By: Daphny Taitel
Scene: The Crashdown Cafe
Liz Parker looked at her watch. It's 7:35 Liz said to herself. She was meeting Isabel here at 7:45. There were so many customers today, but there was only one customer she had energy for. Her brain was filled with thoughts of him. She peeked through the kitchen door in the Crashdown Cafe, and saw him, Max Evans. Her heart stopped at once, and started beating really fast. Ever since she had talked with Max in his jeep alone looking for Michael and Maria at 285 South, her heart raced.
Liz thought for sure that Max was going to kiss her. She knew that she desperetly wanted to kiss him, but it was against all the rules. She knew that when she found her soulmate things would be difficult, but this was more complicated than she ever imagined.
Max was waiting for Kyle Valenti, Liz's ex, to show up. They were going to work on their assignment. He looked around the Cafe wondering if maybe Liz or Maria was waitressing here today. Preferably Liz he thought. He remembered that day in his jeep with Liz. She looked so beautiful and gentle, that he had wanted to kiss her. He started to lean over to kiss her, but then decided not to. It would only complicate things, so he decided to pretend that he just wanted to fix the rip in the his car's ceiling.
Meanwhile at the at Maria's house:
Maria DeLuca looked at the mirror in her room for the twenty-fifth time.
She perfected every hair and accesory she had. Her clothes looked perfect she was sure. This has nothing to do with me meeting Michael she told herself. Even the mention of his name got her feeling dizzy. Maria took a quick look at the clock and saw that she was already ten minutes late to meet him.
"Oh, s--- !" she shouted put on her shoes and ran out the door.
Maria fumbled with the car keys hurrying to unlock the car door, got in and drove out as fast as she could.
At the Library:
"She's late by 12 minutes," Michael said looking at his list of questions he has to ask Maria. He thought *gosh, these are really personal questions. Its like Sheriff Valenti gave them these questions.* He looked suspicially at the questions again, and wondered why such odd pairing. Isabel Evans and Liz Parker? Max Evans and Kyle Valenti?? Him, Michael Guerin,and Maria DeLuca??? Somebody will crack before this assignment was over.
He just hoped it wouldn't be him. This teacher was asking for trouble, whatever his name was. He wanted to avoid Maria as much as possible, especially after hijacking her car. Oops? Not going to happen soon Michael thought looking at the questions again.
Maria quickly parked the car, and ran inside the library looking for Michael.
Maria shouted, "Michael...,Michael..., where are you?"
"Young lady, please be quiet this is a library." "Do you not have any manners," asked the head librarian suspiciously.
"I'm really sorry sir...I mean madam, I was looking for my friend." "Next time try to be a little more quiet," said Maria. The librarian eyed her suspiciously. "Don't worry I will."
Waiting for the librarian to go away,Maria said under her breath,"Old wart and wrinklebags."
She continued looking for Michael, and found him grinning slyly at her from the dark corner of the librarian.
"Next time try to be a little more quiet Miss De Luca," Michael said mockingly to her,"I think you woke up the dead Czechoslovakians."
"Oh, grow up Michael,"Maria said through gritted teeth, hoping this would not take longer than it needed to.
Kyle headed down to the Crashdown Cafe. He was meeting that oddball Max for their assignment.
Something fishy was always happening around Max, especially his break-up with Liz. He couldn't wait to find more about Max, so he could figure out who Max Evans is once and for all. It probably won't be easy Kyle told himself as he walked throgh the doors of the Cafe.
Liz decided to go talk to Max, but at that second Kyle Valenti came in.
*Oh no,* Liz thought immediately. *What's he doing here? Hopefully he wants a take-out.* She quickly figured out he was meeting Max when he sat down at Max's table. She then remembered Isabel was coming in three minutes, and decided to change out of her uniform.
"Maria, what do you like to watch?" "The X-files..., coincidental huh."
" Now Michael, getting back to what what you like to watch," Maria spoke out, "I so disagree with you wathing "The View"." "And do not tell me again that it keeps you in touch with your feminine side."
"Fine, I won't," Michael slyly said," It keeps me in touch with my manly side."
"This is going to be a long assignment," Maria sighed.
Isabel came into the Cafe, took out her backpack, and waited for Liz.
As she looked around she spotted Liz hurrying to the counter.
"What took you so long?" Isabel asked. "I was practically waiting for thirty seconds."
"Sorry," Liz mumbled. "Anyway we should get started."
At the next table Kyle started asking Max questions from his list.
"Question nine, what is your favorite food?"
"Umm.., almost anything, and you?"
"You know that candy bar called peanut clusters ?" Kyle replied.
Max immediately remembered that Michael had been selling peanut clusters while trying to break in to Sheriff Valenti's office. He quickly tried to hide a smile, and saw Liz staring at him with her beautiful brown eyes. She quickly turned away, obviously embarrassed that he'd caught her.
"Max,are you awake," Kyle asked.
"Yeah, I am," Max said, still thinking about Liz. "Okay, let's go back to the question have you ever been in love, Evans?" "I don't think you were telling the truth before," Kyle asked impatiently, "Max...., Max!"
