Once a cheater - Always a cheater
Was it an illusion?What I saw .....I could'nt believe.It was a rainy night.The new girl in town was mystreious in many ways.She seemed different.Max had told us to keep up our guard but something about the way he looked at her conjured up many thoughts.
Isabel and Michael seemed to look at her differently aswell but the look Max had was totally different.Then when she began attending our school,wierd things began to happen.Max acted totally out of wack when we the three of us were in the same class.Something was up.Isabel was only one I could get answers from and her explanation threw me into total panic.
''um,Isabel can I talk to you in private?'' I asked
She looked at me ''sure Liz''
''whats up?''she asked
''um,Its about the new girl-Tess'' I said
At that moment,Her face flushed with a grimacing expression.
''oh.....ah,what about her?''she questioned
'' its kind of hard to explain this-''
''-yeah''she interupted''I know how you feel.Liz ,what I'm about to tell you,you can't tell Max or the others''
''ofcourse''I said
''Well,you know my power is to get into peoples dreams.Well,I tried going into her dreams and what I found was not of this world''
By the look of her face,I knew that she noticed the urgency in my eyes.
''wha..what are you saying?''I asked
''Im saying that she,Tess...is one of us''Isabel answered
''she...shes 'I stuttered
''shes an alien'' he finished
My world felt like it fell apart,it did'nt take a genius to figure out that not only did Tess and Max know eachother on their own planet,they were married.That explained everything,The wierd vibe between the three of us.The way he tried to avoid her at all cost.The way he changed the subject as soon as she came up when we spoke.The way he would sneak out the back of the Crashdown cafe when she came in.I must have stood there for a while before I remembered that I was standing in front of Isabel.
''are you okay?''She asked
''ye..yeah,I kind of guessed''I replied
''theres more-''she said
''let me guess.She and Max were together''I said
''um,yeah.But theres still one more thing.''
''what?''I asked
''She wants him back and Im afraid she'll do anything to get what she wants''she said
''what?what are you saying
''I think you know what Im saying.''she added
''what do I do?''I questioned
'' I dont think she'll do anything.Max being around,Alex and Maria knowing about us-I dont think she'll take the risk,plus you still have Michael and .....me''she said
I smiled''thank you Isabel''
I met Maria at the Crashdown after school.I told her about Tess.She wasnt totally surprised aswell , as was Alex.
''what going on now?Maria asked ''I mean we arent going to avoid her forever,there must be some reason why shes here in Roswell''
''there is -shes married to Max''I said
''Shes what?''Alex asked
''dont you mean,Zan''Maria said''She isnt married to Max,shes married to Zan...from Antar''
''it doesnt matter.Shes here and she wants me out of the picture''I said
''C'mon Liz.Do you honestly think Max is gonna leave you for some blond hussy thats just arrived in town?''asked Maria
''a blond hussy?''asked Alex''where'd all of this come from?''
''shutup''Maria argued
''I dont know Maria.You should see the way they look at eachother....anyways,Isabel said to met here tonight at nine.''I said
''what are we gonna do?''questioned Alex
''we're having a meeting''I answered
Alex began to blabber about Tess and Maria began to inhale eucalyptus to calm her down.I began to to ponder on the thought of Max and Tess.The feeling of Max leaving me for Tess scared me a lot.Anger and Revulsion began to form within me,directed at Tess and her mission to steal Max from me.I then noticed that I was gripping a butcher knife in my hand.I stared down at it ,staring into my reflection in the knife.I had to admit that I was ready to kill!
A knock at the door interupted my thoughts.Max stood there staring at me.I walked over and unlocked the door but did'nt bother to open it.I did'nt know why but I was angry towards him.Maybe it was because he did'nt say anything to me about him and Tess,maybe it was because he did'nt say anything about the possibility of Tess being one of them-I honestly did'nt know.I looked at Maria and she got the message and walked out of the Crashdown,dragging Alex behind her.
