Tess walked up to her locker, number 689. Then she noticed who was on
her right side. Liz Parker. Public enemy #1, and possessor of Max's
heart. She didn't want to start the year off on the wrong foot, though, so when Liz looked over, she gave her a small smile. She wasn't really good with friendly smiles, but she tried her best.
Liz's expression turned sour and she immediately turned back to putting her notebooks away.
Great. Just perfect. This was what she got for trying to be nice?
She heard footsteps behind her, and turned around. Instantly, her heart started pumping blood three times faster than before. It was Max.
But he wasn't looking at her. His eyes were focused on Liz, and he grabbed her arm.
Liz spun around. "Max!" she gasped softly.
Tess turned back around. This conversation was none of her business, no matter how much it affected her.
"Liz," Max said in a voice that made Tess cringe. "I...can we... Dammit, I don't know how to say it. Uh. I was thinking. Destiny-"
"Max," Liz interrupted him. "I know. I understand. You have your destiny."
"I don't care. The only thing I care about is being with you. Really," Max assured her, and Tess felt an anger surge through her body.
Liz lowered her voice, but, whether purposely or accidentaly, didn't lower it enough for Tess not to hear what she said. "But what about Tess?"
As if she weren't right there, listening to every word that they were saying.
Max's voice was lowered, too. At least he had *some* sense of sensitivity in him. "She doesn't mean a thing to me."
Tess felt a prickly, warm feeling in the back of her eyes, and her throat dried up. She willed herself not to cry. She didn't cry. She was Tess Harding, the beautiful, self-assured girl with amazing powers. Not cry-baby, small-towned Liz Parker. If she even got tears in her eyes, she'd never, ever forgive herself.
She stared at the back of her locker for a few seconds until she'd gotten control of herself. And suddenly she was angry. Not that she could actually do anything about it. One of her main principles was self-control. Almost as important as not crying was not losing her temper. So she settled for slamming her locker door closed.
Neither Max nor Liz noticed. They were too busy with their make-out session. Tess groaned in disgust and continued on her way to class.
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Tess paid for her pizza and looked around the quad. She saw groups of people who would probably love to have her join them, but she wasn't in the mood to be hit on.
Speaking of which, she thought as Kyle Valenti started walking up. As soon as he saw her, though, he looked the other way and started walking to a table.
She shouldn't have been suprised. Kyle had stopped talking to them as soon as he'd found out what they were. There was no way he would tell anybody, but he stayed away from them like they were the plague--even the humans. Max had thought that he might have had some questions for Liz, considering their history, but Kyle seemed just as afraid of Liz as of Max.
She couldn't stand there forever. She picked a direction and walked along. Until she saw Them sitting at a table.
Michael looked up. "Tess. Hey." He motioned for her to come sit down. The only empty seat was next to Max and Liz (who was sitting on his lap), and Liz gave her a look that clearly said 'Back Off,' while kissing Max on the jaw. Tess glared and sat down right next to them, just to spite her.
Nobody else acknowledged her precense, but she wasn't looking for acceptance. She knew it was too late for that. All she wanted right now was a place to eat lunch. Maybe one day she would find her own group of friends, considering this group was full.
"So I have Mr. Joels for History," Maria was telling Liz. Tess was in that class too, but she didn't volunteer the information. If Maria didn't value her enough as one of them, she wasn't going to stick her neck out. "He's SO cool."
Michael smirked. "That bore?" Apparently, he had the same history teacher.
Maria ignored him. "He walks in, and even before he takes attendance, he tells us about how he used to live in Greece and Rome and all those places we're studying. And he tells us these really cool stories-"
"None of which probably happened," Michael cut in, grinning.
"All of which probably happened," Maria continued, "and he even used to own his own cruise ship--what was it again?"
"The Jolly Green Giant," Michael answered, and Maria slapped him playfully.
"The Little Giant," Tess volunteered. She'd been on it once, four or five years ago. Nasedo had taken her on a trip to Europe, as a reward for something or other that she'd done well. She'd always been fascinated by Europe.
At the sound of her voice, all conversation stopped. Everyone just stared at her, except Michael, who was still smirking at Maria. One person broke the trance."Did somebody ask you?" Liz asked, frigid.
Tess grew hot. She had herself barely under control. One more word from Liz, and she'd start using her powers. So instead, she turned bitch. "I'm sorry, PRINCESS," she snapped, sarcasm dripping like water as she stood up. "I didn't realize that the agreement I signed when coming to sit here required me to shut up at all times." And before anyone could stop her, she picked up her tray of pizza, threw it in Liz's face, and walked into the building.
