Cocking/Caulking (Lizfic) ADULT COMPLETE 3/30/06

[DMartinez]

I'm Liz Parker and I should be happy. Right? I'm dating the sweetest guy on the planet and everyone knows it.

"Is this okay?" Max rasped as he pulled Liz against him, his hand underneath her shirt as he sought the elusive clasp of her bra.

"Yeah… but… Max?" She sucked on his earlobe for a second. "The clasp is in the front."

Shifting slightly, Max moved his hand to the hem of her blouse. "Can I see you?"

"See me?" Pulled away just far enough to look into his face.

"Can I… unbutton your shirt?" At her slow nod, he opened her blouse one button at a time. Brushing her shirt aside, his eyes wandered over her exposed skin, taking in the heave of her breasts beneath her bra. Looking up into her face, he bent to taste the skin just below her breasts.

Her eyes closed as she soaked in the warmth of his hand against the bare skin of her stomach, the gentle press of his lips on her sensitive skin as they traveled up to her lips. His hot but sweet breath invading her mouth as the heat of his hand trekked up to the clasp of her bra. Soft brush of his fingers coupled with his tender kisses made her face flush. Cool air, then his warm hand...

"Good move, Maxwell but I'm thinking thumb to the left will get you where she's wanting." At the intrusion, the couple jerked apart. Liz clutched at her shirt to close it. Michael was looking like a pretty good target for pyrokinetics if there ever was one.

"Michael, what do you want?" Max sat up, blocking his friend's view of his nearly half naked girlfriend.

"To talk about something important. So if sugarlips could put her clothes back on and leave, we can do that." Michael made himself comfortable on the windowsill and waited.

"Can you give us a minute?" Max ran a hand through his disheveled hair.

"No, because a minute turns into several minutes and then an hour and I need to talk to you before Isabel does."

"What did you do?"

"I'll tell you when she leaves." Michael pointed to Liz, who was squirming uncomfortably while the two continued to talk.

"Max?" She whispered.

"Liz…" He turned to look at her. "I have to see what this is about. I'll call you later… promise." Pressed a kiss to her lips. "Sorry."

"Bye." Liz managed a small smile and slid off the bed. Just as she was reaching for the doorknob, the door swung in. Isabel. The two girls stared at each other for a moment. "I was just leaving."

"Bathroom's around the corner." Isabel shot out and slammed the door behind Liz. "Do you know what he did last night?"

"Shut up, alright." Michael shot back at her, climbing into the room fully.

"Hold on." Max stood up and fixed his shirt. "Michael, tell me what you needed so badly to tell me."

"I got a hold of this key—"

"Tell him how you got the key." Isabel barked. When Michael didn't say anything, she charged forward. "He broke into Valenti's office. He went digging through his files to find that… key. He says it gave him a vision."

Max turned to Michael, who shrugged. "I did and it did. We have to investigate."

"Where's the key?" Max had the object in question in hand before the last word was out of his mouth. "It's just a key."

"I saw something when I touched it, Max."

"What did you see?"

"Don't tell me you're buying into this, Max." Isabel huffed and threw herself on the bed.

"I just want to know." Max covered quickly and looked to his friend.

"A dome."

"A dome."

"Yes. A dome. Big, lots of shapes with a door."

It was weird. One minute he's getting to second base and the next, I'm fixing my clothes in the bathroom while I can hear some kind of argument going on. I couldn't make out words or anything but it was weird. Max didn't even see me to the door, or make Michael get out when I obviously didn't have much covering me… He didn't even call like he promised.

"Maxwell." Michael banged on the side of the Jeep, only to get an armful of books that weren't his. Bored, he dropped all but one book and flipped through it. "Maxwell." Kicked the baseboard.

His reward was Max's head outside the door. "Michael, you're seriously killing the mood. I have twenty minutes before I have to be in class. Wait for me in the lounge." The door slammed, nearly missing his jacket.

The book slipped from his grasp leaving only the book jacket in his hand. The dome. Quickly his eyes ran over every surface of the jacket. Almost banged on the Jeep door again but heard soft gasps and moans. "Screw that. I need a map."

Michael is like… everywhere I turn and Max has stopped fighting him. I don't expect him to get rid of his friends because they creep me out but Michael has been crossing some lines lately. I'm just not comfortable with the way he just pops up and makes his presence known when Max and I are making out. He can be so rude sometimes.

"Maxwell. I found it." Michael flicked his gaze to Liz and glared. "Go away."

"Michael. Cut it out." Max warned and went back to his lunch.

"You aren't even going to ask what I found?" Michael eyed Liz again and waited for Max to acknowledge him. "Going to have to tell her to leave so we can talk." Got madder the longer Max sat silent. "This is the basis of our existence."

"Max… I'm just going to go. I'll talk to you later?" Liz grabbed her tray and made to leave.

"Later." Max managed a small smile and turned his attention to Michael the second she walked away. "What is it?"

"I found the dome. It's in Texas."

Max is just shutting down to me. I tried calling him but all I got was his machine. I hate to think it but really… beyond our make out sessions whenever we get the chance… we haven't done much. We haven't talked really, done anything together. Somehow I've managed to lose the interest of the sweetest guy on the planet.

TBC

[DMartinez]

I'm Liz Parker and I did it. I broke it off… but funny thing is… I don't feel much better.

Maria hounded Liz all the way to their lockers. "Are you insane? How can you break up with him?"

"Maria, you don't even know." Liz sighed, her voice full of tears. "And can you keep it down? I want to break up with him before he hears it from someone who heard you screeching down the hallway."

"What I don't understand is why in the world you would want to… do… something like that. Hi Max." Maria shot an uneasy smile over Liz's shoulder. "How's it going?"

"Hey Maria." Small smile for the friend, brighter one for his girlfriend. "Hey."

"Hi." Liz nodded and turned to face him. "Max."

His hand sought hers to intertwine their fingers, head bent to kiss her. She turned so that he caught her cheek. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"Umm… We need to find a place to… talk." Her eyes stayed on the book in his other hand as she spoke.

"The Eraser Room was free when I passed by." Started to pull her along but she resisted. "Hey, what is it?"

"Some other place, Max. We really, really need to talk."

Somewhere, sometime, Max's eyes just stopped lighting up when he saw me. He started taking me for granted. It's different to do something when you want to than when it's expected of you. Kissing Max at anytime is amazing but it still doesn't feel the way it used to. I really can't say if it's me or if it's him but it doesn't feel right anymore. Just like us sitting together and not talking doesn't feel right. I had to tell him what it was like to be his girlfriend and that I couldn't be his anymore.

"So what are you saying? You want me to be better? I can try to be better." Max rambled on, his mind hadn't quite wrapped itself around her words.

"I don't know if you can. You were better to begin with. Like Michael."

"What about him?"

"When we first started dating, he was a pain in the ass and you would defend me, or tell him off." Liz sat on the park bench and stared at her hands. "Now, you let him treat me like I… like I'm beneath him."

"You want to break up because Michael's mean to you?"

"No…" She sighed heavily. "This is the first time we've talked in like two weeks without being attached at the mouth. It's not good, Max." Had to blink to keep the tears out of her voice. "You can be so sweet and wonderful but then you can make me feel like I'm not enough… like I don't do enough for you but I can't do anymore, Max. I can't."

We talked for a long time but we didn't get anywhere. It was like it sunk in what I was doing, he shut down and just accepted it. He didn't put up a fight for very long. I guess it hurts a little that he was so willing to see it my way.

"So, you broke up with him?" Maria sighed. "That's so weird. I thought he was like… perfect."

"Me, too." Liz poked at her ice cream and took a breath. "And the fact that he was totally not expecting something like that is angering and kinda hurts, actually. It's like he wasn't even paying attention for the past couple of weeks."

"So, what? It's completely over?"

"I think so. Maybe… I don't know. I can't be thinking about getting back together with him six seconds after I broke up with him, Maria." Liz flicked her spoon at her friend.

"Was it really so bad just making out with the hottest guy this side of the sun?" The blonde just had to ask.

"Well, no but… that's all it's been and it's not good for a relationship to only have that." She had to give up. "I don't want to talk about it anymore."

"Fine." Maria huffed. "Don't share making out stories or kissing stories or making out in jeep stories…" Lay back with her bowl of ice cream. "Eraser room stories… there was an eraser room story, wasn't there?"

"Yes."

She gasped. "Omigod. How much activity was there? You weren't… taken by the eraser room, were you?"

"Taken?" Liz shook her head in confusion.

"Taken. As in… taken the best of us." Maria sat up and then crawled to kneel on the bed. "As in… he took her. She was taken in the eraser room."

"Muh-Ri-Uh!" Liz exclaimed. "No!"

Trust Maria to take my mind off the immediate stress and move it into other territory, be it not totally unrelated. I keep thinking about what she assumed about Max and I and the eraser room. I know my mother has given me those talks about 'what boys really want' and all that but… surely… Max isn't one of those boys. Not that it matters much now but I'm wondering… would it have made a difference?

TBC

[DMartinez]

I'm Liz Parker and life is a little strange. One day I'm single and depressed and the next I'm single still yet seriously considering a guy who was so completely horrible to me when I was dating his best friend.

"You are so in a funk." Maria griped as they moved down the hall. "You have been so completely miserable for months. You didn't even enjoy Christmas, which… yeah, I don't know what that's about." She stopped walking to face her friend. "You went on seven dates and were so bummed, they all brought you home early."

"I know… it's just… they wanted to do things and after Max… I'm afraid to." Liz sighed and leaned on a wall. "He's in my bio class and it's weird enough that I go out with those guys but if any thing had happened with any of them… I wouldn't even be able to go to class."

"Max is such a loser if he couldn't appreciate you. What happened with Pauley?"

"Kyle."

"'Nough said." Maria made a face and then another. "Ew."

"What?"

