The Problem with Being Popular
Part 6
At exactly 6:00 that night Max was there to pick Liz up. Liz had finally contacted the other waitresses that were supposed to work on Sunday, they all gave her the same lame excuses as to why they hadn't been there. Liz wasn't surprised it happened every time her parents went out of town. Liz had had it though. She actually yelled at them, something that she never did before, but damnit she was going out with Max tonight, and they were going to be there to do their jobs!
Max walked through the doors of the café, and straight over to Liz who was sitting at the counter waiting for him. She smiled, a big 'I'm so happy that you're here to take me out for the best night of my life' smile, Max had much the same look on his face.
"You ready?"
"Indeed." Liz announced, as she hopped off her stool, and over to him. he guided her out the door with his hand on the small of her back. Both very well aware that that was the first time that he had actually touched her. Liz had a strange, warm tingle run through her body at the slight touch. She couldn't imagine how amazing it would be to kiss him, be pressed intimately against his hard body, as he ran his hands through her silk like hair, and ravished her mouth with his own full, sensual, lips. Blushing slightly at the thought, he helped her into the jeep before he drove to the theatre to meet Michael, and Maria.
"Max, I'm so happy that we are doing this." Liz almost whispered in a dreamy sigh.
"So am I." Max replied sincerely.
After that they drove in a compatible silence the rest of the way. Both just happy to be there, to spend time with each other. Though Max had known that that was where he wanted to be all along. Liz was still relatively new to liking Max in that way, and she was loving every second of it.
When they arrived to the theatre, they looked around and saw no sign of the other couple. Max told Liz that Maria was usually late to everything, one of her many quirks as he put it.
When the two finally pulled up to the theatre in Maria's red Jetta, they could be heard bickering about something.
"God, your unbelievable, its like you've been out of touch with human contact for the last ten years!" Maria shouted at Michael as she slammed the car door and walked towards Liz.
"Its not as if you wrote the book on proper dining etiquette!" Michael retorted with equal agitation in his voice. Following suit and slamming his door.
"Its not about that, I thought it was common sense, your so annoying!"
"Ditto!"
Then there was silence as they approached Max and Liz. Max looked between the two and knew well enough not to get involved. Without a word he and Michael went and bought the tickets. Leaving Maria and Liz.
Liz was worried. Michael and Maria had seemed like such a happy couple. "Is everything ok?" Liz asked.
"Just typical Michael. No manners what so ever." Liz could sense that this was an ongoing problem between them, it seemed like they had had this argument many times before.
"Nothing to worry about, Liz. I know he'll never change, it can just be so aggravating sometimes, you know?" Maria questioned. Feeling completely at ease with Liz, like she could tell her anything.
Liz nodded in reply, thinking that Maria had more to say, but before she could the boys returned and were obviously ready to head inside.
Maria glared daggers at Maria and walked briskly inside, as Michael followed. Max and Liz fell behind a bit.
"They do this a lot you know." Max explained. "They'll be mad at each other over this for maybe an hour, and then it will be totally forgotten. Nothing to be to concerned about."
"Oh, if you say so." Liz shrugged, not completely buying it. Maria had seemed very upset before.
"Trust me. They've been together for over a year, and some things will never change. They'll fight and make up, they'll have their child-like banter, and they'll love each other, just as sure as the sun will rise and set." Max was sure of this. If it was one thing that he knew, it was that Michael and Maria were meant for each other, no one else could handle either of them, they weren't meant to be, as far as he was concerned.
Max and Liz walked into the movie theatre, and sure enough, the rift had been mended. Michael and Maria were sitting together, his arm around her, kissing passionately.
"And that's what follows the fight." Max announced loudly as they approached hoping to break the two up, but with no luck.
Max and Liz sat with a few empty seats in-between them and the other couple. There was still about 20 minutes or so before the movie was set to start, they passed the time quickly with some small talk.
"So I have some insight into the Michael and Maria relationship. Are Alex and Isabel like that also?" Liz was intrigued with the pairing of Alex and Isabel, they seemed great for each other, but not your typical high school couple, but then again neither was her and Max.
"No. They are nothing like them. Alex and Isabel are... well... they are kind of in their own. They really make sense of each other, and know each other so well. They hardly ever fight. They are just so considerate of one another. I don't think I could chose any one better for my sister." Max was sure of that.
Liz smiled to herself. Even though Isabel was older than him, he seemed to be the over protective brother type. It was sweet, she thought.
