I Will Love You
She slipped the sunglasses over her eyes, protecting them from the New Mexico heat. She dropped the cigarette on the ground and put her foot over it, letting the excess smoke slide out of her mouth. She slid her purse over her shoulders and walked into the familiar restaurant.
She saw the vacant restaurant, the only left customers sitting in a booth near the back. The normal booth where plans to fool the police and find ways and connections. Talks of destinies and decisions were reminisced from the small booth, along with the alien theme restaurant. Aliens were the last things she wanted to discuss at this point.
"Maria!" A voice shrilled, scooting out of the booth and attacking her with a hug. She felt the brunette locks swipe across her hand as she wrapped her arms around her old friend.
"How long has it been?" Maria asked, smiling slightly.
"Did you ever get my letters? How's college…it's so good to see you!" Liz Parker smiled Maria's best friend since the fifth grade. Maria shrugged the unsure but okay shrug.
"It's weird being back…have you seen my mom lately?" Maria searched in her pure for a cigarette.
"No…not since the wedding…why didn't you come?" Liz asked, scooting in the booth.
"Finals. Besides, Bobbo wasn't ever my favorite person." Maria found her cigarette and lit it, letting the excess smoke slide through her mouth. "Are we the only ones here?"
"So far. I was just looking at pictures…do you remember this one at our school carnival sophomore year? Look at Alex! His eyes were closed in nearly every picture." Liz giggled her normal Liz-giggle that she never ceased to do. She hadn't changed, she went to a local college and was the manager at the Crashdown, her family restaurant. She didn't live in the past, yet she didn't want to change, which was fine for Liz. But not for Maria. She had left as soon as things got dull and she hadn't been back since.
"We got showed up. The nerve of—"
"Maria. No one showed anyone up. They'll be here. They promised."
"Liz! Has the thought even occurred to you that they forgot? I mean, come on, you had to call and remind me! It's been a long time Liz, and while you've been living in La-La land past, we've all gone on with our lives!"
"For your information, I love it here. I have everything I need, but what I don't need is you telling me that I have no life. You're the one that's become some depressive and cruel person that I don't even want to admit at one time was my best friend."
"You've got it all wrong. I haven't changed; I've grown up. Something you should try, instead of waiting patiently at your white picket fence for the prince charming Max who will never return!" Maria's words shoot daggers at Liz as she tries to take the comment and swallow it, turn it over and then spit back something that would her just as much, but there was nothing to compare with her reminder.
The bell of the door rang as they both looked up to see Isabel walk in, looking around the vacant room and then spot them at the booth.
"I thought I'd find you here!" Isabel smiled, rushing over and giving them each a hug. "I brought presents!" She held up a bag and then set in near the ground. "I'll wait until later…where is everyone?" She sighed.
"Not here yet, surprise, surprise." Maria rolled her eyes and stood up. "Do the machines still work the same?"
"Um, yeah, help yourself." Liz mumbled as Isabel sat down in the booth.
"So, fill me in on everything. What's new at Roswell? How's school going?" Isabel asked eagerly, she then reached into a briefcase and pulled out papers. "I've been dying to tell you about school and my boyfriend and everything. I've just been so busy that I haven't had time. Law school is such a rush."
"Wow, Isabel. The school is so big."
"Yeah, but I love it. Campus is like my second home…in fact, lately it's been my only home. I haven't been back in town for so long." She looks up and glances around the room. "I…I thought that after what happened with Alex we wouldn't have this reunion. In fact, after things fell apart, I was almost sure we would never talk again. I came here with the mind set that I would find nothing…I guess I was wrong." Isabel's eyes filled with tears as she turns her head so she could view the pictures sitting in front of Liz. "Prom." She whispered.
"Yeah, I was just…looking at pictures…" Liz gathered them together in a messy pile and set them aside. "Do you guys want burgers?"
"Liz!" She heard a voice shriek from the back room. Maria threw open the door and held the outfit up against her body. "I can not believe how tiny we were!" She smiled, then stuck the alien antennas on her head. "Do you remember the kind of comments we would get?" Her eyes got bright as she stood behind the counter and then looked at the milkshake maker. "We used to make tons of Ship Shakes a day…"
Liz began to giggle as she saw the small part of Maria that she once considered her best friend.
