TITLE: CHANGES
RATING: YTEEN/ADULT
ATTENTION: DREAMERS AND CANDY KIDS BEWARE INTITIALLY THIS FIC CONTAINS SOME Michael and Liz moments
DISCLAIMER: i don't own anything,it all belongs to Katims and Co
AN: This fic will have a little of every one including A/I and T/K. I wanted to try something different and i've always thought that if Max and Liz weren't together, then Max and Maria would make the best couple. So I decided to try and do a fic with unconventional couples/convential couples this is the first fic i've done which isn't planned ahead so I too will be interested to know where this fic is going, will it end with Max and Maria being together or will it return back to dreamer status? who knows so check it out and feedback is soo welcome.
EDITED BECAUSE I CAN NOW DEFINITELY SAY THAT THIS FIC IS DREAMER INSURED. THE ONLY QUESTION LEFT, IS HOW...so read on if you're curious
DESCRIPTION: Maria has been betrayed by her best friend, Max, Isabel and Tess are the new kids in town. This fic is a journery of friendship, love and whatever else i decide to put in.
INDEX
****
Chapter 1
Journal Entry 45
I'm Liz Parker, a while back I wished for a little excitement in my life, something to break the routine and now that I have that wish I almost want to take it back. What I didn't realise was that excitement, the routine breaking comes with a price. For me, it was my friendship, my sisterhood with Maria, I still can't believe we are no longer friends but I can't blame her. I'm not the type to do things like this, especially to one of the people I love most in the world…but when I'm with him I don't seem to care about doing what's right. I hadn't planned on any of this, on finding out that Michael was alien, on kissing him, on kissing him again even when I knew he was my best friend's boyfriend. A line never to be crossed and I crossed it and paid the price-
A knock on her door jolted Liz back to the present. "Just a minute!" she shouted as she placed her journal back into its hiding place in the wall. She opened the door to find Michael dressed in his uniform ready to dish out food to the hungry Crashdown customers.
"Hi," she smiled.
He leaned in for a long soft kiss, "Hi," he replied.
"Is she down there?" she asked nervously. Ever since Maria had found them on Michael's sofa over two months ago, she completely ignored their existence talking to them only when necessary.
"Yep," he replied sadly.
Liz knew that they deserved that, she'd betrayed her best friend, but it still hurt every time she looked into those former friendly eyes to see a stone cold wall, she missed her laugh, her ramblings, her cedar oil.
That's the price you paid, she told herself, so live with it. Besides, she added as hand in hand, they descended down the stairs, Michael is worth it, right?…Right.
The moment they reached the backroom, they separated. They peered through the window searching for Maria; she was busy in one of the corner tables with a customer.
"Ready?" he asked as if preparing for battle.
"Ready," she replied as she took in a deep breath and pushed the door open.
****
Maria turned just in time to see Liz emerged from the back room and Michael slip into the kitchen.
"Great," she muttered as she took the order up to the kitchen, "another night of hell." Without looking at him, she pinned the order onto the revolving stand and went back to another table. The key was to keep busy. If she did that, then sometimes she forgot that her best friend in the whole world had cheated on her with her boyfriend, but sometimes wasn't often enough. Maria just wanted to forget, but the pain in her heart and the image indelibly printed in her mind of Liz and Michael making out on his couch wouldn't let her forget. She generally avoided them in school and the schedules had been changed so she didn't work with Liz unless it was absolutely necessary, like tonight.
The door to the Crashdown Café opened; Maria turned to see Kyle and Alex looking around for her. She rolled her eyes in amusement as they waved and sat in a booth in her section.
These guys are too much, she thought as she approached their table. Ever since the break-up whenever Maria was working with "the betrayers" Kyle and Alex came in to make sure she was okay. At first she agreed that she needed to see that friendly face to keep her eyes from welling up and from sticking something very sharp through both of them.
"Really guys," she said, "there's no reason for you to be here, I'm fine." She really was fine. In the beginning, she had been hurt and angry…a lot angry but like water crashing over a sand-castle though, it had abated, she was hurt yes but she couldn't live the rest of her life depressed and angry, that wasn't what living life was about. Hating took too much energy and after a while was self-destructive.
"Who said anything about you," joked Alex, "we came here to eat."
Maria smiled both of them. They had been caught in the middle, Alex especially since the three of them had been as close as loving siblings. He had managed to maintain both friendships though but Maria could tell that it was still hard on him. Kyle on the other hand had swiftly stepped into the protective step-brotherly role by smashing his fist into Michael's nose. Maria still couldn't believe her hippie mum and the town's sheriff had actually hooked up and tied the knot but stranger things had happened and they made an okay family.
"Right," she replied incredulous, "what can I get you?"
"The usual," replied Alex.
"But with a large coke and an extra large hamburger," added Kyle.
Maria rolled her eyes, it still surprised her how much Kyle could pile into his mouth, watching him eat at home was just freakishly mesmerising, "without the onion rings?" she asked.
"Yee-helloo," he replied.
