PART 2
***
"It hurts me that the people do not know me. It hurts me that I do not know the people."
-Konfucius-
***
Liz barely had time to recover from the shock of Max dragging her into the music room before he spoke to her.
"I need some answers," he said, walking towards her and causing her to back away.
"A-answers?" she stammered, very well aware of what he was talking about.
"Answers." His voice was firm, and it amazed him, considering the turmoil of emotions rumbling around inside of him. They were both so caught up in each other that they didn't notice Michael sneak in and hide behind a folding wall. The second he snuck into the room he had decided on eavesdropping instead of directly confronting the two, that way he'd better find out what was really going on.
"I... I don't really think that I know what you're, what you're talking about, Max." Liz was the worst liar, and she knew it, but she had to play innocent as long as she could.
"Oh yeah?" Max raised an eyebrow at her. "Well, I think you know very well what I'm talking about."
"I... I don't think I do." Liz looked away, very uncomfortable with the whole situation. When she turned her eyes back to Max, she found him standing there, his shirt drawn up over his chest. She didn't have time to feel embarrassed by this sudden exposure of skin, because gleaming back at her from his chest was a silver handprint. She gasped. This was totally unexpected. Unaware of her actions, she slowly drew closer, eyes fixed intently on the handprint. Three feet away from him she stopped and stared in awe at the mark her hand had made on his chest.
"Oh my God..." she breathed. Max slowly and somewhat bashfully pulled his shirt back down and she lifted her head to look up at him. His face was solemn and confused and in that moment she knew she had to tell him.
"Max," she began, then quieted herself, afraid she'd regret it. But after a few moments of consideration, she went on. "Max, I didn't know that... that the, uh, the handprint thing would appear like that." He didn't speak so she continued. "I guess I wasn't really sure of what I was doing."
She made a pause and studied his face, seeing all the questions lurking behind those amazing eyes of his. Who was she? What had she done to him? What did it mean?
"Max, I have to explain..."
"Who are you?"
"Who I am?" She sounded a bit shocked at his question.
"What did you do to me? What does this mean, Liz?" he said, indicating the handprint. She smiled to herself, hearing the questions she'd already seen coming.
"Who are you?" He repeated, not having noticed her smile.
She swallowed hard and looked down at the ground before speaking. "I'm... I'm not from around here, Max."
"So where are you from?"
"Well, a place... a place very different from this."
"What place? Is it foreign?"
"It's... it's very far away, that's all I know."
"You don't know where you come from?"
"Not originally, no. See, I came here... I came here very long ago..."
"I know that, Liz. We've been in school together since third grade."
"Yeah, uh, yeah, that's... right. But the thing is, where I come from... it's... I'm not sure if you'll understand. See..."
"Why wouldn't I understand?"
"Well, because... because it might sound amazing and, and unbelievable..."
"Come on, Liz, just tell me!"
Liz took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
"Look, Max... where I come from..." She paused and opened her eyes, looking back up at him. Slowly she raised her hand and pointed upwards.
"I come from up there," she whispered, almost as if she didn't believe it herself. He looked at her questioningly, his brow furrowed.
"From up where?" he said lowly.
She pointed even further up.
"Up there," she said.
***
Sheriff Valenti looked up at the two tourists and let out an exasperated sigh.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Landers, but I can not do anything about this unless you give me something more to work with," he said, for what felt like the tenth time.
The eccentric looking man leaned closer. "But I'm telling you, sheriff, the girl... she did something. I swear! And I'm willing to testify, if necessary."
"Testify to what? That she saved his life?" The sheriff was growing more and more frustrated.
"No, testify to that there's something strange and weird about her."
Valenti rose from his chair. "Mr Landers, there's something strange and weird about everyone." With this he walked towards the door, indicating that he wanted them to leave.
"But sheriff! You have to listen to me! The girl did something to him, and suddenly he was miraculously healed! What do you make of that?"
"I don't know, that she's got some Indian blood flowing in her veins?" Valenti tried hard not to sound too sarcastic.
The man shook his head. "No, no, I'm telling you, she's different. As in not from around here. As in..."
"Larry?" The man's female companion interrupted his speech. "I think it's time for us to leave."
"But I have to..."
"You have to get something to drink, that's what you've got to do. You're not used to the blazing desert sun."
