* * * * Chapter 4 * * * *

Later that day Maria stood in the middle of her bedroom in nothing but a towel debating on what she was going to where for her night out with Max. She had discarded at least four different outfits and she still wasn't close to finding one. She didn't want to get to dressy because the Starlight was not that kind of place. Finally she decided on a tan suede skirt that landed a few inches above her knees and a dark brown camisole type shirt that showed just a tad bit of belly. She decided to wear the matching jacket for the skirt also for when it got cold later. She settled on a pair of brown strappy pair of heels that was perfect for dancing. She decided to wear her hair loose with four fat twist in the front.

Once she dressed she made a few sexy poses in the mirror and with a small laugh she thought `PERFECT'. She fixed her make up and as soon as she was finished she heard the doorbell rang. She went downstairs to answer the door. She figured that it was Max coming a little early. She opened the door with her sexiest smile that quickly fell off her face when she saw who was at the door.

"Liz! What are you doing here? Oops I meant when did you get back?" She backed away from the doorway. "Come in. Come in."

Liz was checking out the outfit Maria had on. "Wow Maria. You look hot. Do you have a date with Michael tonight?"

"Um... No. Michael and I aren't dating. We broke right after you left." Maria was understandably nervous. Liz wasn't due back this soon and Max would be there at any minute. They didn't discuss whether or not they would tell Liz about their relationship. The only person she talked to about Liz was Isabel.

Liz sat down on the couch. Maria sat next too her. "So who are you going out with tonight? Anyone I know?"

"Well... I was going out with Isabel, Alex, and Max. We were going to the Starlight. You know that new place they opened up before you left?"

"Oh sounds nice. Is there room for one more person? I wouldn't mind going there." She asked with a smile.

"Oh um sure no problem. Let me just go call Isabel and tell her to have Max drive his dad's Expedition so we can all fit. Be right back." Maria got up and quickly went to the phone in the kitchen. She needed privacy for what she was about to do.

"Come on Max. Pick up! Pick up!" She whispered impatiently.

"Hello!"

"Hey Max! It's me Maria. We have a situation here." She was talking really fast.

"Whoa! Whoa! Maria calm down and talk slowly. Kay Sweetie?"

"Max! Liz is here!"

"Liz! She's back? At your house?"

"Yes. She saw me dressed up and asked where I was going. So I told her that I was going out to the Starlight with you, Alex, and Isabel. We never talked about what we were going to do when she got back so I didn't say anything about it. I mean for all I know you're probably still in love with her and want to get back with her."

"Maria don't talk like that. We'll talk about that later for now I'm going to ask Isabel to come to the Starlight with us."

"Liz asked to come to. So you should ask your dad can you borrow his Expedition so we can all fit."

"Okay will do. See you in 30minutes. And Maria we really are going to have to talk later on. Okay?"

"Okay Max. See you soon."

"Bye."

Maria hung up the phone and went back into the living room with Liz. "So Liz how was Florida?"

"Oh Florida was great. Just the distraction I needed. No Tess. No FBI. Like I said just what I needed."

"You look good. I see you got your hair highlighted. I like it Chica."

"Thanks this girl I met in Florida talked me into making a change. That's not all I got." She held up her shirt and Maria noticed that she got her belly button pierced and she had a belly chain hooked to it around her stomach.

"Oh my god Liz. That is so cute." She reached out and touched it. "Does it hurt?"

"Only at first. It doesn't anymore."

They spent the next 30 minutes talking about mundane things that happened over the summer. Liz asked how everyone was doing in Roswell and Maria replied with general answers. "You will not believe what happened between Tess and Kyle" Just as she was about to start the story the doorbell rang.

Maria got up to answer it know that it was Max. She opened the door in walked her partners in crime. "Liz we've missed you so much." Crowed Alex as soon as he walked into the house.

"I missed you too Alex. I missed all of you. Even Michael."

"Hi Liz." Said Isabel. "Did you have fun in Florida?"

"Yes I did. It was a blast. Thanks for asking." She turned to Max. "Hello Max. How are you?"

"I'm fine Liz. Glad you had a nice time in Florida." He answered with a forced smile.

"Max, I'm really sorry for leaving without telling you goodbye but, I felt that I really needed to get away from it all."

