*Disclaimer: Some dialogue was borrowed from Heat Wave*
Act XI – “Maria, There’s a Herd of Elephants in My Stomach!”
A couple of weeks had passed since Kyle and Liz broke up. Kyle avoided Liz the entire time, which was easy since they only shared a couple of classes together. When they did come across each other’s paths, only a wobbly smile was exchanged before the two went on about their business. By this time, word around school had spread about the break up.
Liz felt the stares of the other girls as she stood in front of the mirror in the girls’ bathroom, applying her lip gloss.
“So are you going?” Maria asked, applying a coat of mascara to her lashes.
“I don’t know, Maria. Isn’t it like…illegal?”
“Aw, c’mon girl. Live a little,” Maria pouted. “Of course it’s illegal. That’s what makes it the hottest party in town.”
“My dad will kill me if he finds out,” Liz stated as she ran a brush through her hair. “Plus I’m still recovering from being shot.”
Maria shook her head at her friend. “Liz, the doctor says you’re fine and you got your cast off a couple of days ago.”
Liz sighed and turned toward her friend. “Fine, but if we’re caught I’m saying that it’s all your fault and that I only tagged along to keep an eye on you.”
Maria squealed and threw her arms around Liz. “You’re the best! We’ll pick you up around eight.”
Liz smiled and grabbed her books, pushing her way out the door. The minute Maria heard about the upcoming rave at the old Soap Factory, she wouldn’t stop talking about it. She had been begging Liz all week trying to convince her to go.
Rounding the corner, Liz spotted Alex at his locker.
“Hey,” she greeted.
“Hey,” he smiled, grabbing his books out of his locker.
“So I take it you’re going to the rave tonight?” Liz asked.
“Yeah, it was kinda hard to say no when you’ve got Deluca nagging away at your ear all week.”
Liz giggled. “I never realized how persistent she is. She actually cornered me in the washroom just now.”
Alex smiled and slung his arm around her shoulders.
“Well, at least the music will be decent. Ziggy is supposed to be spinning tonight.” When Liz looked at him questioningly, Alex continued, “He’s the guy that played after the Whits performed at the Roxy last summer.”
“Oh,” Liz nodded, even though she had no idea what Alex was talking about. Prior experience dictated that it was always best to humour Alex when it came to music and his garage band he deftly labelled, The Whits. The last time she contradicted him on a music trivia, he sent her emails for a week finding bits and pieces of facts from the internet proving her claim wrong.
“Okay this is me,” Liz hitched her thumb to opened classroom door. “I’ll see you and Maria after school.”
Alex looked over her shoulder, peeking inside the classroom and scanning the lab tables until his gaze landed on a dark-haired boy who was staring right back at him, or more precisely, staring right back at Liz.
When Alex caught his eye, he winked back at him causing Max Evans to blush and bow his head, fixing his eyes on the notes in front of him.
“Have fun, Lizzie. I hope you don’t set anything on fire,” Alex wiggled his eyebrows and waved goodbye.
Liz stood at the threshold staring at Alex and wondering about his cryptic parting comment. Shrugging her shoulders, she chalked it up to his normal weirdness and made her way to her desk.
Upon reaching her desk, she paused for a split second, wondering if Max was going to say anything to her. When he didn’t, she continued on, pretending that she didn’t notice him.
Things between the two of them had been strained since Max had so offhandedly told her to leave him alone. At first Liz hadn’t listened and tried to speak to him, but after a few days of one-word answers she knew that he had no desire to carry on any form of conversation with her unless it involved the words, beaker, flask, or microscope.
She didn’t understand what had happened between them. One day he was saving her life and calming her fears, the next he was barely speaking to her. The more she thought about it, the more she felt like banging her head against the wall.
“Okay quiet down everyone,” Mr. Seligman ordered. “Today we’re going to be observing the oxidation of iron. Who here knows what ferric oxide is?”
As Mr. Seligman proceeded to quiz the class on the fascinating properties of iron, Max continued to sneak furtive glances at Liz. He’d been regretting the little speech he made to her about staying away as soon as the words were out of his mouth. He knew that it was for the best but he couldn’t help the small part of himself that ached every time he saw her, heard her voice or even smelled her scent. What good was being human when he couldn’t have the one thing he wanted most in the world?
So focused was he on thinking about Liz that he didn’t notice people coughing and Mr. Seligman gesturing for their attention.
“Euuww, what’s that smell?” he heard a girl behind him whisper.
“Everyone! I want you to line up single file and start making your way outside. This is not a drill!” Mr. Seligman ushered his class out into the hall before pulling the fire alarm. One by one, the classroom doors opened and each class filed outside the building.
As predicted, it was organized chaos once everyone made it outside. Gossip could be heard as each student came up with a theory as to why the alarm was set off. The teachers formed their own little groups as they mingled amongst the throngs of students. In the distant, the wail of a fire truck siren could be heard as it made its way toward West Roswell High.
Max stood in the middle of the football field and looked around. All around him, students began to gather in their normal cliques as the teachers continued to corral them. Like the other students, he was glad for the distraction. It meant that he wouldn’t have to sit around in class, specifically sit around beside Liz.
Not soon after they had exited the buildings, he spotted Maria bound up to Liz and haul her away. He saw the two of them gather with Alex, talking and laughing. He felt a pang of jealousy well up. As much as he wanted to join them, he knew he couldn’t. He needed to give Liz space as much as it pained him to do so.
Spotting the bleachers off in the distance, he wove his way through the crowd, letting out a breath of relief when he finally made it to his destination. Making sure he was tucked in where no one could see him, he leaned against a pillar and looked up into the sky.
“So I heard that Mike Nakatsu set off a smoke bomb in the girl’s washroom and that set off the alarm,” Maria nattered.
“Nuh uh,” Alex shook his head. “I heard that it was Julio wanting to get out of an English exam that pulled the alarm.”
“Oh please, Alex,” Maria rolled her eyes at him. “Julio’s class is right in front of the Principal’s office. You know how big of a chicken-shit he is. I really don’t think he would have risked pulling it right where Mr. Brown can see him. Plus he’s too short to reach it anyways,” Maria snickered.
