THANK YOU TO MY BETA/SISTER adrigoddess
The uneasy feeling is getting worse. Michael was acting weird yesterday night before he left to the trailer park and now he's not in school. What the hell? I look through the halls, scanning for him. Damn my lack of height; there are too many people. I might not find him.
Maria approaches me with a smile. "Hey, Liz." She's wearing her wonder bra and every guy in the hall is staring with a little slobber coming out of the side of their mouths.
I roll my eyes. "Hi, Ria. I see it fit." I motion to the bra and then I scan the hall behind her one more time for Michael. Nothing.
Maria is giggling. "Isn't it awesome? I love this thing! I've already got 2 phone numbers and--what--what are you looking for? Are you paying attention to me?" Maria turns and tries to find what I'm searching for.
I shake my head. "Sorry. Just looking for Michael. He's was acting weird last night and he's usually here by now." I bit my lip as I continued to search.
"Don't worry about him. One, he's always acting weird. And two, he can take care of himself. Besides, him, Max, and Isabel might be up to something--" she looked around, "Czechoslovakian."
I pursed my lips. "No, that's not it. One of them would of said something. I know-- And then I saw him. He was walking fast, searching for something--someone on the other side of the small hall. "Hold on, Maria."
"I'll just see you in class." She called after me.
I nodded as I made my way towards Michael. "Michael!" I called.
He saw me and his hand went straight up to his face like people hold their head when they have a headache. He turned and walked faster into the bathroom. I stopped in my tracks. He was ignoring me.
"Hey, Liz. Have you seen Michael?" Isabel approached me. I could tell she was flustered.
I nodded, finally turning to her. "Yea."
She looked relieved. "Where? I need to talk to him."
"Did something happen? You seem on edge." I knew I was probing but I didn't care. Maybe Maria was right. Maybe this was alien related, nothing to do with me.
Isabel was losing patience with me and she wasn't hiding it. "No. I just need to find him. He's been acting weird and I want to talk to him."
"I noticed too. And you just missed him. He totally ignored me and went straight into the bathroom." I pointed toward the sign over a door that said MEN.
Isabel gave the bathroom a once over. For a minute I thought she might just go in.
Alex and Max reached us. They were laughing at something. I faked a smile, not wanting to look suspicious.
Isabel on the other hand, ignored Alex and I, as she grabbed Max and took him to the side a bit. "Michael's acting weird."
Max gave a chuckle, making the impression that Michael acting weird wasn't something new. "Ok."
"Max, I'm serious. Will you check it out? He wouldn't answer my phone call this morning and he totally ignored Liz just now."
Max looked from Isabel to me, where he saw the concern in my face.
The bell rang. The few people in the hall now made their way to class.
"Fine. Where is he?" Max asked us.
Isabel and I pointed to the bathroom.
"Go to class. I'll find out what's going on and meet you there." Max made this way into the bathroom as Alex pulled both Isabel and me to our next classroom.
"Come on. We can't be late. If I get another detention I'm killing you guys." Alex squeezed my hand. "He's fine, Liz. You know Michael. He does this it seems once a month. I swear sometimes I think he's more of a woman that you." He laughed at his own joke as we reached our classroom.
Isabel and I gave each other a worried look before we entered and sat in our seats.
The whole time spent in class i don't think either Isabel nor I paid attention to one word uttered by our teacher. We both stared at the door, willing Max to enter.
I was jumpy, waiting for Max and Michael to show up. Alex was right. Michael did act weird sometimes during the month. But it wasn't like this. I've never had this uneasy feeling. I knew something was wrong and I felt Michael might be in trouble.
Where the hell was Max?! I looked at the clock and back toward the door. OPEN!
No such luck. I waited for Max and Michael. By lunch both Isabel and I were on edge.
Nobody spoke. It was the longest lunch in my life.
As the bell rang to finally end it, so did Isabel's cell phone.
She had it up to her ear before it even stopped ringing. "Where are you? What happened?"
I leaned forward. She wasn't saying anything. She was listening now. Her face went from angry and worried to worried and frightened. "Ok. I'm on my way." She tucked her phone in her pocket and grabbed her book bag.
"Wait, Isabel." I grabbed her.
"I don't have time for this, Liz. Let go of me." Her voice was pure venom.
She wasn't going to scare me off. "Is he ok, Isabel?"
"I'll find out when I get there. Let go of me." She looked like she was trying not to kill me.
"Please, Isabel. Let me know when you find out." I pleaded.
She nodded and I let her go.
"Come on Liz." Maria who hadn't said a word to me since this morning put her hand on my back and led me away. "He's fine. If it was something bad, we'd know."
Would we? Max and Michael had been trying to keep us out of the loop lately. They said it was for our own safety but I could see it hurt them to keep us out. They wanted us to know but fought the urge to tell us anything. They feared they were getting too close to us.
