Roswell Fanatics

Hope this part is okay, I'm kinda tired so eh. Hope everyone had a great Christmas and that everyone has a great new year.


Isabel

“There will be nicer ‘views’ for us to admire there…oh, except one less for you, Isabel.”

“Huh?” I ask, not really paying too much attention as I watch Jake and Michael walk away. The view from where I’m standing being extremely good. You know when Michael isn’t talking he is really hot, of course Michael not talking seems to be quite a rare occurrence. And what can I say about the hotness of Jake, he is obviously gorgeous. We make a cute couple I guess, what with his dark model looks and my much fairer ones.

“Liz was just saying that since you dislike Alex it will be one less guy for you to admire,” Tess explains when I finally turn my attention back to the girls.

I roll my eyes at the shorter girl, “Just because I don’t like Alex doesn’t mean I couldn’t find him attractive,”

“So you find Alex attractive?”

“I never said that,” I state quickly sending a haunting glare in Tess‘s direction. There’s no way I want people to start thinking that I’m harboring a secret crush for Alex. Which of course I’m not. Just because I’ve noticed that he smells nice or that he bought new clothes or that he must work out to have such strong feeling arms, does not mean that I have a crush on Alex or even find him slightly attractive.

“But didn’t you just say that just because you didn’t like Alex doesn’t mean that you don’t find him attractive?” Tess asks raising an eyebrow.

“I said that just because I didn’t like him didn’t mean that I couldn’t him find him attractive, which of course I don‘t.” I say, looking at Maria for some back up.

“I’m slightly confused,” Maria says with an apologetic shrug and smile.

“Me too,” Tess says with a frown “So Isabel, do you find Alex attractive or not?”

“No I don’t!” I deny, the question nagging at me even as I answer it. Do I find him Alex attractive?

“Not even a little?” Liz asks

I narrow my eyes at her, “Not even if he was the last guy on the planet,”

“That’s a little strong don’t you think?” Maria says “What about if you and him were….”

“Why are we talking about this?” I ask but don’t bother waiting for an answer as I stalk off to look for Jake.

*Max*

I watch Michael and Jake go back to the pile of fire wood, thinking about Alex's comment. Is he walking funny? Yeah, I guess. But I don't think he's hurt. Look at how he's trying to pick up the largest pieces of wood there.

"It looks almost like he's ... strutting. Showing off," I wonder, aloud.

"For who? Jake?" Alex asks.

The thought makes me burst out laughing. I quickly put a hand over my mouth and try to supress the giggles.

"I thought Kyle was the one coming out of the closet," Alex adds.

A comment like that doesn't help. My grin gets broader as I remember rescuing Kyle with Liz this morning. It was nice to be with her for even a simple task like that. Of course, I also remember the way Kyle was oogling those magazines, so I reply, "Not likely."

"Not likely is right," Kyle adds, making both of us grin.

"Looks like Michael thinks he's the Hulk," Alex says, gesturing. We see that Michael has picked up the biggest piece of wood available and is hauling it over his shoulder.

"He can't put that on the fire yet! The food will burn," Kyle complains.

As I look at Kyle, I notice something over his shoulder. Isabel is coming towards us rapidly, leaving the other three girls behind. I give Alex a nudge as he's still watching Jake and Michael trying to out-flex each other. "Hey, Alex. Isabel-alert." I whisper.

also a great part, isabelle

ALEX

Good to know that I still know how to make funny comments. Well, the thought of Michael digging Jake is funny after all and Kyle really sounded a bit too serious.

Isn't Michael the coolest and strongest guy around here? I can already see the women swoon in a five miles radius. Yeah right - in Michael's dreams. Come on, he can't be serious with that ... that .... that show he pulling off, can he?

Uh, looks like Jakey lost balance for a moment but sadly, he didn't fall on his face. Well, maybe they'll get more wood and I#ll have some luck then.

At least it's fun to watch and comment on it!

