What Real Life's Like (AU,CC,MATURE) Thread #1

[Sternbetrachter]

I took the liberty of putting Alex in board shorts Trude, hope that's okay.

*gasps* I think Alex will survive that

ALEX

Weird. Tess sounds all calm and cool and she's not tearing my head off - yet. Not that I think that Tess is a freaky choleric but … I expected something else I have to admit.

"Uhm, Jake said I should keep the magazines and get hand lotion so that I could have at least some action in here with myself and I kinda said something like … uh, not thinking that Isabel would be the type of girl to get it on in front of tv cameras since Jake seems to be sure to be gettin' some."

And of course, the camera guy is filming us with rapt interest - if Isabel liked me till now (HAHAHAHAHA) then she'll hate me after watching this in a year or so.

"Jake said what to you?" Tess asks unbelievingly and even Liz gasps.

"Yeah well … Isabel didn't disagree." I say with a shrug. "Maybe we should just … I don't know maybe I should give up?" I say, totally unsure of what to do now. Whatever Tess says, I'll agree with it. If she says 'Stop it.' I will, if she says 'Keep Going' I will.

[isabelle]

*MAX*

"Don't give up, Alex," I say automatically although I know he was talking to Tess. Then I bite my lip, as I realise what I said. After all, I think I know what he's feeling. Being interested in a girl who isn't really interested in him. I've given up on Liz, I know. I hardly even tried. Not just because she was obviously not interested, but also because I thought Alex was into her. I know now that he wasn't, but I haven't changed anything. I've moved on to Tess, since she is interested. Maybe I should advise Alex to do the same, but I hate to see him that way.

Of course, Tess really is a great girl, too. She hasn't treated me differently since that horrible incident in the car. I think she really believes in me. That could have ruined it, but it hasn't, at least not yet. Could she be waiting for a moment to tell me that she thinks I'm too creepy and dishonest? I sure hope not. I reach out to take her hand and she doesn't pull away.

"Listen, the girls and I can talk to Isabel and see how bad the damage really is?" I suggest. "Maybe it's not as bad as it seems. Afterall, that stuff was found in my car and Tess isn't running for the hills yet." Although my comments were directed to Alex, I look to Tess with a raised eyebrow and a slight tilt of my head. Hoping she'll confirm that she's not leaving me over this. She and Liz are both still hanging around, so I'm hopefull that they're not completely disgusted.

[Sternbetrachter]

ALEX

"I guess you are right, man." I tell Max thoughtfully. Tess and Liz didnt disagree when he mentioned spying on Isabel. What else could you call it?

I glance briefly to Liz when Max grabs Tess' hand, checking if she's fine. She looks back at me and I give her a small smile - I can so understand her wish to not look at the other two.

Trying to cheer up the mood a bit, I say, "And don't forget to tell Isabel how marvelous, amazing, talented and modest I am." I wiggle my eyebrows a bit at Liz, hoping to get her to snap out of her down-mood.

[morpheus awakened]

Tess

Poor Alex. He really does look he's taking an emotional beating for all this. That's why I'm trying not to get in his face about it. I can see we're past the point of teasing or slight berating for no-so-bright things he may have inadvertantly said to Isabel.

He asks me if he should just give up or what, and I don't want to make that decision for him, but then Max speaks up as he takes my hand, so I don't have to in the end. I'm still glad for his company, even if I have realized that he wasn't as in to me as he was before. I think that incident with the magazines in the Jeep really did a number on him, and I can see in his eyes how much it means to him that neither Liz or I have rebuffed him or looked down on him for it.

"That's right, we can do that, piece of cake huh, Liz," I say to her when Max suggests we find out what Isabel's thinking concerning Alex's snafu.

"Yes, we sure can. Don't worry Alex, we're not going to leave you hanging high and dry." She smiles warmly at Alex, who smiles back.

"But we might all end up with chattering teeth and goosebumps if we don't get this firewood over to the bonfire soon." I say, stepping closer to Max so I can mooch some of his body heat off him. He puts his arms around my shoulders and rubs his hands up and down my arms a few times to warm me up.

"That's a good idea. Everybody grab some driftwood and let's get Operation: Seduce Isabel underway." Max jokes and we all have a good laugh as we undoubtedly think about just how challenging this task is going to be.

[Sternbetrachter]

ALEX

We all grab some wood piles and I can't resist it: "I want another name for that project!" I state seriously, making the others look at me expectantly. "There's no way that Max has something to do with seducing my future wife."

All three groan and Tess kicks some sand in my direction. "Careful missy, I bruise easily." especially when my heart is concerned.

"Fine Alex, how about "Melting the Ice Princess" then?" Tess asks.

"Way better!" I say with a small smile, looking over to where she and Jake are standing rather close, obviously talking with Maria.