With that she dragged her partner to the door by the elbow, and Valenti gave her a thankful smile as they left. He closed the door behind them and sat down again. If he would've had to listen to another minute of that kook and his extra terrestrial blabbering, he would surely have done something harmful and highly illegal. The man was crazy, going on about alien life and secret powers.
He picked up the report from the shooting at the café and studied it thoughtfully. There was something very strange about it, he had to admit. Not that he for a moment believed that there had been something supernatural about it, but Liz Parker had done something to the boy and he was going to find out what.
***
Max walked up to the door at a quick pace. He placed his hand on the doorknob and was about to open the door when Liz came rushing up to him and stopped him.
"Max! Don't leave!"
He turned to face her, and suddenly he looked angry.
"Liz, every single bit of respect I've ever had for you, is now totally blown away."
He was about to open the door again, but Liz grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back. Then she placed herself in front of the door, making it unable for him to get out.
"Max, you can't leave."
"You're crazy!" Max exclaimed. "You're insane! I can't stay here anymore! Did you... did you honestly think I'd buy all that? Huh? Do you think I'm stupid?"
"Max, you have to believe me..."
"Liz, you're talking about aliens!!! You're telling me you're an alien!"
"Okay, just calm down..."
"Calm down???" Max was so worked up he was practically shaking. "Calm down? You want me to calm down when you're standing here, trying to tell me... trying to tell me... what is it you're trying to tell me, actually?"
"Max, all I told you was true. Every single word. I'm not making it up!"
"You're telling me you're an alien, Liz! An alien! As in something slimy and gross and taken from a Sigourney Weaver movie! An alien!"
Liz opened her mouth to say something, but he wasn't finished.
"So are there any more? Is it only you or do you have... companions? Best ET buds?"
Liz didn't answer, she looked down, and Max only had to study her face to know the answer.
"Maria," he said hoarsely. Liz nodded. "Alex?" he asked. She nodded again. He shook his head. "You're insane," he said.
"I'm telling the truth!"
"You're disturbed. Mentally challenged. You should be locked up."
Liz tried to ignore the hurt his words caused her. "Max, I'm telling you this because I trust you. You have to believe me!"
She looked at him, frustrated. He looked back at her, breathing hard from the shock and bewilderment of this sudden revelation. Then suddenly he lunged at her, attempting to get her away from the door. When he was about two feet away from her, he found himself being thrown back by an invisible force, causing him to fall flat on his back on the floor. Liz called out, running up to him to make sure he was okay.
"Max! Oh my God, Max! God, are you... are you okay?"
She studied him, worried. He opened his eyes and looked up at her, and now the anger and confusion in his eyes was replaced by pure amazement.
"It's true..." he whispered, staring at her in awe. She nodded, and suddenly she felt like she was going to cry. As her face crumpled up she stroked his cheek, whispering: "Please don't tell anyone, Max. Please don't."
Then she rose and sneaked out of the room, giving him one last glance before she left. Max laid on the floor, his head spinning. Somehow he managed to get up on his feet, and he stood there for some time, shivering and swaying, emotions flying around inside of him like a whirlwind. He couldn't believe it, and yet he completely could. But it stabbed at his heart like a dagger, time after time. Everything he'd ever believed in, everything he'd ever known... everything he'd ever loved. This wasn't how it should be. `Then how come it feels like the only thing that's ever been really right?´ he thought to himself, and the memory of Liz's hand brushing against his cheek caused him to smile. It almost seemed meant to be, and it was definitely what he wanted.
"Well, what do we make of all that?"
Max spun around in time to see Michael emerge from behind the folding screen.
*****
As Max entered the Crashdown along with Michael, it seemed like a completely different place. When he looked around at the strange creatures and weird interior, he just couldn't see it the way he had before. Now it was different. Sort of eerie. And more real.
They took a booth and each grabbed a menu. There was tension between them. Michael studied his menu.
"Ironic," he muttered. Max glanced up at him. "What?"
Michael smirked and waved his hand over the menu. "You know what I mean."
Max didn't answer. He thought it was ironic too. And he couldn't possibly understand how Liz could bear living in these surroundings, constantly reminded of her own being. He didn't think that he would've been able to cope, if it would've been him. He would've cracked.
"May I take your orders?"
