Roswell Fanatics

*Michael*

"Wow. That would be different," I say, trying to imagine Liz using that kind of language. I have to admit, it sounds kinda hot, but it's not really her style. "But you don't have to go that far. You could start with a few contractions. Can't. Isn't. It's not that hard." I grin at her.

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

*Max*

I try to stay out of range so I don't have to hear whatever Michael and Liz are talking about. Instead, I approach Alex and Kyle who have already started the barbeque.

"Looks good, guys," I tell them.

"Thanks," Alex says. "Kyle really seems to know what he's doing."

"Hey, a hungry guy's got to do what a hungry guy's got to do," he says while adjusting the food over the flame.

"I got the stuff from the car," I tell him, and then raise my voice to get the attention of the others. "Michael? Jake? One last chance. Do you guys want it? Speak up now or it's going in the fire."

great posts everyone!



ALEX

"Hey, a hungry guy's got to do what a hungry guy's got to do," he says while adjusting the food over the flame.

"And he's so modest." I add quietly but Kyle can hear me and grins, "One of my many unknown qualities." he tells me. So much for modest!

"Michael? Jake? One last chance. Do you guys want it? Speak up now or it's going in the fire." Max calls over to the other two then, making Maria and Tess laugh and Liz blush lightly. Isabel ... well, Isabel is not looking in my direction so I can't judge he reaction to this.

"Let it burn if you are sure that you don't need it anymore." Michael mutters uninterested and quietly tells Liz something. Max doesn't seem to happy about that - not that I can blame him. After all, I'm just waiting for Jake to make some comment about me and those magazines.

*Max*

"I never wanted it or needed it in the first place," I shrug, giving the bundle a toss. I think I see Kyle wince just a little as the flames make their claim on the magazines. He might have had more interest than he wanted to admit, although I'm guessing they're probably a bit *ahem* stronger than he really wanted, anyway.

Personally, I'm feeling pretty good as I watch it all burn up. It doesn't erase what happened, but does seem to help a little.

ALEX

We're all watching the fire quietly, watching how those magzines and condoms are burning. I can't help but wonder if it's illegal to burn condoms. I mean burning rubber isn't best for mother earth is it? I'm not going to say that out loud of course but ... I still wonder about this stupid little thing.

Looking around, I see Michael sitting next to Liz, Tess and Kyle are next to Max and me, Isabel and SOS are next to Liz with Maria sitting between Isabel and Max.

Since I doubt that our sitting arrangements will change much, I'll obviously have to talk with Maria while Isabel is right next to her. Great!

Isabel

I cringe as I feel sand slowly begin to cover my legs and basically get everywhere. And between loathing the fact that I’m on a beach and fuming because that jackass Whitman all but called me a whore, I’m in a pretty bad mood.

I glare moodily as I watch Max’s porno and condoms burn with the firewood. Who does Alex think he is? Just because he’s got this….this thing going on with Jake doesn’t mean he as to bring me into it. In fact I’m not even sure what is going on between them. Maybe Alex is jealous, I mean Jake is better looking, richer and well somehow more. He’s like the guys I would date back home, I understand guys like Jake, guys like Alex now they are confusing.

“You know Kitten, anyone would think that you’re not having a good time!” Jake states wrapping his arm around my waist. I lean closer to him and sigh into the embrace. He smells good, really good.

“I hate the beach” I mutter so that only Jake can hear “And Alex all but called me a whore. As if I would do anything on television. I have more respect for myself then that and I would never doing anything to upset my daddy.” I sniff and close my eyes which had began to water slightly. Damn smoke! “And also there‘s the ick factor, I mean think about all those dirty old men that would watch it and all those sad virgin geeks that would download it. Its just eww!”

“Don’t pout honey,” Jake says kissing the side my head. “Want me to beat him up for you?”

I ponder the question for a minute. “No, I wouldn’t want you to bruise your knuckles,”

And of course I don’t want to hurt Alex, or well I don’t want to hurt him that much. Maybe I’ll just ask Max to talk to Alex, I mean Max is a smart guy I’m sure he could come up with a tactful way of telling Alex to leave me alone.

“What are you two whispering about?” Maria asks beside me, “Not sweet nothings I hope.” she adds pulling a face.

Does offering to beat someone up for you count as a sweet nothing?

“We were thinking about taking a walk,” I state, the smell of burning rubber is starting to irritate my nose and the smoke isn’t doing much for my eyes which is the only reason my eyes are watering.

“We were?” Jake asks raising an eyebrow as I haul him to his feet.

I ignore him and turn back to Maria, “The smoke is irritating me and I think I saw a bar further down the beach. Wanna tag along?”

Maria shrugs “I don’t really want to play the third wheel,”

I nod in understanding,

“Max? Liz? Do either of you two fancy coming along so that Maria doesn't have to play the third wheel as she put it?” I ask, Max and Liz are the only other people beside Maria that I’ve actually bonded with so I only bother to ask them.

great post Ruby! your Isabelle must be the biggest beach-hater I ever heard of


ALEX

I watch Isabel and SOS from the corners of my eyes, wondering what they are talking about. Their plans for later? Me? The lovely stars above us? The next Gucci collection?

