Michael was in his apartment pacing around with an apprehensive expression. "Something's not right," he said. "No aliens have shown up. It's been to quiet around here for too long. It's been over three months since Max went to the summit and pissed off those alien dudes. I'm telling you something's up but I'll be ready whenever it happens. It's killing me you know. Anticipating when and where they'll be next. I can't stand it."
"Gr...Michael, please. Don't do this to yourself. You're too worked up over n-o-t-h-i-n-g. Now get over here and sit down." Reluctantly he made his way over to Maria and sat down next to her. "Now breathe this," she said as she pulled out a bottle and took a deep breath, "it'll help calm you down." He did as he was told and put on a disgusted look.
"Yuck, it smells like crap," he said as he wrinkled his nose.
"Shut up! That's not true. Aromatherapy has to be taken seriously. Now be serious!" she said as she held the bottle up to him again. He took the bottle, lifted it to his face and squinted his eyes as if examining it. Then he tossed it out the window.
"Hey- that costs money you goon!"
"You know what would really make me happy? You..." he leaned closer to her and they began kissing.
*************************************************************
Liz Parker was making her rounds at the Crashdown, taking orders along with the dirty dishes. It was a quarter to eight. Even though she had started at six it felt like she had been there all night long. She wanted time to stop taking its time and hurry up. She still had to finish packing and do her homework. There was no way Maria would approve of Liz taking homework on the trip. Heck, there was no way Liz would allow herself to do it. Besides there wouldn't be enough time for her to finish it all when she returned.
As she wiped down the booth near the counter she heard the little bell connected to the front door jingle. She looked over her shoulder to see who had walked in and was glowing inside when she saw that it was Max followed by Michael and Isabel. They sat at their usual table in the back corner. Quickly Liz grabbed her order pad and made her way down to their booth. Isabel sat with her back facing Liz with the guys on the other side. "What'll it be tonight guys," she asked as they turned to her.
"The usual," Michael said slightly annoyed.
"Ditto," replied Max. The two quickly returned to their conversation. They seemed to be whispering intently on something. Isabel smiled slightly flustered.
"Can I talk to you for a sec?"
"Um sure."
The two girls walked over to the corner. "Um, have you noticed anything different with Max? I mean for the past couple of days he's been avoiding me and I don't know. I mean it's just not like him."
"Oh, um well I wouldn't know since we haven't talked to each other in a while. We're just sort of starting to talk to one another again. Lately, he hasn't said much to me ...about anything." Liz said looking down at the floor.
Great Job, Isabel! Just be the idiot you are and totally forget about the whole Romeo-Juliet breakup thing. Geez!! Look, it's bad enough you had to be the one to console Max through the whole heart-wrenching ordeal but at least she didn't. She stayed tough and didn't do the whole awkward thing. And what do you do? You gut punch her right in the sore spot. The recipient for the Horrible Friend of the Decade award goes to...Isabel Evans.
"Um...when we were in Bio he was about to ask me something... it seemed important I guess. But then the teacher interrupted him before he could tell me. Then when class ended he rushed out of school before I could ask him about it," Liz replied.
"Oh, right," she replied as she tuned in to reality. "It's just not like him, you know? Anyway I just thought it was worth asking. I don't know...maybe it's just me being the overprotective sister or something." Both girls smiled. "But thanks anyway." Isabel turned and walked out of the Crashdown leaving the two guys behind.
********************************************************
"Mom I told you a million times not to wear that shirt. It's not...mom-ish," said Maria as she watched her mom try on a tight black halter-top. She had been watching her try on several of her outfits for the past half hour. She hated the fact that her mom always managed to find and date all these creeps and always had to wear her clothes. Sometimes having a mom and daughter wear the same size is a curse she thought to herself.
"Mom-ish? Maria what are you talking about? I think it looks great on me!" replied her mom, as she looked herself in the mirror.
"I give up! If you don't want my opinion then why am I even here?" she said exasperated. "I mean it's not like you even listen to me. Take the blouse and the skirt but don't touch my perfume!" Maria left the room, flopped down on the couch in the living room and turned the TV on.
********************************************************
Ten o'clock- finally! It was closing time and Liz had never been happier! The restaurant was empty and all she had to was clean up. She bent over to pick up some ketchup packets that had fallen on the floor. She heard a knock on the door and glanced over. There was Max in his worn-out leather jacket. She got up and unlocked the door.
"Hi Max. Are you okay?" He looked nervously over his shoulder before entering the café.
"Liz, I wanted to ask you something. I meant to ask earlier but-"
They made their way over to one of the booths. "What is it, Max?"
"Um...have you gotten the feeling lately that someone's watching you? For the past week or so...I've felt that someone or something is. I didn't tell Michael, Isabel or Tess because I didn't want to upset them over something that could just be the created by my overactive imagination. But seriously, I don't know if it's just me or what."
"I knew there was something was bothering you."
"You did?" he asked surprised. Liz nodded her head.
"So did Isabel. I think you should tell her what's been happening. She's really concerned about you. I know that you're one of the most sensible guys that I know and if you think something fishy is going on, then it probably is. I mean after all that we've...well that you guys have been through I wouldn't be surprised. It'd probably be better if you talked to the others about this."
Rubbing his neck, "I will, thanks for listening Liz." The two of them walked towards the door. He turned to leave but hesitated a second. Without warning he bent over and kissed her. Caught off guard, Liz gave an awkward sigh. He wrapped his arms around her holding her as they kissed. At first, she was stunned and didn't know what to do but she let her mind go blank and savored their kiss.
God, it's been so long since I've held you, he thought. He traced the edge of her face with one hand while breathing in the sweet scent of her shampoo. As they pulled apart, she nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. In a low voice she asked, "What was that for?"