They both looked up. Maria was standing by their table, tapping with her pen on the pad. Max smiled nervously at her and mumbled his orders. He wondered if she knew. That they knew. It didn't seem like it, she was being her usual, indifferent self.
Michael ordered, not for a second giving away what he knew. But when she'd written it down, and was about to leave, he spoke.
"Nice scenery you've got going here."
Max could've kicked him. He should've known that Michael would try and pull something like this. Maria raised an eyebrow at him, not quiet understanding.
"Thanks," she said. "I'm delighted you felt the urge to let us have an insight in your eye for interior design."
She walked off. Max glared at Michael. "Was that necessary?" he hissed. Michael just shrugged. They sat in silence 'til Maria returned with their orders.
"Here you go," she said. "Pay at the counter on the way out."
She placed the plates in front of them. Michael studied her.
"Oh, it came out of the sky, landed just a little south of Moline, Jody fell out of his tractor, couldn't b'lieve what he seen, laid on the ground and shook, fearin' for his life,
then he ran all the way to town screamin' "It Came Out Of The Sky."", he said, not taking his eyes off her.
Max froze, but Maria didn't even flinch. She handed them their forks and knives.
"Creedence Clearwater Revival," she said. "Although, not one of their best in my opinion, but I should've known you'd have bad taste in music."
Michael was truly surprised. He'd said it to get her out of balance, to get some sort of reaction out of her, but instead she now stood here and was making him look a fool. So he decided to keep on talking.
"You like Creedence?" he asked.
Maria made a face. "A bit too much country for me," she said. "But my mom – biggest Fogerty-fan. I've heard my share. Enjoy your meal."
With that she walked off. Max looked at Michael, amused over the fact that someone had managed to dumbfound his friend. Michael stared after her, before grumpily picking up a French fry and beginning his meal. Max smiled to himself. His gaze drifted to the counter, where Maria was talking to Liz. Max couldn't help but stare at her.
Liz carefully glanced at him and for a moment their eyes met. Max thought he could make out a tiny smile before she looked back at Maria.
Max turned back to the boy sitting opposite him.
"Have you seen Isabel today?" he asked.
Michael shook his head. "Nope. I guess she got selected to that girls group."
"Yeah. I guess." Max didn't know what to say next. He wanted to talk about the events of the day, he really did, but he just couldn't work up the nerve. And he certainly didn't know how to strike up a conversation about aliens.
"So..." he said. "Have you written your English essay yet? I'm not really done with mine."
Michael looked up at him, pausing in his eating.
"Max, I know you really wanna talk about the alien thing, so just say so."
"Michael!" His friend had been talking way too loud.
"What? What's the problem? You know about it, I know about it, so now let's just talk about it."
Max swallowed hard. He didn't know what to say. Michael sighed. "Okay, fine, if you're not gonna start, then I will." He took a sip of his Coke, then placed it on the table again, smacked his lips and started working on his fries. "I'm sort of in shock, I think. Or not in shock, more like... More like extremely in denial."
"What do you mean?" Max asked.
Michael looked up at him again. "I don't believe in aliens. Never have. And I don't now, either. But I know they exist. So I believe in them, but still not. You know?"
Max shook his head. "Not really."
"Yeah, okay, well you're probably all confused, and I see that. I mean, it's this girl you really like, although I've always voted you forget about her, and now you find out she's not at all who you've always thought she was. In fact, she's not even human. Of course you're upset. Of course you're confused. I understand that. I, on the other hand, haven't lost anything. No shattered illusions for me. But I've gained this creepy secret which, to be honest, I'm not sure I can keep, and I've gained some increased irritation towards a certain person, no, sorry, creature in this diner, whom I'm probably going to have to spend a lot of time with in the future, considering my newfound information."
He finished his last French fry. "That's pretty much how I feel."
Max didn't find any good answer to his friend's long statement, so he just sat in silence and ate, while Michael started reading a magazine. When he was finished they, as if on cue, both rose and walked over to the cashier. Maria waited for them there. She smiled sweetly at Max, until she saw the amount of money he handed over. She furrowed her brow.
"Um, I'm sorry, but I think you've made a mistake," she said.
"What?" Max asked distractedly. He'd been watching Liz take orders.
"You didn't tip me."