"You coming or what?" Michael yells then, making us four hurry to catch up to them.


****
weird I know, but since I won't be back for a couple of hours I wanted to post something

[isabelle]

*Max*

I'm glad when Tess basically volunteers herself and Liz to do the 'investigation' on Isabel's feelings about Alex. Yesterday morning, I'd have thought she'd be open to me as we'd been getting along very well. I'd even helped her solve the issue of her first date with Jake - and earned my black eye from Alex. But now, I'm not really sure how it will work. When I talk to her, I'll be first trying to figure out her impression of me after seeing the stuff in my jeep and won't really be ready to worry about how she feels about Alex.

Then Michael, such a gentleman, starts hollering for the wood. It's true we've been a bit slow due to our plotting, so I try to be pleasant about it. Carrying it all over I remember that I also have to ask Alex about why he thinks Michael doesn't like me.

"Here you go, Michael," I tell him as I set it down near the edge of his firepit. I bring a few smaller pieces over to help him get started and he sneers at me.

"Not those. I need some big ones for the frame," he says.

"All right. I'll leave it to you, then," I say. "You've obviously done more beach fires than I have." I've gone camping plenty of times, but I don't need to start something.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

*Michael*

I got my pit all ready with an air trough and everything. It looks great, but I need the wood. I look up to see what's keeping Max and I see that he's talking with Alex, Tess and Liz. Those four are hanging out together a lot lately. I wonder what's up with that.

I give a shout and they bring over the wood. I manage to get Max to back off and I build the fire the right way. I'm glad he's smart enough to not interfer with an expert. I'm looking forward to seeing how effective my earlier attempt on his reputation went. Already, I'm thinking about what a second volley might entail. All in all, this is a lot of fun. Almost as much fun as hanging out with the girls - but not really.

I light up the fire. It catches slowly, but I'm sure it's going to be great. I look around and see that Maria is still talking with Isabel and Jake. I gotta get some more face-time with these girls. Of course, Liz is right here. Not my first choice but she is the girl who's been the friendliest to me so far.

"So, Liz," I say, sitting next to her. "It looks like Max isn't all he appears, is he?"

[Sternbetrachter]

great parts, Isabelle ... is it hard to have one of your characters plot against the other one?



ALEX

I watch Michael build the fire for a few moments. Not because it's interesting but because this way, my back is to Isabel and him - the son of satan.

Max doesn't seem happy about Michael's remark but I'm not in the mood to think about the issues between those two. Or the issues Michael has with Max.

I wonder what Tess and Liz might find out when they talk with Isabel. Or when they'll get a chance to talk. Right now, SOS (son of satan) seems to be her shadow, not letting Isabel alone.

With a sigh, I head towards Kyle, he probably needs some help with the food and this will hopefully keep my mind off Isabel, Liz, Tess and SOS.

"Hey Kyle, let me take that!" I say, quickly rushing to his side and taking some bottles out of his arms that almost fell down from their place atop of the burgers, sauces and junk food.

[Sugarplum7]

<center>~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ Liz ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~</center>

I sit in the sand near the fire, or soon to be fire, just thinking. What could I possibly do to get Isabel to see that Alex isn’t this huge jerk that she thinks he is. I don’t know what it is about Alex that makes her so cold to him. She’s very cool to all of us, but to Alex she’s just . . . icy. I don’t understand it, and I don’t know what I could possibly do to make her see that the Alex she sees isn’t the Alex that I know.

“So, Liz,” Michael says sitting beside me. I don’t even know when he got there. I must’ve been too deep in my thoughts to notice him sit down beside me. I smile at him before he continues. “It looks like Max isn’t all he appears, is he?”

“Neither are you, nor any of us,” I say. “And I don’t think that that . . . stuff in the car was Max’s.”

[isabelle]

*MICHAEL*

Liz's answer isn't exactly what I was hoping for. I shrug, pretending to concider it. "What makes you so sure?" I ask. "You barely know the guy."

"I believe I know him well enough to judge his sincerity," she says.

I raise an eyebrow at her as smile starts to sneak over my face. "Didn't we talk about using more colloquialisms? We're all friends here." I'm grinning widely at her now. She looks embarrassed, like she's about to apologise. "Nah, don't worry about it. It's okay."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

*MAX*

As the fire gets started, I head back to the car to collect the trash. The sooner I can get rid of it, the better. On the way back, I see Michael sitting with Liz. This can't be good.

[Sugarplum7]

<center>~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ Liz ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~</center>

I internally kick myself because of what I said. But talking about Max just makes me so . . . nervous. I open my mouth to apologize and say that I really am trying, but he makes it unnecessary.

“Nah, don’t worry about it. It’s okay.”

“Really? You don’t want me saying “dude” and “totally” all the time. Or things like, “you better back off or I’m gonna bust a cap in your ass”?”