Maria looked at him, where did that come from? she wondered. Both him and Alex were looking beyond her with their jaws hanging open. She turned to see the object of their stares and nodded with understanding as to why they and the rest of the male population of the Crashdown had their eyes transfixed at the door. The two girls looked like they had just stepped off a catwalk. Maria could almost see the rays of appreciative glances travelling from the bottom of their stylish shoes to their pretty blonde heads. Ignorant of the stares, Maria watched with interest as the two girls slid into one of the booths in her section.
She turned to see Kyle and Alex's gazes fixed onto their booth, "Jaws up boys," she said," I don't want to have to wipe your drool off the tables," she added as she went to place their order.
After serving the guys, Maria made her way over to the girls' booth. They were obviously either just visiting or new to Roswell as they were with amusement reading off the alien themed menu.
"Hey, what can I get you?" she asked.
The tall one with long blonde hair looked up at her, "Um…we'll have four Men In Black burgers and two cokes and a large cherry coke and um..what else did Max want Tess?" she asked the curly haired blue eyed blonde.
Ah, thought Maria, so there's three of you.
"Saturn rings," added Tess.
"Right," said brown-eyed one, "and could we have them to go please?"
"Sure," she replied, "so that's four Men in Blacks, two cokes, a large cherry coke and some Saturn rings" she verified.
"Right," replied the brown-eyed one.
"Okay," replied Maria.
At the counter Kyle and Alex ambushed her.
"So?" asked Alex expectantly
"So what?" she asked.
"So are they visiting, new, single?" asked Kyle.
"And by taking their order you assume that I would have all this information how?" she replied.
"It might come up in conversation," shrugged Alex.
Maria laughed, "okay from what I gather which isn't much, they could be passing through or new. That's all I know…plus the tall one has nice boots," she added.
"Thanks," Kyle replied sarcastically. His eyes wide as the door the Crashdown opened," Look, they're leaving," he said.
"Well there goes my chance," said Alex, "Not like I had one anyway," he added.
"If you're so curious about them, why don't you go and talk to them, they're parked up front"
Kyle and Alex exchanged a look.
"We would," said Kyle slowly, "but probably their beefed up boyfriends would probably have issues with us talking to their girls."
Maria shook her head with amusement, "Whatever you have to tell yourselves," she replied. Her order came up and again without looking at him, she picked it up and delivered it to the customers. The place was busy and by the time the two blondes' order was up, Maria was swamped.
"I got it," offered Liz.
"Thanks," she replied, "they're out in the jeep out front."
****
"You seriously have got to check out the Café Max," enthused Tess, "It's really cool in a tacky sort of way, all the food is named after aliens or alien related stuff."
"I'll check it out after work tomorrow" he shouted over the loud music blaring from the jeep stereo.
Tess rolled her eyes, "Remind me again why you are working at the UFO centre?"
"Because he's nuts," supplied Isabel.
She could see Max smile in the rear view mirror, "Guilty indulgence," he replied.
Tess laughed, whatever makes you happy, she thought. Looking up at the stars she sighed happily, Roswell wasn't as bad as she'd expected it to be, sure the shopping was nothing compared to L.A. but it would do and they could always drive to something bigger. As long as she was with Isabel and Max anywhere could be home.
"How long is this going to take?" he asked impatiently.
"Relax," said Isabel, "it was pretty busy when we went in, seems like it's the place to be," she added.
Tess glanced across and watched as a brunette waitress looking around her in confusion then noticing their jeep was making her way towards them with their orders.
"Here it comes," she shouted, "Turn down the music".
****
Liz took a deep breath as the cool night air washed over her. Tonight had definitely been hectic and working with Maria had as usual been awkward because usually on a night like this they would play tag team with their customers, now they just kept to their sections. Liz looked around for the jeep Maria told her was out front. There was one parked across the street with music blaring and the two blonde heads bopping to it, the same blondes she realised as she approached the jeep, who had caused the café to come to a standstill. By the time she got there, the music had been turned down.
"Hey," she said as she presented the blue eyed blonde in the back with the packages, "I've to four Men In Blacks, two cokes, one large cherry coke and Saturn rings."
Tess grabbed the food from the distracted waitress who looked about their age and passed it up front to Isabel and Max.
"Is there anything else I can get you guys?" she asked.
"Is, Max, anything?" she asked.
"No" replied Isabel.
"No thanks," replied Max. Tess could see him already hungrily unwrapping his Saturn rings.
Turning to the waitress she replied, "We're okay thanks."
"Okay," she smiled and walked back to the café.
Liz sighed as she re-entered the Crashdown, behind her, the jeep revved up and drove off, another hour and it would thankfully be over for the day.
CHAPTER 2
Max looked at his watch and sighed, whoever was supposed to show them around school was very late, and classes were starting soon.
Turning to Isabel he asked, "What's her name again?"
Isabel glanced at the sheet of paper the principal had given them, "Maria Deluca" she replied.
Max glanced at his watch again, granted he was new but he still didn't want to be late for the first class of the year.