Maybe this was why they were regressing. They were trying to avoid this. I was scared as hell when 5 rolled around and Michael didn't come in for this shift.
I sought my dad out and finally found him in the office. "Dad?"
"Oh, hi, Lizzie? What's going on?"
"I'm worried about Michael." I sat down, trying to come up with something to tell my dad and protect Michael's job.
"Why? It's only a stomach flu. Michael said he'd be back in a couple of days. I told him not to worry. He's probably been over worked. That boy doesn't have a chance to sleep which is why he's sick to begin with." My father stopped talking; maybe it was because he finally noticed the look on my face. "Liz, are you ok?"
"Yea. yea." I was so confused. "He called you?" When had he called?
Her father simply nodded. "Earlier. Jose's supposed to be here in 10. Are you sure you're ok?"
"Yea. Um, I just didn't know if he'd gotten the chance to call. I uh--saw him this morning at school. He left right after. He's never sick."
"He needs to take care of himself. And so do you. Rest always helps."
I nod. "Ok, well I better get back to work then."
I called and text Max constantly the next hour. I knew out of the 3, he'd be the one to give me information. The only thing I got out of him was that Michael was spending the night at his place.
I reread the message for hours. Can't talk now. Michael's spending the night with us. Talk to you tomorrow. What the hell kind of message was that?!
The hours flew by. I was upstairs getting out of the shower when my phone rang. I ran to it and was disappointed when it was Maria.
"LIZ! Ohmygod you won't believe what Alex and I just walked into! My mom and Valenti were making out. Heavy making out. Clothes are shuffled. Eeww. It was so gross. Ugh and I think they might be dating. Can you believe it?!"
I tried to face interest as long as I could. I'd worry about it later IF there was something to worry about. "That is so random. I know Valenti is creepy but at least your mom's happy right?"
I listened to Maria babble on for about 20 minutes before I told her I had to get into the shower. She promised to give me another run down tomorrow. Sometimes, I had to put an end to her talking. If it was up to her, she'd talk all day.
As I stepped out of the shower, I tried to think about Maria's problem and not Michael.
I let the towel around my head loose and my wet hair fall to my shoulders. I turned to look at the time and saw it was midnight. I was gonna kill Michael for making me worry for this long. No call? No visit? Damn him.
"Asshole." I mumbled as I turned to my window and nearly had a heart attack when I saw him just outside of it.
I ran to open it for him. It was raining outside so he was soaked.
"Michael what the hell?!" I grabbed a blanket and through it on him. He was shivering. "Michael, take off your clothes. Let me get you something."
I ran to grab some sweats and sweatshirt I'd bought for my father and gave them to Michael. I grabbed his arms and that's when I noticed he was crying.
I was terrified to see him this way. I took him in my arms and kept whispering that he was ok.
He cried for a while and I just held him. I was too scared to ask what was wrong. And I knew he needed this. I didn't know if he was skaking because he was crying or because he was cold. He was silent most of the time. One let out a soft cry once in a while. I could see the fear and the pain in his face.
I took off this button up and his pants and put the sweats on him. He didn't move much and he didn't stop me. I guess he was too cold and too tired to care.
I fell asleep after he did. It didn't feel right to let him go, so I kept holding him and finally let my own tears come.
In the morning, when I woke up he was gone. A note lay by my night stand. One simple word in what I recognized as Michael's writing. THANKS.
I quickly dressed for school and looked for him in the halls. I was scared he wouldn't show up again today.
I was able to breathe again when I saw him enter class and sit in his regular seat. I couldn't keep my eyes off of him but still, I could breathe easier.
He didn't turn to look at anyone. He focused on the teacher and I tried to do the same.
Not 20 minutes later, there was a knock on our door. The principal came in with Valenti and my heart stopped.
"Michael Guerin." The principal called and motioned with his finger to go with them.
Max and Michael shared a look before he disappeared through the door.
Michael did not come back to class.
The rest of my day was spent in dread...maybe a little worse than yesterday. What the hell was up now?
I went to the Crashdown as soon as I got out of school. Maybe my father had heard something from him.
"Don't worry, Liz. I'm sure he's still at home trying to get better. Don't worry so much."
Minutes later Isabel and Maria walked in.
"Have you seen Michael?" Isabel was frustrated as she had been yesterday.
I decided with holding information from her might work to my advantage. "Why?"
"Have you or have you not?" Isabel demanded.
Maria pulled out a chair to watch the show.
"Maybe. I want to know what's going on. I'm worried about him."
"I'm worried about him too. That's why I need to know, Liz. Have you seen him?"
"Isabel." I pressed, holding my ground and giving her a look that let know that I was being serious.
"Liz, I promised I wouldn't tell." She gave me an almost defeated look.
I said nothing, just continued looking at her.
