Unreachable AU (M/L) CC/UC *updated* Chapter 11 [4/17/24]
Posted: Thu Jul 23, 2020 8:17 pm
Title: Unreachable
Author:POM aka lovelypom83
Beta: Drogyn--Now: Destinyc
Disclaimer: I owe nothing of Roswell or it's characters...just having some fun!
Rating:Mature
Pairing:
CC/UC<only> Max & Liz Mainly
I will post whenever I can
Authors Note: I wrote this story back in 2009, under my original username POM, but I can't access that account... therefore; my second account under this name. Just want to finish my story (also, can't get a hold of a person in charge)
Summary:
Max and Liz and the gang come together for their high school reunion.
*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~
Chapter one: Just another Day
[Hope Memorial Hospital, Roswell New Mexico)
Liz POV
âLiz Parker, when are you gonna go out with me?â, Tom asks, and not for the first time. I look at him and I can't help but roll my eyes.
âDo we have to go through this every time we have a shift together, Tom?â, I ask. It was flattering the first fifty times he asked⊠now it's more annoying.
He simply nods⊠kind of like he did the last twenty times I turned him down. âOne of these days youâre going to give in to the luring of Tom Brady... you just wait and see miss Parker...one day when youâre least expecting it...â, he says so seriously that I have to cover my mouth with my hand just to keep me from laughing out loud.
âWell, that day is definitely not today, Tom", I say with a smirk; a smirk that hides my laughs and which took me years to perfect. I suppose I can just tell him to piss off, but even though he can be annoying from time to time, he's still funny enough to keep around.
I quickly exit the room before he can come up with a new counterargument, and I head out to find Dr. Thomas. One of the patients asked specifically for him. Well, I don't have to look long, I already see him just twenty feet in front of me.
âHey Dougie, Mrs. Johnson is asking for you. She keeps saying that youâre her favorite doctor, and she doesn't want to see anyone but youâ, I tell him with another one of my famous smirks as he turned around to face me.
âI thought I asked you to stop calling me thatâ, he says, trying to sound serious but failing miserably as I can already see a grin form on his face. I couldnât keep a smile off my face either.
âYes. I remember you saying something of that sort, but doesnât mean I will, Dougieâ, I laugh as he just looks at me, and doesnât join in. Doesn't he have any sense of humor? Well, in a way, that just makes it even funnier.
âReal mature Liz, really. How old are you again?â, he asks as he looks at me seriously again. Honestly Dougie, a smile a day keeps the wrinkles away. I just smirk at him.
âI refuse to answer that question, Dougie. Anyway, back to Mrs. Johnson⊠sheâs been complaining of back problems. I gave her 200 grams of morphine, like dr. Sierra said, but she still wants to see you so can you do a whole exam on her to make sure she is alright?â I tried my best not to laugh.
âOkay Liz, first of all, I honest to God hope that you meant 200 milligrams of morphine⊠and second of all⊠with all the doctors here, why does she insist on seeing me? Every single time she comes in, she asks for me and refuses to cooperate with anyone else. Why on Earth is that?â He sighed as he grabbed the chart.
âWell, it seems like she has a bit of a crush on you", I giggle as he looks disgusted. He may not have a sense of humor but he's still funny.
âLiz! Sheâs like, 80 years old!â, he exclaimed.
âI don't know what to say", I say, "Iâm telling you the truth, she even told me... but donât tell her that I told you, she wants to play hard to getâ, I say with a laugh as he started walking away to the examination room.
âYou're evil, Liz...every time she comes in, you and Maria are encouraging her. It doesn't matter why she keeps coming back, you keep doing itâ, he shouted out.
âYeah, whatever Dougieâ, I yell back before he steps into the elevator..
âOh, I forgot to tell you. Maria is looking for you. She looked nervous⊠even more nervous than usualâ, he says
âThanks. Now you go see mrs Johnson. Iâll be back to check up on you two lovebirds shortlyâ, I laugh as he waved his hand at me to indicate that he doesn't think this is funny, just before the elevator doors close.
~~
âSo Maria... what is on your mind today?â, I ask as I breeze into the break room. Oh great, it's one of those days again. You see, one thing you need to understand about Maria is that she tends to overreact from time to time. And seeing her nervously pacing around the room is definitely sign number one.
âWhere have you been?â, she asks nervously. Did you notice the forceful attitude? That's sign number two. The third step will be her trying to act calm and finally, step four will consist of incoherent babbling. Don't tell me I don't know my best friend.
âUm...let me see...well, I think; I think I was working Maria. Something you should be doing as well", I say. I know it makes her even more nervous but I can't resist. "But really, what is the pressing emergency?â, I ask as she hands me a piece of paper.
Okay, now I start to freak out too. I have no idea why. âWhat is it?â, I ask her almost afraid to look at the piece of paper
âJust read it.â she says calmly. For some reason, I'm expecting the absolute worst but when my eyes quickly scan through the piece of paper, I breathed a huge sigh of relief. I suddenly feel like strangling my best friend. After my dad passed away, I know I'm easy to freak out; something that's definitely not always a good thing when hanging out with Maria
âMaria, itâs an invitation.â I sigh. Is that all she was worried about?
âNot just any invitation. Itâs for our ten year high school reunion!â, she exclaims loudly. I'm used to her doing that; it's almost a second nature for her to shout⊠my poor ears.
âYeah⊠so?â, I question her. I don't get why she's being so nervous about it.
