~~Chapter12~~
Soon the three girls were back in Isabel's SUV, with Liz in the passenger seat and Maria in the back, and headed towards Abducted, a small bar/club on the outskirts of Roswell.
"Hey what's the name of this band anyway? Would I know them?" Maria asked, suddenly curious.
"Well they're called Crazy on Mars, but when they started out they were called The Whits. I convinced Alex that they need something cooler and since he grew up in Roswell... You know--Mars...aliens... I know its kinda corny but hey—that's Alex for you," Isabel said, laughing a little.
"Omigod you aren't talking about Alex Whitman are you?" Maria shrieked.
"Yeah..." Isabel answered uncertainly.
"Omigod! Alex went to elementary school with Max, Michael, and I. But his dad got remarried when we were in middle school and they moved away."
"That's so weird," Isabel replied, still in shock that her new friends actually knew her boyfriend. "Alex and I actually met about a year and a half ago when we both started our freshmen year at Las Cruces. We sat next to each other in English class and you know Alex...no girl could resist that kind of charm."
After a moment of trying to look serious both Maria and Isabel burst out into laughter.
"How did you get your parents to let you go to college?" Liz asked cautiously.
"Well my mom was kinda against it, but my dad's a big push-over and will basically let me do whatever I want. So now I'm majoring in Elementary Education and loving every minute of it."
"Wow Iz. I've been trying to get my parents to let me go for like 2 years. All my teachers at Sky Academy were ready to write me recommendations to Harvard or Yale or Berkley and I couldn't even get my parents to let me go to Las Cruces."
"Wow. Were your grades that good? What did you want to major in?" Isabel said, obviously impressed.
"I graduated at the top of my class actually—valedictorian. I wanted to major in molecular biology...it was my favorite subject."
"And your parents wouldn't let you go?" Maria said confusedly. "My mom was just glad I graduated high school and moved out. She wouldn't have cared if I went off to college, but I wanted to stay here with Michael and besides...I never liked school much anyway. You know Liz, you should just stand up to your parents and tell them that you are going to college and that's that. I mean you get paid for all that stuff you do for the soccer team right? You could totally support yourself if they wouldn't."
"She's right you know," Isabel said, taking the opportunity to rejoin the conversation. "You can't let your mother marry you off to some loser with an inheritance from the country club."
"Do you think you could get me the course information before the next semester?" Liz asked excitedly.
"Of course."
"But you can't let this leak to my mother—not 'til I've already registered so she can't stop me."
"My lips are sealed," Isabel said, smiling and making a motion with her hands of locking her mouth and throwing away the key. "Hey we're here."
Liz looked out the window, taking notice of their surroundings. Abducted looked nothing like she thought it would. Not that she really knew what to expect...her mother had never let her go near a bar and Liz was sure if her mother knew where she was tonight—she would flip. But tonight wasn't about her mom. Tonight was about having some fun...she had promised Max after all.
The bar was kind of dark and smoky but the people were surprisingly nice. Liz had expected scary bikers, but the crowd was mostly college students and a few older men sitting at the bar. Alex's band was great...she had never been able to go to an actual concert and the hearing live music was so much better than any of her CDs. In between sets, Alex came down to see Iz and was introduced to Liz and reunited with Maria.
Liz breathed a happy contented sigh. These people were so normal. They weren't pretending to like her because her parents were rich or because she was some soccer star. They seemed to like her just for herself. It was great. She had always longed for this kind of easy natural friendship.
The time seemed to fly. Pretty soon the band was packing up their instruments and Alex was back at their side asking for a ride home.
"Alex Charles Whitman where is your car? I may be your girlfriend but I am not your taxi service," Izzy replied indignantly.
"Well Erik gave me a ride here and I didn't know it would be such a problem for you to take me home...I mean it's like two minutes from your apartment..."
"Fine," she sighed exaggeratedly. "Maria, am I taking you back to the hospital or to your apartment? 'Cause I don't actually know where you live..."
"Hospital? Why would you go to the hospital?" Alex questioned.
"Oh geez I can't believe I didn't tell you before Alex...Max is in the hospital. He was in an accident. Michael and I have been taking turns staying with him...and Liz has been helping too," Maria rambled.
"An accident? What happened?" he asked again, still in shock over learning his long lost friend had been hurt.
"A drunk driver hit him...I kinda saw it happen," Liz replied quietly.
"Wow. Is he alright?"
"They seem to think he will be," Liz answered.
"Iz why don't you drop me and Maria off at the hospital and you and Liz can head back home. I'm sure Max wouldn't mind catching up with his old bud since he can't escape and all. I'll be sure to tell him all my new jokes," Alex asked, laughing as he finished.
"Alex how many times do I have to tell you that finding a joke on a bubble gum wrapper does not count as new material?" Isabel laughed.
Alex stuck his tongue out at her and looped his arms through Liz's and Maria's arms, steering them out of the bar and to the SUV. "I'll just have to tell my jokes to some people who appreciate them then," he said to Isabel over his shoulder.
"Hate to break it to you Alex but I think I'm gonna have to agree with Izzy over there," Maria said, laughing too.
"Humpf," he said, letting go of Maria. "At least I still have Lizzy right?"
"Of course Alex," she answered, throwing her arm across his back and squeezing slightly.
"I knew I could count on you. You look like a girl with good taste."
"Only the best."
"Oh just get in the car already," Isabel whined. "Liz and I have to get back before our parents sober up from their wine tasting and realize we aren't there."
"Yeah trust me you don't wanna see my mom angry and hung-over...it's not pretty," Liz joked.
"Alright...everyone in. The taxi's leaving. First stop St. Helen's hospital—site of Alex's stand up comedy act then onward to the lifestyles of the rich and hung-over..." Isabel called as she hopped into the driver's seat and pulled the door closed.
TBC...
