they didn't hear her.

"Don't know who I'm messing with? All I see is a weak nothing who runs his mouth off and can't take the hint when someone tells them to leave them alone." Gage began to circle Michael, his eyes narrowed.

"FINE! YOU TWO CAN KILL EACH OTHER FOR ALL I CARE. I'M OUTTA HERE!" Maria screamed and stalked off.

Michael dropped his steely gaze from Gage and his turned to watch Maria walk away. He moved to go after her but Gage was standing in his way. "I'm warning you. Let her be, Michael."

Michael paid him no heed. He just pushed him away, putting a little power behind his push and the guy went flying. Then without another moment's thought, he followed Maria catching up with her outside of the girl's cabin.

"Hey!" Michael grabbed her arm. "I said we are going to talk!"

Maria turned around and kneed him in the groin. Michael doubled over, gasping. "Fuck! Why do you have to be such a bitch?!"

Maria smiled at the sight. "Oh, it just comes naturally, I guess," she replied. She then yawned and said, "Well Michael, as stimulating as this talk has been, I need to go inside and get some sleep. Ta-Ta!" She waved and blew him a kiss and then walked into the cabin. She slammed the door loudly and then locked it so she could change out of her swim suit.

But Michael still wouldn't give up. He followed her inside, using his powers to unlock the door. Maria had already removed her top and she cried out when he walked in holding a sweat shirt over her bare chest. "Get the hell out of here!"

Michael smirked even though he was still thoroughly pissed. "Why? You don't have anything I haven't already seen."

"And you will never see it again! Get out of here before I report you. Boys aren't allowed in the girl's cabin."

"No! I'm not leaving until we talk."

Maria glared at him and turned around to put the sweat shirt on. Then she turned back towards him, put her hands on her hips and sighed. "Talk then."

Michael realized just then that he had no idea what he wanted to say. What could he say? Yes, it sucked that they were all stuck together but she was just being so difficult. It's not like he chose for them to be in the same group.

"Michael? Hello?"

"Look, Maria. I don't like this anymore than you do, but we're all stuck with each other for one more day. Why do you have to cause all these problems?"

"What problems?"

"Oh come on! You know what I'm talking about. Starting fights with Isabel, with me. Making snide little comments. You're being nothing but a pain in the ass."

Maria plopped down on her bunk. "Why do you all have to be so ungrateful? We, and when I say we I mean me, Liz and Alex, have done nothing but help you all out, keep your little secret, which we still do today, and you guys treat us like the enemy. You used us and when we didn't benefit your lives anymore it was good riddance. It's like you all of the sudden find out that you're destined to be with someone else and once again it's all about you guys. Screw the rest of us who have been by your sides through thick and thin. It makes me angry, okay!"

"What are we supposed to do? It's not like we can all just go back the way we were! That's evident enough by the way you are always picking fights!"

"Why did you guys have to come here this weekend. You heard us say that we wanted to get away and you guys had to come anyway. Whose little plan was that anyways?"

"It was Max's plan. He's the one who wanted to come."

"Why? Because he wanted to flaunt your relationships in front of us knowing how much it would cause us all pain?"

"No! Because Max wants to get back together with Liz!"

"Then why did he bring Tess?"

"She insisted on coming. She must have known that you all were going to be here. I don't know really and I don't' really care!"

"Why did you have to come then? To rub it in? There is no reason for you to be here. You don't even have any goals so you don't care how you do on this stupid test."

"Look, I didn't even know that you were going to be here okay? I wanted to leave when I saw you on the bus but Max said we should stay so I stayed."

"You stayed for Isabel, not Max. I heard you. You know, I wish I had never met you. You are so insensitive and you don't care about anyone else besides yourself. You never cared for me did you?"

"You know I did, Maria. I do care about you."

She stood up and walked over to him. She couldn't help the tears that sprung to her eyes. "Fuck you, Michael! If you cared for me at all you wouldn't have just dumped me when you found that stupid book that said you were supposed to be with Isabel! Someone who you always thought of as your sister! I try to hate you but it's hard because I really loved you and because I feel sorry for you. You used to be someone that I actually admired no matter how hard your life was or how lost you felt because you did things for your own reasons. Now, you can't even think or feel for yourself. You're with Isabel only because some book says you're supposed to be. Get out of here Michael. You make me sick."

He realized that there really was nothing he could say. He felt sick himself but only because what she said was true. He was with Isabel because they found out that they were supposed to be together. Had they never found out about that book, he would have always thought of Isabel as his sister and he would have probably still been with Maria because she was the one he had strong feelings for.

He began to turn to leave but he couldn't leave things like that. He reached out for her hand. "Maria, I'm sorry. But I want you to know that I do care about you."

She tried to pull away but his grip on her was firm. "No you don't. Stop trying to confuse me. Stop playing with me! Please just go!" she shoved him away but not very hard, her shoulders sagging.

"No. Maria, I'm sorry. Come here." She didn't move and so he pulled her into his arms as she sobbed.

*****

Maria knew she should have pushed him away, that he was just going to go back to Isabel but she liked to feel his arms around her again even if it was just for a moment. His hands were rubbing up and down her back and he whispered soothing things in her ear to calm her down.