posted on 29-Sep-2001 10:39:00 AM by foreverdreamer
Note: Ok, sorry for the lack of update. Anyways, I hope you guys like this part. I couldn't for the LIFE of me find that edit button! So I have no clue what's up with that. I'll go ask someone later I guess. If you want to read the previous parts of the story...

Chapters 1-8: f=dreamer-fanfiction&t=353

Just so you can read the first part of Chapter 9 again...

Chapter 9A

Chapter Nine

Liz was the first to break the silence. “Max…I…what hell just happened?”

“I have no clue,” he admitted, staring down at his hands instead of at her. “Do you…do you have dreams? Dreams…of us?”

‘Shit, he has them too?’ “Yeah…I thought it was just me. Do you know what any of this means?” she whispered. This was really starting to freak her out. She stared at her hands also, and the two sat in the stillness of his room, barely a breath away from the other.

“This is getting really weird…and maybe…I don’t know, I shouldn’t even be here.” Liz said, agitation coloring her words. She slid out of the bed and scurried around Max’s room, gathering her shoes, dress, and purse. “I really should go now…”

‘Idiot! Do something! Stop her! Anything!’ Max’s subconscious screamed. Max bounded out of the bed, effortlessly barring his bedroom door. “Please Liz, don’t leave.”

“Evans, I have to. There is obviously something fucked up going on and I don’t want to be a part of it.” That was a lie. He knew that she wanted to know just as much as he did what it all meant. He could see it in her body language but she still persisted on separating herself from him.

“You know that isn’t true, Liz. You know you want this just as bad as I do.”

Liz stopped, a heavy sigh escaping her lips. “No, you don’t know.” She turned around and slid his window open. “Bye Max.” And with that, she quickly stole out of his bedroom, her goodbye lingering with the faint scent of strawberries, the only reminder that she was ever there.

------------

*click*

Roswell has become an absolute fucking nightmare.

Well…some of it can be classified as a dream. But no, that’s not what I’m trying to get at.

It must be the whole alien thing, you know? There’s probably something in the water…I mean, this is Roswell and the whole damn town is hopped up on catching aliens…well they caught me instead.

Ugh.

Don’t even get me STARTED on homecoming. It was one shitty disaster after another. I mean, sure I kissed Max Evans, who is only the man of my dreams, but I ended up in his damn bed for crying out loud! Sure it was kinda nice, but totally wrong.

Very wrong. Liz, it’s wrong wrong wrong!

Anyways.

I think I’m going to talk to Mom about hiring a psychiatrist. I swear, I’m losing my mind. It’s those messed dreams of Max and me. I mean, first of all, we’re wearing the most idiotic clothes ever, so it can’t be real.

Right?

I think this is my cue to stop. Thinking is too hard on my brain.

Ugh.

*click*

---------------------

Liz hefted her backpack to her other shoulder, trying to make more room for herself in order to open her locker.

‘Which would be a hell of a lot easier if all these damn people didn’t crowd the halls.’

She flung her locker open, and stopped short. A note was taped to the top row of the compartment. The messy scrawl suggested it was a guy that wrote it; Liz inwardly groaned as she could only think of one name: Max Evans. She tore it off and crumpled it in her fist.

“Don’t you think you should read it first?”

Liz jumped and bit back a shriek of surprise. “Maria, you scared me!” The pixie blonde chick poked her head over Liz’s shoulder and grinned.

“Sorry chica. Didn’t mean to…I know I’m incredibly scary,” she quipped, distorting her features into a grotesque mask. Liz laughed and punched her in the arm before turning back to her task of finding books.

“Oh yeah Maria, you’re a veritable freak show. So, any new Michael gossip?” she asked, trying to divert Maria’s attention to something other than the note.

“Naw, Michael and me are just at that on-off stage now. I really don’t know WHY I bother…maybe it’s cuz he’s so hot,” she joked. “But really, Liz, shouldn’t you hear Max out?”

“Hear him out?”

“Well, yeah. That guy obviously has it BAD for you but you keep putting him off. What’s the deal?”

“You wouldn’t get it.” Liz replied stonily.

“Try me,” Maria retorted.

“Ugh, I really don’t want to think about it, so could you just stop pressuring me?” Liz lamented, burying her face in her hands.

“Fine, fine. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“What? Warn me about what?” Liz asked, trying to pull the other girl back towards her. Maria only smiled and then ran like lightning down the hall. The brunette frowned and threw her books into her bag. “What the hell did she mean by that?” She spun on her heel and proceeded to her 4th hour study hall.

Suddenly, she felt like someone threw a punch right into her stomach, knocking the air out of her. Dots appeared in front of her eyes and everything around her blurred, like wet paint.

‘What the hell…’

Liz squeezed her eyes shut, trying to calm the rushing roar that was starting to fill her head. She opened them again, and things seemed to settle down, but not before a flash of her and Max appeared, standing in the garden of roses.

“Shit!” she yelped, clutching at wall. Liz took deep breaths, trying to fill her lungs with fresh air, which was something other than thinking about Max. ‘AHHHH! Someone PLEASE get him out of my head!’

“Pleaseee…”

“Please what?”

Liz turned around, feeling heat crawl across her cheeks. How the hell did she get caught embarrassing herself every single time? ‘I am such a loser…’ A pair of piercing blue eyes drilled into her own chocolate ones.

Liz cocked an eyebrow, sizing up the petite blonde standing in front of her. “And you are…”

The girl in front of her gave a thin smile and extended her hand reluctantly. “We’ve never met. I’m Tess. Tess Harding.”

And if things couldn’t get any worse, they did.


Chapter 9B

Liz managed a thin smile. “Charmed, I’m sure.” Her smile widened when she saw Tess narrow her eyes. She knew she was pissing her off. “So if you’re just going to stand there, I’m going to leave. Real life calls.” Liz flashed a ditzy grin towards the blonde and started to walk away.

“Wait! I’m not done yet!” Tess barked, her face turning several shades of red. Liz paused, faked a confused look, and turned slightly to glance at what some of the students called the ‘bitch from hell’.

Tess Harding was known throughout the school to be a sharp, bitchy sort of figure who had been in the pants of almost all the guys in school. Now, mind you, not the same sort of ‘bitch’ Liz portrayed herself to be. Whereas Tess was annoyingly bitchy with a sharp controlling edge, Liz was cold and aloof.

‘Ugh, do I really want to listen to this stranger babble to me about who knows what?’ Liz asked herself thoughtfully.

‘No.’

Liz kept walking in the opposite direction, which elicited a shriek from Tess. “Liz Parker, stop right there!”

“I’m sorry darling, but I’m not one to answer to some bimbo’s beck and call.”

The hallway suddenly seemed to shoot up in temperature. “Parker,” Tess said, almost disgusted to sound the syllables on her tongue. “I know what you’re trying to do. And it’s NOT going to work.”

Liz laughed aloud. “Excuse me?”

“You know what I’m talking about. Max? You couldn’t have not heard about what me and Max.”

“Oh yeah…you and Max. I think someone told me.” she answered, nonchalantly. Tess, by then, had walked around the brunette to face Liz face to face. A smug smile started to cross her face, her sharp blue eyes filled with arrogance. “Oh wait!” Liz interjected. “Didn’t he find you screwing some other guy over?”

“Whatever. You’re not going to take Max from me.”

“News flash little girl. You don’t have him. If I want Max, I sure as hell will take him.”

“Good luck at that Parker. He doesn’t go for ugly geeks like you. You’re nothing at West Roswell High. He only goes for the popular girls, and that’s ME.”

“Yeah Tess, why don’t you just go fuck some jock now ok? I think you’re a little late for your daily screwing. You seem a little testy.” Liz shot out. Who the hell did this girl think she was?

Liz strode out of the sight, ignoring her intended route to the library for study hall. She needed fresh air now, and a place to clear her head of all that was Tess Harding. ‘He’s going to go to her now. The guys always go for sluts like that. Besides, I don’t need guys. Psh. Guys are nothing to me. Especially Max Evans.’

She confidently repeated the last few words to herself over and over until it was firmly instilled her mind. “Oof!” Liz coughed out. ‘I’m such a klutz!’ “Yeah, sorry about that.” She said hurriedly to whoever she had walked into. ‘Gotta get to the commons…’

“Liz?” Max asked, tentatively.

‘Shit.’ “Max. What a…surprise.” She crossed her arms defensively across her chest and stared stonily at his direction.

“Did you get my…”

“Note? Yeah. Really nice. So I’m kind of on this schedule and I gotta jet. So…bye.”

“Liz, wait, please?” He pleaded. This wasn’t getting off to as good of a start he expected. But then again, the fact that she was even giving him the time of day was amazing.

“Fine. I’m giving you,” she glanced at her watch. “3 minutes. Go.”

“Don’t people usually give five minutes?” He said jokingly, trying to get a smile from Liz.

“Two minutes and 26 seconds. You’re running out of time Evans.”

Max mentally slapped himself for wasting so much time. “Ok, so I know everything is kind of weird right now…but I just want one thing. For us to be friends. Nothing more than that…it’s just that…you’re the first person that I’ve really actually had fun with, even though I haven’t talked to you that much.”

“Oh.” Liz raised an eyebrow, totally unprepared for his speech. She expected something long-winded and dramatic, begging her to take him back into her arms and love him. The sentimental side of her heart started to flutter. Was it really worth her time and strength to ignore him?

“And you’re my lab partner in Bio, so you can’t avoid me forever.”

Liz grinned. That part was true…maybe being friends wasn’t so bad. It wouldn’t hurt to give the idea a test drive. If things didn’t work out, she could always beat him up. “Fine.”

“F..F..Fine?” Max stuttered, an incredulous look on his face. “So you’re not mad anymore?”

“I’ve been over that for a while now,” she replied haughtily. “I’m not one to keep grudges.”

“Right,” he murmured, smiling back at her. Maybe things wouldn’t be that bad after all. Liz chuckled and they walked down the hall, side by side.


dream like you'll live forever, live like you'll die tomorrow...

[ edited 3 time(s), last at 20-Dec-2001 11:33:57 PM ]
posted on 1-Oct-2001 12:11:25 AM by foreverdreamer
hey guys! thanks to those of you posting feedback *happy*. it is mucho appreciated! I should have a new part up tomorrow or the day after. for those of you interested, I started a new fic called Taking Chances in case you want to read it. the link is right below! ]

f=dreamer-fanfiction&t=1104

dream like you'll live forever, live like you'll die tomorrow...
posted on 10-Dec-2001 11:14:57 AM by foreverdreamer
wow, so sorry guys! this fic has been put on hold for such a long time since I've been having computer problems for *months*. but I actually have a few new parts so I might as well post 'em for those of you who actually read my fic before. I'll repost the previous chapters later!

Title: A Dose of Déjà vu
Author: FD
Category: M/L (AU fic- no aliens)
Rating: PG-13+
Disclaimer: Don't own anything. One thing I'd like to own is Jason Behr. I'm a dreamer, what do you expect *tongue*! Well, this is my first real AU fic. My first real fic of anything in that case. So FB would be greatly appreciated!

***

Chapter Ten

"A little more, a little more…" Liz's face turned five new shades of red while Betsy pulled tighter on her corset strings. "Done!" A long breath slipped through Liz's lips as her complexion returned to its original shade.

"Drat these dresses," she mumbled, trying to push tiny escaping strands back into her head. Today was the day that she and Max would announce their secret engagement to their respective families. The nervousness of the whole situation had taken its toll on Liz, and the only thing keeping her up was Max, a strong immovable rock, always there.

Liz smiled as his face floated into her mind. She didn't know what she'd done to deserve a man like Maxwell Evry, but she would be damned if she ever let him go. She grinned and sprit zed herself with a light vanilla perfume. She gathered in her skirt and shuffled out the door, sure that nothing could ruin this happy day.

---------------

"Sir, I love your daughter, I really do, and if it is acceptable to you, I would like to ask for your daughter's hand."

Max stood stiffly in front of Mr. Parrow, who was scrutinizing the young man with a knowing eye. "What guarantees do you have that you will keep my daughter safe and loved?"

"I have only my word, sir. But I promise that I would give my own life before I let any harm come to Elizabeth." Max stated firmly.

The older man nodded, and a wistful look came upon his face. "I suppose every father must face this moment sooner or later. I can tell she loves you and that you love her deeply back." He smiled and continued. "My little girl is all grown up now, and I expect you to take care of her for me. I grant you my permission, Maxwell. You're a lucky man."

Max grinned like a schoolboy and stopped himself from jumping up and down like a lunatic. Instead, he bowed and clasped his future father-in-law's hand in a grateful shake. The door to the study slammed open and Liz nearly barreled into the room. She ran towards her father, who engulfed her in a gentle bear hug. She then jumped into Max's arms, who planted a loving kiss on her brow.

"Beloved Liz…" he whispered, holding her tight. "Soon you'll be Mrs. Maxwell Evry and making my breakfast for me."

"Ah, ah! Not too fast Mr. Evry. Who said I would be cooking for you?" she pouted, poking him sharply in the ribs.

"Only the best for my darling Liz." He answered, smiling at her elfish antics. "It's time to see my parents. Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

---------------

Max and Liz slowly ascended the stone stairs of the Evry Mansion. The tension was nerve-wracking; Liz had never met his parents and she was intent on making the best of impressions on them.

"Liz, I'll call one of the maidservants to take you to the parlor. I'll see Mother and Father first, and then you can come in." Max tweaked her nose affectionately. "You can go and make yourself pretty for them while you're waiting."

"Oh hush Max and just go see your parents!" she laughed.

Max rang a small silver bell, which immediately bought a young looking maid to his side. "Mr. Evry! You're back! Your father will be delighted to see you…there is a surprise for you in the parlor."

"A surprise? Well, that is of no import. I was just going to ask you to escort Miss Elizabeth Parrow into the parlor also, but I suppose we can all go in together."

"Come quick!" The excitement on the maid's face was enough to make the least curious of people inquisitive about what the surprise in the parlor could be. She lead the couple to a pair of double oak doors and rapped sharply, three times.

"Come in!" A deep, muffled voice boomed out.

"Yessir," the maid called out. She pushed the parlor doors wide open, showing Max and Liz together clearly in the doorway. His parents stood next to each other by a crackling fireplace and started with excitement to see their son.

"Maxwell!" His mother cried, rushing over to hug her only son. "Look who has come to see you!"

Another person stepped out from behind a parlor chair, clothed in an outfit of traveling gray. "Maxwell?"

"Tess…"

-------------------

"I don't get this and I don't intend to get this anytime soon." Liz threw her pencil onto her open notebook and sighed.

"Liz, you know we have to get this finished," Max gently replied. "Come on…if you get it done, I'll buy you ice cream…"

"Ice cream?" Liz sounded like a young child, her voice filled with eagerness and expectation. Her eyes narrowed. "As much ice cream as I want? Rocky road?"

"Any ice cream you want. And yes, as much as you want. It's all on me." Liz squealed and picked up her pencil, quickly scribbling down answers to their homework. Max smiled knowingly, and leaned back in his chair. Liz was definitely warming up more to him. It was a great feeling having Liz being friendly towards him. And spending the extra time with her studying was a great perk.

"Done."