"Michael Guerin, two o'clock. Looking this way." She gripped her friend and hurried down the hall and away from the punk. "He seriously creeps me out."

"I am still really embarrassed around him. I mean… he saw me like about half naked." Liz shuddered.

"Ugh." Maria scoffed. "I'm going to class."

"Catch you later." Liz continued on to the lounge. She sat and watched, discreetly, as Max and Michael had an argument.

Max shot a look to where Liz sat on the lounge couch and stepped closer to his friend. "Keep her out of this. Don't go poking around."

"She could have the answers."

"Leave her alone. You've done enough damage." Max looked only once more toward Liz and then he was off to class.

Michael stayed put only until Max turned the corner and then he made directly for Liz. He took a seat without her permission, nearly invading her personal space. "Hey."

"Um, hey." She nodded and opened a book. He just sat there, staring at her until she had enough. "What?"

"Look. I don't want to be here but I'm desperate and I'm told you can help." He made it just vague enough to keep her from asking him to leave and just pleading enough that she couldn't ignore him.

"Huh?"

"Max says you got all these books about Native American artifacts from the tribes around here."

"Yeah. My grandmother was an expert. She wrote a lot of books." Liz put down her book and turned to him slightly. He was just close enough to make her uncomfortable but she wasn't going to let him get away with that anymore. If she had learned anything from Max, it was never to let Michael know he got to you. "What do you need to know?"

"I need some answers."

"Answers to what?" Liz cleared her throat, intrigued.

"I got something. It's a necklace or something that belonged to someone who might have been one of my parents." He played the orphan card for all it was worth. He knew Max had said too much to Liz for her not to want to help. "If it's some kind of artifact, I want to know." He leaned in just a bit closer to work the intimidation angle. His knee touched her leg and he could smell her hair. "It's important."

"Can I see it?" Her voice was so small that he knew it worked.

"I don't have it on me. If I show it to you… you can't tell anyone that you saw it or that I had it."

"Okay." She nodded, afraid to look away but knowing he could read how uncomfortable he made her in her eyes.

It was the weirdest conversation I've ever had with a person. He wanted answers and the only reason I agreed was because of what Max had told me about Michael not knowing who his parents were. It's something they shared as part of their bond. Michael was so close to me that I couldn't help but look at him. He was so passionate that I could overlook how rude he was being. I've never seen him look like that. Ever.

"How can you help?" Michael demanded the second she emerged from the back of the Crashdown to start her shift.

"I have some books but I’m working now." Liz shrugged him off and went to her first table.

He waited until she took their order and followed her to the walk-up window. "I have it with me and I can't have it out for long." He insisted none too politely and followed her to her next table.

"Well… leave it. I'll have a look after my shift, when I can." She kept moving and he kept following her; table to table, order to order.

"Did you hear me at all? I can't leave it. I'm not even supposed to have it."

She had had about enough at that point. "Then take a picture or trace it. I don't have time right this second, Michael." She pushed past him to retrieve an order. He was still standing there when she returned for another order. "What?"

"Give me the books. I'll look myself." Michael squeezed between two tables to follow her to the register.

"Michael!" She stomped her foot, nearly missing his. She took a breath and tossed him a fake smile. "Michael. Stop. I'm working." After she cashed out her first costumers, grumbled about the lack of tip, she turned to him again. "Look, they are first edition, signed and personalized by my grandmother. I hold them very dear and I don't lend them out. Her name is Claudia Parker, go to the city library. Look her up."

"Fine." Michael backed off but didn’t leave. He didn't bother her for another twenty minutes. Her hands were full of plates so he slipped a piece of paper into her apron, just as Max walked into the Café for his evening break. Michael leaned in close. "Get back to me. Soon." Liz nodded dumbly and noted the absolute anger in Max's face when he saw them talking to each other. "Don't tell anyone about this… Anyone." He warned before he stepped back.

"Ok." She turned and nodded to him. She served her tables and managed to get Maria to cover Max's table.

I have never seen Max look like that. He was mad. Was it because Michael's hand was in my pocket? Or was it because we were talking? I have never known Max to be jealous but… did he know something that I didn't?

When she had her break, she pulled out the paper. It had a drawing and Michael's address, complete with directions, and a time to meet him the next night. She had just slipped the paper back into her pocket when she felt a hand on her shoulder. "Oh. Max. Hey."

"Hey." He awkwardly moved his hand and shoved it into his pocket. "Um, I, uh, saw you talking to Michael earlier. He, uh, wasn't bothering you, was he?"

"No." She answered too quickly but took a breath. "We were just talking." She shook her head and followed him to the register to take his payment. He pocketed his change and stayed put. "What?"

"What was on that paper he gave you?"

"Um… nothing really." Liz answered softly. "Just his address. We're supposed to meet up tomorrow."

"To do what?" A strange spark entered his eye.

"To talk, I guess. We didn't really discuss it." She shook her head and watched him walk away dejectedly.

Pieces started coming together. The look on Max's face when he left, like he'd been punched. So maybe I did lie but Max knows Michael better than I do. Was there a reason for him to be jealous? I saw that fight at school and they looked at me. Was it over me? Max was clearly upset and knew there was something else to do with Michael and I talking. Was it because Michael didn't tell Max about the necklace? Or was it because Max knows something else about why Michael came to me? Is there really something for Max to be jealous about if I go see Michael?

TBC

[DMartinez]

I'm Liz Parker and the more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that Michael has an ulterior motive for all this. He is cute and he does have the bad boy thing going for him. The more I think about it, the more I think he was always ragging on me because maybe he likes me. I looked through all of Grandma Claudia's books and nothing resembling that drawing was in any of them. Now, I'm thinking it was an excuse.

Liz explained to Michael everything she found and didn't find and he seemed dejected. "But, um, I went ahead and took down the names of the people she interviewed from the nearby tribes. They aren't really known for sharing all the information. If one of your parents was from the Res, they'll be more open to talking to you."

Michael took the piece of paper and then kicked a rock. "You sure?"

"Yeah." She nodded. "If it is Native American… it hasn't been catalogued… yet."

"Right." Michael nodded and rubbed at his eyebrow.

I'm Liz Parker and I am monumentally stupid. I don't know where I got the courage from but I decided to confront Michael last night when I went to his place.

"You know…" Liz closed the distance between them. Michael wasn’t even really playing attention. "You didn't have to make something up to get me to talk to you. You could have just tried talking to me."

"What?" The confusion in his eyes stunned her. "What are you talking about?"

"Why didn't you just go to the library? They carry all her books. Why did you have to ask me to do it for you?" Bit her lip and dared to look up at him, to put her hand on his arm, leaned in just a little with her face turned up.

"Because I'm lazy." He stepped away and backed toward his trailer. "I'm not into my best friend's leftovers."

I don't know what possessed me to do that. I'm so stupid. I couldn’t even look at Max today at school. I'm sure Michael told him everything. I am such an idiot. Why I even thought he might like me…

"You did what?" Maria burst out laughing and fell back on the grass.

"See, I knew that I shouldn't have told you." Liz gathered her lunch and made for the library. She was halfway there by the time that Maria caught up with her.

"Wait, Liz, wait." The blond took a moment to catch her breath. "You're telling me that you tried to put the moves on Mr. Scuzzbucket himself? I thought you hated Michael?"

"My life is over." Liz grumbled and leaned on a locker.

"It's not over. It was just a lapse in judgment. You'll recover. You're just going through a slump." Her eyes ran over the brunette's slouched body. "What's the deal?"

"That I actually wanted to kiss him." Then she started laughing. "I mean… admit it. Haven't you thought about it?"

"Maybe… once… maybe twice." Maria muttered. "Oh! Who hasn't?"

"Thanks." The brunette gave her friend a weak smile. "He is a jerk though."

"Absolutely."

"He's got that bad boy thing going for him but he's a jerk and I couldn't ever bring him home like I could Max."

"Oh babe!" Maria exclaimed and threw her arms up. "You're not still pissed about Max are you?"

"Shouldn't I be? He's the best specimen that Roswell High has to offer. He's sweet and kind… and somewhat oblivious but compared to the other options…" Liz gestured to a group of guys as they slammed each other into the lockers.

"But you said yourself that it wasn't good. Don't be clinging to him because you want someone… and please stop hitting on losers because you like kissing." She snickered and patted her hair down. "So, what we're going to do is go shopping for the rest of the day and hope there are some hotties to drool over and if there aren't… we'll take in a movie and drool over impossibilities."

"You're so good to me." Liz picked herself up and straightened her back. "If we get caught… I'll tell them you kidnapped me."

"Yeah, yeah." Maria pulled out a bus pass.

"Maria." Liz whined. "I thought you had your mom's car."

"Yeah, right. She's going to give me her precious Jetta after the poodle incident."

"The poodle is fine. It's the owner that needs the therapy."

"Even so. We are bus bound." Maria dragged her out the front of the school and ran straight into the two boys that Liz had been avoiding all day. She merely glared at them and kept moving. "Out of my way." Liz's pained eyes jumped to her shoes and stayed there until she was certain that she was far away.

"What was that all about?" Max stepped to his friend.

"Nothing." Michael shrugged and started walking.

"No. She was upset about something. What happened at this meeting the two of you had?" Max followed, his suspicions rising with every step.

"What meeting?"

"Liz told me that she was going to go see you last night. What happened? Were you grilling her about the pendant?"

"No. Not grilling." He paused for a second.

"But you did. You had her go out there so you could find out what she knew about the pendant."

"So what. At least I'm getting answers." Michael snapped at his friend. "I have names of people that we can talk to. Friends Atherton made on the Res probably. They talked to her grandmother and there are facts in books. We should go check it out."

"No. And leave Liz alone. She doesn't know anything about us and I'd like to keep that way."

"Oh you know you wanted to tell her every day that you were feeling her up—" Michael's speech was stopped with a finger to his chest.

"Don't talk about her that way."

