Chapter two

"Do you want to talk about?" Tess asks licking some ice cream of the bottom of the spoon

"About what?" Maria asks pretending that she had no idea what Tess was talking about.

"Okay you want to play that game we play, so this thing begins with M and ends with L" Tess says

"He said my name," Maria states not making eye contact with Tess

"Oh right what else did he say?" Tess asks

"He offered me his jacket," Maria whispers

"At least it shows that he still cares about you,"

"Yeah he cares so much that he is not dating Isabel 'ice princess' Evans the girl he said was like his sister, that he wouldn't ever be able to see her as anything else but his sister. You know thinking about it Michael said a lot of things and then went and did the complete opposite. I mean he said he had to be alone that he had to be a stone and you know what I don't see him being a stonewall or alone. Hell he's nowhere close to being alone. Him and Isabel and their destiny that's all that matters isn't oh but let's not forget a planet that I doubt they will ever get to see and what's so great about Isabel? What has she got that I haven't got? What made Michael look at and suddenly see her as more then his sister hey as something now his sister but really a girlfriend? What is it about her that made Michael think 'hey I don't need to be alone I don't need to be a stonewall, I can go out with Izzy' I mean what is it that she has got that I haven't? What's so perfect about Isabel Evans? I just don't understand" Maria says bitterly.

Tess listens carefully glad that for the first time since all this had happened Maria was finally saying what was on her mind.

"And Liz she was meant to be my best friend the one person in the whole world that I could count on, when we were younger we made a promise that we would never choose a man over each other. 'Cause you know that saying 'men come and go but friends are there for life' well that promise meant nothing to Liz. She decided that she would rather give up our friendship then give up on Max, part of me understands Max is her 'soul mate' but I thought I was important to her. I didn't realize that she could just chuck her friendship away. I don't know if I ever be able to forgive her. I don't know if I ever be able to forgive any of them," Maria says as a single tear runs down her cheek

"Maria, come with me!" Tess orders and leads Maria towards the large mirror out in the hallway.

"What are we doing?" Maria asks

"Okay girlfriend look into this mirror and tell me what you see?" Tess instructs

"What's the point?" Maria sighs looking away from the mirror

"Tell me what you see!" Tess says forcefully making Maria look in the mirror again

"Fine, I see me," Maria says simply looking at her reflection

"What else?" Tess asks not willing to let this drop

"Tess…" Maria whines not understanding the point to this little exercise

"Maria please," Tess pouts

"I see Maria Rose Deluca the girl that couldn't even keep her boyfriend, the girl who's boyfriend would rather be with the girl that is like his sister. I see someone who is weak, unimportant and pathetic, someone who is not worth caring about, and someone who is so worthless that their own father couldn't bear to stay near her. I see a girl who is not perfect and who is nothing like the wonderful perfect Isabel Evans! Happy now Tess!"

"I tell you what I see and what Kyle, Alex and your mom see. I tell you what the people who care about you see. When I look at you I see someone so strong and loving someone that you can always trust and someone who is so loyal that she would do anything for her friends. I see Maria Rose Deluca, the girl who is perfect because she knows that she has her imperfections and she is proud of them. A girl that has more talent in her little finger then most people have in their whole bodies, someone that has overcome everything that is difficult in her life someone that I love with all my heart!" Tess finishes

"Really?" Maria asks biting her lip she studying herself carefully in the mirror looking for the person that Tess could see

"Maria, how would you like to get back at them? All of them! Show them that you are Maria Rose Deluca and you are strong, it's going to take more then a few betrayals to bring you down," Tess says as a plan starts to form in her mind

"How?" Maria asks wanting to be that person that Tess could see,

"Well you love Michael don't you? I think that you should fight for him by making him fight for you…"

"Tess that makes no sense! How can I fight for Michael to fight for me?" Maria asks cutting Tess off before she could say anymore

"Play him at his own game! I think its time for you to start dating again!" Tess says her plan unfolding

"No! I couldn't I can't just…" Maria shakes her head violently

"Maria you can and you will! Michael is dating Isabel why shouldn't you date someone? Anyway maybe it will make Michael jealous!"

"He's with Isabel, he doesn't care what I do," Maria says

"Maria he offered you his jacket that has to show that he cares for you,"

"Tess…" Maria sighs not wanting to get her hopes up that there might be a chance that Michael still cared for her, that he might still love her

"Look at it this way Maria if he doesn't get jealous, if he doesn't care then at least this will help you get over him or well move on anyway! So are you in or are you out?" Tess smiles and Maria closes her eyes trying to decide what she should do, should she go back to crying and wishing that she could be with Michael? Or should she fight for what was hers what rightfully belonged to her?

"Okay I am in!" Maria sighs and Tess squeals in joy

"That's the Deluca I know!" Tess states smugly. Maria just smiles and rolls her eyes

"Okay, close your eyes again!" Tess orders and this time Maria obeys straight away and closes her eyes.

Tess starts to run her fingers through Maria's hair, picturing a new Maria in her mind.

"Okay, open them!" Tess smiles proud of her work, sometimes being an alien with powers was really great!