"Whoa, that fast?" Max tried to look at the answers Liz had copied down, but she had already grabbed his hand and was running towards the door. 'Man, I never met a girl that liked ice cream that much…'

"Max, come on, you're holding us both up." Liz said agitatedly, straining to pull him in the general direction of the ice cream parlor. He chuckled and quickened his pace, letting the petite brunette drag him around. They rounded a bend and the town's local ice cream shop, Not-Of-This-Earth Desserts, came into view.

The tiny chimes jingled merrily as Max and Liz entered the small shop. The girl skittered up to the counter and rattled off her order to a bored looking woman behind the register. In a few moments, the woman came back with two towering bowls of rocky road ice cream. Liz threw a knowing look towards Max and raised an eyebrow.

He finally caught her drift and dug out a few wrinkled dollar bills from the depths of his jeans pockets. She snatched the grimy bills from his outstretched hand and gave them to the woman, while at the same time procuring both bowls of dessert firmly in both hands. "You. Go get spoons. Meet me at the corner booth." ordered Liz.

"Yes Ma'am." He mockingly saluted her, and strolled over to a dish of plastic spoons and picked up two. He went over to the back booth, where Liz had already begin enjoying her dessert with her tongue. "Ah, the ever so barbaric Elizabeth. You are the reason they invented spoons." He stuck the spoon in her ice cream and winked.

She stuck her tongue out at him and cracked a small smile. "Whatever Evans." She picked up the spoon and started to dig the decadent ice cream into her mouth. "Mm…" Max started to scoop some into his own mouth, trying to concentrate on his bowl of dessert rather than stare at Liz.

"Your love is better than ice cream, better than anything else that I've tried…" The soft singing compelled Max to raise his eyes up to her face.

"I didn't know you could sing. You're pretty good."

"Thanks," she replied, blushing faintly. She jabbed her spoon into the air, accentuating her words. "I'm a woman of many talents, Max. Hell, we've only scratched the surface."

"Is that so? If you're so talented, then you should be able to keep the ice cream in your mouth than on your face?"

She bought a hand to her mouth and started to feel for any of the sticky, melted rocky road, flashing a mock glare in his direction.

"Here, lemme help." Max said softly. He grabbed his napkin and started to dot at Liz's chin, cupping her face in his hand. She looked so sweet, and so innocent; incredibly unlike the girl he had first met in Biology.

"What are you staring at Evans?" She whispered just as softly. Her hand had involuntarily come on to touch his hand, the contact between their skin charged. His fingers caught a loose strand of hair and he tenderly tucked it back in.

"Hair thing."

"Yeah…"

Max couldn't stop himself; he begun to lean forward, ready to give Liz the kiss he was yearning to give her for all these weeks. He knew she wanted it to because she had started to get closer to him.

"Wow, fancy meeting you guys here."

Max and Liz both looked up in annoyance at the unwelcome interruption. Tess stood in front of them, a sugary smile plastered on her fake features. Her contempt was barely masked; her treacle-laced voice was probably the only thing that managed to hide her disgust.

"Tess." Max stood up, suddenly feeling awkward. Did Liz know about the whole ex-girlfriend business? It was just like Tess to come at the worst time and try to ruin his life. "What are you doing here?"

"Why, Max, didn't we have a date?" She purred, wrapping a hand around his arm attempting to gradually pull him away. Max tried to politely disengage her hand from his arm, but to no avail. He threw a helpless look towards Liz and mouthed "Help me!".

Liz nodded and stood up, planting her hands on her hips in one exaggerated motion. "You filthy bitch. Get your hands off of him." She would put up a temporary façade of a hissy fit to get Max away, but her plan had another motive. The obviousness of Tess's actions just managed to grate her nerves even more than the usual presence of the blonde girl. Pissing her off would indeed make Liz Parker's day.

"Oh give it a rest Liz. You know that this is just a lost situation for you." Tess sighed dramatically. She gave a little flip of her head and turned with a bright smile to Max. "Did you miss me honey?"

"Right. Tess, let go of me. You know we've been apart for a while now." Max attempted to be a voice of reason.

"Oh pish posh! That was just a break. And now we're back together."

"Tess, I don't think you understand." Liz interjected. She walked up to Tess and physically wrenched the girl's hand off Max's arm. "Now I know this is just another petty plan of yours to get back at me. But me and Max are together now." She snaked an arm around Max's waist. He responded with a slight grin and did the same, holding her closer to him.
"No you're not. Max is mine." Tess stared coldly at the pair standing in front of her.

"No you're not, Max is mine." Liz said mockingly. "Now, run along now. Go find your fun somewhere else."

"I refuse to listen to some bitch telling me what to do! Liz Parker, get your hands off my man!"

Liz glanced once at Tess before abolishing all thought in her mind and turned to Max. "Play along," she whispered in his ear and then pressed her lips against his, quite obviously slipping her tongue in. The two stood there, tangled in each other's arms while steam literally came pouring out of Tess's ears.

The two broke off, and Liz gave threw a huge grin in Tess' direction. "Bye Tess. I believe that was your cue to leave."

"I'll get you for that Parker."

"I'm sure you will."

Tess huffily exited the shop with a dramatic air, leaving Liz and Max staring after her. Once the girl was out of earshot, the two burst into unstoppable laughter. "My goodness, the look on her face was priceless!" Liz laughed, holding onto Max to prevent from collapsing in laughter.

"Liz, you should seriously consider going into acting. That was wonderful." Max choked out, his face distorted with held-back laughter.

"Yeah," Liz said softly, regaining a semblance of composure. Max cut off his laughter when he saw the Liz had stopped laughing. "What's wrong?" he asked, worried.

"Nothing. Just wanted to stop laughing." Liz had turned her back towards him and was busily cleaning up their mess of ice cream on the table.

Max turned her around to face him and kept her still. "Liz. I know that something's wrong. What happened?"

"Evans, just get off my fucking case, ok? It's nothing." She said through gritted teeth. She threw their ice cream into the trash and stormed out of the door, leaving a dazed Max in her wake.

[ edited 1 time(s), last at 10-Dec-2001 11:20:00 AM ]
posted on 20-Dec-2001 9:31:36 AM by foreverdreamer
hey guys! thanks for the FB and sorry for the lateness, but hey! two new chapters *happy* AND a repost of the story. so enjoy!

Title: A Dose of Déjà vu
Author: foreverdreamer
Category: M/L (AU fic- no aliens)
Rating: PG-13+
Disclaimer: Don’t own anything. One thing I’d like to own is Jason Behr. I’m a dreamer, what do you expect *tongue*! Well, this is my first real AU fic. My first real fic of anything in that case. So FB would be greatly appreciated!

***
Prologue

*click*

What’s today? Whatever, I can’t remember.

I feel so stupid doing this. But writing in little cheesy journals just doesn’t cut it for me. I’m talking to myself…OK…well, what else can I do? Anyways, moving on…

Hm.

Have you ever had one of those moments? You know, what do they call it…oh yeah.

Déjà vu.

It’s that really weird feeling you get in the pit of your stomach. A feeling that you’ve been someplace or that you’ve done something before. Or maybe you’re doing something that reminds you of something else that’s happened in some other time, or some other…whatever.

I know I know. I’m being weird. Paranoid.

Not like that’s a new thing. Must be the air or something. People have always thought I was a little weird. It’s like weird is my middle name or something.

What was I talking about? Oh yeah, déjà vu.

I guess you can say that I’m having an attack of déjà vu.

Maybe I should lay out the tracks for you. Just a little bit anyways. I’m the newest addition to the class of 2002 in West Roswell High. I moved here during summer vacation and basically didn’t leave the house unless my parents made me. In that case, I lounged around the 5 feet of grass we have in our nonexistent yard. It made for hours of endless entertainment.

Anyways, I’m starting out this new school year as a happy-go-lucky senior from good old Mills Lake, Colorado. Yeah. Right. Moving from the middle of nowhere to a slightly more well known middle of nowhere doesn’t really do much for a gal.

There’s this guy though. Well, duh. Guys are the root of all problems, or didn’t someone clue you in? Why else would I be so frigging bent out of shape? I have no clue who he is. Nor do I tend to make it my life’s mission to find out. I’m just not that kind of girl.

But he just did something. Not anything obvious. But you know how sometimes you just get those funny feelings? You know, I mean I must have repeated myself only about a million times. Déjà vu. I have to admit. He’s cute. Hot. Handsome. Pick your adjective. I only saw him from my comfortable patch of grass in my front yard, but I have eyes. I know how to use them. He’s familiar. I don’t know how. But he is. He strikes some kind of chord in me. Oh well. It’s not like I’ll ever see him again. Screw guys.

Ok, someone remind me why I’m talking to myself?

*click*

***
Chapter One

Liz Parker stood outside of West Roswell High, glaring at the building before her. Standing in a trail of car exhaust and smelling like something the cat just dragged in didn’t boost her mood too much for the first day of school.

“Someone shoot me now,” she muttered under her breath, grudgingly stepping up the flight of steps leading the front door.

Today just wasn’t going Liz’s way. In addition to waking up late, her mother was too busy getting ready for work to make her any breakfast. After throwing on the first outfit she laid hands on in her closet, in the dark, nonetheless, she left her schedule on her dresser. If that wasn’t bad enough, while being silently chauffeured to her new school, the outfit she was wearing didn’t match—she was a walking freak show with a stomach growling as loud as the Niagara Falls.

Pushing open the front door of the school was her first mistake. Liz mentally berated herself for attracting unwanted attention. Clusters of kids turned as the teenage girl tripped, and fell headfirst onto a newly waxed school floor. The smell assailed her nostrils in a definite unwelcome manner, turning her stomach. Her empty stomach.

“Great Liz. Just great.” She picked herself up, ignoring the snickering of her fellow classmates. Liz nearly sped into the main office, her face a raging red from a combination of embarrassment and anger. Liz stood there, fuming, trying to collect herself in the midst of the busy office.

“Miss? Miss? Do you need any help?”

A friendly voice shook Liz out of her rage and back into reality. A kindly looking woman stood in front of her with a confused smile on her face. “I’m Mrs. Gibbons, the secretary. Did you need something…?”

“Sorry, I must have blanked out there,” Liz mumbled apologetically. The woman didn’t seem that bad. Maybe the rest of her day wouldn’t suck as much as it was before.

“Yeah, um, is it possible for me to get a copy of my schedule? I lost mine, and I’m new here. Name’s Liz Parker.”

“Oh, no problem, my dear,” smiled Mrs. Gibbons, “You can just sit in that seat right there and I’ll go print a copy out for you. I’ll write you a pass to your first hour so you won’t be counted tardy.”

Liz managed a thin smile and sat herself down in one of the office seats. She sent a hand through her disheveled hair, emitting a small sigh before pulling out the hair tie and straightening herself up. ‘This really couldn’t get any worse.’ she thought to herself as she pulled her hair into a tight ponytail.

The door to the office squeaked open. Liz would have been happier just being alone, staring at the ground, but something made her look up. She barely had time to squelch the gasp that was about to escape from her lips.

It was him. It was him. It was him. Her mind raced around in circles. What the hell was HE doing here?

‘Duh! He probably goes to this loser school!’ She angrily threw curses at herself in her mind, quickly pulling her eyes back to the ground.

Liz couldn’t help it. She looked back up, and stared. At his back. That feeling was back. It was the same one she felt when she saw him before. It was like…a memory. Maybe she had seen him somewhere a long time ago…? She shook her head vehemently and slapped herself in the head. Liz instantly regretted it.

The figure at the desk turned around and glanced at her. It was brief glance, but time simply slowed down and everything was taken into her eyes in painstaking detail. He was tall. Dark. Handsome. He was the guy the makers of fortune cookies referred to. The young man was wearing a loose black t-shirt. Structure? A pair of dark baggy jeans accentuated the black of the shirt. Gap. It has to be Gap. He had a head full of brown hair, streaked lightly with tawny highlights. Clariol? No, something more expensive. It was the eyes though. His eyes, even though they just threw her a mere glance, were colored deep, piercing amber. A flicker of something glanced into his eyes.

Liz shot her head into a suddenly captivating article about new school renovations in the WRHS newsletter. ‘Parker, you’re an idiot! A first-class idiot! What’s wrong with you today? Structure?? Keep your cool. Just keep your cool.’ She slowly raised her head out of the bustling paper and plastered a nonchalant look to cover up her real feelings. He was gone.

“Miss Parker? I have your things ready. Here’s your pass, just in case you’re late. Have a nice day.” Mrs. Gibbons handed her a pile of small papers and gently shooed her out of the office.

Liz breathed a heavy sigh and pressed herself against the wall, wishing she could just melt into it and disappear. What had happened to Liz Parker, bitch of the year? She was reduced to a puddle of…puddle of who knows what. The only thing she knew was that it was hazardous to her health. Liz Parker did not act like some delusional adolescent, peeking around every corner to catch a glimpse of some elusively hot jock. She was cool. Composed. You didn’t mess around with Liz Parker.

“Moron, moron, moron!” Liz yelled into her locker. This attracted a few stares from a few late students, loitering in the halls. She huffily slammed it shut and scanned her new schedule quickly.

Biology. Her place for escape. Biology was one of her most favorite classes and getting down and dirty with dissection needles and the such seemed to relieve a little of the tension growing in her shoulders.

Room 301. 303. 305. 307. Here we go.

Liz pushed open the door quietly and slid as unobtrusively as she could into the room. The teacher didn’t miss her attempt at entering the classroom late though.

“Well, how nice of you to join us. I’m guessing that you’re Miss Parker, seeing that your name was the only one unaccounted for on my list. Is that right?”

They weren’t getting off to a good start.

“Yeah, I was held up at the office. I have a pass.” She shot a masked glare at the teacher, who then took the pass from her hands and scrutinized it under the light.

“Appears to be valid. Alright, I’m Mr. Bates. I’m your new Biology teacher. The one thing I can’t stand is tardiness. You want to pass my class? You better get your behind in my classroom before the bell rings. You’ll be excused this time since you have a pass. Next time, I won’t be as tolerable.” He droned, each word building the anger inside of Liz.

“May I be seated now?” she asked. ‘Pig.’

“Yes. You’ll be assigned to one seat the whole year. And the only empty one is by Mr. Evans. Please take your seat so the rest of us can start class.”

Liz stalked over to her new seat, and dropped her bag down by the desk. She sulkily slid into the chair, ignoring the people around her. ‘Ass. Men are all asses.’

“Excuse me,” a male voice said from her right. Liz angrily turned to swear at him but was stopped short. ‘Damn. It’s him.’ So he had a name. Before she could move, he raised his eyebrows and moved around her to get out of his seat. ‘Ugh. I really have to get a hold of myself!’

‘Crap. Crap. Crap.’

The familiar pair of amber eyes looked straight into her own.

***
Chapter Two

“Hey, you alright?” he asked, a slightly worried look on his face.

“I’m fine.”

Liz bit her lip. She hadn’t meant to come out sounding so frigid. Why did she keep making a fool of herself? Time for super-bitch mode.

“Are you sure…I mean…”

“I said that I’m fine.” Liz cut him off abruptly, wincing inside with every word. “I’d appreciate it if you kept to your side of the desk and stayed the hell away from my business.”

