The Problem with being Popular

Part 3

That day at lunch when Max sat down at his usual table surrounded by all his friends. He was met with eight eyes staring at him in confusion. Deciding to ignore it he continued on to eating his bag of doritos. When he was done he looked up again. The group of four was still staring at him.

"What?" Max finally asked.

Maria Deluca, the peppy blonde that was sitting across from him was the first to answer "Liz Parker." She said in total disbelief.

"You can't keep anything from her, can you Michael?" Max said looking at Michael, completely annoyed, with the fact that he told Maria his long time girlfriend practically everything, in turn Maria told everyone else.

"Max I don't like this, I don't like this one bit." Isabel, Max's twin sister threw in, shaking her head.

Max then looked to the only person that hadn't stated his feeling on Max's personal life. Alex, he thought that maybe, just maybe Alex would be on his side tell him to go for it. After all, he remembered when he had wanted to date his sister Isabel, and Max totally backed him.

"I'm with Isabel." Alex finally said.

"Figures." Max mumbled. "Tell me again why we are having this discussion?" Max asked.

"Its Liz Parker man!"

"Michael's, right." Maria enthused. "I mean Liz Parker, no offense Max, but you've seen the guys that she dates, they're nothing like you at all!"

"The guy." Max stated flatly starting to get irritated. "As in one. Kyle Valenti, is the only guy that Liz has ever dated."

"Right, Kyle Valenti! Mr. Jock himself. When was the last time you were on a football field voluntarily, Max?"

"Iz I appreciate the over protective sister act, but cut it. I'm going, and I don't care what any of you have to say about it!" Max said heatedly as he got up from the table, grabbed his bag and stormed off.

"Well that went well." Maria joked in Maxs absence, trying to lighten the mood.

"I'm gonna find out what's going on. No matter who I have to talk to." Michael vowed.

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Liz was running around the house trying to find her favorite shirt. Tonight was her date with Max and he was going to arrive down stairs in less than twenty minutes, and she wasn't even dressed yet! Finally finding her shirt in the dryer, she threw it on over her head and raced to the bathroom to fix her hair and dab on some strawbehry lip-gloss. She did one final mirror check before she headed down stairs. She grabbed her purse off the coat rack then her black leather jacket, and walked out the door. She was sitting, and ready to go down in the Crashdown. With 5 minutes to spare.

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Max was running late. All most 5 minutes late to be exact, he was ready to go with time to spare, when Isabel had decided that she needed to talk to him. Max gave in and listened to what she had to say, after realizing that it was her final attempt at trying to make him stay home tonight. He laid it out strait for her.

"Isabel, I know what you're trying to do here, and I know that you think it's all in my best interest. But please stop, enough is enough. I have wanted this to happen since the third grade, thinking about it constantly, just hoping that maybe someday I would get my chance, to go out with Liz Parker, and here it is my chance, finally! So just be happy for me, all right?"

"I am happy for you Max, I just don't want to see you get hurt."

"I won't, Iz." Max said with a smile. "I won't." He repeated taking his sister into a quick hug before grabbing his dark brown leather jacket from the couch and leaving.

Still safe inside the house Isabel heard Max start the engine of the old Jeep, and pull out of their driveway. She sighed "I wish I could believe you Max."

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Max finally pulled up in front of The Crashdown. It seemed like it had taken him and eternity to drive there, when in reality it had been a mere 7 minutes.

He quickly turned off the engine, and hopped out of the Jeep. Rushing to the door of the establishment and pulling it open, he saw her. Sitting at he counter joking with one of the waitresses, she laughed at what the other girl had said to her. She was beauty in its purest form through Max's eyes. When Max finally started to walk over to her, Liz noticed him. "Hey Max." She greeted with a genuine smile.

"Liz." He said back with a dopey smile, "You ready to hit the road?"

"Yeah." Liz said standing from her seat. After saying goodbye to the girl she'd been chatting with she followed Max out of the Crashdown to his Jeep.

Max being the perfect gentlemen that he was he held the jeep door open for her as she climbed in. After Max was settled they started on their way to Santa Fe.

They talked the entire way there, Liz was surprised at how much they had in common. A couple hours later they took their seats and waited for the concert to start. Their conversation immediately ended when the first chord struck the guitar signifying the start of the show. Both were silent throughout the entire concert, just basking in the music and the fun that was surrounding them.

After the concert they decided to stop for coffee before they headed back to Roswell. Max pulled off the road to a cute little diner where they sat, and chatted, while sipping coffee for hours in complete utopia, while the time went by them completely unnoticed. When Liz finally looked down at her watch and saw that it was nearly 5:00 am!

"Its all most 5!" she said shocked, "Max I need to get home I'm supposed to open the crash at 7."

"I guess we should get going then." Not really wanting this to end, he stood and put more then enough money down on the table to cover their bill, and leave the waitress a very nice tip, before grabbing their coats and escorting her to the door.

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They arrived at the Crashdown a little after 7. There were all ready people starting to line up outside the door waiting for their early morning breakfast of course none of the other waitresses were there yet to open for her, typical Liz thought as she fished through her purse for the keys. Finally finding them she unlocked the door and welcomed everyone in. All of the customers migrated to a booth or table as she went behind the counter threw on an apron and got out and order pad.

She didn't know how she was going to pull this off. It was just her there. Every time her parents went out of town leaving Liz in charge of things, all the other workers took it as their opportunity to come and go as they pleased, or just not come at all. Liz was used to it by now and could handle things herself, but she hadn't been there early to start the fryers and put everything in the proper order that she needed in order to run everything on her own. Liz was still deep in thought when Max tapped her on the shoulder. She hadn't even noticed that he had gotten out of the jeep, lead alone followed her inside, she was to wrapped up in making sure she kept her parents business a float while they were away.

"Need any help." He asked. Though he all ready knew the answer as he too put on an apron opting for a plain cooks apron over the highly fashionable alien head one, he picked up a pad and pen and went to work taking orders, filling coffee cups and other sorted beverages.

Liz was amazed to say the least. No other guy she ever went out with would ever have the courtesy to help her run the diner, hell they wouldn't even walk her to the door. But Liz had all ready realized that Max wasn't like any other guy she had ever dated, he was very different indeed.

TBC