"Oh my God!" Maria screams looking at the girl in the mirror

"Do you like?" Tess asks hoping that she had made the right choice

"Tessie I love it!" Maria grins turning round to hug her best friend before looking back in the mirror. She runs her fingers through her now dark brown curly hair looking completely different without her straight blonde hair.

"You look stunning!" Tess grins

"Now you!" Maria orders

"What?" Tess asks clueless to what Maria meant

"You have to change your hair as well!"

"I don't know…" Tess says doubtfully looking in the mirror at her curly blonde hair

"Tess, you changed mine now change yours!" Maria says using the same forceful tone that Tess had used with her

"Fine but I am not changing the colour!" Tess runs her fingers through her curly blonde hair making it straight and longer.

"Wow you look great!" Maria says

"I do don't I!" Tess grins at her own reflection

"So what do you want to now?" Maria asks brightly. She was nowhere near other Michael and she doubt that she would ever be able to get over him but she needed to move on just like Tess had said and if by moving on she made Michael jealous then all the better.

The old Maria Deluca was back!

It surprised her that all it had taken was a good talking to from one of her closest and dearest friends but that was what she had needed to snap out of this miserable prison she had been trapped in since last summer the day Michael walked away from her.

"Well I got some chick flicks that we can watch and then we can to face masks and then we can do each others nails and then we can do all the quizzes in the magazines that I bought with me and…"

"I think that's enough for now Tess!" Maria smiles at Tess's excitement

"I just want us to have the best time ever since this is my first ever proper sleepover!" Tess says clapping her hands together

"And we will! So what films did you get?" Maria asks

"I got, Pearl harbour, here on earth, 40 days and 40 nights, Blow dry, Town and country…"

"Tess, correct me if I am wrong but don't these films all have Josh Hartnett?" Maria asks biting back a smile

"Yeah," Tess says looking at her friend

"Didn't you think to get any films without Josh Hartnett in?"

"No why would I? Josh Hartnett is a god!" Tess grins

"Okay then…" Maria says rolling her eyes

"Oh my god I can do the coolest thing ever for you and let me tell you I won't do this for just anyone!" Tess grins as an idea pops in her head

"What the…" Maria trails off as she sees Tess's god stood in the living room before Maria could say a word he disappears

"What did you think?" Tess asks smiling at Maria

"Hello?" Tess waves her hand up and down in front of Maria's face

"That was Josh Hartnett stood in my living room," Maria says in shock not taking her eyes off the spot where she had seen him

"Well it wasn't the real Josh it was just a mind warp but it was cool wasn't it!"

"Hell yeah!" Maria says breaking from her daze

"So are you ready to watch a movie?" Tess asks

"Yeah but you know I feel something is missing" Maria says not quite able to be her finger on what it was

"I know there is something missing,"

"Alex and Kyle!" the girls realize together

"I call them now!" Maria states picking up the phone and hitting speed dial two

"Hello?" Kyle picks up on the second ring

"Hey Kyle its Maria, me and Tess were wondering if you and Alex want to come over and watch some movies and stuff,"

"We thought you two were having girls' night,"

"We were but it just didn't feel right without you two,"

"See I told you Whitman that they wouldn't mind!"

"Mind what?" Maria asks suspiciously

"Before I say anything I just want you to know that none of this was my idea Maria it was all Kyle's!" Maria hears Alex say in the background

"What have you two guys done?" Maria asks

"Nothing! Why do you always think we have done something wrong?" Kyle asks pretending to be hurt

"I go get that!" Tess says when there's a knock at the front door

"Surprise!" Alex and Kyle shout as they jump through the door into the living room

"So you were just going to invite yourselves over were you?" Tess asks raising an eyebrow

"Well…"

"Even after we told you that it was girls only," Maria asks

"Did I tell you that this was all Kyle's idea?" Alex asks

"Shut up Whitman!"

"Make me Valenti!" Alex taunts

"Don't tempt me Whitman!"

"Both of you shut up!" Maria orders

"This is how it's going to work. The four of us are going to set down quietly and watch 40 days and 40 nights, and then we going to order pizza and then you two will leave okay?"

"Wow you two look great!" Alex states when he finally notices the girls' hair

"What are you talking about Whitman?" Kyle asks

"Maria and Tess have changed their hair!" Alex says rolling his eyes; sometimes Kyle could be so blind

"You two look amazing!" Kyle says with a wolf whistle making the girls blush.

"I hate to change the subject but isn't 40 days and 40 nights a chick flick?" Alex asks

"Yeah and…"

"We're guys!" Kyle says pointing to him and Alex

"And…"

"It is cruel to make us watch some girly movie with some girly pretty boy…"

"Do not say another word Valenti or you will be a lot of pain!" Tess threats playfully

"Oh god, its that Josh what his name isn't it," Kyle groans

"Josh Hartnett!" Tess states poking her tongue out at Kyle

"I think we should just watch the movie now!" Maria smiles sitting down on the closest chair

"Or maybe you could just kill me!" Kyle mutters

"Did you say something Kyle?" Tess asks sweetly

"No,"

Alex looks around the room and couldn't stop a huge grin spreading across his face, as he looked at his friends, his best friends. Maria sounded more like her old self and whatever Tess had said and done had worked a wonder.

Alex smiles at Maria as she looks in his direction

Maybe just maybe everything was going to start working out okay.