“Geez, just trying to be nice…” He replied, a hurt look on his face.

“Miss Parker, Mr. Evans, are you two going to continue chitchatting? If so, I’d be glad to stop my lecture and let you two have all the time in the world to talk.”

“No sir,” Evans mumbled. Liz blushed a fiery red.

“I see. Max, go get a book for your lab partner. We’re on page 15. Try to follow along.”

“Yessir.”

Liz slumped even farther down in her seat. This was going to be a long day.
----
When the bell rang for the end of first period, Liz literally bolted out of the classroom. Second and third period weren’t entirely bad. Max wasn’t in any of her classes and her teachers were nice. Half the class was sleeping and they didn’t blink an eye. ‘I could get used to this.’

She looked at her schedule again. Good. She had lunch now. Now she wouldn’t have to face the endless droning of her stuffy teachers.

Liz wandered into a deserted corner of the quad and pulled out her tape recorder. She sighed, and clicked the record button.

*click*

Ok, first day hell.

Why am I doing this? Someone’s going to have me committed.

Guys. They’re the root of all problems.

I saw him again. And I managed to make the biggest fool out of myself in front of him.

I didn’t know school was going to be this crazy. And I don’t know what to do about him. Oh yeah, his name is Max Evans. I have Bio with him first period. And I’m going to die. I don’t know how the hell I’m going to survive being next to him for the next 40 weeks.

Someone. Please. Shoot me.

I like him ok? Happy? I admit it. I do. I have a crush. Infatuation. Whatever. But I’m not going to be like that. All stalkerish and stuff. Not my forte. I’m going to play it cool. Ok Parker? Play it cool!

Shoot me, shoot me, shoot me.

*click*

“Hey…” a voice interrupted.

“What the…” Liz whipped her head around and saw a petite blond, standing a few feet away from her. “When the hell did you get here?”

“I was just looking for a table…sorry, was I interrupting your conversation…?”

“No, I was just leaving.” Liz replied harshly.

“Hey, sorry. Didn’t mean to piss you off, chica. Oh yeah, I’m Maria DeLuca! I think you’re in my third period American Lit. class.” The blonde smiled and stuck her head out.

Liz stared at her. A friend? Liz Parker has no friends. She is the rebellious loner, queen of coldness, outsider pride….

“Liz Parker.” She took Maria’s hand and gave it a firm shake.

Maria’s smile widened and she returned the shake vigorously, nearly shaking Liz’s arm off. At the pained look on the brunette’s face, she instantly let go and flashed an apologetic smile.

“So…heard you’re new! Where ya from?” Maria asked, opening her sack lunch.

“Mills Lake.”

“Oh. Where’s that?”

“Colorado.”

“Hm. So…who’s that guy you were talking about?”

Liz started. ‘How much had this girl heard??’ “Why do you want to know.”

“Cuz I know that we’re going to be great friends. And friends help friends with guys. And I, mademoiselle, am ze best! What kinda guy trouble? Just lay it on me and consider the job done.”

Liz cocked an eyebrow towards the bubbly girl. ‘Hm…maybe this isn’t such a bad idea…maybe I can get Max to like…NO! What the hell am I thinking??’

“His name is Max Evans.”

“Ah…Max Evans! You’re not the first.” Maria smiled and began to chew on her sandwich, oblivious to Liz’s perturbed look.

“Not the first? What do you mean?” Liz casually asked, unwrapping a granola bar with painstaking care.

“Max is the resident hottie at West Roswell. All the girls go gaga for him, but he doesn’t seem to care. He’s an aloof kinda guy. Some people think he’s a cocky bastard…some think he’s cool. I’ve known him since third grade, so he isn’t that bad. I used to have a crush on him too,” Maria stopped and let out a small chuckle.

“Oh. Is that so…” Liz paused. “Is he…*mumble*”

“What’s that?” Maria leaned closer to Liz, a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

“Taken,” Liz coughed out.

“Ah-ha! I see where you’re getting at Miss Parker. FYI, the boy is the most eligible bachelor to hit the southwest in the last few decades. He used to have a girlfriend, back in sophomore year. Tramp if I ever saw one.”

“What was her name?”

“Some bimbo named Tess Harding. Really gave the rest of us blondes a bad name,” Maria let out a dramatic sigh. “He fell for her hard. Used to call me up and tell me everything they did. I usually tuned him out and watched TV. Anyways, they didn’t last long though…while he was with her, she was busy doing the horizontal tango with a loser jock named Kyle Valenti.”

Liz let out the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. ‘Ok, so he shouldn’t be pining for a tramp like that right? Maybe I do have a chance. Damn. There I go again..’

“Earth to Liz, Earth to Liz!”

“Wha…?”

“You spaced out on me there. Were you fantasizing about Maxie boy?” Maria smirked.

“No! I was just…thinking.” Liz shot Maria a glare and started to devour a bag of chips.

“Ah…right. It’s ok chica. Now. What’s this crush thing you got on Evans about. Spill. The whole darn thing…I’m ready to listen.”

“Well…” Liz collected her thoughts. She wasn’t sure if she was ready to ‘spill’ her story to this girl whom she had only known for…Liz checked her watch…13 minutes. On the pro side, she didn’t really have a lot of fun talking to herself anyways.

Tape recorder. Real person. Tape recorder. Real person. What a decision…

“Well, you know that I moved to this place recently,” Liz started. Maria nodded vigorously and motioned for the girl to go on. “Ok, so I was sitting in the front of my house, which was the basic gist of my daily activities, besides sitting in my balcony and looking at the back of my house…anyways. I’m getting off topic. So I was chilling one day and I saw this guy. He was sorta far away, but I could still see him and something in me just clicked. I mean, sure the guy was um, hot…but I also got this familiar feeling…it was like I had seen him before. Somewhere else. I have no clue where because I’m positive I hadn’t seen him before…anywhere. It just seemed to go deeper than just a normal crush. I just felt this rush of emotions…I didn’t know I’d see him again until today. He sits next to me Biology…and I basically ripped his head off. I really don’t know what to do though…damn this!” ‘Ok, WHERE did THAT come from??’

“Awwwwwwwww! That is the cutest thing I’ve ever heard!” Maria squealed. She enveloped Liz in a bear hug and spun her around. Liz blanched as her circulation started to get cut off.

“Maria! Get off, get off! You’re killing me!”

“Haha, sorry!” Maria let go and gave Liz a toothy grin. “My dear, Operation: Liz and Max has just begun.”

Liz smacked herself in the head. What had she gotten herself into now?

***
Chapter Three

*click*

This is Parker, reporting in for Operation: Liz and Max.

Ha. Right.

So I met this girl today…Maria DeLuca. She’s different…in a cool kind of way I guess. I’d rather have her as a friend than some other bitch...anyways, she’s got this crazy idea that she’s going to put me and Max Evans together.

I gotta admit…a little part of me wants her to succeed.

You know what, I think I have it figured it out. They must have cursed the floor wax at WRHS! Why the hell would I be acting like this then?

Good one, detective Parker.

I’m a cold bitch. A. Cold. Bitch.

Gotta keep reminding myself that.

*click*

-------------

It was a crappy week of September in good old Roswell. School had been going in full swing, and classes were fairly easy. Except for Biology. It was her one dreaded class with Max. Liz sighed to think about it. Each day, she turned a frigidly cold shoulder and in turn he ignored her.

Ignored her! How could he ignore her??

‘That’s cuz you make him ignore you, idiot.’

Liz sighed again. She embarrassed herself so much in front of him. She was almost starting to forget she was supposed to be a nasty bitch around him. The brunette sat there, lost in thought, reminiscing on the past few weeks…

***Flashback***

2 Weeks Ago…

“Maria, no, I’m not going to! I refuse!” Liz cried. She strode to the farthest corner of the room and stood there, hands on hips and face flaring red.

“YES you are. This is your chance to chat him up girl! Well, not that you don’t have enough chances to in class…” Maria punched her playfully on her shoulder. Liz gave her a withering look in return.

“Come on. Just go over and ask him!”

The two girls stood in the far corner of the Crashdown, one of Roswell’s few dining establishments. Max Evans sat in one of the window booths, deep in conversation with a friend named Michael Guiren, according to Maria. The blonde girl had given her the perfect excuse to talk to Max.

Cats.

Maria was the mastermind behind the whole thing. Each biology class was required to do a lab dissection of cats, in order to compare the human body to the animal body. Each lab table was required to write a research paper on the subject they were dissecting before starting the real laboratory. They had just received the assignment at the end of class, so Liz had no chance to talk to Max about it.

Not like she talked to him anyways.

According to Maria, this was “a chance of a lifetime”. Liz somehow doubted that.

“Ok, here’s your books. Assignments. When I give the signal, you move in for the kill, ok?”

“Sure, I’ll just butcher Max up with my knife and feed him to my dog.”

“Girl, be serious! I’ll go lure Michael away and you can move in on Max. Watch for the signal.” Maria gave Liz a high five and strode over to the booth. Liz stood, almost frozen in place. ‘Why do I feel so nervous? It’s just a guy. It’s just a guy. It’s just a guy.’

A loud snap interrupted her thoughts. The signal. Liz rushed over the booth, maybe a little too quickly. She managed to trip over her shoelace and land squarely on her face. In front of Max Evan’s ridiculously clean shoes.

“Oh great,” she muttered. A hand suddenly seemed to lift her off her feet. The smell of cologne assailed her senses and strong arms enveloped her. Liz started to feel a little heady, and eagerly clutched at this body that held her. It was so warm, and inviting. So familiar. So…

“Liz?”

Liz was immediately transported back to reality. She was in the middle of the Crashdown, and in Max Evans’ arms. ‘Damn.’ She quickly pushed him away. “Sorry,” she mumbled.

“It’s okay. Are you hurt?” He promptly started to check her head for bumps or bruises, trailing his fingers across her temple. *A young couple stand in the darkness of the night. The moonlight is trailing across the garden they stand in, and they’re holding each other, both afraid to let go.* ‘Damn, what was that?’

“I’m fine.” Liz pushed him away roughly. “Keep your hands to yourself!”

“What? I was just seeing if you were ok.” Max retorted, a little angry now.

“I’m FINE. I don’t need your help, or anyone’s.”

“Geez Liz, rude much? If you just stopped being so bitchy all the time…ugh, never mind. I’m outta here.” Max walked out of the Crashdown, only pausing momentarily to look back at Liz.

Liz slapped herself in the face. “IDIOT.”


***End Flashback***

“Tap. Tap tap tap. Tap.”

Liz shook herself out of her daydreams. “Um…come in?” Liz yelled at her closed bedroom door. The door creaked open and Maria stuck her head inside and glanced around furtively. “Pixie Chick reporting for duty Officer Parker.”

“Pixie Chick?”

“It’s my new code name.” Maria grinned and sauntered over to a bemused Liz. “Here.”

Liz glanced at the wrinkled bag and back at Maria, a question forming in her eyes. “Uh…and this is for?”

“THIS bag, is the cure to all your worries. Well not really. But I call it our Max-trapper.”

“Max-trapper.” ‘Why am I doing this again?’

“Yup. As you know, our beloved school’s homecoming is only five days away. This means that I have five days to set you up with hunk-o-rama, Max Evans.”

“Maria, NO. There is no way in hell you’re going to get me to go with Max. NO. WAY.”

“Yes way. As I see if, I’m going to have to drag you there anyways. If I’m going to have to do that, I might as well just have you go with Max.”

Liz desperately racked her mind for some way to thwart Maria. After her humiliating fiasco at the Crashdown, Max barely spoke to her, and only if the situation required the courtesy to do so. No. She was anti-social. She didn’t go to dances. She’ll just have to point this pertinent bit of information out to Maria before she did anything drastic.

“Maria. I’m anti-social! I don’t go to DANCES.” Liz spat out the last word as if it was something bitter on her tongue.

“Liz…you promised!” wheedled Maria, a puppy dog face replacing her jubilant features.

“No I didn’t! When did I promise I’d go to homecoming??”

“I recall you promising that you’d return me a favor after I helped you finish your half of the cat report.”

Liz grimaced. She had promised. No matter how much of a jerk she acted, she never broke a promise. It was simply not right and a violation of the rules of Liz. “Fine. One dance. But I’m not going with him. I’m going stag.”

“But Li…”

“Take it or leave it, buster.” interrupted Liz. If she was going to do this, she might as well do it by her rules.

“Fine. Now open the bag!” Maria squealed, bringing Liz’s attention back to the forgotten package. Liz picked it up gingerly and untied the string that held it shut. She turned it upside down and something slid out onto her bed.

“Maria…”

***


[ edited 1 time(s), last at 20-Dec-2001 9:35:48 AM ]
posted on 20-Dec-2001 9:32:56 AM by foreverdreamer
Chapter Four

“Maria, where the hell did you get this??” Liz stared at Maria’s ‘Max-trapper’ in shock.

“Compliments of my shop-a-holic mother, Amy DeLuca. Hudson’s was having this fab sale on all gowns and dresses and my mom just HAD to get a few dozen or so. She just grabbed them off the rack and didn’t even check to see if they fit. I found this one in the pile and it’s one of my favs. Unfortunately I’m not a size 2, but I know you are.” Maria picked up the dress and smiled.

Liz stared at the shimmering gown. It was gorgeous. It was long, flowing, and white. It was the dream dress of any girl. She dreamed of owning a dress like this when she was young. It was a fantasy of white satin, with a small train. The back of the dress was low-cut and criss-crossed with thin clear straps adorned with silver stars.

“Liz, I can see the drool coming out of your mouth! Try it on already!” Maria placed the gown in Liz’s arms. Liz just stared at it, unable to move.

“Babe, you there?”

“Yeah. It’s just that…it’s not me! It’s too girly…I…”

“Oh shut up Parker, I know you like it. Just try it on, see how it fits?”

“Fine…” Liz went into her bathroom and shut the door. She quickly shrugged out of her street clothes and pulled on the dress gently, careful not to tear or mar any part of the dress. It fit like a glove. A satin glove to be more exact.

Liz slowly raised her eyes to the mirror. A stranger stared straight back at her. This stranger was beautiful…almost like a princess. There was no coldness in this stranger, but only beauty and loving.

‘What the…’ Another stranger stared back at her. This time, the stranger was dressed in another gown, just as bit as beautiful as the last one, but more ornate, like something dating from a few centuries back. Liz rubbed her eyes and stared at the mirror again. It was just her.

“Damn, gotta get more sleep…” Liz muttered under her breath while she left her bathroom. She heard Maria gasp in surprise, and Liz automatically checked to see if something was wrong with the gown.

“Girl, you look TIGHT!” laughed Maria. “Damn…I wish I’d look hot when I wear a dress.”

“Oh shut up Ria…you’re just joking right? Me? Hot? Hello…I’m ugly.” Liz said snippily, critically observing herself in her full length mirror. Fine, so she looked presentable. Hot? No, Maria must be on another planet.

“You look hot though, bitch. Let me take another look at ya,” Liz said, watching Maria strike a model pose. Liz burst into laughter, but managed to stifle them when the other girl shot a glare her direction. Maria was wearing her own homecoming dress, a strapless dark green number with a flared skirt.

