Part Twelve
Days passed. The vacation ended and everyone started school again. There was no sign of danger anywhere but they all sustained a state of readiness. Maria maintained her silence on the missing two months, despite several attempts by the 7 teens, who were her friends, to find out.
These attempts ranged from threats to persuasion, guilt to bribery. Numerous dreamwalks were also tried. And failed. Maria didn't budge. Her evasions seemed to get stronger as time passed and she either avoided the constant questions completely or said that she would tell them when it was time. Her mother remained in the dark.
Once again, they were the talk of Roswell High. The strange combination of the 8 of them, the unusual pairing of the couples, the addition of Kyle and Tess – all of these made them interesting fodder for gossip. In some ways it was merely continuation of the talk that arose the previous year when a known loner rebel with his quiet serious best friend and the most beautiful girl in the school, a highly unusual trio joined an equally unusual trio consisting of a pretty brainy scientist, a cute wacky pixie and a geek.
The 6 of them had certainly caused some major uproars during that year. Max and Liz, 2 notable quiet serious students caught making out because they were too loud. Maria and Michael's entire relationship. The weirdness that caused the 'Elle McPhearson' of the school to date Alex, a self pronounced geek. The antagonism between the Max and the no.1 jock in school now mysteriously absent. Hell. That was a lot for one school to take even without the non-human status of some of the group's members.
This year the stakes had even risen further with Alex and Maria's band – the Whits, their popularity stakes had risen. Isabel had always been popular and Michael with his rebel with a cause look and attitude was the cause of many a crush. Max's bedroom eyes, Tess's perkiness, Kyle's jock status and Liz continued dreamgirl reputation didn't help. The things that attracted 8 such different people together and held fast in obvious firm friendships fascinated people whether it their sometimes clueless parents or fellow students.
For the 8 however, things had changed even if they were the only one's that knew it. Their friendships, despite the knocks that Destiny thrown at them still remained intact. A secret bound them all them together and that was bigger than all of them together. Their relationships, however were not as lucky.
It was ironic that Tess who had been the catalyst for the subsequent break-ups, had begun a somewhat tentative friendship with of all people – Kyle. And even more strange, Isabel and Alex whose relationship had been the newest had somehow survived. For the others, love the very thing that should have kept them together kept them apart, caused Liz to walk away and Michael to say goodbye.
Isabel herself found it weird that Michael was still keeping away from Maria. After the kiss that they had all witnessed she thought it was strange that they hadn't gotten back together yet. The same went for Max and Liz. It had been two months of separation and those months hadn't been easy on her brothers. Max was more withdrawn than ever, a combination of Liz and the torture that he suffered at the hands of Pierce and Michael's walls had grown taller and wider than ever before. He practised his powers constantly with Tess and had improved his focus and energy tenfold. Even if she and Tess were both almost convinced that Maria was the focus he used to improve. Maria had always brought out the best in him and even now, apart she was still his reason.
Isabel figured it was limited time before things got back to normal. Normal, being a relative term for them. Actually that was wrong – she just hoped things would get better. It was just a matter of who stronger and more stubborn. Michael or Maria. Liz or Max. One thing she was sure of, was that Max was persistent as hell and no one could out argue Maria. Just a matter of time. Just a matter of time.
End part 12
Days passed. The vacation ended and everyone started school again. There was no sign of danger anywhere but they all sustained a state of readiness. Maria maintained her silence on the missing two months, despite several attempts by the 7 teens, who were her friends, to find out.
These attempts ranged from threats to persuasion, guilt to bribery. Numerous dreamwalks were also tried. And failed. Maria didn't budge. Her evasions seemed to get stronger as time passed and she either avoided the constant questions completely or said that she would tell them when it was time. Her mother remained in the dark.
Once again, they were the talk of Roswell High. The strange combination of the 8 of them, the unusual pairing of the couples, the addition of Kyle and Tess – all of these made them interesting fodder for gossip. In some ways it was merely continuation of the talk that arose the previous year when a known loner rebel with his quiet serious best friend and the most beautiful girl in the school, a highly unusual trio joined an equally unusual trio consisting of a pretty brainy scientist, a cute wacky pixie and a geek.
The 6 of them had certainly caused some major uproars during that year. Max and Liz, 2 notable quiet serious students caught making out because they were too loud. Maria and Michael's entire relationship. The weirdness that caused the 'Elle McPhearson' of the school to date Alex, a self pronounced geek. The antagonism between the Max and the no.1 jock in school now mysteriously absent. Hell. That was a lot for one school to take even without the non-human status of some of the group's members.
This year the stakes had even risen further with Alex and Maria's band – the Whits, their popularity stakes had risen. Isabel had always been popular and Michael with his rebel with a cause look and attitude was the cause of many a crush. Max's bedroom eyes, Tess's perkiness, Kyle's jock status and Liz continued dreamgirl reputation didn't help. The things that attracted 8 such different people together and held fast in obvious firm friendships fascinated people whether it their sometimes clueless parents or fellow students.
For the 8 however, things had changed even if they were the only one's that knew it. Their friendships, despite the knocks that Destiny thrown at them still remained intact. A secret bound them all them together and that was bigger than all of them together. Their relationships, however were not as lucky.
It was ironic that Tess who had been the catalyst for the subsequent break-ups, had begun a somewhat tentative friendship with of all people – Kyle. And even more strange, Isabel and Alex whose relationship had been the newest had somehow survived. For the others, love the very thing that should have kept them together kept them apart, caused Liz to walk away and Michael to say goodbye.
Isabel herself found it weird that Michael was still keeping away from Maria. After the kiss that they had all witnessed she thought it was strange that they hadn't gotten back together yet. The same went for Max and Liz. It had been two months of separation and those months hadn't been easy on her brothers. Max was more withdrawn than ever, a combination of Liz and the torture that he suffered at the hands of Pierce and Michael's walls had grown taller and wider than ever before. He practised his powers constantly with Tess and had improved his focus and energy tenfold. Even if she and Tess were both almost convinced that Maria was the focus he used to improve. Maria had always brought out the best in him and even now, apart she was still his reason.
Isabel figured it was limited time before things got back to normal. Normal, being a relative term for them. Actually that was wrong – she just hoped things would get better. It was just a matter of who stronger and more stubborn. Michael or Maria. Liz or Max. One thing she was sure of, was that Max was persistent as hell and no one could out argue Maria. Just a matter of time. Just a matter of time.
End part 12