“Ah look who’s talking,” “Alex commented, raising an eyebrow.
“Watch it, buddy,” Maria warned punching him on the shoulder. “I am not short. I am merely petite.” Maria snobbishly raised her nose in the air.
Liz watched with amusement as her two best friends bickered. The two of them becoming more animated as the debate went on. She wondered if she should just come out and say that the whole incident was caused by toxic fumes from the lab. Specifically, from her classmate’s experiment that had gone wrong.
However, she was distracted from saying anything when from the corner of her eye, she saw a dark head weave its way around the crowd. Standing on her tiptoes, she saw Max’s profile. Curious as to where he was headed, she decided to follow him.
“Stop insisting you’re right, Alex. I still think you’re wr – hey! Liz! Where’re you going?” Maria shouted over the crowd. She bounced up and down trying to see over the tops of people’s heads.
“Should I follow her?” Maria asked Alex, concern marring her features.
“Nah,” Alex shook his head. “She probably found someone cooler to hang with,” he goaded earning him a slap on the shoulder.
“Bite your tongue, mister!” Maria admonished. “No one is cooler than us!”
Liz followed Max’s trail until she came to a stop right beside the bleachers. She watched as Max hid behind them, sitting down on the ground.
She stood hidden behind the seats for a moment just watching him. She couldn’t help herself. There was just something about him that drew her. She thought that maybe this would be a good opportunity to mend bridges with him.
All week she had hoped that perhaps he would change his mind and speak to her again. That he’d made a mistake in telling her to go. Liz shook her head. Her romantic notions weren’t getting her anywhere. Maybe she should just let it go.
As if answering her thoughts, she heard three consecutive bells ring signalling that it was finally safe to go back inside the building.
Sighing, she turned around and made her way back.
<center>* * *</center>
Liz looked at her reflection in the mirror as she pinned back her hair. Maria and Alex were due at any moment and she had to make an inconspicuous exit knowing that if her parents found out where she, Maria and Alex were headed they would for sure put a stop to it.
She was just gazing blankly at her reflection when she heard a soft knock on her door.
“I hope you’re decent,” Alex called out before opening the door. He looked around the room taking in the disarray of clothes strewn on the bed. Spotting his friend by the dresser, he made his way toward her.
“Looking good there, Lizzie,” Alex commented flashing her a thumbs up sign.
“Thanks,” Liz blushed.
“Hey how about me?” Maria pouted, sliding out from behind Alex.
Liz looked her friend over and smiled. “Of course you look wonderful, Maria.”
Maria grinned and did a slow turn.
“We better get going,” Alex said, trying to usher the two girls out the door.
Maria immediately latched on to Liz’s arm and whispered in her ear, “Where did you tell your parents you’re going?”
Liz ignored Maria’s question as she passed by her parents. She gave them a small wave and stepped out the door.
“I told them I was going to the movies,” she said through clenched teeth, unsure whether her parents had heard Maria’s question.
When the three of them got outside, Liz breathed a sigh of relief. She always hated lying to her parents and tried to do it as little as possible. However, she knew that her parents would have never let her go if they knew where she was headed and she really needed a break.
When Maria had first mentioned the rave, Liz had been adamant in her refusal to go. After all, she wasn’t the type of girl to break the law all in the name of good fun. But, she really needed a breather. It had been a tough few weeks and she needed to unwind. Perhaps an illegal rave wasn’t the best choice but it was the only option that had presented itself to her. Plus, she had Alex and Maria with her so it was guaranteed that she was going to have a good time.
As they neared the party, Liz could feel the thumping base rattle the windows of Maria’s old Jetta. In the distance she could see cars littering the unpaved grounds of the old soap factory, their tires kicking sand and gravel around them as they drove around.
Just as expected their energy levels kicked up and their nervousness dissipated as soon as they parked the car and opened their doors. The evening’s cool breeze was like a soothing balm to their flushed skins as the three of them walked toward the building’s main entrance.
As soon as entered the rave, Maria squeezed Liz’s arm in excitement.
“Can you believe this?” Maria asked eagerly swivelling her head around the room. “A rave! In small town Roswell! It’s awesome!”
“Feel that base,” Alex murmured in content. He was grinning with his eyes closed bopping his head in tune with the music. “Bitchin!”
Liz looked at her two friends and laughed. Her assumption in the car had been right. She was always guaranteed to have a good time with these two.
“Ooh this is an awesome song!” Alex exclaimed. “Do you ladies care to dance?” He bowed his head deeply and offered his hands.
“Why thank you, sir. I’d be delighted,” Maria fluttered and took Alex’s proffered hand.
Alex looked at Liz and raised an eyebrow. “Are you coming with?”
“I’ll sit this one out. You two go ahead.” She held her hands up and pushed Alex and Maria onto the dance floor. Making her way to an adjacent wall, she smiled as she watched her two best friends dance. Maria moving fluidly as Alex danced jerkily.
She leaned against the wall and blew a breath upward trying to cool her perspiring brow. Although she tried hard not to show it, Liz was impressed by the scene that played out before her. It seemed that word of the rave had gone all around Roswell and the surrounding towns. The place was packed. Gyrating bodies moved to the deep thumping sounds of house, while glittery men and women, some dressed in shining silver others in tiny, glowing, plastic tubes of neon, danced on small platforms raised above the floor.
“Babe-o-rama! Hey,” a cool voice greeted.
Liz quickly glanced at the guy beside her. “Hey,” she answered, hoping that the exchange of pleasantries would be short-lived.
“Do you ever do, uh, jello shooters?” The scraggly-haired boy asked, swaying slightly on the spot.
“No thank you,” Liz quickly brushed him off.
“Go on, try one. Maybe, uh, loosen you up. Maybe later we could check out the roof together,” he persisted, leering at her bare shoulders.
“She said, no thank you,” a deep voice asserted.