"Hey, Alex. Isabel-alert." Max says suddenly making me forget that Jake and Michael are even at the beach. I turn sligthly and indeed, Isabel is coming towards us rather fast. I wonder if the girls got into a fight.

"Isabel, ready for food?" Kyle asks a second before I say a soft "Hey!" I guess after the car ride and the silence after it, a slow approach might be best.

Isabel just walks past us towards our two Hercules , not hearing us - or not wanting to hear us, I guess. Kyle shrugs and turns back to the burgers, making sure that they are fine while I heave a sigh.

Seeing Max's sympathic look (great, now he pities me!) I shrug. "I guess she's still pissed." Deciding that I don't want to torture myself with watching Isabel fawn over Jake, I turn slightly to the other direction where the other girls are coming from.

It's not good, but it's something, right?

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

“Did we press her too much?” I ask Tess as we continue to walk towards the guys, Isabel putting a good amount of distance between us.

She shrugs and I look to see what Maria thinks. “I didn’t think so,” she says, “but maybe she didn’t think we were joking?”

I think about that, but think it’s highly unlikely. Isabel is many things, but not being able to pick up on teasing is something that doesn’t seem to fit. Maybe we were touching on something she didn’t want to acknowledge? Even to herself? If that’s the case, Alex isn’t as bad off as we thought.

“I don’t think that’s it,” I say as we continue making our way over to everyone else. “Isabel is many things, but not being able to pick up on something as obvious as teasing? She’s not dense.”

“What else could it be?” Maria questions. I’m about to answer with what I had just thought, but my foot slips in the sand. I catch myself before I fall, but by the time I’m steady enough to answer, Tess let me know who was in earshot.

“Hey, Alex!” Tess cheerfully greeted.

“What happened?” Alex asks, sparing a look over his shoulder at Isabel, who is continuing to stalk over to Jake.

“Would you believe us if we said we really don’t know?” I know that we’re supposed to be working with Alex and helping him out, but telling him every aspect of girl talk would just not help the situation. If Isabel found out . . . that would burn that bridge before we got any good use out of it, hopefully Tess figured that out too. We can tell him something when we know for sure, not when it's just some random speculation because of a reaction Isabel had to some questioning.

Care to share more Trude???

*whimpers* NO! just kidding! it wasn't that bad until two days later and it was discovered that some people have a different opinion on what "this stays between us" means

ALEX

“Would you believe us if we said we really don’t know?” Liz asks.

Considering who they are "investigating" for me, I do believe them. Isabel Anderson totally confuses me so ... "I actually believe you." I tell Liz, forcing a grin on my face.

"You know, you don't have to spy any more now - this is about relaxing and having fun." I tell Tess and Liz. "I mean, if you want to, I won't stop you either but ... you don't need to feel like you have to spy for me now all the time."

"Are Hulk and Hercules already coming back or are they still struggling with the wood?" I ask, not wanting to turn around and look for myself in fear of what I might see.


****
not much but I have to head off to work too - the last work day in 2004

Yes - 100 pages, and still going after 18 months! Yay for us.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

*Max*

The girls arrive and Alex stands to talk to Liz and Tess. I move a few steps closer as Maria approaches Kyle. It sounds like they didn't make much progress, but it would be interesting to know what had set her off that way. Did it have anything to do with their questions, or is she just mad at Jake for not walking with her?

Maybe I can chat with her a bit later. Not about Alex, necessarily, but just to see how she's doing.

"Ah, my first victim," Kyle smiles at Maria as she comes close. "What would you like?"

Maria indicates her preferences as Kyle starts to load up her plate.

I glance over Alex's shoulder to see Isabel, Jake and Michael still standing near the wood-pile. "They're still there, but it looks like they're heading this way in a moment," I tell Alex and then shrug. "Let's go get some food."

Alex nods and Liz and Tess agree. The four of us head for chef Kyle to get some hot food. "Ladies first," I say, sweeping my arm forward to invite Liz and Tess to go ahead. They both give me a smile and step forward.