“Michael will be drooling all over you.” Liz winked at her friend and ducked before a pillow was thrown at her head. “Oh yeah? Max will be falling all over himself trying to get to you! Mark my words Liz Parker, you will be the belle of the ball.” Liz started to run after Maria, who was squealing and laughing non-stop. Both girls fell on the bed, shaking with laughter.

Liz stopped first, and stared at the ceiling, thinking. ‘I am a cold bitch. I am a cold bitch. Damn, I want Max Evans.’

---------------

The night before homecoming proved to be a night of restlessness and whacked out dreams. At least that’s what Liz thought. She tossed herself on the far side of her bed, trying to find a comfortable position so she could fall back into sleep. Before that happened, Liz drifted off into a dream…
**Start of dream**

The orchestra struck up again with a lively tune, which could be heard lightly over the talking of the crowd. The ballroom was filled with guests, each garbed in his or her’s own finest attire. A dark haired man stood in the shadow of a corner, his amber eyes searching the crowd.

At the other side of the room, a young woman sat, entertaining a few guests. The party was her father’s, another one of those endless social events that took up her precious time. She would much rather be out in the woods, riding her horse Belle, and enjoying the night air, than stuck in a stuffy room with the stuck-up aristocracy of England.

“Ah, Miss Elizabeth! There you are!” A light-haired suitor made a bee-line in her direction.

“I don’t believe I know you, sir,” Elizabeth answered softly, keeping her eyes demurely cast on the ground as she swung into a graceful curtsey.

“Well, you must know my father, Miss Parrow. And I do believe that you’re friends with my cousin, Maria?”

“Delaney?” Elizabeth raised an eyebrow.

“Sean Delaney, your servant,” He bowed deeply and kissed her hand. She rolled her eyes when he wasn’t looking and plastered on another fake smile for his benefit.

“Why thank you, Mr. Delaney. I’m sorry, but I have a few pressing engagements I must attend to, so…”

Sean caught her arm before she turned away. “Why, Miss Elizabeth, we’ve barely had time to get to know each other. I do insist that…”

“I insist that you let her go. Miss Parrow is with me.”

Elizabeth and Sean both turned towards the source of the voice at the same time. “Maxwell Evry, at your service, m’lady,” He bowed towards Liz and took her other arm. Sean backed away and mumbled a quick apology before disappearing into the crowd.

“I would like to thank you, kind sir, for saving me from that horrible moment.” She dipped into another curtsey, avoiding eye contact with Max.

“The pleasure’s all mine.” She looked up at him with a small smile and stifled a gasp. This was the first time she had really looked at Mr. Maxwell Evry and Liz felt herself melting. His deep amber eyes looked straight into hers, and Liz felt herself spiraling deeper and deeper into his abyss.

**End of Dream**

“Shit.” Liz jolted out of bed with a heavy gasp. The light of morning streamed through her window and cascaded on her bed. Homecoming had arrived.

Chapter Five

“Maria, I don’t know about this anymore. Please don’t make me.”

“Liz. You can’t bail out on homecoming at the last minute! I bought the tickets and everything…you’re going. You promised remember?” Maria frowned as Liz, still looking unsure, paced back and forth across her bedroom. Ice Queen wasn’t acting like an Ice Queen. Something had to be wrong.

“Liz, are you alright? You look spaced out about something.”

“I’m okay!” she snapped. “I’m sorry,” Liz continued. “I guess I’m just worried. Didn’t mean to snap at you.”

“It’s fine, hon. You look amazing though.” Liz was wearing the new dress Maria bought over. The white gown looked even more perfect, hugging her curves in all the right places and bringing radiance to her flawless skin that was never detectable in Liz’s normal attire of baggy dark shirts and jeans. Maria had spent the last hour working on Liz’s hair, curling it slightly and sweeping it up with a few silver stars sprinkled among her chocolate tresses.

Liz fiddled restlessly with her purse straps while Maria did a few touch-ups on her makeup. “Thanks…I just have a weird feeling about this.”

“Why’s that?”

“I just had the weirdest dream last night, like…” A shout interrupted her story to Maria. “Liz! Maria! Michael is here to pick you up!” Mrs. Parker yelled from downstairs.

Maria excitedly started to pack everything up in her dark green handbag while Liz awkwardly tried to follow in her new heels. ‘My God, these things kill like no other…’
“Lizzie! Hurry up!!” Maria was already half way through the door. “True love awaits…”

Liz rolled her eyes and scampered after Maria, wincing with each step she took.
------------

After the initial shock of Liz’s appearance wore off, Mrs. Parker quickly engaged Maria, Michael, and Liz in a series of homecoming pictures. Liz adamantly refused to have her picture taken, and only the tickle attacks from the other two convinced her to stand for a few photos.

“Bye guys! Have fun! No sex, drugs, or drinking, honey!” Mrs. Parker called from the front door.

“Yeah, mom, right.” Liz answered. She entered Michael’s black Eclipse and in a flash, they were all headed for West Roswell High’s 2002 Homecoming Blast.

------------

“Maria, I knew it. I knew I shouldn’t have come.”

The gymnasium was filled to the brim with overdressed teenagers, half of them standing on the outskirts and chatting, the other half dancing in the middle. “Liz, don’t stress about it ok? Here, have some of my cypress oil.” Maria took out a small vial and tossed it at Liz. Liz expertly caught it and put it in her own bag.

“Hey, girl, me and Mikey G are gonna go tear up the dance floor. We’ll be right back ok?” And with that, the couple dissolved into the crowd.

‘Oh great. Here I am, stag at homecoming, and standing like a dork, all by myself while everyone else is having fun.’

‘Oh wait, that was the point.’ Liz shuffled over to an empty chair in the corner of the gym and plopped down, observing the homecoming scene with little emotion. “Hey hot stuff.” Liz turned her head towards the source of the unwelcome comment.

“Do I know you? No, I didn’t think so.” Liz sized the guy up in once glance and looked away.

“Sean DeLuca. Maria’s cousin. I didn’t know you were this hot when you got out of you shell Parker. Come on, let’s go dance.”

“Charmed, I’m sure. I have an idea. Why don’t you get the fuck out of my way and go screw someone else over?”

“Oh, feisty! I like my girls like that.” Sean grinned and wrapped an arm around Liz’s waist. ‘What the hell. That’s it.’ Liz returned his grin and kneed him in the groin. Sean doubled over in pain and nearly fell to the ground crying. “So you think you’re good, Parker? No one treats me like that. You’re dancing with me, whether you like it or not!”

“No she isn’t.”

‘Oh shit.’ The voice. She knew that voice. It was the voice that she lived by. It was deep, resonating… the kind of voice that could make a girl swoon with happiness. Wait, did she just say swoon? Liz cringed and looked into the face of Max Evans.

“Evans, this is none of your business. If I want to dance with Liz, then she will dance with me.”

“No Sean. You don’t understand do you? She said she didn’t want to. Now go fuck off and leave her alone.” Max pushed Sean away from Liz and glowered at him, his amber eyes flashing with anger.

Sean backed away nervously, looking for a place to hide. “Hey, dude, just chill ok? I’m leaving…” Liz glared at him until his annoying presence was finally out of sight. She gave a sigh of relief when Sean left and turned to face her next obstacle. Max Evans.

----------

Max barely had time to catch his breath when Liz Parker looked away from Sean’s retreating back and into his eyes. He flinched when he caught the fury roiling in her sensuous russet eyes. “Just what the hell did you think you were doing?”

‘Oh boy.’ He sighed and tried to relax his tensing shoulders. Max didn’t like to admit this but he was somewhat afraid of this little spitfire. One cold glance could easily quell any desires to approach her, but something about her just kept him coming for more.

“I was just trying to help. Sean looked like he was giving you a hard time.”

“I could’ve handled it myself, thank you very much.” Max winced again. She was giving him the cold treatment. Why, for the life of him, did he persist? Liz Parker just wasn’t his type. She was considered one of the ‘social outcasts’, while he was part of the elite inner circle. She also had quite a nasty mouth, which on more occasions than none, was directed towards him.

But he noticed something about her, the first day he had seen her in the school office. Besides her obviously stunning beauty, which was only magnified in her homecoming gown, he could sense something familiar about her. Like she was the missing piece of something deep within his soul. He knew she held herself up as a tough, uncaring, bitchy figure, but something about Liz struck him as vulnerable, and fragile, as if she was looking for the same thing he was.

That one day, at the Crashdown when she had been in his arms… it had just felt right. Right in what way, he didn’t know. But it was as if that place was made just for her, and it had always been just for her. Even though he went off on her afterwards, he had looked back at her, and he knew that she thought the exact same thing.

“Max, are you listening to me?” Her angry voice bought his thoughts back to the present. He ran a tired hand through his hair and calmly tried to deter Liz’s obvious rage.

“Yes I am. I’m sorry if you don’t feel the same way, but I was just trying protect someone who I think doesn’t deserve the kind of shit Sean DeLuca gives. For once in your life, can’t you just accept a little help?”

Her eyes flashed. “No, I can’t. You, do NOT know the first thing about me.” Max instantly regretted the words that poured out of his mouth. Liz turned on her heel and started to stomp away. He looked at her dainty foot, and as if in slow motion, observed the heel of her shoe start to give away.

It started as a slight wobble, and then started to crescendo into a sharp twist. Soon, the luminescent heel of her shoe had officially given away. Liz’s face distorted into a look of shock as she started to fall backwards, the tendrils of her hair moving slowly towards him in his slow-motion observation of the scene.

And like the knight, coming to rescue his damsel in distress, Max, once more, caught Liz in his arms, holding her tightly. He inhaled deeply and breathed in her light strawberry shampoo. God, this felt so right.

-----------

Liz’s mind calmly took in the scene, almost nonchalantly. It saw the whirl of the people dancing around them. Then it saw the gym wall tilting down as she plummeted once more into Max Evan’s arms. Immediately the scent of his cologne flooded her sense once more and she relaxed in his strong embrace.

‘Shit, what am I doing? I gotta get outta here.’ She twisted herself in his grasp and looked into his eyes. ‘Ok, where has this happened before?’ She gazed into the deepening abyss of his eyes, the amber swirling around endlessly, sucking her in. For once, everything in the world felt right.

***
Chapter Six

“Thank you.” The soft words escaped her lips so quickly, Max was unsure she even said them. Suddenly, she leaned forward and hugged him, wrapping her dainty arms around his waist. Max was surprised, but not for long. He eagerly returned the hug, and buried his face in her shoulder, relishing the feel of her silky hair by his face. Unwillingly, Liz started to pull away and stared back at Max. Her lips were soft and pink, and her face was lightly flushed. ‘If I could only kiss her…’

“Miss Parrow! Are you alright?” The couple immediately stepped apart at the sound of a new voice. “I heard others saying that that horrible young man, Sean Delaney was accosting you!”

“I’m fine, Betsy,” Liz gently reassured her governess. She inwardly sighed, a bit put off by the fact that her kiss, or soon-to-be kiss was interrupted. “This man, Maxwell Evry, saved me.”

Max bowed deeply and smiled at the suspicious governess, soon melting her look with his smile. “Ah, it was only the right thing to do.” ‘Oh, to kiss her…why did the stupid maid have to come and interrupt??’

“Why, Mr. Evry, I’m sure Elizabeth’s father would like to thank you for what you did for his precious daughter!” Betsy waved the two of them over while she went towards a tall, aged looking man who was discussing something quite heatedly in a group of associates.

“Not until I thank him first,” she whispered underneath her breath. A coy smile crossed her face as she turned to face the handsome man standing next to her. Liz stood on tiptoe and whispered in his ear. “For your troubles, Max…”

And with that, she kissed him, a kiss filled with passion and gentleness, a kiss that with first touch, crackled with electricity and emotion. Liz broke away and threw him a flirtatious smile before following the governess across the room. Max stood there, stock still, staring at her retreating back. Was it a dream? He pinched himself and painfully acknowledged that it was real. He touched his lips and smiled giddily. He wasn’t sure how she felt about him, but he knew how he felt about her. And he was determined to be the one to win her heart.

----------

“Liz, I…” Max broke the silence of the moment, fumbling around his mind for the right words. For some reason, their proximity made Max unable to form a coherent sentence.

He stared down at the vixen in his arms. She seemed equally stunned, her doe brown eyes questioning. He felt something pass through them when he caught her, and he could see in her eyes that she did too. It was strange. Seeing flashes of them, together…Max sighed inwardly. It was just his imagination working overtime. “I just wanted to say you’re welcome,” he murmured, and he quickly captured Liz’s lips in a searing kiss.

Liz involuntarily moved forward, deepening the kiss. She could feel his desire sizzling onto her lips. And those lips…Damn, she had dreamed about those lips. They were perfect, and they were on hers…they were on hers! “Max! You asshole let go of me!” she screamed, her cry muffled again his mouth. Max pulled away at the sound of her voice. What the hell just happened? He groaned as she let go of him and stood there, a pained expression on her face.

“Max Evans, what the hell made you do that?” she demanded. Her lips burned hotly, so much that she was sure they were going to fall to the ground in cinders. Talk about one helluva first kiss.

‘My God, she looks cute even when she’s mad…’ “I don’t know…impulse I guess?”

“Impulse??? THIS is impulse!” She grabbed his hands, pulling a shocked looking Max closer to her, and enveloped his lips in one, fiery swoop. The taste of him was driving her wild and she eagerly tasted him, her tongue sweeping into his mouth.

Needless to say, Max was shocked. Just feeling her lips against his, the sweetness of her lip gloss in his mouth…her TONGUE in his mouth…it was a feeling that was unsurpassed by any thing. He gently hugged her closer, his hands stroking the small of her back as the kiss quickly deepened into something even more volatile.

“Ladies and gentlemen, give the couple a prize.” Max and Liz turned towards a sneering Sean DeLuca, who was in the middle of a crowd that surrounded the two teens. Pam Troy clung to his side like a leech, a sickly sweet smile on her face.

Liz was suddenly aware of her surroundings, snapping out of her Max world. Almost the entirety of the gym was staring at her and Max. You didn’t need to be a molecular biologist to know that they saw her lock lips with Max Evans. “Oh bloody hell…” She started to back away from the crowd. Everywhere she looked, they were leering at her, laughing at her. The air seemed to grow thicker, choking her breath. Memories rose inside her head, unbidden, of her bitter childhood.

‘Why can’t I be like that girl in that fucking dream? Why can’t I be like Elizabeth Parrow? I’m just a ugly bitch at the brunt of every damn joke. Why did I think this stupid dance was going to change anything?’ She tore off her heels, grabbed her bag off the ground and ran through the crowd and towards the door, tears blurring her vision. The last thing she heard before she left the gym was a loud shout of “LIZ!”

“Fuck you, Max Evans. Fuck. You.” she muttered bitterly to herself, wiping another tear from her eye. She ran into the small woods by the school, the twigs and vines whipping at her legs and tearing the dress, leaving the beautiful gown in shreds.

Liz didn’t know how long she had ran, but the energy seemed to drain out of her in a second. She sank to the ground and started to cry anew, the memory of Max Evan’s kiss, lingering on her as the only warmth against the coldness of the night.
“Ladies and gentlemen, give the couple a prize.” Max and Liz turned towards a sneering and applauding Sean DeLuca, who was in the middle of a crowd that surrounded the two teens. Pam Troy, a dumb looking blonde, clung to his side like a leech, a sickly sweet smile on her face.

