Liz Parker flung her backpack behind the counter of the Crashdown Café, the alien theme restaurant her parents had owned for as long as she could remember. She was scheduled to work six grueling hours as manager on one of the hottest days of the summer and her first day of summer vacation.
Things hadn't been the same since the day almost two whole years ago when she'd died. She had been standing in the same spot as she was at this very moment and staring at the very booth she was staring at now. Her best friend, Maria DeLuca was serving customers and Max Evans was secretly watching her from his table. When the shot rang out, Maria was the first to her side. Quickly pushed away by Max Evans, Maria was sent to call an ambulance. Max had risked his life to save Liz. He'd used his alien powers to heal her wound.
Since then, the two had been nearly inseparable. They'd dated, been friends, dated, been friends, and dated again. Max had recently broken Liz's heart by falling for his evil alien bride, Tess Harding. Only when Kyle Valenti remembered that Tess had killed Alex Whitman, another friend of the group, did Max decide that Tess had to be sent back to their planet. In sending Tess back to their planet, Max was risking the life of their unborn son. Tess had been planning to deliver him, Max, Isabel, and Michael to Khivar, the enemy of Max.
The café was nearly empty as Liz wiped the counter and checked the cash register. Maria was due in any moment, but Liz wasn't expecting her to be on time, especially now that she and Michael were staying together. Liz went back to her backpack and pulled out her yearbook, flipping directly to the message Max had written her.
Dear Liz,
It's almost the three-year anniversary of us. Since that day (and you know exactly what I mean) I've fallen in love with you. I can't imagine a day where we are apart. When I look into your eyes, I feel at home. Next year is our senior year and another year to spend with each other. I'm sure I'll see you almost everyday over the summer. I love you, Liz Parker, from the very bottom of my heart.
Love,
Max Evans
Liz smiled as she ran her fingers over the message. 'Even his grammar is perfect.' Liz thought as she flipped to the next page where Maria, Kyle, Michael and Isabel had written their notes commemorating their junior year at West Roswell High School. She'd already read their messages, leaving Max's to read while she was alone. Maria had mentioned the Czechoslovakians (their old codename for the quartet of aliens) and their best friend Alex Whitman, who was now resting in peace. Liz felt tears sting her eyes as she flipped to page fifty. It had been used as a memorial page for Alex. Liz and Maria had gone through his things, choosing those that had meaning in is life and included them, as well as personal recollections of Alex from his fellow classmates. Liz glanced over the page, reading what she, Maria, Max, Isabel, Kyle, and several others had written about the boy who they had all lovingly elected Class Weirdo.
The bells above the entrance to the Crashdown jangled as someone entered. Liz glanced up to find Maria.
"So sorry!" Maria squealed as she shoved past Liz and into the backroom. Liz followed quickly behind. "Michael and I were in the middle of this totally intense…" Maria's mind began to wander as she thought back upon her and Michael's make-out session.
"Right." Liz laughed as Maria changed into her sea foam green uniform. "I'm sure it was much more important than serving alien-theme food to impatient tourists." She said, handing Maria her alien antennae.
"Remind me why you don't have to wear these things?" Maria asked as she and Liz walked back into the café. One look down at Liz's yearbook lying open on the counter brought tears to Maria's eyes.
"Oh, Maria." Liz said with a startle. She threw the book into her backpack as the tears began to flow down Maria's now rosy cheeks. "I'm sorry." Liz said, rushing to embrace her best friend. She could feel Maria's body tense up as she pulled back, wiping the tears off her face.
"No, I need to embrace my loss. I need to get through my pain. I must center." Maria said, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. Liz smiled as Maria opened her eyes again. "So where's Spaceboy?" She asked, referring to her quick-order chef boyfriend, Michael Guerin.
"Probably running late…perhaps for the same reason as you." Liz smiled, wiping the counter. The bells rang again as Michael entered.
"Alien meeting. You know how it is." He said, trying to cover up for himself and Maria. The two girls exchanged a smile as he went directly to the kitchen and fired up the grill.
Liz giggled as Maria followed him, knowing she shouldn't interrupt. One day her father was going to walk in on the couple and then they would be sorry. 'I don't think he'll appreciate them making out on top of his food counters.' She thought, checking the cash register. The café was silent as Liz went about her normal routine cleaning the tables, filling the napkin holders, etc. She finally got a chance to relax and made her way to her and Max's booth, where she reopened her yearbook and went back to reading Alex's memoirs.
Outside a flash of lightning and crack of thunder invaded the hot New Mexico afternoon. Liz took the lightning in stride. Heat rising always caused cracks of thunder and lightning, Roswell definitely had the heat. Several more bolts hit the small town in the next few minutes. Soon, only sunlight lit the small café. Liz stood up slowly and went back to the circuit breaker. None of the circuits were blown. 'Must have hit the Power Company.' Liz thought as she went back into the café to rejoin her yearbook.
The lights fluttered back on as Liz opened her yearbook again. She began flipping toward the center of the book when the bells rang again.
"Oh. My. God. Liz." Maria said, entering the Crashdown from the street. She was wearing her school clothes again, Liz noticed in confusion. "You'll never believe what Alex just told me!" Maria squealed, sliding across from Liz in the booth. Maria hardly gave Liz a chance to breathe before continuing her story. "We're playing the Red Planet! You know that new club! Can you believe it? The Whits! At Red Planet!" Maria said, her eyes wide with excitement. Liz tried to decipher what she was hearing.
"Maria, are you having like a relapse or something?" She asked, wondering if Alex's death had been too much for the girl to bear. "Alex can't be playing the Red Planet this weekend." She stressed as she heard the bells ring behind her. Liz turned expecting to see Max entering to join her for their nightly study session. Instead her best friend, her dead best friend, Alex Whitman strolled casually toward the booth with a massive smile upon his face. Liz quickly stood up from the seat, backing away from Alex quickly.
"What? Did I forget to put deodorant on this morning?" Alex quipped, sniffing his underarms. Maria giggled. Liz's face went white. "Liz, seriously, what's wrong?" Alex asked, taking a step toward her, Maria joining him.
"You're…" Liz paused to think rationally. Not a rational thought came to mind. "You're playing Red Planet!" She said, forcing a smile to cover her shock. How could she tell her two best friends that one of them was dead, even though the dead one was standing right there?
Several tourists entered the café, saving Liz from much more confusion. Maria ran to the backroom to change into her uniform as Liz went to seat the party. As Maria went to take the orders Liz went into the backroom and sat on the couch.
"There must be some logical explanation. Like I was sleeping or something. Or I am sleeping. Because Alex is dead, right?" She thought aloud.
"Liz." She jumped at the sound of Michael's voice from the doorway to the kitchen. "What the hell are you talking about?" He asked, tossing a towel over his shoulder.
Liz stood up quickly. "Michael, have you noticed anything weird about today?" She asked, taking a few steps toward him. "I mean, people suddenly appearing that you thought were gone?" She interrogated Michael.
"Parker, what are you talking about?" Michael shook his head. He and Liz had hardly spoken more than three words to each other.
"Alex." Liz whispered. "Alex was dead ten minutes ago, before the blackout and now he's sitting in a booth drinking a Martian Temple and eating unidentified frying objects." Liz continued to whisper.
"Okay, you've lost it." Michael said. "Alex was never dead and there was no black out." He said turning around to go back into the kitchen. "I think you need to get some sleep."
Liz sighed as she turned back to the couch. "Maybe I will go upstairs and take a nap..." She said, walking up the stairs to her room.