Roswell Fic: Something to Talk About (2/2)
Jun. 6th, 2000 11:12 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
xtremeroswelliaAuthor: X_tremeroswellian
Email: faithboscorelli1@yahoo.com
Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me, nor does the premise of "Roswell." This is just for fun.
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: Um, crap. I started writing this before I saw the season finale so assume that this will be partially based on spoilers I read a long time ago for "Destiny" and this is what could (but won't) happen after that episode.
Category: Unconventional couples, well, at least, all but one...
Author's Note: I'd love to have feedback because I don't usually write U.C. stories, in fact this is my first serious attempt at it, and I'd like to know how bad it sucks. :)
Dedication: To Liz :)
Other: Songs: "Vision of Love" by Mariah Carey; "Smooth" by Santana and Rob Thomas; "Everything You Want" by Vertical Horizion; and "Kissing You" by Desr'ee.
One | Two
Something to Talk About (Part 2)
Alex knocked on the apartment door, but no one was answering. He pulled the key out from under the mat and let himself in as he'd done dozens of times since the Parkers had given him permission in jr. high.
The apartment was dark except for a light coming from Liz's bedroom at the end of the hallway.
He walked down the hall and couldn't supress a smile as he saw Liz sitting on her bed, meditation style as she tried to concentrate on her calculas homework.
Alex leaned on her doorframe and watched for a moment as she sighed and then pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes.
"Headache?"
Liz looked up, momentarily startled. Then she smiled at him. "Yeah. Tension headache induced by calculas."
Alex moved into the room and sat down next to her. "Here, let me see if I can help," he offered, moving so he was behind her. He brushed her hair away from her shoulders gently, surprised by how silky-soft her hair was. Then he placed his hands on her shoulders. "You are tense," he commented, frowning.
Liz let her head drop forward as Alex massaged her shoulders, his fingers kneading the knots of tension there. "I forgot how good you are at this," she murmured.
He smiled and continued trying to get her muscles to relax, gently pressing his thumbs down on the knots in her neck. "Tell me if I hurt you." Alex shifted closer so he could see better, and he smelled the sweet scent of her papaya shampoo. He focused on easing her tension away. "Hey, Liz."
"Yeah?"
"You know, I was thinking...since Maria and Michael are going to homecoming together, maybe you and I could go together. You know, as friends. If you want."
She smiled, although he couldn't see it. "Sure."
"Better?" he asked as he moved his hands away from her shoulders.
"Yeah, thanks."
"You're welcome."
They smiled at each other and then both jumped when a crash of thunder shook the walls.
"Crap. I should probably get home before it starts--" Alex looked out the window and sighed as it was being pelted with rain. "--yeah, nevermind."
Liz stretched her arms above her head and yawned. "I'd drive you home, but my parents are on another star-gazing campout til Sunday and they have the car." She looked out the window. "Why don't you just stay until it slows down?"
Alex shrugged. "Yeah, why not."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alex opened his eyes and immediately squeezed them shut again as sunlight invaded his vision. Apparently he'd forgotten to close his window blinds before he'd fallen asleep.
Wait a minute.
He opened his eyes again, startled to realize that there were no window blinds to be closed because he wasn't in his room.
Then he relaxed as he realized he must have fallen asleep while trying to help Liz with her calculas homework.
She was curled up on her side, faced away from him, sleeping peacefully.
Something about the way the sunshine streamed through the window and highlighted her dark hair struck a chord within him. She looked...angelic.
How many nights had he spent here? He'd lost track long ago. He and Maria used to sleepover at Liz's all the time, expecially when her parents went away on business. Liz used to hate being alone overnight. It always frightened her. He wondered if that was why she'd suggested he stay until the rain let up last night. Maybe she'd been hoping he'd remember her fear and stay with her. He was overcome with a wave of protectiveness for her.
Liz stirred and murmured in her sleep.
Alex leaned closer, straining to listen.
"No..." she whimpered.
"It's okay, Lizzie," he whispered, brushing a strand of hair out of her face.
"Alex?" she murmured sleepily.
"I'm right here. You were just having a bad dream."
"Will you hold me?"
Alex shifted closer and she turned over so she was facing him. He pulled her into a protective embrace, rubbing her back gently. Within moments they had fallen back asleep.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maria sighed and unlocked the Parker's apartment door with the key. She shifted her duffle bag to her shoulder and draped her dress over the back of a kitchen chair and headed down the hallway to Liz's room.
Her mouth curved into a smile as she saw Liz and Alex curled up aleep together. "Looks like somebody had a slumber party and I wasn't invited," she commented.
Alex groaned and squinted at her. "What time is it?" he asked as Liz stirred beside him.
"It's after noon already, and that leaves me and Liz with less than six hours to get ready for homecoming."
Liz sat up abruptly. "Ohmygod!" She jumped out of bed and raced into her bathroom. They heard the shower go on a minute later.
Maria smiled at Alex. "So...you look rested."
Alex glared at her and sat up sleepily, throwing his legs over the edge of the bed. "It was raining. Liz said I could stay."
"And staying over at your best friend's house now involves cuddling with her?"
