Disclaimer: I own nothing but original characters and the plot.
Rated: PG. There's basically only language to deal with.
Author's Note: Post Destiny.
Summery: Pod Squad takes up Destiny....All are in their last year of college at this time. And it's the end of the school year too. The aliens are all happy with their choices of following Destiny…except Max. When everything seems to be going so well for the gang, everything falls apart for Tess in one instant and heart break. She leaves and decided to live awhile on her own but not until she meets a handsome stranger and tells him her dilemma. POD fic, AU after s1. Dreamer semi-friendly. But I warn you. I'm not too big a fan of Liz.
Read, enjoy, go "woah" and God Bless
Chapter One
There comes a time when everyone experiences love…. And this is my time.
I always wanted someone to know exactly what I felt. And he does.
He knows everything about me. I know everything about him.
He finally sees me…for me, and that alone is the best feeling in the world.
He's all I ever wanted. I'm all he's ever wanted.
What more could I ask for?
~ * ~
Tess Harding flipped her pillow over, yet another time in her deep sleep. Her eyes fluttered open, her body slightly aching from her horrible night alone. Lifting her eyes, she spotted a glimpse of paper. A note lay next to her.
She allowed a smile to take over her expression as she gently reached over and picked up the piece of paper. She began to read aloud:
"Dear my Love,
You're beauty is always allowing me to proceed through the day.
You're eyes are my sight.
You're face lights up my life.
You're my everything.
…
I just wanted to leave you a note before I went to work.
Meet me at the Crashdown at lunch time, I'll be there waiting.
The whole gang wants to have one of those meetings again.
You know the skins are still out there and we need to be prepared.
By the way, sorry to have you wake up to that…being reminded of the skins and all…
But that's why I wrote the beginning for you J."
She let out a laugh."See you then…don't be late for you're 'honors' college class you know how you're professor gets mad for the slightest things."
She nodded her head, knowingly. Her Professor did tend to get grumpy when a pencil dropped to the ground. She didn't want to imagine what he would do if she were late."All my love,
Max"
Max Evans was the sweetest thing. He always found a way to leave her a little love note…even if the message was urgent; he still found a way to make it romantic.She always wondered how he managed to get into her apartment so late and never wake her up. It was the same thing every morning…. She'd wake up, find a note next to her. The note, usually a wonderful poem or a bunch of positive words in an unwinding circle, was always wrapped with a ribbon and rose petals around it.
She smiled at the thought. Their time together was always simply…magical. It was never a dull moment.
From high school to present day, the whole gang was always together…they were all inseparable. Of course, so were she and Max.
She turned to her radio alarm clock. It was 6:15 AM. Allowing a sigh to escape her breath, she rolled out of bed, preparing herself for another hard day. She grabbed clothes to change into, went into the bathroom, gave her hair a quick brush, did her teeth, washed her face and jumped into the shower.
After a good forty five minutes, which was the longest shower that she had ever taken, she came out, dried herself off, changed, ran a hand over her hair, and instantly dried it, straightening it in the process.
She then applied a light touch of make up. It was her daily routine and after so many years, she didn't realize how instantly she reaches for things and do them without a thought.
Once finished, she cleaned up the bathroom, left and folded her PJs, setting them neatly on her bed. After that, she grabbed her small book bag and binder. She hurried to the door and grabbed her keys and beige trench coat to match her khaki pants, which had a slit on both pant legs in the back and came to bell-bottoms in the front. She wore her black leather boots and her red halter-top to match…but before leaving; she looked over to her radio alarm clock: 7:00.
She smiled, 5 minutes early. She then left her apartment, locking it behind her
Once outside, she opened her Mustang convertible top and hopped in, driving to her college.
She could tell, this day was going to be a good one.
******************
Tess pulled up in the college parking lot and parked next to a familiar car…. She got out of her silver convertible, gathering her things and heading to the willow tree that was on the campus.
Fridays were the days when she had to do Social Classes…and those were the ones when every senior had to come at 8:00 and do projects together.
Why she came an hour early, you ask?
Simple…. She wanted an hour to talk with her friends that she hasn't been able to spend much time with…and Fridays, were those days where she always spent time with them
"Tess! Hey! Over here!" someone called, catching her attention.
Tess turned her head, only to find Kristen Martinez and Paige Goduco. She smiled, "Sup."
"Hey." The two girls said. The three exchanged hugs and cheek-to-cheek kisses.
Kristen was a petite young woman, about the same height as Tess. Her hair was a dirty blonde, slightly wavy and to the length of her shoulders. And unlike Tess, her eyes were brown with a tint of green.
Paige was a little bit taller than Tess and Kristen, her slender body didn't seem to hold the same curves as the other two girls, but had her share, nonetheless. Her hair was a dyed red with her brown roots, straight, a little passed her shoulders and eyes of dark brown.
Shortly after, Kevin Cole and Juan Lopez arrived together. They all greeted each other with hugs and kisses on the cheek.
Kevin was what other guys would call a pretty boy. He had blonde and semi-spiked up hair with brown eyes. And Juan was a dark haired, dark eyed hot guy.
"Anything new?" Juan asked quickly, eager to start a conversation.
"Nothing with me…same boring stuff." Kevin said as he wrapped an arm around Paige's waist.
"Are you trying to say that I bore you?" Paige asked.
"Of course not," He gave a fake smile.
She then hit him playfully over the shoulder.
"How about you Kristen?" Juan asked as he brought her closer to him.
"Nothing with me…you?"
He let out a sigh, "Nope."
"Tess? Anything going on between you and your mystery someone?" Paige asked with a raised, intrigued eyebrow.