âLiz, this is the time where everyone comes back home to that crappy little town that they left behind to remember how things were, back went they were young! Iâm not young anymore...Iâm an old maid...trying to be young. I am arenât I? Look at us...we are practically thirty years old and we have nothing to show for it. Weâre single, we haââ, she rambled before I cut her off mid-sentence.
âI have Kyle, remember?â, I say, shooting a fake smile at Maria as she rolled her eyes.
âLiz, I donât think it counts if the guy isnât with you for more than a day. Yeah... maybe you love him, but even if you do, you donât even know if he loves you backâ, she says. Did I mention I hate it when she's right?
âMariaâ, I sigh heavily.
âWhat? Iâm just saying that you should just keep your options open. Yeah, Kyle claims that he loves you. But thatâs what he says now, because heâs stationed here now. But what happens when he gets sent to another state?â, she asks with a pitying look. Great! Now I'm depressed. Thanks
âI donât know Riaâ, I say sternly, looking her in the eye.
âIâm going to be picking up the pieces of your heart for the rest of your lifeâ, she says. Did she just say that Kyle is gonna break my heart and that I'll be heartbroken for the rest of my life? What a way to kick me when I'm down.
âThen what do you suggest?â, I say, "Just tell me, Maria"
Did you ever say something that you regretted the second the word left your mouth? I do now. The second the words left my mouth, I knew I was in for it. That crooked smile on her face spoke volumes. âMaxwell Evansâ, she just says
Wait a minute⊠did she just say⊠Max Evans? God, just those two words were enough to send my heart plunging into the deep blue sea. âM-Max Evans?â, I stutter and she smiled at that notion. Sometimes, I wish I wasn't so transparent.
âThe one and only mr Quarterback himselfâ, she said with a smirk. I think I'm getting why Dougie hates it when I do that.
âWait. I thought he was taken by that blonde girl⊠what's her name? Tessina Hardingâ, I say.
âThatâs not what our good friend Whitman saysâ, she says and there's that smirk again. She's really loving this.
âMaria didn't I tell you to stop gossiping. Itâs not good for the soulâ, I laugh, trying to lighten the mood. I just receive an eye roll for that.
âLook at us Maria. We're like twenty eight years old and we are talking like we're still in high school, waiting for Mr. Seligman's class to start. Itâs ridiculousâ, I say.
A few seconds later, one of the doctors enters the room. âElizabeth, dr Sierra is asking for you", he said.
âYeah, Iâm coming. Maria, I suggest you get back to work yourself before Dr. Carter comes in here and finds out that this is your secret hiding placeâ, I say calmly
âLike heâs ever going to find outâ, she laughs off.
âHe will if I tell himâ, I say with a smirk. Yes, that's right ladies and gentlemen, Liz is back in the offensive!
âDon't you dare Parker... Liz, if you do that youâre gonna pay for it!â, she shouts as I leave the room. I drown out her screams as I start to walk to the front desk to see who needs my help.
I look at the clock. 2:30 AM⊠I sigh heavily. This is gonna be a long shift.
___________________________________________________
(Boston)
Max POV
Sometimes, I have these rare moments of reflection where I take a look at myself and where I stand at this moment. Now is such a time. As I step out of my car and breathe in the humid air, Iâm having such a moment. I can't deny that everything seems to be going great for me here in Boston. I'm in good health, I have a wonderful girlfriend who I'm hoping to marry and I have my family and a fine circle of friends. Life is good, I really canât deny that. Still⊠and I donât really know why⊠I canât stop to think about what my life would have been like if I had gone a different way in life.
I can still remember the soft ness of her hair, the scent of her perfume and that captive smile. She was my high school crush, and she was and will always be in my mind. But when the time came to make a choice, I didnât choose her. Instead I choose the girl who was most the most popular at the time; Tessina Harding. Right out of high school, I had gotten her pregnant. We never got married though; we just wanted to raise the baby together. But five months into her term, something terrible happened. I came home and found her crying on the bathroom floor, holding her slightly engorged belly and whimpering softly. We had lost our baby. We got through it together and we came even closer in those next months to come. I began to really love her and several years later, I knew for sure that I loved her with all my heart.
But I have a feeling deep down inside me, asking me if I chose the right girl on that fateful moment in high school. Only time will tell... right?
Suddenly, the sound of one of my favorite songs echoes in my ears. I take a few seconds to appreciate the sound before I snap out of it and realize that itâs my phone ringing. I take the phone out of my pocket and read the caller ID. It says Guerin. Iâm not expecting a call from him today so I quickly answer the call. I hope nothingâs wrong.
âHey man...whatâs up?â, I say
âHey I just got an invitation. Guess for whatâ, he says and I can hear the excitement in his voice. What is it with people when they want to say something but they want someone else to guess it first.
âThe queen of France invited you for breakfastâ, I say without any hesitation
"Donât be stupid Max. France doesnât have a queen. No, itâs the invitation for the reunion of the Roswell class of 2002. Thatâs what!â, he says excitedly
âCome on Michael, itâs been ten years already!â, I say with a loud sigh.
âMaxwell, thatâs why they call it a reunion. And I was just wondering if you were goingâ, he asks casually
âI donât know...I mean being back in Roswell, Itâs going to be pretty strange donât you think?â, I say
âYeah, I guess. If you think of it that way, I suppose. I thought youâd like to see Parker againâ, he says.
Hey, no fair bringing her into the mix. âWhy would you think that?â, I ask trying to sound like I donât care, but meanwhile, my heart is pounding in my chest... just by the mere mention of her name.
âOh, please Maxwell⊠remember I know your little secret? You loved her all your life. Youâre the one who told me on graduation day or did you forget?â He says. Well, I actually did forget that I told him. I can just picture that annoying grin that must be on his face right this second.