"Don't start. She had a nightmare. I was just trying to help."
Maria frowned. "Liz had a nightmare? About what?"
He shrugged and pulled his shoes on and stood up. "I don't know. Can you tell Liz I'll pick her up around 6:30?"
"6:30?" she repeated.
"Yeah. We decided we'd go to homecoming together since neither of us had dates."
"Well, why don't you just meet up with Michael later? He's picking me up about that time, here."
Alex nodded. "All right. See you later."
Maria watched him walk down the hall and she smiled to herself. "Score one for Maria. Maybe I should do this matchmaking thing professionally."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Liz looked in the mirror as Maria curled her hair, and she shifted her weight from one foot to the other restlessly.
"Liz, babe, would you hold still?" Maria said in exasperation. She re-adjusted the curling iron and met her friend's eyes in the mirror. "You okay? You look kind of pale."
"No, I'm fine," Liz lied. "Are you almost finished?"
"If you'd have held still I would have been finished fifteen minutes ago." Maria turned off the curling iron and set it on the sink. She grabbed a brush and gently pulled it through Liz's hair. "There."
Liz smiled. "Thanks."
"What are you so nervous about anyway?" Maria demanded.
"I don't really know," she confessed as she turned to face her friend.
"Are you worried about, you know, seeing Max and the pillsbury dough bitch?"
Liz shook her head. "No, I don't think that's it."
"Well, what then?"
"I don't know, Maria...I just feel kind of...jittery for some reason." She turned and walked back into her room. She turned the radio on low.
"...I had a vision of love
And it was all that you've given to me
I had a vision of love
And it was all that you've given me
I realized the dream
And I visualized the love that came to be
Feel so alive
I'm so thankful that I've received
The answer that heaven has sent down to me..."
Maria watched as Liz puttered around her room, occasionally looking through boxes on her dresser and glancing at the clock every few seconds. She just shook her head. Then she grinned when she heard the knock at the front door. "The guys are here!"
She flounced out of Liz's room and down the hallway as Liz remained standing in the middle of her bedroom floor. She reached out and flicked off her stereo and then looked in the mirror one last time before taking a deep breath and walking down the hall.
Alex was faced away from her, watching Michael slip a light blue carnation on Maria's wrist as Maria smiled broadly at him.
He was wearing a black suit and a red tie. She hadn't seen him dressed up like that since her grandmother's funeral a year ago.
Just then, he turned towards the hallway and caught sight of her standing there. He stared at her, taking in her form-fitting, spaghetti strap red dress with the split in the side that went up to her left hip. Then he met her eyes and smiled. "You look amazing."
Liz smiled back. "Thanks." She walked towards him and smiled at Michael. "Hey."
"Hey," he said, never taking his eyes off Maria.
Liz and Alex exchanged a grin and then Alex opened the box he was holding. "I got white...I wasn't sure what color your dress was," he told her as he slid the white rose corsage on her wrist.
"It's beautiful. Thank you," she said softly, smiling.
He offered her his arm. "Well, are we ready?"
"Let's go," Maria agreed, taking Michael's hand. They followed Alex and Liz out the door, and Maria gave Michael a knowing look. He just grinned.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Liz stepped into the gymnasium of West Roswell High and her eyes widened. The gym was decorated from top to bottom in silver and blue streamers and balloons. The student goverment had really outdone itself this year decorating for homecoming.
Alex leaned down and whispered, "Are you ready for an exciting night of dancing til you drop?"
She laughed. "Sure, why not?"
"This is not dancing music," Maria complained as she and Michael joined them inside.
"I don't think you can even consider this music," Michael commented, grimacing. "I swear, if I never hear this damn "Bye Bye Bye" song again, it'll be too soon."
"Let's fix this, Lizzie," Maria said, grabbing her arm.
"Where are we going?" Liz asked, startled.
"To get the DJ to play some real music."
Liz shrugged and followed her up to the DJ.
"Excuse me. Can we put in a request?" Maria asked.
The DJ leaned over, smiling at the girls. "Sure. What'll it be?"
Maria smiled.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Man, it's a hot one
Like seven inches from the midday sun
Well, I hear you whisper
And the words melt every one
But you stay so cool..."
Liz shook her head and laughed as she watched Maria dance up to Michael, mouthing the words to the song. Alex smiled and watched them, noting the pained look on Michael's face but knew he was participating in the dance because it made Maria happy.
"Hey, you want something to drink?" Alex suggested.
"Yeah, that'd be great."
"Okay, I'll be right back."
"What is this? Pass Liz along the group?" Liz turned to see Kyle standing behind her. "First me, then Max and now Whitman? I suppose Guerin's next, huh?"
"Have you been drinking?" Liz asked suspiciously.
He ignored the question. "Lemme guess. You're not really going out, right? You're 'just friends' like you were with Max."
"Kyle, where's Isabel?"
"Oh...She dumped me. For some reason she seems to want to get back with Whitman."
Liz felt her throat tighten.
