Title: Sweet Dreams
Part: 1
Author: Tecla
Email: [email protected]
Disclaimer: I don't own anything blah, blah, blah, you get the picture.
Summary: Maria is having strange dreams and Max has a secret.
Category: Unconventional - Max/Maria
Rating: PG

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I've been looking at the wrong person. All this time I've never seen you for who you really are and on that one night, when I saw your face, it was like, fate and I knew we were meant to be together. You gave me hope, you saved my life. Damn the world, lets run away. Just you and me forever and ever...

Maria woke with a start. She ran her hands through her hair and over her face. She was sweating like mad. For about five days now she had been in bed with the flu. The weird thing was, she kept having these dreams. Each time she would wake up and find herself lying on a bed of stars and when she began to walk around, five stars would follow her, but eventually all of them would fade away, except for one. Then there would be this voice that sounded as if it was whispering in her ear, but when she looked around, she was totally alone. The voice said things that made her feel better, and with every word it said, the star would begin to take shape, but she would always wake before she could find out who it was.

"Knock, knock," came the familiar voice of Liz as she peered around the door.

"Hi," Maria said very blankly.

"You okay?" Liz said, sitting down on the bed.

"I had one of those dreams again. They're so weird but something about them makes me feel so safe." She said, slumping back into her pillow.

"Don't worry, I'm sure once you get better, everything will be fine and these dreams will go away. Maybe you're a little delusional."

"Hardly. No, no I think it's something else," Maria said, trying to search her mind for an answer.

"Well, here are your study notes, and a present, from Michael. He's very worried about you and says he hopes you get better," Liz said as she placed the package in Maria's hands.

"I have to go now, since you're in bed, I have to work double so ciao," Liz said as she blew Maria a kiss.

"Yeah bye." Maria sat up at eyed the package closely. When she was sure it didn't contain anything harmful to her health (not that she actually was worrying about that) she untied the string and unfolded the newspaper.

"Michael," she whispered under her breath. It was a Chinese shawl with a red dragon on the back and red tassels around the edge. She ran her fingers over the fabric and it made her tingle.

"You know me to well Michael Guerin," she said wrapping it around her shoulders. She lay down and closed her eyes drifting silently off to sleep.

Did you ever notice me? Ever? I always noticed you. The way when you walked into a room, it would light up. Or if someone was feeling down you would say something to make him or her feel better. And the way you smiled and laughed, it was like I had seen an angel fall from heaven. I loved that about you. I could never get you alone cause I was to scared of the consequences. Being alone with you would be like filling every dream and fantasy I ever had. But if you would let me in, just for a moment, to let me see you, I think my life would be complete. So I'm asking you to trust me, please...

Maria opened her eyes and smiled. That was the best dream she had ever had. The star was on the verge of revealing itself, when she woke up, again. But she felt so safe and so wanted. Except now there was one thing that Maria recognized about the dream and that was the voice. It was Michael's, she knew it. So when the star was fully formed it had to be Michael. At least now she didn't have to fret over these dreams and their meanings. They were weird and all, but if they were about Michael she didn't have to worry.

The next morning Maria was perfectly well and her mother gave her the all clear to go to school. She was looking forward to seeing everyone again. Liz came round her house to pick her up and they talked mainly about the things that Maria had missed and caught up on all gossip. There was so much to take in; Maria couldn't believe what had been going on in her absence. Liz's dad dropped them off and as they approached the entrance Michael came in front of Maria and pulled her towards him, resulting in the most intense kiss Maria had ever had. When she broke away from Michael, he grinned and gave her a big hug. Liz said she would see Maria later and walked off in the opposite direction.

"I missed you," he said putting her forehead on hers.

"I missed you too, but I'm back and I'm late for English, so if you excuse me, I'll be going," she said breaking away from him.

"Wait, did you like the thing," he said still holding onto her hand.

"Of course I did, thank you."

"Your welcome." Maria smiled at him and then walked to English.