The punk looked up and mumbled, “Sorry, dude. Didn’t know she was taken,” before beating a hasty retreat.
Startled, Liz looked up into a pair of warm, honey-coloured eyes.
“Max!” She gasped clearly not expecting to see him there.
“Hi,” Max smiled.
Liz looked him over, taking in his dark green sweater and khaki pants and the way his bangs fall slightly over his brow. At that instant, her stomach did a little flip and she knew she just couldn’t stay away.
Little did she know that Max felt the same.
Paradox (A Contradiction) (AU,M/L,Mat) Act XIII - 2/23 [WIP]
Moderators: Anniepoo98, ISLANDGIRL5, truelovepooh, Forum Moderators
Act XII: With or Without You
The thumping bass reverberated off the walls and cement floors of the old soap factory. The place was packed and hot. Everywhere he looked, Max could see couples bumping and grinding as the tempo changed from bass-induced house to a sensual Latin beat. From the corner of his eye, he could see Liz swaying slightly to the infectious music.
He swallowed. Nervousness crept up on him. He could feel his palms becoming damp and his breathing shorten. He so badly wanted to touch Liz, to ask her to dance, but he was scared that his invitation would be unwelcome. He had heard the rumour at school that Liz and Kyle were no longer together, but he didn’t put much faith in gossip. Now, here he was. Faced with the person he’d been trying to avoid for the past few weeks.
He knew he should have said no when Isabel had asked him to drive her to the rave. He should have just handed her his keys and stayed at home, but he just couldn’t do it. His relationship with his parents had been strained ever since he started seeing Dr. Werker and he needed a break. He needed a break away from his life. When he arrived at the old soap factory and heard the cajoling music, he just couldn’t walk away. It was a means of escape. A few hours of mind-numbing partying were all he needed. It was ironic that the last person he expected to see there, the person he’d been trying to avoid would be the first person he saw.
Liz had been leaning against the partition, her arms braced against the wall behind her as she bopped her head to the music. For a moment, he stood there entranced, hidden amongst the throngs of people freely gazing at her, enjoying the way the beams of light shone, changing streaks of color on her skin. Then he saw the boy walk up to her and a look of irritation crossed her face. Before he knew it, his feet were already propelling him towards her and the boy prepared to do…something, although he didn’t know what. All he knew was that he had felt threatened, almost territorial, and he had to do something about it. It was ridiculous really, his possessive feelings toward Liz. They weren’t anything to each other, other than lab partners. To say that he was surprised at the undercurrent of jealousy running through his body would have been an understatement.
Now, here he was standing next to Liz and he had no idea what he was going to do next; what he was supposed to do. He’d followed his instinct and it led him to a dead end, because he knew that nothing would ever come about with his feelings.
“Thanks for that,” Liz spoke into his ear, brushing against his arm in the process. He stiffened at the contact, wishing, hoping that she would do it again.
“Uh ye-yeah,” he muttered.
“What? What was that?” she yelled over the music.
“I said it’s not a problem,” he yelled back. It took all his control not to lean over and touch her. She was so close…
Liz continued to sway to the music, trying hard to mask the growing nervousness within her belly. She badly wanted him to ask her to dance, just so that she could have the opportunity to touch him, but he remained steadfastly by her side with a good amount of space in between them.
“This is a great song,” she said, hoping that he would take the hint and ask her to dance.
A moment passed and slowly Liz’s hope began to wane and disappointment set in.
“Uh, would you like to? I mean do you want to…?” Max stuttered.
“I’d love to,” Liz cut him off and grabbed his hand before he could object. Internally, she was pumping her hand in victory as she pulled him out on the dance floor.
They began to move to the quick beat. At first they maintained a polite amount of space between them but the pushing and the thickness of the crowd, forced them closer and closer together until they were a mere breath away.
Liz stifled a gasp the moment they touched, her eyes rose and made contact with his. What she saw there was like a kick to the gut. His eyes, usually a golden brown, smouldered with intensity. From the way he was looking at her, it felt like invisible fingers were caressing every part of her skin.
She felt her knees go weak and it took all her control just to remain standing. A moment later, she felt his arm go around her waist as they swayed to the music. The giddiness she felt tripled. She willed her body to keep going; opting to keep her focus on the beat of the music.
She took a deep breathe and caught his scent. He smelled like laundry soap and cologne, and something she could only describe as inherently…Max. She closed her eyes, imprinting the moment into memory. She had never been happier or more afraid than at that exact moment.
Max looked down at Liz’s closed eyes and felt his heart trip then fall. He had never seen anything more enticing or lovelier than her. Her lips parted and he felt her soft wisps of breath brush against his neck sending shivers down his spine. He smiled enjoying the feel of her in his arms, the way her body was pliant to his. And when she opened her eyes and looked directly into his…he knew that this was it. This was the moment he had both anticipated and dreaded. Just a whisper of words and a touch of the lips and he knew his whole world would change. Would he really be able to just let go and fall?
Unconscious to both of them, their movements had slowed. No longer were they rocking to the music but merely swaying, too absorbed in each other to notice. They no longer minded the fact that the place was packed and that the denseness of the crowd had pushed them together. In fact, they were thankful for it. It gave them an out of some sort. Something else to blame for the current lack of distance between them, but in truth, there was nowhere else they would rather be.
The moment between them intensified, even the constant bumping of other bodies around them neglected to break their gazes away from each other. Slowly, like two opposite ends of a magnet, their faces drew closer together…
The moment was broken when Max felt an elbow jab into his ribs causing him to stumble forward almost taking Liz with him.
“Cops! Cops!” He heard someone yell before pandemonium set in. Max instinctively sought out Liz’s hand and breathed a sigh of relief when he felt her fingers slide through his and clasp his hand.
He was stunned in fear, not knowing what was going on. All around him people were running and yelling. He felt himself and Liz being pushed this way and that, unable to stand against the force of the panicked mob. His eyes scanned the crowd for his sister, unable to squelch the trepidation bubbling up in his stomach. Making a decision, he squeezed Liz’s hand.
