“Hey, Liz.” She turned to see Kyle leaning against the locker next to hers. “How did your Geometry test go?”

“I haven’t taken it yet.” Liz continued sorting through the books in her locker, a scowl on her face. “I don’t have Geometry until after lunch. And if I don’t find last week’s notes, which I put in here this morning, I doubt I’ll be doing very good on it. I was planning on some study time during lunch. Argghh!” She slammed the door of her locker shut, and looked over at Kyle who was laughing at her. “Don’t laugh at me. This isn’t funny.”

“Sure it is.” Kyle replied. “I mean, come on, Liz. You studied for that test all last night at the Center. You barely heard the phones ringing, you were concentrating so hard. And now you’re panicking because you can’t find the notes you probably already have memorized? Relax a little. You’ll do fine on the test. You always do.”

Liz sighed and knelt down to go through her backpack again. “That’s easy for you to say. You don’t know what Mr. Harold’s tests are like.”

“Liz, there you are.” Maria’s voice echoed in the hall. “I’ve been looking all over for you. Come on, Alex is waiting for us at our table and I’m starving.” Maria strode up to her friend. When it finally registered who was with Liz, she did a double take. “Hi, Kyle.” She said quizzically.

“Just a minute, Maria. I’m trying to find my Geometry notes.” Liz was shoving her English textbook back in her bag and pulling her history book out. She thumbed through the pages and some papers flew out. “That’s them!” She exclaimed, as she grabbed the notes and started to zip her backpack up . “Finally. I totally forgot I put them in there.” She stood up and faced Maria and Kyle, a triumphant smile on her face.

“Ready?” Her girlfriend asked.

“Yeah.” Liz turned toward Kyle. “Um, I’ve got to go. But I’ll see you later, okay?”

“Sure, no problem.” He said and then turned and walked away.

“That was really weird.” Maria commented as they started to walk away from the lockers toward the quad. “What did he want?”

“Nothing really. Just wanted to see how I was doing, I guess.” Liz tried to change the subject. “So, how did baby-sitting go last night?”

“Whoa, Liz. Come on here. Kyle Valenti’s suddenly talking to you again? What’s going on?” Maria wasn’t so easily distracted.

Liz didn’t want to get into a big discussion about this. Especially since they were approaching Alex, sitting at the table where they always ate lunch. “Nothing. I already said that, Maria. Anyway, how am I supposed to know what is going on in Kyle Valenti’s head?” Liz picked up her step. “Hey, Alex,” she said as she sat down.

“Did I just hear you say something about Kyle Valenti?” Alex immediately asked.

“Yeah, he was talking to Liz when I found her just now.” Maria answered. “And Liz’s totally clammed up on me about it.”

“I have not, Maria. I already told you all there is to say.” Liz turned to Alex. “He just wanted to say hi. That’s all.”

“Really?” Alex asked dubiously.

Maria snorted. “See, Alex doesn’t believe it either.”

“You guys, can we just change the subject? Please?” Liz prayed her friends would just let it drop.

“Fine.” Maria said snobbishly, obviously unhappy about it.

“Come on girls.” Alex said, feeling the need to diffuse the tension between them. “Let’s all play nice, okay?” Taking on a more serious tone he continued. “Hey, it isn’t that big of a deal anyway.”

“How can you say that?” Maria was incredulous. “We’re talking about Kyle. Remember, the sheriff’s son? The one who followed us to the hotel on the way to Marathon? The guy is totally suspicious of us and Liz doesn’t think it’s any big deal that he should decide to start talking to her again out of the blue.”

“Maria, you know that I would never do anything to ever put Max, Isabel or Michael in danger. You know that. Kyle was just saying hi. He asked me how I was doing in Geometry. That’s all.” Liz voice’s was pleading with Maria to believe her.

Maria looked at her dark haired friend, saw the earnest look in her face and relented. What was she thinking anyway? It was Liz. Her best friend since elementary school. The girl who would risk everything in order to keep them all safe. “I’m sorry, Liz. I guess I’ve just been on edge since everything that happened with Michael. The jerk hasn’t even said a word to me since.”

“It’s okay, Maria.” Liz said as she reached an arm around her friend and pulled her close. The two girls hugged, and Maria whispered in Liz’s ear. When the two came apart, they both turned to Alex with mischievous smiles on their faces.