Max looked at her, surprised. "Well," he said. "I'm really sorry, but that's all I've got."
Maria just stared back at him, annoyed. Michael looked at her. "'Well come on baby, leave some change behind, she was a bitch but I don't care, she brought our food out on time, and wore a funky barrette in her hair'," he said. She looked at him.
"Live, "Waitress"," she said. "Better than the last one you quoted, I must say." Then she turned back to Max, who'd been digging around in his pockets, and he handed her a couple of quarters. "That's all I've got," he said apologetically, and she once again smiled sweetly at him. Michael narrowed his eyes at her and she smirked back.
"What a total loser chick," Michael said, disgusted, as they exited the diner. Max smiled, shaking his head.
"You're hopeless," he stated.
"What?!"
"The only reason you said that was because she knew which song you were quoting, and you didn't count on it, so she got the upper hand and you got pissed. So typically you. Maria's okay."
"Maria's an alien."
Max stopped dead in his tracks.
"Stop saying that."
"Saying what?"
"That! Stop saying it like that! As if you're totally indifferent, as if you couldn't care less."
"What?! What do you mean?"
"You're trying to convince me, Michael, that you don't care about all this shit. That you don't care about who they are."
Michael stared blankly at him. "You should go home," he said. "Go home and sleep. Unwire. You're a bundle of nerves."
"God, stop being so... so enervating!" Max was practically yelling.
Michael shook his head. "Go home and sleep. You're getting pathetic."
With that he walked off, leaving Max on the street. Max stared after him, then he started making his way home.
*****
"Really, there's not that much to say."
Maria sounded annoyingly indifferent. Liz walked up to her.
"He didn't say anything? Nothing about me?"
Maria shook her head. "But, I mean, it was mostly that loser friend of his who spoke. Such a chauvinist pig. Hate him already."
Liz's heart sank. Max hadn't said anything about her.
"But, I mean, he didn't look as if he was going to go speak to Valenti or someone," Maria said. "He pretty much looked as if he didn't know a life-threatening secret. Which is good, right?"
Liz shrugged, feeling miserable.
"Hey girls, having a party?" Alex placed himself at the counter. Liz muttered something at him, before walking off to deliver milkshakes. Alex raised his eyebrows after her.
"Woke up on the wrong side of the world, did she?"
Maria made a face. "She told Max today. Apparently it was totally traumatic, I mean emotionally. She's a wreck."
"So I see. How did he take it?"
"I think he's still in denial. Or he's taking it really well and is already over it. Hard to tell."
"Well, we'll just have to make sure he doesn't tell anyone, won't we?"
"Yeah, plus make sure Liz doesn't crack and dissolve into a zillion particles of misery."
Alex nodded and glanced over his shoulder just in time to see Isabel stride in with a bunch of giggling friends. Maria grunted. "Wow, I can't believe it, my idol has entered the building," she said sarcastically.
"God, Maria, why don't you just give her a break, for once?" Alex said with a silly smile.
"Oh, please don't tell me you still have a soft spot for her?" Maria whined. "You have got to be kidding me!"
"Look, I just think that, you know, that there's more to Isabel Evans than she lets the world know."
Maria smirked. "Heartbreaking," she said. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll have to go take Turbo Bitch's orders."
She walked up to the giggling girl gang, poising her pen.
"What will it be?" she said, trying to sound nonchalant. Isabel looked up.
"Well, look at that," she said. "If it isn't miss DeLuca. Love your outfit. You've got such taste."
"Ditto," Maria said. "Love your style. Very street. As in "selling yourself"."
Isabel smirked at her. "We'll have milkshakes." She said. She appeared to think hard before adding, "And, by the way, at least I don't work in a diner."
Maria smiled sweetly. "I'll give you time to work on your comebacks 'til I arrive with your orders. Thank you for choosing the Crashdown."
Not giving Isabel any time to answer her, Maria left the table and walked back up to Alex. He looked eagerly at her.
"So...?" he said.
Maria looked at him. "So, Isabel and I started talking and suddenly realized we have so much in common, that we oughta spend some quality time together, so that we can really bond, you know? She's such a sweet little lady."
Alex shrugged. "I still think she's different," he said.
Maria shook her head. "I should have you both locked up, you and Liz." With that she left Alex at the counter and went out in the back.
