Title: Hard Love

Rating: R

Category: M/L, Mi/L, K/M, A/T, misc…

Summary: Liz has someone (Max) Michael has someone (Who will remain nameless at this moment!) Liz has left Roseville, California to live with her father in –you guessed it, Roswell! I'm not good at these things so read on…

Disclaimer: I don't own Roswell or blah blah blah…

Author's Note: PLEASE REVIEW!!!! I'll also be changing one of the chapters to a NC-17 but till then, read on!

Chapter One

Welcome to Roswell

Listening to the tapping of her black and red retro xi Jordan's on the linoleum floor, Liz Ortecho silently walked down the halls of West Roswell High. It seemed like the more she tried to pretend it was just a regular day when she wasn't the new girl in school, it just seemed to become more of a reality that she WAS, in fact, the new girl in school. Smoothing the front of her black long sleeve shirt she took a deep breath and stared at the two large heavy doors across from her. One was labeled "Attendance" and the other was labeled "Principal". Liz shivered thinking about the last time she was in a principal's office. How horrible it was to cry in front of the person bearing the bad news, breaking down in front of the whole school moments later. Liz shook the memory away at once. No use living in the past now…

"Here goes nothing." Liz said and pulled open the door marked "Attendance."

The cascading sunrays pouring through the long windows with the blinds pulled up lighted the room. Two young teenage girls sat behind the counter chatting about god knows what. No doubt the girls were students.

Liz cleared her throat loud, "Excuse me." She interrupted the two blondes.

The perkier one of the two spoke up, "What can I do ya for chica?"

"Hi, I'm new and I was told to come pick up my schedule here?" Liz asked/explained.

"OH! Iz, fresh meat!" The girl squealed, "Just kidding, I'm Maria Deluca and this blonde beautess is Isabel Lovington." The girl named Maria grinned polite.

"Hi." Liz nodded her head.

"So why don't you wind your butt on over to this side and we'll see what we can do. Because as you can see we don't do much here and I doubt we can do anything more than pull up your schedule Liz." She snuffed.

"Speak for your self Maria… I not only know how to do TWICE the things you can I also can type faster than you." The girl named Isabel, teased.

"Whatever." Maria rolled her eyes, "As you can see, she must be my best friend because only best friends can be sooo annoying."

"Ha, ha." Isabel scowled, busying herself by filing her nails.

Liz walked around to the other side of the counter and sat beside Maria while she tried to get her schedule to appear on the screen.

"Let's see, Ctrl + Alt + F1? No, F3? No, F5! Eureka! Okay now I type in Liz –or is it Elizabeth? …Liz what's your last name?" Maria asked, scrunching up her petite nose.

"Here, let me see that." Liz switched places with Maria. Cracking her knuckles Liz typed and tapped the keys so fast Maria's head was left spinning. It might have been awhile since Liz was able to tap into the school's system, but she defiantly didn't lose her touch.

"Wow. H-how did you do that?" Maria gawked at the keyboard in awe.

"Nothing to it, just gotta treat the keys with respect and dignity before you tap into the network of high school education." Liz smiled, reaching across Maria to retrieve her printed schedule from the Compaq IJ300 ink jet printer.

"What do you have first period?" Isabel asked.

Liz grimaced at the paper, "Arts and freaking Crafts?"

"Borrr-ring!" Both Maria and Isabel sang.

"Why don't you do that voodoo keyboard thing you do and get first ring with us?" Maria suggested.

"Yea!" Isabel chimed, "Then we can show you around and let you know the loser's from the winner's." Isabel pointed with her nail file.

"Sure. Why the hell not?" Liz laughed.

"Oh! And what lunch do you have?" Maria asked.

"I'm not sure." She shrugged.

"Let me have a look see at your schedule." Isabel replied looking at the paper, "You're going to have to switch a few more classes so that you can have first lunch with us, "She paused, rolling her eyes, "Second lunch is for the losers of this school."

"Okay…" Liz thought aloud, "Scooch on over and I'll see what I can do." Liz smiled at the screen in front of her.

