Deceptive Appearences (MATURE/ADULT) *Kyle, Tess OPEN*

[KatnotKath]

OOC: I know I said I was going to try and get something better than this Isabelle, but basically I can't think of anything so I'll just post and then we can move on.

Glad to see that you're still here M, sorry you've been a bit isolated in this.

Jen, if you're still wanting Alex I'd be delighted to see you post. We can chat and see what we can come up with to bring the others, including alex back in if you like.

Storm - I'm assuming you're still wanting your characters but I know you're busy and don't have much net access at the moment so no rush with posting although we're all looking forward to when you get back properly of course

isabelle - well I never thought that you'd be leaving this, but it's great to see it in typing anyway lol. I know the Liz that follows wasn't the best, but I thought it was better to get something up and then we can move on. Have to admit, I'm happier with it now than when I first wrote it anyway

Candice - I still need to speak to a few people about characters, but by the end of the week, or beginning of next week I should be able to give you a list of which characters will be open if you're still interested. Thanks for the interest.

BIC

~Liz~

“She’s not gonna turn me into a frog or something if she doesn’t like me is she?”

I raise my eyebrows at this. “You going to ask me where my crook nose is next…?” I tease him laughing at the look on his face. I think that he’s joking, but at the same time I can see that he is nervous and I guess that’s only natural. I reach out with my hand. “Remember what you said about aliens not all being small green and slimy…?” I laugh softly. “Well I think the same goes for witches…we don’t make potions in cauldrons or fly around on broomsticks…and we don’t turn people into frogs…” I pause for a moment, unable to resist adding. “Well not unless someone really annoys us…” I giggle and shake my head. “Honestly Max, I don’t know what she’s intending to do, but I don’t imagine transmogrophy is the first thing on her mind…”

Reaching up, I kiss him gently. “And whatever she has got planned, it’ll be okay, because we’re together…”

[isabelle]

*MAX*

I nod and smile as Liz explains that the stories about witches aren't accurate, - although I'm sure I did see her mixing potions in one of my flashes, even if they weren't using a cauldron. But I'm caught short by the word she uses. 'Transmography.' I know it's not a new word, but it sounds so official when she uses it like that. Like a regular science the same as Chemistry, or anything-else. Not fantesy or fiction. And, I suppose it is - if you're a witch. I'm looking forward to learning more about what 'magic' was for real. I'm sure it will be interesting.

While I'm still taking that in, wondering if magic really can change things like that, she reaches up and kisses me. “And whatever she has got planned, it’ll be okay, because we’re together…”

This makes me smile again. Just having her near makes it all more positive. The best things become possible when she's here. I kiss her back, gently, feeling warm and safe. "I'll always be here," I promise. I want to be with her, forever. An alien and a witch. Who could have imagined that?

The thought of aliens, secrets and potions suddenly brought to mind mylunchtime excersion. If the box was sealed by magic, whatever that meant, maybe that would explain why we couldn't open it. But what would I tell Michael?

"Um, Liz. There's something I should tell you ..." I trailed off for a moment, wondering how I was going to do this. She just turnsin my arms looking up with a trusting and expectant expression.

"Last night, when we were - together - I got some weird flashes. This stuff you just told me sorta makes it make more sense, but not all of it. Not yet. There was this box in your closet...."

[KatnotKath]

~Liz~

“I’ll always be here…”

I know that I haven’t told Max everything yet…there’s demons and warlock to talk more about…to voice the danger that he’s in, but I have told him the most important thing, the truth, and he’s accepted me so I can’t help thinking that everything’s going to be ok. I know that he means what he says, and despite everything that Ainsling says, there’s no way I can think of this as a bad thing. Max makes me whole, we make a great team…he’s the person I want to spend the rest of my life with and somehow, I think we’ll find a way to cope with whatever life throws at us, whether that be witch, or alien related… Two people that make reality out of myths…maybe that’s why we get on so well…we relate to each other because we both have these secrets and subconsciously, even before we knew about each to her, we knew there was something different about the other… I don’t know whether that’s true…maybe I’m just looking for something to explain something that needs no explaining, but the fact is it doesn’t matter. The important thing for me is to know that Max knows about me…that I’m no longer keeping these secrets from him, and he’s accepted me for what I am…