"Guess you're going to be dateless by the end of the night, huh?" Kyle smirked. "Don't you ever get tired of coming in second best with all the men in your life? I mean, Max ditched you for Tess, Alex is about to ditch you for his ex, and the only reason I'm standing here talking to you now is because Isabel dumped me. And since we're here, and we're both a couple of losers, let's say for old time's sake we dance." He reached out and grabbed Liz's hand.
"Kyle," Liz said, a touch of warning in her voice.
"Oh, come on, Lizzie...It's not like we've never danced before. What could it possibly hurt?" Kyle smirked again.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alex thanked the freshman running the refreshment stand and started to head back over to Liz.
"Hi, Alex." Isabel smiled at him.
"Uh...hi." Alex shifted uncomfortably. She was wearing a knee-length, red silk dress, one that looked a lot different than the red dress Liz was wearing. "I was just--"
"Do you wanna dance?"
He blinked in surprise. "What happened to Kyle?"
"Yeah, that didn't work out. He's not my type." She took the two glasses he was carrying and set them down on the table. "Come on. Let's dance."
Before he could even try to protest, Isabel had pulled him out onto the dance floor, snuggling up against him with a smile on her face.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"...He's everything you want..."
"See?" Kyle motioned over to where Isabel had her arms wrapped around Alex, and the two of them were dancing very closely. "You've been here what? Ten minutes? And already you're forgotten."
"...He's everything you need..."
Tears came to her eyes and she didn't know where they'd come from. She quickly blinked them back and tore her gaze away from Alex and Isabel.
"...He's everything inside of you
That you wish you could be..."
"He doesn't want you. Just like Evans doesn't want you. Guess you're stuck with me." Kyle grinned at her and pulled her closer.
Liz squeezed her eyes shut, feeling the urge to cry again. Just dance with Kyle for this song and then you can go home, she told herself.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"So I was thinking how nice it would be if we spent this dance together," Isabel murmured softly.
Alex shook his head. This felt wrong. "Isabel, I have a date."
"Who? Liz?" Isabel looked over her shoulder and motioned to Liz and Kyle. "I think she's found a replacement."
He frowned as he watched Liz and Kyle dancing across the room. Kyle was holding her tightly and Liz had her eyes closed. His stomach turned.
"So what are you doing Friday night?" she asked, smiling at him.
"Uh...I have no idea," he answered distractedly, keeping his eyes on Liz and Kyle.
"Well, why don't you pick me up around 7 and we can catch a movie?" She nuzzled his neck.
Alex pulled away from her suddenly. "What are you doing?"
"I'm trying to make things okay again," Isabel said, sounding offended.
"Look, Isabel...this isn't a good idea."
"What isn't?" she asked in confusion.
"You...me...us. It's just--not right. Not anymore." He felt bad, but when he turned and saw Liz pulling away from Kyle, tears in her eyes, he felt worse. "I'm sorry," he said softly to Isabel. He turned pushed his way through the crowd.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Liz felt tears blurring her eyes as she shoved her way through the crowd of dancing students. She just wanted to go home and go to bed and forget about everything...about everyone.
"Lizzie? Are you okay?" she heard Maria call.
"I'm fine!" she called back without turning around. She was almost to the door when someone blocked her path. She looked up and saw Tommy Mattheson standing in front of her and she groaned inwardly. "Excuse me." She tried to move past him.
"Going home?" He caught her arm.
"Yes." She pulled her arm away.
"Why don't I walk you?"
"No thanks." Liz tried to walk past him again.
He blocked her way, smiling down at her. "Come on, Liz. We can take a nice long walk, maybe go over to my place. My parents are away for the weekend--"
"Look, just leave me alone, all right?" Liz glared at him.
His eyes darkened. "What's your problem?"
"I think she wants you to leave her alone." Alex stood next to her, and put his arm around her waist.
"You can't seriously be dating this loser, Liz."
"The only loser here is you, you jerk!"
Tommy looked at Alex and then at Liz and shook his head in disbelief before walking past them and disappearing into the crowd.
Liz looked up at Alex greatfully. "Thanks," she said softly.
"No problem," he answered.
She tore her gaze away from his face and looked over to where Isabel was watching them. "You know, I'm kind of tired, so I think I'm going to head home."
Alex frowned. "Are you all right?"
Liz fought to keep her voice from wavering. "Yeah. You just...stay here and have a nice time, okay?"
"Well, I'll walk with you," he volunteered.
"No, really, I'm okay, Alex. I just...need some time alone to think, okay?"
Alex put his hands on her shoulders, staring at her worriedly. "Lizzie?"
She looked away. If she looked into his eyes one second longer, she'd crumble. "I'm just tired. Can you tell Maria and Michael I said goodnight?"
He nodded reluctantly. "Sure."
"Thanks. And thanks for the flower," she said, holding up her wrist.
"Anything for you," Alex said quietly.
That was it. Liz turned around and walked away, trying to keep a steady pace until she was outside of the school. Then she started to run.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"What happened to Liz?" Maria asked, looking around the gym as she sat down in a seat next to Alex.
"She left." He leaned his head back against the wall.
"She left? What do you mean she left?"
"I mean, she went home. She said she was tired."