"We were sitting in that booth," Isabel mumbled, her face tight and her mouth barely moving. "And Max used to look at you for hours…just watching you walk around…he was so…so fascinated by you, Liz. He really was." Isabel stopped and then stood up. "Let's make some food."
After a Mother Ship burger for each and a few Crash Shakes that they finally realized that they others weren't showing up.
"It's a shame, a damn shame." Maria sighed, her legs crossed as she rested her elbow on her knee, her glass dangling from her grip.
"I wouldn't give up on them just yet." Liz said softly and began to clean up the dishes. Isabel struck a conversation with Maria as Liz walked to the kitchen. She piled the dirty dishes into the sink, turning on the water as she felt the tears build in her throat. She had waited for this day since everyone left. Since Max left. She had waited patiently for him to return and he was no where in sight. She couldn't hold in the tears as her body shook with emotion, her hands gripping the side of the sink. She ran a hand through her hair and then brushed it against her cheeks, taking away the drops of tears.
A door closed as sounds of footsteps slowly walked behind her. She didn't want to turn around, for fear that it was her dad or a customer. Then she realized that it was the back door, and the only ones that came through the back door were employees. Only they knew where the key was under the mat and to the left.
"Liz?" She heard a voice say. She turned around to see Michael, slipping off his sunglasses. He smiled, only raising on side of his lip. "You the only party that showed?" He grinned.
"No, actually…Maria and Isabel are here. We…we didn't think that you or…that you would come." Liz tried to get out, but her words were crumbling into spurts of slurs as she tried her hardest to get something out, but nothing was forming.
"Well, I'm here aren't I?" He pushed open the door and walked into the restaurant. Sounds of laughter and screaming filled the room. Liz glanced back at the door, wondering why Max hadn't come, why he was torturing her.
"Is this the place?" Another voice said, walking in. He held flowers in one hand and book of some kind in the other.
"Kyle?" Liz smiled, then was quick to hug him tightly.
"Wow…hey Liz. How are you?" He smiled, a bit taken back from the hug. "Anyone else here yet?" Kyle pulled away and looked into the restaurant.
"Um, actually…yeah…pretty much."
"But…who…who isn't here?" Kyle shook his head and set down the flowers.
"Max." Liz nodded her head, her stomach almost turning over.
"Those…are for you, by the way." Kyle smiled.
"You didn't have to do that Kyle,"
"Well, I figured since I haven't talked to you in so long…that well, that you kind of deserved them. Dad says you've been doing great keeping up the place," Kyle looked around as he stuck his hands in his pockets. "What have you been up to?"
"Um, not a lot…I've been thinking of going to college though."
"Yeah? Where at?"
"I don't know yet." She shook her head slowly.
"Roswell wouldn't be the same without you Liz." He smiled, then walked in the restaurant. Liz followed him, making a quick check over the kitchen.
"Kyle!" Isabel smiled, standing up from the booth and attacking Kyle with a hug. "Did you get my letter?"
"Yeah, yeah I did." He smiled, his breath becoming short. The whole experience seemed to be overwhelming him.
Michael sat next to Maria but she didn't give him a second look. His eyes didn't leave her soft cheeks, still as peach and bright as always. Her moist lips were the ones he had at one time kissed. That was then, and this was now. She hadn't even given him a hug. She smiled, shook his hand, and that was it. It was awkward, an awkward situation for the both of them. Leaving Roswell was obviously not a good thing for him to do for their relationship. She was bitter, and hadn't talked to him for the past few years when he had left. Yet at the same time, he was sick of Roswell. He wanted to experience more of the United States before he found a plan to return home. Max had fallen off the face of the earth and he hadn't seen him in a while either. Last he heard, Max was working in some lab on the New Mexico border, living in Arizona. But when he called, he couldn't get a hold of anyone that knew him.
"Is there any food left?" Michael spoke up.
"No," Liz shook her head, without really contemplating his question. "I mean…I can make you some, I guess."
"I'll come with you," Maria said softly and edged her way out of the booth. She entered the kitchen behind Liz and leaned up against the counter.
"Where did Michael come from? I thought her left!" Maria hissed, pointing to the other side of the door.