Suddenly I feel Max stiffen slighty and I look up at him, wondering at his expression. He has something to say obviously, but strangely enough I’m not scared anymore…because whatver it might be, I know it’s not going to be a rejection, and that’s all that matters. Anything else I can cope with, I can deal…as long as I still have Max… Serena and Ainsling say that I’m weaker since I got involved with Max, that my focus isn’t there, but they’re wrong… Max gives me the strength I need to continue this fight we have every day. He gives me the strength to do what I need to do… Before I met him, maybe I seemed more focused, but in truth I was just going through the motions… I might have practiced more than I do now, but it wouldn’t have meant anything when it came to it… I just went from day to day, fearing that each might be my last… Now, I have the conviction that we can do this… I have the knowledge that someone loves me, and his support, even before he knew what I was, gave me everything I needed…that gives me a strength I never even knew existed before…

“Um, Liz. There’s something I should tell you…”

I turn in his arms, looking up at him, but not saying anything, just letting him speak when he’s ready.

“Last night, when we were – together – I got some weird flashes. The stuff you just told me sorta makes it make more sense, but not all of it. Not yet. There was this box in your closet…”

I listen to what he says and nod as I realize what he’s talking about. “What you saw was a box that has been passed down through the generations in my family…it’s not the box itself that’s important, but the contents…” I look at him. “For want of a better word, it contains a spell book…one that has been added to by each generation as they created new spells to deal with the warlocks and demons they encountered…It’s a pretty impressive book, I’ll show you sometime…” I tell him smiling. Outside, I hear the bell sounding and as much as I don’t want to go, I know that we need to get out of here. We’re due to be meeting Ainsling and as much as I’m nervous about what she might say, I don’t want to keep her waiting… I sigh and look up at Max before standing and offering him my hand. “Coming…?” I ask him softly.

[isabelle]

*Max*

A Spellbook, she says. And my world has shifted so far that this is now something that simply makes sense. Of course that's what it is. That's what she and Serena were using when the something disappeared in a flash on their balcony.

Before I can further confess to breaking into her house, the bell rings. Hard to believe we've spent the whole period here, talking. Time always flies when I'm with Liz. “Coming…?”

"Wait," I tell her as I get to my feet. I take her hand, holding her here for just a little longer. "There's more."

"Can it wait?" She asks. "We'll have lots of time later."

I tilt my head to one side, concidering this. I don't want to wait. I need to let her know what I did. But looking at her perfect face, there's something else that I need more. Putting my hand up by her forehead, I run my fingers down the side of her face, gently nudging her hair aside as I stare into her eyes. My fingers come to a rest at the back of her neck as I close my eyes and lean down to kiss her gently.

"Later, then," I tell her as I pull back to look at her again. "But soon. It's very important."

[KatnotKath]

~Liz~

”Wait…”

Max stands up but doesn’t move to follow me. Instead he takes my hand, holding me gently but preventing me from leaving.

“There’s more…”

I nod, and from the look on his face I want to agree to wait and stay here…to listen to what he has to say, but right at this moment in time I can’t… There could be so many other things that Max saw, and although I’ll go through them with him, one by one… I’ll tell him everything that he wants to know, but right now isn’t the time… I don’t want to be late for meeting Ainsling…

Two reasons for that…she’s always going on about the importance of being on time, that being one of her ‘mother’ speeches, rather than a mentor, but you see she does both… Ainsling is in many ways, however much younger she might be, for she’s young enough to be my sister, and definitely be my friend, She’s more like a mother to Serena and I than Nancy will ever be. Nancy cares about us yes…she and my dad have done their best to give us a happy home life, but we’ve never really felt able to talk to her…I’ve never been able to sit down with her and talk about what is going on in my life as I have with Ainsling… That brings me onto the second reason… Maybe now that Max knows about me, he will understand my need to make arrangements and such, and to stick to them whenever possible, because the fact is that if Max and I are late, Ainsling is probably less likely to think that we’re smooching, and more likely to worry that I’m in trouble… That’s a basic fact of my life and since there are enough times when worry would be warranted, I’d rather not but her through that when it’s unnecessary too…