âMichael!â, I just shout. Okay, lousy comeback.
âWhat? I didnât tell anyoneâ, he says indignantlyâ, ââŠYou forgot didnât you?â He laughs out. Guess Iâm more transparent than I thought; even through the phone. âTalk about a bad memory Maxwellâ, he continues. Yeah, rub some more salt in the wound, Michael.
âShut upâ, I say sternly, or at least as stern as I can be, âSo maybe I did. That really doesnât matter anymoreâ
âYes it does! What if she loves you too?â, Michael says. This is exactly what I should be hearing right about now.
âDid you forget that Iâm still with Tess?â, I ask him curiously.
âReally? I thought youâd have broken it off by nowâ, he says. He never liked Tess and he never made a secret of it either. He was always saying that it felt like she was out to get something⊠something she didnât have. And he must have told me to watch my back about a million times.
âNo... Iâm really happy with her. She makes me happy, Michaelâ, I say with what I know is a goofy grin on my face.
âHey, I just hope that sheâs good to you Maxwell. Thatâs all. Youâre my best friend; Iâm just trying to look out for youâ, he says. He knows exactly what to say to butter me up before bringing up the reunion thing again.
âI know you are man, but thatâs what Isabel is forâ, I say with a knowing look.
âYou know what I meanâ, he sighs into the phone.
âYeah I do Mikey...but donât worry...I love her and she loves me and I think we are going to be really happy togetherâ, I say
âI hope you are Max, but just take the reunion thing into consideration, okay? I talked to Alex and Isabel about it and we are going to fly out on Thursdayâ, he says.
âSo⊠have you heard anything from Maria⊠or Liz?â I curiously ask him.
âNo... and if Whitman did he didn't say anything... Hell, I donât even know if they live in Roswell or what? I guess youâll know if you come backâ, he says.
See how heâs edging me towards Roswell? I need to hang up now before I say something stupid. âYeah yeah... I have a meeting to set up for Mikey. I'll talk to you laterâ, I say
"Don't work too hard", I say and I smirk as I can hear him sigh through the phone.
"That is an understatement! See ya Max and remember: Roswell. Thursday", he answers
When I hang up, my thoughts immediately drift back to the summer of 2001; back to Liz.
*~*~*~*~*~
It was in the summer going into our senior year. The coach wasnât in that day, meaning we got a day off from practice, so I took this opportunity to go to the local cafĂ©; the one that Liz worked at. She was everything I wanted in a girl, she was sweet, funny, cute, smart, and every other little thing I could name. I loved everything about her, but she wasnât exactly popular and our friends didnât mix very well so we had never gotten together. I had valued popularity over personality so to speak. I walked into the Crashdown and there she was in all her glory; taking an order, laughing and helping the customers decide on what they should have. I took my seat at my usual booth, and just looked at her and revelled in her beauty.
âWelcome to the Crashdown, can I take your order?â, she casually asked me. When she looked up, she was definitely surprised to see it was me.
âMax... hey... I thought you had practice?â, she stammered
âYeah...umm coach Rightman was sick, so they decided to give the defending champs a day offâ, I smirked as she smiled and I felt something electric travel through my body in a rapid motion.
âOkay, so will this defending champion have his usual then?â, she said with a smile and when I nodded, she started to write down my order. Soon enough she was back with my drink.
âHere you go...one Cherry Cokeâ, she said as she passed me an alien straw. As I took it from her I grabbed a hold of her hand.
âThanks Liz. Do you waââ, I started to say, but then I heard several familiar voices from behind me.
I turned to see who it was and it was none other than Tessina and her best friend Pam Troy and her gang of girly, popular, stuck up friends.
âMax! What are you doing here, baby?...I thought you were at practice...What a pleasant surprise!â, she squealed as she came over and kissed me on the lips while her friends just stood there and glared at us. I noticed that Liz was still standing there, looking at me. She couldnât hide her disappointment at that moment; I noticed the look on her face when my girlfriend walked in, she looked upset; hurt. I admit that I felt the same way but Tessina was my girlfriend and I couldnât let her see my love for Liz. I just couldn't.
âGod Liz, can't you drool over some other guy? Canât you see Max is taken?â Pam Troy snapped to Liz since she was just standing there looking at me for I donât know how long now.
I didnât understand why Tess and Pam hated Liz so much, but they just did. Liz on the other hand had always tried to get along with them, but the more friendly she got, the more they would tease and make fun of her.
âYeah Parker! Why donât you go scrub something, and in the mean time, get your eyes off my boyfriend. I donât think Kyle would like the situation you are in right now, donât you think so Max?â, she asked me but I couldnât bring my eyes to meet Lizâs.
âTess, Pam... get the thorn out of your asses and leave Liz aloneâ, I gritted through my teeth. I was angry⊠no⊠furious, that they would speak that way to Liz.
Tess was obviously in the process of ignoring me as she continued to attack Liz.
âSo⊠where is that boyfriend of yours, Lizzie Parker? You know that you donât deserve him...heâs too good for you. Heâs good-looking⊠youâre not⊠heâs cool.. youâre not⊠heâs popular...you're not... and thatâs all there really is to it. One of these days, heâs going to see what a mistake you were and dump your sorry ass", Tess sneered. The girls at the table all started laughing at her. I couldnât believe what just happened... what they hell was wrong with them? I could see that Liz was close to tears now. She tried to say something but the words just werenât coming out of her mouth. I had to do something... I had to step up...be a strong man... or maybe just a regular manâŠ
âTESS, JUST SHUT UP... WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?!â, I nearly shouted in the crowded restaurant, causing the girls to jump and that definitely shut her up, but it did leave a devilish smile on her face that I couldnât place.