“C’mon,” he implored. “We’ve got to find my sister.” He tugged her along behind him but stopped when he felt her resistance. He turned to her with questioning eyes.
“My friends! Alex and Maria! They’re here. I have to find them,” Liz exclaimed, unable to hide the panic in her voice. Her eyes darted this way and that, scanning the crowd for her two best friends.
Max looked at her and didn’t know what to do. Chaos had erupted around them yet here they were at a crossroad and he didn’t know which path to take. However, his indecision was broken when he saw Liz’s fear-filled eyes.
“Go! Go look for your friends. I’ll meet you outside,” he waited for her to nod before he gave her hand a final squeeze and let go.
Max burrowed through the crowds hurriedly looking for his sister. When his search didn’t pan out, he decided to call out her name, hoping that she would hear him despite the noise of the crowd.
“Max! Over here! Over here!” He saw Isabel’s blonde head bobbing through the throng of people. Relief washed over him as he made his way to her.
“Iz! C’mon, we gotta go!” He urged before grabbing her hand.
Max dragged his sister through the crowd, hoping and praying that Liz had found her friends and would be waiting for him outside. Panic rushed through him when he saw that there was no sign of Liz outside. He did, however, spot Alex and Maria running out of a side door.
“Max! Where are you going? The Jeep’s over here!” Isabel exclaimed, pulling her brother’s arm in the opposite direction.
“It’s Maria and Alex. They’re not with Liz,” Max replied as if that was reason enough. Isabel rolled her eyes and grudgingly followed her brother.
“Guys, where’s Liz?” Max asked as he approached Maria and Alex.
“I don’t know! We were looking for her inside but we couldn’t find her!” Maria exclaimed, the pitch of her voice climbing high in distress.
The bewildered look in both Alex and Maria’s eyes, cinched Max’s decision. He had to find Liz fast before the cops arrived.
“Iz, take the jeep and get out of here,” he barked out. “Do you guys need a ride?” He turned to Alex and Maria who shook their heads in the negative.
“How are you gonna get back, Max?” Isabel cried. She didn’t understand what in the world Max was thinking but she had a feeling that it wasn’t good.
“Just trust me, Iz. Just go. None of us can get caught,” Max assured her, gently nudging her in the direction of the jeep.
Isabel looked at her brother one last time before she sighed in agreement. It was against her better judgement but there really was no time to argue.
As soon as they left, Max turned toward the side door and rushed through it without a second thought. He knew that the Roswell P.D. was cracking down on these illegal raves and wouldn’t hesitate to make an example of any participants that they caught.
“Liz! Liz!” He hollered jumping up and down hoping to see over people’s heads. The room was dark save for the flashing of the strobe lights and neon danglers. People were knocking into him, pushing him this way and that, yet he persevered. There was only one thing on his mind. He had to find Liz.
Liz looked around at the sea of faces that rushed past her. She hollered her friends’ names but no one responded. Her panic tripled. She could hear the sirens coming closer but her loyalty to her friends won over self-preservation. She couldn’t abandon them now. She knew that there was zero tolerance toward illegal activities in Roswell and she didn’t want her friends to get caught.
A moment later, the flash of red and blue seeped through the frosted windows of the old soap factory and Liz knew that it was too late.
The thumping bass reverberated off the walls and cement floors of the old soap factory. The place was packed and hot. Everywhere he looked, Max could see couples bumping and grinding as the tempo changed from bass-induced house to a sensual Latin beat. From the corner of his eye, he could see Liz swaying slightly to the infectious music.
He swallowed. Nervousness crept up on him. He could feel his palms becoming damp and his breathing shorten. He so badly wanted to touch Liz, to ask her to dance, but he was scared that his invitation would be unwelcome. He had heard the rumour at school that Liz and Kyle were no longer together, but he didn’t put much faith in gossip. Now, here he was. Faced with the person he’d been trying to avoid for the past few weeks.
He knew he should have said no when Isabel had asked him to drive her to the rave. He should have just handed her his keys and stayed at home, but he just couldn’t do it. His relationship with his parents had been strained ever since he started seeing Dr. Werker and he needed a break. He needed a break away from his life. When he arrived at the old soap factory and heard the cajoling music, he just couldn’t walk away. It was a means of escape. A few hours of mind-numbing partying were all he needed. It was ironic that the last person he expected to see there, the person he’d been trying to avoid would be the first person he saw.
Liz had been leaning against the partition, her arms braced against the wall behind her as she bopped her head to the music. For a moment, he stood there entranced, hidden amongst the throngs of people freely gazing at her, enjoying the way the beams of light shone, changing streaks of color on her skin. Then he saw the boy walk up to her and a look of irritation crossed her face. Before he knew it, his feet were already propelling him towards her and the boy prepared to do…something, although he didn’t know what. All he knew was that he had felt threatened, almost territorial, and he had to do something about it. It was ridiculous really, his possessive feelings toward Liz. They weren’t anything to each other, other than lab partners. To say that he was surprised at the undercurrent of jealousy running through his body would have been an understatement.
Now, here he was standing next to Liz and he had no idea what he was going to do next; what he was supposed to do. He’d followed his instinct and it led him to a dead end, because he knew that nothing would ever come about with his feelings.
“Thanks for that,” Liz spoke into his ear, brushing against his arm in the process. He stiffened at the contact, wishing, hoping that she would do it again.
“Uh ye-yeah,” he muttered.
“What? What was that?” she yelled over the music.
“I said it’s not a problem,” he yelled back. It took all his control not to lean over and touch her. She was so close…
Liz continued to sway to the music, trying hard to mask the growing nervousness within her belly. She badly wanted him to ask her to dance, just so that she could have the opportunity to touch him, but he remained steadfastly by her side with a good amount of space in between them.
“This is a great song,” she said, hoping that he would take the hint and ask her to dance.
A moment passed and slowly Liz’s hope began to wane and disappointment set in.
“Uh, would you like to? I mean do you want to…?” Max stuttered.