“What? Why are you looking at me like that?” Alex suddenly felt paranoid. He watched like a deer frozen in the headlights as the two girls stood up and walked around the table to where he was sitting. Then, they both leaned over and hugged him.

“We didn’t want you to feel left out.” Maria said in his ear, half laughing.

“Exactly.” Liz said. Alex always tried to play the peacekeeper between the two girls whenever they got their feathers ruffled. It was rare when it happened, but he was born to play the diplomat.

“Girls, girls!” Alex pretended to object to the display of affection. “Remember my reputation here.” The girls disengaged their arms to end the group hug and sat back down. The three friends just sat and smiled at each other.

“Hey, Liz,” Alex said with his mouth half full with a turkey sandwich. “How’d things go with the TeenLine last week?”

“Oh my gosh, I totally forgot about that.” Maria exclaimed excitedly. “Come on, give us all the juicy details about the calls that came in!”

Liz just shook her head at her friends. “Sorry, can’t. TeenLine policy. Volunteers aren’t allowed to discuss any calls.”

“You’re kidding, right?” Disappointment was written all over Maria’s face. “You can’t tell us anything? Nothing at all?”

“Oh, come on, Maria. Do you really want to hear about all these people’s problems?” Alex interjected, gesturing widely with his arm. “Anyway, it’s not like we don’t see it as it happens, or don’t hear all the gossip. You know my personal philosophy. High school is just one big teen soap opera.”

“Yes, we both know about your theories on that one, Alex. And I suppose we do hear just about everything that is going on around this place,” Maria reluctantly agreed. “But I still think it sucks. Liz’s going to be there two nights a week and we can’t hear anything about it.”

“It really isn’t that exciting, Maria. In fact, I’ll probably just be doing a lot of studying there. At least, that was the impression I got Friday night. The phones were really quiet.”

“That’s because most teenagers, and I do stress the word most since it doesn’t seem to apply to the three of us, are out on dates or partying on Friday nights. God, I need to get a girlfriend. No, make that a life.” Alex took another bite of his sandwich still mumbling about something. Then he spoke up again. “So, that leaves you, DeLuca. Where were you on Friday night?”

Maria groaned and rolled her eyes. “Baby-sitting the Thompson terror.” She looked at Liz. “I could have really used your help, Liz. Micah was sooo hyper. He even ran into me when I was about to use my brand new vial of jasmine oil and it spilt all over the rug. It was a nightmare.”

Alex and Liz listened with rapt attention as their friend, often gesturing wildly, described her Friday night to them.

—————

Across the quad, Max was staring at the group of friends laughing at some story Maria was relating. His eyes were sad, tinged with jealousy.

“Still haven’t worked things out with Liz yet?” His sister asked.

He just shook his head. Max really didn’t want to get into it with Michael and Isabel right now. He remembered how Liz had avoided his eyes in the hall the other day. However, he knew he had done what was right. He couldn’t pretend that everything in his life was normal, because it wasn’t. The guilt over hurting Liz was eating him up inside, but he had to put Isabel and Michael first.

“Well, it’s not like any of us have really spoken to them since that night.” Isabel continued. Turning, she looked at the other teenage male sitting with them. “Have you, Michael? Talked to Maria, I mean?”

“Naw.” Michael replied with his usual apathetic attitude. He never let on what was going on inside of him. Too many foster homes had taught him to keep his emotions closed up inside. Yet, he still felt things deeply. Especially when it came to his feelings for a certain wacky blonde. He looked over at the table of friends sitting across the quad.

Isabel observed the two guys sitting with her. They were both lost in their own thoughts. Not much use trying to make conversation, she thought. Her eyes followed her brother’s gaze to the table of friends with whom they had shared their secret. That dream of Alex’s came to mind as she watched him. He was an interesting one. Sorta cute, but not the typical guy she was interested in. Yet, he had come through for all of them in the cave that night. There was definitely something special about Alex Whitman.

“Who has the tabasco sauce?” Max asked. Isabel reached in her purse to pull out the bottle she always kept with her and handed it to him.

Little more was said as they ate their lunch in silence, each observing the playful antics of their human friends from a distance.

—————

How long has it been, four, five weeks? It seemed longer than that. So much had happened since her first night here at the TeenLine Center. Her eyes roamed over the items on her desk. Like many of the other volunteers, Liz had brought in a few items to make the small space her own. She laughed to herself, remembering. It was the very same desk where she and Kyle had gone over the information packet her first night there.

