Liz wiped at her forehead desperately, trying to concentrate. It was difficult to focus her thoughts on the problems in front of her.

The room was so warm, so closed up; it was distracting her.

Of course, the fact that she hadn't done her homework the night before didn't help.

Liz giggled and then stopped self-consciously.

Where did that come from?

She clumsily brushed her loose hair out of her face and tried to think.

But she was too tired, too emotional. Why had she even come?

Something about letting down her parents...her teachers.

The numbers and letters in front of her blurred for the umpteenth time and she just... finally gave up and let her mind drift.

She rested her head on her hand.

Max. She was supposed to talk to Max today.

About...what?

Oh. The visions.

She shifted and rubbed her eyebrows with her fingers.

And exactly what in the hell was she supposed to say?

Gee, Max, I saw a vision of you and Tess making out. She looks like a real good kisser. Way to go, stud.

Liz giggled as she pictured Maxšs response.

Mr. Garrison frowned at her.

Liz cleared her throat and tried to sober up.

Then a sudden whisper brushed her mind... "Stay away."

She looked over and Tess was staring at her.

Liz looked back straight ahead, trying to force her mind to regain sanity.

What is happening?

But another giggle was working its way back up her throat. She tried to stifle the hysterical noise, turning red with the effort.

When it finally broke through, it changed abruptly into a sob and Liz couldnšt stop the flood of tears filling her eyes.

Oh my god...

She was in serious danger of completely embarassing herself in the middle of class. She jumped up and ran to the ladies' room.

******

When the bell rang a few minutes later, she waited until the classroom emptied before going to get her books. She wanted to avoid talking to anyone worried about her. And avoid catching a glimpse of that...whatever she was.

The tears had stopped flowing, and the red splotches on her face had mostly gone, but she could feel the bubble of hysteria just below the surface. It wasn't over, not by a long shot.

She got her books and handed in her paper, listening to a quick lecture from Mr. Garrison on proper bathroom etiquette on her way. She just nodded her head and escaped as soon as possible.

So far so good. She just needed to protect that bubble around her emotions.

She was the bubble girl. A bubbirl. A girlubble.

A giggle escaped and she wrestled it down fiercely.

No. The bubble girl will not tolerate flagrant and pitiful shows of emotion. The bubble girl is cut off from everything. Nothing touches her. Not even-

The rush of pain when she saw Max and Tess sitting together in the quad was almost her undoing. Almost.

But the bubble girl is still going, Liz thought, detatched. Showing tremendous willpower as she approaches to talk over the horrible warnings and visions with her ex-alien.

Ex-alien. Another giggle which she promptly squelched into a gasping squeak.

Another close call.

She stopped to take a breath, shifting her backpack to a more comfortable position.

Max was only fifteen feet away, and still oblivious to her approach.

Good.

The element of surprise was essential in her plan.

One look from those soulful brown eyes could pop the bubble in a millisecond.

Maybe even a nanosecond.

A milli-nanosecond.

Or is it a millo-nanisecond, she thought idly. No matter.

Only ten feet, Liz thought. Bubble don't fail me now.

Why do I feel so light-headed?

Max smiled at Tess and she threw a potato chip at him.

He ducked.

One foot in front of the other...

When he peeked at Tess, she threw a french fry this time...with ketchup, Liz noted.

"Liz," she heard Alex behind her.

She shook her head and kept walking.

Only five feet.

Tess turned her head and saw Liz approaching.

Oh no-

the sudden chill-

the whiteness-

and pain-

FLASH

Max and Tess kissing...

FLASH

flesh entertwining...

FLASH

under sheets...

As the blinding headache began to fade, Liz suddenly realized she had stopped two feet away from Max.

But the completion of the vision... "Stay away" was still floating in front of her.

She couldnšt move, couldnšt breathe, couldnšt speak.

Dimly, she saw Max stand and take a step toward her.

"Liz?" He sounded concerned.

Things were turning darker...she was dizzy...falling...the ground rushing at her until...

Shouldn't that hurt? She was numb.

Alex's voice...

"Liz? Liz?"

Then her mind disappeared...exploding in a sea of stars...

******

The hallway was white, and it seemed to just stretch on forever.

Liz mindlessly floated somewhere just below the ceiling.

She kept thinking that she would probably bounce off and go back down, but she didn't.

She just hovered there, so quiet, so still...

Except for that one sound...that annoying sound...a moaning?

She tried to focus her clouded mind on the sound.

It was soft, pained...

And with it came coldness.

And the sudden realization that she was shivering.

Uncontrollably.

And she was the one... she had been moaning.

Her eyes opened to the bright sunlight and two faces peering over her.

"Oh, thank God, Liz! Are you okay," Mariašs white face swam above her.

Why won't she stay still, Liz thought fuzzily.

"No, shešs not okay. She passed out, for God's sake," Isabel's voice was frantic, and all Liz could see of her face was her hair...almost glowing around her head like a halo.

Isabel's cool hand was smoothing Lizšs forehead gently when she suddenly froze.

"Oh...I-" she gasped and pulled her hand away.

Liz's eyes began to close again.

She wondered how long she could keep falling backwards, since she knew she was lying on the ground. Apparently forever...

Maria whispered over Liz, "Keep him away, Alex, or, I swear to God, I'll kill him."

Liz heard Alexšs angry voice.

"I *said* stay back, Max. Haven't you done enough?"

As the world began to grow white again, Maxšs quiet reply reached her ears, "I saw it, Alex."