Part 9

Isabel looked over at her brother as they parked in front of the Crashdown on Wednesday afternoon. She quickly checked her reflection in the mirror and turned to Max.

"So, are you going to ask her today?" Isabel asked. Max stared into the Crashdown, trying to tamp down his nervous thoughts. He was going to ask Liz to the fall Homecoming Dance, and he was going to ask her today. He’d been tormenting himself for over a week, wondering how to ask her, how to approach her. His uncertainty had largely been quelled the night before, but doubts still plagued him.

What if she refused him?

"You know, I heard that Scott Johnson was going to ask her," Isabel said carelessly. She managed not to grin at Max’s stricken face as he turned to look at her. She laughed, unable to keep the lie to herself.

"I’m sorry Max, I made that up. But someone could ask her!" Isabel replied. Still, Max said nothing and Isabel softened, feeling sympathy for her shy brother.

"She’ll say yes, Max, I know she will. It’s just that a girl likes to feel wanted, and not someone’s last minute choice. So, since the dance is next weekend, you should ask her soon. Like today," Isabel prompted. Max sighed.

"I know, Iz. This stuff isn’t easy for me. It might be if it wasn’t Liz, but she’s, well, she’s—"

"Special. Yeah, I know Max, she is. And she’s perfect for you," Isabel offered. Max looked at his sister in surprise, having never heard her speak that way before. She leaned over and gave him a quick peck on the cheek before she reached for the car door handle.

"I’m meeting Alex to look for a gift for his mom, we’ll probably stop by the Crashdown later on," Isabel said as she climbed down from the jeep. Max nodded and watched her go, her steps quick as she hurried to Alex. After reciting the way he would ask Liz to the dance a few dozen times, Max finally entered the Crashdown. The café was not busy, but a steady number of customers occupied the tables and booths. Grinning, Max saw that their usual booth was free and he slid into it, shedding his jacket and pulling out a school book to read.

Liz struggled not to stare at Max as he got settled in the booth by the wall, facing the kitchen, where he always sat. Maria teased her that he sat there to get a good view of her, but she laughed the thought away as her heart secretly hoped it to be true. Her breath quickened at the sight of Max in a gray t-shirt that stretched across his chest in all the right ways. Since she’d walked in on him last night she no longer had to imagine what he looked like underneath that shirt.

Liz’s eyes were locked on Max as she moved. Even as she cleaned the counter, then moved onto the milkshake machine, her eyes never wavered. The way he made her feel was so new, and so different than anything she’d ever felt. She just wanted to be near him, to soak in that feeling. Not wanting to appear too bold but also unable to resist, Liz walked over to Max’s table and was rewarded by his smile at her.

For a few seconds they merely smiled and gazed at one another, as if the sight could never grow old. Then, Liz fumbled in her apron and pulled out her order pad and pen. She cleared her throat and attempted to appear professional, something that seemed impossible since whenever Max was around she giggled like crazy and felt lightheaded.

"What can I get you?" she asked. Max examined the menu like he didn’t already know it by heart and then he looked up to answer.

"Just a Will Smith and—"

"Cherry cola, got it. I’ll be right back with your drink Max," Liz replied, moving away from the table. As Liz walked away Max sighed and resisted the urge to slam his head on the table. She had been right there. He could have asked her, it would have been so simple. It was only ten little words.

Liz, will you go to the Homecoming Dance with me?

"Did you say something Max?" Liz asked curiously as she set his drink down on the table. Max’s head shot up and he briefly wondered if she’d heard him.

"Um, no," Max replied. When Liz started to turn away, Max began to panic. He would never ask her if he kept putting it off.

"Liz?"

Liz turned around quickly, as if she’d been hoping he would call her name.

"Yes?"

"Can you sit down a minute?"

Liz flashed him a bright smile and nodded happily before she sat down across from him in the booth. Max looked around worriedly.

"I don’t want to keep you from your duties, or get your dad mad at me," Max said. Liz waved her hand in the air.

"It’s no problem. Maria can handle the front, Michael’s actually working in the back for once and my Dad likes you, so he won’t get mad," Liz replied. Max was still dwelling on the fact that Liz’ dad liked him when he blinked and met Liz’s expectant eyes.

"Did you want to talk to me about something?" she asked, gently prodding him. Max shifted in his seat and folded his hands, concentrating on the nicked formica table.

"Yeah, I did. It’s just kind of hard to just blurt out. And I don’t want you to feel obligated to say yes either. Isabel was telling me, and I couldn’t miss all the talk at school, about this dance coming up. She said it’s the big dance for the fall and I was wondering, if you weren’t busy, or if someone hadn’t already asked you. But if you are busy, or if you were going to go with Michael or Alex or something, that’s ok—"

Liz halted his rambling with her hand on his. He looked up from studying the table to meet Liz’s eyes, laughing a little. She looked happy, which he took as a good sign.

"Max, I’ll say yes."

Max breathed a sigh of relief, amazed that she had known what he wanted to say in the end and how difficult it was for him to ask her.

"Liz, will you go with me to the Homecoming Dance?"

Instead of saying yes, Liz nodded eagerly, her ponytail bobbing up and down. And he felt her fingers tighten on his hand and he grinned at her, reveling in the way her touch made his heart race. She made him feel so alive and so happy, more than he’d even felt before. And then Max realized that he had a whole new set of things to worry about. Their first date.

Max brushed those worries aside, they were trivial in comparison to the fact that he would be the one walking in with Liz to the dance. She would be standing next to him, holding onto him when they danced and cradled against him all through the night. Liz stood up quickly, her eyes excited.

