Part 5

Liz turned her attention back to the matter at hand. The need to express her feelings to the others was great and was need to be attended to.

“Ever since Max saved my life from the shooting, I’ve learned who were your true friends, and who were the enemies you had to fry. I learned love, hate, misery, and horror, every feeling possible in just 2 years. But, I don’t regret any one of them. In a sense, I have gone to hell and back.”

She paused, trying to sort her mind. She knew Maria or someone else would try to interrupt her and so she hurried on.

“I love you all like you’re my true family. But, the truth is, I can’t stand it anymore. I can’t stand the lies, I can’t stand running and hiding in fear. I just can’t stand it! I want out!”

“Liz!” Isabel and Maria yelled, “You’re not making any sense.”

Liz gave a short wry laugh. “Max.”

“Yes?” Warning bells rang in his head.

“Remember that little speech I gave you the night you were going to ask me to go to the Gomez concert with you?”

Max’s inside organs twisted. It hurt him to think about that night. It was the night all hell had broken loose.

“I may love you, but I don’t want to die for you,” she quoted from memory, “How true those words were. That goes for all of you. I am so fed up with all of this! I love you all too much to see you get hurt because of me.”

She cradled the phone on her shoulder and snuggled into the pillows more. Her journal was in her lap and the poem was on top of that. The knife was now in her hands and she slowly fingered the blade. She watched in fascination as a drop of blood seeped out of her little cut on her finger. The drop of red crimson blood splattered onto her poem. More blood emerged from the tiny cut. She slowly dragged the knife to her left wrist and made faint circles on her arm. With a quick flick of her right hand, a long jagged cut appeared on her fragile wrist made of delicate skin.

Liz was watching her dripping blood making their marks on the paper and white marble. The candle flames flickered and blinked. This went on for a couple of minutes. On the other side of the phone they were growing uneasy. Liz’s silence disturbed her friends, especially Max and Tess. Max because he still love her and was concerned about the words that were flying out of her mouth. Tess because she was baffled by Liz’s sudden change of heart for the group and what Liz had said to her earlier when they were in the kitchen.

- Flash -

“What is it Liz?” Tess asked, drumming her fingers on the counter.

“You love Max right?”

Tess was momentarily startled by her blunt question.

“I guess so,” Tess shrugged, her golden blonde curls bouncing from the gesture.

“It’s either a yes or a no! You can’t say I guess! There’s no in between answer!” Liz exclaimed, throwing her hands around to puncture and make her points clear.

Tess was once again taken backed by the brunette’s sudden reaction.

“Yes, I love Max.”

Liz closed her eyes. *Then I’m making a good decision.*

The moment Tess told Liz that she loves Max; the blonde regretted it. During the past few weeks, Kyle had showed her what love was, and she finally realized that the relationship between Max and her were strictly within the friend’s bordering line. Tess was about to say more and tell Liz that she didn’t mean to say it but Liz cut her off before she could open her mouth.

“Good! That’s good! Very good!” Liz babbled. “I’m leaving him in your hands okay? Take good care of him okay?”

Tess looked at her, suspicion in her eyes. “Liz, what’s going on?”

Liz ignored her. She went on as if it was a one person’s conversation. “He’ll be loved. He’ll be cared for. Nothing can go wrong. Nothing will go wrong. Everything will perfect. Tess will love Max. Max will love Tess. Happily ever after!”

*She’s gone crazy.* Tess said to herself, watching Liz carefully.

“Promise me you’ll never leave Max! Promise me!” Liz shook Tess.

“Okay! Okay!” Tess exclaimed, prying Liz’s hands off of her, “I promise.”

“Good.” Liz nodded her head in answer, convincing herself of the prosperity that would come in the near future for the couple.

- End Flash -

Max nudged Maria and told her silently with his eyes that he was going to go over to Liz’s place. Maria nodded in agreement, her green eyes full of fear. Her sixth sense of danger was going haywire within her body. She urged with her own eyes to tell Max to go as quick as possible. There’s not a moment to waste.

Max got up from his seat and tiptoed to the door. Unfortunately, Michael had missed the silent communication between his best friend and his girlfriend and asked, loud enough for Liz to hear, “Max, where are you going?”

Maria cursed and slapped Michael upside down on his head. Michael glared and her, until realization finally dawned him, but it was too late.

Liz, with her excellent hearing and brilliant mind, figured it out in 5 seconds flat. Besides, Maria’s shrill voice screaming, “Shut up Michael or else Liz will find out!” tipped her off.

Anger slowly coursed through her veins and she saw red. If Max came over, all will be ruined. She can’t let that happen. Too much was at stake already.

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