"For being you," and with that he turned away and walked off leaving a breathless Liz leaning against the door.
"Gr...Michael, please. Don't do this to yourself. You're too worked up over n-o-t-h-i-n-g. Now get over here and sit down." Reluctantly he made his way over to Maria and sat down next to her. "Now breathe this," she said as she pulled out a bottle and took a deep breath, "it'll help calm you down." He did as he was told and put on a disgusted look.
"Yuck, it smells like crap," he said as he wrinkled his nose.
"Shut up! That's not true. Aromatherapy has to be taken seriously. Now be serious!" she said as she held the bottle up to him again. He took the bottle, lifted it to his face and squinted his eyes as if examining it. Then he tossed it out the window.
"Hey- that costs money you goon!"
"You know what would really make me happy? You..." he leaned closer to her and they began kissing.
*************************************************************
Liz Parker was making her rounds at the Crashdown, taking orders along with the dirty dishes. It was a quarter to eight. Even though she had started at six it felt like she had been there all night long. She wanted time to stop taking its time and hurry up. She still had to finish packing and do her homework. There was no way Maria would approve of Liz taking homework on the trip. Heck, there was no way Liz would allow herself to do it. Besides there wouldn't be enough time for her to finish it all when she returned.
As she wiped down the booth near the counter she heard the little bell connected to the front door jingle. She looked over her shoulder to see who had walked in and was glowing inside when she saw that it was Max followed by Michael and Isabel. They sat at their usual table in the back corner. Quickly Liz grabbed her order pad and made her way down to their booth. Isabel sat with her back facing Liz with the guys on the other side. "What'll it be tonight guys," she asked as they turned to her.
"The usual," Michael said slightly annoyed.
"Ditto," replied Max. The two quickly returned to their conversation. They seemed to be whispering intently on something. Isabel smiled slightly flustered.
"Can I talk to you for a sec?"
"Um sure."
The two girls walked over to the corner. "Um, have you noticed anything different with Max? I mean for the past couple of days he's been avoiding me and I don't know. I mean it's just not like him."
"Oh, um well I wouldn't know since we haven't talked to each other in a while. We're just sort of starting to talk to one another again. Lately, he hasn't said much to me ...about anything." Liz said looking down at the floor.
Great Job, Isabel! Just be the idiot you are and totally forget about the whole Romeo-Juliet breakup thing. Geez!! Look, it's bad enough you had to be the one to console Max through the whole heart-wrenching ordeal but at least she didn't. She stayed tough and didn't do the whole awkward thing. And what do you do? You gut punch her right in the sore spot. The recipient for the Horrible Friend of the Decade award goes to...Isabel Evans.
"Um...when we were in Bio he was about to ask me something... it seemed important I guess. But then the teacher interrupted him before he could tell me. Then when class ended he rushed out of school before I could ask him about it," Liz replied.
"Oh, right," she replied as she tuned in to reality. "It's just not like him, you know? Anyway I just thought it was worth asking. I don't know...maybe it's just me being the overprotective sister or something." Both girls smiled. "But thanks anyway." Isabel turned and walked out of the Crashdown leaving the two guys behind.
********************************************************
"Mom I told you a million times not to wear that shirt. It's not...mom-ish," said Maria as she watched her mom try on a tight black halter-top. She had been watching her try on several of her outfits for the past half hour. She hated the fact that her mom always managed to find and date all these creeps and always had to wear her clothes. Sometimes having a mom and daughter wear the same size is a curse she thought to herself.
"Mom-ish? Maria what are you talking about? I think it looks great on me!" replied her mom, as she looked herself in the mirror.
"I give up! If you don't want my opinion then why am I even here?" she said exasperated. "I mean it's not like you even listen to me. Take the blouse and the skirt but don't touch my perfume!" Maria left the room, flopped down on the couch in the living room and turned the TV on.
********************************************************
Ten o'clock- finally! It was closing time and Liz had never been happier! The restaurant was empty and all she had to was clean up. She bent over to pick up some ketchup packets that had fallen on the floor. She heard a knock on the door and glanced over. There was Max in his worn-out leather jacket. She got up and unlocked the door.
"Hi Max. Are you okay?" He looked nervously over his shoulder before entering the café.
"Liz, I wanted to ask you something. I meant to ask earlier but-"
They made their way over to one of the booths. "What is it, Max?"
"Um...have you gotten the feeling lately that someone's watching you? For the past week or so...I've felt that someone or something is. I didn't tell Michael, Isabel or Tess because I didn't want to upset them over something that could just be the created by my overactive imagination. But seriously, I don't know if it's just me or what."
"I knew there was something was bothering you."
"You did?" he asked surprised. Liz nodded her head.
"So did Isabel. I think you should tell her what's been happening. She's really concerned about you. I know that you're one of the most sensible guys that I know and if you think something fishy is going on, then it probably is. I mean after all that we've...well that you guys have been through I wouldn't be surprised. It'd probably be better if you talked to the others about this."
Rubbing his neck, "I will, thanks for listening Liz." The two of them walked towards the door. He turned to leave but hesitated a second. Without warning he bent over and kissed her. Caught off guard, Liz gave an awkward sigh. He wrapped his arms around her holding her as they kissed. At first, she was stunned and didn't know what to do but she let her mind go blank and savored their kiss.
God, it's been so long since I've held you, he thought. He traced the edge of her face with one hand while breathing in the sweet scent of her shampoo. As they pulled apart, she nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. In a low voice she asked, "What was that for?"
"For being you," and with that he turned away and walked off leaving a breathless Liz leaning against the door.