| Max was gasping for breath when he stood in front of Michael and Maria, his hair stuck to his head like a cap, and his new clothes soaked with rainwater. His fists were clenched tightly at his sides. It wasn�t pleasing to see your girlfriend in such an intimate position with her ex. Something inside him rebelled at the thought that he would lose her doing something that would only make his mother happy. He shook his head against the betrayal he saw in Maria�s eyes. He had hurt her. That was clear. When Michael took a step forward, he didn�t dare step back. �I just want to explain,� he told the taller guy. �You�ve made her cry enough for one night,� Michael answered. �Maybe you should wait until tomorrow.� Max turned his pleading eyes at Maria. �Please. I didn�t mean to hurt you. Hear me out.� Maria shook her head. Pulling the towel that Michael had provided closer around her, she went wordlessly to the break room. �Evans, just go home and blow the candles on your birthday cake.� Max glared furiously at Michael. �She�s upset, Guerin.� �She�s upset with you,� the other responded matter-of-factly. �And you�re dam-ned happy about that.� �I�m not taking advantage of her being pissed at you the way you took advantage of the time she was hurting about me. Now just go home.� �I want to make sure she�s going to all right,� Max gritted out. �I�ll make sure she goes home fine.� When Max still seemed a bit unsure, Michael assured him. �I�m not going to jump her. You�re still officially her boyfriend, Evans. And she�s still emotionally stressed from what you�ve done.� �Look, you don�t understand what it�s like to be me!� �Then we�re even.� Max looked confused for a moment. And then he slumped down on a chair and held his head in his hands. �I love her. I really do. But I love my mom. And she doesn�t like Maria. I can�t just turn my back on my mom, Guerin. You wouldn�t understand. I was adopted and Dianne Evans took care of me. I have to be everything she needs me to be. I can�t disappoint her.� Great, Michael thought. He was going to be Dear Abby. It was one thing to be sympathetic to Maria. He loved her to bits. He most definitely wasn�t in love with Max. This wasn�t nice. �I really don�t need to be hearing this,� he muttered. It was like the Evans kid didn�t hear him. But then again he was so used to people hanging on to his every word that what Michael said probably didn�t seem possible to the guy. �All my life I�ve pushed to be someone my parents can be proud of, so they won�t regret adopting me and my sister. And I�ve succeeded. Until now. Now I just want to make Maria happy. And I can�t balance it!� �You�ve made Maria ashamed.� Michael meant to spit it out, like he was blaming Evans. Instead, it came out softer than intended. Max glanced up. �What do you mean?� �You�ve made the girl ashamed of herself. She doesn�t feel like she deserves to be with you, because you�re ashamed of her.� Was he freaking helping this as.shole out? �I�m not ashamed of her.� �Then tell her that.� �I love her.� �You already said that.� �I just don�t want to disappoint my mom.� �Sometimes even fancy pants like you have to be men, Evans. Don�t be too scared. It�s just sometimes.� Max didn�t know whether to be insulted or grateful. He opted not to react. He stood up and turned to leave the diner. �Will you call me to say if she gets home okay?� Michael looked at him for the longest time before replying. �No.� �Isabel.� No answer. �Please, man. Isabel hates my guts because of this entire thing.� Sigh. �Fine. I�ll call Isabel.� �Thank you.� �Get your dripping ass out of the diner. I�ll need to mop the floor again.� ~~ �Is he gone?� she asked faintly when Michael opened the door to the breakroom. �I booted his smarmy ass outta here,� he responded lightly. �Are you okay?� She nodded. Michael sat beside her and drew her against him the way he used to do when she cried over Amy. �I�m wet,� she sighed against his shoulder, but unwilling to move. �You�re going to get wet.� �Who cares,� he muttered. �I�m going to be out in the room anyway.� �Oh good.� �Maria,� he prompted. �Talk about it.� It was a command. He knew the only way she can get the load off her chest would be to vocalize her feelings. �I thought I was so lucky,� she began. �Max Evans, every girl�s dream, liked me. It made me feel like I was worth something, you know. I was all down because you were a jerk.� Michael grunted in agreement at her characterization of her. He needed to make her see that none of this was her fault. �But it turns out I�m the stupid one.� He jerked his shoulder in disapproval, making her head bounce on the bone. �Ouch!� she protested. �It�s true anyway. I let myself be carried away by the prospect of a Max Evans.� �What does that mean?� he urged. �I�m in love with the image of Max Evans falling for Maria De Luca. I�m in love with the promise of a brighter future for me, a better world out there. I�m in love with the thought of getting out of here with someone stable. Michael, I�m in love with everything Max might be. Not him.� �I thought you loved him,� he murmured. �You certainly looked like you were crushed just now.� She laughed softly. �That�s because I am. I�m crushed. I never realized until tonight how� stupid, ignorant, dumb� ahhh I�ve run out of words� Suffice it to say I never thought it was possible that all those negative things Liz commented about my brain capacity was true. I really am�� Michael raised his finger to shut her up. �Continue that line of thought and you really are dumb.� �Hey!� �You�re the smartest, most sensitive woman in Roswell� in America. And I�m happy you�re clear on what�s going on with you and that prissy boy. I assume you�re breaking up with him tomorrow?� She sighed. �So I�m gonna need a date for the graduation ball.� �I�m sure something can be arranged.� She brightened up. �Really?� �Valenti�ll be�� She swatted him at the side of his head. �Yeah, yeah. Just let me do this right.� Michael stood up and took the towel from her. He hung it on the bar nailed to the door. And then he pulled Maria up to her feet. He closed the door of the break room behind him. A few second later he rapped on the door. Maria opened it uncertainly. �Maria.� �Michael.� �I was just about to log out after I mop the mess in the dining area. I was wondering if I could walk you home tonight.� She smiled. �I�d like that.� He still stood there grinning. �Anything else?� �There�s this dance after graduation. I wanted to know if you want to come with me.� His eyes were sparkling with sincere excitement, and they were mirrored in her own. �Let�s see how the walk goes first,� she answered mischievously. �I�ll consider it.� Michael chuckled. �I love you,� he breathed out in between the laughter. �Baby steps,� she grinned. TBC |
| Part 10 |
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