“Max? Liz? Do either of you two fancy coming along so that Maria doesn't have to play the third wheel as she put it?” Isabel asks then as she and SOS stand up. Of course she didn't ask me - I wouldn't ask myself after this car drive. At least I wasn't the only one she didn't ask, even though I'm unsure if that is really a reason to feel better.

But damn, Maria is going with them - as third wheel which means that Isabel and SOS ... YUCK! So much for talking with Maria.

Well, Tess doesn't look that happy about the possibility that Max could leave without her either but Max and Liz alone ... hmmm.

And I can still talk with the others about Liz' birthday when she's not around. Maybe Kyle and Tess have better idea's than Michael's "lets buy a keg" one.

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

“Max? Liz?” I hear Isabel call me and I turn to look at her. “Do either of you two fancy coming along so that Maria doesn’t have to play the third wheel as she put it?”

I think about it, turning to Max to see him looking at Isabel, turning away to look at Maria before Max can see me looking at him. I don’t really know where they are headed exactly, but I could spend some time with Maria and Isabel. Not to mention I could see how things are going between Isabel and Jake and maybe find something there that could help Alex’s case.

“Sure, I’ll go,” I say smiling as I stand up, brushing some sand off as I walk around to where they are standing. “Where is it that we’re going exactly?” I whisper to Maria, not quite sure as to what I agreed to.

*MAX*

Liz quickly volunteers to go with Isabel, Maria and Jake. Seems like a good idea. Maybe she can talk about Alex a little.

"Don't go too far," Kyle warns them. "Food'll be ready in about fifteen minutes."

I had been careful to put the trash far away from the food when I put it in the fire. Not only because of possible fumes, but because the paper would burn differently than his wood and I didn't want him to blame me for an un-even heat. But now it was only ash and a thing of the past.

"Do you need us to stick around and help, or shall we take a quick swim?" I ask, directing the first part of the question to Kyle and the second to Tess. I grin at her. "I still haven't seen that new bikini you bought."

TESS

Isabel asks Max and Liz, and only Max and Liz (which is such a typical Isabel thing to do) if they want to accompany Jake and her somewhere. At first I'm a little hurt by this blatant exclusion of the rest of us, but more importantly, that Max might happily get up and leave me here with ugh, Michael... although Alex will still be here and oh yeah, Kyle too. But then my momentary worries vanish when Max gets up to brush the sand from his pants and asks Kyle, "Do you need us to stick around and help, or shall we take a quick swim?" That last part is directed at me and he continues with a grin, "I still haven't seen that new bikini you bought."

I grin back slyly. "Why no, I do believe you haven't. Let me grab my bag and I'll be back shortly. You guys could get changed into your swimsuits too while we're gone--" I say right as I notice that all four men are already wearing their boardshorts, plus their sandals and t-shirts. Men so suck, with their bathing suits that somehow can pass for normal, fit-for-public clothing. "Or not, seeing as how you're already wearing them. Right then." I quickly add.

I catch Kyle looking at me with this 'ha-ha' smirk on his face and I want to just walk right over there and wipe that smirk off his face, but instead I chase after Maria and Liz, who are trailing behind Isabel and boy-toy. "Liz, Maria, wait up!"

I don't know what's gotten into me anyway. I'm having a great time with Max and he passed up going with the others to ask if I wanted to go take a swim with him. Hell yeah I wanna go swim with him, and get to see that rock-hard chest of his again. But then, Kyle's definitely a sight for sore eyes; I saw as much when we were in the jacuzzi the first night, although, at the time, I was so smitten over Max, I hadn't really given it much thought till now. Hmmmm, would it be so wrong to have two hotties hanging off my arms? *sigh*

*Max*

As Tess heads off, I realize that by the time she gets back, Kyle's food will be ready. I guess we'll swim after we eat. And I just missed a chance to sit and talk with her a bit more. Brilliant. Now it's just us four guys, and I can't even ask Alex about Michael with him right here.

I shrug and go to get the plates and stuff. There's also the chips and other stuff to get onto the table. "Guess we can give you a hand, then," I say, feeling bad that I had been about to abandon it all to the other three guys.

"Well, now that Liz is gone, we can talk about her birthday," Alex says.

"Oh yeah!" I say. "We could do that. Got any ideas?"

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

*Michael*

I frown as all four of the girls disappear. I guess I should take some comfort with the fact that they're all with Jake and not Max. But I'm stuck with Max and two guys who don't have enough guts to do anything about him.

Max volunteers to help with the food and Alex starts talking about Liz's birthday again. That guy has a one-track mind, I swear. Snorting, I get to my feet and pull of my tee-shirt. "I'm gonna go swim, then. See ya."

With any luck, I'll meet someone new out in the water, or down the beach.