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Maria stopped by Liz's locker before fifth period. Tess looked around for the Wuss Queen herself, but she was nowhere to be found. Probably in the eraser room with Prince Charming. Tess almost gagged at the thought.
Maria started to open Liz's locker. "You know, you embarassed Liz in front of the whole school."
She didn't answer. Didn't Maria know that had been what she'd been trying to do?
"And you ruined her favorite shirt," Maria continued. Good for her. Like she cared?
"She couldn't face you, so she sent me. She's in the bathroom, crying her eyes out," Maria went on, almost as if Tess weren't there and she were talking to herself.
Tess almost smiled. That wuss. That good-for-nothing, weak vermin wuss. "The bathroom near the eraser room," Maria added. "In case you wanted to apologize."
Something inside of Tess blew. She whirled around, steam practically coming from her ears. "Me?!? Apologize to HER?!?" She lowered her voice, but didn't soften it. "Listen, DeLuca. Liz has more to apologize to me for than you'll ever know--and not just that catty thing at lunch. So don't butt into what you don't understand."
Maria didn't flinch, and Tess had to hand it to her. "You know, I don't hate you." Sure she didn't. "I should, because I'm Liz's best friend and you've been a bitch to her since you've got here. But I'm trying to give you a chance." How sweet of her. "You're not helping, though."
"I didn't realize I had to," Tess replied dryly. She didn't need this. Maria didn't want to be friends with her. She wanted her to prove that she wasn't somebody she was. She couldn't change that she believed in their destiny. It was part of who she was. Like her blond hair. Or her lavender aura.
Maria scowled. "You know, if I were you, the last thing I'd be looking for is more rejection. Max, Liz, and Alex already hate you, and I don't know about Isabel, but I might be headed that way, too. I'd hate to see you with only one friend."
Right. Like she cared what Loudmouth DeLuca thought of her. "I don't understand why the six of you think that you are the only choices for friends. Just because I'm an alien doesn't mean I can't have human friends who don't know. Maybe Isabel has given up her social life and will never hang out with the popular crowd again, but it only leaves room for me. And I am going to take that vacant spot in the social ladder no matter who I have to take down for it."
Maria's eyes flashed. "Well. As long as you have your priorities straight."
Tess almost smiled, but instead got out her French book and turned to go. "You might want to mention something about priorities to your good friend Max. Something about saving his species or so."
Maria was silent until Tess started walking away. Then she called, "Good luck with the popularity thing," whether sarcastically or not.
Tess spun halfway around, flashed a grin, and continued walking.
Liz's expression turned sour and she immediately turned back to putting her notebooks away.
Great. Just perfect. This was what she got for trying to be nice?
She heard footsteps behind her, and turned around. Instantly, her heart started pumping blood three times faster than before. It was Max.
But he wasn't looking at her. His eyes were focused on Liz, and he grabbed her arm.
Liz spun around. "Max!" she gasped softly.
Tess turned back around. This conversation was none of her business, no matter how much it affected her.
"Liz," Max said in a voice that made Tess cringe. "I...can we... Dammit, I don't know how to say it. Uh. I was thinking. Destiny-"
"Max," Liz interrupted him. "I know. I understand. You have your destiny."
"I don't care. The only thing I care about is being with you. Really," Max assured her, and Tess felt an anger surge through her body.
Liz lowered her voice, but, whether purposely or accidentaly, didn't lower it enough for Tess not to hear what she said. "But what about Tess?"
As if she weren't right there, listening to every word that they were saying.
Max's voice was lowered, too. At least he had *some* sense of sensitivity in him. "She doesn't mean a thing to me."
Tess felt a prickly, warm feeling in the back of her eyes, and her throat dried up. She willed herself not to cry. She didn't cry. She was Tess Harding, the beautiful, self-assured girl with amazing powers. Not cry-baby, small-towned Liz Parker. If she even got tears in her eyes, she'd never, ever forgive herself.
She stared at the back of her locker for a few seconds until she'd gotten control of herself. And suddenly she was angry. Not that she could actually do anything about it. One of her main principles was self-control. Almost as important as not crying was not losing her temper. So she settled for slamming her locker door closed.
Neither Max nor Liz noticed. They were too busy with their make-out session. Tess groaned in disgust and continued on her way to class.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Tess paid for her pizza and looked around the quad. She saw groups of people who would probably love to have her join them, but she wasn't in the mood to be hit on.
Speaking of which, she thought as Kyle Valenti started walking up. As soon as he saw her, though, he looked the other way and started walking to a table.
She shouldn't have been suprised. Kyle had stopped talking to them as soon as he'd found out what they were. There was no way he would tell anybody, but he stayed away from them like they were the plague--even the humans. Max had thought that he might have had some questions for Liz, considering their history, but Kyle seemed just as afraid of Liz as of Max.