Liz was suddenly painfully aware of the students that encircled her and Max. Their jeering and laughter grated on her nerves, and the air turned thick, suffocating her. Memories leapt up in her mind unbidden; it all reminded her of the old days. ‘I’m not going to let these Roswell asses fuck up another year of my life.’

Max clenched his jaw in anger. He shot a side-glance at Liz, trying to gauge her feeling on the situation. Her eyes churned with a mixture of apprehension, fear, and anger. Anger. It was always anger that won her over. And he was determined to keep Liz Parker safe. “Sean, shove it up your ass.”

“Aw, Lizzie dear. Is that the best you could come up with? You’re losing your touch…” With that, Max lunged towards the other man, his fists clenched and ready to fight.

-------------

“Fight! Fight! Fight!” Maria and Michael turned towards the sound. ‘What the hell? Barely an hour into the dance and we already have a fight?’ Maria frowned. She did NOT like her dances interrupted, especially one with her hot date, Michael. ‘What loser has to screw things over this time?’

Maria glanced around a few shoulders and gasped at what she saw. Max was sitting atop Sean, her deadbeat cousin and literally punching the crap out of him. Liz stood there, stone-faced, looking as if she was nailed to the ground.

“Damn.” Michael muttered as he saw what had caused Maria to gasp aloud. The couple charged into the crowd and started to automatically intervene. Michael pulled the enraged Max off Sean while Maria started to pull Liz away. “My goodness Liz, what the hell happened here?”

“When you find out, why don’t you tell me? I’m out Maria. I knew I shouldn’t have come. This place is all fucked up.” Liz tore off her heels and slammed through the crowd, trying to find a place where she could exit.

-----------------

“Ah, you must be Mr. Evry. I’m Jeffery Parrow, Elizabeth’s father.” Max smiled kindly at the man and firmly returned the handshake. “Please Mr. Parrow, I insist you call me Max.”

“Well I insist you call me Jeff then. Mr. Parrow makes me feel so old.” He chuckled lightly and pulled his only daughter into a small hug. Liz smiled back at her father and back at Max. If only the two could hit it off… she could almost hear the wedding bells in the air. ‘But not without a fight…Max Evry must prove himself true enough to win this heart.’ Liz thought impishly.

“Your daughter was being harassed by some uncouth youth, and I just felt it my gentlemanly urge to help her be rid of scum such as that.”

“Modesty is a becoming virtue young Max. Lizzie is my only daughter and I won’t have anyone treating her as such. She was lucky to have you there.” A bright flush spread across her cheeks as her father sang praise about Max. “Father, you don’t mind if I have a dance with Max do you? I’ve just about missed almost all the waltzes so far and I don’t dare miss another.” Liz threw in another winsome look for good luck. It was never a mistake to be prepared.

“Why sure honey, go have fun.” Jeffery turned back to the men that were listening avidly to his words and worked back to his excited state of mind he was in before. Liz grinned at Max and pulled him out the door and into the chill of the night. The moonlight danced playfully across her eyes and seemed to brighten her with some ethereal light.

“Miss Parrow, you look beautiful…” He trailed off, his breath caught by Liz’s extraordinary beauty.

“Call me Liz,” she said lightly. She neared closer to him, until her face stood only mere micrometers away from his. “You never said you’re welcome.”

“My deepest apologies, Liz,” he murmured, his breath tickling her ear. “I can only hope for your forgiveness, my dear.” He reached behind him and pulled off a white rose from a blooming rose bush. This rose was opened perfectly; not a flaw or blemish tainting the white petals. Each petal was lightly covered in misty dew and has a barest flush of peach. Just looking at the rose made Max even headier, reminding him so much of the beauty that stood right before him. With a smile, he handed the flower to the blushing girl, a smile spreading across her face.

“Is that all?” She cocked her head coyly and looked straight into his eyes. Max kissed her gently, remaining in unsaid bounds. Liz teased him, trying to break his gentlemanly guise by furthering the kiss. Max let out a slight growl and ran his fingers through her hair, amazing at how it slipped through his fingers as easily as silk. When Liz broke the kiss off, she was smiling hugely, a even redder flush painting her cheeks. Max held a similarly silly grin on his face.

“Shall we?” Max offered Liz his arm and they headed back to the mansion. ‘I think I’m in love…’ Max thought to himself. Liz gazed at Max with undisguised affection. ‘I think I’m in love.’

The doors swung open, and the couple walked in together.

‘You know it only breaks my heart…
*an orchestra blends into the vocals*
to see you standing in the dark…
*a violin starts to do a solo*
alone, waiting there for me…
*a tinkling of laughter is heard*
to come back…
*a mass of voices join in, turning into a blur of noise*
I’m too afraid to show…’


“LIZ!” Max’s voice could be heard over the music, the speaking, the noise. Liz stopped mid-step, suddenly dizzy. It was another dream. This was all just a dream. The images kept coming back…images of her and Max kissing. “It’s just a dream. Just a dream.” Liz kept walking, fumbling with the door handle until finally it let her through and she lurched outside, into the cold. The dizziness struck her again, this time, more images attacking her mind.

A convertible with a bunch of laughing students stood parked in the corner. Liz squinted at the crowd, and picked out a girl she knew from math class. “Cass…” she yelled. A redhead in a black number turned her head and smiled in acknowledgement. “Yo, Parker! Is that you? Girl, you look different!”

Liz gave a bitter laugh. “Yeah, I guess. Where you guys headed? I need a ride outta here.”

“Oh, we’re going to an after-homecoming party at Sue Hawkins house. Her rents are outta town so she has the place to herself. Flyers were passed out at the dance.”

Her escape. “Can I come with?” Liz asked eagerly, stepping forward a little.

Cass smiled even bigger. “Sure. Always room for one more at a party. Hop in.” Liz smiled and jumped into the car. “Ok, guys, hit it! It’s time to partttyyyy!” Cass yelled, throwing her head back in laughter. “Here Parker, loosen up a little.” She threw Liz a bottle half-filled with beer.

‘Tsk tsk tsk Liz. You know you’re not supposed to be doing this.’ Liz’s conscious rose up in her head, clucking its tongue and shaking its head.

‘Oh screw that. You’ve had enough of Max’s shit. It’s time to let loose and be wild…have fun. This is your chance.’ Liz could almost see two little figures materializing on her shoulders.

She took a tentative chug of the bottle. The devilish looking one seemed to approve while the angelic looking Liz on her right shoulder just shook her head sadly. Liz giggled at these little mini people. She managed to hold on to her seat when the car lurched forward, and she sadly noted that the little people on her shoulder had been flung back into the stream of exhaust. Liz shrugged and waved her hands in the air, throwing a flyer for the party back behind her. She took another chug.

‘Take that Maxie poo! You can’t get me now!’

Max ran out the door Liz had come out of. The last thing he saw was her throwing something back behind her while driving in a black convertible. He ran after the paper and read the contents. A party. With a grim face, he hopped into his jeep and sped after them.

***
Chapter Seven

“I really wanna dance tonight with you…I really wanna do, whatcha gonna do baby? Don’t you wanna dance around me,” Liz sang loudly to the music that was blaring in the background. The house was buzzing with talking and dancing, most of the senior class showing up after homecoming to party.

Liz was dancing, swaying back and forth to the music with a nervous looking junior. She threw back her head in laughter and grinning drunkenly at the boy. “Hey Albert…”

“It’s Alex. It’s sure nice dancing with you, but you look like you’re gonna need a few aspirin soon. Maybe I should take you home?” Alex tried to give a smile but was stopped short by Liz’s frown. “No. I like dancing! I like this song…wheeeeeeee…I’m a slaveeee for you.” She started giggling again and singing with the music. Alex managed to weasel his way out of Liz’s arms and sneak away quietly. ‘Seniors.’

Max burst through the door of the house, his eyes darting around frantically for the petite brunette. All around him were people, all probably soon to be knocked out from booze, some of them taking the term PDA to the extreme. A new song came on, and the people started screaming. “Just go back and hit em upstyle…” A girl grinned at him and handed him a bottle of beer before being sucked back into a crowd dancers. He frowned and threw the bottle to the ground, nearly hitting a snoring jock on the ground. “Whoops.” He cringed and started to make his way through the people.

He was starting to feel a little claustrophobic, the smell of alcohol overpowering him. Someone slammed into him with his or her bottle of liquor, spilling it across the front of his suit. Max cried out in anger. ‘Ugh, this is going to be impossible to wash out!’ Suddenly, he felt every part of his body tuning into alertness. A white garbed, dark haired girl fell into his arms and his body seemed to sizzle with recognition. “Liz?”

Liz turned her head up, and smiled. “Max. You found me.” She giggled, and gave a loud hiccup. ‘Maxie poo is here. He’s such a party pooper…time to Lizzie to play hide and seek!’ “Not for long! Tag! You’re it!!” She tugged herself out of his grasp and went through the wide open door, her arms waving in jubilee. Without a second thought, Max ran after her.

‘Damn, she’s gorgeous.’ Max thought tenderly as he chased after the jubilant girl. Her hair cascaded after her and her mouth was upturned into a rare, genuine smile. ‘I should get her drunk more often.’ Within a few moments, Max caught up to her and grabbed her arm, causing her to stop and hug him tight, in order to maintain her balance.

Liz buried her face in Max’s jacket, feeling like a happy little camper. She could feel his body, warm, against her face. And his shirts weren’t hiding the fact that he worked out. Liz started to poke his abs. ‘Yup. Hard as a rock.’ She giggled to herself again. ‘Hm…..Mommy said…said…not to, drink, have drugs, or have sex.’

Well, she already broke the first two commands. People kept handing her those beer bottles! Now, she was raised in a family where she was supposed to be polite. Liz assumed that since she never had the occasion to be polite to others, this would be the perfect opportunity. It was fun not being a bitch sometimes. Being bitchy took a lot of hard work, and people often overlooked that aspect of bitchiness. She also vaguely recalled someone handing her a white tube. What were they…oh yeah, cigarettes. She had only one puff though. The fit of coughing afterwards seemed to hint to her that doing more would be a bad idea.

There was one thing missing though. She sighed. “Sex.” She said, her mouth muffled by Max’s suit jacket. Max heard it, through muffled jacket and all. He immediately tensed up, and reluctantly pried Liz off of him. She shot him a flirtatious smile and immediately tried to look sensual and sexy, just like the sluttish looking actresses on TV. Unbeknownst to her, Max was trying hard, very hard actually, to resist.

‘Damn it! Why is she so gorgeous??’ He groaned inwardly as she flashed him another sexy grin. His face flushed a bright red and suddenly the room raised up about a hundred degrees. If the people around him weren’t so stoned, most of them would be in shock to see Max Evans in the state he was.

Max Evans was cool, suave, and popular. He didn’t intermingle with the lower classes of WRHS, and he certainly didn’t waste time trying to chase down girls for entertainment. The girls usually came to him. No one had ever seen Max Evans lose his cool. And now, he was certainly losing his cool.

“Max,” Liz whispered, her eyes now unsure and confused. Max stepped forward, his arms opening towards her, ready to catch the brunette in a kiss. Instead, Liz fainted, and once more, into his ready arms.

------------

The gossip was buzzing everyday with the news of Maxwell Evry and Elizabeth Parrow’s newfound courtship. “I heard that he was involved in a hideous affair a while back.” A chubby looking servant whispered to another red-cheeked woman.

“Ah yes, it was quite the scandalous affair. He was besotted with her like a bee loves honey.”

“What was her name again?”

“Tess Hardy, second daughter of the oil giant William Hardy.”

“Oh yes, I’d forgotten. She carried herself like a little tart, flashing herself this ways and that, making all the young men stumble.”

“But then that Mr. Evry caught her in the act of something unspeakable with that other young man, Kyle Valentine. For shame…”

“Get back to work, and hurry! The little mistress is coming.” The two maidservants hurried off to the kitchen, acting busy and productive.

Liz nearly ran out the front door, a deliriously happy look on her face. Max stood outside, in front of his carriage, a hand ready to help her into the vehicle. Liz kissed him lightly and gathered the hem of her taffeta gown and settled into the carriage, Max jumping in quickly after her and they were off.

“My lady,” Max smiled at Liz, pressing a burning kiss on her hand, his amber eyes gleaming with mischief. She blushed brightly and fiddled with the lace on her dress. “So, where will you be taking me today good sir?”

“It’s a surprise.”

Liz pouted, a trembling bottom lip threatening to trigger a flood of tears from her eyes. “Max…tell me…” She inched closer, her scent overwhelming him to the point of distraction. “Honey, we’re almost there…Yes, see? We’re here!”

“That short?” She gazed at him suspiciously, trying to look around the curtains of the carriage at the same time. She couldn’t see a thing through the fog.

“Yes…but I can guarantee that you’ll love it.” He helped her out and they walked arm in arm through the dense fog. Max stopped suddenly and gave Liz a heart-stopping kiss, his tongue teasingly entering her warm little mouth. She in turn closed her eyes and let Max kiss her, her mouth moving in sync with his. ‘God, what did I do to deserve this? He is everything I had ever wanted, ever needed…’

“Ok, we’re here.” The fog had gotten thinner as they moved along, and something came into view that made Liz gasp aloud. She moved closer, afraid that the lovely apparition in front of her was just a dream. “Do you like it?” he whispered lovingly into her ear.

“I love it Max. I love you…” She answered breathlessly, turning her head to thank Max for his present. A large expanse of land laid in front of them, most of it fashioned into a dainty garden, all covered in light dew. White rose bushes lined a colonnade into the main garden, the outside garden filled with various wild flowers and greenery.

Together they stepped through the entryway and tears filled her eyes when she gazed upon the main garden. It was beautiful; white rosebushes filled this garden, along with more flowers. A stone walkway encircled the garden, and a small stream ran on the outside of the walkway, the surface of the water dotted with water lilies. In the middle of this garden was a gazebo, lit up with candles.

“This is all yours now, Liz, ours. Here, come…” He led the girl up the steps of the gazebo and they sat together at a table in the center, which was set with platters of various delicacies. He picked up an exquisitely large rose and held it out towards her.

“Liz, since that party, I have had nothing but love in my heart for you. And even though it’s only been a month, I know that you’re my soulmate—my destiny.” He paused, seeming as if he was trying to find the right words.

“I…I love you Liz, and I know I haven’t talked to your father yet, but as a token of my love…” He plucked a sparkling diamond ring from the depths of the rose. “Liz Parrow, if you say that you will be my wife, that you have made me the happiest man alive.”

Liz stared at Max, words unable to form coherently in her mouth. “I…I…YES!” She jumped towards him, her arms encircling his neck and her lips firmly on his. “Yes,” she whispered softly, “I would love to be your wife…” Max grinned and picked her up, spinning her around, the skirt of her gown flaring out behind her. “Welcome, Mrs. Evry…” He bent in and kissed her again, the two of them clinging to each other, both unwilling to stop the happiest moments in their lives.