âIâll be back with your order, Max...â Liz said as she left to the back room.
I couldnât even face Tess right now, but Pam did make a comment as Liz left the room.
âAaaaw... Poor Lizzy... Sheâs crying...Poor babyâ she teased until I sent her a look that made her stiffen up for a few seconds. She regained her composure a lot faster than I hoped though.
âEvans, you're no fun", Pam said, "Câmon ladies...we donât need this; we have to get ready for the big party at Valenti's place tonight. Tess⊠arenât you coming?", she added when Tess was still staring at me. "She snapped out of it and nodded to Pam and followed her lead, but before Tess could leave, I took her arm and pulled her close to me. âThis isnât over Tess. We need to talkâ, I said sternly. She didnât say anything, not that I expected her to⊠she just pulled her arm from my grasp and made her way out of the restaurant.
My thoughts immediately went back to Liz. I carefully peaked my head through the back door and I could see Liz crying on the stairs leading up to her house.
âLiz?â I asked compassionately as I approached her
âMax?...â, she said. Her voice was barely audible, she looked and I could see that her nose was red as well as her eyes, and my heart broke in that instant.
âYou shouldnât be back hereâ, she told me.
âLiz, donât let them get to you...you are better than this; better than them. They just donât see that; they just donât want to see itâ, I said. She looked up to me and smiled⊠and that meant the world for me.
âMax, you donât have to say thatâreally..â, she sniffed
âNo...Iâm not saying it because you got attacked for no reason... Iâm telling you because itâs the truth Liz. You are so much better than you realize, you are ten times the person Tessina Harding will ever be", I said
âMax...â, she sighed heavily and then looked up at me, realizing that I wasnât just saying that to earn points with her; she knew I meant it⊠she knew that was how I saw her. I went and sat down besides her.
âLiz, Iâm telling you the truth...because everything Iâm telling you is how I really feelâ, I said as I reached up, gently wiped away her tears and looked into her eyes.
âYou're perfect... Liz Parker...â, I heard myself say
âNo, Iâm notâ, Liz defended
âYes.. you are..â, I insisted and at that moment our eyes were locked and we shared a moment unlike anything I ever felt. My breathing increased as my face was only inches away from hers... I could sense the smell of violets and lilies emanating from her soft, sweet skin.
âYou are perfect to me, Liz... youâve always been perfectâ, I said; our lips inching closer and closer to each other, andâ
*~*~*~*~*~*~
*BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP*
I nearly jumped out of skin. Being forced back into reality really bites... I look at my pager and it was the hospital. Of course⊠why did I even bother checking? A nurse ran out of the hospital shortly after.
âDr. Evans...one of your patients is crashing; Ben Tomson...â, she says in a frantic tone. And yet sheâs here outside talking to me. Good help is so hard to find.
âWhat?...Shit!...â, I mumble under my breath and run in after the nurse as I think to myself... Liz Parker will just have to wait...for another day.
__________________________________________________________
[Hope Memorial Hospital, Roswell New Mexico....August 24, 2012]
Maria's POV
I hoped that the day would pass by quickly. Liz called me last night to tell me that she had to cover her mom's shift at the Crashdown so I'm stuck with a double shift. It's 7PM at the moment; that means I've been here for thirteen hours already⊠but that also means I still have three hours to go. God, will this day never end? Why can't time hurry⊠just for me⊠just this one time?
"Sleep! I need sleep!", I exclaim as I throw myself on the front desk in the nurse's quarters. I can hear a few doctors and nurses giggle around me. And they call themselves my friendsâŠ
"Well, you know DeLuca...you can come and sleep with me. I don't mind really", one of the doctors barks out. Admittedly, he's definitely tall, dark and handsome, but still⊠no way in hell! I know it's been years since I've gotten laid but I'm not that desperate. Don't get me wrong; I'm desperate, I'm just not that desperate. Part of the reason I'm not interested is because deep down inside, I really miss my ex-boyfriend; yes, that's right⊠mr. Guerin himself. God, I hate that.
Still, I'd better let him know just how what I'm feeling towards him. I look at him, take a deep breath, and walk up close to him until I can feel his heavy breathing on my forehead. I see him struggle for air as I stand so close in front of him
"Is that a promise, Gomez⊠or a guarantee?" I tease. Nothing like turning a guy like this on⊠before shooting him down like the rabid dog he is.
He smiles at me. "It's whatever you want it to be, DeLuca", he says and I can see both the doctors and the nurses giving us those perplexed kinds of looks.
I lean in even closer and whisper in his ear, a little more huskily than usual. It's just enough to send him over the edge and I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing. "Not if you were the last scumbag on the face of this planet", I say with an equally husky voice and with that I walk away trying to look as serious as possible in doing so. And that's not easy, you know.
As I walked away, I can hear doctors and nurses laughing at him. "She told you...", one of the doctors says. "Gomez got told!", another one laughs. Apparently, me and Liz aren't the only ones who act like we're in high school.
"Just you wait, DeLuca⊠I'll get you sooner or later", he shouts after me as I roll my eyes and leave the room. I suppose I better continue working. Just two hours and fifty eight minutes to go.
For some reason, I keep thinking about Michael at this moment... I keep thinking about why it didn't work out between us. If me and Liz would go to this reunion, would he be there? I don't know. All I really know is that I miss him. It's been years and still⊠I miss him. "Why can't I get over you Michael...why?", I softly ask myself. I better go back to work and pray this day will end soon.
