Alex zipped his duffel bag shut with a feeling of accomplishment. His packing was finally done for the trip the next day. He hated packing because he didn’t like doing it and got easily distracted, so it took forever. All he had to do now was bring his cross-country skies in from the garage. He’d been to Aspen several times with his parents and had decided that he liked cross-country skiing much more than downhill skiing. The endurance and energy he got from trekking through the snow was like a natural high and he thought maybe he’d have the opportunity to take a few trips while in Snowmass. He wondered if Max or Michael would be interested in going with him. Alex still didn’t feel entirely at ease with the entire group of people who knew the massive secret that had originally saved Liz’s life and started everything that had happened in the last few months. Maria and Liz were two of his best friends and he'd known them for years. He’d known Max, Isabel and Michael for years too, he’d just never really held a conversation with any of them.
It was hard not to notice Isabel. She was beautiful, popular and completely out of his reach. He’d dreamed of her long blond hair, her smile and her eyes for years. She really was a mystery though. Even before he’d found out about her he’d thought something was different about her. He would pass her in the hallway, surrounded by a group of friends and sometimes her face would be staring out the nearest window as though she wished she were anywhere else. Alex knew everyone had something to hide, but he’d never imagined that anyone could have such a secret like Max, Isabel and Michael did. He also knew what it had taken for Liz to reveal the truth to him. He realized that they were still worried that the wrong people would find out their secret. But that hadn’t stopped Isabel from trying to explain and trying to make him understand that day in the Crashdown. They’d spent an entire afternoon together, sitting, eating and talking. Alex had never had a better day.
Isabel had actually talked to him with such truth on her face. The way she looked at her brother and Michael. Like she accepted him as a part of her life. And he did want to be a part of her life. In fact, although this secret made his life more complicated, he wouldn’t trade ignorance for what he’d gained. The secret bound the six of them together, making their only true allies each other. Alex really felt that they would be able to help each other and even though the secret grouped them together, he could see the potential that they could be friends as well. Max and Liz were so much alike that it was startling. They finished each other’s sentences and come to the same conclusions. Maria and Michael were equal in their hostility towards one another, but it gave them something in common. And Isabel. Isabel seemed to be more than he had thought, he just didn’t entirely know how. A knock at the front door broke his thoughts and Alex walked to the door, picking up his cat as he went. Sam had a tendency to dart out the door given any opportunity. He scratched behind the cat’s ears and listened to her purr as he struggled with the dead bolt on the door. He finally flipped it over and swung open the door. He almost dropped Sam when his eyes fell on Isabel, standing on the porch with tangled hair and nervously chewing her bottom lip.
“Isabel? What are you doing here?” he asked, trying not to gape at her. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other.
“Well, I needed to talk to you. Umm, can I come in?” she asked hesitantly. Alex almost slapped himself, he hadn’t even invited her inside and it was getting pretty cold out. He opened the door wide and moved to the side. Isabel gave him a tiny smile and entered the house.
“Can I get you anything? Here, let me get your coat,” Alex said, dropping Sam to the floor as Isabel shook her head and turned to shed her jacket. Sam immediately rubbed up against Isabel’s legs, weaving her way around Isabel’s ankles. Isabel smiled and leaned over, cradling the calico in her arms. The purr the cat emitted practically filled the house, sounding like an old car engine. Alex led Isabel into the family room and they sat on the couch. Alex tried to get comfortable; he sat facing Isabel as she leaned back against the cushions. He could tell she was nervous by the stiffness of her back, but she seemed to take that nervousness out on Sam as she petted the cat. Not that Sam minded, she arched her head to get the full pressure of Isabel’s hand.
“So, what brings you here tonight?” Alex asked curiously watching Isabel’s reactions. He saw her eyes dart around the room, taking in the fireplace, the family photos and his Dad’s collection of model airplanes.
“None of this looks like you,” Isabel whispered, almost soft enough so that he couldn’t hear. He leaned forward.
“What?” he asked. Isabel turned her eyes to his.
“I was just looking around and thinking that I never would have guessed you live here,” Isabel replied. Alex grinned, because the thought that Isabel had considered what he was like thrilled him.
“You’re right, this is the Martha Stewart section of the house, my room is the exact opposite of Mom’s style. She calls it a mess, I call it organized clutter. Dad likes collecting airplanes, I like collecting guitars,” he said. Isabel nodded her head once.
“I know,” she said without thinking. Alex raised an eyebrow.
“You do? How?” he asked. Isabel froze and for a second he thought she was going to back off and not answer his question.
“I’ve seen you playing in the quad during lunch. I always wondered what inspired you,” Isabel said. Alex had to fight not to blurt out that she was what inspired him.
“I don’t know, probably a lot of musicians have inspired me. Why do I get the feeling you didn’t come over to discuss my taste in music? Isabel, what’s bothering you? You can trust me,” he said. Isabel’s eyes met his and he saw the uncertainty there. He saw the fear that he’d never really noticed until the day of the car accident and he’d given his blood as a substitute for Max’s. For someone who seemed so strong on the outside, Alex was just beginning to realize the things that Isabel feared when she thought no one was looking.
“I need you to tell me everything’s going to be okay,” she blurted out. Alex relaxed, he knew he could reassure her that he wasn’t going to tell anyone. He wasn’t insulted that she didn’t fully trust him, he knew that if his life were in someone else’s hands he would feel the same. He reached for her free hand and took it in his own.