"By the way, kick ass shoes chica." Maria winked.

Liz looked down at her Jordan's, "Oh, thanks. My ex stood in line for hours getting them for me."

"Ex?" Isabel pinned.

"Well when I moved I kinda had to let him go too. But He'll visit me and shit, not like I can go Max free for too long." Liz shrugged. "I kinda hate to admit it, but… I miss him."

"Max?" Maria asked curious.

"Max Evans, yea. Best sex I'll ever have." Liz laughed lightly; it hurt too much to think of him now.

Isabel and Maria looked to each other and cracked up laughing.

*

If there was one word to describe the student population of West Roswell High School it was "Preppy." Liz couldn't believe how many rich kids went to this school. It seemed as though her father had dumped her in a Lifestyle of the Rich and Famous episode or worse, Beverly Hills 90210. The only upside to coming to "Preppy High" was the all the hot guys that walked the campus. Liz enjoyed the stares and whistles from the boys, but for some reason the girls there seemed to dislike her at once. Walking across the quad Liz was reminded of the MANY times she had to switch school's in order to keep up with the child custody agreement.

1 year with Mommy, next year with daddy…

Not like she wasn't used to the change in school's but it had been a while since she lived with her dad. He HAD in fact, neglected her for 3 years. Her parent's had divorced long before Liz could even realize what the hell was actually happening, what was she to know or care about divorce in the 5th grade? Her father had, had an affair with a woman younger than him and they married. Liz hated the bitch. What kind of a name was Nancy? Her mother had taken the divorce badly so Liz had to pretty much fend for herself; she was street smart and socially a hit. Always being the center of attention seemed to get her mind off what was REALLY going on. Liz never thought she would find someone who would ever TRULY care for her all the other guys just wanted a good "fuck". Liz had ruled out the possibility of ever finding… The One. That was until she had met Max Evans. But even the good things never last long. Liz and Max were like peanut butter and jelly. Corny wasn't it? But that was how Max had described their passionate relationship. Something truly sweet and good, something you could never tire of, and something you would always remember.

So when Liz's mother decided that it was time to take her life, Liz was sent away to her dad. Liz still never understood why her mother had done that, they say she didn't leave a suicide note but Liz found one in her top drawer where she also kept her "Special belongings". The note was sweet and long, it said everything that Liz never actually heard her mother say out loud. So her mother tried to make up for everything on paper. It was the worst day of Liz's life to have to be taken out of her English 11P class to be told that her mother had passed on, it was even worse when Liz couldn't control her emotions and had a sob-fest right in front of half the student body. It hurt Liz bad to have to leave Max, the only boy that ever said he loved her and truly meant it. Not like the others who shouted her name and moaned he loved her while he was experiencing an orgasm. Guys were jerks, any female could tell you that.

But Max was different. He knew just what to say, when to say it, how to say and what you wanted to feel at the same time. He was a ladies man, Liz found her self in many violent confrontations with fellow female students at her former high school. Max was the ultimate lover, but he had faults. He was jealous and possessive. He had beaten any male that would come within 3 feet of Liz Ortecho. He was arrogant and sarcastic. Liz and Max argued with each other more than they would care to admit. But that was the thing about them, no matter how much they fought, no matter how many times they separated from time to time. They we always pulled back together. Like two powerful magnets you tried to pull apart but will always be cemented as one. Max had a very powerful persona; maybe that was what caught Liz's eye first. The way he strolled into her biology class one day and brushed against her softly sending chills up and down her spine. Yet he played it cool, acting as if he didn't even notice her presence in the room. He was assigned as her lab partner, but that wasn't what brought them together. The first sentence out of Max Evans mouth made Liz slap him hard across the face.

"My boy Chris say's you're a freak between the sheets, wanna go back to my place and verify if that statement proves accurate?" He said sliding a hand across her ass.

Liz could not believe the nerve of this asshole! She slapped him across the face immediately after he dared ask his question, "My gurl Habiba says you have a short and stubby quick shootin' small dick, wanna prove the class wrong?" Liz snorted.