"Do you know any good campfire stories?" I ask Alex, hoping to change the subject for a little while.

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

*Michael*

I've just got a great log hoisted over my shoulder as Isabel comes stalking over. She looks kinda annoyed but that's pretty normal for her, it seems. Nothing here is good enough for her. Well, ... nothing but me, I think. She's probably already regretting going with this loser and not me.

Isabel really is a hot number. She could definately look good hanging on my arm. And she's already off of old-Maxwell. All I have to do is look good next to Jake and I'll have her eating out of my hands.

"Hey Isabel," I say, pouring on the charm as I shift my grip on the log. I know she's gotta be liking what she sees. "Ready for a real campfire? This baby will get things hot," I tell her with a wink.

.

your Michael cracks me up every time, Isabelle

ALEX

"Do you know any good campfire stories?" Max asks me suddenly. I look at him in surprise.

"Not really." I have to admit. "Just the usual - already boring - ghost stories we know from movies and macho tales from my dad and brothers about bear hunting." Seeing Max's expression, I quickly say, "Don't aks. It isn't pretty." I wink a bit at him, not really wanting to talk about camping with my dad. "Maybe Kyle knows some stories." I suggest, hoping that those stories aren't NC17 rated.

Glancing ahead at Tess and Liz, I whisper, "maybe we can find some time to talk with Maria about Liz's birthday and even more importantly, about what we could get her cause I'm clueless."

Judging from Max's shocked look, I guess he hasn't thought about that either.

I hope everyone had a good New Year's Eve. I'm still kinda of suffering from last night so this is kinda short and blah.

Isabel

"Hey Isabel, ready for a real campfire? This baby will get things hot," Michael says with a wink.

I shift my gaze from Michael to Jake before looking back to Michael and resist the urge to smack my forehead. Does Michael not notice that my date is standing right next to him? And God, could he be any less obvious with the leering and the winking.

Like I don’t know which brain he is thinking with at the moment, I’m tempted to grab that log he’s got balancing over his shoulder and show him just where he can shove it.

“That’s great Michael. It looks like a uh….great piece of…..mmm wood” I say forcing a smile and I regret the words as soon as they leave my mouth when I catch the look on Michael’s face.

Michael smirks deviously “If you think that’s impressive you should see my….”

“And I think that’s enough,” Jake says glaring at Michael “I’m hungry, we should get some food before its all gone.”

“Do we have to go back there?” I ask as Jake starts to drag me back to the campfire and I catch sight of Alex talking to Max.

“What’s the matter?” Jake asks with a frown as he follows my gaze “Did Alec say something to you again?”

“Its Alex,” I say correcting him absentmindedly “And no, I just wanted us to have some alone time. I don’t like sharing you with everyone,” I say prettily fluttering my eyelashes at him.

“Aww baby, we can have all the alone time you want,” Jake says as he falls for what I said hook, line and sinker. “But after I’ve eaten.”

“Huh?” I feel my jaw drop, that’s not what he’s meant to say.

“Come on quick now before the others eat all the good stuff,”

Happy New Year everyone! Trude, Alex is cracking me up again And Isabelle, I can't wait to see what Max is going to give Liz for her birthday

TESS

“Ladies first.” Max says gallantly, smiling at Liz and me as he sweeps his arm out to let us go first on our way over to Kyle to get our food.

We smile back and cross the fire pit over to where Chef Kyle is rotating hot dogs and flipping hamburgers on the beach grill.

“Ladies, right this way! What shall it be, eh?” Kyle says with a wave of his hand, acting like he is a world-famous chef in some fancy restaurant instead of out on the beach with a charcoal grill.

Liz and I giggle at his antics and I grab a paper plate and thrust it out before me. “One hot dog please. And don’t forget the bun.”

“Yes ma’am, coming right up.” Kyle grabs a tong and places one hot dog with charcoal lines on it and places it in a bun on my plate. “Mustard or ketchup?” he asks.

“Mustard, please.”

I fill my plastic cup up with root beer and take a spot on the sand upwind of the smoke from the growing bonfire.