She let out a sigh, giving up. "All right. Michael's in trouble."
Maria popped out of her chair.
I hesitated. "What...what kind of trouble?"
"It's Hank. He's, um...he's been hurting him, and Max and I are trying to help."
Maria's mouth fell. "Oh, my God, Isabel."
"Michael made us promise not to say anything."
"He was with me last night. All night." I admitted.
I ignored Maria's shocked face and then her shriek.
Isabel didn't seem surprised by this.
"He never told me what was wrong. We just slept. And in the morning...he was gone. He was in class today. Valenti came for him. I haven't seen him since."
I watched as Isabel thought about what she'd just heard before she could respond, Max walked in.
"Valenti has Michael." He announced.
Isabel nodded. "We just heard."
"Max, what happened? You disappeared after class." I searched his face for information.
"I went down to the police station. I've been trying to listen to what's going on. Apparently Hank's gone, and they think Michael had something to do with it."
I didn't wait for anything else to be said. I turned and ran into my father's office. "DAD!"
"What's wrong Liz?" My father asked.
"You have to come with me. We have to go down to the station. They arrested Michael."
"What?!" He stood fast and we left the Crashdown with everyone at our heels.
My father didn't ask me any questions until we were on our own on our way to the Roswell jail.
"Why did he get arrested?" My dad finally asked me in the car.
I chewed on my lip. "Hank is missing and they think he had something to do with it. I know he didn't do it dad. I know."
"I don't think he did either Lizzie but it he needs an alibi he won't have one. He's been sick and by himself. We'll wait to see what they tell us."
When we arrived, Valenti wanted to speak to my father alone. The rest of us, Max, Isabel, Maria and I waited in the hall as my father spoke to the Sheriff.
"He works for me Jim!" I could hear my father arguing through the door. "I'd know if he was capable of anything. I'm telling you the boy had nothing to do with Hank's disappearance."
"We need his alibi Jeff. He was the last person to see Hank and he won't tell us where he was." Sherriff Valenti argued.
I knew I'd have to tell my dad. I got up and walked to the door. "Um, dad." I knocked on Valenti's door.
Seconds later, the door was opened. I stepped in and closed it behind me.
"What is it, Liz?" My father looked frustrated because he was getting nowhere with Valenti.
"I know where Michael was last night. And I know why he didn't say so."
"Where was he, Liz?"
I flinched. "With me...in my room." I dreaded my dad's reaction just like I knew I'd deal with Max's later.
"WHAT?!"
"It's not like that. Michael came to me last night. He was soaked through. He had nowhere to stay and he was upset. He and Hank don't get along. I promise dad, nothing happened. It's not like that with me and Michael."
My dad wasn't looking at me but at the floor.
"She could just be saying that, Jeff. She's trying to cover up for her boyfriend."
"Liz wouldn't do that." My dad said matter of factly.
"Jeff--"
"If you don't believe me Sherriff, search my room. Michael's wet things are still in my bathroom. The towel and blanket he used to dry off are on the floor by my laundry basket." I interrupted him.
The Sherriff looked defeated. "What time did he get there?"
"Midnight. I had just hung up with Maria. She called me to tell me about her mother's date." A narrowed my eyes.
For just a second I thought I saw Valenti blush but it was gone as fast as it appeared.
Of course he had to let Michael out. He had no grounds to hold him and everyone knew it.
Michael sat in the passenger seat of my dad's car. I sat in the back. The situation was awkward.
"Michael?"
"Yeah?"
"Next time you need a place to stay, take the couch will you?"
"Yes Mr. Parker. I'm sorry. And thank you. To both of you."
Everyone joined us outside of the Crashdown. My dad walked in and left us all to talk.
"Michael, about Hank..." Isabel started, "well, you didn't have anything to do with it. Did you?"
"Of course not Isabel. Jeez."
It wasn't much of a talk. I know Michael wanted to talk to Isabel and Max alone. They all dispersed and agreed to meet later.
Michael stayed behind to get his things from my room.
"Sherriff Valenti said he'd find me a new home situation."
"Michael don't worry. You can crash here or at Max's."
"There's nothing for me here, Liz."
I knew what he meant. He was leaving.
"Where are you going to go?"
Michael shrugged. "Don't know."
"You have us, Michael."
"See you around, Liz." Was his only response.
"Don't leave without saying goodbye, Michael. Please."
"I don't think I'd be able to say them, to anyone..." he chuckled, "not even Maria."
I gave him a look as he continued, "We all know how much I love Maria." His sarcasm was thick and it wasn't funny at the moment. "I'm kidding. You know, she was starting to grow on me."
"Michael-" but I didn't get to finish before he was gone.
3 hours later when the phone rang, I knew it wouldn't be good news.
"Hello?"
Max's voice was full of sadness when he spoke. "He's gone, Liz. Michael left. I lost him."