*****
The minute Liz entered her room after finishing her shift, the phone rang. She furrowed her brow, wondering who could be calling, considering the fact that Maria was still on duty downstairs and Alex was with her. And it was pretty much only from these two people that she received any calls.
"Hello...?" she said uncertainly after lifting the receiver. No one answered. She grew worried. Worried that someone was playing a practical joke on her. Or worse. Maybe Max had told someone. Maybe someone was calling, just to check if she was home. Maybe they were coming to get her...
Her panicked thoughts came to an end as the person on the other end of the line spoke.
"Liz?" Liz's heart skipped a beat.
"Max," she breathed, swallowing hard.
He cleared his throat.
"Liz, I think we should talk. About, about stuff."
She nodded, then remembered that she was on the phone. "Yes," she croaked.
"Can you meet me outside the library in fifteen minutes? Maybe we can go for a walk."
"Okay." Liz was aware of her few words, but if she spoke more than two words at a time she was afraid her voice would crack.
"Okay, I'll see you there?" he said, sounding concerned that she might not come.
"Yep. See you there." With that she hung up, not saying goodbye. She had to get to the library.
Her heart racing, she rushed downstairs, past Maria and Alex's confused faces and out into the night.
*****
Maria yawned widely as she wiped off the counters. It was past ten o'clock and she was in for a rough day at school tomorrow, what with all the bound-to-be pop quizzes and further homework assignments that were lurking around the corner. Right now she just felt she had to get home, literally throw herself into bed and then sleep herself senseless so that she was ready for the new day when she woke up tomorrow morning. "Lucky for me that everybody considered this their night to end early," she thought with a frown. Liz had just disappeared, her parents didn't know where she'd gone off to, she'd only said something about them not having to wait up.
Maria sighed. Right now life was a piece of crap, what with Max finding out about them and all, and it didn't seem as if anything was going to make her feel better.
There was a sudden knock on the front door and Maria's heart took a leap. Her pulse racing, she slowly approached the door, and lifting the blinds half an inch, she peeked outside.
She could've hit something. Narrowing her eyes and clenching her teeth she unlocked the door to address the person outside.
"What the hell are you doing here?" she hissed.
"And hello to you," Michael said flatly. Maria shook her head.
"Answer my question."
Michael shrugged. "The fact that I just felt the sudden urge to get to enjoy the pleasance of your company isn't enough a reason?"
"Save the bullshit. What do you want?"
"A night cap?"
"I'll give you a night *slap* if you don't get to the point within ten seconds, and please make it quick, 'cause I'm about to go home and sleep away from the world and creeps like you."
Michael paused. Then he looked at her, smiling mischievously. "I think I came up with one you don't know," he said, sounding like a five-year-old showing off his new shoes.
"A what I don't know?" Maria sneered, getting tired of this.
"A song quote."
Maria raised an eyebrow. "I doubt it," she said. "But let's hear."
"I sort of picked a theme. Put a lot of thought into it, you know."
"Whatever. Just say it."
Michael cleared his throat.
"Red sun go down way over dirty town, starlings are sweeping around crazy shoals, a girl is there high heeling across the square, wind blows around in her hair and the flags upon the poles."
When he was finished he looked expectantly at her. She just stared back at him, half-smiling.
He grinned, satisfied with himself. "You don't know it!" he said triumphantly. "I knew you wouldn't know it!"
"Dire Straits, "Lions"," she said, nodding, and now grinning even wider than he was. His smile faded, and he looked disbelieving.
"Damn," he said, truly disappointed. He didn't say anything more, just stood there looking defeated, so she spoke.
"Now that I have officially beat you again and taken a few hits at your male ego, would you mind leaving me so that I can finish up and go home?"
He looked up at her. "You just can't wait to get me away from here, can you?"
"Nope. Freaky creatures of the night just aren't all that high on my list."
He raised his eyebrows at her. "Oh, really, well who's the creature here if I may ask?"
And Maria froze.
*****
When Liz arrived at the library there was no Max there. She checked her watch. Twenty minutes had passed since she'd talked to Max on the phone. He'd sounded eager to meet her, and now she was standing here and he wasn't even here yet. Was he late? Or did he just not bother coming? She looked around worriedly. It was almost dark and she didn't exactly have fuzzy feelings about being alone outside in the middle of the night.