"Please. She's not all innocent. She came on to me last night." Michael regretted the words the second they were out of his mouth.

"She what?" Max's heart sank. "No. She wouldn't have. She can't stand you."

"And yet."

"And yet what?"

"She tried to kiss me." Michael stepped backward. "Stop pining over her. She's not anymore loyal than any of the rest of these humans… but she is smart. Play nice. We may need her later."

So it's not very feminist of me to admit that Maria and an afternoon of shopping, guy-shopping, and a movie without plot were good for me. I still think I'm stupid for trying to come on to Michael but I tried. I shouldn't be afraid to do that. To try. If I had given even one guy a chance over the past few months. I could be happy. Trying is the next great plan.

TBC

[DMartinez]

AN: Yeah, yeah. Ripped off and ruined Blind Date... but aside from drunkenness, there wasn't much to ruin.

I'm Liz Parker and I went on a blind date. It's insane but Maria decided that what I needed was a fresh face.

"So, yeah. I am going to kick some ass at this audition." Alex bragged as he plucked his guitar strings in time with the radio.

"But how are you guys plugged in?" Liz raised her eyebrow as she swept up a mound of sugar from the floor.

"Oh ho. Just you wait. Just you wait." Alex shook a finger at her. "Little ladies, you'll see, my band is going to open up at the blind date concert this Friday."

Liz nodded in concession. "But, you know, you need a better name."

"What's wrong with the Whits?" Alex scoffed.

"Just an 's' away from what you really are." Maria smiled sweetly.

The announcer from the radio caught their attention. Maria eagerly awaited the announcement of the blind date winner. "Goin' north on downtown main street, headed with my entourage... Toward the winner of the KROZ blind dream date. An evening of fantasy and romance for one lucky listener that ends in the most exciting concert of the year. An intimate club date with a surprise mystery band that'll put this town on the map for more than just the crash."

Liz scoffed suddenly and rolled her eyes. "This is so stupid. Who would want to go out with anyone some stranger at a radio station picked out for you?"

Maria gestured to herself. "Hey. I for one thought it was romantic."

"Right." Alex and Liz nodded their heads.

A commotion outside the store caught their attention and then the whole lot of them burst into the Crashdown. "Right here at one of our finer local establishments, the Crashdown Cafe! Looking for our new Queen of Hearts, Miss Liz Parker." They swept around her before she could say a word. They had put a tiara on her head and handed her a bouquet of roses. The DJ turned on the crowd while he addressed her. "Congratulations, Liz Parker, your life is about to change because we're gonna find you that dream man you've been searching for. Hey, what's running through your mind right now, Liz?"

"Um, well… nothing I can say on live air." Liz winced and shot a look at Maria. This had her friend's name written all over it… especially with that look of innocence she was sporting.

Of course, she could have asked me first. A radio station isn't exactly who I would go to if I wanted a date. The way it was explained to me, I would have to go on the air and say what I look for in a guy and then guys would go interview with one of the personalities to be in the running and then the radio station would pick the guy. I only had to hope that it wouldn't be a disaster… and that all depends on how you look at it.

School was the hard part. It was enough that I was the evil bitch who broke Max Evans's heart but then I got the blind date gig and most girls weren't so forgiving and the ones who were… were probably trying to make sure I wasn't tempting enough for their boyfriends to sign up. I hate high school sometimes.

Max watched Liz greet girls who were congratulating her on getting the blind date contest and wanted to vomit. Maybe Michael was right. Maybe Liz wasn't the girl for him. He stiffened when an am came around his shoulder. "Evans, Evans. I know your pain, man. I feel what you're feeling."

"I'm fine, Kyle. No pain." Max tried to shrug him off but the jock stayed to torment him some more.

"I was in denial in the beginning, too. I mean. One minute we're fine and then the next, she's making goo-goo eyes at you. It hurts, man. It really does, I won't deny that. I guess all break-ups do." Kyle watched him for a moment and when he didn't say anything. "I know it's been awhile man but it still stings don't it. The whole can't commit thing."

"She can commit…"

"Whoa, she did a number on you. The girl can't commit. It's a pattern with her. Get the guy, win his heart, wipe out all hope of a normal relationship with anyone else and then squish, our puny hearts are mush as she's moving on to the next unlucky number." Kyle snagged a chip from Max's bag. "It's okay to admit it. Liz Parker is a man-eater. I seriously pity the poor soul that radio station fixes her up with, because… she's gonna fall in love, then he will, then the game begins again."

Max sat and chewed his chips in silence. Kyle had a point… kinda. Was he right? The longer he watched her, the more he wanted back with her… but he couldn't. He promised Michael that he'd stop mooning over her and move on with his life. It wouldn't stop him from listening to the radio when she described her dreamman or even grabbing a burger at the Crashdown just to see her… He was a goner.

I hate microphones. I always sound like a little girl and then everyone was staring at me. I almost backed out when I saw Max sitting there with his fries. He looked so sad and then nothing. I didn't see another look on his face all afternoon. It makes me wonder about that sad look. It's over. He agreed. It's been long done with and I'm moving on but he's just… has that look about him.

Anyway. I answer the DJ's stupid questions and everything but it felt kinda wrong to be making plans with my ex-boyfriend sitting 10 feet away. That DJ was so annoying though. No boyfriend, prefer brunettes and out-of-towners, smart and challenging. My answers. Who knows what kind of freak they'd pick for me?

"He could be a total loser." Liz complained to Maria and went about her chores in the back room.

"Oh come one. It's going to be fun."

"Sure. Me and a stranger all night. Dinner and a concert. Yeah, great fun." Liz took a breath. "I'm just getting started with flirting with guys and talking on the phone and all that stuff. I almost had date for the concert but then you had to go and throw my name in the box. Jeremy Oaks backed out of taking me to the concert, Maria. Jeremy Oaks."

"You're kidding." Maria gasped. "Maybe he'll sign up to be considered for your date."

"Jeremy's a red-head."

"Oh."

"Hometown boy, and he is so not into books." Liz sighed again and went back to sweeping. "The opposite of everything I said on the radio. He asked Shirley Kyle to go with him."

"Oh honey, I'm sorry."

"This guy had better be good." Liz muttered and stopped sweeping when she saw the horrible look on Maria's face. Slowly she turned around to find Michael standing behind her. "You're not supposed to be back here."

"Yeah, well I wanted to talk to you and you don't look like you're going out front any time soon." Michael gripped her arm and dragged her away from Maria. "It's about that thing I told you about. Nothing about it is common knowledge."

"Yeah, okay. Keep your pants on, Michael. Let me finish. I'm not on tonight. I'll go out in a minute." Liz shoved him hard toward the swinging door, making no confusion about how miffed she was.

"God, he is such a disease." Maria scoffed and grabbed her order pad. "What was that all about anyway?"

"Nothing." Liz shook her head. When Liz finally made it out to Michael, Max was with him. She thought it wise to just keep walking and collected the dirty dishes from the next booth. She looked up and over Max's head to get Michael's attention.

He nodded to himself it seemed then at something Max said. "I gotta piss."

"Geez, Michael. You can't be more polite than that?"

"Don't have to be." Michael shrugged and headed to the back of the restaurant. Liz rolled her eyes and carried the dishes to the back where she barely had time to set them down before Michael pulled her into the restroom.

"What?" Liz snapped at him, in no mood to put up with his attitude.

"Think you could take me out there to meet these people?"

"What? Take you where?" Liz shook her head, clearly she and Michael were not on the same page.

"To the reservation. They'd talk to you easier than to me, right?"

"Not necessarily. Like I told you, if that thing is Native American, they'll take to you better than to me. I would only get in your way. Just go talk to somebody." Liz started to leave but Michael shut the door, trapping her between it and his body.

"Look. You know who these people are, right? Your grandmother was all tight with them. I can't just show up and expect them to take me seriously." Michael stooped a little to be at her eye-level. "Are you going to help me or not?"

"When do you want to go?"

"Tomorrow night."

"I can't."

"What?" He stood up straight. "I thought you said you'd help."

"I don't know where you've been the past few days but I have a blind date that's going to be broadcast on the radio. Not my idea of fun. Excuse me. I have more chores to do tonight." Liz opened the door and nearly ran over Max. She stood there flustered for a moment before running up the stairs.

Max furrowed his brow until he saw Michael standing in the doorway that she had just vacated. "What was that all about?"

"Nothing personal, just trying her out." Michael scratched at his brow for a moment and then made for the dining room.

"Michael, leave her alone." Max started after him.

The date was of course a disaster. Doug Shellow insisted on escaping the radio people and we ended up walking past the football field where Kyle and Max were drunk and trying to fly off the goal post. I kinda felt like I had to take care of them. I didn't even think Max drank but he was so far gone that he tried to kiss me. We ended up calling Kyle's dad to pick them up. Alex's band ended up doing a set at the concert but the drummer got a little out of hand and they had to leave before their set was over. The mystery band turned out to be Lightfoot. I wanted to die. Doug got us away from the radio station after the concert but then he nearly mauled me in a parking lot and my savior?

"Come on." Doug whispered and tried to pull Liz against him again.

"Stop. Just stop already. I'm going home." Liz pulled away from him and started walking but he yanked her back.

"I thought we were having a good time." His breath blew in her face and she could smell the alcohol that he must have gotten back at the concert.

"Not any more. Let go." Liz gritted at him. He had been a sweet enough guy, until now.

"Dance with me."

"No. I'm going home." Liz tried to pull free again but he wouldn't let go.

"Hey!" A voice barked. "I think she wanted you to let go." Liz turned her head and Michael Guerin filled her vision. "Liz. You wanted him doing that?"

"No." She started to answer when Doug cut her off.

"Who are you?" Doug turned to face the kid, loosening his grip on her arm.

Liz wasted no time in getting some distance between them. Michael kept his eyes on the man in front of him as he drew closer. "You been drinking man? Go sleep it off. Don't take it out on a blind date. She's close and personal with the Sheriff."

