Connections 20

Liz walked up to the school just as the bell rang for class to start. She had gotten up early and gotten ready, and then began walking down to the familiar, yet so foreign school. She paused before entering to strengthen the image in Nasedo's mind. It was growing weaker and weaker as she was used to having Nasedo in her mind, helping her to control her powers. Now, that his presence there was leaving, she knew it was only a matter of time before she'd be using her powers on her own. She would be free of him, but she knew that he would be coming to Roswell as soon as he figured out her deception. It didn't leave her much time, but she was going to make sure nothing was rushed.

As she regained her balance, she pulled off her sunglasses and walked into the front office. There, she was met by the secretary, who eventually went over her papers and began working out a schedule for her. Then the woman led her down a hall and had her tested for what class she should be in, even though it was already obvious by her previous years at Kaylieville High.

Even so, Liz was glad for the delay, she didn't know that she'd be able to sit still in any classroom when she knew that her friends were there, friends she loved and hadn't seen in nearly a year.

As she finished the testing and turned it all in, she found that a familiar man stood speaking to the secretary to whom she was needing to turn the tests into. The man looked up at her as she approached hesitantly, knowing that he was on the 'good side', but still weary of his reaction if he was to recognize her. He did not recognize her. At least not completely.

"Hello there miss. Do I know you?"

"Ohh, ohh, no, Sheriff, this is Samantha Harding, a new student here. She's just starting today." The secretary informed the man.

"Oh, I see. Well, it was nice to meet you Ms. Harding. I hope that West Roswell High treats you well." Valenti looked carefully at the girl, and shook his head before putting his cowboy hat on his head. There was something familiar about her, and not just the last name. He had heard the last name once before, and only once before. The people who'd owned the name had not turned out to be the best.

Liz tried her best to listen to the woman speaking to her now, but her eyes followed Valenti. He had seen something familiar in her, what, she didn't know, but he was smart enough to notice anything. He would be looking up her files soon enough, and, as she knew, he would find that they were perfect. She was filed away as a perfectly normal teenager, just as Tess had been.

Sighing, she accepted the schedule that the woman handed her, then walked down the halls until she reached the classroom. It was the period just before lunch now, and she was glad because she would be able to keep the fake identity down for a while. She didn't plan on sitting with anyone but herself, just like at Kaylieville, so she would be free to simply concentrate on trying to break the connection.

She opened the door and stepped in slowly. The class got quiet and she turned to the woman teacher at the front of the room. The teacher smiled and walked up to her.

"Hello. Can I help you?" Liz refused to look at the people sitting at all of the desks. She kept her eyes trained on the woman standing before her.

"Umm...yes. I'm a new student here. This is where my schedule says I'm supposed to be."

"Alright. That sounds right. Welcome to West Roswell High. My name is Mrs. Murphy, and you are?"

"Uh...Samantha Harding." Liz finally looked out over the sea of faces in the classroom, and her breath caught in her throat at the sight of her best friend and her boyfriend.

"Well, Samantha, you may take a seat at the side of the classroom beside Matthew. Class is actually almost over right now, so you can find out what we've been doing tomorrow." The teacher turned away from her as she walked back to an empty seat. "Now class, your homework will be..." her voice droned on as Liz kept her eyes straight forward, so as not to have to see her friend. She couldn't take it right then.

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Maria stared at the girl who entered the classroom. She was a blonde. Not blonde like herself, but platinum blonde that stood out bright and shiny. Mrs. Murphy welcomed her to their high school and introduced herself. The girl introduced herself as Samantha Harding and Maria froze. That name...the last name...she didn't want to be reminded yet again of that person, those people who had had that last name.

Her eyes quickly met Michael's, her now fiancée of nearly a year. His gaze mirrored her own doubt as to the girl's true identity, but showed no other ideas as to who she could be. Maria watched Samantha seat herself and stare straight ahead silently.

That last name was not one she wanted to remember, but if it was suspicious, it would have to be investigated. Ever since the Tess incident, and since the disappearance of Liz, their group had been extremely cautious.

Maria couldn't shake the feeling of familiarity that she got from the girl. She conveyed her feelings to Michael through their connection and he confirmed that he got the same impression. Neither knew what exactly to do, so they decided to wait until lunch, only a few minutes away now, and have a group meeting. Maybe the others felt something too.