"Can I ask you something Liz?" Max wasn't sure if he should ask her, but it was killing him, he had to know.
"You can ask me anything Max." Liz assured.
"Why did you choose me to go to the concert with you. I mean don't get me wrong. I'm extremely happy that you did, it just kind of came out of no where." There it was done, he'd finally asked. He just hoped he wouldn't regret it.
When Max asked that it all came back to her. It was a dare. She'd been so caught up in what a great time she was having with him, that she'd forgotten about it completely. She had asked him out on a dare. How could she ever say that to him, the last three days had been amazing. She didn't want it to end. What could she say, how could she ever explain to him that she wanted to be with him. That it took the dare to make her realize how she felt about him. Would he ever understand?
Thankfully before Liz could reply to his question the previews started and she turned her attention towards the screen. If the thoughts about the dare hadn't been plaguing her mind through out the whole movie it probably would have been the best time of her life. The movie was amazing, a true love story. Half way through it Max got the courage to put his arm around her. She sank into the comfort of his embrace and laid her head on his shoulder, if she hadn't been guilt ridden the whole time she probably would have passed out from the sensations that his touch gave her.
===================
When the movie ended they all went and got ice cream at a shop near by. Max hadn't asked again, and for that Liz was grateful. She'd been thinking about it all night and still had no idea of how to tell him.
Maria looked at Liz while she ate her ice cream. She could tell that something was wrong. She looked awful. She sat there with them and laughed and ate ice cream, but Maria could tell that she was just going through the motions. Something was definitely wrong.
====================
When Max dropped her off after the ice cream. She could tell that he was contemplating giving her a good night kiss, she wanted to kiss him back more then he would probably ever know. But right now she knew she couldn't. She didn't deserve it. She needed to tell him the truth. She needed to do it now.
The two stood in front of the door of the crash down. Max wanting to kiss her, and her knowing that she was about to break his heart.
"Thank you for a wonderful evening Max." She truly meant it, as she leaned in and gave him a warm hug.
"No. Thank you, Liz. For a dream come true." Max said his warm breath hitting her ear as he whispered his thanks to her, and held her close.
In that moment Liz thought she may cry. She had to tell him now. She pulled back and looked into his inviting eyes. He was so open with her, she could really see him when she looked at him.
She took a deep breath and then looked at him again, she was as ready as she ever could be.
"Max do you remember what you asked me before the movie started, about why I had asked you to the concert?"
Max nodded, to let her know that he did. He was really worried, Liz looked like she'd just found out that someone had died, or something equally as awful.
"Well the truth is that the reason, in the beginning that it was you that I asked was because, it was a dare. At a party last week, I had been dared to ask you out." Liz stopped there. She had so much more to say, but Max looked as if she had just stabbed him through with a long spear. A single tear slid down her cheek as she continued. "That's why I asked you to the concert. "That's not why we had such an amazing time at the concert or sat and talked at the diner for so many hours. That's not why I sat with you at lunch, or went out with you tonight. Max I like you. I like you a lot. It took the dare for me to realize that, for me to make the first step towards this, and even if you can't forgive me. I will always cherish the time that we did have together."
Max was silent. He was hurt, and angry, and embarrassed. He knew that she meant what she was saying. But how could he ever get past the fact that if she hadn't been at some party, and everyone hadn't gotten a laugh at the thought of them together that this never would have happened. God how many people knew that all of this was a dare. He couldn't believe it. He regretted asking her why. Would he have been happier never knowing. To just continue on thinking that the most beautiful, smartest girl in school liked him. He didn't know. But he did know that he needed to get away. Even though she had just hurt him, looking at her now with tears running down her soft cheeks, all he wanted to do was take her in her arms and tell her that it was all ok, that everything would work itself out. He couldn't do that though. He did the one thing that he need to do, he walked away. While he still had the strength too, he left her standing there by herself. Got in his jeep and drove away.
Liz stood there. She wasn't completely stunned that it had played out that way. She wished that it hadn't, but she couldn't blame him. If it had been her she would have been outraged. The thing that hurt her the most was the look on his face. Could that ever be repaired. Would he ever look at her the way he did before she told him again.
With that thought Liz turned and unlocked the door to the Crashdown. She walked up the stairs to the apartment that she shared with her parents and went to her room, she fell against the bed. She laid there thinking about what had just happened, wishing that she could take it all back. As the tears started again she heard a faint knocking coming from down stairs on the diner door.