"It's none of your business." Doug turned around but Liz wasn't there. "Where'd she go?"

"Home. You should go home too." Michael pointed him toward the street and sent him walking. When Doug turned the corner, Michael cleared his throat. "He's gone."

"Thanks." Liz stood up from where she was crouched behind a car. "He was much nicer about three hours ago. I don't even know where he got the beer."

"Stay away from drunks. Best advice you'll ever get." Michael shoved his hands in his pockets and started walking. "See you tomorrow night."

Michael Guerin saved the day, night, whatever. He was human for all of five minutes. I wonder if that's why Max and Isabel are so close to him. You have to know him before you know him. He's odd and now I owe him one. Maria's probably waiting for me to call her. I didn't when I got home and my mom's kept me busy all day. Doug came back to apologize for anything he might have done or said. Apparently he doesn't remember much of last night. I wish the same for most of the night.

TBC

[DMartinez]

AN: Just thought I'd finish up the Michael stuff before I head out.

I'm Liz Parker and things can be so confusing. Michael has told me outright that he doesn't like me. He thinks of me as his best friend's ex and even though he hasn't said so, like a friend. He's been almost civil to me these past few days. He helped me out with a drunk Mr. Shellow and he's been coming by and helping out a little with closing so that we can go over strategies to use on the Reservation when we go… and that's the problem. Getting there without having to tell anyone and I can't just take the car for a night or borrow one without asking. It's spending more and more time with Michael that's confusing. He's still crass and intimidating but he's growing on me. The kiss didn't seem as bad as I made myself believe it would have been before I really knew him.

Michael flipped through radio stations as they sped along the highway. Liz tried not to stare at him but the lack of speech was getting to her and she had to ask. "Max just lent you his jeep?"

"Yeah." His eyes slid over to her for a second.

"Really?" She shifted to face him. "He wouldn't even teach me to drive it."

"Yeah, well. I've been his best friend since we were eight." Shrugged and settled on a classic rock station.

"Then why won't you tell him what you're doing?"

"Why do you have to ask so many questions?" He shot back at her.

"You're acting suspicious, which isn't unusual for you but it bothers me. If Max was your best friend, wouldn't you want him to know what you're doing?" Stared at his profile for a long while. "Well?"

"Max thinks I'm chasing ghosts." Michael finally answered after several long moments and two songs. "He doesn't understand how important it is to me to find answers."

"I think he does."

"Oh, so now you're the expert on my friends." Michael snapped at her but when he turned his eyes to her, he stopped.

"You know. Max and I may have broken up a while back but I don't forget what people tell me in confidence. He would understand." She told him firmly. "I realize that your situations are slightly different but he does understand. He wants to know where he came from too. He really wants to meet the people that left him in the desert but he's afraid."

"Of what?" Michael's eyes were trained on the road. He and Max had talked about it but never really discussed it, they danced around the subject. It tugged at Michael somewhere inside to know that Liz had probably inadvertently gotten the inside scoop on what Max felt about their situation.

"Knowing. He can wonder and dream as long as he doesn't go looking for the answers. If he finds them, he runs the risk of getting his heart stomped on, of being disappointed at where he came from. He wants to live in the now, with his sister and his parents… but it's different for you and he tries to understand that."

"What did he tell you about me?" His eyes stayed on the road but Liz could hear the vulnerability in his voice.

"He doesn't think you're his best friend." Liz got the reaction she wanted when his head whipped around. "He thinks you're his brother. He worries about you, Michael."

"You're good. I almost believed you." Michael shook his head and dismissed the idea.

"It's the truth. Max worries about you." She insisted. Then giving up, she changed the subject. "So, what is the story with the necklace anyway?"

"Um…" Michael's mind raced a mile a minute. It wasn't something he could explain without revealing some pretty important details about himself. "I remembered something."

"You did? Remembered what?"

"Something before my life in Roswell. That necklace and an Indian." He let his gaze traverse the desert around while she soaked that in.

"That's how you knew it was Native American?"

"Yeah." He nodded.

"Oh." She sat in silence for a moment. "Do you know how rare it is to just spontaneously recall something you couldn't remember for years?" She resumed her study of him. "Are you like Max? I mean, can you not remember where you were before social services?"

"Pretty much."

"Wow. What if you guys were all together? If you were, it might make sense why Max doesn’t want you doing this… or he might remember something traumatic and doesn't want you to get your hopes up." She made a noise in her throat and turned to face the road.

"He can do no wrong in your eyes, can he?" Eyes narrowed.

"Yes, he can." Their eyes met. "I'm not here for you to understand, Michael. You asked for my help and since I am able to give it. I will. Don't try to dissect me."

"What's the plan?" His eyes moved back to the road.

"We'll just ask around. There's a store as soon as we get to the town. They sell authentic jewelry. One of them should know it or know where we can find someone who knows it." She sat back in her seat. "Can I see it?"

"Yeah." Michael leaned forward so he could pull it out of his back pocket. "Be careful with it."

"Wow." Liz traced the contours. The design was severe but not sharp or rough in the metal. The metal wasn't cool like it should have been. "This is amazing."

"Not really."

"This is amazing craftsmanship. I can't even see the bevel marks." Liz found herself squinting in the waning light of the evening. "It's broken." She made a face as it was getting harder to see. When she glanced up again, the first of the small settlements had come into view. "Look, there's the store."

After they pulled in, they glanced around and then entered the store. A large table was set up with loads of silver and turquoise jewelry. They scoured every inch of the table but didn't find anything that remotely resembled the necklace. A voice made them look up. "Looking for a pretty stone for your pretty girlfriend?"

Michael furrowed his brow and then realized the lady meant Liz. "Just looking."

"Yeah, actually." Liz pulled the necklace from her pocket. "We were wondering if you had anything that looked like this… or if you could tell us what it represents."

Michael almost stopped her from showing the woman the necklace but then realized Liz wasn't going to let it out of her hands. The dark-skinned woman let her brown eyes focus on the necklace and then slowly shook her head. "Can't say I've seen anything like it before."

"That's what she tells everyone." A male voice said from behind them. "Truth is, she couldn't tell you. She's never been one to listen to the elders." Liz turned slightly to reveal a tall dark-skinned man to her eyes.

"Eddie, get out of here. Go… do something." The woman hissed and then turned her attention back to her customers. "If you'd be willing to leave it, we could replicate it or make a matching jewelry set."

"No thanks." Michael shook his head and took the necklace from Liz. "Just wondering if you knew where it came from."

"You know how old it is?" The man named Eddie asked, hand held out to look the necklace over.

"Around 50 years." Michael answered with out hesitation. "At least 53." He held onto the necklace but held it out so the man could see. "Someone from here had it a long time ago."

"Come with me." Eddie motioned to the door, placing a hand on Liz's shoulder.

"Eddie, don't. He's a crazy old man." The woman tsked at him. "He'll only yell at them and you."

"Becky, shut up." Eddie guided them out the door and towards a mobile home nearby. "Old man!"

"Where are you taking us?" Michael demanded, lagging further behind the closer Eddie got to the trailer.

"He's an old man. He'd know if anyone had it from here around then." Eddie held out his hand again for the necklace. When Michael didn't move, he turned to Liz. "You're too pretty a lady to hang out with a suspicious fool like him."

"You get used to it." Liz shrugged. "He won't let you see it."

"River Dog won't come out until the sun is set. I'd have to take it inside." Eddie bent to speak softer to her. "River Dog is a funny old man but his mind is sharper than a lot of people think."

"We'll wait until he comes out. It's important." Liz nodded to him. "I'll talk to him. Tell him what you told me. He'll be ready to show it again when River Dog comes out."

"Alright. I'll go in and tell the old man… that…" He gestured for an explanation.

"He's looking for his birth parents. He remembers that an… A Native American had the necklace… but that's it." Liz exchanged a nod with the tall man and walked over to where Michael had retreated to the Jeep. "Are you willing to wait half an hour?"

"Maybe." Michael glanced at his watch. Max would be off of work in half an hour but if he got an answer, it would be worth the grief he was sure to get when they returned. "What'd he say?"

"River Dog's an old man. He'll know if someone had that necklace…" Liz glanced back to the trailer that Eddie had disappeared into.

"He likes you." Michael spoke out of nowhere.

"Who?" Liz turned to him in confusion.

"Eddie."

"What?"

"He touched your shoulder, your back and then he kinda… leaned in when he was talking to you. Looked kinda intimate to me." Michael crossed his arms.

"No." Liz shook her head.

"Could be a lucky break that I brought you with me. He might not have interrupted if you hadn't been in there just now."

"Whatever Michael… he's gotta be like…20-something." She shook her head slowly.

"Ok. He'll put another move on you."

"He'd have to make a first move and he hasn't yet." Scoffing, she leaned on the Jeep to wait.

"But you want him to." Michael nudged her.

That's when she realized he was messing with her, in his Michael way. She glared at him. She studied Eddie's profile in the dim light. It's not that he was unattractive but it just hadn't crossed her mind. Besides, he was old enough to want someone older, wasn't he?

"I'll take your silence for a yes. Just remember to be sure he wants to kiss you back before you try to kiss him." His eyes were fixed on the setting sun but she knew he was waiting for her to take his bait.

"He's probably a better kisser than you anyway." Liz mused aloud, catching his stiffening posture at her barb. "He's older, he'd have more experience… well, anyone would have more experience than you. And after Max, well, no one could measure up."

"What's that supposed to mean?" His jaw set.

"Max does this thing with his tongue—" She stopped at his stern look. "Oh. I just meant that you've never kissed anyone."

"So?"

"Well, it'd be impossible to gauge if you kiss well if you'd never done it." Liz shrugged her shoulders and nodded to the trailer, where an old man stepped out. "I guess that's him." She held out her hand. He just stared at it. "He's going to have to see it, Michael."