“I’d love to,” Liz cut him off and grabbed his hand before he could object. Internally, she was pumping her hand in victory as she pulled him out on the dance floor.
They began to move to the quick beat. At first they maintained a polite amount of space between them but the pushing and the thickness of the crowd, forced them closer and closer together until they were a mere breath away.
Liz stifled a gasp the moment they touched, her eyes rose and made contact with his. What she saw there was like a kick to the gut. His eyes, usually a golden brown, smouldered with intensity. From the way he was looking at her, it felt like invisible fingers were caressing every part of her skin.
She felt her knees go weak and it took all her control just to remain standing. A moment later, she felt his arm go around her waist as they swayed to the music. The giddiness she felt tripled. She willed her body to keep going; opting to keep her focus on the beat of the music.
She took a deep breathe and caught his scent. He smelled like laundry soap and cologne, and something she could only describe as inherently…Max. She closed her eyes, imprinting the moment into memory. She had never been happier or more afraid than at that exact moment.
Max looked down at Liz’s closed eyes and felt his heart trip then fall. He had never seen anything more enticing or lovelier than her. Her lips parted and he felt her soft wisps of breath brush against his neck sending shivers down his spine. He smiled enjoying the feel of her in his arms, the way her body was pliant to his. And when she opened her eyes and looked directly into his…he knew that this was it. This was the moment he had both anticipated and dreaded. Just a whisper of words and a touch of the lips and he knew his whole world would change. Would he really be able to just let go and fall?
Unconscious to both of them, their movements had slowed. No longer were they rocking to the music but merely swaying, too absorbed in each other to notice. They no longer minded the fact that the place was packed and that the denseness of the crowd had pushed them together. In fact, they were thankful for it. It gave them an out of some sort. Something else to blame for the current lack of distance between them, but in truth, there was nowhere else they would rather be.
The moment between them intensified, even the constant bumping of other bodies around them neglected to break their gazes away from each other. Slowly, like two opposite ends of a magnet, their faces drew closer together…
The moment was broken when Max felt an elbow jab into his ribs causing him to stumble forward almost taking Liz with him.
“Cops! Cops!” He heard someone yell before pandemonium set in. Max instinctively sought out Liz’s hand and breathed a sigh of relief when he felt her fingers slide through his and clasp his hand.
He was stunned in fear, not knowing what was going on. All around him people were running and yelling. He felt himself and Liz being pushed this way and that, unable to stand against the force of the panicked mob. His eyes scanned the crowd for his sister, unable to squelch the trepidation bubbling up in his stomach. Making a decision, he squeezed Liz’s hand.
“C’mon,” he implored. “We’ve got to find my sister.” He tugged her along behind him but stopped when he felt her resistance. He turned to her with questioning eyes.
“My friends! Alex and Maria! They’re here. I have to find them,” Liz exclaimed, unable to hide the panic in her voice. Her eyes darted this way and that, scanning the crowd for her two best friends.
Max looked at her and didn’t know what to do. Chaos had erupted around them yet here they were at a crossroad and he didn’t know which path to take. However, his indecision was broken when he saw Liz’s fear-filled eyes.
“Go! Go look for your friends. I’ll meet you outside,” he waited for her to nod before he gave her hand a final squeeze and let go.
Max burrowed through the crowds hurriedly looking for his sister. When his search didn’t pan out, he decided to call out her name, hoping that she would hear him despite the noise of the crowd.
“Max! Over here! Over here!” He saw Isabel’s blonde head bobbing through the throng of people. Relief washed over him as he made his way to her.
“Iz! C’mon, we gotta go!” He urged before grabbing her hand.
Max dragged his sister through the crowd, hoping and praying that Liz had found her friends and would be waiting for him outside. Panic rushed through him when he saw that there was no sign of Liz outside. He did, however, spot Alex and Maria running out of a side door.
“Max! Where are you going? The Jeep’s over here!” Isabel exclaimed, pulling her brother’s arm in the opposite direction.
“It’s Maria and Alex. They’re not with Liz,” Max replied as if that was reason enough. Isabel rolled her eyes and grudgingly followed her brother.
“Guys, where’s Liz?” Max asked as he approached Maria and Alex.
“I don’t know! We were looking for her inside but we couldn’t find her!” Maria exclaimed, the pitch of her voice climbing high in distress.
The bewildered look in both Alex and Maria’s eyes, cinched Max’s decision. He had to find Liz fast before the cops arrived.
“Iz, take the jeep and get out of here,” he barked out. “Do you guys need a ride?” He turned to Alex and Maria who shook their heads in the negative.
“How are you gonna get back, Max?” Isabel cried. She didn’t understand what in the world Max was thinking but she had a feeling that it wasn’t good.
“Just trust me, Iz. Just go. None of us can get caught,” Max assured her, gently nudging her in the direction of the jeep.
Isabel looked at her brother one last time before she sighed in agreement. It was against her better judgement but there really was no time to argue.
As soon as they left, Max turned toward the side door and rushed through it without a second thought. He knew that the Roswell P.D. was cracking down on these illegal raves and wouldn’t hesitate to make an example of any participants that they caught.
“Liz! Liz!” He hollered jumping up and down hoping to see over people’s heads. The room was dark save for the flashing of the strobe lights and neon danglers. People were knocking into him, pushing him this way and that, yet he persevered. There was only one thing on his mind. He had to find Liz.
Liz looked around at the sea of faces that rushed past her. She hollered her friends’ names but no one responded. Her panic tripled. She could hear the sirens coming closer but her loyalty to her friends won over self-preservation. She couldn’t abandon them now. She knew that there was zero tolerance toward illegal activities in Roswell and she didn’t want her friends to get caught.
A moment later, the flash of red and blue seeped through the frosted windows of the old soap factory and Liz knew that it was too late.
<center>
</center>
</center>Act XIII: Escape
Liz kept pushing her way through the crowds, mindful of the flashing lights outside. All she could think about was that she had to get out. She wasn’t watching where she was going when she ran into someone’s back, causing both the person and herself to fall on the ground.
“Max!”