Maria frowned. "She didn't even say goodbye."
"Oh, yeah. She said to tell you and Michael goodnight." He sat up in his chair. "You know, I think I'm going to head home, too. I'll see you later." Alex stood up, stuck his hands in the pockets of his pants, and walked away.
Michael came up behind her. "Where's he going?"
"Home."
"What about Liz?"
"She already left. Awhile ago." Maria sighed and leaned against him as he sat down in the seat next to her. "Guess my matchmaking career just went out the window, huh?"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Liz put her journal away and laid back down on her lawn chair, staring up at the sky. It was clouded over with massive, dark, low-hanging clouds. It was going to rain again.
Her knees still ached from when she'd fallen in the street as she ran home. She looked down at her legs and grimaced. She'd poured peroxide on the cuts and gravel scrapes, and she hoped that was enough to keep them from getting infected.
She closed her eyes as she felt another onslaught of tears approaching.
Why was it she kept falling for the wrong people?
First Kyle. Man had she misjudged him. He wasn't who she thought he was at all. Then Max. She should have known that wouldn't last. After all the problems there were from the start, she should have considered them as omens. And now...
Alex.
Somewhere in the past year, their relationship had changed, had grown.
When had she realized she'd fallen for him?
She tried to remember the exact moment, but she couldn't. She just knew that somewhere between their movie-nights, and their marathon phone calls discussing Max and Isabel, and just working on homework together, she'd started to feel differently about him.
Alex was everything she'd never realized she'd wanted until now. His kindness, his loyalty, his protectiveness...the way he'd held her after her bad dream about Nasedo this morning...he understood her, probably better than Maria.
But he didn't know the truth about how she felt.
Out of three of them, she wished the most that she hadn't fallen for Alex. He was her best friend. Now everytime she was with him, it was going to hurt. It hurt tonight seeing him with Isabel. She'd had no idea that it would effect her like this.
She felt the first sprinkles of the oncoming storm and the droplets mingled with her tears. Maybe the rain would wash away some of the hurt she felt.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alex wandered the streets of Roswell aimlessly. He didn't really want to go home, but where else was he going to go?
Seeing Liz with Kyle earlier had made him feel ill. Was this what it was going to be like everytime he saw her with a new boyfriend? Was he going to want to rip the guy's head off?
He sighed as it started to rain. "Well, at least it suits my mood," he said aloud.
Alex thought about how Isabel had tried to get him back. A few months ago, he would have been thrilled. But now...
Now the only person he wanted was the one person he didn't stand a chance with. Because she thought of him as a friend, and that's it.
It was that moment that he realized he was standing in the alley behind the Crashdown. He blinked in surprise, not even sure how he'd gotten there. He looked up to the roof. He heard soft music playing. His house was a mile away and the rain was starting to pick up. Maybe she wouldn't mind a bit of company again tonight.
Alex took a deep breath and started climbing up the ladder to Liz's roof. When he reached the top and peered over the edge, he was startled to see Liz lying there on her lawn chair, crying. His heart leapt into his throat. "Liz?"
Her eyes flew open and she stared at him through the rain. "Alex?"
"Well, I can stand a thousand trials
The strong will never fall
But watching stars without you my soul cries..."
"What are you doing out here? You'll catch pnemonia," he said, crossing to her and kneeling down next to her chair.
"...Touch me deep
True and true
Give to me forever..."
"Why are you here? I thought you stayed at the dance," Liz said softly.
"I wasn't having any fun, so...I started to go home, and I sort of...found myself here instead," he admitted.
"...Cause I'm kissing you
I'm kissing you..."
"What about Isabel?"
"Yeah, she and Kyle broke up. She asked me out Friday night."
"Oh." Her voice was barely audible.
He was confused by the tone of her voice. "What is it, Liz? Why are you crying?" He touched her cheek and brushed the wet hair out of her eyes.
Liz shivered and her eyes drifted shut again. She choked back a sob.
Alex reached out and gathered her into his arms, pulling her to him and cradling her against his chest. "Please tell me," he pleaded, stroking her hair.
She shook her head against his chest. "I--can't."
He closed his eyes. "Why not?"
"Because you'll hate me."
Alex pulled away from her and stared into her eyes. "That would never happen."
Liz stared back at him and then moved closer to his face. She closed her eyes and pressed her lips against his gently.
His eyes closed and he reached up and cupped her face in his hands, deepening the kiss. Liz moved closer to him until she was sitting on his lap. Her hands were resting lightly on his shoulders.
"...Oh, love the aching
Cause I'm kissing you
I'm kissing you..."
A moment later they pulled away, staring at one another. "Liz?"
"I'm sorry," she whispered, scrambling to her feet.
"Why?" He stared up at her.
"You and Isabel are..." her voice trailed off and she started towards the window.
Alex jumped to his feet and grabbed her hand. "Liz, I told her no. I don't want to get back together with her."
Liz met his eyes. "Really?" she choked out.
He stepped closer to her and kissed her softly on the lips. "You're the one I want to be with." His arms circled her waist. "Liz?"
She stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his again, silencing him. They stood on the roof for a long time, neither noticing that the rain had finally stopped.
The End
Email: faithboscorelli1@yahoo.com
Disclaimer: These characters do not belong to me, nor does the premise of "Roswell." This is just for fun.
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: Um, crap. I started writing this before I saw the season finale so assume that this will be partially based on spoilers I read a long time ago for "Destiny" and this is what could (but won't) happen after that episode.
Category: Unconventional couples, well, at least, all but one...
Author's Note: I'd love to have feedback because I don't usually write U.C. stories, in fact this is my first serious attempt at it, and I'd like to know how bad it sucks. :)
Dedication: To Liz :)
Other: Songs: "Vision of Love" by Mariah Carey; "Smooth" by Santana and Rob Thomas; "Everything You Want" by Vertical Horizion; and "Kissing You" by Desr'ee.
One | Two
Something to Talk About (Part 2)
Alex knocked on the apartment door, but no one was answering. He pulled the key out from under the mat and let himself in as he'd done dozens of times since the Parkers had given him permission in jr. high.
The apartment was dark except for a light coming from Liz's bedroom at the end of the hallway.
He walked down the hall and couldn't supress a smile as he saw Liz sitting on her bed, meditation style as she tried to concentrate on her calculas homework.
Alex leaned on her doorframe and watched for a moment as she sighed and then pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes.
"Headache?"
Liz looked up, momentarily startled. Then she smiled at him. "Yeah. Tension headache induced by calculas."
Alex moved into the room and sat down next to her. "Here, let me see if I can help," he offered, moving so he was behind her. He brushed her hair away from her shoulders gently, surprised by how silky-soft her hair was. Then he placed his hands on her shoulders. "You are tense," he commented, frowning.
Liz let her head drop forward as Alex massaged her shoulders, his fingers kneading the knots of tension there. "I forgot how good you are at this," she murmured.
He smiled and continued trying to get her muscles to relax, gently pressing his thumbs down on the knots in her neck. "Tell me if I hurt you." Alex shifted closer so he could see better, and he smelled the sweet scent of her papaya shampoo. He focused on easing her tension away. "Hey, Liz."
"Yeah?"
"You know, I was thinking...since Maria and Michael are going to homecoming together, maybe you and I could go together. You know, as friends. If you want."
She smiled, although he couldn't see it. "Sure."
"Better?" he asked as he moved his hands away from her shoulders.
"Yeah, thanks."
"You're welcome."
They smiled at each other and then both jumped when a crash of thunder shook the walls.
"Crap. I should probably get home before it starts--" Alex looked out the window and sighed as it was being pelted with rain. "--yeah, nevermind."
Liz stretched her arms above her head and yawned. "I'd drive you home, but my parents are on another star-gazing campout til Sunday and they have the car." She looked out the window. "Why don't you just stay until it slows down?"
Alex shrugged. "Yeah, why not."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alex opened his eyes and immediately squeezed them shut again as sunlight invaded his vision. Apparently he'd forgotten to close his window blinds before he'd fallen asleep.
Wait a minute.
He opened his eyes again, startled to realize that there were no window blinds to be closed because he wasn't in his room.
Then he relaxed as he realized he must have fallen asleep while trying to help Liz with her calculas homework.
She was curled up on her side, faced away from him, sleeping peacefully.
Something about the way the sunshine streamed through the window and highlighted her dark hair struck a chord within him. She looked...angelic.
How many nights had he spent here? He'd lost track long ago. He and Maria used to sleepover at Liz's all the time, expecially when her parents went away on business. Liz used to hate being alone overnight. It always frightened her. He wondered if that was why she'd suggested he stay until the rain let up last night. Maybe she'd been hoping he'd remember her fear and stay with her. He was overcome with a wave of protectiveness for her.
Liz stirred and murmured in her sleep.
Alex leaned closer, straining to listen.
"No..." she whimpered.
"It's okay, Lizzie," he whispered, brushing a strand of hair out of her face.
"Alex?" she murmured sleepily.
"I'm right here. You were just having a bad dream."
"Will you hold me?"
Alex shifted closer and she turned over so she was facing him. He pulled her into a protective embrace, rubbing her back gently. Within moments they had fallen back asleep.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maria sighed and unlocked the Parker's apartment door with the key. She shifted her duffle bag to her shoulder and draped her dress over the back of a kitchen chair and headed down the hallway to Liz's room.
Her mouth curved into a smile as she saw Liz and Alex curled up aleep together. "Looks like somebody had a slumber party and I wasn't invited," she commented.
Alex groaned and squinted at her. "What time is it?" he asked as Liz stirred beside him.
"It's after noon already, and that leaves me and Liz with less than six hours to get ready for homecoming."
Liz sat up abruptly. "Ohmygod!" She jumped out of bed and raced into her bathroom. They heard the shower go on a minute later.
Maria smiled at Alex. "So...you look rested."
Alex glared at her and sat up sleepily, throwing his legs over the edge of the bed. "It was raining. Liz said I could stay."
"And staying over at your best friend's house now involves cuddling with her?"
"Don't start. She had a nightmare. I was just trying to help."