TBC..
Author:POM aka lovelypom83
Beta: Drogyn--Now: Destinyc
Disclaimer: I owe nothing of Roswell or it's characters...just having some fun!
Rating:Mature
Pairing:
CC/UC<only> Max & Liz Mainly
I will post whenever I can
Authors Note: I wrote this story back in 2009, under my original username POM, but I can't access that account... therefore; my second account under this name. Just want to finish my story (also, can't get a hold of a person in charge)
Summary:
Max and Liz and the gang come together for their high school reunion.
*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~
Chapter one: Just another Day
[Hope Memorial Hospital, Roswell New Mexico)
Liz POV
âLiz Parker, when are you gonna go out with me?â, Tom asks, and not for the first time. I look at him and I can't help but roll my eyes.
âDo we have to go through this every time we have a shift together, Tom?â, I ask. It was flattering the first fifty times he asked⊠now it's more annoying.
He simply nods⊠kind of like he did the last twenty times I turned him down. âOne of these days youâre going to give in to the luring of Tom Brady... you just wait and see miss Parker...one day when youâre least expecting it...â, he says so seriously that I have to cover my mouth with my hand just to keep me from laughing out loud.
âWell, that day is definitely not today, Tom", I say with a smirk; a smirk that hides my laughs and which took me years to perfect. I suppose I can just tell him to piss off, but even though he can be annoying from time to time, he's still funny enough to keep around.
I quickly exit the room before he can come up with a new counterargument, and I head out to find Dr. Thomas. One of the patients asked specifically for him. Well, I don't have to look long, I already see him just twenty feet in front of me.
âHey Dougie, Mrs. Johnson is asking for you. She keeps saying that youâre her favorite doctor, and she doesn't want to see anyone but youâ, I tell him with another one of my famous smirks as he turned around to face me.
âI thought I asked you to stop calling me thatâ, he says, trying to sound serious but failing miserably as I can already see a grin form on his face. I couldnât keep a smile off my face either.
âYes. I remember you saying something of that sort, but doesnât mean I will, Dougieâ, I laugh as he just looks at me, and doesnât join in. Doesn't he have any sense of humor? Well, in a way, that just makes it even funnier.
âReal mature Liz, really. How old are you again?â, he asks as he looks at me seriously again. Honestly Dougie, a smile a day keeps the wrinkles away. I just smirk at him.
âI refuse to answer that question, Dougie. Anyway, back to Mrs. Johnson⊠sheâs been complaining of back problems. I gave her 200 grams of morphine, like dr. Sierra said, but she still wants to see you so can you do a whole exam on her to make sure she is alright?â I tried my best not to laugh.
âOkay Liz, first of all, I honest to God hope that you meant 200 milligrams of morphine⊠and second of all⊠with all the doctors here, why does she insist on seeing me? Every single time she comes in, she asks for me and refuses to cooperate with anyone else. Why on Earth is that?â He sighed as he grabbed the chart.
âWell, it seems like she has a bit of a crush on you", I giggle as he looks disgusted. He may not have a sense of humor but he's still funny.
âLiz! Sheâs like, 80 years old!â, he exclaimed.
âI don't know what to say", I say, "Iâm telling you the truth, she even told me... but donât tell her that I told you, she wants to play hard to getâ, I say with a laugh as he started walking away to the examination room.
âYou're evil, Liz...every time she comes in, you and Maria are encouraging her. It doesn't matter why she keeps coming back, you keep doing itâ, he shouted out.
âYeah, whatever Dougieâ, I yell back before he steps into the elevator..
âOh, I forgot to tell you. Maria is looking for you. She looked nervous⊠even more nervous than usualâ, he says
âThanks. Now you go see mrs Johnson. Iâll be back to check up on you two lovebirds shortlyâ, I laugh as he waved his hand at me to indicate that he doesn't think this is funny, just before the elevator doors close.
~~
âSo Maria... what is on your mind today?â, I ask as I breeze into the break room. Oh great, it's one of those days again. You see, one thing you need to understand about Maria is that she tends to overreact from time to time. And seeing her nervously pacing around the room is definitely sign number one.
âWhere have you been?â, she asks nervously. Did you notice the forceful attitude? That's sign number two. The third step will be her trying to act calm and finally, step four will consist of incoherent babbling. Don't tell me I don't know my best friend.
âUm...let me see...well, I think; I think I was working Maria. Something you should be doing as well", I say. I know it makes her even more nervous but I can't resist. "But really, what is the pressing emergency?â, I ask as she hands me a piece of paper.
Okay, now I start to freak out too. I have no idea why. âWhat is it?â, I ask her almost afraid to look at the piece of paper
âJust read it.â she says calmly. For some reason, I'm expecting the absolute worst but when my eyes quickly scan through the piece of paper, I breathed a huge sigh of relief. I suddenly feel like strangling my best friend. After my dad passed away, I know I'm easy to freak out; something that's definitely not always a good thing when hanging out with Maria
âMaria, itâs an invitation.â I sigh. Is that all she was worried about?
âNot just any invitation. Itâs for our ten year high school reunion!â, she exclaims loudly. I'm used to her doing that; it's almost a second nature for her to shout⊠my poor ears.
âYeah⊠so?â, I question her. I don't get why she's being so nervous about it.
âLiz, this is the time where everyone comes back home to that crappy little town that they left behind to remember how things were, back went they were young! Iâm not young anymore...Iâm an old maid...trying to be young. I am arenât I? Look at us...we are practically thirty years old and we have nothing to show for it. Weâre single, we haââ, she rambled before I cut her off mid-sentence.