“Liz!” They both said in unison. For a second they were both so shocked to see each other that they froze. However, someone’s sudden scream yanked them back reality with a vicious, hard tug.
“We gotta get out of here,” Max exclaimed, pushing himself up off the floor.
“But Maria and Alex,” Liz rebuked, shaking her head.
“They’re outside. I told them not to worry, that I’ll find you,” Max assured her.
The crowd around them were thinning and from their vantage point (off in the corner of the factory) they could see the flash of blue uniforms filing in through the main doors. Max and Liz both felt their heart rate increase as the direness of their situation suddenly came rushing at them like a runaway train.
They were trapped.
The crowd could only afford them cover for so long before the police swooped in on them. Max looked around him for any other exits and realized that only breaking open a window and jumping out would save them now. The front entrance was blocked by a police barricade and he knew the side entrance wouldn’t be far behind. They could risk it by trying to blend in the crowd but with that risk was the chance that they could get trampled.
Taking a deep breath, Max made up his mind and grabbed Liz’s hand. He was going to try to squeeze them through.
Move it, hurry up! Move it, hurry up! Max repeated the litany in his head as if his mental cajoling would make everyone move faster. When he saw a small opening between the throngs of moving bodies, he bolted for it, dragging Liz with him.
“Hold it right there,” a stern voice ordered, as they both felt a strong hand clamp down on their shoulders.
Both Max and Liz struggled to free themselves but to no avail. Slowly they both turned to face their captor. Deputy Hanson stood before them with a reprimanding look on his face.
“Okay kids, party’s over. You’re both coming with me,” Deputy Hanson grabbed their intertwined hands by their wrists and hauled them out to the awaiting police cruisers in the parking lot.
Max and Liz looked around them both in bewilderment and panic. It seemed that they weren’t the only unlucky ones that were caught. It was like the police had thrown a large net into the ocean and when they pulled it up, they had a mother-load of a catch before them. They were people dressed in bright flashy clothing, looking as sombre as if they were at a funeral. They were a few whose defiance of authority was earning them an eye full of pepper spray or a face full of dirt.
Liz looked at Max and swallowed. She knew that they were in trouble. There was no chance of making a run for it. The only option they had was abiding by the police and hoping that their parents didn’t kill them when they finally came to bail them out.
They stopped in front of a black SUV with the words, RPD emblazoned in white on its side. Deputy Hanson opened the back door and motioned for the two of them to get in.
“You two be good now while I corral the rest of the herd,” he raised his eyebrow knowingly before he closed the door.
Out of self-preservation, Liz moved her hand to the door handle and pulled. Nothing happened. She tried again, this time more desperate. Still nothing. She leaned over Max and tried the same thing on his side and again, the doors remained closed. She would have tried the front doors, but the metal mesh dividing the front and back seats stopped her.
She looked skyward and let out a growl of frustration.
“I’m sorry, Liz.”
“I’m sorry, Max.” They both said in unison.
They paused and looked at each other before letting out a dry and uncomfortable chuckle.
“My parents are gonna kill me,” Liz sighed, leaning back against the seat as their predicament set in.
“Same here,” Max agreed, leaning his head against the window.
“What are we gonna do?” Liz asked.
“I don’t know. Cooperate?” Max suggested.
“I’ve never been arrested before.”
“Me neither.”
Liz stared straight ahead but from the corner of her eye she watched Max. She couldn’t help herself. All night she wished to be alone with him but didn’t think it would be like this, sitting in the back seat of a police car. To distract herself, she looked down at his hands and marvelled. Although it had been a month since her accident she still remembered how gentle those hands felt when he had cared for her. How soothing his touch had been in an almost fatal situation. That day opened her eyes to the real Max Evans. That day Max hadn’t been timid. Nor had he opted to sit in the shadows and watch. He had taken charge of the situation and made sure that things got done. Max was a natural born leader, even though he didn’t know it. She admired and respected that in him. It made her sad to think that once again he had retreated back into his shell. One look at him and she knew that he was meant for much bigger and greater things, if only he step out from behind the proverbial tree.
“What do you think they’re going to do with us?” She whispered, almost afraid of breaking the silence that had suddenly enveloped the inside of the truck.
Max started as if her question suddenly caught him off guard.
“I don’t know. They’re going to call our parents for sure…,” he trailed off seeing Liz nod her head in agreement.
“Do you think they’ll put us in jail?”
“No, I don’t think so. I mean, all we did was trespass. Besides, my dad’s a lawyer,” Max smiled looking at Liz.
“Oh yeah. I forgot,” Liz rolled her eyes and laughed.
Max turned to his side and faced her. Tentatively he reached over and covered her hand with his.
“Seriously, I think we’ll be okay,” he assured her.
“I hope so, Max. I really hope so.”
The ride to the precinct wasn’t made in silence. Once the police had managed to load all the participants that were caught into various squad cars and paddy wagons, they made their way back to the head quarters. The caravan of flashing lights had been quite a sight as they drove through the almost deserted streets of Roswell. Deputy Hanson, being quite the friendly, Southern fellow that he was didn’t stop talking. He regaled Max and Liz of stories from his childhood. Of the time he too got into trouble as a teen. As entertaining as his stories were, he didn’t once let up on his captive audience.
“Now, you two ought to remember. There’s a fine line between youthful exuberance and delinquency. I sure hope that you two know which side of the road to walk on.” He squinted at Max and Liz, trying hard to intimidate them, before stepping aside and leading them inside the precinct.
Liz tailed behind Max and Deputy Hanson. She noticed that one by one rowdy teens were being led inside the Police Department. Since it was a raid, there were plenty of people caught. As she passed them, she smelled the faint scent of liquor in the air and her heart beat faster. She knew that a charge of underage drinking was possible and perhaps drug possession too, although her and Max weren’t guilty of either. Solemnly, she walked up the steps with her head bowed as if she was taking a trek to the gallows.