It was their first confrontation with each other, but it wouldn't be the last. They had both gotten detention for their public display of snappy comebacks and the cocky Max dared speak to Liz again in the library where their evil sentence was being held.

"And how are WE doing today?" Max casually sat next to Liz in the seat directly to her right and even had the nerve to scoot the chair closer to her, violating her space completely.

Liz could not believe his boldness, "What makes you think you can sit beside me and speak to me?" Liz spat.

"Damn, snobby much?" Max snorted, scooting chair away an inch or two.

"How can you sit there and contradict me when every word out of your mouth is dripping with distain?" Liz snapped.

"Now if I knew ANY of the words that just flew out of your pretty little mouth I'd have a quick comeback. But the only thing I got to say is… What you doing after this?" Max rubbed his chin.

Liz snorted, "Nothing with you."

"I never asked you to do anything with me, I was just being polite."

"If that's you idea of polite-"

"Damn girl why are you so difficult?"

"Why do you keep talking to me?"

"Well I'm not anymore!" He shouted.

"HEY! You two want to earn yourselves another detention?" Mr. Stanley hissed from his office.

"Pshhhffft." Max waved the teacher away.

"Just try me Mr. Evans, you've been in here long enough to receive a season pass." The teacher threatened.

"If you wanted to see me on a regular basis Mr. Stanley all you had to do was ask. But I think that you'd be disappointed to hear that…" He whispered the last part, "I'm not gay…"

"THAT IS IT! Mr. Evans! You have just got-"

"Oh put a cork in it –or better yet put a cork in your ass, might feel like the real thing." Max said grabbing Liz's arm lightly, "C'mon, let's get outta here."

"Excuse me?" Liz replied a bit harsh.

"You wanna stay here with the queer? Or you wanna go and do something more productive with your time Liz?" Max stood tall.

"You are not leaving this library you two." The teacher scolded.

Liz never took to rules, she turned to Max "Well what are we waiting for?"

Things between Liz and Max grew and blossomed soon after that day. 3 weeks later they were inseparable and a definite "idem". They were the talk of the school, Liz being the valedictorian "slut" of the school (Based on the fact that she had slept with a number of the high school big shots or so THEY say to everyone) and Max being the most popular, and hot, bad boy of the school. They were perfect for each other; no one understood them like they had understood themselves. Liz and Max were the only ones who knew entirely what was going on with the other. Max had a best friend that lived in another state somewhere, but Liz never asked where. Max would always change the subject when it came down to the question of whom the mysterious "Best Friend" actually was. Liz only talked to one girl that went their school, Bella, without ripping her hair out for flirting with Max. So the only problem was that both Liz AND Max were the most envied and sought after couple. Every guy wanted a shot at Liz Ortecho, and every girl would sell her soul for at least one kiss from Max Evans. Now that was a huge issue between the two, both were extremely possessive and jealous. Max getting angry with Liz for even "talking" to another guy, and Liz was the same way to Max, though not as bad. Needless to say that both Max and Liz had fought A LOT of the admirers that swooned at their feet and tried to be bold and throw themselves on the other.

It was all worth it to them though. Being loved by someone whom you considered you "soul mate" wasn't anything but amazing. That's why it hurt so much to leave each other. That's why it hurt so much to kiss Max good- bye as Liz Ortecho boarded her plane from Roseville, California to Roswell, New Mexico.

And the fact that Liz had gotten a phone call immediately from her one and ONLY girl friend back home, Bella, about Max doing something stupid and getting arrested was enough to make Liz go crazy. She screamed at herself for leaving Max behind. Knowing perfectly well that he would go back to his old ways piss his father off. Max being dumb had teased an officer –who in turn, ran a record just for the hell of it and found that Max was to be charged for more than one felony, stealing a car, selling narcotics, carrying an unlicensed gun, and beating a guy to almost his death for a deal gone bad. All this had made Max's dad furious and out of tired frustration from his son, so he sent him away to the navy, where he hoped Max would turn his life around. But what Max's father didn't understand was that Max had changed, he had thrown all his old bad habits out and let Liz in. Yet it was too late to try that one. All Max's father saw was the past mistakes, never mind the new life ahead. Liz prayed for the best and waited for Max's letters, rarely would she receive a call…

So in a fast and easy way, that was the small version of the story, Max and Liz shared.