"I'll show it to him." Michael shoved off the jeep and crossed the dirt path to the old man. The old man seemed to want to avoid Michael until Michael thrust the necklace into his view. They exchanged a few words and Michael shook his head. River Dog said something to Eddie before gesturing to the trailer. Michael and River Dog entered the trailer. Eddie crossed the dirt path to Liz.

"Apparently, they have something to talk about." The dark had set in and Liz could barely make out his almond-shaped eyes.

"I just hope Michael isn't disappointed by something he hears." She hopped up on the hood so that the tall man didn't tower over her. "He's put a lot of faith on someone here knowing something."

"River Dog will tell him the truth. People around here don't appreciate that but he's always been good to me." Eddie nodded and stared at the trailer where the two men had disappeared. "Your friend doesn't trust easily."

"No, he doesn't. I wouldn't call him my friend. He doesn't trust me either." She shook her head sadly.

"You came a long ways from the nearest town for someone who isn't a friend." He commented and leaned on the jeep next to her knees.

"He's a friend of an ex-boyfriend. They knew my grandmother had been out here, so he asked for my help. I didn't do much more than gently nudge in the right directions."

"Who's your grandmother?"

"Claudia Parker." Liz whispered and was shocked by the immediate recognition on his face at the deceased woman's name.

"Sorry to hear about her passing. She had the heart of a warrior. She should have been born a man." Eddie nodded to her astonishment. "She did more than talk to the elders when she was here."

"Wow." Liz pondered the obvious respect that this man had for her grandmother. "She was born a woman because that's what she was supposed to be. I always admired her strength." Her eyes drifted to the starlit sky and she sighed. "My father always tells such great stories about her and the things she did."

"She was a great storyteller. Almost thought she was one of us."

"Did you know her?"

"No one knew her but everyone knew of her and could spot her when she came into town for supplies. On hot days, she would take breaks in the store and tell us stories. Me, Becky and a bunch of the other kids." Eddie waved to a few men that walked passed on their way to other buildings and trailers. "Hot summer days spent in the shade with pop and Mrs. Parker's stories."

"Grandma always liked to talk. She wanted to know everything that went on and you had to tell her before she would say another word." Liz sighed and turned toward her companion. "Did River Dog know something? They've been in there awhile."

"They're being quiet, whatever it is." He cleared his throat. "Sound travels really well out here. Normally we'd be able to hear every word." Liz's cheeks flamed a deep red when she realized he had heard the banter between she and Michael. Eddie took a slow look around before he faced her. "I'm a better kisser than I look." Liz opened her mouth to say something and then shut her mouth when he winked at her. "Maybe you can help me out with something."

"With what?" Liz asked warily at the mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Becky's been ignoring me. I'd appreciate it if you'd help me bring her around."

"How?"

"She's watching us from the store window. You could tell your friend I kissed you back and I can make Becky a little jealous." He leaned in when she nodded slowly. "Trust me, it'll be good."

Slowly, she nodded and then Eddie's mouth touched hers lightly, opening just enough to taste and make it look good. Liz felt him pull away and she couldn't help but lick her lips before opening her eyes. "You're right… that was good." She cast her eyes in the general direction of the store. "Is she going to be mad?"

"Probably. I love pushing her buttons." Eddie pushed himself off the jeep as Michael and River Dog made their way over. "Thanks for the help."

"No problem?" Liz arched an eyebrow. "Thanks for your help." She met Michael's gaze when he returned. "What?"

"Do you kiss every guy you meet?"

"Shut up." She glared at him and climbed into the jeep. "What did River Dog tell you?"

"That's between me and River Dog." Michael threw the Jeep into gear and backed out. "What's with you and that Eddie?"

"That's between me and Eddie." She countered. They rode the rest of the way to Roswell in silence but the second they entered city limits, Michael started up again.

"He's too old for you."

"What?" She turned in utter confusion.

"He's too old for you. How could you kiss him?"

"For your information, he kissed me because you brought it up and he heard every word of our conversation. He probably hadn't thought of it until you spouted off." She glared at him. "Besides he's trying to put the moves on Becky."

"Becky? Who's Becky?"

"The woman in the store." Liz rolled her eyes. She didn't understand what this conversation was about. He pulled into the Crashdown and turned to her. "What's your problem?"

"I don't have a problem."

"But you do." She took off her seatbelt and reached into the backseat for her purse. Suddenly she found Michael's lips on hers and his hand holding her ribs so she couldn't move away. Gasping, she slid down in the seat, surrendering to his assault on her mouth. When their mouths parted, her eyes flew open. "Um, what was that for?"

"Proving you wrong." Michael muttered before sitting back in his seat. They sat in silence for a full minute before he cleared his throat. "Say it. It was good."

"I will not." She cleared her throat and straightened in the seat. She was about to say goodbye when found herself in another kiss. This time, she couldn't help but kiss back, allowing his tongue to tangle with hers. Gathering much will and strength, she pulled away. "Okay. I'll admit it. That was good."

Michael nodded and released her. "Alright."

"Okay. Right." Liz climbed out of the Jeep and rushed inside.

Michael sat stock-still. He had heard the shuffling behind him and suddenly wished he hadn't had to save face and kiss Liz. Swallowing down a lump of dread, he shifted over the gearshift and into the passenger seat. "Hey Max."

"Michael." Max ground out and climbed into the Jeep and turned the key. The gas gauge fell nearly empty. "Want to tell me where you were that ate so much gas?" Silence. "Want to tell me where you had to go that you had to steal my jeep?" Silence. "Want to tell me why in the hell you were kissing Liz?"

"It's nothing." Michael shifted in the seat as Max pulled onto the road and headed for the trailer park.

"Not nothing. You told me to forget about her." Max shook his head and made a sharp turn. "You told me that she wasn't worth it."

"It's nothing." Michael repeated as Max screeched to a halt next to a gas pump.

"Right." Max muttered as he stripped off his orange vest and found his wallet. "Right."

So I was kissed three times and each kiss was better than the last but… none of it means anything, or should it? Eddie's kiss was a means to an end, however enjoyable. Michael's were something he had to prove to me… it kinda gives me an insight into him. I guess deep down we've all something we're trying to do for whatever reason. I'm still not sure how I feel about what happened with Michael but I don't want to waste my time on someone who doesn't think much of me.

TBC

[DMartinez]

I'm Liz Parker and I believe my life has spun out of control. I'll concede that I did kiss two guys within an hour time frame just a week or two ago. One was, admittedly, a total stranger and the other was the best friend of an ex-boyfriend. I guess I kind of justified it to myself. I'm allowed to do crazy things, I'm 16 years old. That doesn't explain why I didn't tell Maria… or why I don't feel guilty. Or why I allowed myself to get drug to a party, to consume many, many milliliters of alcohol and let myself get groped in a stranger's bedroom by someone who is far from a stranger.

It was just supposed to be some innocent fun. Hang out with Alex and Maria. I just wasn't expecting to be drinking I guess.

"It's not fair. I hardly see you anymore and now I gotta share you two with the entire student body at a filthy excuse for a party." Alex sipped his orange soda.

"Whose fault was that, Mr. Susie Jacobs?" Maria shot him a look and then turned to Liz. "The boy gets a girlfriend and blows us off, then she dumps him and he expects us to jump at the chance to spend time with him." Setting down a plate of fries in front of him, she looked him in the eye. "When he should be grateful we're letting him come with us."

Liz took a look in the mirror and patted down a stray hair. "Be nice Maria, and hurry up. I want to go."

"You do realize that no one is going to get there for another two hours, right?" Maria glared at her, getting the point but not wanting to admit it.

Alex and Liz exchanged a look. "Did you pick out her outfit?"

"Yes but she'll say she doesn't like it, go through my closet and end up with the outfit I picked." Liz sighed.

"I'm not that bad." Maria protested and smoothed out her uniform. "Anyway, I'm on the clock for another half hour."

"I'll let you work the rest of your shift in peace if…" Liz lifted her chin. "You wear what is laid out on my bed without question or protest. I'll let you spend all the time you want on your makeup but you will wear the clothes on the bed with no argument. Now." Taking Maria's eye roll as agreement, "I have to cash out some tables."

Half an hour later, Maria rushed into the back of the restaurant. Liz found she couldn't leave the register at all. Customers came out of nowhere to pay their checks and she was the one to cash them out. Suddenly, she found herself looking into a pair of honeyed eyes. "Hi. Liz."

"Hey Max." She took his check and rang up his total and then held her hand out for his money.

"Are you going to the party at that girl's place?" Max shook his head at himself. He didn't even know the girl and here he was trying to make a date for her party.

"Yeah. I was going with Maria and Alex actually." She pointed to her outfit. "You going?"

"Thought I might… you know… I have to start mingling some time." He managed a nervous smile and lingered after she gave him his change.

"What do Michael and Isabel think about that?" She let her eyes linger on the counter top before allowing herself to look at him.

"They can't stop me, now." Max held her eyes for only a second before looking away. "I was wondering if… you wouldn't mind going with me?"

"Max. I'm going with Maria and Alex. It's a Musketeer event for us. Susan dumped him, Maria had a horrible date last week and I'm being supportive." She found herself making excuses not to go with him and then she stopped when the stone entered his eyes. "What?"

"What's going on with you and Michael?"

"Nothing. We're… more than acquaintances and less than friends. Why?" Liz immediately regretted the question when his eyes snapped to hers. She knew then that he knew about the kiss(es) she and Michael had shared.

"I saw you. Are you… interested in him?" Max took a breath, he had to know. Was that image of Michael and Liz kissing an image he was going to have to get used to or was it something he should just forget?

"Max, this isn't any of your business." Liz whispered. "And Michael and I aren't anything. He doesn't even like me." She shut off the register to get it ready for the nightly cash out before the evening rush. "As for tonight… I'm glad that you're socializing. It'll be good for you. Maybe we'll see each other there."

