Many of the characters within this story, and the universe they inhabit, are the intellectual property of Jason Katims Productions.
Roswell: Re-Imagined
Written by Horatio Jaxx
Chapter 40: Easier Said
Isabel and Tess visited the park twice again over the next five days. Isabel had no fascination for these excursions. She was simply looking for something to do that might interest and entertain them both. Tess was happy to return to the park and quickly agreed to the activity both times Isabel suggested it. What entertained Tess most about the park, and increasingly so, was the fact that Kyle Valenti was there each time. Tess was careful not to show her favoritism for him to Isabel, but she did notice her attraction to Kyle, and that was very much a surprise to her.
Tess was a very pretty young lady and was thought so by all of the young men at Goddard High School. She spent her first three years there gently rebuffing the advances of more than her fair share of suitors. This was not because she did not like any of them. There were several that she found appealing. It was simply her fear of getting too close to someone that she liked. That is what always stopped her from entertaining the advances of boys. She was convinced that Kyle would be no different. Nonetheless, she enjoyed entertaining the fantasy that she was his girlfriend. Kyle Valenti was, to her mind, the most attractive boy she had ever seen.
Tess's fantasy was helped along by the knowing that she had caught Kyle's eye several times in the past. The report from Isabel that he had recently broken up with Sara Lange added intrigue to her reverie. She mused that the only obstacle to her heart's desire was her reluctance to pursue it. When Isabel called the next day and suggested that she spend the day at her home, Tess respectfully declined. She used the excuse that her father needed her help with some shopping for home furnishings. That was a lie and Tess felt very uncomfortable with it, but the only alternative would have been to let Isabel know that she was taking her fantasy to the edge of reality.
On the sixth day, since she first laid eyes on Kyle, Tess arrived at the park alone for the first time. To achieve that, she made the four-mile trip on her bike. Despite the effort, she had no plan to approach Kyle or to communicate with him. In fact, she had no idea what she would be doing this day. Her thinking here was, for the most part, nonexistent. The fantasy was driving her ahead of any decision or planning on what she would do if he approached her. In support of her flight of fancy, she was attired in a pair of cutoff blue jean shorts, a white tank top, sandals, sunglasses, a straw sun hat and a mini shoulder purse. She seated herself cross-leg on the grass by the soccer field and waited on the game to commence. As expected, Kyle Valenti was there.
Tess watched the game progress while giving particular interest to Kyle. She managed to exchange glances with him on numerous occasions and then pointedly looked away seconds later. Kyle was, from the beginning, intrigued by the sight of the pretty girl sitting alone on the sideline. The sight of her attention directed at him continued to heighten this interest. He could not help but entertain the idea that she was admiring him above the others, and his game suffered a little for the distraction. Tess suspected that she had aroused his interest, and she made no effort to dissuade him in this thinking. She continued to toy with him in this manner for the whole of the competition, and when the soccer game was over, she continued to play with his attention.
Kyle needed no more encouragement than the sight of the pretty blonde's continued study of him beyond the conclusion of the match. Shortly, he jogged down the sideline of the field to make his introduction to her.
"Hi," Kyle announced with a smile. "I'm Kyle Valenti."
He stood three feet in front of Tess glistening with the sweat from his exertions.
"Hi," Tess responded back with a smile. "I'm Tess."
Kyle was encouraged by the smile and the response. He returned the favor with a larger smile of his own.
"It looks like you're alone," Kyle commented cautiously.
"Yes, all alone I'm afraid," Tess flirted back.
"Would you mind if I joined you?" Kyle countered pleasantly.
"It's a big park. I'm sure you'll fit," Tess returned with an air of indifference.
Kyle sat cross-leg on the grass beside Tess while sporting a happy expression. He then paused for a moment to determine how he should proceed. At the end of that time, he spoke up with a restrained smile.
"Well, it doesn't look like you're dressed for anything athletic, so I'm guessing you're a soccer fan."
"I am," Tess agreed with a broad smile. "I like watching the players run up and down the field."
"Were you admiring anyone in particular?" Kyle questioned slyly.
"I think all the players are very attractive," Tess quickly deflected.
"I'm sorry to hear that," Kyle confessed with feigned sadness.
"Why?" Tess inquired with a pretense of surprise.
"Well, I was kind of hoping that you were admiring me more than the others," Kyle answered with a dejected expression.
Tess took a moment to restrain a grin, and then she responded to Kyle's remark with an extremely flirtatious inflection.
"I never said I wasn't."
"Oh, so you were admiring me," Kyle spoke back with a smile.
Tess gave no response other than to blush with a wide smile. Kyle took a moment to be amused by her reaction, and then he opened a new inquiry.
"Weren't you here with Isabel Evans a few days ago?"
"You know Isabel?" Tess inquired with feigned surprise.
"We're both seniors at Roswell High," Kyle reported back softly.
"You are," Tess responded with a mix of surprise and a smile on her face. "I'm a senior at Goddard," she added with simulated superiority.
"Goddard," Kyle repeated with surprise in his voice. "Wow, you're on the wrong side of town."
"Does that mean I'm in danger?" Tess questioned winsomely.
"Well, you could be," Kyle advised with feigned concern. "But luckily for you I'm here."
Tess was quickly intrigued by that report and spoke to it with a look of distrust.
"So, you're saying I should stay by your side."
"Absolutely," Kyle responded with a pretense of severity.