Once inside, the office was abuzz with activity. There were police officers taking statements from suspects, some of the ravers were fighting, while others were dozing off slumped on the floor and against the wall. Deputy Hanson deposited both Max and Liz against a corner of the main hall and told them to stay put while he called their parents.
They watched as the deputy ambled his way down the tiled corridor toward his office.
“Hey kids,” a voice greeted causing both Max and Liz to look over. Sheriff Valenti stood in front of them dressed his police uniform consisting of a black oxford shirt, a pair of Levis, cowboy boots, a Stetson hat, and his shiny gold badge.
“I expected more from the both of you,” he scolded folding his arms across his chest.
Max and Liz blushed guiltily.
Valenti stood there for a moment scrutinizing the two teens before proceeding to the front desk to handle all the other arrests.
“Oh God! I’m dead meat!” Liz exclaimed. She blew out a frustrated breath before sliding down to the floor. She was nervous of what would happen once her parents got wind of her arrest. She also worried as to how this would affect her academic record and her chances of getting into Harvard.
Max looked at her for a moment before following suit. He leaned his head back against the wall and waited.
“So what made you decide to go to the rave?” Liz asked, glancing at him.
“Isabel,” Max mumbled.
Liz looked over Max’s slumped form and cocked her head to the side waiting for him to continue.
“She needed a ride,” Max continued. “Thought I’d be nice and play chauffeur for her. Didn’t think I’d get arrested for it,” Max shook his head in disbelief.
Max closed his eyes and hoped that his sister got home okay. It was bad enough that he found himself in this predicament. It would be even worse if Isabel was with him. His relationship with his parents was rocky at the moment so he knew what their reaction would be, and he was prepared to take whatever punishment they served him. Isabel, on the other hand, was more sensitive. She was always seeking their approval. He didn’t think she could handle their parents’ disappointment.
Liz’s sudden yawn caused Max to look over at her.
“Sorry,” Liz said sheepishly. “I guess I didn’t realize how tired I am.”
Max smiled. “You can borrow my shoulder as a pillow if you want,” he blurted out. His eyes grew wide when he realized what he had just said.
“I mean that is…only if…you want…,” he tried to backtrack.
Max couldn’t believe how bold he had become within the span of a few hours. Usually he’d be too intimidated and too shy to speak to Liz. There had to be a full moon out tonight. That was the only thing he could think of to explain his sudden confidence.
“Sure. Thanks.” Liz blinked her tired eyes and leaned her head against Max’s shoulder.
Despite the chaos around them, Max and Liz slipped into a cocoon of comfort. Liz rested her head against Max’s shoulder and pretty soon he too leaned his head against hers. For a while they sat in silence taking comfort in each other’s warmth. Liz was the first one to fall asleep; her breath evening out as her body leaned more heavily into Max.
Max for his part, tried to stay awake. His mind drifting into a sea of bliss as the scent of Liz’s shampoo wafted through his nose. After a few minutes, his lids grew heavy as fatigue overtook his body. Soon, he too drifted off to sleep.
Liz kept pushing her way through the crowds, mindful of the flashing lights outside. All she could think about was that she had to get out. She wasn’t watching where she was going when she ran into someone’s back, causing both the person and herself to fall on the ground.
“Max!”
“Liz!” They both said in unison. For a second they were both so shocked to see each other that they froze. However, someone’s sudden scream yanked them back reality with a vicious, hard tug.
“We gotta get out of here,” Max exclaimed, pushing himself up off the floor.
“But Maria and Alex,” Liz rebuked, shaking her head.
“They’re outside. I told them not to worry, that I’ll find you,” Max assured her.
The crowd around them were thinning and from their vantage point (off in the corner of the factory) they could see the flash of blue uniforms filing in through the main doors. Max and Liz both felt their heart rate increase as the direness of their situation suddenly came rushing at them like a runaway train.
They were trapped.
The crowd could only afford them cover for so long before the police swooped in on them. Max looked around him for any other exits and realized that only breaking open a window and jumping out would save them now. The front entrance was blocked by a police barricade and he knew the side entrance wouldn’t be far behind. They could risk it by trying to blend in the crowd but with that risk was the chance that they could get trampled.
Taking a deep breath, Max made up his mind and grabbed Liz’s hand. He was going to try to squeeze them through.
Move it, hurry up! Move it, hurry up! Max repeated the litany in his head as if his mental cajoling would make everyone move faster. When he saw a small opening between the throngs of moving bodies, he bolted for it, dragging Liz with him.
“Hold it right there,” a stern voice ordered, as they both felt a strong hand clamp down on their shoulders.
Both Max and Liz struggled to free themselves but to no avail. Slowly they both turned to face their captor. Deputy Hanson stood before them with a reprimanding look on his face.
“Okay kids, party’s over. You’re both coming with me,” Deputy Hanson grabbed their intertwined hands by their wrists and hauled them out to the awaiting police cruisers in the parking lot.
Max and Liz looked around them both in bewilderment and panic. It seemed that they weren’t the only unlucky ones that were caught. It was like the police had thrown a large net into the ocean and when they pulled it up, they had a mother-load of a catch before them. They were people dressed in bright flashy clothing, looking as sombre as if they were at a funeral. They were a few whose defiance of authority was earning them an eye full of pepper spray or a face full of dirt.
Liz looked at Max and swallowed. She knew that they were in trouble. There was no chance of making a run for it. The only option they had was abiding by the police and hoping that their parents didn’t kill them when they finally came to bail them out.
They stopped in front of a black SUV with the words, RPD emblazoned in white on its side. Deputy Hanson opened the back door and motioned for the two of them to get in.
“You two be good now while I corral the rest of the herd,” he raised his eyebrow knowingly before he closed the door.
Out of self-preservation, Liz moved her hand to the door handle and pulled. Nothing happened. She tried again, this time more desperate. Still nothing. She leaned over Max and tried the same thing on his side and again, the doors remained closed. She would have tried the front doors, but the metal mesh dividing the front and back seats stopped her.
She looked skyward and let out a growl of frustration.
“I’m sorry, Liz.”
“I’m sorry, Max.” They both said in unison.