*

After being introduced by her second period Creative Writing teacher to the entire class, Liz sat down in the back. She had purposely sat in the back to avoid the prude stares from the girls and the drool from the guys. Not that many people sat in the back; the seats to her left and right were presently empty. She was in her own little world finishing the class assignment that was passed down to her with a wink from the guy who handed her the paper, when a tall and wonderfully toned guy walked into the classroom 10 minutes late.

He was wearing a letterman jacket for football, of course, what kind of attractive guys like him wouldn't play football? But it was guys like him that set her reputation as an "easy girl" at her last school. Besides, how could she let another man touch her the way she promised Max she would never let anyone else do? So what if she and Max had decided to see other people but always be together and whenever the time came to be reunited, it was all about the two of them?

To Liz's luck, the guy walked to the back of the classroom and sat down to her right.

"You're in my seat but I don't give a shit. So the teach told me to ask you how to do the new assignment." He said rubbing his seemingly tired looking eyes, not once looking at her face.

This was new, he had no drool, "Uh, well… The paper at the top says that you have to find the definition to these words and then write a short story, which to this teacher is no more than 50 pages, using the words listed that you are to define." Liz explained in a nutshell.

"Sounds like a no brainer, can you hand me that book under your chair?" He asked finally looking at her.

Liz looked under her, it was a covered book labeled "Michael" Liz grabbed it and handed the book to him, "Here." She said.

"Thanks." He smiled sweet. "You new?" He asked.

Here we go… Liz thought, "Yea, just transferred."

"I'm Michael," He raised the front of his book for extra proof, "And you are…"

"Liz."

"Liz what? You gotta last name?" He teased.

"Funny, it's Ortecho, and you?"

"Guerin."

"Nice to meet you Michael Guerin." Liz smiled and turned back to her work, chewing on the end of her pencil.

"Stuck?" He asked.

Liz nodded, "I don't know how I'm going to use promiscuous in a sentence."

Michael scooted his chair over.

iGREAT/i. Liz thought. iI REALLY don't need a guy on my jock/i

"I'm not trying to get at you Liz, if that's what you're thinking. I have a girlfriend, who I love very much." He said gently.

"That's sweet." Liz said looking into his eyes. "So… How do I do this?" She quickly looked away, back to her paper.

"It's actually quite simple, what's your theme?"

"It's about a girl who doesn't know what happened to her mother." Liz replied.

Michael lifted an interested eyebrow, "Writing from experience?"

"NO." Liz snapped.

Michael lifted his hands in the air, "Sorry I asked."

Liz softened, "Sorry, but are you gonna help me or are you going to be my psychologist?"

"You have one?" He teased.

Liz sighed, but then she smiled, "You like pulling my chain don't you?"

"Does it show?" He chuckled, "You're too easy." He grinned, rubbing her back.

Liz stiffened at the ieasy/i remark, then realized he meant it differently.

"You okay?" His hand was still on her back.

Liz nodded vigorously, "Fine." She smiled, she wanted to pull away from his touch –but she couldn't bare the thought of his touch leaving her. What was her problem?

"You wiggen too?" Michael took his hand from her back, "I'm sorry I touched you, it was like an reaction. I do that." He shrugged.

"No, no it's not that. It's just, I have a boyfriend." She said.

"And I have a girlfriend, I already said that." Michael replied.

"I know." Liz responded quickly.

"So are things going to be weird now?" He asked backing away.

"No. I'm okay if you are."

"I'm okay." He nodded scooting back towards her.

The tension was still in the air but by the end of class Liz and Michael had an easy flow between them. They even occasionally flirted with each other. But no more than that, they both had someone after all.

"See you tomorrow." Michael waved when the bell rang.

"Yea… Tomorrow." Liz whispered