She was ten minutes late for English and when she tired to creep in Mr. Green caught her, but he forgot all about it when he realized that she hadn't been at school for the past week. Maria took her place at the back of the classroom and fell down into her seat. Mr. Green started to talk to the class, but Maria wasn't listening. She looked at Max who was sitting next to her and he mouthed, how are you? She mouthed back that she was okay and they both smiled at each other.

"Mr. Evans, maybe you would like to start us off," Mr. Green said to Max. Max looked at him very blankly, without a clue in the world what he was talking about.

"Um, Mr. Green. What have we actually been doing in English lately?" Maria asked him.

"Well, we've been focusing on developing our skills in creative writing and two days ago, the class wrote poems," he said still eyeing Max.

"What were they about?" Maria asked, interested.

"Anything the person wished to write about."

"So you want Max to read his poem?" Maria asked innocently, batting her eyelids.

"Yes," he said turning towards Max. "Would you do the honors?"

"Sure," Max said. He got up from his seat and looked over his shoulder at Maria and mouthed thank you to her. She mouthed pleasure and Mr. Green interrupted him, saying that he forgot his paper on his desk.

When Max was finally ready to read his poem everyone had fallen asleep. But Maria was interested to know what he had written about. He cleared his throat and got the attention of everyone.

"Did you ever notice me? Ever? I always noticed you. The way when you walked into a room, it would light up. Or if someone was feeling down you would say something to make him-" The class was distracted by and crashing sound that came from the back, everyone turned around and saw Maria on the ground, trying to pick up all her stationery that she had knocked off the table.

"Miss de Luca, are you okay?" Mr. Green asked.

"Fine, yes I'm fine," she said picking up all her pencils that were scattered across the room. Max came to the back and knelt down to try and helps her but Maria backed away and asked Mr. Green if she could go the bathroom. He said yes and she practically ran out the classroom.

"What was that? What just happened? Why was Max saying those things that were in my dream?" Maria said to herself as she splashed water on her face.

"They were about Liz, they had to be," she said looking at herself in the mirror.

"What was about me?" Liz said as she came into the bathroom.

"Nothing, just talking to myself. You know, silly old me."

"Maria."

"Yes?" she asked Liz with a confused look on her face.

"You're babbling."

"Right, I'll stop, I have to go Liz, see you around," Maria said as she pushed the door open.

As she walked back into the classroom, everyone looked at her. She rushed to her seat and tried to avoid eye contact with Max.

"So nice of you to join us again Miss de Luca, now shall we continue, page 142," everyone had their reading books out and Maria reached into her bag and pulled out her copy of 'Catcher in the Rye'. As she found the page Max slipped a piece of paper onto her desk. She unfolded it and her mouth almost fell open. Eraser room, next lesson. She thought about it for a spilt second and then made up her mind. She looked at Max and nodded. There were a lot of things she had to ask him, so this would be a good time, since she had the next lesson free.

When the lesson was over she tired to catch up with Max, but he disappeared in the crowd and she made her way to the eraser room. When she got there, Max was already waiting for her.

"You wanted to talk," she squeaked, she wasn't too sure anymore why she was in here, with Max.

"Okay, I know this isn't the best place. But I hope when I say that I'm not here to grope or maul you, you'll be more comfortable," Max said as a joke. The lump in Maria's throat totally disappeared.

"What? I wasn't even thinking anything like that! I'm totally at ease."

"Good, cause I'm here to talk."

"About?"

"About what happened last lesson," Max said looking her straight in the eye.

"Nothing happened, I knocked over my pencil-case, it's not a crime you know," Maria said heading for the door.

"Wait, are you sure everything's okay?" he said blocking the exit. Maria looked up at him and smiled.

"Well, if you don't mind me asking, who was the poem about?"

There was a moment of silence and Max looked down and then back up at Maria. "Liz, it was about Liz," he said.

"That's what I thought. See you Max," Maria said and Max stepped aside. As Maria left she closed the door behind her and as she did so Max slumped against the wall and sighed.

"If you only knew," Max said to himself.

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