Chapter 3

Michael took another step back. Maybe this wasn’t as funny as he’d first thought. Hands up, feigning fear, he said, "Me."

~~~~~~

Michael watched as Max assimilated the fact that his best friend had asked his secret love to the basketball game that he was going to be playing in. As Max’s eyes widened, his nostrils flared, his fists clenched, Michael sucked in a deep breath. "Not good, not good at all," he thought in panic. Max reached in and grabbed the front of Michael’s shirt, shoving him up against the locker. "Explain……….NOW !!" he demanded. "And, it better be good, Guerin!"

"Max, Max, whoa !" Michael choked out. "I’m doing it for you, you idiot ! Let go of me. I can’t take her if I’m dead ! She can’t see you play if you kill me !"

He felt Max ease his hold and pushed on Max’s chest. "Get off me, Maxwell, or I swear, I’ll tell her that you jerk off every night looking at her picture in the annual."

Max’s hands jerked away. "My God, Michael, you would, wouldn’t you?" And then flushed bright red when he realized that Michael had no way of knowing that.

"Oh God, you do, don’t you?" Michael burst out laughing. "I should have known. Maxwell, you need help……………or Liz. Whichever comes first." He thought about what he just said and laughed even louder.

"Knock yourself out, Guerin," Max growled. "I’m glad you think this is so funny. I’m dying here and you’re making jokes."

"Max, she wanted to go. She told you she had to work cause she thought you didn’t really want her to," he blurted out. "I wish you two would just talk. I can’t always be here to help you." His face was quivering, as he tried to hold the laughter back. Max was a basketcase where Liz Parker was concerned.

"And, just think of it. You get to go to sit right by her in English Lit…………. right about……..Now!"

Michael watched Max’s eyes pop open. "Oh Jeez, I can’t look at her right now, much less talk to her," Max gulped. "I’ll…..I’ll skip class."

"Yeah, and pigs are gonna fly right out of my nose," Michael grinned. "You wouldn’t skip class if you were on fire. Go, Max. Be brave. She won’t bite……

even though you might want her to………..to go with the um, nightly annual

action." He swung out of the way as Max aimed his fist directly toward his pig-flying nose.

"Be nice to me, Maxwell. I have a date with your girl. I might decide to make a play myself if you aren’t careful," he chuckled as he danced out of Max’s way and saw Maria and Liz coming toward them down the hallway. ‘One last shot’, he thought, as he said loudly, "You don’t want to ask Ginny Owens to the dance?"

Max rolled his eyes. "Michael, if I can’t take Liz, I don’t want to go. I want her to watch me play in the game. I want……………" he saw Michael cut his eyes over his shoulder. Freezing, Max looked murderously at Michael. "She’s right behind me, isn’t she?" he groaned.

"Uh huh!" Michael snorted. He swung his eyes over to Maria, and winked. She was holding Liz’s hand, feeling her squeeze the blood out of her fingers.

Max couldn’t turn around. He was glued to the floor. "Did she hear all that?" he whispered?

"Ooooooooh, yeah !" Michael laughed. "You should see her face."

Suddenly, Maria grabbed Michael’s hand and dragged him off down the hall. "See you guys later," she giggled, leaving the two embarrassed teens standing in the middle of the hall.

"Hey, Max," Liz said softly.

"Hey." He wasn’t sure where to look. At her feet? At her books? Anywhere but at her face. He was so embarrassed.

She waited for him to say something. He had just told Michael that he wanted to take her to the dance….that he wanted her to see him play.

Now, he just needed to talk to her.

"Max?"

He lifted his face and looked in her eyes. His stomach rumbled, his palms got all sweaty. "Liz, will you go to the dance with me after the game on Friday?"

"Yes, Max," she smiled and his heart flipped. He took her books out of her hands, stacked them with his and walked beside her toward English Lit.