{We slept the sleep of innocents that night, Max and I. I wish we could have both just repeated those moments alone together over and over instead of allowing the problems of following months to intrude. But alas that wish was not fated to come true.}

Max was the first to wake. It was just the break of dawn. He turned to the sleeping girl next to him and smiled at the peaceful look on her face. The problems that were so pressing on her nerves last night seemed so far away. He wished that they wouldn't intrude on her today but he knew that that would not happen. He knew that as soon as she awoke the memories of whatever Michael did to her would come rushing back. He should know. He had his own visions of Liz and Kyle swimming through his head.

Max got up out the bed slowly, trying not to wake Maria. He picked up his clothes off of her dresser then headed for the bathroom to dress. When he came out of the room he found Maria sitting up in the bed staring at him sleepily.

"Morning girlfriend." He said. "How are you feeling this morning?"

"Okay, I guess. Not completely over Michael but I'm bearing." She sighed and stood up. She walked over to her dresser and looked at herself in the mirror.

"Ugh, looks like I've been crying all night."

"Well you have." He pulled her into his arms. "Are you ready to tell me what happened with you and Michael last night?"

"Yeah, I guess, but first go make us some breakfast while I get dressed."

"Kay." He walked out of the room and headed towards the kitchen. He knew she was going to ask him to cook. Even though she worked in a restaurant Maria was a dreadful cook. He made 3 ham and cheese omelets, two for him and one for Maria, and put on a pot of coffee.

"Mmm, something smells nice." Maria said when she finally came down stairs.

"I'm glad you came over last night. I really appreciated you being there for me."

"Hey I had my own reasons for coming over, but I'm glad I could help." He set their plates down on the table while Maria fixed their orange juice and coffee.

"What made you come over Max?" She asked while sitting down.

"No I'm not going to explain my problem first. I want to know what Michael did last night to make you cry like that."

"I went over to the waitress Courtney's house because I thought that there was something suspicious about her." She paused to take a sip of coffee.

"When I got there Michael answered the door."

"What?" Max was shocked.

"Yeah. He claims that he was just asking her a few questions about why she had some pictures of him but then she came out of the bathroom wearing nothing but a towel and I noticed that Michael was wearing lipstick. So it was obvious what had been going on and what was about to happen."

"Maria, are you sure? I mean maybe it was all innocent." He asked trying to justify in his mind how Michael could be such an ass.

"Yeah I'm sure. There's no mistaking what Courtney said when she came out of the bathroom. `Michael sweetie why don't you get a little bit more comfortable and take off that shirt.' She didn't know that I was at the door. So basically I called him an asshole and told him that I never wanted to speak to him again." She drained her cup of coffee and continued. "I don't get him Max. How could he say that he couldn't get close to me because he was afraid of leaving me and not being able to protect me? There he was with another girl. He didn't seem too concerned with protecting her or leaving her. How could he be such a lying jerk Max?"

"I don't know why he's like that Maria. All I can say is that you're better off with out him. I'm sorry he hurt you again Ria."

"Oh Max it's going to be so hard for me to get over him. I mean you saw how I was this summer. Calling him every day. This time I don't want to have anything to do with him at all."

"That's going to be kind of hard. You know that right? I'll try to limit your intake of Michael daily though. Okay?"

Maria laughed. "I don't see how you can do it but okay. Now, Max, enough about my problems. Don't think that I didn't notice that something was hurting you last night. I'm hyper but not blind. Tell me what happened to you last night."

He lowered his fork to his plate stalling for time. Then he looked up and Maria and smirked. "Oh you know I did the usual last night. Went to Liz house to moon over her and invite her to go to the Counting Crows concert with me. Went up to her balcony looked in and was surprised to see her and Kyle in bed together. That's about how my night went."

"Oh no Max. Are you sure? I mean Liz is not like that. Liz would never go all the way without discussing it with me first. You had to have been seeing things." Maria did not believe for one minute that Liz could have slept with Kyle.

"I knew you wouldn't believe me. So I'm going to link with you and show you what I saw." He scooted next to Maria and put each of his hands on the side of her head. "You have to totally blank your mind and open up to me."

"Okay." She closed her eyes and did what he said, a few seconds later her mind was flooded with Max's view of things from last night. "Oh my God Max. It's true. Liz slept with Kyle. How could she do that to you? How could Kyle do that to Tess?"

"I don't know Ria. Those are questions I've been asking myself since last night." He stood up and gathered up the breakfast dishes. "I don't know anything anymore. I never thought Liz could ever betray me like that. I should have known though. Ever since she came back from Florida she's been a completely different person."

"Oh Max. Well there has to be a legitimate reason. Maybe..." He put a finger to her lips to stop her flow of words.

"Maria I don't care what the reason is. I could never forgive Liz for what she did last night. That was no simple kissing. She slept with Kyle. Nothing she has to say could make me forgive her or him."

"I guess you're right. I just don't understand it. That's just so unlike Liz. Oh man Tess is going to be so crushed."

"You can't tell Tess or anybody. We're just going to pretend like it never happened. However, it's completely over between me and Liz."

"Okay. It's a good thing Tess doesn't acknowledge her feelings for Kyle. Now she won't be hurt too much when she finds out about them. I like Tess a lot. Despite her bringing all that destiny crap. She's a sweetie once you get to know her."

"She's alright. Ever since she stopped coming after me I've started seeing her as a possible friend." Max dried off the dishes and set them into the dishwasher. "Anyway I don't want to be around to many people today, so we need to find something to do. I do need to call Isabel though and let her know where I'm at."

"Whatever. As if she doesn't know you spent the night at my house. You practically lived here during the summer." Maria laughed. "Anyway how about we ride over to the county fair they're having over in Carter."

"Okay that's a plan. I need to go home first to change clothes and cars. The jeep isn't in good enough condition to drive into Carter. Do you want to come with me? Or should I just come back for you in about an hour?"

"I'll go with you. I'm already dressed and I have nothing else better to do. Just let me put on my shoes and get my purse." She ran upstairs and five minutes later she returned. "Let's go."