| PART 19 Today I�m not up to going to school. After that night I kicked Michael out of my house, I haven�t been able to sleep. All I�ve been doing is crying or exercising. I climb back into my window and glance at the clock to see it�s 5 am. Time to get ready for school. I head for the shower. I�ve been jogging on nights that I can�t get to sleep or am just feeling sorry for myself. Jogging and/or singing have always been a way for me to forget my problems. I turn off the water and get dressed. I go downstairs to the kitchen and try to eat breakfast. Another thing I haven�t been able to do is eat. I�m playing with my food when Alex comes downstairs. �Did you make any for me?� I push my plate to him and stand up. �You�ve got to eat, Lizzie.� I shake my head in response. �What happened, Lizzie? Why don�t you talk to me?� I shake my head. I�m not ready to say Michael and I are no longer a couple, because I don�t want to think about it. I lift my head up and close my eyes willing myself not to cry. You can do this. Just drown out all your emotions. You�ve done it before so it�s not hard. �Please, Lizzie. Maybe if you talk about it, it won�t hurt as much.� I don�t say anything. I can�t talk about it, not yet. That wound is still fresh. Alex walks up behind me and turns me around to hug me. I feel my body begin to tremble so I push away from him. I don�t want to cry. I don�t want to feel sorry for myself. �I�m fine.� I hear him sigh. �Why don�t you stay home? You don�t have to go to school.� I shrug my shoulders and say, �I�ll have to go eventually, so I might as well get it over with now." There�s a knock at the door and my heart sinks. That can�t be him. I can�t see him, not yet, not this soon. Alex walks to the door and answers it. I let out my breath in relief when I see Isabel at the door. They greet each other with a kiss and I turn away. �Hey,� Isabel says when she enters the kitchen followed by Alex. I smile at her the best I can and she gives me a sympathetic look. �Is Michael going to school today?� Alex asks Isabel. I turn to look at him because there�s a hint of bitterness in his voice. Isabel must have heard it too, because she�s almost hesitant to answer. �He is. Daddy wouldn�t let him stay home another day. Since he �. Since he doesn�t appear to be sick anymore.� I know Isabel and I know she�s hiding something, so I reply, �What? His girlfriend came over?� Isabel casts her eyes downward and says, �Daddy is just mad at him, right now.� I laugh bitterly and say, �But you still didn�t answer my question. Did he have a guest over or not?� I know she�s lying for him because of the way she doesn�t answer my question. �Forget it. I�m walking,� I say harshly. I leave slamming the door behind me. ************************************************************************ I try to stay home, but my old man won�t let me. He thinks if I�m able to disappear without a trace and have friends come over, I�m healthy enough to go to school. In a way, I do want to go, because then I�m able to see Liz. I tried to call her all day yesterday, but she wouldn�t take my calls. I could tell Alex was getting pissed at me, so I stopped calling her and went to her house, but she wasn�t there. So I just stood outside her window for a while hoping she�d be home soon, hoping she�d take me back. I headed back home depressed. An unwelcome Tess was waiting for me. I couldn�t believe she had the nerve to show up when she the one who caused me to lose Liz, the person that made me feel whole. I kicked Tess out upon seeing her. I didn�t want her near me; I didn�t want her to think I wanted anything to do with her. Isabel hadn�t liked the way I handled the situation, but I didn�t care. I notice Isabel is already gone. I�m guessing she�s meeting up with Alex. I wish she had told me. Now I have to ride with Max. I�m waiting for Max to get his face out of the mirror. When he finally approves he heads for the door and I follow behind him. He unlocks the door and says, �I would have never guessed you�d swallow your pride to ride with me.� �It was either that or walk. I'd rather torture myself than walk,� I say briskly. We both get in the car and the drive is silent. I look out the window hoping Liz will talk to me. I don�t think I can take it if she doesn�t. How am I going to prove to her I want her and not Tess? I just have to get her alone then maybe I�ll be able to convince her. �Has Liz put out yet?� Max asks bringing me out of my thoughts. I look over at him hoping I didn�t hear what I thought I did. �Excuse me?� Max�s voice rising he repeats, �Has Liz put out yet? She looks like she could be an animal in bed.� �Shut the hell up.� I scowl. Max laughs and says, �I guess she hasn�t. If it were me, bro, she would have given it up a long time ago.� �Didn�t I tell you to shut the fuck up? What part of that didn�t you understand?� I growl. �Don�t get all worked up. I was just asking a question,� Max replies. �I don�t want you to ever talk about Liz like that. You got that?� Max rolls his eyes and says, �Or what? You going to kick my ass? So it�s okay for you to lead her on and fuck some other girl?� I narrow my eyes at him and say, �What the hell are you talking about?� Max laughs, �Didn�t you hear?� He laughs again. �No, so why don�t you just spit it out.� Max parks the car in the school�s parking lot and says, �Well first off, you were caught making out with Maria under the bleachers. I hear that�s her favorite make out place. Then Tess arrived in town. Well she's the other girl you�re fucking. Were you ever going to tell Liz? Do I have to go and comfort the poor girl? You�re such a screw up, Michael, but seeing how we�re half blood and all, I�ll let you in on a little secret. When it comes to women, don�t piss them off, because they�ll find ways to hurt you.� I watch Max as he heads toward the school, but he suddenly comes back to me and says, �And I�m only telling you this because Isabel asked me to. I know they're only rumors and you need to go to the source to get it straightened out. But this time it�s not Tess.� I dazedly watch Max walk off. I can�t believe he�s helping me. What�s got into him? I quickly walk into the school in search of a certain person. ************************************************************************ As I approach my locker, I see Max waiting for me. I�m not in the mood to deal with his shit. �What do you want, Max?� I sigh. Max smiles and says, �I just wanted to tell you two things.� �Make it fast.� He chuckles and says, �In a hurry, are we?� I roll my eyes and face him with my arms crossed. �First I want to tell you how beautiful you are.� I slam my locker closed and start to walk off, but Max stops me by placing his hand on my shoulder. �Wait. I also want to tell you that I like you, Liz, and I know I�ve been a jerk before, but since you�ve been such a good friend to Isabel I just want to return the favor, okay?� I nod wondering what he�s trying to tell me. I try to get a glimpse of his eyes, but they're downcast. He looks into my eyes and says, �You�re going to hear rumors going around, but don�t believe them. Also don�t take your anger out on the innocent person.� Max rolls his eyes and continues, �I can�t believe innocent and �. well never mind. Anyway believe me when I say this, the betrayer isn�t the one you�d expect.� He walks off without a backward glance. What the hell does he mean? Why was he speaking in riddles? Whatever, I�m not going to worry about it. |