Early on, Liz had found that she actually enjoyed volunteering, just as Mrs. Brown had told her. While she thought some of the calls she had taken over the weeks were absolutely ridiculous, she never let the caller know. Anyway, the majority of teens who called were faced with serious decisions and situations. They were just too afraid to admit their fears to someone they knew. Liz wondered at how some found it easier to tell complete strangers the complexities of their life rather than talk to those who knew them. At the same time, she recognized her own desire to keep others from realizing she might not be as strong as she pretended to be.

That was one of the beauties of volunteering. While Liz talked to those who called, she learned so much about herself. About her insecurities, her dreams, even about her strengths. It helped her get a better perspective on the things in her own life. Well, maybe it didn’t help with the whole I’m-in-love-with-an-alien thing, but it helped divert her attention from it. Actually, events at the Center had her so preoccupied lately that she found herself somewhat distracted at school.

Even tonight, Liz was having trouble concentrating on her English assignment: a thematic essay on Shakespeare’s King Lear. She already had her thesis statement and her outline to support it finished. However, she just couldn’t seem to find the right words to start the essay. Liz put the tip of her pen in her mouth, trying to focus.

Kyle Valenti’s head popped over the desk’s partition. “Liz,” he said, “Line 4. It’s Laura.”

During the weeks that Liz had been volunteering at the Center, she had developed a fragile bond with a frequent caller. She only hoped that Laura would trust her enough to get some help. That was her goal tonight: To get Laura to consider coming into the Center, or at least to go get some help from somewhere else.

She smiled as she looked up at him, “Thanks, Kyle.”

Over the weeks, she and Kyle's tentative truce had grown into a shy friendship. Every so often he would peak his head over the desk partition and see how she was doing with her calls. Or, if the phones were quiet, he’d find out what school subject she had decided to work on and ask if she’d like a study partner. Most of the time she declined, but a few nights she had relented and said okay. Usually, if while at the Center he learned she had a test coming up or a big assignment due, he would find her at school the next day and ask how she did. Those short conversations at school had raised more than just a little curiosity from Maria and Alex. Liz had managed to dodge their questions until now, but she didn’t know how long that was going to last. She didn’t want them to overreact over the fact that Kyle worked at the TeenLine as well. So far, she had managed to keep that piece of information to herself.

Picking up the phone Liz spoke the TeenLine greeting. “TeenLine. This is Liz. I’m here to listen.” It only took one time of accidently picking up the wrong line for her to learn to always answer with the standard greeting.

“Hi, Liz.” The voice on the phone was a tremulous whisper.

“Laura? Laura, are you okay?” Liz asked. She was answered with the sound of muffled crying. “It’s okay, Laura. Just let it out. Let yourself cry. I’m not going anywhere. Just let yourself feel whatever it is that’s going on. I promise you’ll feel better afterward. Probably not all better, but then we can talk and work things out. Okay?” She heard the girl on the other side of the phone take a ragged breath, and then start to cry long heaving sobs. Liz felt like her heart was going to break out of sympathy for her poor friend. She wondered what had happened. So much was already going on in this girl’s life.

After awhile, she heard Laura inhale deeply and the sounds quieted. “Laura? You going to be alright?”

“Yes," was the quiet reply.

“What’s happened, Laura? Why are you so upset?”

“I took your advice and told my dad what’s been going on.” Laura’s voice began to crack and Liz heard her start to cry again. Liz restrained herself from speaking and waited for the girl to continue. “He didn’t believe me, Liz. He didn’t believe me.” Laura managed to say between sobs. “He said I was just trying to cause trouble for him since I was angry mom left. I tried to convince him that I was telling the truth but he just...he just walked away. Oh Liz, what am I going to do?”

“Laura, it’s going to be alright. We’ll figure something out. I’m so sorry that your dad didn’t believe you. But I am so proud of you. What you did took a lot of courage. And that should tell you just how strong you can be—just how strong you are.”

“No, Liz. This just tells me that no one will believe me. If my dad doesn’t, no one will.”

“You’re wrong, Laura.” Liz objected. “I believe you. I know that you are telling me the truth. That is why it is important that we get you to someone who can really help you. Someone who can help you much better than I can. Laura, please, think about coming into the Center and meeting with me.”

“I can’t, Liz. I just can’t.” Panic rose in Laura’s voice as she protested. “You don’t even know my real name! How could I go in there, in front of a room full of people, and face them after everything that’s happened?”