"Liz." Max reached out to stop her. "Can you tell me why you kissed him?"

"Did you ask Michael?" She tilted her head at him.

"He wouldn't answer me."

"Maybe he doesn't owe you an explanation." She was tempted to ask him why he was so down on letting Michael explore his roots until she remembered that Michael didn't want Max to know anything about it. "Have fun tonight, Max."

She only offered him a half smile and went to gather Alex to wait for Maria. An hour later, they were on their way to the party, where things had gotten an early start. There were already people puking in the front yard when they got to Tracey's house.

The truth is, the party was very boring. Maria bounded off to flirt with some guys. Alex got tired of dancing. So I ended up alone talking to this guy Octavio. Octavio is the one that persuaded me into taking a jello shot. I can blame the whole night on him, actually.

Liz danced her way into the kitchen and look around for something to drink. She was reaching for a coke when a smiling face entered her view. "Liz, right?"

"Yeah." She studied him for a minute, thinking she should know his name if he knew hers.

"Octavio. Don't think we've actually met." He shook his head to get his hair out of his face.

"Maybe not." She turned her coke around and popped it open. "You know Tracey?"

"Not really. Wanna come over here?" He pointed to the table where the other partygoers were getting their alcohol.

"I don't really drink." She shook her head.

"You don't have to drink." Octavio pulled one hand from her coke and began pulling her along. "I've been watching you all night and I thought I heard your name on the intercom the other day. Be nice to have someone to talk to while I man the table. Tracey's boyfriend Red has me playing bartender. I'm supposed to cut people off when they've had too much."

"Um… okay." She let him guide her behind the table.

Octavio was actually interesting to talk to. I watched him take a few jello shots and some tequila shots and he didn't seem any less coherent, so I let him talk me into taking the first jello shot.

Liz tilted her head back and laughed nervously when the jello wouldn't fall into her mouth. Octavio laughed when she squeezed the cup and it still stuck. Taking her hand and turning it, he pushed his finger into the cup along the sides. "There, try again."

"After your finger was in it?" She winked at him and tilted her head back again to catch the cold blob when it fell out. The jello squished in her mouth, a little too cold but she managed to swallow it without coughing. Once she felt the jello pass down her esophagus, she tasted the alcohol in her mouth. "Hm. That was interesting."

"Not bad for the first time." He held up another and dangled it between his fingers. "Cherry?"

"Sure." She reached for it, only to have him pull it back out of her reach. He grinned when she swatted him and plucked it from his hands. She ran her finger around the inside of the cup and threw it back. After the aftertaste kicked in she coughed a little. "I think I like the strawberry better."

"Keith." Octavio slapped hands with a guy on the other side of the table. Keith was obviously gone. "Don't you have that bad ass keychain?"

"Yeah. Jussec." Keith struggled a bit to pull the keys out of his pocket. "Who is the hottie?"

"This is Liz. Liz, Keith." Octavio waved his hands around and at one point, Liz didn't see the keys anymore. "Keith, where's Brenda?"

"Shit. Left her in Tracey's room. Be back." Keith wandered off with a full cup in his hand.

Octavio winked at Liz and deposited the keys in a fishbowl underneath the table. "We might be party animals but most of us have used up our get out of deep shit cards with our parents. At least there's no damage to the cars."

"I see." Liz smiled and reached for another jello shot.

"Hey, if you like those, you ever had a Neopolitan?"

"A what?" Liz coughed. Was it just her or did that one have more alcohol in it?

"It's a three layer shot. If you pour it right, the different flavors don't blend." He had already started on the shot when Liz leaned back against the wall. "Don't worry. It tastes good."

She nodded absently as a cool buzz ran through her brain. She drank the shot without so much as a grimace. It was kind of sweet. After a few more of those Neopolitans, she looked up. Did someone say her name? Was Octavio kissing her neck? Was that his hand on her ass? When her vision cleared, Max was staring at her. Musketeers? Huh? "Liz?"

"Hey Max." She smiled broadly at him. "This is Octavio, my new friend."

"Friend?" His eyebrow shot up.

"He gave me a jello shot. Try one." She pushed Octavio off but then he pulled her back into him.

"I shouldn't. Last time I drank, I didn't handle it so well." He just kept staring at her. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Kyle's stuff always made me sick. This stuff is much better. Try one, Max." She thrust a small cup into his hands. "Do like me." She picked one up for herself, running her finger inside the cup and holding it up until Max did the same. Reluctantly, Max put the cup to his mouth and tossed it back.

As the cool jello slid down his throat, he could already feel the tingling in his head. The room spun and then righted to Liz trying unsuccessfully to get Octavio's hands away from her chest. Max reached around and pulled Liz out of Octavio's arms and then, with a look, dared the shorter boy to dispute his right to do so.

"Max, what are you doing?" Liz followed him down a dark hallway.

"I just want to talk to you." Max turned to face her and brushed her hair out of her face. "You're beautiful."

"Thank you."

"I wish I could trust you like I used to."

"You can."

"But you kissed him."

"Who?" Liz shook her head and then followed Max's finger to a spiky haired fellow at the end of the hallway. "Michael?"

"Yes, Michael."

"Max, it was really good kiss but it doesn't mean anything." Liz shook her head and her head spun. When she righted, he held her closely in his arms. His face was so close. "I kissed Eddie, too. You going to be mad over that? I kissed Pauley and Octavio..."

"Liz, shut up." Then those lips were on hers and her knees were giving out. She clung to him, sucking on his lips, then his tongue. If she had been coherent enough, she might have counted his teeth. She could taste lime jello in his mouth. She gasped when he pushed her against the wall and lifted her up. Her legs went around his waist as he continued to plunder her mouth. Her world spun and all she heard was a door slam before she landed on her back under Max.

Her world righted as he pulled off his shirt and reached for hers. Sitting up slightly, she helped him out. Sighing, she allowed their stomachs to touch before pulling his face to hers. Heat flushed her face and then spread through every inch of her body. Max pressed himself tighter against her body, pressing himself between her legs.

I don't remember much after the fourth shot or so. I recall, vaguely, that I kind of made out with Octavio at the table. I get impressions of Max and I in a dark hallway and then on a bed. I remember him without a shirt and I remember grinding and I don't mean dancing. I think I lost my shirt at one point. What I really do remember is screaming, and not in a completely horrified way.

Maria claims that she found me on the brink of being taken. I seriously doubt Max and I would go that far and besides Maria isn't the most reliable person when it comes to the truth. How far could we have possibly gone before Maria found us? She swears I got a Lewinsky-like stain but I've looked that skirt over and over. There's nothing on it.

I woke up with a headache and five hickeys. One on my neck, one on each shoulder, one on my boob and one on my arm… which I think is weird. I most definitely will not be drinking any time soon and I think if I see Octavio again, it will be too soon.

TBC

[DMartinez]

I'm Liz Parker and I hate Max Evans.

Liz slid into Alex's booth to rest for a minute. "My head hurts."

"I'll bet." Alex pointed at her. "You have the makings of a great alcoholic."

"I do not." She scoffed at him and put her feet up on the seat. "If I ever find Octavio, I'm severely kicking his ass."

"Octavio? He's not the one who um… got it on in the back room with you." He gave her a tight smile, letting his disapproval show. He watched her reaction carefully. "You do remember that, don't you?"

"Parts. It's Octavio's fault for getting me drunk though and as I recall, Max was drunk himself… or at least he had some to drink." Liz cleared her throat.

"I don't hear you expressing any anger over being taken advantage of is all." Alex took a sip of his orange soda and turned back to his chemistry book. When she didn't answer, he looked up to find her staring off into space. "Liz?"

"I don’t know if I should be angry with Max. Granted, I was intoxicated and very much so by the time he entered the picture. But on the other hand, Max doesn't handle his alcohol well and was probably out of his mind as well." She slunk down in the booth, not caring about her uniform for the moment. "If I am angry, what am I angry for?"

"You were completely out of it and… according to Maria there was some major activity going on." Alex shrugged.

Liz rolled her head around to look at her friend. "According to Maria I was almost 'taken.' She's a drama queen, Alex. You and I know this. We live this. I don't think it was that bad." She sat up, sensing her break was over. "I think I would feel it somehow if something happened that I wasn't into."

"You're probably right." He nodded sincerely. "So does that mean that you're still into Max?" Silence. "It's not that hard a question."

"Put it this way. Max was my standard. He was what I wanted in a guy and then when I had him… It didn't work out but I can't shake him as an ideal." Liz stood and smoothed out her uniform.

"So you're in love with ideal Max but not Max-Max." Alex narrowed his eyes at her. "So, you're still hung up on Max."

"No, on the ideal Max." Liz pulled out her order book and glanced around. There he was. "Speak of the devil."

"Why don't you ask him what went on last night? Maybe you'll find out whether or not you should be mad." Alex gave her a light push. "I'll be here waiting."

Liz squared her shoulders and made her way to his table. "Hey Max, what can I get for you today?"

Max is just so infuriating.

"Um… Sprite?" Max whispered, his face an odd shade of green.

"No Cherry Coke?" Liz raised an eyebrow and focused in on him.

"Please don't mention anything with food in it." Max groaned and clutched his stomach. "I'm meeting Michael and Isabel."

"Oh. Are you okay or is the hangover really bad?" She tried to feel out the situation but it didn't seem to be something Max wanted to bring up or it was something else? Like he was pretending not to know what she was fishing around about. "Do you want some aspirin?"

"No, that's ok." He stared up at her. "How'd you know about the hangover?"

"Cause mine is raging on." She shrugged.

"Did I see you last night?" He squinted at her and then shook his head.

"Yeah." She nodded and glanced around before puling her uniform aside to show off the hickey on her right shoulder, then she turned her head the other way and pulled her hair back so he could see that one. "This is what happens when you get drunk."