"Left? Maria, what are you talking about?" Liz shook her head. "He just didn't enjoy Roswell anymore…which doesn't surprise me. No one does-"
"Liz! He told me he wanted to get into his little space ship and fly away. After Tess, after Alex…after everything that went on, he wanted to leave. He hated it here. He didn't love me, and he was gone. I haven't-"
"Maria, listen to yourself. You know Michael, he wasn't going anywhere." Liz stopped and shook her head at Maria, trying to make herself smile. "Michael loved you, he was just upset."
"About what! What was there to be upset about, Liz? I mean, what did I do that was so wrong to him?" Maria shook her head and then crossed her arms. "I don't care anymore. I gave up caring a long time ago."
"That's your problem Maria!" Liz thought before she spoke, preparing herself for Maria's reaction. "You don't care. I mean, you left me without a goodbye. You just packed up and moved away…I mean, first you…and then, Max. Maria…you have to care. You need to care about Michael and why he left and-"
"I can't care anymore Liz! I can't! There's nothing left in me to care. I'm done. I just can't do it." Maria began to cry, and then sob tears pouring down her cheeks. Liz glanced at the small window in the door separating the kitchen with the restaurant. She saw Michael look around, sticking a hand in his pocket. Isabel and Kyle caught up, Michael not being interested in the conversation in the least. She knew he could hear Maria as she sobbed, refusing Liz's comfort as she rushed out the back door. Liz bit her bottom lip, disappointed in the reunion and why Isabel was the only one that seemed to be okay and happy about everything.
She walked back into the restaurant, as things grew quiet.
"Where's Maria?" Michael asked, standing up.
"She…this was pointless. Thanks for coming, but there was no need to do this."
"Liz, what are you saying? That those few years together meant nothing?" Michael asked.
"Michael, you know that's not what I meant."
"Then I don't understand. I've waited for an excuse to see Maria and now that its here you're trying to tell me this was stupid? Liz, of all people I thought you would enjoy this." Michael prepared to leave, reaching for his coat.
"I tried." Liz collapsed in the chair. Her chin quivered as she tried to hold in her tears. "I really tried to make it work…but its not the same. Michael, those few years together meant more then anything to me, but we can't replace them…nor can we relive them. Alex is dead, Tess is gone and Max doesn't even care. So I would really appreciate it if we didn't start into something and that everyone would just leave." Liz tried to get out calmly as tears slipped down her cheeks. She angrily pushed them away, setting her elbow on the table.
"If that's the way you want it end it, I'm out of here." Michael threw open the doors and slipped on his sunglasses, walking across the street to his car. Kyle looked at the two and then rushed after Michael.
"What happened?" Liz buried her head into her hands, trying to understand.
Isabel slowly sat down and began to speak her voice steady and calm.
"Things just fell apart, Liz. It's not a matter how who's fault it is or why we did it, it just happened. Max fell the hardest…he lost complete control of himself and of everyone around him. We all grew up Liz, but it's not ones fault. Not one wanted to deal with the whole alien thing anymore, it was old."
"That's not true." Liz spoke up, looking up at Isabel. "I would have stayed with Max until the day he died, if it meant I could be with him for a minute longer." Liz stood up and walked over to the window. She saw the New Mexico sun slip under the desert view as darkness flooded over to the city.
"Would you have? What if he stopped caring about you Liz, huh? Would you be with a man that didn't care about you? Would you stand by his side through every alien treatment he went through or the amount of torture and pain he was given? Would you be there for him if that meant that you died too?"
"What are you talking about?" Liz sobbed, shaking her head as Isabel's voice grew louder and louder. Isabel's finger was near Liz's almost touching it, the heat and emotion pouring off of Isabel and onto Liz.
"He's gone Liz. He went all over…trying to find answers, trying to find the answers that for so long he didn't feel the need to uncover because that would mean leaving you…he grew tired of waiting…in the process he fell apart." Isabel tried to control hear tears, wiping them away as they fell. "People started hearing things, eventually the FBI and police got involved…eventually…other aliens soon killed him off."
Liz shook her head quickly, raising her hands to her ears and covering them tightly.
"You don't know what you're talking about! Max loves me and he promised me that he would come back for me!"
Isabel brought her hand to face, then she reached out a hand to touch Liz. She pulled away as Isabel reached for a chair, scooting next to her.
"He would have come if he were here, Liz. You know that. Max loved you with everything he had…he wouldn't have let you down." Isabel waited for a few minutes and watched Liz cry, shaking her head as she set her forehead in the palm of her hands, shaking with sobs.