Maria frowned. "Liz had a nightmare? About what?"
He shrugged and pulled his shoes on and stood up. "I don't know. Can you tell Liz I'll pick her up around 6:30?"
"6:30?" she repeated.
"Yeah. We decided we'd go to homecoming together since neither of us had dates."
"Well, why don't you just meet up with Michael later? He's picking me up about that time, here."
Alex nodded. "All right. See you later."
Maria watched him walk down the hall and she smiled to herself. "Score one for Maria. Maybe I should do this matchmaking thing professionally."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Liz looked in the mirror as Maria curled her hair, and she shifted her weight from one foot to the other restlessly.
"Liz, babe, would you hold still?" Maria said in exasperation. She re-adjusted the curling iron and met her friend's eyes in the mirror. "You okay? You look kind of pale."
"No, I'm fine," Liz lied. "Are you almost finished?"
"If you'd have held still I would have been finished fifteen minutes ago." Maria turned off the curling iron and set it on the sink. She grabbed a brush and gently pulled it through Liz's hair. "There."
Liz smiled. "Thanks."
"What are you so nervous about anyway?" Maria demanded.
"I don't really know," she confessed as she turned to face her friend.
"Are you worried about, you know, seeing Max and the pillsbury dough bitch?"
Liz shook her head. "No, I don't think that's it."
"Well, what then?"
"I don't know, Maria...I just feel kind of...jittery for some reason." She turned and walked back into her room. She turned the radio on low.
"...I had a vision of love
And it was all that you've given to me
I had a vision of love
And it was all that you've given me
I realized the dream
And I visualized the love that came to be
Feel so alive
I'm so thankful that I've received
The answer that heaven has sent down to me..."
Maria watched as Liz puttered around her room, occasionally looking through boxes on her dresser and glancing at the clock every few seconds. She just shook her head. Then she grinned when she heard the knock at the front door. "The guys are here!"
She flounced out of Liz's room and down the hallway as Liz remained standing in the middle of her bedroom floor. She reached out and flicked off her stereo and then looked in the mirror one last time before taking a deep breath and walking down the hall.
Alex was faced away from her, watching Michael slip a light blue carnation on Maria's wrist as Maria smiled broadly at him.
He was wearing a black suit and a red tie. She hadn't seen him dressed up like that since her grandmother's funeral a year ago.
Just then, he turned towards the hallway and caught sight of her standing there. He stared at her, taking in her form-fitting, spaghetti strap red dress with the split in the side that went up to her left hip. Then he met her eyes and smiled. "You look amazing."
Liz smiled back. "Thanks." She walked towards him and smiled at Michael. "Hey."
"Hey," he said, never taking his eyes off Maria.
Liz and Alex exchanged a grin and then Alex opened the box he was holding. "I got white...I wasn't sure what color your dress was," he told her as he slid the white rose corsage on her wrist.
"It's beautiful. Thank you," she said softly, smiling.
He offered her his arm. "Well, are we ready?"
"Let's go," Maria agreed, taking Michael's hand. They followed Alex and Liz out the door, and Maria gave Michael a knowing look. He just grinned.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Liz stepped into the gymnasium of West Roswell High and her eyes widened. The gym was decorated from top to bottom in silver and blue streamers and balloons. The student goverment had really outdone itself this year decorating for homecoming.
Alex leaned down and whispered, "Are you ready for an exciting night of dancing til you drop?"
She laughed. "Sure, why not?"
"This is not dancing music," Maria complained as she and Michael joined them inside.
"I don't think you can even consider this music," Michael commented, grimacing. "I swear, if I never hear this damn "Bye Bye Bye" song again, it'll be too soon."
"Let's fix this, Lizzie," Maria said, grabbing her arm.
"Where are we going?" Liz asked, startled.
"To get the DJ to play some real music."
Liz shrugged and followed her up to the DJ.
"Excuse me. Can we put in a request?" Maria asked.
The DJ leaned over, smiling at the girls. "Sure. What'll it be?"
Maria smiled.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Man, it's a hot one
Like seven inches from the midday sun
Well, I hear you whisper
And the words melt every one
But you stay so cool..."
Liz shook her head and laughed as she watched Maria dance up to Michael, mouthing the words to the song. Alex smiled and watched them, noting the pained look on Michael's face but knew he was participating in the dance because it made Maria happy.
"Hey, you want something to drink?" Alex suggested.
"Yeah, that'd be great."
"Okay, I'll be right back."
"What is this? Pass Liz along the group?" Liz turned to see Kyle standing behind her. "First me, then Max and now Whitman? I suppose Guerin's next, huh?"
"Have you been drinking?" Liz asked suspiciously.
He ignored the question. "Lemme guess. You're not really going out, right? You're 'just friends' like you were with Max."
"Kyle, where's Isabel?"
"Oh...She dumped me. For some reason she seems to want to get back with Whitman."
Liz felt her throat tighten.