“Isabel, I promise that I won’t tell anyone about you and Max and Michael. I don’t want to see anything happen--"
“No, it’s not that Alex. I just want to know if I can count on you as a, as a--”
“Friend?” Alex finished, finally starting to realize what Isabel was asking for. He thought back to when Isabel had asked him if he ever felt like he didn’t belong, like if people knew who he was that they wouldn’t accept him. She had said that was what they felt like all their lives, that if people knew the truth they wouldn’t be accepted. He hadn’t had the nerve to tell her at the time that the truth didn’t change how he felt. He never would have guessed that Isabel was an insecure person, but he was beginning to see that she was vulnerable to the same feelings as anyone else.
“Yeah, I guess that’s it. I’d like for us to be friends,” Isabel said, releasing the breath she’d been holding. Alex smiled at her and she felt the tension leaving her body. She had been right; Alex didn’t look at her any different. And she needed that. Before Max had revealed their secret to Liz she had never been close to Maria or Liz. They’d only just started to find a tentative friendship. Alex was the only person who had an existing view of her before and after he’d found out their secret. He was the only person she could come to and be accepted as the same person. Isabel Evans, high school sophomore or Isabel Evans extraterrestrial, she finally knew that it didn’t matter to him.
“Well, that’s an easy one to answer. Of course we can be friends, I’d like for us to be friends,” Alex emphasized, repeating her words. Isabel’s face eased into a smile, a sight that almost took Alex’s breath away. He’d had female friends before, in fact, Liz and Maria were his best insight into the opposite sex. He’d just never had female friends that he felt more than friendship for. Although he might have given anything to be more than just Isabel’s friend, he realized that what she really needed were people she could count on, not necessarily more than that. At least for now, he thought, returning Isabel’s smile. She started to look around the room again and Alex quickly realized she was getting uncomfortable by the silence.
“So, what is there to do in Snowmass, Colorado?” Alex asked. Isabel turned her eyes back to him, grateful for the question.
“The big thing is skiing, of course. Max and I both downhill ski; though he likes cross-country too. There’s also ice skating, but it’s a pretty small town compared to Aspen. That’s why we like it, it’s far away from the regular skiers and it is so pretty there. The snow on the mountains and trees always takes my breath away,” Isabel said.
“I’m glad Max skies cross-country, that’ll give me someone to go with,” Alex replied.
“What about Liz and Maria?” Isabel asked. Alex laughed out loud.
“I don’t know that they’ve ever even seen snow before! “ Alex replied. Isabel had to smile as Alex had laughed. It was a contagious sound, full or warmth and humor.
“Well, if they’ve never skied before they might want to stick to the bunny slopes, the downhill skiing isn’t dangerous, but it would be pretty overwhelming to beginners. I’m sure Max will follow behind Liz, making sure she doesn’t fall,” Isabel commented, unable to keep the slight tone of jealousy out of her voice. Alex studied her carefully, wondering if he’d heard what he thought in Isabel’s voice. He had wondered lately if Isabel approved of Max and Liz’s relationship.
“Is that a bad thing?” he asked her. Isabel looked back at him, a little startled at the question. She resumed her nervous petting of Sam and tried to remind herself that talking with people other than Max and Michael about real things in her life was not a bad idea. She wasn’t used to discussing things that really mattered with kids her own age. She took a deep breath; she was trying to change all that.
“If you mean Max and Liz together, no, it’s not a bad thing. It’s just that we’ve tried so hard to stay apart from other people. It looks so easy for Max to be with Liz when it shouldn’t be,” Isabel said. Alex cocked his head to the side.
“Why should it be hard? Is that the solution you guys came up with? Stay separate from everyone else to protect yourselves? That’s not fair to anyone,” Alex replied. Isabel inched closer, curious what he meant.
“How is that not fair?” she asked.
“Okay, granted, you three are aliens. Does that mean that you can never find other people to trust besides each other? If that does, you three are in for a long lifetime of loneliness,” Alex replied. Isabel looked sad for a moment.
“Maybe that’s what we have to deal with. Loneliness,” she replied.
“No, that’s not! Isabel, you don’t have to be lonely. Max and Michael are your entire world. They should be a part, a very important part, of your world, but not your whole world. There’s room for other people, other things. I know it must be hard for you, but you can trust other people, you can let other people in,” Alex insisted. Isabel’s eyes began to fill with tears and Alex realized what a difficult idea that was for her. It had to be hard to change the way she’d lived her life for the past ten years.
“And there’s nothing saying you have to do it all at once,” Alex said softly. Isabel nodded and wiped the tears away from her face. Alex wanted to be the one to touch her face, but he didn’t think she was ready for that, so he merely held her hand. She finally looked at him and smiled. Her eyes drifted to the clock on the wall and she stood quickly.
“Oh my gosh, I need to get home. My mom is going to wonder what happened to me,” Isabel said. Alex stood with her and followed her to the door. He helped her with her coat and opened the door for her after making sure Sam was no where near. Isabel hesitated as she turned to leave. He was about to ask her what was wrong when she quickly turned and threw her arms around him, pulling him close to her. He froze for a second before his arms went around her waist and he hugged her back. She let go and stood back, her hands still on his shoulders.
“Thank you Alex,” she said warmly.
“For what?” he asked, clearly confused.
“For being my friend. For proving to me that I do need friends,” Isabel replied. He nodded once and watched her as she walked to the jeep. He raised his arm as she pulled out of the driveway and he somehow managed to shut the door behind him. Alex shut off the lights downstairs before walking upstairs to go to bed. He had to be up early tomorrow for the start of the trip. He ran a hand through his hair, wondering how he would handle just being Isabel’s friend over the next few weeks. But that was what she needed, so that was what she would get, even if it was the hardest thing he would ever do.