"That okay Liz. I understand. We all wish we could get away from it all." He said a bit sarcastically. "But don't worry. Maria helped me get over it."

Liz looked a little confused. `Is Max still mad at me?' she thought. `And what was that comment he made about Maria helping him get over it?' She brushed her thoughts aside and smiled. "I hope you guys don't mind me coming along with y'all tonight. I really wanted to see y'all. I couldn't wait until tomorrow."

"It was no problem." Maria said as she gathered up her jacket and purse. "Come on let's get going. We don't want to be late."

At dinner the conversation was a little strained. Max wasn't saying anything. Maria was saying too much and Isabel and Alex were talking along with Maria.

Max was thinking about how different Maria was from Liz. He was also debating on how he was going to tell Liz that he was very much interested in Maria and was currently dating her. He was also wondering how Maria felt about him. Did she feel the same way as he did or was this just a summer fling for her. Could he ruin a relationship between two best friends for his satisfaction. He was so confused.

Maria was thinking about Max and how he felt about Liz. She really really liked Max and she didn't want their newfound relationship to end. However, if he was still in love with Liz then she really didn't want to stand in the way of their relationship. She was also wondering about what Max would tell her later on when they had their little talk. Was he going to break up with her? `Not that we are officially dating or anything like that.' She thought. `Oh God! Why are relationships so difficult?'

Isabel was thinking that she really needed to get Maria alone so that she could stop those negative thoughts running through her head. "I need to use the ladies room. Maria would you come with me?" She yanked Maria up out her seat before she could answer and they walked off to the bathroom.

She released Maria when they finally made it inside. "Gosh Isabel! Obvious much?" Maria fixed her clothes that had wrinkled from Isabel's death grip.

"Sorry. Just had to get you away from the tension. You know you really need to stop with those negative thoughts going through that blonde head of yours."

"How can I Iz? She's back!" she sighed pitifully. "This is all so frustrating. I was hoping for at least two more weeks of peace with Max."

"I don't know how you were expecting peace with Michael already knowing about you two."

"Michael knows?" Maria was shocked. She didn't even think about Michael.

"Yes Tess saw you two kissing at the movies. She was mad so she went and told Michael. He confronted Max earlier today."

"Oh no! What did Max say?" Maria was horrified.

"He didn't tell me much. Just that he and Michael exchanged words and then he kicked him out."

"I don't know what to do Isabel. I mean Liz is my best friend but I really really really like Max."

"Well if you want my honest opinion then, I say you don't do make any rash decisions until you've talked to Max. You can't make any legit decisions based on your feelings alone. So talk to Max tonight after he drops Liz off. Okay?"

"Okay. You're right Isabel." She gave Isabel a big hug. "You've been a tremendous help to me this summer. I don't know what I would have done without your advice."

"No problem. That's what I'm here for. Now chin up. Smile and let's go out there and have a good time."

Maria walked back to the table with a confident smile on her face. That smile did not waiver at all when she reached the table finding Alex sitting alone. She just lifted an eyebrow inquiringly. "Max went to the restroom as soon as y'all left and some guy came over and asked Liz to dance."

Maria made an inward sigh of relief and wondered again when this night would be over with. The rest of the night passed pretty much uneventfully until it was time for the ride home.

"Maria would it be possible for me to stay at your house tonight?" asked Liz.

"Umm.... Yeah sure Liz." Maria said with a forced smile.

Max was groaning silently to himself. He had planned on dropping off Liz first then Alex and Isabel. He had wanted to use this time as some talk time between him and Maria. Now he would have to find some other time. `Damn, damn, and double damn.' He said silently to himself. "Okay well then that's settled. I'll drop you two off first then."

Both girls had showered and changed and were now lounging around on Maria's bed. "Maria?"

"Hmm?" Came a mumbled reply.

"This past summer I've been doing a lot of thinking."

"Oh? About what?"

"About the choices I made at the end of the school year when I found out about Max's destiny." She paused took a breath and then continued. "I think maybe I was a little to hasty last year. I mean if Alex was willing to ignore destiny to be with Isabel then I should have been willing to do the same thing for Max."

"So what are you saying Liz?" Maria asked hesitantly.

"What I'm saying is that I want to get back with Max. Do you think he would take me back?"