With all this in mind, I look back at Max “Can it wait…? We’ll have lots of time later Max…I promise… And I’ll try and answer any questions that you might have, explain what I can about the things you have seen… But right now we should make a move… Ainsling will be waiting for us…”

In the past I’ve always had to be so careful… Ainsling was always Ms Brennan except for the times when she was at our house, or if we were at hers…we couldn’t risk one of our friends overhearing, yet now it doesn’t matter about calling her that in front of Max. He knows enough, and I’m glad…

Watching him, I see Max tilt his head, appearing to think about this. Before I realise what he’s doing, I feel his fingers running down the side of my cheek…He’s pushed my hair aside and our gazes meet. As usual I can get lost so easily in those eyes… Max…

He waits a moment and then dips his head towards me, capturing my lips in his.

Although I know that time in short, I can’t resist responding and without really thinking about it, my lips press back against his eagerly. I can feel our connection just under the surface and I’m so happy that there’s no need to bother about that anymore… The kiss is short, and gentle…I know that we both want so much more but for now we both know this can’t be allowed to go any further.

Max pulls away at the same time as me and when I look into his eyes I can still see that there’s something bothering him just under the surface. “Later then…but soon, it’s important…”

Whatever this is about, I know that he’s serious and suddenly the playful air that had settled over us has gone and I nod softly. “Alright…I promise…we’ll talk again after this meeting…” I agree softly before moving towards the door.

For the first time, as I say the words to release the spell, I don’t need to hide it from Max and although still quiet, I purposely speak so that he will hear.

OOC: and I did want to include the words she speaks, but right not I can't think of anything that sounds half way decent so I guess an oblique mention to it will have to do, sorry Isabelle

[isabelle]

*Max*

Reluctantly, I nod. After the meeting. Then I will have to own up to spying on her. Maybe I can do it without mentioning Michael, 'tho. Although she might be able to help me come up with a convincing story to tell him, if I do let her in on the whole truth.

She turns and whispers to the door, moving her fingers in a brief but deliberate pattern. A light dawns as I realize this is what she'd done on the way in. It wasn't nerves. She was casting a spell, and now she's taking it off. I wonder what it was. Locking? Maybe silence so nobody could hear us?

I wonder how often she's used her magic to help us already. Seeing how much trouble we've managed to find in only a few months, it seems likely that it was a secret aid to us at some point or another. Maybe her magic explains the visions she's been having about our crash. ...

"Magic," I whisper, aloud. Liz turns, smiling softly as she eases the door open. I straighten up, reaching quickly for the figurative mask that I wear all the time. The one to make it seem that I have no secrets. I'm just an ordinary kid - one who happens to be deeply in love with Liz Parker. Since that last part is no longer a secret and it's very true, that's the easiest bit to play.

I reach forward, catching her fingers in mine as I glance up and down the corridor. It seems safe enough, and we both step back into the world of high school where aliens and witches are, by conventional wisdom, completely fiction.

[StormWolfstone]

I know this has been long awaited (sorry Isabelle)


~*Michael*~

After having returned to school with Max, I couldn't stop thinking of the fact that not only did I remain in school, but that damned black box. I never thought that there was a possibility that something could withstand our powers. It also made me realize that there was definitely something very strange about Liz Parker.

As my current class ended, I decided that I needed to find out just what was going on. I wasn't going to be going back to class today, but I was going to locate Max and talk to him, see if there was anything he might have managed to think of.

Hell, I'm suprised that he decided to sneak into her house. That certainly isn't like him, but I guess it's not unusual when he thinks that the woman he cares for is keeping secrets. Which obviously she is. I just wonder what kind. Of course, it could also be rather interesting to find out whether or not I could get the secret from Serena, though I am certain that she won't say anything to me. Not to mention, though I enjoy seeing a rather spicy Maria, her jealousy can sometimes be rather annoying.

I'm just about to decide to find Max's class when I see him with his paramour. (I think that's the word I want lol) They seem to have been spending some time in the eraser room. I couldn't help but wonder just what they had talked about and whether he'd gotten answers. They certainly looked as though things were fine between them. Making my way toward them, I remain silent for a moment before calling out, "Maxwell, we need to talk."