She couldn't stand there forever. She picked a direction and walked along. Until she saw Them sitting at a table.
Michael looked up. "Tess. Hey." He motioned for her to come sit down. The only empty seat was next to Max and Liz (who was sitting on his lap), and Liz gave her a look that clearly said 'Back Off,' while kissing Max on the jaw. Tess glared and sat down right next to them, just to spite her.
Nobody else acknowledged her precense, but she wasn't looking for acceptance. She knew it was too late for that. All she wanted right now was a place to eat lunch. Maybe one day she would find her own group of friends, considering this group was full.
"So I have Mr. Joels for History," Maria was telling Liz. Tess was in that class too, but she didn't volunteer the information. If Maria didn't value her enough as one of them, she wasn't going to stick her neck out. "He's SO cool."
Michael smirked. "That bore?" Apparently, he had the same history teacher.
Maria ignored him. "He walks in, and even before he takes attendance, he tells us about how he used to live in Greece and Rome and all those places we're studying. And he tells us these really cool stories-"
"None of which probably happened," Michael cut in, grinning.
"All of which probably happened," Maria continued, "and he even used to own his own cruise ship--what was it again?"
"The Jolly Green Giant," Michael answered, and Maria slapped him playfully.
"The Little Giant," Tess volunteered. She'd been on it once, four or five years ago. Nasedo had taken her on a trip to Europe, as a reward for something or other that she'd done well. She'd always been fascinated by Europe.
At the sound of her voice, all conversation stopped. Everyone just stared at her, except Michael, who was still smirking at Maria. One person broke the trance."Did somebody ask you?" Liz asked, frigid.
Tess grew hot. She had herself barely under control. One more word from Liz, and she'd start using her powers. So instead, she turned bitch. "I'm sorry, PRINCESS," she snapped, sarcasm dripping like water as she stood up. "I didn't realize that the agreement I signed when coming to sit here required me to shut up at all times." And before anyone could stop her, she picked up her tray of pizza, threw it in Liz's face, and walked into the building.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Maria stopped by Liz's locker before fifth period. Tess looked around for the Wuss Queen herself, but she was nowhere to be found. Probably in the eraser room with Prince Charming. Tess almost gagged at the thought.
Maria started to open Liz's locker. "You know, you embarassed Liz in front of the whole school."
She didn't answer. Didn't Maria know that had been what she'd been trying to do?
"And you ruined her favorite shirt," Maria continued. Good for her. Like she cared?
"She couldn't face you, so she sent me. She's in the bathroom, crying her eyes out," Maria went on, almost as if Tess weren't there and she were talking to herself.
Tess almost smiled. That wuss. That good-for-nothing, weak vermin wuss. "The bathroom near the eraser room," Maria added. "In case you wanted to apologize."
Something inside of Tess blew. She whirled around, steam practically coming from her ears. "Me?!? Apologize to HER?!?" She lowered her voice, but didn't soften it. "Listen, DeLuca. Liz has more to apologize to me for than you'll ever know--and not just that catty thing at lunch. So don't butt into what you don't understand."
Maria didn't flinch, and Tess had to hand it to her. "You know, I don't hate you." Sure she didn't. "I should, because I'm Liz's best friend and you've been a bitch to her since you've got here. But I'm trying to give you a chance." How sweet of her. "You're not helping, though."
"I didn't realize I had to," Tess replied dryly. She didn't need this. Maria didn't want to be friends with her. She wanted her to prove that she wasn't somebody she was. She couldn't change that she believed in their destiny. It was part of who she was. Like her blond hair. Or her lavender aura.
Maria scowled. "You know, if I were you, the last thing I'd be looking for is more rejection. Max, Liz, and Alex already hate you, and I don't know about Isabel, but I might be headed that way, too. I'd hate to see you with only one friend."
Right. Like she cared what Loudmouth DeLuca thought of her. "I don't understand why the six of you think that you are the only choices for friends. Just because I'm an alien doesn't mean I can't have human friends who don't know. Maybe Isabel has given up her social life and will never hang out with the popular crowd again, but it only leaves room for me. And I am going to take that vacant spot in the social ladder no matter who I have to take down for it."
Maria's eyes flashed. "Well. As long as you have your priorities straight."
Tess almost smiled, but instead got out her French book and turned to go. "You might want to mention something about priorities to your good friend Max. Something about saving his species or so."
Maria was silent until Tess started walking away. Then she called, "Good luck with the popularity thing," whether sarcastically or not.
Tess spun halfway around, flashed a grin, and continued walking.
