I looked at her pleadingly, hoping she would get the message. It's not that I don't care about Tess; I do, but in a platonic kind of way. The only reason I broke up with Liz to date Tess is because my mother told me that it was my destiny to be with her.

It's this long story that I won't get into, but the moral of the story is, I made a mistake. A very big mistake that I cannot correct because Liz won't forgive me. She is getting to the point where we can talk, but it is always awkward and we have to many of those awkward silences. It makes it hard to actually have a good conversation. I often wonder what happened to our communication skills, but I know Liz would just mock me if I asked her, so I leave it alone.

"Guys are *so* pathetic. You think they're happy just being themselves around you and then they go off and do something stupid." Liz's voice broke through my thoughts and as I comprehended her words, I looked down at the ground. I knew she was hurt, but she didn't have to make me feel any worse than I already did. I was still studying my shoes when I heard Liz' voice again.

"I'll meet you at the Crashdown after school, okay?" I saw Tess' reaction to Liz's words, even though she was talking to Maria.

"That is such a good idea! Why don't we all meet at the Crashdown after school and watch you two slave away while Max and I cuddle?" I didn't know what to say, so I just kept quiet, which pissed off Liz and Maria.

"You know Tess, us humans, we actually have to work so we can have money. We don't have to use mind control to get what we want." I looked at Tess and saw her green eyes flash in anger at Maria's words. Maria stood up and addressed Liz. " Come on Liz. Let's get out of here. I've had enough of these losers." They got up and walked away, Liz's brown eyes dancing with laughter. They walked away, leaving us alone at the table. I looked at Tess, who if I said was pissed off would have been an understatement. She tossed her head and some curls came loose and framed her face. They bounced as she nodded her head, her lips pursed.

"Okay. That was fun." Her sarcastic tone was getting on my nerves. She never got tired of hearing her own voice, something I had learned from four months of dating her. She jerked her head towards the doors. "Come on. Let's ditch. I don't feel like hitting sixth period." She looked at me expectantly and I knew that if I told her no, she would make a scene, so I just went with it. When I stood up she put her arm around my waist, and because it would look weird if I didn't, I put my arm around her shoulder and pulled her close, keeping my body stiff. If Tess noticed this she didn't let on; she just smiled at the passing people as if to say, "yeah I have him. Too bad for you." I'd seen that smile before. She'd given it to Liz several times. Liz! I saw her duck into the bathroom with Maria just as we were passing by. Did she see me? I looked behind me and saw Michael and Isabel standing at the water fountain and I knew that it wasn't me that they were avoiding. They didn't even see me. I was surprised at the pang in my chest, but then, I always knew that I was in love with Liz. I just don't know why I let her go. We reached the doors to the outside and I let Tess lead me to the Jeep. All of a sudden I felt nauseous and the world was spinning around me.