When they went out with the group - it went without question that he and Liz would sit together. No one objected. For all they knew Max and Liz were just friends. And that's what they were. But they didn't see how Liz would rub her foot up against Max's beneath the table, how she now went to her classes a different route during the school day so she could meet up with Max in the hallway. Max himself had at first been unsure as to their nature. Maybe she'd thought it was a table leg, her meeting him outside of gym everyday was just a coincidence. He knew they weren't though. She wanted more. They both did. The other day she'd stopped outside the front of his house and just stood there staring in. Max had seen her from the window and, hidden from view, he'd stared back.

Just yesterday he'd been out shooting baskets after practice and Liz had come by. She walked by his house a lot lately. "I'm so horrible at basketball" she had laughed and he'd just shrugged, saying it's not too hard. He tossed her the ball, smiling, and she tossed it towards the hoop. Her form was similar to Isabel's as the ball came nowhere near the hoop and Max couldn't help but laugh. "I told you.." Liz had laughed, embarassed and Max just shook his head. He brought the ball back to her and stepped behind her.

"I'll show you," he mumbled quietly. She felt his breath in her ear, on her neck and felt his strong arms move around her. She turned her head around to face him and their faces slowly moved towards each other. Who knows what would have happened had Isabel not interuppted. "Max - dinner's ready," she'd announced loudly, stunned and a bit bothered by the site in front of her. From her vantage point, Max had his arms wrapped around Liz from behind and their faces were tilted towards each other - mere centimeters apart.

"Max what was going on out there?" she had demanded as she pulled two plates out of the cupboard. "Nothing," Max had shrugged but Isabel knew that something had indeed occurred outside. She'd insisted that she'd seen something and he again had just shaken his head. "I was giving her a basketball lesson," he had protested but Isabel had persisted. "That may be what you call it,"

Max had cut her off again before she could say another word. "Isabel nothing was going to happen - it's no big deal," he had assured.

Isabel just stared at her brother with her arms folded across her chest. "Then why are you putting the orange juice up in the cupboard?"