"Guess you're going to be dateless by the end of the night, huh?" Kyle smirked. "Don't you ever get tired of coming in second best with all the men in your life? I mean, Max ditched you for Tess, Alex is about to ditch you for his ex, and the only reason I'm standing here talking to you now is because Isabel dumped me. And since we're here, and we're both a couple of losers, let's say for old time's sake we dance." He reached out and grabbed Liz's hand.
"Kyle," Liz said, a touch of warning in her voice.
"Oh, come on, Lizzie...It's not like we've never danced before. What could it possibly hurt?" Kyle smirked again.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alex thanked the freshman running the refreshment stand and started to head back over to Liz.
"Hi, Alex." Isabel smiled at him.
"Uh...hi." Alex shifted uncomfortably. She was wearing a knee-length, red silk dress, one that looked a lot different than the red dress Liz was wearing. "I was just--"
"Do you wanna dance?"
He blinked in surprise. "What happened to Kyle?"
"Yeah, that didn't work out. He's not my type." She took the two glasses he was carrying and set them down on the table. "Come on. Let's dance."
Before he could even try to protest, Isabel had pulled him out onto the dance floor, snuggling up against him with a smile on her face.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"...He's everything you want..."
"See?" Kyle motioned over to where Isabel had her arms wrapped around Alex, and the two of them were dancing very closely. "You've been here what? Ten minutes? And already you're forgotten."
"...He's everything you need..."
Tears came to her eyes and she didn't know where they'd come from. She quickly blinked them back and tore her gaze away from Alex and Isabel.
"...He's everything inside of you
That you wish you could be..."
"He doesn't want you. Just like Evans doesn't want you. Guess you're stuck with me." Kyle grinned at her and pulled her closer.
Liz squeezed her eyes shut, feeling the urge to cry again. Just dance with Kyle for this song and then you can go home, she told herself.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"So I was thinking how nice it would be if we spent this dance together," Isabel murmured softly.
Alex shook his head. This felt wrong. "Isabel, I have a date."
"Who? Liz?" Isabel looked over her shoulder and motioned to Liz and Kyle. "I think she's found a replacement."
He frowned as he watched Liz and Kyle dancing across the room. Kyle was holding her tightly and Liz had her eyes closed. His stomach turned.
"So what are you doing Friday night?" she asked, smiling at him.
"Uh...I have no idea," he answered distractedly, keeping his eyes on Liz and Kyle.
"Well, why don't you pick me up around 7 and we can catch a movie?" She nuzzled his neck.
Alex pulled away from her suddenly. "What are you doing?"
"I'm trying to make things okay again," Isabel said, sounding offended.
"Look, Isabel...this isn't a good idea."
"What isn't?" she asked in confusion.
"You...me...us. It's just--not right. Not anymore." He felt bad, but when he turned and saw Liz pulling away from Kyle, tears in her eyes, he felt worse. "I'm sorry," he said softly to Isabel. He turned pushed his way through the crowd.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Liz felt tears blurring her eyes as she shoved her way through the crowd of dancing students. She just wanted to go home and go to bed and forget about everything...about everyone.
"Lizzie? Are you okay?" she heard Maria call.
"I'm fine!" she called back without turning around. She was almost to the door when someone blocked her path. She looked up and saw Tommy Mattheson standing in front of her and she groaned inwardly. "Excuse me." She tried to move past him.
"Going home?" He caught her arm.
"Yes." She pulled her arm away.
"Why don't I walk you?"
"No thanks." Liz tried to walk past him again.
He blocked her way, smiling down at her. "Come on, Liz. We can take a nice long walk, maybe go over to my place. My parents are away for the weekend--"
"Look, just leave me alone, all right?" Liz glared at him.
His eyes darkened. "What's your problem?"
"I think she wants you to leave her alone." Alex stood next to her, and put his arm around her waist.
"You can't seriously be dating this loser, Liz."
"The only loser here is you, you jerk!"
Tommy looked at Alex and then at Liz and shook his head in disbelief before walking past them and disappearing into the crowd.
Liz looked up at Alex greatfully. "Thanks," she said softly.
"No problem," he answered.
She tore her gaze away from his face and looked over to where Isabel was watching them. "You know, I'm kind of tired, so I think I'm going to head home."
Alex frowned. "Are you all right?"
Liz fought to keep her voice from wavering. "Yeah. You just...stay here and have a nice time, okay?"
"Well, I'll walk with you," he volunteered.
"No, really, I'm okay, Alex. I just...need some time alone to think, okay?"
Alex put his hands on her shoulders, staring at her worriedly. "Lizzie?"
She looked away. If she looked into his eyes one second longer, she'd crumble. "I'm just tired. Can you tell Maria and Michael I said goodnight?"
He nodded reluctantly. "Sure."
"Thanks. And thanks for the flower," she said, holding up her wrist.
"Anything for you," Alex said quietly.
That was it. Liz turned around and walked away, trying to keep a steady pace until she was outside of the school. Then she started to run.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"What happened to Liz?" Maria asked, looking around the gym as she sat down in a seat next to Alex.
"She left." He leaned his head back against the wall.
"She left? What do you mean she left?"
"I mean, she went home. She said she was tired."
Maria frowned. "She didn't even say goodbye."
