[log] Backdated to Oct 1st | Maria and Liz

[st_rongliketeflon]

Maria was humming a song to herself as she braided her hair in the mirror. She was starting to get the swing of things in the inn. It was easier to handle everything with Liz being here, Maria understood. She was thankful that her friend was here. Maria was certain she would be freaking out otherwise.

She was just finishing up her braids when there was a knock at the door. She headed over and opened the door. Maria knew that look on Liz's face.

"What happened?" Maria frowned.

Twenty minutes later and Maria was pacing as Liz sat on the bed.

"Idiots!" She said. "They're both idiots."

"Maria." Liz sat cross-legged and watched her friend pace. Letting it all out at once to her best friend definitely helped. "I don't think either of them did anything on purpose."

"Liz," Maria said, turning to face her friend. "One kissed you out of no where and the other told you he needed to think which is basically him blaming you for the whole thing."

Maria didn't realize she might have been projecting a little as she spoke about what happened. She was picturing Michael in both scenarios and she knew he wouldn't handle either well.

Liz lay back on the bed. "I'm worried about that, you know. About Peter. The way he left... it felt like maybe he left for good. Like he was going to say it was too complicated to stay with me or something."

"If he leaves you, he's more of an idiot." Maria said.

"Maria." Liz sat up to look at her friend again, this time drawing her knees up to her chest. "Can we please stop calling him an idiot? He's hurt."

Maria rolled her eyes.

"He's not the one who was kissed, Liz." She said. "And who does Brad think he is, anyways? Just because he has your boyfriend's face, he can kiss you?"

"I don't think it's like that at all." Though Liz had no idea what it was like, really. "I don't know why he did it, but he seemed really sorry after." She paused, thinking about it some more - she had been thinking about it a lot. "Maybe I did something to make him think it was okay to kiss me."

Maria's hands went to her hips and she sent Liz 'the look'.

"Liz Parker," She scolded. "Don't you sit there and say stuff like that. Unless you were wearing a shirt that said 'Hey Brad, you can totally kiss me', you have no reason to feel guilty, okay? Brad kissed you. This is Brad's fault."

I'm so going to have a talk with that boy.

Liz knew Maria was right, but it didn't mean she still didn't feel guilty. A part of her felt guilty for not listening to Caroline's advice.

"What do you think I should do?"

Maria had no idea what Liz should do. She finally sat down and let out a breath.

"Well, for one. You should probably talk to Peter." She said. "Maybe not tonight. Tonight it's ice cream and whatever film I can grab at the library. And for Brad. Well, you had to make sure he knows you're off the table and, I don't know. Do you still want to be his friend?"

"Yes." She paused. "No." Another pause. Liz buried her head in her knees and groaned. "I don't know. He's not a bad guy and I do want to be his friend, but not if Peter doesn't want me to be or if it'll give him the wrong impression or whatever."

This is why people become nuns.

Maria sighed.

"Okay, look. I'll have a chat with Brad." She said. "And maybe you wait until you have a talk with Peter before figuring out the whole Brad thing, okay? But honestly, Liz. If Peter breaks up with you over this, then he's a jerk and you deserve better anyways, okay?"

Liz made some sort of throat noise she hoped Maria would decide sounded like an agreement even though she didn't want to agree to the last part at all. She wasn't willing to let Peter go that easily.

"For now," Maria continued. "You go take a shower and get into some PJs while I get us junk food and a movie. Okay?"

Liz nodded as she looked up. "Yeah, okay.... thanks Maria."