Part 6

"What do you mean ‘That’s it’?" Maria practically shrieked over the radio. Liz tried not to smile at her friend’s frustration.

"I mean we danced and then Max left, that’s it. Nothing else happened," Liz said firmly. Maria shook her head, somehow managing to change lanes and turn the corner following the sheriff’s car close behind. It was early Saturday morning and Liz and Maria were riding in Maria’s Jetta following the Sheriff, Amy, Kyle and Tess in the other car. They were going to the first house on the all day house hunting extravaganza.

"Na uh, that can’t be it! Liz, you danced. There has to be more to the story," Maria pressed. Liz stared down at her hands sadly.

"That really was it Maria. I just—I caved. I was listening to the song—"

"Your wedding song," Maria interjected.

"Yes, thank you, my wedding song, and then he came out and he was standing there, so concerned, and I just asked him if we could pretend that nothing had happened. He just nodded and then he held me and we danced," Liz said, her voice trailing off at the memory.

"This is so awesome," Maria said, a grin on her face.

"No Maria, nothing has changed. Max knows this, he knows nothing is different," Liz said. Maria gave her a skeptical look.

"Come on, dancing is like, this incredible unspoken language. And you and Max, you speak without saying anything on a normal day. How could you dance and not feel something?" Maria asked.

"I felt so many things Maria, but it doesn’t change anything. We still can’t be together," Liz said. Maria sighed.

"Well, what happened after the song ended? You guys must have said something," Maria pressed. Liz shook her head.

"No, we didn’t. The song ended and he pulled back. I could feel his breath against my cheek, but he still pulled back. Our eyes locked and then he just backed away from me. He never turned around, not until he was outside the Crashdown. Max knows, Maria, he knows that nothing has changed and last night was just an instant of momentary insanity," Liz said, though she almost wished she were wrong. Maria gave her a skeptical look.

"I’ll believe that when I see it," Maria replied before turning her eyes back to the road. They were driving along the outskirts of a park, passing a playground on the left as they followed the Sheriff through the suburbs. Liz turned her face towards the warm breeze against her face, the spring air smelling like freshly cut grass and sunshine. She opened her eyes and looked around as Maria halted the car.

"Wait, this is Max’s neighborhood," Liz commented. Maria gave her an affirmative nod and then stepped out of the car. Liz scrambled after her.

"Wait, that’s Max’s house!" Liz exclaimed, gesturing to the white stucco house with red tile in front of them.

"Right you are Sherlock. Jim and Mom are looking at the Petersen’s house next door. They’ve moving to Virginia or something," Maria replied. Liz quickly followed Maria, trying to hide behind her.

"What if Max sees me? He’s going to think I’m pursuing him!" Liz whispered urgently. Maria raised an eyebrow.

"And that would be bad because . . . ?" Maria trailed off. Liz gave her a desperate look and Maria sighed, taking pity on her best friend. She hustled her into the house after Jim, Amy, Kyle and Tess.

Amy was already enthralled with the house, which was also a white stucco with red tile. It had two stories and four bedrooms upstairs, a spacious kitchen and two main rooms downstairs. Amy smiled at Jim, her eyes sparkling.

"Do you like it?" Jim asked. Amy gave him a bright smile.

"Like it? How could I not love it?" she asked incredulously. Jim smiled and rubbed her arm, turning to the kids.

"It’s not a done deal until we all approve. Why don’t you kids check out the bedrooms upstairs, see if any are to your liking?" Jim suggested. Tess and Kyle nodded and raced up the stairs, quickly followed by Maria. Liz trailed behind, taking the stairs one by one as Kyle bounded up them in doubles. Maria gave her an exasperated look.

"Liz, stop dragging your feet! We have a golden opportunity to pick out my perfect room here!" Maria said excitedly. Liz nodded and followed Maria into the first room, facing the street. Liz glanced down the hall towards the room where Kyle and Tess were laughing together.

"What’s going on with those two?" she asked curiously.

"It’s springtime Lizzie. Love is in the air," Maria said, distracted by looking out the window. Liz sighed and checked out the closet space.

"Great, that wasn’t exactly the plan when I made Max think I slept with Kyle," Liz muttered. Maria shot her a look.

"Sometimes things don’t always turn out how we want them to. You can’t predict the future Liz," Maria said. Liz shook her head, wanting to argue that her encounter with Future Max had made her believe that you could predict the future. But she could at least admit to herself that a part of her would always doubt.

"How do you like that room, Tess?" Amy asked from down the hall.

"Actually, I think maybe Maria should have this room," Tess said after a momentary hesitation. Maria and Liz walked down the hall, peeking into the room that had wide windows facing the large backyard and the house next door. It even had a small balcony. Maria looked around, stunned at the beautifully bright room. Then she turned back in shock at Tess.

"Don’t you want this room? It’s gorgeous!" Maria exclaimed. Tess smiled slightly and shook her head. Before Maria could say anything else Tess exited the room, following Amy down the hall towards the room Maria and Liz had been in. Liz watched Maria with a smile, enjoying how her friend was excited about the room. Liz stepped out onto the balcony to let Maria daydream about where she would put what and she leaned her elbows against the ledge of the balcony. She realized quickly that the room faced the Evans’ house. She checked where the street was and estimated after about two seconds that she was staring straight into Max’s room.