Liz closed her eyes, trying to concentrate on what would be the right words to say. “Then we don’t have to meet at the Center. We can meet anywhere you want to, but we do have to tell someone in order to make this stop.”

“No Liz. I can’t.”

“Listen to me, Laura. It isn’t your fault. You haven’t done anything wrong. He is the one who betrayed your trust. He’s the one who’s the bad guy here. Don’t ever forget that.” As Liz pleaded with her, she silently prayed that Laura would reconsider coming in to meet her.

“I appreciate all your help, Liz. I really do. But I can’t go there and meet you. I’m sorry, I just can’t. Maybe...maybe I shouldn’t call anymore.”

Liz’s hand clutched the phone tightly, her knuckles turning white. She heard the resignation in her caller’s voice and it alarmed her. Even if Laura didn’t want to come in, she had to keep the connection between them. It was the only way Laura had any chance of getting help. With Laura’s mom gone and her dad constantly drunk, the only person she trusted now was Liz.

“What are you talking about? You can’t stop calling me.” Liz decided to switch tactics and change the direction of their conversation. “Who will I talk to on Tuesday and Friday nights? Don’t you realize how much I look forward to our little chats? Otherwise Mrs. Brown would probably find me asleep at my desk and kick me out. Then what would I have to show on my college application?”

Laura was taken off guard by Liz’s seemingly selfish comments and laughed. She saw through it and was grateful for what Liz was trying to do. “Okay. I won’t stop calling. I don’t want to jeopardize your collegiate career. But I do have to go now.”

“Okay, Laura. Just remember, I’m here for you, okay? And I’ll still be here no matter what.”

“Thanks, Liz. You’re a true friend. I’ve always thought so. Ever since grade school. I’ll talk to you later then. Bye.”

The phone in Liz’s hand went dead, and she slowly returned it to the handset. Laura’s words were echoing in her head. Since grade school. That meant Liz knew Laura. She remembered that when she originally started talking with Laura she thought she recognized the voice, but she'd just shaken it off. Now, she started to wrack her brain again, trying to figure out the face behind the voice. She probably shouldn’t, but she couldn’t help herself.

“Is she gonna come in?” Liz looked up and saw Kyle standing with his arm resting on the partition between their two desks. “Did you convince Laura to come in?” He asked again.

“No. She’s too scared. Plus, she’s just taken a pretty hard blow. She told her father and he didn’t believe her.” Liz sighed and pushed some of her hair behind an ear. She didn’t know what to do if Laura didn’t want to meet her.

“God, that must of been horrible. Do you think she’ll be willing to try to tell someone else?”

“Not for awhile. The problem is, Kyle, I don’t know what to do next. It isn’t going to be long before things get a lot worse for her.”

Kyle stepped around the partition and squatted down on his heels besides Liz’s chair. She turned in her seat to look at him. “Liz,” he said, “You can only do so much. A person has to make the decision to help themselves. You can’t let Laura’s problems overwhelm you and become your own.”

“Getting a little deep here, Kyle.” She cocked her head at him, viewing him curiously. “Have you been browsing the self-help section of the library lately?”

She was teasing him and he knew it. However, Kyle was becoming increasingly concerned that Liz would assume too much responsibility if she wasn’t able to succeed in helping Laura. “Liz, you know what I’m talking about.” He said seriously.

“I know, I know.” Liz responded. Kyle watched as she bit her lower lip nervously. “I just can’t help it. I want to help her so much. I don’t know what I would do if I found myself in her situation.”

“I don’t think that’s possible, Liz. You are too strong willed to ever let yourself feel defenseless. You’re a fighter.” Admiration poured from Kyle’s eyes as he spoke to her. Admiration, and a little something else too.

Liz didn’t try to identify what that extra something was. The truce she and Kyle had going was working well, and she didn’t want to burden it with unfounded suspicions. He couldn’t possibly still want more than just friendship.

“Thanks, Kyle. And thanks for helping me work through all this with Laura. Talking about it helps, you know?”

“That’s why TeenLine’s here, Liz. So teens can talk about stuff and try to work it out.”

She nodded and then looked back to the essay waiting for her on the desk. “Um, I gotta get back to working on this King Lear essay.”

“Sure.” With that, Kyle stood up and went back over to his side of the partition.

Liz turned in her chair and picked up her pen. Focus, she thought, and began to write.