*****

Chapter Eight

“I….I wanna run into someone’s arms
lie on a bed of roses
I….I wanna feel just like Juliet
I wanna fall in love
I’ve got a feeling…

Everybody wants someone to love
Somebody they can trust, somebody they can touch
Everybody wants to give their heart away
Everybody wants a little tenderness, to feel understood
To feel passionate
Everybody wants to be in love this way
I know I do, I do…what about you…

I….I wanna be somebody’s baby
I wanna cry and still feel beautiful
Baby, I….I really just wanna be myself
Am I the only one?
I got a feeling…”

BAM! Liz slammed her hand down on the snooze button, her eyes still scrunched tight in sleep. Her throbbing head refused to allow any outside noise interfering with her rest. Why was her alarm cued to the radio anyways? It’s never done THAT before. ‘Too. Early. To. Think.’ Her brain sleepily reprimanded her, thoughts of wedding bells swirling annoyingly in her head. She turned to her side and moved into a more comfortable position on the bed.

‘Ugh.’

It was one of those mornings, those annoying times when you try to go to sleep but your body refuses to get comfortable. Hesitantly, she opened her eyes, letting the light sting them open. Liz laid on her back, eyes half open, and stared at the ceiling. ‘What the hell happened last night?’

Unfortunately, her memory was cut off at the point where Maria had run off dancing with Michael during homecoming. Wait, no. There was more. ‘Oh yeah, that asshole Sean. Hm…’ The more Liz thought, the more memories begun to seep back into her brain. She remembered Max…Liz sighed, and smiled into the blanket…Max saved her from that ass Sean and they had kissed in the middle of the gym.

Liz’s cheeks began to burn. ‘How totally embarrassing…not to mention I totally made a fool out of myself in front of Max Evans!’

“I totally made a fool out of myself in front of Max Evans!” She griped loudly, pulling angrily at her shirt.

‘Hm…’ Liz stared at the shirt. Large words were emblazoned on the front: WEST ROSWELL WRESTLING. ‘Wrestling? Oh shit…’ The tiny seed of realization finally implanted itself in Liz’s brain. ‘Oh please, don’t let it be real…’ She slowly turned her body to the other side of the bed.

“Good morning sunshine.”

Liz’s eyes widened as she saw Max Evans, propped up on his arm and staring straight into her eyes. One amazingly muscular arm propping up an amazingly muscular body. An amazingly muscular shirtless body. “What is…you…me…” Liz sputtered, unable to tear her eyes away from Max’s torso. She couldn’t help get a better look, mentally retraining her arm from touching him.

Max grinned inwardly when he saw her eyes bulge out in admiration. He’d never seen Liz so flustered and unable to muster up a witty comeback. Oh how he was enjoying this…

“Evans…is there a reason why you’re in my fucking bed without a fucking shirt on??”

‘Spoke too soon.’ He sighed. “Actually, you’re in MY bed. So shouldn’t I be asking you that question?” ‘Of course I wouldn’t mind if you didn’t have your shirt on…’

Liz took the chance to look around the room. It definitely wasn’t her room. The piles of guy clothing, lack of balcony, the fact that nothing in the room looked familiar to her only proved him more right and her wrong. “Fine, hotshot,” she muttered, her face turning an unmistakable shade of red. “Tell me why the hell I’m in your bed!”

“Well don’t blame me that you got drunk. I found you at that party and you passed out in my arms. So I just took you to my place so you could sleep off the alcohol…I didn’t think your parents would be really happy if I took you home the way you were last night.”

“Oh shit, my mom! She’s gonna kill me!” Liz started to jump out of the bed, but Max quickly pulled her back.

“It’s ok it’s ok…I called Michael and he told Maria to call your mom and tell her that you were sleeping over at her place.” Max promptly informed her, before she went ballistic on him again.

“Oh thank God…” she sighed deeply with relief. “Wait…” Another revelation suddenly struck Liz right in the face. “If you took me home…and I was never with anyone but you…and I’m not wearing my dress and you’re…shit, don’t tell me something happened…”

Max blushed to the roots of his hair. He was afraid she’d finally figure something was up. “I…there’s really a good explanation…” he fumbled nervously for the right words to say.

“You’re damn right there better be a good explanation!” She ran her hand through her unruly brown locks in an attempt to release her frustration. Liz advanced angrily towards Max, causing him to cower back in fear. She stopped when her face was only a few centimeters away and asked slowly, “Max…what happened…?”

Max was now reduced to a heap of nothing, melting from the closeness of Liz and the sweet sound of her voice in his ears. She looked so cute, trying to look tough and calculating with her messy hair and his wrestling shirt. He couldn’t help but crack a small smile, which was automatically squelched by another look from Liz.

“Well…I didn’t want your dress to get wrinkled. I know girls throw a fit about those kinda things…see, I hung it up right there.” He pointed at her silky gown, which was hanging on the door of his closet. Liz gave an exasperated sigh.

“Max, I’m happy you care so much about my dress, but you’re just beating around the bush. Now get to the point.”

She smiled. She felt the bitch that was Liz Parker flow back into her body.

“You…I…we…,” He started nervously. Liz started to play with the ends of his hair, twisting the blond ends of the highlighted strands in her fingers, while at the same time giving him that penetrating stare she was so known for. “Well…nothing really happened…I mean, I had to change you out of the dress but I didn’t really look or anything and then…”

“What do you mean you didn’t really look?” She interrupted, a fiery glare flashing in her eyes.

“Well, some of it was just sorta unavoidable you know? If I closed my eyes the whole time, I might have done something worse and I would’ve crossed a few lines.”

“I think CHANGING me was already crossing ALL the lines!” Liz yelled, embarrassment apparent in her cracking scream. She clutched the blanket closer to her, as if trying to shield herself from him.

“I’m sorry…” he whispered, putting on his best puppy dog face. He saw the slow transformation on her face, the angry set of eyes softened slightly and the tilt of her lips slid out of the enraged position they were in. Max took it as a sign of impending forgiveness. “I hope you don’t mind…” Her eyes widened. “If I do…” She leaned in closer. “This.”

He leaned into her, his lips imparting the most gentle of kisses. Max placed one hand on her face, softly caressing her cheek and slid the other one through her hair, the whole smooth length of it. She slowly relaxed, returning the kiss with equal softness. She placed her hands on his arms, and started to feel the length of them, the strong ness, and the feeling of protection she felt in them.

For some reason, with that kiss, all of her inhibitions flew out of the door, and it left Liz in a spot where she thought she’d never want to leave. She felt him cradle her closer to his body and she could feel his heart beating, his toned body radiating the distinctive feeling of love through the thin barrier that was set up between them.

“Max…” she whimpered, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. He responded by kissing her more, planting butterfly kisses up and down her neck before finally honing back onto the sweetness of her mouth.

**Flash**

‘Mr. Evry…’ Liz’s face surfaced with a huge smile. She held a single white rose in her left hand, which was adorned with a large diamond ring. Max walked up to her and held her in a tight embrace. The two were locked in a passionate kiss, spinning around and round…

‘I forbid it!’ A loud voice cut through the happy moment, tearing the threads of joy like a knife through butter. The couple stood together, in the darkness of the garden, a familiar stance now…both seeming afraid to let go.

The image of a blond haired woman rose up and flashed brightly and tore Max away. Liz Parrow stood lonely and desolate in her garden of roses, a sad look of remorse imprinted on her features.


**End Flash**

Max and Liz broke off, each breathing heavily. Both had the same question forming in their eyes. ‘What the hell was that?’

***
Chapter Nine

Liz was the first to break the silence. “Max…I…what hell just happened?”

“I have no clue,” he admitted, staring down at his hands instead of at her. “Do you…do you have dreams? Dreams…of us?”

‘Shit, he has them too?’ “Yeah…I thought it was just me. Do you know what any of this means?” she whispered. This was really starting to freak her out. She stared at her hands also, and the two sat in the stillness of his room, barely a breath away from the other.

“This is getting really weird…and maybe…I don’t know, I shouldn’t even be here.” Liz said, agitation coloring her words. She slid out of the bed and scurried around Max’s room, gathering her shoes, dress, and purse. “I really should go now…”

‘Idiot! Do something! Stop her! Anything!’ Max’s subconscious screamed. Max bounded out of the bed, effortlessly barring his bedroom door. “Please Liz, don’t leave.”

“Evans, I have to. There is obviously something fucked up going on and I don’t want to be a part of it.” That was a lie. He knew that she wanted to know just as much as he did what it all meant. He could see it in her body language but she still persisted on separating herself from him.

“You know that isn’t true, Liz. You know you want this just as bad as I do.”

Liz stopped, a heavy sigh escaping her lips. “No, you don’t know.” She turned around and slid his window open. “Bye Max.” And with that, she quickly stole out of his bedroom, her goodbye lingering with the faint scent of strawberries, the only reminder that she was ever there.

------------

*click*

Roswell has become an absolute fucking nightmare.

Well…some of it can be classified as a dream. But no, that’s not what I’m trying to get at.

It must be the whole alien thing, you know? There’s probably something in the water…I mean, this is Roswell and the whole damn town is hopped up on catching aliens…well they caught me instead.

Ugh.

Don’t even get me STARTED on homecoming. It was one shitty disaster after another. I mean, sure I kissed Max Evans, who is only the man of my dreams, but I ended up in his damn bed for crying out loud! Sure it was kinda nice, but totally wrong.

Very wrong. Liz, it’s wrong wrong wrong!

Anyways.

I think I’m going to talk to Mom about hiring a psychiatrist. I swear, I’m losing my mind. It’s those messed dreams of Max and me. I mean, first of all, we’re wearing the most idiotic clothes ever, so it can’t be real.

Right?

I think this is my cue to stop. Thinking is too hard on my brain.

Ugh.

*click*

---------------------

Liz hefted her backpack to her other shoulder, trying to make more room for herself in order to open her locker.

‘Which would be a hell of a lot easier if all these damn people didn’t crowd the halls.’

She flung her locker open, and stopped short. A note was taped to the top row of the compartment. The messy scrawl suggested it was a guy that wrote it; Liz inwardly groaned as she could only think of one name: Max Evans. She tore it off and crumpled it in her fist.

“Don’t you think you should read it first?”

Liz jumped and bit back a shriek of surprise. “Maria, you scared me!” The pixie blonde chick poked her head over Liz’s shoulder and grinned.

“Sorry chica. Didn’t mean to…I know I’m incredibly scary,” she quipped, distorting her features into a grotesque mask. Liz laughed and punched her in the arm before turning back to her task of finding books.

“Oh yeah Maria, you’re a veritable freak show. So, any new Michael gossip?” she asked, trying to divert Maria’s attention to something other than the note.

“Naw, Michael and me are just at that on-off stage now. I really don’t know WHY I bother…maybe it’s cuz he’s so hot,” she joked. “But really, Liz, shouldn’t you hear Max out?”

“Hear him out?”

“Well, yeah. That guy obviously has it BAD for you but you keep putting him off. What’s the deal?”

“You wouldn’t get it.” Liz replied stonily.

“Try me,” Maria retorted.

“Ugh, I really don’t want to think about it, so could you just stop pressuring me?” Liz lamented, burying her face in her hands.

“Fine, fine. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“What? Warn me about what?” Liz asked, trying to pull the other girl back towards her. Maria only smiled and then ran like lightning down the hall. The brunette frowned and threw her books into her bag. “What the hell did she mean by that?” She spun on her heel and proceeded to her 4th hour study hall.

Suddenly, she felt like someone threw a punch right into her stomach, knocking the air out of her. Dots appeared in front of her eyes and everything around her blurred, like wet paint.

‘What the hell…’

Liz squeezed her eyes shut, trying to calm the rushing roar that was starting to fill her head. She opened them again, and things seemed to settle down, but not before a flash of her and Max appeared, standing in the garden of roses.

“Shit!” she yelped, clutching at wall. Liz took deep breaths, trying to fill her lungs with fresh air, which was something other than thinking about Max. ‘AHHHH! Someone PLEASE get him out of my head!’

“Pleaseee…”

“Please what?”

Liz turned around, feeling heat crawl across her cheeks. How the hell did she get caught embarrassing herself every single time? ‘I am such a loser…’ A pair of piercing blue eyes drilled into her own chocolate ones.

Liz cocked an eyebrow, sizing up the petite blonde standing in front of her. “And you are…”

The girl in front of her gave a thin smile and extended her hand reluctantly. “We’ve never met. I’m Tess. Tess Harding.”

And if things couldn’t get any worse, they did.

Liz managed a thin smile. “Charmed, I’m sure.” Her smile widened when she saw Tess narrow her eyes. She knew she was pissing her off. “So if you’re just going to stand there, I’m going to leave. Real life calls.” Liz flashed a ditzy grin towards the blonde and started to walk away.

“Wait! I’m not done yet!” Tess barked, her face turning several shades of red. Liz paused, faked a confused look, and turned slightly to glance at what some of the students called the ‘bitch from hell’.

Tess Harding was known throughout the school to be a sharp, bitchy sort of figure who had been in the pants of almost all the guys in school. Now, mind you, not the same sort of ‘bitch’ Liz portrayed herself to be. Whereas Tess was annoyingly bitchy with a sharp controlling edge, Liz was cold and aloof.

‘Ugh, do I really want to listen to this stranger babble to me about who knows what?’ Liz asked herself thoughtfully.

‘No.’

Liz kept walking in the opposite direction, which elicited a shriek from Tess. “Liz Parker, stop right there!”

“I’m sorry darling, but I’m not one to answer to some bimbo’s beck and call.”

The hallway suddenly seemed to shoot up in temperature. “Parker,” Tess said, almost disgusted to sound the syllables on her tongue. “I know what you’re trying to do. And it’s NOT going to work.”

Liz laughed aloud. “Excuse me?”

“You know what I’m talking about. Max? You couldn’t have not heard about what me and Max.”

“Oh yeah…you and Max. I think someone told me.” she answered, nonchalantly. Tess, by then, had walked around the brunette to face Liz face to face. A smug smile started to cross her face, her sharp blue eyes filled with arrogance. “Oh wait!” Liz interjected. “Didn’t he find you screwing some other guy over?”

“Whatever. You’re not going to take Max from me.”

“News flash little girl. You don’t have him. If I want Max, I sure as hell will take him.”

“Good luck at that Parker. He doesn’t go for ugly geeks like you. You’re nothing at West Roswell High. He only goes for the popular girls, and that’s ME.”

“Yeah Tess, why don’t you just go fuck some jock now ok? I think you’re a little late for your daily screwing. You seem a little testy.” Liz shot out. Who the hell did this girl think she was?

Liz strode out of the sight, ignoring her intended route to the library for study hall. She needed fresh air now, and a place to clear her head of all that was Tess Harding. ‘He’s going to go to her now. The guys always go for sluts like that. Besides, I don’t need guys. Psh. Guys are nothing to me. Especially Max Evans.’

She confidently repeated the last few words to herself over and over until it was firmly instilled her mind. “Oof!” Liz coughed out. ‘I’m such a klutz!’ “Yeah, sorry about that.” She said hurriedly to whoever she had walked into. ‘Gotta get to the commons…’

“Liz?” Max asked, tentatively.

‘Shit.’ “Max. What a…surprise.” She crossed her arms defensively across her chest and stared stonily at his direction.