Then Liz’s head whipped around to look at the doorway that Tess has disappeared through. Tess had been in the room for a few minutes, she would have realized the same thing Liz did. Liz wondered for a second what that meant. She had given up this room, she had encouraged Maria to take the room facing Max’s. The Tess of a year ago would never have done that, something that was so nice and thoughtful to Maria. And to Liz. Liz chided herself, she didn’t want to think that maybe Tess had done what she did because she thought Liz would be uncomfortable with Tess living in the room facing Max’s, able to watch his every move if she so wished.

Liz glanced back at Maria, who was talking excitedly on her cell phone. Liz realized she was talking to Michael, who was working at the Crashdown that afternoon, and she smiled before turning back to look at the view. And then she froze.

Sometime between when she’d turned to look back into the house and that instant she’d turned back Max had come back into his room. She watched, still as a deer caught in headlights, as he tossed his basketball across the room. She could see the sheen of sweat on his skin and his hair, damp and curled around his neck at the ends. Liz felt her involuntary gasp as she drew breath in as Max pulled his shirt off.

He was so beautiful; she’d never forgotten that. It had been nearly a year since she’d touched his bare chest, traced the firm contours of his muscles and marveled at the bronze color of his skin. She’d wanted so badly to make his skin glow like he’d been able to do to her.

Liz blinked carefully as Max turned around, his back to her and reached for the bar in his doorway, lifting himself off the ground to do pull ups. She groaned at the sight, her eyes locked on Max’s muscles as he worked to pull himself off the ground and up to the bar. The muscles in his arm flexed and worked effortlessly, Liz could practically imagine them around her again. She’d felt the lines of his muscles under his shirt the night before, but her imagination paled in comparison to the real thing.

Finally able to uproot herself from the spot, she turned around and faced away from the window. She couldn’t let him see her there; he’d think she was watching him. Which she was. Liz grinned weakly at Maria as she stepped onto the balcony.

"I have the coolest bedroom ever!" Maria yelled. Liz tried to shush her.

"What?"

Liz nodded her head over her shoulder and Maria peeked around, her eyes widening and a smile covering her face. She took Liz by the shoulders.

"Ah, it all makes sense now," she said.

"What?" Liz asked, fearing what Maria would say.

"Why Tess wanted me to have this room. Gotta hand it to the girl, she’s making some major brownie points after her disastrous entrance into Roswell last year," Maria said.

"Maria, what are you talking about?" Liz asked, hoping if she played dumb maybe Maria would drop the subject.

"Liz, I know you are not a stupid girl no matter how you are acting right now. Even TESS knows you two belong together! This reminds me, I need to get Michael to start working out more" Maria said, watching Max with an appreciative eye. Then she leaned over the balcony and waved. "MAX!"

Liz ducked down quickly, hiding behind the ledge of the balcony. Maria giggled and looked down at her.

"What are you doing?" she laughed.

"I’m hiding from Max, and you know that," Liz said testily. "Are you trying to work against me here?"

"Yes," Maria replied simply. Liz’s jaw dropped and she was about to sputter a reply when she heard Max’s voice as he opened his window.

"Maria, hey. What are you doing at the Petersen’s?" he asked.

"Mom and Jim are seriously thinking about moving in here. You’re looking at my bedroom," Maria replied happily.

"That would be great. Wasn’t Liz supposed to be with you?" Max asked. Liz groaned, she could practically feel Maria’s wide grin.

Why yes she is! Let me get her," Maria said, tapping Liz on the shoulder. Reluctantly, Liz stood up slowly, trying to keep her eyes downcast.

"Please let him be wearing a shirt, please let him be wearing a shirt, please . . ." Liz muttered to herself as she finally looked up. She blushed immediately as she saw that no one had heard her plea. She waved at Max quickly, trying not to stare at him. Now the sunlight was falling over his chest, casting shadows that only served to enhance Max’s muscles more.

"Hi, Max," Liz said.

"Hey," he replied, his voice automatically turning low like it did when he talked to her. It made her insides melt like butter.

"I, uh, dropped my ring," Liz said, gesturing feebly at the ground, where she’d been crouching. Max nodded slowly and Liz wondered if she’d been convincing at all. Maria was grinning at the both of them and Liz had to resist the urge to strangle her best friend then and there.

"Maria!" Amy called. Maria turned quickly, exiting the balcony.

"Out here Mom!"

Liz began to back away from the balcony and she gave Max one last look.

"I guess I’ll see you later," she said, her eyes lingering on Max. He nodded.

"Yeah, later tonight at the Sheriff’s. Wedding planning, right?" he said. Liz nodded and somehow managed to back away inside the house without tripping over the door. Max watched her go until she was out of sight, turning the corner to head downstairs. Maria and Amy were jumping up and down excitedly as Jim spoke on the phone. Maria caught sight of Liz and hurried over.

"We’re going to live here! Liz, this is where we’re going to live!" Maria squealed. Liz smiled as Maria bounced away and quickly moved to hug Kyle, who looked surprised, but pleased. Tess was talking with Amy, but Liz caught her eye briefly, her eyes questioning. Liz wasn’t sure that she trusted Tess, but what she saw in Tess’ eyes made her pause.

She was happy. Happy to be a part of something, a part of a family. Liz looked away quickly and she was suddenly jealous. Tess could have everything that Liz ever wanted, and yet she wasn’t taking it.

And Liz couldn’t help but wonder why.