A thought struck her. Maybe he'd been here, seen that she wasn't exactly on time, and decided on going home instead? Maybe he'd thought she didn't want to see him?
It was getting chilly. She started hopping up and down to try and keep warm, but it wasn't working. She rubbed her arms and realized that she'd been stupid enough not to change into pants before leaving. She was still wearing her uniform. And her legs were bare and she was tired and shit, shit, shit how cold it really was.
She was truly about to give up when suddenly a car pulled up at the curb. She instinctively backed away, until she saw which car it was and who was in it.
"Liz, I'm sorry, I got here as fast I could. My mom started asking all these questions."
Liz's whole body and mind breathed a sigh of relief. Max got out of the car and walked up to her. Without really giving it any thought, she shivered slightly at the cold, but Max immediately shrugged out of his jacket and handed it to her.
"Here," he said. "You look cold."
She smiled thankfully and put his jacket on, inwardly amused by the cliché, although she was sure Max had only done it because of thoughtfulness. She wrapped the jacket tight around her, sinking into what she considered Max's own, personal scent.
He stared up at the sky, apparently lost in thought. She didn't want to disturb him, so she did the same, and studied the cloudfree night sky, sprinkled with stars. She'd watched it so many times before that it felt as if she knew the position of every single star visible from earth. But now the situation was quiet different: she was watching the night sky with the first human ever to know about them. And seeing as this human was Max Evans, she didn't mind looking at the stars one more time.
"How do you define a color?" Max suddenly said, and Liz turned to look at him, somewhat startled. The question was so sudden and seemingly out of place, she wasn't sure what to say. But she didn't have much time to worry about that, Max went on talking.
"I mean, if somebody was blind, how would you explain the color blue to him? You could say that blue is the color of the ocean, or... or of bluebells, or something, but, I mean, that wouldn't help, 'cause the person is blind, so he wouldn't have seen any of those things."
He finished, and Liz thought frantically to try and come up with a good answer. But all she could manage was a, in her own opinion, lame "Yeah, uh, that's interesting."
He nodded, not taking his eyes off of the sky. "Yeah, it is," he said. "I mean, sometimes when I look at the stars like this, I come to think of all these interesting things, that I never seem to remember afterwards."
"Uh, yeah, I know what you mean," Liz said, wishing she could come up with something deep and poetic to blow him away with, but her mind didn't seem to be willing to co-operate. Actually, she was starting to find the situation rather awkward. He kept saying all these cryptic things, and she just stood there feeling stupid, not being able to come up with any great answers. Not even thinking about it, she sighed to herself, but it was loud enough for Max to hear and he turned to look at her.
"Liz?" he asked. "Am I boring you?"
Liz looked up at him. "Oh, no, no! Not at all!" she said, shaking her head. "Not a bit, what you're saying is really... really beautiful. I just... I don't know how to respond."
Max smiled at her. "You don't have to say anything," he said. "It's just nice to stand here and have someone really listen for a change."
And with that he suddenly took hold of her hand. She didn't have time to react before she was standing there, holding his warm hand and once more looking up at the star sprinkled sky.
***
Maria placed the carton of rocky road ice cream on the counter and handed Michael a spoon.
"Here," she said. "But don't be a pig and do not, under any circumstances, spill one little drip of goo on the counter, or I might just rip out your eyes with my bare hands."
"Hey, calm down," he said. "No need to get all pre-menstrual on me, I was just craving some sugar, missed my dinner."
Maria rolled her eyes before digging in. Michael looked thoughtful before speaking again. "By the way, are aliens even, you know, menstrual? Do you get that kind of thing?"
Maria snickered. "Yeah, we get "that kind of thing", as you so knowingly called it. And pretty much all the other human shit you get."
"So then, what are the bonuses?"
"Bonuses?"
"Yeah. I mean, you're extra terrestrial. You've got to have some cool thing that we don't have."
Maria shrugged. "There are a few things I can do, that I'm pretty sure you can't do."
"Like...?"
Maria grabbed the ice-cream carton just when Michael aimed his spoon at it. He was about to protest, but instead converted to staring wide-eyed as she moved her hand over the carton, instantly changing it's contents from brown and white to a light shade of green. She then placed the carton in front of him again.
