Dinner, Dancing & Football

Author: Sunnycouger (foolofatook_@hotmail.com)

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: You all don't honestly think that I own any of this do you? Roswell and all its characters are property of Melinda Metz and Jason Katims..I just take them out to play sometimes...The song is by Tracy Lawrence and I don't own that either...very pretty song, very country though...

Category: Kyle/Tess, Alex/Isabel, therapy, friendship, CC's

Summary: When Kyle and Tess realise that they may have feelings for each other there really is only one thing they can do. Call their friends...

Authors Notes: This fic is set in the episodes that would have followed the prom. CYN did not happen!!! This is my first attempt at anything remotely foofy so if its bad blame it on a lack of practice:)

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Tess Harding had been awake for hours. She had been sitting in her room when she heard Kyle leave the house at about 8am. She looked at the clock as it ticked slowly…it was only 9.37am…and Isabel was due soon. She really needed the help. As she looked at her outfit in the mirror she gently picked up the jacket that was carelessly flung over the chair. As she brought the fabric to her cheek she sighed loudly.

“Sister Tess…remember that…he sees you as a sister…don’t go falling any deeper…it can’t work. No matter what was said last night…or how badly you want it to…you have to wait for and want Max. Not Kyle.”

She felt a tear escape from the corner of her eye and she quickly wiped it away as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. She was crying over him…what was that all about? She almost felt like laughing as another tear threatened to fall down her cheek as she heard a voice shout from the other room.

“Tess? Will you get the door?”

She immediately put the jacket down and wiped her eyes as she looked in the mirror. It wasn’t that obvious she had been crying…no one would notice. As she walked to the door and opened it she saw Isabel standing there expectantly. Before Tess had even opened her mouth Isabel looked at her concerned.

“Why have you been crying? Is everything alright? Kyle didn’t cancel did he?”

Jim Valenti had come down the hall and was now standing behind Tess and Isabel; he couldn’t help but hear about his son.

“Kyle didn’t cancel what? Is everything alright Isabel? It’s awfully early for my son to be out the house on a Saturday…and for you to have visitors Tess…the two of you aren’t up to something are you?”

Tess turned slowly and looked at the man she had grown to love like a father…if only she felt the same about his son, things would be a lot less complicated. How was she going to explain this one to him? It wasn’t like she could say:

“Oh by the way Sheriff, funny story…I’m in love with your son and I’m trying to make him fall in love with me too. I’m finding it hard to keep any self-control when I’m around him and not only that but I fully expect that if we kissed I would probably explode something, possibly myself…so is that ok?”

Isabel immediately pushed past her and stood in front of the sheriff giving him a smile. She knew that Tess was having problems thinking of an excuse at the moment so she had to step in; and if her excuse was useful to her as well…no one would figure it out.

“Um…we are up to something…all of us, even Kyle. We needed him to keep Alex occupied this morning while me, Tess and the rest of the guys plan a party for his eighteenth birthday…you know- Surprise!”

“Oh…you all never said anything Tess. When is it? You aren’t having it here are you?”

“June 21st. And no…I think it will be the Crashdown…Tess, what do you think?”

Tess looked on in disbelief at her friends’ story…now they had to plan a party as well…and was Isabel smiling? She was glad that she had landed them in it? Now they had to plan a party in less than a week…and she still had a date tonight! God she could kill her…

“I think…I think we should see what the others think…we should go now in fact. C’mon Isabel.”

With that she grabbed her friend and yelled goodbye to Jim as she closed the door behind her.

“Isabel Evans I cannot believe you just did that to me! You used my own situation to help you coerce Kyle and me to help you plan a party for Alex…didn’t you?”

Isabel looked indignant as she answered…how dare she grab her and yell at her…she was the one that was trying to help her out! She was here for her…and she begrudged giving the tiniest bit of help?

“You know what Tess? I came here to help you out…I stepped in when the Sheriff asked you what was going on and you were stammering like an idiot. Perhaps I said about a party because that’s the only feasible excuse I could think of? You know, if you prefer we can go in there and tell him that I’m here to help you work out the best way to get his son to make a move on you…would that be more appealing to you than giving me a few hours help? I didn’t think so…”

“You didn’t answer my question…and no, no it wouldn’t be more appealing…so I guess I’m sorry…”

“Hmmph…I should think so too. Right c’mon, jump in…we have to make a move…”

With that Isabel started the jeep moving.

“Listen…I’ll help with Alex’s party…but can we get down to tonight? I really need your help.”

“I know and that’s why we’re going somewhere else. Listen, Alex and Kyle are very different…you know Kyle’s obnoxious, arrogant, shallow, vain and …weird. Alex is…well, he’s not any of those…well, he can be weird but in a sweet, cute way…like one time he asked me out for a date and picked me up at 2am, so we could go stargaze and see the sun rise. It was beautiful…”

“This is not helping Isabel! So you have the most romantic boyfriend on the planet nine out of ten guys are incapable of that! God, I’d have been better asking Maria for help…And anyway, Kyle is sweet…and if you knew him better you would see that he puts up a front in school…a bit like you do. He is the sweetest guy and sometimes he’ll…he’ll come in my room when he knows I’m upset with these…these Tabasco sauce pancakes that I know he hates but he makes them and brings them in with a cup of coffee and some lame joke, he makes me laugh. He makes me feel good. Like I’m normal…like I’m important…like he’s at least glad I’m there.”

“Like he loves me.”

Isabel turned around to look at Tess who was looking straight ahead on the road. Her eyes were glazed over and she had a sad smile on her face. She loved Kyle…she knew she loved Kyle and she felt guilty because of the Max thing. It must be really hard living in the same house as someone you feel as strongly about. It had been hard enough for her living in the same town as Alex when she had realised her feelings for him.

“You’re in love with him aren’t you?”

“Of course not...I mean, I care about him…but I…I love Ma…”

“Do not even say you love Max, because we both know it’s a lie. The whole of Roswell knows it’s a lie.”

As Isabel slowed the jeep down Tess continued talking before she realised where they were.

“I don’t want to talk about it. So what should I do tonight? Dress to kill or keep it casual? Isabel? Why are we stopping here? I don’t think this is the best place to talk about this…we should go back to my place…not here.”

“Tess, this is the place that we need to be. I don’t know what Kyle looks for in a girl and you say you don’t. So there is only really one person that we can trust to help us.”

“I can’t ask her…not after everything that’s happened. Why would she help me? Let’s just go…please.”

“C’mon, it’ll be worth it she’ll help you because she cares for Kyle, and she realises that you actually have an interest in something other than Max.”

With that Isabel pulled Tess out of the jeep and dragged her in through the double doors of the Crashdown café where a brown haired young waitress smiled warmly at Isabel and forced a smile at Tess.

“Hi Liz, I was hoping that me and Tess could talk to you…we need your help with something…”

TBC

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