"I have to go tell Maria! She’ll be so excited. I’ll be right back Max!" Liz said, giving him a little wave as she bounced behind the counter to where Maria was fixing another pot of coffee. Max couldn’t hear them, but he saw their heads lean towards each other and then Maria’s yelp filled the air. Max shook his head at amazement from the unintelligible sounds coming from the girls. Michael stuck his head through the window to the kitchen and he looked at Maria and Liz, puzzled.

"What the hell is going on? Did someone win the lottery?" he asked.

"Better! Max asked Liz to the Homecoming Dance!!!" Maria exclaimed. Michael rolled his eyes at the announcement and then ducked his head back into the kitchen. From far in the back, Max heard Michael yelling.

"Nothing to worry about Dad. Maria and Liz were just excited because Max asked Liz to the Homecoming Dance."

Max wondered if there was anywhere to hide. He should have known that with Maria around the news would spread like a fire. He knew she was just excited for Liz and he didn’t mind, but it would have been nice to keep as their secret for a little while. Liz and Maria were excitedly discussing what he assumed to be plans for the dance when a new song started on the jukebox. Maria and Liz froze at the sound and Max watched with curiosity as they shared a glance and then Liz leaned into the kitchen, calling for her father.

"Dad, it’s our song," she said, and Max watched as Jeff came out from behind the café and held out his hand to his daughter, who giggled and ran to him.

Max watched as Jeff spun Liz around and she laughed, her eyes lighting up. Max realized that he was seeing what Liz must have been like as a little girl. Her father was much taller than he and they danced easily together, a testament to the fact that the song probably played often in the Crashdown Café and Liz and her father danced to it every time.

Jeff watched his daughter’s every move as she twirled around in front of him. It had been tradition, for him to dance with his brown eyed girl whenever the song played on the jukebox. The record had never come out of the jukebox since Lizzie had been old enough to stand on his feet when they danced. As time had passed she could stand in front of him on her own, letting him guide her around. Then, something happened and she started to dance with him, knowing how to move, when to pull away, turn under his arm and come back.

And Liz had gone from being a little girl to becoming a graceful young woman who still loved to dance with her father. And as Jeff had watched her the last few weeks, whenever Max was around, he knew that Liz was no longer just his. And, glancing over at Max watching them carefully, a smile on his face as his eyes were locked on Lizzie, Jeff realized he couldn’t have asked for a better person to care for his daughter. It was hard to be gracious when it came to letting his daughter go, but in the same breath, he realized it was actually easier than he thought. All he had to do was look at Liz’s eyes brushing over Max’s face and he knew. With practiced ease, Jeff guided them over to Max’s table and gestured to the young man.

"Max, since you’re going to be taking Lizzie to the dance, don’t you think you should practice?" Jeff suggested. Max found himself nodding slowly and rising from the booth and walking towards them. He caught Liz’s soft smile of thanks to her father and Max thought he saw something akin to bittersweet happiness on Jeff’s face. It wasn’t easy to let Liz go, Max realized.

Jeff stepped aside and Max reached for Liz. She came to him easily, one hand settling on his shoulder and the other clasped in his. His hand found the small of her back and pulled her close. She brushed up against him and Max struggled to ignore the shudders of his body. She was waiting for him, so Max moved to guide them towards the back of the café, at least a little bit away from the eyes of everyone else. The song was quick, so they moved fast, Max spinning Liz around, her laughter filling his ears, her smile the only thing he saw.

The song ended much too quickly for Max’s liking, but he stayed close to Liz, his arms at her sides and her hands on his shoulders. One of his hands stole up to her face, cupping her cheek and locking her eyes with his. Breathlessly, Liz knew he was going to kiss her. Her eyes fluttered closed, waiting for the welcome pressure of his lips.

"I said today!"

Liz’s eyes snapped open at the angry sound of yelling, coming from the front of the café. Max, still holding her, turned to look with her. Two men were arguing and then one stood up, smashing some plates and a glass.

"I want the money today! Not tomorrow!"

Maria looked at Liz fearfully and Michael was poking his head through the door from the kitchen. Liz held Max next to her, her fingers gripping his arm.

Then she saw the gun.

Liz gasped as the light glinted off the metal of the gun and it suddenly felt like the world slowed down. She heard Maria yell her name and noticed that everyone in the café had ducked down. It seemed like she was moving too slow. She heard the deafening sound of a gunshot once, then a second time. When she hit the ground it almost didn’t hurt. Her head banged against the tile, but she barely noticed.

She felt the weight of something on her, pining her down. Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes. Max was covering her, his body almost limp. Liz moved a little so that Max was next to her, on his back. She leaned over him, and feeling her hands were wet, she wiped them on her apron. Then she brought her hand up to Max’s face and she gasped at the sight of blood, dark red, covering her hands.

Looking down, she saw that blood covered the front of her uniform, she hadn’t even noticed when she wiped her hands. She knew it wasn’t hers. Then she looked over at Max’s chest and saw the dark red covering him, seeping out of him. Max’s eyes were mere slits as he tried to focus on her and he nodded slightly, seeming reassured she was fine. Then he somehow he touched her face briefly before dropping his hand to the ground and his head lolled to the side.

Liz felt fear and despair course through her veins as she placed her hands over the wound on Max’s chest, trying to put pressure on it. Tears ran down her face, but she didn’t bother to wipe them away. Her voice became a litany in her mind, her own words jumbling together as she frantically tried to call him back.

"Max!!! Oh my God! No, no, no, no, no, no!!!!"