âI have Kyle, remember?â, I say, shooting a fake smile at Maria as she rolled her eyes.
âLiz, I donât think it counts if the guy isnât with you for more than a day. Yeah... maybe you love him, but even if you do, you donât even know if he loves you backâ, she says. Did I mention I hate it when she's right?
âMariaâ, I sigh heavily.
âWhat? Iâm just saying that you should just keep your options open. Yeah, Kyle claims that he loves you. But thatâs what he says now, because heâs stationed here now. But what happens when he gets sent to another state?â, she asks with a pitying look. Great! Now I'm depressed. Thanks
âI donât know Riaâ, I say sternly, looking her in the eye.
âIâm going to be picking up the pieces of your heart for the rest of your lifeâ, she says. Did she just say that Kyle is gonna break my heart and that I'll be heartbroken for the rest of my life? What a way to kick me when I'm down.
âThen what do you suggest?â, I say, "Just tell me, Maria"
Did you ever say something that you regretted the second the word left your mouth? I do now. The second the words left my mouth, I knew I was in for it. That crooked smile on her face spoke volumes. âMaxwell Evansâ, she just says
Wait a minute⊠did she just say⊠Max Evans? God, just those two words were enough to send my heart plunging into the deep blue sea. âM-Max Evans?â, I stutter and she smiled at that notion. Sometimes, I wish I wasn't so transparent.
âThe one and only mr Quarterback himselfâ, she said with a smirk. I think I'm getting why Dougie hates it when I do that.
âWait. I thought he was taken by that blonde girl⊠what's her name? Tessina Hardingâ, I say.
âThatâs not what our good friend Whitman saysâ, she says and there's that smirk again. She's really loving this.
âMaria didn't I tell you to stop gossiping. Itâs not good for the soulâ, I laugh, trying to lighten the mood. I just receive an eye roll for that.
âLook at us Maria. We're like twenty eight years old and we are talking like we're still in high school, waiting for Mr. Seligman's class to start. Itâs ridiculousâ, I say.
A few seconds later, one of the doctors enters the room. âElizabeth, dr Sierra is asking for you", he said.
âYeah, Iâm coming. Maria, I suggest you get back to work yourself before Dr. Carter comes in here and finds out that this is your secret hiding placeâ, I say calmly
âLike heâs ever going to find outâ, she laughs off.
âHe will if I tell himâ, I say with a smirk. Yes, that's right ladies and gentlemen, Liz is back in the offensive!
âDon't you dare Parker... Liz, if you do that youâre gonna pay for it!â, she shouts as I leave the room. I drown out her screams as I start to walk to the front desk to see who needs my help.
I look at the clock. 2:30 AM⊠I sigh heavily. This is gonna be a long shift.
___________________________________________________
(Boston)
Max POV
Sometimes, I have these rare moments of reflection where I take a look at myself and where I stand at this moment. Now is such a time. As I step out of my car and breathe in the humid air, Iâm having such a moment. I can't deny that everything seems to be going great for me here in Boston. I'm in good health, I have a wonderful girlfriend who I'm hoping to marry and I have my family and a fine circle of friends. Life is good, I really canât deny that. Still⊠and I donât really know why⊠I canât stop to think about what my life would have been like if I had gone a different way in life.
I can still remember the soft ness of her hair, the scent of her perfume and that captive smile. She was my high school crush, and she was and will always be in my mind. But when the time came to make a choice, I didnât choose her. Instead I choose the girl who was most the most popular at the time; Tessina Harding. Right out of high school, I had gotten her pregnant. We never got married though; we just wanted to raise the baby together. But five months into her term, something terrible happened. I came home and found her crying on the bathroom floor, holding her slightly engorged belly and whimpering softly. We had lost our baby. We got through it together and we came even closer in those next months to come. I began to really love her and several years later, I knew for sure that I loved her with all my heart.
But I have a feeling deep down inside me, asking me if I chose the right girl on that fateful moment in high school. Only time will tell... right?
Suddenly, the sound of one of my favorite songs echoes in my ears. I take a few seconds to appreciate the sound before I snap out of it and realize that itâs my phone ringing. I take the phone out of my pocket and read the caller ID. It says Guerin. Iâm not expecting a call from him today so I quickly answer the call. I hope nothingâs wrong.
âHey man...whatâs up?â, I say
âHey I just got an invitation. Guess for whatâ, he says and I can hear the excitement in his voice. What is it with people when they want to say something but they want someone else to guess it first.
âThe queen of France invited you for breakfastâ, I say without any hesitation
"Donât be stupid Max. France doesnât have a queen. No, itâs the invitation for the reunion of the Roswell class of 2002. Thatâs what!â, he says excitedly
âCome on Michael, itâs been ten years already!â, I say with a loud sigh.
âMaxwell, thatâs why they call it a reunion. And I was just wondering if you were goingâ, he asks casually
âI donât know...I mean being back in Roswell, Itâs going to be pretty strange donât you think?â, I say
âYeah, I guess. If you think of it that way, I suppose. I thought youâd like to see Parker againâ, he says.
Hey, no fair bringing her into the mix. âWhy would you think that?â, I ask trying to sound like I donât care, but meanwhile, my heart is pounding in my chest... just by the mere mention of her name.
âOh, please Maxwell⊠remember I know your little secret? You loved her all your life. Youâre the one who told me on graduation day or did you forget?â He says. Well, I actually did forget that I told him. I can just picture that annoying grin that must be on his face right this second.
