*************************************
CHAPTER THREE:
Alex drove down the familiar streets of Roswell, the town he grew up in, heading to the Crashdown diner. It had been a month since he had been to the diner where his friends, Liz and Maria, worked. In that time, he had gone to Sweden, and had experiences that changed him. He felt more confident than ever, and believed in himself, thanks to having to learn to adapt to a foreign environment.
He thought about her. How long it had been since he had seen her? What was she doing now? Alex used to have these thoughts about Isabel Evans, but now, a different girl was on his mind. Leeana is a beautiful, intelligent, and kind Swedish girl, who took to Alex almost immediately. After having been burned by Isabel, he almost didn't give Leeana a chance to get closer to him. But he finally decided to take a chance, and it paid off. When he left Sweden, he kissed Leeana goodbye, after having spent his favorite moments in Sweden with her.
Alex pulled up to the Crashdown and parked the car. He got out, and went to the back door. Knocking, he heard footsteps inside come to the door. It was Liz who opened the door.
"Hi, Alex," said Liz. "You brought your slides?"
"Yep," said Alex, holding up a small box. "Got 'em right here."
"Good, we'll set up on the roof. Come on."
Liz led Alex up the stairwell to the Parkers' living room. "Oh, by the way," said Liz. "Maria and I invited Isabel to join us. She's been going through a rough time, and I thought she might need the distraction. Is that okay?"
"Sure," said Alex, nonchalantly. This would be the first time he had seen Isabel since returning to Roswell, but he was surprisingly not nervous about it. It used to be that even the thought of seeing Isabel for any reason filled his stomach with butterflies. Now, he just looked forward to seeing an old friend.
**
Isabel was standing on the roof with Maria, both hovering over a fire barrel trying to keep warm. Liz and Alex came out the window, and greeted them.
"Hey guys," said Alex. "I brought the slides."
"Cool," said Maria.
"Its good to see you Alex," said Isabel.
"Yeah, you, too," said Alex, as he went to set up the slide projector.
Isabel noticed a change in Alex the moment he walked out onto the roof. His whole bearing was different, his demeanor was so self-assured. He used to have a hint of nervousness to his voice when he talked to her. But just now, he very nonchalantly acknowledged her, and went to work setting up the slides. He took off his jacket, and laid it down on the chair. Clad in a t-shirt, Isabel saw that he was more built than he used to be. She couldn't believe the difference. As she watched him set up, and as she talked to him and the girls, Isabel could see and hear much of the same old Alex in the more cool and confidant guy she was looking at. He was the same person, but had somehow matured. It intrigued her, and stirred up dormant feelings inside of her.
Maria's voice stirred her from her thoughts. "Isabel, its for you." She handed her a phone, and she talked to Sheriff Valenti. The girl they were looking for had turned up. She hung up and excused herself.
"Alex, I'm sorry," said Isabel. "Maybe you can show the slides to me some other time."
"Sure, whenever," said Alex, as he continued to work.
"Hey, Alex," said Isabel. "Sweden really agreed with you. You look great."
"Thanks," said Alex. "See you later."
Isabel stood there for a moment, shocked that he didn't fall over with appreciation over her compliment. He was playing it very cool with her, and it irritated and excited her at the same time.
***
As Alex finished hooking up the slide projector, he couldn't help but reflect on the experience of seeing Isabel again. The sight of her stirred his soul, and he could still feel a deep caring for her within him. But unlike before, it was controlled by his mind, which told him not to go there, not to be led down the road of devastation again. Isabel Evans didn't love him that way, and probably never would. Then he thought of Leeana, who accepted him for who he is, and cared about him. Thoughts of her are great therapy for a survivor of addiction to Isabel.
When he got home, Alex was going to send an email to Leeana, just to tell her how much he missed her.
****
Several days later, Alex was sitting in his room, working on his homework. He had been at it for an hour, studying for a test, and was getting tired. Just as he was thinking about taking a break, the phone rang, providing him with an excuse to do just that.
"Hello," he said, after picking up the phone.
"Alex," said Isabel's voice on the other line.
"Hi, Isabel," said Alex. "What's up?"
"Nothing," said Isabel. "Well, I just...maybe I shouldn't have called, but I..."
"Isabel," said Alex, with a smile. "Since you did call, why don't you come out and say why you called."
"Okay," said Isabel. "Could we...could we meet and talk? I need to get some things off of my chest, and I need someone to talk to."
"Sure," said Alex. "I needed to take a break from my work anyway."