''be back in five guys''Maria said
I began to collect dirty plates and utencils from the tables.
''Liz'' Max uttered
I did'nt respond
''Liz'' he repeated
''oh..yeah Max,I totally did'nt see you there.Sorry for not talking to you!'' I muttered sarcastically
''Liz,I know your angry''he said
''I'm not angry,why would I be angry?''I asked in a fake cheerful voice
''Liz...please dont do this''He said
''do what?''I asked innocently
''this!-dont do this" he pleaded
''what am I doing?'' I asked him again,in a cheerful voice
''please stop it Liz.We have to talk''he said
''about what?''I questioned
''about.....Tess"he replied
''oh so now you want to talk about her.You dont want to avoid the subject?! Its a little too late for that Max,you'll just have to wait till
the rest of the group come then we can discuss this!''
I stared at him defiantly.He moved back and lay against the chair at the back of him.I noticed the shimer of pain in his eyes and I couldnt help but feel guilty.
''please understand where I'm coming from max,"i began to clear up.I wasnt going to stand there and let him see the tears beginning to sting my eyes.The hurt I saw but i couldnt help but feel angry,angry at him for what he did.Even though it wasnt him I felt as if part of him wanted to go to her,to hold her and I was jealous.
soon after,the rest of the group came trotting in one after another,their expressions clear and serious as they noticed the feeling in the atmosphere.Michael gave Max a "what is it?" look.Maria walked in and immediately started to interrogate me.There were loud whipers growing across the crashdown and Isabel,being the mature and orderly one stood around with an irritated glare at everyone."what is it?"asked Alex."C'mon guys,we're not in some sitcom.We all have personal problems at the moment but we have to put them aside anddeal with Tess!"she stood there waiting for everyones reply.Typical Isabel I thought,always wanting everything in due order."okay,what are we ginna do"asked Maria."well"she looked at Michael and Max.It wasnt usuall that she would take charge"we have to figure out what shes doing here-i have been dreamwalking and ehr dreams show our memories"she turned to face Max and Michael"she has the same memories we have,the green clouds and the wierd landscape........"listening to Isabel.I began to realise everything.My life before Max,my life before he healed a bullet wound two inches below my ribs and how I cut all ties with normality.He had become such a big part of my life and the thought of him leaving me for ....his wife scared me in ways I could not comprehend.Hearing Max even mention her name was shear agony.How could I compete with her.She was his type and what made it worse was that they were married.They were happily married on their planet together,living a wonderful life in eachothers arms.Hugging and kissing.The images that shot through my mind were too much,I could hardly take one in before the next flashed before my eyes.Then...my anger grew as the image of Max and Tess outside the crashdown tatooed itself onto my eyelids and I saw it whenever I closed my eyes.I could not hold back anymore,the fear and anger and sadness were too overwhelming and I burst in to a howling wreck my eyes bursting with so much tears and my howls of misery rocked the cafe.In an instant,Max was on his feet and his arms wrapped around me,like a warm blanket I felt so safe there in his warmth...but this time,even his heartsearing comfort was pain.It reminded me of how I will never be there in his arms because he will have Tess there,she will be the one that will take comfort up against him and he will have his arms around her,touching her and comforting her.Anger sunk into me,the feeling of wanting to hurt not only Tess but Max also for what they did...for what they were about to put me through.The greatest pain I will probably ever encounter was to be inflicted by the very one who could
take it away.And so,I stopped sobbing and brushed away my tears.With Max still clinging to me for dear life I pushed away.
"get off me Max"I said in a flat and boring voice.I removed his hands from me,holding them like they were a piece of litter I wanted to dispose of."how could you?"
his eyes shot a look of pure sadness"Liz.....please Liz"he cried
"no Max,last night-do you remember that?last night after you said how much you loved me and kissed me goodbye you put me through one of the most painful ordeals I could have ever encountered."I muttered
"please..."he cried in deperation
"no Max....go to your wife"