When Liz finally got up to se who it could be, she was relieved to see Maria on the other side of the door as she pulled it open to let the other girl in.
Had Max told her. Did they all know now, did they all hate her.
Maria took in the sight of Liz. Her clothes were rumpled, she had tear stains down her face, and her hair was a mess. Something had definitely happened with Max.
"Liz are you ok? Tell me what happened." Maria comforted as she pulled her into a hug.
Liz was amazed. Maria seemed to have no idea what had just happened with Max. How did she know to come here. How did she know exactly what Liz needed right now. A friend. But could she really tell Maria what had happened, or would Maria be hurt also?
Liz took Maria upstairs to her room and then out to the balcony that was attached to her room. They sat there in the cool desert night, in the lawn chairs and Liz told Maria of the dare, and how she told max, the look on his face. She also voiced what she felt for Max to her, the first time that she said it out loud.
"Maria, I think I love him." Liz sobbed. "Is that crazy?"
"No, that's not crazy." Maria soothed taking a seat next to Liz and putting her arm around her, rubbing her back to try to calm her.
"That's not crazy at all. You can't fight how you feel. I happen to know for a fact that Max feels the same way. He's hurting right now, but I have faith that the two of you can work through this."
Liz looked up at Maria when she said this. She could see that se really meant what she said. It gave Liz hope. She hugged Maria then.
"Thank you. Thank you for being here for me. I don't know how you knew to be here, but I thank you that you did."
"Call it a women's intuition." Maria hugged her back. She was shocked when Liz had told her about the dare. But she could see that Liz didn't want to hurt Max. She could also see how much Liz needed her, needed her to be her friend right now.
======================
Max drove through the desert at high speeds. He needed to clear his head. Stop thinking about what had just happened. His mind kept replaying it for him, whether he wanted to see it or not.
Could he forgive her.
TBC
A/N: I figure if I put the authors note down here that more people will read it. In the reviews I'm still getting a lot of Alien questions and theories, I'm sorry but they are all human in this fic.
So tell me what you all think of this last part, it's a lot longer then all the other parts. Did Liz do the right thing? Did Max?
Part 6
At exactly 6:00 that night Max was there to pick Liz up. Liz had finally contacted the other waitresses that were supposed to work on Sunday, they all gave her the same lame excuses as to why they hadn't been there. Liz wasn't surprised it happened every time her parents went out of town. Liz had had it though. She actually yelled at them, something that she never did before, but damnit she was going out with Max tonight, and they were going to be there to do their jobs!
Max walked through the doors of the café, and straight over to Liz who was sitting at the counter waiting for him. She smiled, a big 'I'm so happy that you're here to take me out for the best night of my life' smile, Max had much the same look on his face.
"You ready?"
"Indeed." Liz announced, as she hopped off her stool, and over to him. he guided her out the door with his hand on the small of her back. Both very well aware that that was the first time that he had actually touched her. Liz had a strange, warm tingle run through her body at the slight touch. She couldn't imagine how amazing it would be to kiss him, be pressed intimately against his hard body, as he ran his hands through her silk like hair, and ravished her mouth with his own full, sensual, lips. Blushing slightly at the thought, he helped her into the jeep before he drove to the theatre to meet Michael, and Maria.
"Max, I'm so happy that we are doing this." Liz almost whispered in a dreamy sigh.
"So am I." Max replied sincerely.
After that they drove in a compatible silence the rest of the way. Both just happy to be there, to spend time with each other. Though Max had known that that was where he wanted to be all along. Liz was still relatively new to liking Max in that way, and she was loving every second of it.
When they arrived to the theatre, they looked around and saw no sign of the other couple. Max told Liz that Maria was usually late to everything, one of her many quirks as he put it.
When the two finally pulled up to the theatre in Maria's red Jetta, they could be heard bickering about something.
"God, your unbelievable, its like you've been out of touch with human contact for the last ten years!" Maria shouted at Michael as she slammed the car door and walked towards Liz.
"Its not as if you wrote the book on proper dining etiquette!" Michael retorted with equal agitation in his voice. Following suit and slamming his door.
"Its not about that, I thought it was common sense, your so annoying!"
"Ditto!"
Then there was silence as they approached Max and Liz. Max looked between the two and knew well enough not to get involved. Without a word he and Michael went and bought the tickets. Leaving Maria and Liz.