"I'll be in town for a few more days Liz…I'm…I'm sorry this didn't work out." Isabel quickly reached for her purse and then left the restaurant, letting the only sound be the one of the bells that rang every time the door opened and closed. Liz lost herself in her thoughts and memories of every smile Max would have when he saw her walking through the door, every bit of emotion displayed in his face when he had bad news or an urgent message he needed to tell her. Even a joke or a kiss to brighten her day would send him through those doors. She missed his presence now more then ever and she wasn't sure what would keep her going.
"Maria?" Michael whispered, walking near the back of Crashdown now dark, the only light source was the one above the porch step. There Maria sat, her eyes red and inflamed from crying. She sat, staring into the distance at nothing impaticular. She shook her head every so often, closing her eyes.
"Maria…" Michael repeated and sat down next to her. He sat back, resting against his hands, letting out a long sigh. "You know I'm not good with these kind of things…I just…I'm not sure how I'll be able to get out what I want to say."
"Don't say anything," Maria spoke up, reaching for her purse, preparing to stand up. "Just tell me one thing Michael Guerin. Why…why did you leave me like that?"
"I…don't know." Michael shook his head. "But I do know that I should have said…said something or-"
"Yeah, that would have been nice."
"But I didn't…and I think that was smart,"
Maria raised an eyebrow, turning to leave.
"Because then I wouldn't have gotten to realize what my life is like without you."
Maria didn't turn around, just listened intently.
"My life with you was so protected and so predictable, but at the same time, it was exactly what I wanted. Maria, I could have spent the rest of my life with you…if that was what was to happen."
"And your life without me?" She turned around and sat down next to him.
"Was just like it used to be. Spontaneous and dangerous, a childish and stupid way to live my life."
"So what are you saying?"
"That I'm done living like that."
"Oh, so once you decide that's not how you want to live, I'm supposed to run back into your arms after two years, ready to love you again?" She asked, looking up at him, her eyes forming tears.
"Eventually, yes." He grinned.
"Of course." She sighed, then fell into his kiss, wrapping her arms around him.
Liz sat on her porch that extended from her bedroom, lying against her lawn chair, the stars looking inviting and beautiful tonight. Her tear-stained cheeks were becoming dry from the continuous piece of cloth that swiped against them. Her eyes were tired and warn from crying and she felt as if every emotion in her body was gone. She glanced across the wide and open sky.
"Why did you have to go, Max?" She spoke softly.
"I didn't want to," She heard a voice say from behind her. She sat up quickly and swallowed, seeing Max standing near her window.
"Why-"
"I mean, after Michael and Maria both left you didn't need me around…you were anxious to move on…to mature in ways that didn't include me, which I was fine with." He said softly.
"I didn't mean to push you away, Max." Liz's chin shook as she tried to speak.
"No…no Liz. You didn't push me away, you did was you needed to do and I don't blame you for it."
"Then why did you leave?" Liz asked.
"I wanted to find myself too," He chuckled.
"Did you?"
"Eventually." He slowly made his way over to Liz and sat down next to her on the end of her lawn chair, looking up at the sky. "Beautiful night, isn't it?"
"It's perfect…its perfect that now that you're here." She smiled, positioning herself closer to him.
"Max, I need to know..." She turned towards him and reached for his hand. "Do you promise that you'll stay? Because, if you can't stay, that I'm not sure if I can fall in love with you again…"
He kissed her softly, he touched her cheek softly, gently resting his fingers on it.
"Liz," He whispered, her lips almost touching her hair. "Things will always chance and no one can help that but sometimes you have to keep going, but no matter what…I will love you, okay?" .
Liz looked up at him and smiled, then glanced up at the sky.
"Okay Max, I'll keep going…" She stared at the stars for a few minutes, reflecting on her past with Max and now the future that she will hold on to tightly. She had him and there wasn't a thing she would change. She brought her eyes back down to the porch to see it empty and light in her bedroom turned off. She stood up and looked around, searching for the one she had seen just moments before, but he was gone. She sat back down and couldn't bring herself to cry she just curled her legs up against her chest and let out a small sigh. "I'll be okay, Max…I'll keep going…I'll love you…" She whispered, looking up at the sky, her eyes forming with fresh tears.