“Did you get my…”

“Note? Yeah. Really nice. So I’m kind of on this schedule and I gotta jet. So…bye.”

“Liz, wait, please?” He pleaded. This wasn’t getting off to as good of a start he expected. But then again, the fact that she was even giving him the time of day was amazing.

“Fine. I’m giving you,” she glanced at her watch. “3 minutes. Go.”

“Don’t people usually give five minutes?” He said jokingly, trying to get a smile from Liz.

“Two minutes and 26 seconds. You’re running out of time Evans.”

Max mentally slapped himself for wasting so much time. “Ok, so I know everything is kind of weird right now…but I just want one thing. For us to be friends. Nothing more than that…it’s just that…you’re the first person that I’ve really actually had fun with, even though I haven’t talked to you that much.”

“Oh.” Liz raised an eyebrow, totally unprepared for his speech. She expected something long-winded and dramatic, begging her to take him back into her arms and love him again. The sentimental side of her heart started to flutter. Was it really worth her time and strength to ignore him?

“And you’re my lab partner in Bio, so you can’t avoid me forever.”

Liz grinned. That part was true…maybe being friends wasn’t so bad. It wouldn’t hurt to give the idea a test drive. If things didn’t work out, she could always beat him up. “Fine.”

“F..F..Fine?” Max stuttered, an incredulous look on his face. “So you’re not mad anymore?”

“I’ve been over that for a while now,” she replied haughtily. “I’m not one to keep grudges.”

“Right,” he murmured, smiling back at her. Maybe things wouldn’t be that bad after all. Liz chuckled and they walked down the hall, side by side.

Chapter Ten

“A little more, a little more…” Liz’s face turned five new shades of red while Betsy pulled tighter on her corset strings. “Done!” A long breath slipped through Liz’s lips as her complexion returned to its original shade.

“Drat these dresses,” she mumbled, trying to push tiny escaping strands back into her head. Today was the day that she and Max would announce their secret engagement to their respective families. The nervousness of the whole situation had taken its toll on Liz, and the only thing keeping her up was Max, a strong immovable rock, always there.

Liz smiled as his face floated into her mind. She didn’t know what she’d done to deserve a man like Maxwell Evry, but she would be damned if she ever let him go. She grinned and sprit zed herself with a light vanilla perfume. She gathered in her skirt and shuffled out the door, sure that nothing could ruin this happy day.

---------------

“Sir, I love your daughter, I really do, and if it is acceptable to you, I would like to ask for your daughter’s hand.”

Max stood stiffly in front of Mr. Parrow, who was scrutinizing the young man with a knowing eye. “What guarantees do you have that you will keep my daughter safe and loved?”

“I have only my word, sir. But I promise that I would give my own life before I let any harm come to Elizabeth.” Max stated firmly.

The older man nodded, and a wistful look came upon his face. “I suppose every father must face this moment sooner or later. I can tell she loves you and that you love her deeply back.” He smiled and continued. “My little girl is all grown up now, and I expect you to take care of her for me. I grant you my permission, Maxwell. You’re a lucky man.”

Max grinned like a schoolboy and stopped himself from jumping up and down like a lunatic. Instead, he bowed and clasped his future father-in-law’s hand in a grateful shake. The door to the study slammed open and Liz nearly barreled into the room. She ran towards her father, who engulfed her in a gentle bear hug. She then jumped into Max’s arms, who planted a loving kiss on her brow.

“Beloved Liz…” he whispered, holding her tight. “Soon you’ll be Mrs. Maxwell Evry and making my breakfast for me.”

“Ah, ah! Not too fast Mr. Evry. Who said I would be cooking for you?” she pouted, poking him sharply in the ribs.

“Only the best for my darling Liz.” He answered, smiling at her elfish antics. “It’s time to see my parents. Are you ready?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

---------------
Max and Liz slowly ascended the stone stairs of the Evry Mansion. The tension was nerve-wracking; Liz had never met his parents and she was intent on making the best of impressions on them.

“Liz, I’ll call one of the maidservants to take you to the parlor. I’ll see Mother and Father first, and then you can come in.” Max tweaked her nose affectionately. “You can go and make yourself pretty for them while you’re waiting.”

“Oh hush Max and just go see your parents!” she laughed.

Max rang a small silver bell, which immediately bought a young looking maid to his side. “Mr. Evry! You’re back! Your father will be delighted to see you…there is a surprise for you in the parlor.”

“A surprise? Well, that is of no import. I was just going to ask you to escort Miss Elizabeth Parrow into the parlor also, but I suppose we can all go in together.”

“Come quick!” The excitement on the maid’s face was enough to make the least curious of people inquisitive about what the surprise in the parlor could be. She lead the couple to a pair of double oak doors and rapped sharply, three times.

“Come in!” A deep, muffled voice boomed out.

“Yessir,” the maid called out. She pushed the parlor doors wide open, showing Max and Liz together clearly in the doorway. His parents stood next to each other by a crackling fireplace and started with excitement to see their son.

“Maxwell!” His mother cried, rushing over to hug her only son. “Look who has come to see you!”

Another person stepped out from behind a parlor chair, clothed in an outfit of traveling gray. “Maxwell?”

“Tess…”

-------------------

“I don’t get this and I don’t intend to get this anytime soon.” Liz threw her pencil onto her open notebook and sighed.

“Liz, you know we have to get this finished,” Max gently replied. “Come on…if you get it done, I’ll buy you ice cream…”

“Ice cream?” Liz sounded like a young child, her voice filled with eagerness and expectation. Her eyes narrowed. “As much ice cream as I want? Rocky road?”

“Any ice cream you want. And yes, as much as you want. It’s all on me.” Liz squealed and picked up her pencil, quickly scribbling down answers to their homework. Max smiled knowingly, and leaned back in his chair. Liz was definitely warming up more to him. It was a great feeling having Liz being friendly towards him. And spending the extra time with her studying was a great perk.

“Done.”

“Whoa, that fast?” Max tried to look at the answers Liz had copied down, but she had already grabbed his hand and was running towards the door. ‘Man, I never met a girl that liked ice cream that much…’

“Max, come on, you’re holding us both up.” Liz said agitatedly, straining to pull him in the general direction of the ice cream parlor. He chuckled and quickened his pace, letting the petite brunette drag him around. They rounded a bend and the town’s local ice cream shop, Not-Of-This-Earth Desserts, came into view.

The tiny chimes jingled merrily as Max and Liz entered the small shop. The girl skittered up to the counter and rattled off her order to a bored looking woman behind the register. In a few moments, the woman came back with two towering bowls of rocky road ice cream. Liz threw a knowing look towards Max and raised an eyebrow.

He finally caught her drift and dug out a few wrinkled dollar bills from the depths of his jeans pockets. She snatched the grimy bills from his outstretched hand and gave them to the woman, while at the same time procuring both bowls of dessert firmly in both hands. “You. Go get spoons. Meet me at the corner booth.” ordered Liz.

“Yes Ma’am.” He mockingly saluted her, and strolled over to a dish of plastic spoons and picked up two. He went over to the back booth, where Liz had already begin enjoying her dessert with her tongue. “Ah, the ever so barbaric Elizabeth. You are the reason they invented spoons.” He stuck the spoon in her ice cream and winked.

She stuck her tongue out at him and cracked a small smile. “Whatever Evans.” She picked up the spoon and started to dig the decadent ice cream into her mouth. “Mm…” Max started to scoop some into his own mouth, trying to concentrate on his bowl of dessert rather than stare at Liz.

“Your love is better than ice cream, better than anything else that I’ve tried…” The soft singing compelled Max to raise his eyes up to her face.

“I didn’t know you could sing. You’re pretty good.”

“Thanks,” she replied, blushing faintly. She jabbed her spoon into the air, accentuating her words. “I’m a woman of many talents, Max. Hell, we’ve only scratched the surface.”

“Is that so? If you’re so talented, then you should be able to keep the ice cream in your mouth than on your face?”

She bought a hand to her mouth and started to feel for any of the sticky, melted rocky road, flashing a mock glare in his direction.

“Here, lemme help.” Max said softly. He grabbed his napkin and started to dot at Liz’s chin, cupping her face in his hand. She looked so sweet, and so innocent; incredibly unlike the girl he had first met in Biology.

“What are you staring at Evans?” She whispered just as softly. Her hand had involuntarily come on to touch his hand, the contact between their skin charged. His fingers caught a loose strand of hair and he tenderly tucked it back in.

“Hair thing.”

“Yeah…”

Max couldn’t stop himself; he begun to lean forward, ready to give Liz the kiss he was yearning to give her for all these weeks. He knew she wanted it to because she had started to get closer to him.

“Wow, fancy meeting you guys here.”

Max and Liz both looked up in annoyance at the unwelcome interruption. Tess stood in front of them, a sugary smile plastered on her fake features. Her contempt was barely masked; her treacle-laced voice was probably the only thing that managed to hide her disgust.

“Tess.” Max stood up, suddenly feeling awkward. Did Liz know about the whole ex-girlfriend business? It was just like Tess to come at the worst time and try to ruin his life. “What are you doing here?”

“Why, Max, didn’t we have a date?” She purred, wrapping a hand around his arm attempting to gradually pull him away. Max tried to politely disengage her hand from his arm, but to no avail. He threw a helpless look towards Liz and mouthed “Help me!”.

Liz nodded and stood up, planting her hands on her hips in one exaggerated motion. “You filthy bitch. Get your hands off of him.” She would put up a temporary façade of a hissy fit to get Max away, but her plan had another motive. The obviousness of Tess’s actions just managed to grate her nerves even more than the usual presence of the blonde girl. Pissing her off would indeed make Liz Parker’s day.

“Oh give it a rest Liz. You know that this is just a lost situation for you.” Tess sighed dramatically. She gave a little flip of her head and turned with a bright smile to Max. “Did you miss me honey?”

“Right. Tess, let go of me. You know we’ve been apart for a while now.” Max attempted to be a voice of reason.

“Oh psh! That was just a break. And now we’re back together.”

“Tess, I don’t think you understand.” Liz interjected. She walked up to Tess and physically wrenched the girl’s hand off Max’s arm. “Now I know this is just another petty plan of yours to get back at me. But me and Max are together now.” She snaked an arm around Max’s waist. He responded with a slight grin and did the same, holding her closer to him.

“No you’re not. Max is mine.” Tess stared coldly at the pair standing in front of her.

“No you’re not, Max is mine.” Liz said mockingly. “Now, run along now. Go find your fun somewhere else.”

“I refuse to listen to some bitch telling me what to do! Liz Parker, get your hands off my man!”

Liz glanced once at Tess before abolishing all thought in her mind and turned to Max. “Play along,” she whispered in his ear and then pressed her lips against his, quite obviously slipping her tongue in. The two stood there, tangled in each other’s arms while steam literally came pouring out of Tess’s ears.

The two broke off, breathing raggedly. “Bye Tess. I believe that was your cue to leave.”

“I’ll get you for that Parker.”

“I’m sure you will.”

Tess huffily exited the shop with a dramatic air, leaving Liz and Max staring after her. Once the girl was out of earshot, the two burst into unstoppable laughter. “My goodness, the look on her face was priceless!” Liz laughed, holding onto Max to prevent from collapsing in laughter.

“Liz, you should seriously consider going into acting. That was wonderful.” Max choked out, his face distorted with held-back laughter.

“Yeah,” Liz said softly, regaining a semblance of composure. Max cut off his laughter when he saw the Liz had stopped laughing. “What’s wrong?” he asked, worried.

“Nothing. Just wanted to stop laughing.” Liz had turned her back towards him and was busily cleaning up their mess of ice cream on the table.

Max turned her around to face him and kept her still. “Liz. I know that something’s wrong. What happened?”

“Evans, just get off my fucking case, ok? It’s nothing.” She said through gritted teeth. She threw their ice cream into the trash and stormed out of the door, leaving a dazed Max in her wake.


posted on 20-Dec-2001 9:35:14 AM by foreverdreamer
and the new chapters!

Chapter Eleven

*click*

Ok, someone have me committed.

Yeah, yeah, I KNOW. I say it over and over again, but won’t someone do it already? I have made such a huge ass fool of myself. I can’t believe I let myself be set up like that. As if he could ever like me.

This is like, so uncharacteristic. Maybe being friends with Max Evans wasn’t the best idea in the world.

Let’s hope Maria is up for some advice giving tonight.

*click*

------------------

Liz stepped out hesitantly, glancing around Max’s shoulder, and at the girl that stood demurely in front of the both of them. Max was still standing in dull shock, obviously unable to form a coherent sentence.

“Now Maxwell, is that anyway to treat a young lady? Aren’t you going to at least greet her?” The matronly looking Mrs. Diane Evry bustled to Max’s side and pushed him towards the petite blonde, Tess. “Oh, Max, I didn’t know you had a guest.” The woman gave Liz a warm smile and held out her hands. Liz gratefully took them and gave the woman a small hug.

“I’m Elizabeth Parrow, Mrs. Evry. It’s a delight to finally meet you. I’ve heard so much from Maxwell about you.”

“Well now, I hope they were good things. Oh!” Mrs. Evry turned towards Tess and nudged the girl forward. “Elizabeth, meet Miss Tess Hardy. Her and Maxwell used to be good friends.”

“Oh. My pleasure, Miss Hardy.” Liz forced out. Old friends? The way Tess was eyeing Max like a side of beef blatantly pointed out the fact that they were more than just “friends”. Max seemed to finally snap out of his daze and moved to her side.

“Liz, I’m so sorry about this. I didn’t know that Tess would be here. Is it okay if we tell my parents later? About us?” Max whispered quickly in her ear.

Liz sighed and put on a tiny smile. “Sure Max. As long as we’re together.” Max smiled and turned to his mother and Tess. Suddenly, Liz felt invisible, as if she didn’t exist. It would be a long day away from home.

------------------

“And it was like I was possessed or something. Like, totally surreal.”

“You slipped Max the tongue? In front of Tess?”

“Maria! You’ve been repeating that for the last ten minutes.” Liz paused half way through her ice cream gorging. Maria sat across from her, a pint of French vanilla ice cream resting her lap, untouched. Liz was already a quarter of her way through her pint of rocky road, attempting to drown her sorrows in indulgent sweets.

“Girl, slap me upside the head with a silly stick. My goodness, you slipped Max...”

“NO.” Liz jumped up and slapped a hand over Maria’s mouth, cutting off the dreaded words. “Maria, if you say it one more time, I will seriously bitch-slap you from here to high heaven.”

A giggle slipped through Maria’s lips, and the blonde soon managed to slip herself out of the other girl’s death grip. “Sorry, I’ll shut up now.”

“Good,” Liz replied, picking back up her spoon and ice cream. “Now, without mentioning that certain sentence...” She shot Maria a pointed look. “What the hell should I do about Max?”

“Well, blowing him off like you did last time won’t do any good.”

“Why not?”

“We have an extra factor to put into this complicated equation. That annoying little factor is a little slut named Tess Harding. Pushing him away will just be like admitting that you’ve lost the war.”

“I wasn’t aware there was a war,” Liz said dryly.

“You know what I mean. Liz, if Max Evans means anything to you, I wouldn’t lose him without a fight.”

----------------

“I don’t know, what do you think you should do?”