"Alex," said Isabel. "I think I had better warn you...the subject of the discussion would involve Grant. I hope that's okay, I know it might be a touchy subject for you."
"Its alright, Isabel," said Alex. "If you need to talk, we will. Why don't we meet at the park?"
"Okay," said Isabel. "Twenty minutes, by the gazebo?"
"I'll be there."
Twenty minutes later, Alex was walking up to the gazebo, and found Isabel waiting for him. She didn't look good, like she hadn't slept in a while and was emotionally exhausted.
"Wow," said Alex. "You look awful."
"Thanks," said Isabel, with mock hurt in her voice. "I probably just look how I feel. Not every day I see my boyfriend dead, after he's been killed by an alien jellyfish."
Alex sat down next to her. "They didn't exactly cover this in Life Management Skills in 9th Grade, did they?"
"They should," said Isabel, picking up the joke. "Right between 'Say No to Drugs' and 'Putting the Condom on a Banana.'"
They both laughed a little, before Isabel's face became serious again. "I killed him, Alex."
"That's bull and you know it," said Alex. "How could you have known that gendarium stuff was in the environment?"
"It was here because I was brought here," said Isabel. "Me, Max, Michael, and Tess. It seems like everyone I get close to gets hurt. Including you."
"Isabel," said Alex. "You are a caring and compassionate person, so its natural for you to feel guilt about what happened. But you can't take the whole world on your shoulders. You've got to move on, and let the hurt pass."
Isabel turned and looked at Alex. "Like you did," said Isabel.
Alex looked at Isabel. "Yes," said Alex. "You've got your whole life ahead of you. Don't linger on things you can't change."
They talked for a little while longer, before Alex walked Isabel to her jeep. She gave Alex a hug, and thanked him for coming to talk with her.
"What are friends for?" said Alex.
"So we are back to being friends," said Isabel.
Alex nodded. "Definitely," he said. "If you ever need me, I'll be there."
"Thank you, Alex," said Isabel.
End of Chapter Three. Chapter Four coming soon.
So, you want to know where Alex and Isabel go from here? Be sure to tune in to the next chapter to find out. In the meantime, please do provide some feedback by posting a review. Any thoughts you may have are appreciated. Thanks for reading, and be sure not to miss Chapter Four.
CHAPTER THREE:
Alex drove down the familiar streets of Roswell, the town he grew up in, heading to the Crashdown diner. It had been a month since he had been to the diner where his friends, Liz and Maria, worked. In that time, he had gone to Sweden, and had experiences that changed him. He felt more confident than ever, and believed in himself, thanks to having to learn to adapt to a foreign environment.
He thought about her. How long it had been since he had seen her? What was she doing now? Alex used to have these thoughts about Isabel Evans, but now, a different girl was on his mind. Leeana is a beautiful, intelligent, and kind Swedish girl, who took to Alex almost immediately. After having been burned by Isabel, he almost didn't give Leeana a chance to get closer to him. But he finally decided to take a chance, and it paid off. When he left Sweden, he kissed Leeana goodbye, after having spent his favorite moments in Sweden with her.
Alex pulled up to the Crashdown and parked the car. He got out, and went to the back door. Knocking, he heard footsteps inside come to the door. It was Liz who opened the door.
"Hi, Alex," said Liz. "You brought your slides?"
"Yep," said Alex, holding up a small box. "Got 'em right here."
"Good, we'll set up on the roof. Come on."
Liz led Alex up the stairwell to the Parkers' living room. "Oh, by the way," said Liz. "Maria and I invited Isabel to join us. She's been going through a rough time, and I thought she might need the distraction. Is that okay?"
"Sure," said Alex, nonchalantly. This would be the first time he had seen Isabel since returning to Roswell, but he was surprisingly not nervous about it. It used to be that even the thought of seeing Isabel for any reason filled his stomach with butterflies. Now, he just looked forward to seeing an old friend.
**
Isabel was standing on the roof with Maria, both hovering over a fire barrel trying to keep warm. Liz and Alex came out the window, and greeted them.
"Hey guys," said Alex. "I brought the slides."
"Cool," said Maria.
"Its good to see you Alex," said Isabel.
"Yeah, you, too," said Alex, as he went to set up the slide projector.