"And how do I know that I can trust you," Tess queried back.
"Hey, my dad is the County Sheriff," Kyle returned cavalierly. "To serve and protect is in my blood."
"Oh, that's right," Tess acknowledge with an expression of shock. "I knew I heard that name before."
"That's my dad," Kyle reported with a smile of satisfaction.
"So, this is a like father, like son thing?" Tess tossed out coyly.
"Or birds of a feather," Kyle quickly added ahead of a hefty laugh.
Tess joined in on his laughter. For a brief time, their adoration for one-another was the only thing transpiring between them. After several seconds of nothing but giggles and looks, they settled back into smiles and blushes. A few seconds later Kyle spoke up again.
"You know, I usually go and get something to eat after a game," Kyle advised softly and with a fixed stare. "You should come with me," he finished with a hopeful inflection.
Tess was caught off guard by the offer. That was not because she found the request out of place. It was because she had made no plans regarding how she would respond to any suggestion that she go beyond a flirtatious interaction. The conflict within her caused a slight expression of alarm to form on her face. She had socialized with boys before, but this was different for her. In the past she had always turned down their advances at the end of an approach. What frightened her here was her extreme attraction to Kyle.
Since the age of ten, Tess had a near preoccupation with the idea of having a boyfriend. It was only the fear, or possibly a programming, within her that kept her from acting on that desire. Julie Kessler's break from their shared prohibition, a year earlier, exacerbated the longing within her. With Julie's encouragement, Tess seriously entertained the idea of a relationship with a boy two months before the end of her junior year. She passed on that opportunity with some regrets. The addition of Isabel in her life, shortly after that missed opportunity, reinvigorated her defenses. She began to believe again that she could resist these temptations. What was concerning her most at this moment was a dread of Isabel's anticipated disappointment.
"I don't think that's a good idea," Tess timidly responded to Kyle's request while casting her gaze upon the ground.
"Yes, it is," Kyle quickly insisted to salvage his offer.
Tess suddenly looked up in reaction to his response and found Kyle staring into her eyes. She returned his stare for all of three seconds with barely a breath being past between them. And then, almost without knowing that she had spoken, Tess gave a one-word response.
"Okay."
Tess and Kyle spent the rest of the day together. When he drove her home, they kissed goodnight and made a promise to see each other again. The next day, Tess ducked another offer from Isabel to spend that day with her. Work around the home was the reason she gave, instead she spent the day with Kyle. That excuse she used for another two days. At the end of the third day, Jim Valenti came home from work and was surprised by the sight of his son on the couch with Tess snuggled next to him. On the television, across the way from them, the Texas Rangers were playing against the Los Angeles Angels.
"Hi," Jim announced with a start and a stunned expression.
Tess quickly jumped up onto her feet and took a perky stance of attention. Kyle followed her lead with a lot less enthusiasm.
"Hi, Sheriff Valenti" Tess greeted with a large smile.
Tess promptly extended her hand, and Jim happily walked over and accepted it.
"And you are," Jim questioned as he shook her hand.
"Dad, this Tess Harding," Kyle reported with a look towards his father.
He then turned to look at Tess before speaking again.
"Tess, this is my dad."
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Jim acknowledge with a nod and smile.
Jim was happy to see his son so pleasantly engaged. He knew Kyle's feelings were hurt when he lost Liz and that he was never happy with his relationship with Sara. He took a quick note of the fact that his son was more comfortably entwined with this new girl then he had ever seen with either Liz or Sara. He shortly released Tess's hand and set off for his bedroom.
As he left, Jim called back, "who's winning?"
"We are," Tess cheerfully yelled out.
Kyle took a second to suppress a grin at her reply and then he shouted back a more accurate report to his father.
"The Rangers are ahead two to nothing."
A few minutes later, Jim emerged from his bedroom attired in a comfortable pair of jeans and a Tee shirt. Kyle and Tess were, once again, snuggled together on the couch.
"What inning is it?" Jim questioned as he started for the kitchen.
"It's the top of the sixth," Kyle answered without looking away from the television.
Tess quickly jumped up off the couch and went to the kitchen behind Jim. Kyle paid no attention to that. He knew what was prompting her action.
"We went to a different restaurant then the ones that you're used to," Tess reported cheerfully an instant after stopping just inside the kitchen. "It's called the Cattle Baron. You may have heard of it."
Jim retrieved the meal from the oven as Tess spoke.
"I think you'll like it," Tess advised eagerly. "My dad loves their food."
Jim gave the meal a quick look and then responded, "I'm sure it'll be fine."
Jim had no idea how he would like the food, but he knew he was pleased with Tess, and he expressed as much with a large smile in her direction. Tess quickly turned about and happily went back to Kyle's side, overjoyed by the approval that was evident in Jim's smile.
Seconds later, Jim followed Tess out of the kitchen with his meal and a soft drink in hand. He took a seat at the table in the dining area, behind the couch. As his son and Tess watched the game, Jim made of study of them. After several minutes of that, and when there was a lull in the game, he asked the question that was most on his mind at that moment.
"Are you two dating?" Jim inquired as he continued to eat.
"I think so," Tess reported with a smile after jumping up on her knees on the couch and turning about to address him.
Kyle turned to look at Tess with a smile that was near to a grin and then spoke, to her more so than his dad.
"Yeah, Dad, we're definitely dating."