"Yes, I have been in love Kyle, in the first grade when I was six years old."
*And I'm still in love with her now* thought Max silently, sipping his coke.
Liz "accidently" overheard Max say he was in love in first grade. She hoped Max meant her.
"Isabel," Liz asked, "I never got to ask you what ice cream flavor you liked?"
Isabel replied, "Coffee flavored ice cream, because it's a sophisticated taste." "Vanilla on the other hand is pretty much boring." "I guess the ice cream fits the person, " Isabel said smugly.
"Thanks for the compliment, " Liz replied dryly.
Max asked Kyle,"Have you ever been in love?" "Sure, I still am." "You better not get in the way of me and Liz, Evans, because she will come back to me sooner or later." Kyle tried to cover up his fear of Max by trying to scare him. Max and Liz could easily get together and he knew that. That's what he was afraid of.
At that moment Kyle's cell phone rang, he picked it up and answered it.
"Hello?" Kyle asked.
"Hi, son."
"Dad,what's wrong?"
"Umm..., you have to come home."
"Why?"
"To clean up your room, its a pig sty, and eat dinner."
"But Dad, I'm working with Max on our project."
Sheriff Valenti shouted," That Evans kid!" "Kyle you are coming home right now, No buts !"
"Fine, Dad,"Kyle exclaimed into the phone and hung up.
Max clearly embarrassed turned red.
"Hey, Evans kid," Kyle mocked and then continued ,"Now it's me who is leaving on you for a change!" He then charged out of the Cafe leaving Max all by himself.
It took every ounce of Liz's willpower to stop herself from going over there. She wanted to go over there and hug him and tell him it was all right. Kyle was such a jerk that she wanted to punch him, she still could not believe that he would do that! Clearly Isabel wasn't amused, by it either. That was at least one thing they both shared at that moment.
Max reminded himself that the whole scenario would have been worse if it were about him being an alien. Or if Michael was there, where was Michael anyway. Max quickly decided to go to the counter where Izzy and Liz were sitting. He picked up his stuff and sat next to Liz. She gave him one of her incredible smiles, which made him feel so much better.
Isabel then exclaimed, "Well, I think we could finish this tomorrow Liz okay?"
Giving them one of her Isabel glares she walked out with her stuff, secretly hoping that she would find her soulmate like Max had.
Max decided that it was getting late and asked Liz, "Can I walk you home."
Liz replied, "Yeah." She closed up the Crashdown Cafe, and they started walking down the street.
"Michael, What's your favorite food?"
"Anything with hot tabasco sauce," he said looking at her.
"No wonder you're always filled with hot air," Maria suggested still mad at him. Michael loved the way Maria looked when she was mad.
"Question number, who cares, Have you ever been in love, Maria ?"
Maria's heart stopped, "What did you just ask?"
"Have you ever been in love," Michael smirked.
"Yeah, right let me see that." Maria jumped onto the table to get the list of questions from Michael. She was about to fall when Michael caught her in his arms. But he didn't let go, instead he looked at her face and had this intense look. She couldn't look away first. Maria's heart skipped a beat as Michael leaned toward to kiss her. Maria leaned in toward him at the same time, and the moment they kissed.
They kept kissing fiercely and stopped. Suddenly they heard a noise, and turned around. "This is not a make-out bar, this is a library!" "Haven't you caused enough trouble around here?" It was the librarian, she had seen them the whole time. "I suggest you both leave."
Michael was first to speak, "Gladly, come on Maria."
They walked out of the library. Neither spoke, but they knew what each other was feeling. Happy, dizzy, and really afraid.
Both got to Maria's house,
Michael asked ," So you never answered my question have you ever been in love?"
"Yes, once, right know." "And you?"
"The same, umm.., could we finish what we started," Michael mumbled trying to find the right words.
"Yeah."
So Michael leaned toward Maria and gave her a goodnight kiss.
"See you tomorrow, Michael."
"You too Maria," and he walked away, not noticing Maria's huge grin.
Liz and Max walked slowly on purpose so they could spend each second together. Max walked Liz up to her door. He studied her face. As she bent down to get her keys a piece of her hair fell onto her eyes. Before Liz could brush it away Max did. She looked at him and they locked eyes, unable to look away, they stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity.
Max stared right into Liz's beautiful brown eyes, unable to pull away from her. He knew it was against all rules to kiss her, so that stopped him from leaning toward her.
Max gulped and whispered, "Good night Liz."
Unable to control his dissappointment. He looked away first.
"Good night Max." She opened the door, but didn't go inside. He started to walk away from her house and went to the corner of the street. Finally he could not control himself anymore, he didn't care about the consequences anymore. Max started to run back to Liz's house.
Liz turned her back wanting Max to come back. She sighed, about to go inside. Suddenly Max came from behind her, and kissed her! She could feel his kiss in every part of her body. She felt like she was in heaven, and lifting off the ground.
The kiss was soulful, gentle, and the sweetest thing Liz ever felt. Max didn't stop either. They kept going on. They were meant to be. The moon and stars above them shone the brightest they could ever be.
By: Daphny Taitel