"Oh, yeah. She said to tell you and Michael goodnight." He sat up in his chair. "You know, I think I'm going to head home, too. I'll see you later." Alex stood up, stuck his hands in the pockets of his pants, and walked away.
Michael came up behind her. "Where's he going?"
"Home."
"What about Liz?"
"She already left. Awhile ago." Maria sighed and leaned against him as he sat down in the seat next to her. "Guess my matchmaking career just went out the window, huh?"
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Liz put her journal away and laid back down on her lawn chair, staring up at the sky. It was clouded over with massive, dark, low-hanging clouds. It was going to rain again.
Her knees still ached from when she'd fallen in the street as she ran home. She looked down at her legs and grimaced. She'd poured peroxide on the cuts and gravel scrapes, and she hoped that was enough to keep them from getting infected.
She closed her eyes as she felt another onslaught of tears approaching.
Why was it she kept falling for the wrong people?
First Kyle. Man had she misjudged him. He wasn't who she thought he was at all. Then Max. She should have known that wouldn't last. After all the problems there were from the start, she should have considered them as omens. And now...
Alex.
Somewhere in the past year, their relationship had changed, had grown.
When had she realized she'd fallen for him?
She tried to remember the exact moment, but she couldn't. She just knew that somewhere between their movie-nights, and their marathon phone calls discussing Max and Isabel, and just working on homework together, she'd started to feel differently about him.
Alex was everything she'd never realized she'd wanted until now. His kindness, his loyalty, his protectiveness...the way he'd held her after her bad dream about Nasedo this morning...he understood her, probably better than Maria.
But he didn't know the truth about how she felt.
Out of three of them, she wished the most that she hadn't fallen for Alex. He was her best friend. Now everytime she was with him, it was going to hurt. It hurt tonight seeing him with Isabel. She'd had no idea that it would effect her like this.
She felt the first sprinkles of the oncoming storm and the droplets mingled with her tears. Maybe the rain would wash away some of the hurt she felt.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alex wandered the streets of Roswell aimlessly. He didn't really want to go home, but where else was he going to go?
Seeing Liz with Kyle earlier had made him feel ill. Was this what it was going to be like everytime he saw her with a new boyfriend? Was he going to want to rip the guy's head off?
He sighed as it started to rain. "Well, at least it suits my mood," he said aloud.
Alex thought about how Isabel had tried to get him back. A few months ago, he would have been thrilled. But now...
Now the only person he wanted was the one person he didn't stand a chance with. Because she thought of him as a friend, and that's it.
It was that moment that he realized he was standing in the alley behind the Crashdown. He blinked in surprise, not even sure how he'd gotten there. He looked up to the roof. He heard soft music playing. His house was a mile away and the rain was starting to pick up. Maybe she wouldn't mind a bit of company again tonight.
Alex took a deep breath and started climbing up the ladder to Liz's roof. When he reached the top and peered over the edge, he was startled to see Liz lying there on her lawn chair, crying. His heart leapt into his throat. "Liz?"
Her eyes flew open and she stared at him through the rain. "Alex?"
"Well, I can stand a thousand trials
The strong will never fall
But watching stars without you my soul cries..."
"What are you doing out here? You'll catch pnemonia," he said, crossing to her and kneeling down next to her chair.
"...Touch me deep
True and true
Give to me forever..."
"Why are you here? I thought you stayed at the dance," Liz said softly.
"I wasn't having any fun, so...I started to go home, and I sort of...found myself here instead," he admitted.
"...Cause I'm kissing you
I'm kissing you..."
"What about Isabel?"
"Yeah, she and Kyle broke up. She asked me out Friday night."
"Oh." Her voice was barely audible.
He was confused by the tone of her voice. "What is it, Liz? Why are you crying?" He touched her cheek and brushed the wet hair out of her eyes.
Liz shivered and her eyes drifted shut again. She choked back a sob.
Alex reached out and gathered her into his arms, pulling her to him and cradling her against his chest. "Please tell me," he pleaded, stroking her hair.
She shook her head against his chest. "I--can't."
He closed his eyes. "Why not?"
"Because you'll hate me."
Alex pulled away from her and stared into her eyes. "That would never happen."
Liz stared back at him and then moved closer to his face. She closed her eyes and pressed her lips against his gently.
His eyes closed and he reached up and cupped her face in his hands, deepening the kiss. Liz moved closer to him until she was sitting on his lap. Her hands were resting lightly on his shoulders.
"...Oh, love the aching
Cause I'm kissing you
I'm kissing you..."
A moment later they pulled away, staring at one another. "Liz?"
"I'm sorry," she whispered, scrambling to her feet.
"Why?" He stared up at her.
"You and Isabel are..." her voice trailed off and she started towards the window.
Alex jumped to his feet and grabbed her hand. "Liz, I told her no. I don't want to get back together with her."
Liz met his eyes. "Really?" she choked out.
He stepped closer to her and kissed her softly on the lips. "You're the one I want to be with." His arms circled her waist. "Liz?"
She stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his again, silencing him. They stood on the roof for a long time, neither noticing that the rain had finally stopped.
The End