âMichael!â, I just shout. Okay, lousy comeback.
âWhat? I didnât tell anyoneâ, he says indignantlyâ, ââŠYou forgot didnât you?â He laughs out. Guess Iâm more transparent than I thought; even through the phone. âTalk about a bad memory Maxwellâ, he continues. Yeah, rub some more salt in the wound, Michael.
âShut upâ, I say sternly, or at least as stern as I can be, âSo maybe I did. That really doesnât matter anymoreâ
âYes it does! What if she loves you too?â, Michael says. This is exactly what I should be hearing right about now.
âDid you forget that Iâm still with Tess?â, I ask him curiously.
âReally? I thought youâd have broken it off by nowâ, he says. He never liked Tess and he never made a secret of it either. He was always saying that it felt like she was out to get something⊠something she didnât have. And he must have told me to watch my back about a million times.
âNo... Iâm really happy with her. She makes me happy, Michaelâ, I say with what I know is a goofy grin on my face.
âHey, I just hope that sheâs good to you Maxwell. Thatâs all. Youâre my best friend; Iâm just trying to look out for youâ, he says. He knows exactly what to say to butter me up before bringing up the reunion thing again.
âI know you are man, but thatâs what Isabel is forâ, I say with a knowing look.
âYou know what I meanâ, he sighs into the phone.
âYeah I do Mikey...but donât worry...I love her and she loves me and I think we are going to be really happy togetherâ, I say
âI hope you are Max, but just take the reunion thing into consideration, okay? I talked to Alex and Isabel about it and we are going to fly out on Thursdayâ, he says.
âSo⊠have you heard anything from Maria⊠or Liz?â I curiously ask him.
âNo... and if Whitman did he didn't say anything... Hell, I donât even know if they live in Roswell or what? I guess youâll know if you come backâ, he says.
See how heâs edging me towards Roswell? I need to hang up now before I say something stupid. âYeah yeah... I have a meeting to set up for Mikey. I'll talk to you laterâ, I say
"Don't work too hard", I say and I smirk as I can hear him sigh through the phone.
"That is an understatement! See ya Max and remember: Roswell. Thursday", he answers
When I hang up, my thoughts immediately drift back to the summer of 2001; back to Liz.
*~*~*~*~*~
It was in the summer going into our senior year. The coach wasnât in that day, meaning we got a day off from practice, so I took this opportunity to go to the local cafĂ©; the one that Liz worked at. She was everything I wanted in a girl, she was sweet, funny, cute, smart, and every other little thing I could name. I loved everything about her, but she wasnât exactly popular and our friends didnât mix very well so we had never gotten together. I had valued popularity over personality so to speak. I walked into the Crashdown and there she was in all her glory; taking an order, laughing and helping the customers decide on what they should have. I took my seat at my usual booth, and just looked at her and revelled in her beauty.
âWelcome to the Crashdown, can I take your order?â, she casually asked me. When she looked up, she was definitely surprised to see it was me.
âMax... hey... I thought you had practice?â, she stammered
âYeah...umm coach Rightman was sick, so they decided to give the defending champs a day offâ, I smirked as she smiled and I felt something electric travel through my body in a rapid motion.
âOkay, so will this defending champion have his usual then?â, she said with a smile and when I nodded, she started to write down my order. Soon enough she was back with my drink.
âHere you go...one Cherry Cokeâ, she said as she passed me an alien straw. As I took it from her I grabbed a hold of her hand.
âThanks Liz. Do you waââ, I started to say, but then I heard several familiar voices from behind me.
I turned to see who it was and it was none other than Tessina and her best friend Pam Troy and her gang of girly, popular, stuck up friends.
âMax! What are you doing here, baby?...I thought you were at practice...What a pleasant surprise!â, she squealed as she came over and kissed me on the lips while her friends just stood there and glared at us. I noticed that Liz was still standing there, looking at me. She couldnât hide her disappointment at that moment; I noticed the look on her face when my girlfriend walked in, she looked upset; hurt. I admit that I felt the same way but Tessina was my girlfriend and I couldnât let her see my love for Liz. I just couldn't.
âGod Liz, can't you drool over some other guy? Canât you see Max is taken?â Pam Troy snapped to Liz since she was just standing there looking at me for I donât know how long now.
I didnât understand why Tess and Pam hated Liz so much, but they just did. Liz on the other hand had always tried to get along with them, but the more friendly she got, the more they would tease and make fun of her.
âYeah Parker! Why donât you go scrub something, and in the mean time, get your eyes off my boyfriend. I donât think Kyle would like the situation you are in right now, donât you think so Max?â, she asked me but I couldnât bring my eyes to meet Lizâs.
âTess, Pam... get the thorn out of your asses and leave Liz aloneâ, I gritted through my teeth. I was angry⊠no⊠furious, that they would speak that way to Liz.
Tess was obviously in the process of ignoring me as she continued to attack Liz.
âSo⊠where is that boyfriend of yours, Lizzie Parker? You know that you donât deserve him...heâs too good for you. Heâs good-looking⊠youâre not⊠heâs cool.. youâre not⊠heâs popular...you're not... and thatâs all there really is to it. One of these days, heâs going to see what a mistake you were and dump your sorry ass", Tess sneered. The girls at the table all started laughing at her. I couldnât believe what just happened... what they hell was wrong with them? I could see that Liz was close to tears now. She tried to say something but the words just werenât coming out of her mouth. I had to do something... I had to step up...be a strong man... or maybe just a regular manâŠ
âTESS, JUST SHUT UP... WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?!â, I nearly shouted in the crowded restaurant, causing the girls to jump and that definitely shut her up, but it did leave a devilish smile on her face that I couldnât place.