"Those look bad." His eyes dropped to his hands on the table.

"Those aren't even the worst ones." Liz sighed and waited and waited. "You find any incriminating evidence?"

"A bra? But I don't know how it ended up in my pocket." Max shrugged and kept staring at his hands. Liz's head tilted sharply as she took quick inventory of the clothes she had taken off when she got home. "I don't even remember anything from last night."

"You don't?" There. Anger. She found it. "Not a thing?"

"No. Why?" His eyes turned wary and his face began to tilt away from hers. "Do you know something?"

"Forget it." Liz stalked away and began to fill his drink order. She filled the cup with ice and she shut the seltzer valve off the Sprite. She filled the cup with the sticky syrup before turning the valve back on. She set the drink in front of him with a sweet smile. "There you go. I'll be back when Isabel and Michael get here."

She walked off and in a few seconds, he shot out of his chair and burst into the bathroom. When she could hear him retching, she smiled and slid across from Alex. He raised an eyebrow at her. "What'd you do?"

"He's got a hangover and he just took a drink of pure Sprite. No dilutes. I don't think those mix well." She shook her head.

He didn't remember anything. I do recall some rather intimate situations and along with Maria's insinuations… I have a right to be angry. Max is still the selfish little boy he was last semester. He didn't think it was odd to find a bra in his pocket. My bra. You'd think that would spark something. I quit.

"Summer's coming." Maria sang out as she parked on the grass.

"In like two months." Alex shook his head and nudged Liz.

"Well, I'm planning ahead, no wasting summer this year." The blond opened a notebook and pulled out a bright green pen. "So, ideas."

"You're on your own. I think I'm supposed to visit my cousins in Florida this summer." Liz shook her head and pulled her feet up onto the small wall.

"WHY?" Maria's jaw dropped. "You never visit them. They never visit you. I thought that was the beauty of Janice's new husband."

"They never visit and we never visit, therefore the visit this summer." She sighed. "It'll be fun. Beach, sun, half naked boys… yep, definitely fun." She had to smile. "Lots of boys."

"Okay. We get it. You'll have a fun summer." Alex threw a cheese poof at her. "I was planning on going to one of those camps for computer studies."

"Alex, no." Maria whined. "You can't leave me alone this summer."

"Maria. Didn't you used to go to summer camp and leave me alone?" Liz raised an eyebrow and watched her friend falter. "Two summers, I believe. Crucial summers, too. I got my period all by myself because you had to go to music camp."

"Hey, hey, hey. I have no uterus. Refrain from uterus talk." Alex threw another cheese poof at her and turned on Maria. "You left me alone as well, one summer. The summer that Liz went with Grandma Claudia, you went with your mom on a woman empowerment… thing. You could have prevented the whole dodge ball fiasco during summer day camp."

"Okay. Okay. I get it. I'll have to entertain myself this summer." She took a breath and let it out. Her blond hair kept falling in her face and she turned to Liz. "Haircut?"

"Yeah." Liz nodded. "It's doing that Courtney Cox thing."

"Oh Ew." Maria grimaced.

Liz noticed Max approaching first and sighed heavily, shooting Alex a look. Max shuffled over and started to greet them. "Hey guys."

"Later." Liz grabbed her lunch and disappeared, leaving Max alone with her friends.

"She's mad, huh." Max grimaced.

"I'd say." Alex barely gave him a cursory glance before gathering his lunch to leave as well.

Maria looked up at him and nodded to the seat next to her. "So. Big night, Saturday."

"Apparently, which is what I wanted to talk to Liz about. She kept asking me yesterday and I didn't know what I know today." He sagged on the small wall.

"Which is?"

"That I'm in the rumor mill for disappearing with Liz. Thing is, I got drunk. I don't remember. Anything." He shrugged helplessly. "She tell you anything?"

"Nope but I'll tell you what I saw. I went looking for her so we could leave and somebody told me that she had gone down the hall to a bedroom with you." She watched the blood drain from his face. "Then when I opened the door… Mr. Happy had gotten a little too happy, if you know what I mean."

"What?" The blood rushed out of his face.

"It was out."

"Out?"

"Out. Neither of you had shirts on, she had no bra, your hand was up her skirt and it was out." She studied his face carefully and he didn't look happy. "Now you know why she was mad."

"So we almost…"

"Yep. I do recall that you did receive some gratification. You stained her skirt." She patted him on the shoulder. "I don't think she'll be wanting to talk to you for a while."

Come to think of it. I will be spending the entire summer in Florida getting perspective on this little alien obsessed town. I know it's two months off but Maria's got the right idea in planning ahead. This summer I will clear my mind of boys and ex-boyfriends. I'm just tired of small town drama…

TBC

hehe, my homage to Seinfeld.

[DMartinez]

I'm Liz Parker and in the process of simplifying my life, I've messed it up. I mean all I'm asking for is a little clarity. What am I supposed to do? Is there an address I can write to? Where do I pick up my manual for life?

Liz looked up from her library book on Madam Curie to find Max standing at the end of the table. She pointedly returned to her book. He sighed and turned to go but stopped. He sat across from her and waited for her to look up again. She tried not to. She really tried to keep reading but she had to acknowledge him and that gave him all the invitation he was looking for. "I want to apologize for being an idiot. Believe me when I say I don’t remember a damn thing about the night of that party and trust me when I say that I want to… and not because of what was allegedly done so much as the fact that we were together."

"Max…" Liz groaned and buried her face in her hands. "This is so bad."

"I can't take it anymore, Liz." He hissed. "The awkward pauses, weird silences and monotone greetings and conversations. It's insane."

"You aren't making sense. You're insane." She snapped her book shut.

"I let you break us up because I figured it'd be better to let you go than to keep you and you not feel the same way that I do." Max took her stunned silence as a reason to rush ahead. "The party just proves to me that I can't let you go. I saw you with that guy at the party and I wanted it to be me. I can't remember anything after I started drinking but according to Maria, I made it me."

"What are you saying, Max? You think you can just march over here and demand a recount? Did I dismiss you on unfair charges?"

"Yes." He took her book and put it on his stack of books so she would needed a reason to stay. "I never stopped caring about you and I don't know when you stopped caring about me but I can't see you everyday and not say something."

"What about the way I became invisible?" Liz stood up and strode away without her book but he followed. "What do you want Max?"

"You said that I made you invisible? For how long Liz?" He followed out of the library and out onto the patio where she stopped but didn't turn.

"Why does that matter?"

"Because it does. The last week or two that we were together? Am I not allowed to have other things on my mind?" Max watched her turn slowly and knew he had hit a nerve. "Is there a rule that says when I date you that I have to drop everything else in my life? Liz, I might not have many close friends but the ones I have mean the world to me. Their problems are my problems. Yes, I know." He caught the look on her face before she could speak. "I could have treated you differently when I was trying to help Michael but you have to understand… I am all that Michael has. You've got me, Maria, Alex, your parents, you had grandparents. Michael only has me and Isabel. We're more than friends, we're family and I may have gotten sidetracked and distracted but maybe keeping Michael's friendship was a little more important than indulging you with an explanation."

Liz blinked at him. All that anger had sprung from nowhere. She had never seen him so passionate about anything. She was speechless. Stunned. Amazed. Who was this person and what did he do with Max?

"All I want is another chance." He held out her book for her to take. "I just want you to know that I never wanted things to get like they did and had I realized, they would have been different." He took a breath. "Okay. I'm done. I won't bother you… unless you call."

Max has this power to surprise me. First there was that realization that he stared at me, then that he was so complex and now… I don't know. I can't deny that I'm still attracted to him. He is still the nicest boy I ever dated. This new assertive side is interesting and drool inducing. He could have gone all caveman but he spoke up, said his bit and left me standing in the middle of the patio with my jaw on my shoes.

Liz doodled on her math book while she pretended to take notes. It wasn't for twenty minutes that she realized she'd been writing 'Max Evans' all over the cover. She immediately pulled out her white out to cover the incriminating doodles. She huffed suddenly. It wasn't fair. She wanted to be alone and he wanted her. Where was this backbone when she still wanted to be with him?

A glance across the room revealed that he was looking at her while pretending to take notes. Their eyes met and she jerked her head around to face forward. She blushed and sunk low in her seat when she heard him cough. She had been caught.

I shouldn't have to analyze this crap. I'm supposed to be over it and him and… I'm being sucked back in. I miss the special feeling I get when he looks at me like I'm the only person on the planet. I miss his dry sense of humor. I don't miss the doormat he was… but as of today, that might have changed. I should just stick to my guns and just avoid anything with a third leg for the rest of the year and spend my summer free and clear.

Maria and Alex watched Liz stare at the phone. She had stopped listening to them some time ago and they had taken up the conversation of wondering what she was waiting for. Alex sipped his orange soda and nodded. "It does tricks. It'll do somersaults, just wait."

"I bet it tells fortunes. It'll open up and a genie will come out and grant us each a wish." Maria nodded, then threw a skittle at her friend.

"Hey!" Liz found the skittle and threw it back. "What was that for?"

"Chica, what is up?" Maria laughed and leaned on Alex. "You have been meditating on that phone for hours. Are you expecting a call?"

"What? Um, no." Liz shook her head. "I'm just thinking and the phone just happened to be in my line of sight."

"Right." Alex groaned and reached for a bag of Doritos. "I know these intense phone-watching phases." He looked down at Maria. "It's a guy. She's gotten intense with yet another stooge and she's waiting for the unworthy bastard to call her up and whisk her off her feet."

"Omigod!" Maria sat up and stared at Liz, wild grin on her face. "Shirley Kyle totally dumped Jeremy Oaks two weeks ago and now he's back to you. Omigod, chica, I am so happy for you."

"There is no guy." Liz groaned and flopped on the bed. "I'm pathetic. I'm supposed to be a modern woman. I don't need a man… so why am I waiting for one to call even when I know he's made his move and it's my turn?"