Tess laughed, "He's not a mystery."
"Then why haven't we met him yet?" Juan laughed.
"Yeah, and after so many years," Paige said dramatically.
"Well, he's been busy and so have you guys…" Tess said.
"Oh p-uh-lease." Kristen said.
Tess smiled, "Fine you wanna meet him, you can meet him. I'm meeting him at the Crashdown for lunch."
"Are we meeting him, meeting him, or are we just gonna say hi and then bye?" Kevin asked.
Tess laughed, "Hi and then bye."
"Well we don't wanna meet him, anyway." Paige said like a stuck up valley girl, playing.
"At least you give us something." Kristen rolled her eyes, "We never even been in the same room as him."
"Oh, I'm sure you have but you just don't know it." Tess said.
"Tell me is name, his phone number, his address and family members." Juan said, "So if he ever does anything to you, I'll be there punching da hell outta him."
Tess laughed, "He wouldn't do anything bad to me…so there's no point in that."
"Ya never know."
"You can still tell us his name though." Paige said.
"Along with his name, phone number, address, and family members." Kristen laughed.
"A first and last name is good…for now. We don't need the other info." Kevin said and paused…then mumbled, "That's what the net is for…"
Tess opened her mouth to respond but then stopped because Kevin mumbled; "What was that Kevin?"
He looked up at her and smiled, "Nothing."
Juan, Kristen and Paige snickered.
"Uh-oh, that's a bad sign." Tess said.
"What's a bad sign?" Juan asked.
"All of you guys laughing like that." She paused, "But seriously tell me."
"Tell you what?" Kevin asked.
"What you mumbled."
"I didn't mumble anything." Kevin gave Tess a look.
"Yes you did."
"No. I didn't."
Tess looked to Juan, who gave her a look of concern…
"I'm not crazy." Tess said.
"Of course not," Juan said sarcastically.
She gave him a look, "No but seriously, what did he say?"
"He said that a first and last name will be okay."
"And the net can do the rest." Kevin mumbled.
"See! He mumbled again!" Tess said, jumping slightly.
"Tess," Kevin said slowly, "I didn't mumble anything."
Tess looked at Paige and Kristen; "He mumbled…right?"
Kristen gave Tess a look, "I think you've been thinking too hard about your school work."
"And maybe you've been working too hard at work." Paige said with a look of concern.
Tess whined, "C'mon, stop."
"Stop what?" Juan asked.
"Fine, if you're gonna be like that…I won't let you meet him."
Kevin laughed, "Fine, we don't want to meet him…anyway…"
~ Later… Time for class…
"We should head to class now," Kristen said.
"Yeah," Juan said.
The five then headed to their class.
After sitting down in a row, Tess caught a glimpse from the corner of her eye…he sat down with his sister, Isabel Evans and Michael Guerin, a very good friend that was like Tess's brother…and Liz Parker….
She then saw Maria DeLuca and Alex Whitman sit down.
She let out a sigh…at least he didn't sit next to Liz….
Hey! This is Max we're talking about! He would never do anything to hurt you…you need to trust him more, she scolded herself.
But still, she couldn't help but have this uneasy feeling towards him.
She shook her head; no Max loves her…he always left her a note…and they always went out and had a great time…he wouldn't cheat on her.
Then why didn't he sit next to you? She retorted to herself.
Because we agreed when I'm with my friends, he's with his…so there are no odd moments, she countered.
Sure.
She grew angry with herself…why would she argue in her own head about Max?
That was so dumb!
"You know, you still didn't tell us his name…" Juan whispered taking Tess away from her thoughts
"Oh," she said, "His name is Max Evans."
Kristen laughed and Tess glared at her.
"Sorry." She said.
Paige began to snicker.
Tess then glared at her, "What is so funny?"
"It's Max." She said, "Doesn't he have, like, the biggest crush on Liz Parker?"
"No." she snapped, "He used to…but he fell for me…and they had a fight…and they broke up…and now she's behind him."
"Is that what you think?" Kristen asked.
"No. It's what I know." Tess shot back.
"I think he still likes her." Paige said.
"Are you trying to make me question my relationship with Max?" she asked hurt.
"No, of course not…it's just that…I just saw him sit down with his sister, Michael Guerin and Liz."
"So?"
"Why didn't he sit here with you?"
"Because we agreed that it was okay to stay away from each other for awhile so we could be with our own crew. His friends, beside Michael and Isabel, hate me…I hate them, staying away takes away the odd times and the glares that they give me. Actually, come to think of it, me and Maria are okay…Alex couldn't really care less if I'm there or not, we hardly ever talked…I guess the problem's really Liz."
"Is he still close with Liz?" Paige asked.
"Well, yeah, they broke up but wanted to save their friendship."
"So if he's not with Michael or you, he's with her…."
"Right."
"Doesn't that tell you something?" Kristen asked, "I mean, if he's still good friends with Liz, and well, she doesn't like you, chances are, she just might make him rethink about your relationship and if she still wanted him, she could make him turn on you…."
"She wouldn't do that." Tess said.
"How would you know? If she doesn't like you, she doesn't want you around; I think she would mess with his mind like that." Paige said.
"Alright, stop." Juan said, "Don't make Tess feel like that. She really cares about Max; you're breaking her heart by saying this. You two are her best friends; don't break that friendship because of some guy."
Tess looked to the floor, "That sad thing is…I think they might be right."
*******************
Okay, I'll accept flames if you really want to give me them. But this is my first fic for this place. I've posted on message boards and I do well to flames and praise. So, gimme your best shot. Thank you, Nessa.