âIâll be back with your order, Max...â Liz said as she left to the back room.
I couldnât even face Tess right now, but Pam did make a comment as Liz left the room.
âAaaaw... Poor Lizzy... Sheâs crying...Poor babyâ she teased until I sent her a look that made her stiffen up for a few seconds. She regained her composure a lot faster than I hoped though.
âEvans, you're no fun", Pam said, "Câmon ladies...we donât need this; we have to get ready for the big party at Valenti's place tonight. Tess⊠arenât you coming?", she added when Tess was still staring at me. "She snapped out of it and nodded to Pam and followed her lead, but before Tess could leave, I took her arm and pulled her close to me. âThis isnât over Tess. We need to talkâ, I said sternly. She didnât say anything, not that I expected her to⊠she just pulled her arm from my grasp and made her way out of the restaurant.
My thoughts immediately went back to Liz. I carefully peaked my head through the back door and I could see Liz crying on the stairs leading up to her house.
âLiz?â I asked compassionately as I approached her
âMax?...â, she said. Her voice was barely audible, she looked and I could see that her nose was red as well as her eyes, and my heart broke in that instant.
âYou shouldnât be back hereâ, she told me.
âLiz, donât let them get to you...you are better than this; better than them. They just donât see that; they just donât want to see itâ, I said. She looked up to me and smiled⊠and that meant the world for me.
âMax, you donât have to say thatâreally..â, she sniffed
âNo...Iâm not saying it because you got attacked for no reason... Iâm telling you because itâs the truth Liz. You are so much better than you realize, you are ten times the person Tessina Harding will ever be", I said
âMax...â, she sighed heavily and then looked up at me, realizing that I wasnât just saying that to earn points with her; she knew I meant it⊠she knew that was how I saw her. I went and sat down besides her.
âLiz, Iâm telling you the truth...because everything Iâm telling you is how I really feelâ, I said as I reached up, gently wiped away her tears and looked into her eyes.
âYou're perfect... Liz Parker...â, I heard myself say
âNo, Iâm notâ, Liz defended
âYes.. you are..â, I insisted and at that moment our eyes were locked and we shared a moment unlike anything I ever felt. My breathing increased as my face was only inches away from hers... I could sense the smell of violets and lilies emanating from her soft, sweet skin.
âYou are perfect to me, Liz... youâve always been perfectâ, I said; our lips inching closer and closer to each other, andâ
*~*~*~*~*~*~
*BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP*
I nearly jumped out of skin. Being forced back into reality really bites... I look at my pager and it was the hospital. Of course⊠why did I even bother checking? A nurse ran out of the hospital shortly after.
âDr. Evans...one of your patients is crashing; Ben Tomson...â, she says in a frantic tone. And yet sheâs here outside talking to me. Good help is so hard to find.
âWhat?...Shit!...â, I mumble under my breath and run in after the nurse as I think to myself... Liz Parker will just have to wait...for another day.
__________________________________________________________
[Hope Memorial Hospital, Roswell New Mexico....August 24, 2012]
Maria's POV
I hoped that the day would pass by quickly. Liz called me last night to tell me that she had to cover her mom's shift at the Crashdown so I'm stuck with a double shift. It's 7PM at the moment; that means I've been here for thirteen hours already⊠but that also means I still have three hours to go. God, will this day never end? Why can't time hurry⊠just for me⊠just this one time?
"Sleep! I need sleep!", I exclaim as I throw myself on the front desk in the nurse's quarters. I can hear a few doctors and nurses giggle around me. And they call themselves my friendsâŠ
"Well, you know DeLuca...you can come and sleep with me. I don't mind really", one of the doctors barks out. Admittedly, he's definitely tall, dark and handsome, but still⊠no way in hell! I know it's been years since I've gotten laid but I'm not that desperate. Don't get me wrong; I'm desperate, I'm just not that desperate. Part of the reason I'm not interested is because deep down inside, I really miss my ex-boyfriend; yes, that's right⊠mr. Guerin himself. God, I hate that.
Still, I'd better let him know just how what I'm feeling towards him. I look at him, take a deep breath, and walk up close to him until I can feel his heavy breathing on my forehead. I see him struggle for air as I stand so close in front of him
"Is that a promise, Gomez⊠or a guarantee?" I tease. Nothing like turning a guy like this on⊠before shooting him down like the rabid dog he is.
He smiles at me. "It's whatever you want it to be, DeLuca", he says and I can see both the doctors and the nurses giving us those perplexed kinds of looks.
I lean in even closer and whisper in his ear, a little more huskily than usual. It's just enough to send him over the edge and I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing. "Not if you were the last scumbag on the face of this planet", I say with an equally husky voice and with that I walk away trying to look as serious as possible in doing so. And that's not easy, you know.
As I walked away, I can hear doctors and nurses laughing at him. "She told you...", one of the doctors says. "Gomez got told!", another one laughs. Apparently, me and Liz aren't the only ones who act like we're in high school.
"Just you wait, DeLuca⊠I'll get you sooner or later", he shouts after me as I roll my eyes and leave the room. I suppose I better continue working. Just two hours and fifty eight minutes to go.
For some reason, I keep thinking about Michael at this moment... I keep thinking about why it didn't work out between us. If me and Liz would go to this reunion, would he be there? I don't know. All I really know is that I miss him. It's been years and still⊠I miss him. "Why can't I get over you Michael...why?", I softly ask myself. I better go back to work and pray this day will end soon.
TBC..