"There," she said. "Pistachio."
Michael stared at the suddenly transformed ice cream, at first in awe, then with slight disgust.
"Very cool, but I happen to hate pistachio. It makes me sick."
"Well, sometimes we have to deal with things that make us sick," Maria said. "Even if they show up unannounced in the middle of the night and demand sugar."
Michael smirked at her. "Very funny, I fully appreciate your sense of humor."
She just shook her head. They ate in silence for a while, then Maria spoke.
"I can't believe Max told you. Liz swore we could trust him."
Michael shrugged. "He didn't exactly tell me. I sort of found out half of it and he told me the other half."
Maria shook her head. "Whatever." She checked her watch. "Okay, you object of my contempt, I think it's time for you to scram."
Michael didn't move. Maria leaned in closer, overarticulating. "Did you hear me, Bozo? I want you to leave!"
Michael just shook his head. "Why should I leave? This is pretty much a once in a lifetime experience. I mean, I'm sitting here, in the middle of the night, talking to an alien. Like, an alien! What are the odds, huh?"
Maria sighed. "Well, if you ask nicely, I might consider letting you speak to me again. If I'm not too busy."
"Oh, with what, like dating? 'Cause I can always join in."
Maria sighed. "Go home."
"I mean, how is it with that, with dating? I've been meaning to ask. 'Cause isn't it sort of hard to date someone who thinks you're, you know, human?"
"I'm not sure, I try to keep away from stuff like that."
The instant she said it she wanted to take it back. That was not the sort of thing you wanted to spill to someone like Michael Guerin, more experienced in that department than most 20-year-olds.
"What, you've never dated?" Michael asked.
"Of course I've dated!" Even Maria herself heard that the reply was a bit too quick to sound true. "I've dated, I've just never... I've, you know... it's not really..."
"You've never dated!" Michael stated, amused at her fumbling words. The glare Maria gave him was enough to kill a minor ox.
"Well, okay, so I haven't!" she snapped. "So what? It's not like... I mean, you've never been different, you've always fit in. I can't really expect you to understand the situation I am constantly in. And I know it might be hard for your thick brain to comprehend, but dating and... and guys isn't really my first priority."
"Oh come on!" Michael exclaimed. "You're sixteen years old and you're trying to tell me the biggest issue your brain deals with *isn't* boys?"
"As a matter of fact, yes I am. Every 16-year-old doesn't have to be a 24-7 horny and sexually unstable love-seeker, just because you are." The venom in her voice only fired him up even more.
"Oh yeah, like you never think about sex!" he said with a smirk.
"Maybe I don't, would there be something wrong with that?"
"Not wrong, but there would be a high abnormality factor to it."
She leaned over the counter, closer to his face. "Well, in case you've forgotten, there isn't much that's normal with me," she said before going off to check the money again. She hoped he would leave, so that she would've gotten the last word, but much to her annoyance he didn't consider the conversation finished.
"Are you really saying guys don't interest you?" he asked as he followed her to the cashier, and now he sounded almost fascinated.
"Pretty much, yeah," she answered. She didn't like where this was heading. He was screwing with her mind and she was worried she'd say something she'd regret soon.
"I don't believe you," he stated firmly. She could feel her face flush and was careful to keep her head down as she counted.
"Oh really?" she said, trying to sound as bored as possible.
"In fact, I bet I could get you flat on your back within a week," he said, still perfectly calm.
"Oh, go home and watch some porn, Romeo."
"Wanna make it a bet?" he asked daringly.
"Are you really that stupid to think I would let you put the moves on me after making a bet like that?" she asked with a laugh, her eyes still on the cashier.
"Is that a yes?"
Now she finally dared to look up at him, and found him smiling playfully at her.
"Sure. I mean, I could do with some extra cash," she said.
"Alright," he said as he straightened up, getting ready to leave. "Let's say 20 bucks. And I've got a week."
"Fair enough. But you do realize you could just give me the money right away, don't you?"
He put on his jacket and headed for the door. But before he left he looked at her one more time, with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "We'll just see," he said with a crooked smile before exiting and closing the door behind him. Maria followed him with her gaze. When she could no longer see him, she leaned forward, resting her head in her crossed arms on the counter. She groaned silently. What the hell had she just gotten herself into?