Hope this is okay, Isabelle. Wasn't completely sure how to word a few things (not to mention writing freehand without looking at the actual posts sometimes puts me off lol)

[M]

~*AINSLING*~

I sigh and tap my fingers, resisting the urge to go to the door and check the hall. The bell rang almost ten minutes ago and there is no sign of Liz yet. I force myself not to pace and I hop up on my desk to wait. She couldn't possibly have got into trouble already, thats Serena, not Liz. Liz is careful, measured, logical. I know she was upset about our conversation, but I also know that she is adult enough to handle it, to wait until it can be dealt with properly. I cross my arms and try not to worry.

[isabelle]

*MAX*

I hear Liz whisper in my ear as we come into the hallway and I have to grin. She's so wonderful. I'm so glad that we had that chance to talk. Her secret, like mine, is now bringing us together, instead of keeping us apart. Whatever happens, I know we'll work it out together.

Liz and I are only a few steps away from the Eraser room and Michael starts a bee-line to me. "Maxwell, we need to talk."

"I know, Michael," I tell him as calmly as possible. I stop for a moment to talk to him, although I'd rather talk while I keep walking. I don't want to think I'm not taking him seriously or that I'm brushing him off. There's no telling what notions he has in his mind about that box and Liz now. Or what in the world I'm going to be able to tell him. "But it'll have to be later. Right now, Liz and I have to meet with the Physics teacher."

I'm hoping he'll think it's simply school related. Michael doesn't take Physics and doesn't care much for school and teachers, but he knows that Liz and I do. Heck, it's possible it actually is school related, - she wants us to join a science fair or something - but I seriously doubt it.

[KatnotKath]

~Liz~

“Magic…”

I smile, finding a sense of pleasure in the fact that I don’t have to hide this from him. Turning to face him again I nod. “I just thought we could do without risking interruptions…” I explain softly. I don’t need to explain, I know that… I think Max would be perfectly happy just with a confirmation, but I want to do it… I want Max to understand more about what I’m doing because in turn it means he’s understanding me… Plus of course, he told me about his powers, the least I can do is the same…

I smile at him as I push the door open slightly and take a quick look to check there aren’t any teachers about. Max slips his hand into mine and everything feels pretty much prefect. Before we came in here, there wa a gap forming between us…a rift that was in danger of destroying our relationship, but now… Now I know it’s stronger than ever…reinforced by the secrets which have been shared on both sides, the trust and assurance… Whatever is thrown at us next, I know that we’ll deal, and we’ll deal togther, because I know that I’m stronger with him than without…

Sticking his head out in much the manner that I did earlier, Max looks up and down the corridor and as he motions that it’s safe, we step out togther and begin to head down the corridor.

Even as we walk along, I can feel our connection everpresent and I know this is a sign of the new level of strength our relationship has taken on. Max told me once that we couldn’t be together because we were so different…and I have to admit Serena has said the same thing, but in truth I guess we’re the same… He’s an alien, and I’m a witch yes – but the basic things…the fact that we put on a front for everyone, and have to hide who we really are…that’s the same… Perhaps that’s why we seem to be so well suited, or perhaps that’s just me and Max…chemistry… Either way, I can’t say I’m that bothered… What matters to me is that he’s there, and he’s with me… I know what I feel for him is something very special…something which only comes along once in a lifetime usually, and I don’t intend to throw that away…

Reaching up, I stand on my tip toe before whispering in his ear. “I love you…”

Suddenly I realise that Max has stopped walking though, and as I drop back down and look round, it doesn’t take long for me to figure out why. Michael… He’s making a beeline for us and there’s no doubt as to what he wants.

“Maxwell, we need to talk…”

Not that I don’t like Michael, but could he have worse timing…? There’s a clock on the wall at the end of the corridor which announces to me that we’re already ten minutes late. So much for not worrying Ainsling… I sigh and try not to show how impatient I am to get out of here as we stop and Max responds to Michael.

“I know Michael…but it’ll have to be later. Right now Liz and I have to meet with the Physics teacher…”

Max’s tone is cool and collected as always. I can’t help wondering what Michael wants to talk to him about but whatever it is, Max is right…it’s going to have to wait… I simply nod to confirm what Max has said and wait, hoping that Michael isn’t going to object.