"Whoa." Alex sat up straight and took a moment to think things over. "A guy made a move? What kind of move?"

"Just the… nudge in the… a. A right direction. He made his move and it's up to me to decide if I want to countermove." Liz shrugged and threw a pillow over the phone to get it out of her sight. "I don't want to be stressed! I want to be a girl who dates and has fun."

"Why aren't you?" Alex shoved Maria away so he could lean over and look Liz in the face. "Huh? Why is dating not fun for you?"

"Because, aside from you, our school is filled with complete losers… It shouldn't be this hard to find a decent guy to spend time with." Liz whined and grabbed Alex's shirt. "Is it so much to ask for a good-looking guy, one who reads non-fiction books from time to time, knows his sciences, isn't a Neanderthal, has sweet tendencies, won't take me for granted or use me for my body and has a backbone?"

"Yes, yes it is." Alex shook his head at her and shot a look over his shoulder to Maria. "Liz, maybe your problem is you're looking at high school boys and expecting to find Mr. Right. I'm gonna let you in on a little secret… guys… we're easy." He sighed. "Show us a pretty face, a flash of skin… from anywhere on her body, throw in a little unattainability and a single dazzling smile in our direction… we'll be your slaves til the end of time, deserving or not." Silence. Alex narrowed his eyes at her. "Who are you praying will call?"

"No one." She lied.

"Uh-uh. No. There's someone. Tell us." Maria threw herself on top of Alex and waited for Liz to crack. "We're waiting. Who is the stud-muffin that's got your panties all in a twist?"

"My panties are not… twisted, Maria. I'm just thinking is all."

"Right…" The blonde shook her head.

"So I'm definitely getting out of Roswell this summer." She tried changing the subject but both Alex and Maria kept staring expectantly. "Just a guy."

"A guy who's got you throwing men into three categories. Me, Mr. Perfect, and the rest of boy-kind." Alex snorted. "What move was put on you? What is your countermove?"

"He… swore things would be perfect. I have to call him if I accept."

"Why would a new guy swear that?" Maria wrinkled up her nose and then gasped suddenly. Her head shook from side to side. "You mean more perfect. You mean, perfect this time around. You're talking about Max Evans, you slug."

"Maria…"

"You slug. Why on earth are you going back into that mess? You said you couldn't deal." The blonde leapt off the bed and began pacing. "Although it would be adorable to have the Max and the Liz together again, there is the risk for major heartbreak and more miserable depression and more skanking around."

"Hey!" Liz and Alex exclaimed at the same time.

"You so were skanking around." Maria shook her head at her friend. "I am your best friend. I think I can tell you when you're being a skank. You were being a skank. Octavio. Paulie. Lael. Jorge. All just 'things' that 'happened' and weren't to 'happen' again as I recall." Feeling more coming, she took a deep breath. "Max Evans may have been the dream or whatever but let's not forget the moaning over how his friends and sister treated you. Or how he tried to take advantage of you at Tracey's party."

"He did not." Liz rolled her eyes. "We were both totally drunk and probably both just over-hormonal."

"Okay. Don’t say that again." Alex narrowed his eyes at her. "It disturbs me. You do not get over-hormonal… with anyone."

"This is not good. You are not calling him." Maria shook her head. "Yes, once upon a time I was all aboard for the Max and Liz love machine but not anymore. He's no longer the sweet, quiet boy he used to be and I don't approve."

"He does respect you." Alex whispered to the sunken brunette next to him. "I haven't heard one thing in the locker rooms about you from him. Some of the other guys talk about how, pardon me, 'hot' you looked at the party but no one has said a thing otherwise if you get my drift."

"It's an option." Liz shrugged. "He wants another chance. I just don't know if I want to give it to him."

"Well, don't give 'it' to him but if you think, honestly think, that it'll be okay. I won't… frown on it." Alex promised.

"Thanks, Alex." Liz managed a smile.

"You aren't helping, Alex." Maria glared at them.

"I'm probably not going to call him." Liz clarified. "I just… hope he'll call so I can call him on it and be done with it. I've lost his phone number anyway."

"It's in the directory. I'm not an idiot." Maria huffed and reached for the skittles. "It's a Meg Ryan night."

"No…." Alex groaned and flopped backward on the bed. "I need more guy friends."

So nothing is set in stone. I won't not consider Max's offer. I don't think this is the time for he and I to be anything serious. I don't know how insulting friendship would be at this point. I just don't want to feel like dust to be flicked away when he decides that Michael and Isabel need him more than I do. Maybe the first time around was a mistake. I let myself get laid out there and I got crushed. One second I'm the only person on the planet and the next… I'm shot in the gut, dying slowly and pleading for him to keep me alive. I'm not a doormat. I'm not at Max Evans's mercy.

I can live without a guy. I did it for fourteen years when they wouldn't look at me… I can do it until the right person comes along… whenever that may be.

TBC

[DMartinez]

I'm Liz Parker and I feel like a new person. Summer in Florida was refreshing and fun. I was up early this morning, a result of jet-lag, and I read up on my life last year. It made me laugh. I never used to be concerned with so much crap and then there it all was. I guess a breather was all I needed. Time and distance to put things in perspective. From now on, I live a crap-free life.

Liz rubbed aloe into her shoulder and prayed it wouldn't peel. The phone rang and she glanced around for her towel. Nowhere. Grimacing, she gripped the phone with a slightly slimy hand and picked up for the fifth ring. "Hello?"

"Hey. You're back."

"Hey Max. Yeah… I got in yesterday." She managed to greet him without her heart stomping out a triple beat, or racing the Euro-cars out on the street, or stopping altogether. "How's it going?"

"Pretty good. Roswell's not much for the summer fun. How was Florida?"

"Great. I love the beach… the sand, the water… We went dolphin-chasing."

"Don't you mean whale-watching?"

"That was the original intent but there were no whales and our guide decided we were going to play tag with the dolphins. I almost fell off twice." She laughed and rubbed the remaining aloe into her leg. "My cousin Dana actually fell off though and my aunt was so pissed. Dana just laughed it off, said she needed to cool off anyway."

"Sounds great. The best thing that happened all summer was a ten cent raise after I caught an error in Milton's books." A nervous chuckle.

Silence.

"I know why you called, Max." Liz blew out a breath. "I didn't exactly give you an answer or anything before I left…"

"Yeah… Not that I didn't want to hear about your summer but I was wondering what your answer was."

"I think that with everything that happened between us… that it would be impossible to not um… to avoid it, you know."

"What are you saying?"

"That we should be friends."

"Oh."

Crap I can avoid. People I can't. Being friends with the exes seems to be the best solution at the moment. Even Kyle. It's a much better alternative than not speaking to any guy I've dated or kissed. I can be friendly to everyone… Except maybe Pam Troy.

Liz leaned back in her chair as she finished off the survey that she and her group had just participated in. Max and Alex were still scribbling away on their sections and Maria was painting her nails with white out. Economics sucked. "I miss the beach already."

Maria snorted and Alex shook his head. Max barely looked up. Alex put down his notebook. "I'm sorry, Gidget. Are you missing Moondoggie? Should we send you to Florida permanently?"

"Funny, Alex." Liz stuck out her tongue at him and let her chair drop into its rightful position. "I just… It's too dry here and it's boring and I want summer to last the rest of my life."

"You and everyone else." Max put the cap on his pen. "At least you didn't spend your summer having to explain the difference between the theories surrounding the local mythos."

"Poor baby." Maria snorted and threw a wad of paper at him. "I had to push my mother's insane balloons."

"See, you got off lucky, Liz." Alex sighed. "I spent the summer competing for nerdiness." He sighed again. "And I didn't even win."

Max had to laugh at that one. He had started off class feeling awkward but he was quickly relaxing. "Are we done?"

"So done." Maria nodded. She looked to Liz and she held up her paper. Alex grabbed Max's and the girls' work and disappeared with it. "What's the plan?"

Max motioned for them to lean forward. "Two hours of school left and each minute unbearable after hours of freedom this summer."

"And?" Liz shook her head. Alex quickly joined them and got on to the conspiratorial air of the table. "What we just take off? We've got eight minutes left in this class."

"Sort of." Max nodded. "When the bell rings, we go out the doors beside the office. I've got the Jeep but we really, really have to get out of here before my head explodes."

It's neat to have another guy friend. Max is so much that Alex isn't. All the normal schemes that we were never sneaky enough to pull off are possible. We spent two hours riding around in Max's Jeep just laughing and being happy teenagers. Of course we all got calls home but it's not like we'll do it everyday. It's transitional skipping anyway. Alex and I sat in the back of the Jeep and talked about the ever-important subject of cheesey poofs. It was great.

"Assistant Manager Liz Parker. It's got a nice ring to it." Max commented as she served the table their drinks. Michael glared at her and Isabel looked right through her.

"It's only about a dime difference in pay and about five hours more per week but it's my dad's way of punishing me for yesterday's antics." Liz shrugged and pulled out her order pad. "So, what can I get you guys?"

"Will Smith burger." Michael barked out.

"Just some fries." Isabel gave her a cool look and then turned to face her wayward brother. "I don't think you can serve what he wants."

"The special." Max glared at his sister. "Don't listen to her. She's just mad that the Jeep has been confiscated for two weeks."

"Really? That sucks… not that I'd have time to take anymore rides. Those five extra hours come in on Friday and Saturday nights. Maria's gotta put in hours with her mom during the day. None of us are off at the same time. Poor Alex is cleaning the garage every weekend this month."

"Sucks."

"Yeah." Liz nodded. "Um, I'll be back with your orders." She turned to go and then heard someone grunt and then Max's voice.

"Stop checking her out."

Where did that come from?

I am going to stick to my guns though. Guys are too much trouble… especially the ones I seem to attract. No worries from here on out.

TBC