“Michael, I don’t come to ask your advice just to have you asking me back.” Max sighed, exasperated. He ran a hand through his unkempt hair, trying to clear his mind and rid the slight, but growing pain in the back of his hand.

He and Liz had returned to their original status, which was the frigidly cold shoulder status. Ever since the little fiasco at the ice cream place, Liz had totally ignored him. And he didn’t have a single idea of what to do. Let alone know what the hell he did to tick Liz off to such an extent.

“Yo, sorry dude.” Michael answered absentmindedly, neatly combing his hair in his mirror. “What happened anyways?”

“Well,” started Max. “We were at Not of This Earth, eating ice cream. Then Tess barges in and interrupts us before, you know, happens.”

“Ouch.”

“Anyway, I guess Liz had some plan so she told Tess off and then kissed me. I mean, she KISSED me.”

“Whooo! Go Maxwell. About time for you to start getting some.” Michael cheered, clapping his hands and whistling loudly.

“Whatever.” Max scoffed. “So then Tess left, all huffy, and Liz and I had a good laugh. I said a few things and then she does this one eighty and blows me off. And so now I’m here, seeking relationship advice from Mr. Pimp himself.”

“Aw, shut up dude. I have a date with Maria tonight, and for your information, it’s been going on for a couple of weeks. Longer than most of my relationships. But just backtracking for a minute, what exactly did you say to Liz?”

“I said...that it was funny and she was a great actress, and that...”

“Max, are you stupid, or do you have your head so stuck up your ass that you’re just totally oblivious to what’s going on around you?” Michael shook his head in disappointment towards Max, leaving the other guy totally clueless.

“Mike, what are you talking about?” Max asked, confusion apparent in his voice.

“Dude, it’s obvious that the girl has it bad for you. And you go and mess it all up by saying it’s acting. Girls don’t just give guys the tongue if things are platonic.”

“Oh shit...” Realization struck Max in the stomach like a rock. “Shit, gotta jet. I’m going to fix it.” He jumped up and started to run out of Michael’s room.

“Good luck dude!” Michael yelled, waving his hand towards Max’s receding back. “Hey, if you see Maria, tell her that I got some great stuff planned for tonight!”

“Whatever Mike!” Max yelled back, his voice becoming softer and softer. “I’m going to win Liz back if it’s the last thing I do!”

****

Chapter Twelve

”Max, I’m going back home. It’s obviously not...not going to work out.”

“Liz, what are you saying? I promise, just one more day. Mother wants me to escort Tess around the city. I can’t just turn my mother down.”

“I’m sorry, Max. But...if you can’t commit yourself to our engagement and tell your parents...then I just don’t see the point.” Liz whispered softly, twisting her handkerchief around her hands nervously.

“Liz,” Max murmured. He pulled her tight towards him. “Liz, I love you. And I don’t know what I could ever do without you. Please don’t leave...I swear that it’ll all work out for the better. I promise.”

Liz sighed and settled in his embrace. The light of the moon danced around them and reflected off the water. The air was silent and seemed to share her feelings of despair. ‘I can’t lose him...’,

----------

“Shit!” Liz shot out of bed. It was the third time this week; the dreams kept coming back to haunt her. She rubbed her eyes, trying to rid her mind of the image, but to no avail. “Damn it, can’t these dreams just stop? Can I not have a night of peaceful rest?!”

‘Of course I can’t.’ Her mind dryly answered. ‘I, being the stupid idiot I am, have only Max Evans on my brain. What else can I do but beat myself up about him and these dreams about him? If I don’t fix things up, then I’ll never have peace.’

“Oh shut up,” Liz said aloud, trying to shut the annoyingly logical side of her conscience. She slid out of the bed and pulled on her fleece robe. She pushed open the balcony window and climbed outside, letting the cool night air fill her senses. Liz curled on her balcony chair with a warm blanket and gazed at the stars.

‘This could be Max and me, looking at the stars together...’

“Shit, since when did I become such a sap?” Liz laughed bitterly at herself.

“Liz!” a sharp whisper came from below her.

Max.

Her breath suddenly caught in her throat and her stomach filled with the furious beating of a million butterflies. Since when did her life seem to become a scene out of some random chick flick?

“Liz…?” Max’s voice drifted up again, this time tinged with a bit of confusion.

Liz furrowed her brow and peeked over the balcony. “Max, what the hell are you doing here? It’s like midnight!” There we go…throw him off track…

“I needed to see you.”

“And it couldn’t have waited til morning?” Liz answered pointedly.

“Can I come up?”

“Sure.” ‘Damn.’ She bit her tongue. When was she ever going to learn to think before she spoke. But before she could even move, Max had already ascended the iron ladder and effortlessly landed in front of her.

“Impressive.”

“I try.” Max broke into one of his sexy, infamous half smiles.

Liz let out another inward groan. What was she doing? Was she actually flirting with him? In this state of mind? She must be going insane…she was supposed to be mad at him, not flirting with him.

“You know, you really can’t stay long.” Liz muttered, peeking through her window once in a while, making sure the door remained firmly shut. If her parents found out a guy was up here…

“I know,” he whispered. The low timbre of his voice sent chills down her spine, and she actually felt herself shiver. “Look, Liz…I know that I might have sent you the wrong impression…”

“Oh, don’t worry. I got your impression loud and clear.” The biting tone of her voice wasn’t completely lost on him. He moved forward, and in turn she defiantly moved back. “And what the hell are you doing now?”

Max reached out and grabbed her arms quickly, before she had a chance to move. “Evans, let go of me…do you really want me to scream my head off and get the authorities on your ass?”

“And risk losing your reputation as the Ice Queen of West Roswell High? I don’t think even you would have the guts to do that.” He shot back, a hint of a smile playing on his lips.

Liz looked at him thoughtfully. So the guy knew a thing or two about her. That didn’t constitute anything concrete though. And no way did he think that he could just waltz up to her balcony, spit out the same bullshit and expect her to forgive him. No, it wasn’t going to be easy.

“Whatever Evans. Just let go of me and we can both get some much deserved sleep, alright?”

“No.” He said firmly. He wasn’t going to let her get away this time.

“No?” She arched one of her eyebrows at him in surprise. “No?”

“No. Liz, I know that both of us have seen a bunch of pretty weird crap lately, and I know that maybe the way I’ve been acting…you thought something else. But there is one thing that I know Liz, and it’s that I love you. Hell, I don’t care if you don’t love me back but there’s something about you Liz Parker. I knew it the moment I saw you. I felt something and I know you felt it too.” He paused briefly and took her hand into his, holding it next to his heart.

“My heart beats every beat for one reason. It beats for you Liz. I remember you…I remember you from so long ago. I don’t know how to explain it, but I know that we were meant to be. So maybe I sound like some cheesy Hallmark card Liz, but I know, and you know it and I’m sure as hell not going to let a little attitude from you stop me from loving you.” And with that, Max pulled Liz tight against him and kissed her for all he was worth.

Liz didn’t know when time had melted from ‘I love you’ to his passionate kiss but it felt right. It felt good. She felt all her inhibitions fly out of the window, with a single touch of his lips.


***Start of flashes***

“Liz…” Max’s voice filled with sorrow. He fingered the solitary white rose that hung limp in the vase.

“Max. I can make you forget her. I can make you see.” Max turned and saw Tess standing in the doorway, dutifully, like a wife. She moved across the floor and threw her arms around him. “I can make you see…”

“Tess.” He answered dully. Maybe this was his destiny after all.

***End flashes***


“What the hell.” Liz was the first to break off the connection.

“You got that damn right. I would never turn to a tramp like Tes..”

“You have some nerve Evans. Coming up here and, and…making that pathetic speech of yours and…kissing me! Kissing me and giving me that vision! God Max, just leave me alone!” Liz stumbled over her words, the tears that pricked at her eyes seemed to grow bigger.

Max recaptured her face in his palms. He could feel her feel, her indecision, her confusion lapping off of her like waves. He had to win back her trust. He had to.

“Honey?”

The muted voice that sounded on the other side of the door filled Liz’s eyes with dread realization.

“Mom?” Liz’s voice came out a bit more high-pitched than she meant it to be.

“Yeah, can I come in?”

“Sure Mom! Just hold on while I change…” she yelled. Turning a dangerously chilling glare on Max, she grabbed his shirt collar and yanked him to the ground. “One word Evans…” Liz muttered menacingly.

“No problem. Mouth shut, you got it.”

“Good.” Liz practically somersaulted through the open window and rushed to open the door. “Hey…Mom.”

“Liz, honey, I was getting worried. Does it usually take you this long to change your clothes?”

“Um…” Liz racked her brain for a plausible excuse. “I couldn’t find my pants.”

“Right…” Nancy Parker looked skeptically at her daughter. “Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that I can’t take you to school tomorrow. So call Maria for a ride or something. Okay?”

“Yeah Mom, great. I will. You can go now,” Liz said, pushing her mother out of the door. “Love ya.”

“Good night honey.”

The door shut and Liz expelled the breath she had been holding the whole time. Her gaze turned to the window where she saw Max’s head slowing rising over the sill. “Coast clear?”

“Yeah. Now leave.” Liz whispered sharply. Max shook his head vehemently and beckoned her to come over. “I won’t go until we figure this out.”

Liz could feel the anger rising in her chest. She strode over to the window and gazed into Max’s liquid hazel eyes, stopping until her face was a mere breath away. “Well then Max,” she whispered. “sorry to disappoint you. Have a nice night on the landing.” Her eyes flashed and she slammed the window shut between them, nearly removing Max’s face in the process.

He jumped back just as the window started to slide down at frighteningly rapid speed. Max sighed and plopped down on the lounge chair. It was going to be a long night.


enjoy *happy*!

posted on 20-Dec-2001 11:31:39 PM by foreverdreamer
well now, aren't you all in luck *happy*. I happen to have chapter 13 right here. thanks for the FB!

Chapter Thirteen

Liz stared. She stared long and hard at the vision, no wait, nightmare unfolding before her. A sudden pain struck her hard in the heart, and she could feel the bile rising up in her throat. Liz hastily wiped away an offending tear and turned to leave soundlessly.

"Tess." Max said, his voice monotone and emotionless. "Let go."

"But Max," Tess cooed, her face showing a bit of fear. "I can make you forget Liz…I can make you a happy husband."

"I don't need your help. I'm happy enough already."

"If you are, then why don't you tell your parents about you and Miss Parrow, hm? Why haven't you announced your 'joyous' news?"

Something in Max's resolve suddenly broke. His eyes flashed. "Listen, Tess. The only reason I didn't was because I was amazingly, being a gentleman, and keeping your interests at heart. God knows why, since you were the one who betrayed me. But my parents adore you; so I was just waiting until you left to keep your sensitive feelings from getting hurt. But I love Liz with my heart, my body, and my soul. And there is nothing beyond Hell freezing over that is going to keep me away from her and I will never, ever look at you the way I do her. I am sick and I am tired of your little games Tess, so you better just remove yourself right now or else I will do something I will seriously regret."

Tess' mouth dropped open and tears welled in her eyes. A flash of fury suddenly burst through those cold blue orbs and she shrieked aloud, "You have some nerve Maxwell Evry! I hate you!"

"Good." He replied coldly.

"Hope you have a nice life," Tess hissed, scathingly. "We'll see how long it lasts." She spun upon her heel and stalked out of the garden, her tiny figure disappearing into the dark night.

Max crumpled to the ground and the tears welled up in his eyes. "God Liz, I have messed up so much. Did I lose you? I love you too much to lose you…" he whispered beneath his breath.

"I love you too." Liz whispered back. She stepped out from behind the rosebush she had been hiding behind and gazed at Max with glistening eyes. His breath caught when he looked up and beheld the gorgeous vision in front of him. Max slowly stood up and inched towards her slowly, almost afraid that the girl in front of him was just a mere apparition.

And suddenly, the feeling of warm arms engulfed him, and her vanilla scent filled his head with an euphoric feeling. He tightened his embrace, and buried his head into her shoulder. "I'm so sorry Liz…"

She stroked his back softly, and pulled back slightly to look into his eyes. Liz pressed her forehead against his and whispered, "It's okay."

He ran his fingers through her hair, his face never leaving hers, and sighed. "I'll never leave you Liz." She cast her lashes downwards, a shimmering tear coursing its way down her cheek. Max gently wiped it away with his thumb and softly kissed the tear trail. She tilted her head up and sought out his mouth with her own, a raw indescribable passion filling both lovers.

The white roses in the garden seemed to blush a little pink that night.

------------------

Liz awoke to brilliantly bright morning, the rays of sunshine streaming through her window and lighting her face with its warmth. She rubbed her eyes and sat up in the bed, gazing thoughtfully at her window. Remnants of last night's dream hadn't left her, and she flushed a little when thinking about it. Unconsciously, she pulled out her small tape recorder and quickly hit record.

*click*

Max Evans has put a force on me.

I know, I know, could I sound more like a movie? Maybe I'm being possessed or something, and some person is feeding me these incredibly cheesy lines.

But back to the point in matter: Max.

He never ceases to amaze me. I mean, is it possible for someone to be a bastard and then the most caring person you ever met at the same time? And it is possible that this bastard/sweetheart could possibly be that one guy that's meant to be with you? You know, that whole soulmate crap.

Okay. So this whole deal has made me a little gushy. Fine, maybe more than gushy. Can't say I'm proud of it, but these damn feelings just won't stop.

And don't even get me started on that dream. One word. Wow.

I wonder if it's like that in real life…shit, what am I doing?

I'm doing the one thing that I'm not supposed to be doing.

I'm falling for Max Evans. All over again.

*click*

"Shit!" she gasped, starting in surprise. How the hell was she supposed to know that Max Evans was staring straight at her through the window all this time? Liz was suddenly aware of how skimpy her tank felt on her body and threw on a robe, cinching the belt as tight as she could. She cautiously went up to the window and pushed it open. "Max, what the hell do you want now?"

"I told you I wasn't going to leave until we settled this." The sleepiness in his voice was still apparent.

"You slept here?" Liz answered incredulously.

"Well yeah," Max said sheepishly. "You didn't give me much of an option if I recall correctly."

"Yeah well, you could have just, I don't know…*went home*?" Liz replied sarcastically.

"But I was having such…interesting dreams here."

Liz blushed fiery red to the roots of her hair. She quickly busied herself with examining the brick lining the window in order to avoid his gaze. "I see."

Max was hit by realization. "You didn't…you didn't have the same dream too, did you?"

"Max, I have absolutely no clue what you're talking about."

"For someone who's all up about being a bitch all the time, you are an amazingly bad liar." He smirked. Suddenly, his face adopted the same red sheen that covered Liz's own expression. "So…did you dream the same parts I did?" He spoke more quickly. "Because it could have been all in my imagination…"

"Yeah, could be." She answered abruptly. Liz willed herself to look at him. There was never a more painful moment in her life than that one, where she literally restrained herself from jumping on him that very second.

"I gotta change. We'll talk when you come and pick me up for school, okay? Thanks Max. You're a real doll." Liz gave a desperate smile in his direction and slammed her window shut once more, a quick movement of her wrist shuttering her windows from his surprised look.

Max ran home like he'd never run before in his life.