They paused and looked at each other before letting out a dry and uncomfortable chuckle.
“My parents are gonna kill me,” Liz sighed, leaning back against the seat as their predicament set in.
“Same here,” Max agreed, leaning his head against the window.
“What are we gonna do?” Liz asked.
“I don’t know. Cooperate?” Max suggested.
“I’ve never been arrested before.”
“Me neither.”
Liz stared straight ahead but from the corner of her eye she watched Max. She couldn’t help herself. All night she wished to be alone with him but didn’t think it would be like this, sitting in the back seat of a police car. To distract herself, she looked down at his hands and marvelled. Although it had been a month since her accident she still remembered how gentle those hands felt when he had cared for her. How soothing his touch had been in an almost fatal situation. That day opened her eyes to the real Max Evans. That day Max hadn’t been timid. Nor had he opted to sit in the shadows and watch. He had taken charge of the situation and made sure that things got done. Max was a natural born leader, even though he didn’t know it. She admired and respected that in him. It made her sad to think that once again he had retreated back into his shell. One look at him and she knew that he was meant for much bigger and greater things, if only he step out from behind the proverbial tree.
“What do you think they’re going to do with us?” She whispered, almost afraid of breaking the silence that had suddenly enveloped the inside of the truck.
Max started as if her question suddenly caught him off guard.
“I don’t know. They’re going to call our parents for sure…,” he trailed off seeing Liz nod her head in agreement.
“Do you think they’ll put us in jail?”
“No, I don’t think so. I mean, all we did was trespass. Besides, my dad’s a lawyer,” Max smiled looking at Liz.
“Oh yeah. I forgot,” Liz rolled her eyes and laughed.
Max turned to his side and faced her. Tentatively he reached over and covered her hand with his.
“Seriously, I think we’ll be okay,” he assured her.
“I hope so, Max. I really hope so.”
The ride to the precinct wasn’t made in silence. Once the police had managed to load all the participants that were caught into various squad cars and paddy wagons, they made their way back to the head quarters. The caravan of flashing lights had been quite a sight as they drove through the almost deserted streets of Roswell. Deputy Hanson, being quite the friendly, Southern fellow that he was didn’t stop talking. He regaled Max and Liz of stories from his childhood. Of the time he too got into trouble as a teen. As entertaining as his stories were, he didn’t once let up on his captive audience.
“Now, you two ought to remember. There’s a fine line between youthful exuberance and delinquency. I sure hope that you two know which side of the road to walk on.” He squinted at Max and Liz, trying hard to intimidate them, before stepping aside and leading them inside the precinct.
Liz tailed behind Max and Deputy Hanson. She noticed that one by one rowdy teens were being led inside the Police Department. Since it was a raid, there were plenty of people caught. As she passed them, she smelled the faint scent of liquor in the air and her heart beat faster. She knew that a charge of underage drinking was possible and perhaps drug possession too, although her and Max weren’t guilty of either. Solemnly, she walked up the steps with her head bowed as if she was taking a trek to the gallows.
Once inside, the office was abuzz with activity. There were police officers taking statements from suspects, some of the ravers were fighting, while others were dozing off slumped on the floor and against the wall. Deputy Hanson deposited both Max and Liz against a corner of the main hall and told them to stay put while he called their parents.
They watched as the deputy ambled his way down the tiled corridor toward his office.
“Hey kids,” a voice greeted causing both Max and Liz to look over. Sheriff Valenti stood in front of them dressed his police uniform consisting of a black oxford shirt, a pair of Levis, cowboy boots, a Stetson hat, and his shiny gold badge.
“I expected more from the both of you,” he scolded folding his arms across his chest.
Max and Liz blushed guiltily.
Valenti stood there for a moment scrutinizing the two teens before proceeding to the front desk to handle all the other arrests.
“Oh God! I’m dead meat!” Liz exclaimed. She blew out a frustrated breath before sliding down to the floor. She was nervous of what would happen once her parents got wind of her arrest. She also worried as to how this would affect her academic record and her chances of getting into Harvard.
Max looked at her for a moment before following suit. He leaned his head back against the wall and waited.
“So what made you decide to go to the rave?” Liz asked, glancing at him.
“Isabel,” Max mumbled.
Liz looked over Max’s slumped form and cocked her head to the side waiting for him to continue.
“She needed a ride,” Max continued. “Thought I’d be nice and play chauffeur for her. Didn’t think I’d get arrested for it,” Max shook his head in disbelief.
Max closed his eyes and hoped that his sister got home okay. It was bad enough that he found himself in this predicament. It would be even worse if Isabel was with him. His relationship with his parents was rocky at the moment so he knew what their reaction would be, and he was prepared to take whatever punishment they served him. Isabel, on the other hand, was more sensitive. She was always seeking their approval. He didn’t think she could handle their parents’ disappointment.
Liz’s sudden yawn caused Max to look over at her.
“Sorry,” Liz said sheepishly. “I guess I didn’t realize how tired I am.”
Max smiled. “You can borrow my shoulder as a pillow if you want,” he blurted out. His eyes grew wide when he realized what he had just said.
“I mean that is…only if…you want…,” he tried to backtrack.
Max couldn’t believe how bold he had become within the span of a few hours. Usually he’d be too intimidated and too shy to speak to Liz. There had to be a full moon out tonight. That was the only thing he could think of to explain his sudden confidence.
“Sure. Thanks.” Liz blinked her tired eyes and leaned her head against Max’s shoulder.
Despite the chaos around them, Max and Liz slipped into a cocoon of comfort. Liz rested her head against Max’s shoulder and pretty soon he too leaned his head against hers. For a while they sat in silence taking comfort in each other’s warmth. Liz was the first one to fall asleep; her breath evening out as her body leaned more heavily into Max.
Max for his part, tried to stay awake. His mind drifting into a sea of bliss as the scent of Liz’s shampoo wafted through his nose. After a few minutes, his lids grew heavy as fatigue overtook his body. Soon, he too drifted off to sleep.
<center></center>
</center>