Liz was worried. Michael and Maria had seemed like such a happy couple. "Is everything ok?" Liz asked.
"Just typical Michael. No manners what so ever." Liz could sense that this was an ongoing problem between them, it seemed like they had had this argument many times before.
"Nothing to worry about, Liz. I know he'll never change, it can just be so aggravating sometimes, you know?" Maria questioned. Feeling completely at ease with Liz, like she could tell her anything.
Liz nodded in reply, thinking that Maria had more to say, but before she could the boys returned and were obviously ready to head inside.
Maria glared daggers at Maria and walked briskly inside, as Michael followed. Max and Liz fell behind a bit.
"They do this a lot you know." Max explained. "They'll be mad at each other over this for maybe an hour, and then it will be totally forgotten. Nothing to be to concerned about."
"Oh, if you say so." Liz shrugged, not completely buying it. Maria had seemed very upset before.
"Trust me. They've been together for over a year, and some things will never change. They'll fight and make up, they'll have their child-like banter, and they'll love each other, just as sure as the sun will rise and set." Max was sure of this. If it was one thing that he knew, it was that Michael and Maria were meant for each other, no one else could handle either of them, they weren't meant to be, as far as he was concerned.
Max and Liz walked into the movie theatre, and sure enough, the rift had been mended. Michael and Maria were sitting together, his arm around her, kissing passionately.
"And that's what follows the fight." Max announced loudly as they approached hoping to break the two up, but with no luck.
Max and Liz sat with a few empty seats in-between them and the other couple. There was still about 20 minutes or so before the movie was set to start, they passed the time quickly with some small talk.
"So I have some insight into the Michael and Maria relationship. Are Alex and Isabel like that also?" Liz was intrigued with the pairing of Alex and Isabel, they seemed great for each other, but not your typical high school couple, but then again neither was her and Max.
"No. They are nothing like them. Alex and Isabel are... well... they are kind of in their own. They really make sense of each other, and know each other so well. They hardly ever fight. They are just so considerate of one another. I don't think I could chose any one better for my sister." Max was sure of that.
Liz smiled to herself. Even though Isabel was older than him, he seemed to be the over protective brother type. It was sweet, she thought.
"Can I ask you something Liz?" Max wasn't sure if he should ask her, but it was killing him, he had to know.
"You can ask me anything Max." Liz assured.
"Why did you choose me to go to the concert with you. I mean don't get me wrong. I'm extremely happy that you did, it just kind of came out of no where." There it was done, he'd finally asked. He just hoped he wouldn't regret it.
When Max asked that it all came back to her. It was a dare. She'd been so caught up in what a great time she was having with him, that she'd forgotten about it completely. She had asked him out on a dare. How could she ever say that to him, the last three days had been amazing. She didn't want it to end. What could she say, how could she ever explain to him that she wanted to be with him. That it took the dare to make her realize how she felt about him. Would he ever understand?
Thankfully before Liz could reply to his question the previews started and she turned her attention towards the screen. If the thoughts about the dare hadn't been plaguing her mind through out the whole movie it probably would have been the best time of her life. The movie was amazing, a true love story. Half way through it Max got the courage to put his arm around her. She sank into the comfort of his embrace and laid her head on his shoulder, if she hadn't been guilt ridden the whole time she probably would have passed out from the sensations that his touch gave her.
===================
When the movie ended they all went and got ice cream at a shop near by. Max hadn't asked again, and for that Liz was grateful. She'd been thinking about it all night and still had no idea of how to tell him.
Maria looked at Liz while she ate her ice cream. She could tell that something was wrong. She looked awful. She sat there with them and laughed and ate ice cream, but Maria could tell that she was just going through the motions. Something was definitely wrong.
====================
When Max dropped her off after the ice cream. She could tell that he was contemplating giving her a good night kiss, she wanted to kiss him back more then he would probably ever know. But right now she knew she couldn't. She didn't deserve it. She needed to tell him the truth. She needed to do it now.
The two stood in front of the door of the crash down. Max wanting to kiss her, and her knowing that she was about to break his heart.
"Thank you for a wonderful evening Max." She truly meant it, as she leaned in and gave him a warm hug.
"No. Thank you, Liz. For a dream come true." Max said his warm breath hitting her ear as he whispered his thanks to her, and held her close.
