After a minute or two, Liz came over. "Can I get you a drink?" Liz asked politely.

"No, actually, I'm not thirsty. But I did want to talk to you about some stuff."

"Oh. Um, well, I sort of have to work now…" said Liz, wondering why Maria wanted to talk to her.

"Isabel can handle the customers for a few minutes," said Maria, waving her hand absently in Isabel's direction.

"Ok," said Liz. "Only for 5 minutes." She sat down across from Maria.

Silence.

"So, why do you want to talk to me?" Liz finally asked.

"Why do you want to go out with my brother?"

Liz looked up at Maria. "Oh, I get it. You just want to talk me out of going out with Max because I'm a geek."

"No, Liz. That's not it. Just tell me…why do you want to go out with my brother?"

"Actually, it's more of a he wants to go out with me thing. I'm still leery of the whole idea, but I agreed because he kept asking. And he doesn't seem too stuck up, for one of the popular kids." Liz blushed after realizing she was talking to one of the stuck up popular kids.

"It's ok," said Maria, giggling. "I know I can be stuck up. That's just me."

"Ok. So. Um, is that all you wanted to know?"

"I have a few more question. Um, have you been having…dreams? About Max?"

Liz gasped and looked at Maria. "How did you know about that?" she whispered

Maria's eyes opened wider than Liz's. "So you really have been having those dreams? Do you know why?"

"No. They sort of scare me. They're…intense. But how did you know about that? I never even told Alex."

"Liz, I can't tell you how I know. It's just that, well, Max…and some other people are…different. Do you know what I mean by different, Liz?"

"No…Maria, I'm a little confused."

"Oh…um, just forget about this whole conversation. And are you totally sure you don't know why you're having the dreams or what I mean when I say Max is different?"

"Maria, I have no idea what you mean when you say that. Can you tell me?"

"No," said Maria, standing up. "Please don't get too involved with Max. And tell Alex not to get too involved with Isabel. It just can't be that way."

"Um…ok," said Liz, totally confused. "I'll see you later, Maria."

"You know what?" said Maria, putting on her stuck up act. "Don't address me in public. People can't know that I talked to you. My image is everything." Maria walked out.