Maria pulled up Kyle's car, on a sandy lot, outside of The Crashdown, dusty smoke made of sand blew lightly from the wheels. She had donned her waitressing uniform already and made her way into the fairly busy and respectfully popular, themed cafeteria. She was a little early, as usual and noticed her good friend Alex Whitman sitting in the corner with his back to her, and planned to greet him as soon as she'd settled in. However, she found herself unsettled. She had gotten behind the counter and looked through the 'chef's hatch', which was a little window leading to the kitchen, in order to place orders from the counter to the chef. She saw her best friend Liz Parker there, with somebody who was unfamiliar to her. This stranger didn't even seem to be from anywhere around, yet Liz spoke, acted and giggled with her, in a way which was too close to home for Maria. How could Liz have found somebody that she was so apparently connected with, so soon and without Maria knowing?
"Well Liz, if you wanted to start dating other people, why didn't you just say?" Maria joked sarcastically, with a bemused, stoney look upon her face.
"Oh Maria, sorry I haven't introduced you two yet. Tess, meet Maria, my closest and best friend for the whole of my entire life, who's never getting rid of me in spite of her efforts, and Maria meet Tess, a new addition to our social circle, my new friend, who just days ago saved my very life." Liz forced a smile which seemed to gleam over the face of it's spectators and she was trying to lighten the potentially unsure atmosphere between the three girls.
"And by the looks of things, a new workmate of ours here at The Crashdown, unless she's just playing dress-up." Maria noticed that Tess was wearing a uniform. "Well what can I say? You've only known her a few days and not only has she saved your life, she also gets a job here to boot. I can't compete with that." Liz isn't certain of Maria's intentions and genuine concern sparkles in her big brown eyes.
"Look, Maria, I don't mean to step on your turf here or anything…it's just…"
"Tess is it?" Maria smiled. "Don't worry, my bark is so much worse than my bite, I was just foolin' around. But if you stain my uniform or screw my orders up, then you'll find yourself in some real trouble." Maria grimaced a mocking smile to Tess. Liz stayed silent because she knew Maria's temperament too well. Maria was feeling something against Tess, something which would pass, but Liz new that Maria sometimes needed time to get things out of her system.
The day went on and the girls laughed and joked about Tess's many mistakes, and the three ended up getting along very well, but Maria was still a little ill-amused at the fact that Liz had this new friend and hadn't found it important enough to share with her, before she found out by chance. Fortunately, Maria managed to hold this in, but took private moments away from the trio, to process it.
When the time comes for the girls to have a lunch break, Maria decides to drive around for a while and invites the other two to come along. They decline and they all go about their own business happily. Liz and Tess have a light-hearted chat in the kitchen, then Liz turns the conversation unexpectedly into one of a much serious tone.
"Tess…there's something I need to tell someone…and I don't know how to, or if I even should…it's complicated."
"Are you talking about Maria? It's alright Liz, I won't tell anybody, I can see that this is causing you a problem."
"Well…yes it is about Maria. There's something that's happened and it's something I can't explain to you. I discovered something which I promised to keep secret…but I can't keep it from Maria…not only because I don't want to, but I have a feeling that certain things will happen if I don't tell her…and I don't know why I'm so sure of all of this but I am."
"Maria is a great friend. You two haven't exactly been buzzing around each other today, but I can see it in both your eyes. You've found a one-in-a-million friend in each other, and that kind of thing lasts a lifetime. I don't know what it is that you feel you have to tell her…but I know that you know Maria just as well as you know yourself. I know that if you feel so strongly about this, then you'll only be doing the right thing."
"But by me telling her, people could get hurt…I don't want anything bad to ever come from mine and Maria's friendship and I don't want to betray my trust."
"I can tell one thing for sure. You're not going to rest until you've told Maria this burning secret. So the fact is, you are going to tell her. All you have to do is find a way to do that, which doesn't breach your trust. It can be done you know…rules can be bent…whatever the straight laced Liz Parker might think."
"Thanks for your advice. I'm still a little unsure about what to do but I feel relaxed about it now. First you save my life, and now you're my personal councilor…I only hope I can offer you similar help when the time comes.
"Hey! Less of this payback talk! You made me welcome here, in a place that was new to me, where I would otherwise have had a bad time fitting in. And your parents were kind enough to give me this job, which if I didn't have, I would be completely broke. So you have to realize that we're even now OK?"
"I suppose. Maria is having an off-day today…but I hope that when she's over it, that you two can get along better."
"She's a great person Liz and we all have off-days, but I hope we all get along too." Notices Liz drifting off into thought. "Is something up? Where were you just now? I just lost you for a second there."
"I'm just thinking of a friend."