Liz, Max, and Alex soon come to join me as they pick places to sit on the blanket we laid out on the beach. Liz sits on my left, and Max sits down next to her, although at a safe, friendly distance I notice. Alex sits down next to Max, only once looking back over his shoulder to see what Isabel is doing. Well, at least he doesn’t seem to be worrying himself too much over the presence of the boy-toy, so that’s good. I think.

Kyle yells over to the stragglers that the food is going fast, and I see Jake practically dragging Isabel over to the grill; Jake, intent on chowin’ down, Isabel slightly miffed about something, her lower lip sticking out in a pout. So what else is new. Michael is following them, still with that huge log of wood on his shoulder, but he is no longer strutting, just simply walking. Hmmm, guess Isabel must have said something icy to him too. Or maybe it was Jake.

They finally arrive and grab some food before Kyle piles food onto his plate, and comes over to sit down. Next to me.

“What, did you forget to eat for the last 24 hours or something?” I ask incredulously when I see that some of his food is actually threatening to fall off his plate, because there is no more room.

“Hey, I’m a growing boy. Plus, I made it, so you know it’s going to be good.” Kyle says with a sly wink at me. You know, that is just the kind of line that Michael would use to answer a question like that, but for some reason, coming from Kyle, it doesn’t sound nearly as blatantly arrogant. It sounds, confident, and of course, flirty as heck. But that’s Kyle for you.

“I see. Well I hope someone here knows the Heimlich,” I say as I watch him stick half a hotdog in his mouth, bun included. What is it about guys that they have to inhale their food?

“Do you?” He asks after he swallows, looking me straight in the eyes.

“Maybe.” I say with an air of nonchalance that I don’t feel.

“Well then I guess we’ll have to see what happens if I go swimming after eating all this food. Someone might have to give me CPR.” Kyle says as he finishes off one hotdog and moves on the hamburger still sitting on the plate.

I evade having to give an answer as I take another bite of my hotdog.


*******************
K, that was my lame attempt at Kyle and Tess flirting hehe. I thought they needed some time to chat during dinner.

Also kinda in wow about the whole 18 months thing, that's like forever in roleplay land.

makes you feel old, huh?

ALEX

Max and I didn't get a chance to discuss LIz's birthday further because her and Tess came back to us with their plates filled and Max and I hurried to get some food and we all sat down in the still warm sand.

Tess is curently teasing Kyle about his huge amount of food. The guy has even more food on his plate than Liz and Tess together, I think. Ah, the pleasures of being a growing boy.

Liz turns to Kyle, complementing him for his good work at the grill.

"Thank you Thank you Thank you, little Lady. It was a pleasure to cook for you fine fellows." Kyle drawles with a fake english accent, making us all grin.

"Oh good, that means that you'll cook for us for the next few months then!" I joke, causing Tess and Liz to let out "Yeah!" "Great".

"Hey! That's not what I meant." Kyle objects after almost choking on his hot dog in shock.

"But Kyle, you just said you liked cooking for us and we don't want you to stop doing something you enjoy." I tell him with an innocent look, trying hard not to grin at his panicked state. Does he really believe he has to cook from now on?

And more importantly, would we get him to cook for us in the next few months?

"Yeah, it's really kind that you offered your services." Maria pipes up from next to Isabel.

"But ... but ..." Kyle tries to protest, looking a bit lost and small behind his mountain of food.

"They are only kidding, Kyle." Liz says with a grin.

Kyle just lets out a "Thank God!" before glaring at me. "Not funny, Whitman!" he says, pointing his fork in my direction.

"Kyle, my friend, I have no idea what you could possibly mean!" I say with a smile which turns into a 100 watt grin when he looks down at a giggling Tess before turning back to me and I'm smiling innocently again, this time causing Maria and Max to giggle and grin.

Kyle throws a mock glare at me again before turning his attention back to his plate again and Michael is looking rather unfazed by what just happened and YES! Isabel is smilling too.