Isabel noticed a change in Alex the moment he walked out onto the roof. His whole bearing was different, his demeanor was so self-assured. He used to have a hint of nervousness to his voice when he talked to her. But just now, he very nonchalantly acknowledged her, and went to work setting up the slides. He took off his jacket, and laid it down on the chair. Clad in a t-shirt, Isabel saw that he was more built than he used to be. She couldn't believe the difference. As she watched him set up, and as she talked to him and the girls, Isabel could see and hear much of the same old Alex in the more cool and confidant guy she was looking at. He was the same person, but had somehow matured. It intrigued her, and stirred up dormant feelings inside of her.
Maria's voice stirred her from her thoughts. "Isabel, its for you." She handed her a phone, and she talked to Sheriff Valenti. The girl they were looking for had turned up. She hung up and excused herself.
"Alex, I'm sorry," said Isabel. "Maybe you can show the slides to me some other time."
"Sure, whenever," said Alex, as he continued to work.
"Hey, Alex," said Isabel. "Sweden really agreed with you. You look great."
"Thanks," said Alex. "See you later."
Isabel stood there for a moment, shocked that he didn't fall over with appreciation over her compliment. He was playing it very cool with her, and it irritated and excited her at the same time.
***
As Alex finished hooking up the slide projector, he couldn't help but reflect on the experience of seeing Isabel again. The sight of her stirred his soul, and he could still feel a deep caring for her within him. But unlike before, it was controlled by his mind, which told him not to go there, not to be led down the road of devastation again. Isabel Evans didn't love him that way, and probably never would. Then he thought of Leeana, who accepted him for who he is, and cared about him. Thoughts of her are great therapy for a survivor of addiction to Isabel.
When he got home, Alex was going to send an email to Leeana, just to tell her how much he missed her.
****
Several days later, Alex was sitting in his room, working on his homework. He had been at it for an hour, studying for a test, and was getting tired. Just as he was thinking about taking a break, the phone rang, providing him with an excuse to do just that.
"Hello," he said, after picking up the phone.
"Alex," said Isabel's voice on the other line.
"Hi, Isabel," said Alex. "What's up?"
"Nothing," said Isabel. "Well, I just...maybe I shouldn't have called, but I..."
"Isabel," said Alex, with a smile. "Since you did call, why don't you come out and say why you called."
"Okay," said Isabel. "Could we...could we meet and talk? I need to get some things off of my chest, and I need someone to talk to."
"Sure," said Alex. "I needed to take a break from my work anyway."
"Alex," said Isabel. "I think I had better warn you...the subject of the discussion would involve Grant. I hope that's okay, I know it might be a touchy subject for you."
"Its alright, Isabel," said Alex. "If you need to talk, we will. Why don't we meet at the park?"
"Okay," said Isabel. "Twenty minutes, by the gazebo?"
"I'll be there."
Twenty minutes later, Alex was walking up to the gazebo, and found Isabel waiting for him. She didn't look good, like she hadn't slept in a while and was emotionally exhausted.
"Wow," said Alex. "You look awful."
"Thanks," said Isabel, with mock hurt in her voice. "I probably just look how I feel. Not every day I see my boyfriend dead, after he's been killed by an alien jellyfish."
Alex sat down next to her. "They didn't exactly cover this in Life Management Skills in 9th Grade, did they?"
"They should," said Isabel, picking up the joke. "Right between 'Say No to Drugs' and 'Putting the Condom on a Banana.'"
They both laughed a little, before Isabel's face became serious again. "I killed him, Alex."
"That's bull and you know it," said Alex. "How could you have known that gendarium stuff was in the environment?"
"It was here because I was brought here," said Isabel. "Me, Max, Michael, and Tess. It seems like everyone I get close to gets hurt. Including you."
"Isabel," said Alex. "You are a caring and compassionate person, so its natural for you to feel guilt about what happened. But you can't take the whole world on your shoulders. You've got to move on, and let the hurt pass."
Isabel turned and looked at Alex. "Like you did," said Isabel.
Alex looked at Isabel. "Yes," said Alex. "You've got your whole life ahead of you. Don't linger on things you can't change."
They talked for a little while longer, before Alex walked Isabel to her jeep. She gave Alex a hug, and thanked him for coming to talk with her.
"What are friends for?" said Alex.
"So we are back to being friends," said Isabel.
Alex nodded. "Definitely," he said. "If you ever need me, I'll be there."
"Thank you, Alex," said Isabel.
End of Chapter Three. Chapter Four coming soon.
So, you want to know where Alex and Isabel go from here? Be sure to tune in to the next chapter to find out. In the meantime, please do provide some feedback by posting a review. Any thoughts you may have are appreciated. Thanks for reading, and be sure not to miss Chapter Four.