In that moment Liz thought she may cry. She had to tell him now. She pulled back and looked into his inviting eyes. He was so open with her, she could really see him when she looked at him.
She took a deep breath and then looked at him again, she was as ready as she ever could be.
"Max do you remember what you asked me before the movie started, about why I had asked you to the concert?"
Max nodded, to let her know that he did. He was really worried, Liz looked like she'd just found out that someone had died, or something equally as awful.
"Well the truth is that the reason, in the beginning that it was you that I asked was because, it was a dare. At a party last week, I had been dared to ask you out." Liz stopped there. She had so much more to say, but Max looked as if she had just stabbed him through with a long spear. A single tear slid down her cheek as she continued. "That's why I asked you to the concert. "That's not why we had such an amazing time at the concert or sat and talked at the diner for so many hours. That's not why I sat with you at lunch, or went out with you tonight. Max I like you. I like you a lot. It took the dare for me to realize that, for me to make the first step towards this, and even if you can't forgive me. I will always cherish the time that we did have together."
Max was silent. He was hurt, and angry, and embarrassed. He knew that she meant what she was saying. But how could he ever get past the fact that if she hadn't been at some party, and everyone hadn't gotten a laugh at the thought of them together that this never would have happened. God how many people knew that all of this was a dare. He couldn't believe it. He regretted asking her why. Would he have been happier never knowing. To just continue on thinking that the most beautiful, smartest girl in school liked him. He didn't know. But he did know that he needed to get away. Even though she had just hurt him, looking at her now with tears running down her soft cheeks, all he wanted to do was take her in her arms and tell her that it was all ok, that everything would work itself out. He couldn't do that though. He did the one thing that he need to do, he walked away. While he still had the strength too, he left her standing there by herself. Got in his jeep and drove away.
Liz stood there. She wasn't completely stunned that it had played out that way. She wished that it hadn't, but she couldn't blame him. If it had been her she would have been outraged. The thing that hurt her the most was the look on his face. Could that ever be repaired. Would he ever look at her the way he did before she told him again.
With that thought Liz turned and unlocked the door to the Crashdown. She walked up the stairs to the apartment that she shared with her parents and went to her room, she fell against the bed. She laid there thinking about what had just happened, wishing that she could take it all back. As the tears started again she heard a faint knocking coming from down stairs on the diner door.
When Liz finally got up to se who it could be, she was relieved to see Maria on the other side of the door as she pulled it open to let the other girl in.
Had Max told her. Did they all know now, did they all hate her.
Maria took in the sight of Liz. Her clothes were rumpled, she had tear stains down her face, and her hair was a mess. Something had definitely happened with Max.
"Liz are you ok? Tell me what happened." Maria comforted as she pulled her into a hug.
Liz was amazed. Maria seemed to have no idea what had just happened with Max. How did she know to come here. How did she know exactly what Liz needed right now. A friend. But could she really tell Maria what had happened, or would Maria be hurt also?
Liz took Maria upstairs to her room and then out to the balcony that was attached to her room. They sat there in the cool desert night, in the lawn chairs and Liz told Maria of the dare, and how she told max, the look on his face. She also voiced what she felt for Max to her, the first time that she said it out loud.
"Maria, I think I love him." Liz sobbed. "Is that crazy?"
"No, that's not crazy." Maria soothed taking a seat next to Liz and putting her arm around her, rubbing her back to try to calm her.
"That's not crazy at all. You can't fight how you feel. I happen to know for a fact that Max feels the same way. He's hurting right now, but I have faith that the two of you can work through this."
Liz looked up at Maria when she said this. She could see that se really meant what she said. It gave Liz hope. She hugged Maria then.
"Thank you. Thank you for being here for me. I don't know how you knew to be here, but I thank you that you did."
"Call it a women's intuition." Maria hugged her back. She was shocked when Liz had told her about the dare. But she could see that Liz didn't want to hurt Max. She could also see how much Liz needed her, needed her to be her friend right now.
======================
Max drove through the desert at high speeds. He needed to clear his head. Stop thinking about what had just happened. His mind kept replaying it for him, whether he wanted to see it or not.
Could he forgive her.
TBC
A/N: I figure if I put the authors note down here that more people will read it. In the reviews I'm still getting a lot of Alien questions and theories, I'm sorry but they are all human in this fic.
So tell me what you all think of this last part, it's a lot longer then all the other parts. Did Liz do the right thing? Did Max?