Suddenly the door flew open and before Max could even register what was happening, a blonde girl, blue eyes bright, cheeks flushed whirled into the room dragging behind her two guys. One wore the telltale sign of a letterman jacket and the other dressed like a skater, however different they dressed, they both had the same expression as they stood in the waiting room. Max inwardly laughed as their jaws practically dropped to the floor. Tess and Isabel seemed to have that effect on boys their age and sometimes older…and they knew it.
"I soosorry I'm late," she began breathlessly then stopped and looked at the trio.
"Hey," said Isabel, "I know you, you're the waitress who served us at the Crashdown last night."
Maria eyes bright with recognition, nodded, her blond curls bouncing with her, "and you're the girls with the stylish boots," she replied.
"Thanks," replied a flattered Tess.
Maria smiled back, "No prob" she replied. She glanced at her watch and looked up with a smile, "Okay, since classes start in five minutes, quick intro. I'm Maria Deluca and this," she said pointing to the guy with the letterman jacket, "is my step-brother Kyle and," she pointed to the guy on her right, "my best friend Alex. The sole reasons why I'm late by the way."
"Hey, I'm not the one who kept running back to the house because I forgot my work," objected Kyle.
Maria waved her hand ignoring him; "anyway, too late for a school tour so we can do that at lunch. Meanwhile, depending on your schedules, Kyle, Alex and I will show you around," she finished with a smiled.
Max was stunned, Maria was like a colourful energetic whirlwind and he was just catching up. He looked over to Isabel and Tess who were both as stunned as he was.
"Right," he slowly began, "well Tess and I have bio in room 218 and Isabel has English with Mr Stevens."
"No prob." nodded Maria, "Max and Tess can come with me 'cause I have bio too and Isabel can go with Alex."
After making arrangements for a tour at lunch, Max and Tess followed as Maria expertly navigated her way through the hallway.
****
They made it to their class five minutes late. Their grey haired biology teacher Mr Whitmore was not pleased, but Max watched in amazement as Maria apologised for their lateness even managing to extract a small smile from their humourless teacher. Maria went a step further to suggest that she work with him and Tess with Liz Parker so that they could become more familiar with the work. Mr Whitmore agreed and so Max found himself sharing a workbench with Maria dissecting pig babies.
"They're embryos," he corrected her.
"Whatever," she replied as her knife sliced through the skin.
Max held open the sides with his knife so that she could get a better view.
"So Max Evans," she began, "What brings you to Roswell?"
Max tensed slightly; this was the part he hated, the inquisition. Being new not only meant a new school and making new friends, but it also meant that people wanted to know everything about you, that was a problem but one he, Isabel and Tess had grown used to handling. Max intended to just sketch out the details, but something about Maria, her openness, her spark, loosened his tongue.
"Actually, we used to live here but my Dad got a job so we moved to L.A. when Isabel, Tess and I were eight. A branch of my Dad's firm opened here, my parents wanted us to see where we were raised plus they got tired of city life so we moved back here."
They swapped duties,so that Maria was pushing back the skin and Max dissecting, "So how do you like it so far?" she asked.
Max considered his words carefully, "It's…different," he replied.
"That's oneway to put," she smiled.
Max bit held back a laugh as they cleared up their work table. The dissection over, they sat down and answered the questions assigned by Mr Whitmore.
Max could hear Maria scribbling and pause, scribble and pause, then felt her lean over, "Max" she said her voice low.
He looked around the class, Mr Whitmore seemed to be marking some papers, while everyone else was busy working.
He leaned, lowering his voice he asked, "What".
"By lunch, and this is a fact, I'll be hounded by almost every girl in the student body so to keep you from answering the same questions and me from not knowing the answers when asked, I'm going to ask you a few questions."
Max looked at her doubtfully, his amber eyes clouding. Maria spotted the look, she knew that look. It was one of caution, of mistrust. Great Deluca, he probably thinks you're this gossipmonger or something. But she was telling him the truth. Max was well…hot, not that she was attracted to him or anything but she had spotted the appreciative looks the girls had given him in the hallway and well, he didn't seem the type to want to be hounded by his own set of worshippers. He was the quiet type so most girls probably wouldn’t hound him, but Maria knew those who would and theywere the wrong kind of girls for Max.
"You can choose whether or not to the answer them," she added. " Deal?"
The clouds dispersed, Max nodded, "Okay," he replied.
"Okay. So, Isabel's your sister and Tess is…"
"A family friend. Her father was a family friend, he died, so my Dad got Tess emancipated and when we moved back here, she moved with us."
Maria raised an eyebrow.
" We've known her our whole lives," he expanded, "she's like family."
Maria nodded. "Are you single, going it long term, what?"
"Single" he replied.
"Single and looking?", she persisted.
"Is this really necessary?" he asked shyly.
Maria smiled, Max obviously didn't understand data collection, "Well, it would make my job easier if you were taken,"
Max laughed, "Single and not looking," he replied.
