Snapshot · (Roswell Fanfiction) · √

16. Hello Goodbye

Three weeks before the prom
(2003) Max is 18, Liz is 17

Liz heard the floor creak and turned around, pressing a top against her front to hide her naked upper body. When she saw who it was, she said acidly, "What the hell, Max? Get out!"

Max raised his eyebrows in interest as he saw her undressed state and then gestured casually with his hand for her to continue. "No no. Don't mind me."

He unceremoniously flopped down on her bed, arms behind his head as he stared up into her ceiling that was decorated with 'glow in the dark'-stars.

"If you look..." Liz warned.

Max rolled his eyes, staring at the ceiling to emphasize his point about not looking. "It's not like I haven't seen that before."

"I've never-"

"Other girls, Lizzie," Max cut in, "Other girls."

"Well, I don't care if you've seen other girls or not," Liz huffed and Max could hear from the shuffling of clothes that she was continuing her dressing.

He sneaked a peak in her direction, watching the smooth flawless skin of her exposed back. His eyes travelled down her short demin shorts and down her tanned legs.

She turned around to see him watching her and pulled at the bottom hem of her sweater to demonstrate how much she didn't appreciate him ogling her.

"I told you-"

Max waved her scolding away with his hand. "Yeah yeah. Whatever, Shorty."

"What do you want?"

"Can we talk?"

Liz looked at him as if he had gone insane. "Excuse me?"

"I need some advice, alright."

Liz bit her lower lip thoughtfully before shrugging and taking a seat on the edge of the bed. "Shoot."

"See. There's this girl."

Liz looked heavenwards with a big sigh. "Are you gonna tell me about another one of your sexual escapades?"

"Not this time, Lizzie. But I'm stocking up for a good session later."

"Whatever."

Max grinned and then patted the space on the bed next to him.

She considered his invitation for a second, before she laid down next to him, both of them now staring at the stars stuck onto the ceiling.

"You know the new girl?"

"Melissa?"

"Yep. So...she's been kinda hanging around."

"You mean; she's been hanging all over you, shoving her boobs into your face."

"Whoa, graphic Parker."

"She's just so obvious. I mean, she's a little desperate, isn't she?"

"Well Parker. That's what guys like," Max said in all seriousness. "We like it when girls throw themselves all over us. It makes us feel manly and important. Top of the pack."

"Yeah, you're all dogs."

Max rolled onto his side and looked at her profile. "I'm thinking about asking her to the prom."

"Really?" she grimaced. "But you barely know her."

"She doesn't really know anyone here yet, but she really doesn't want to miss the prom."

"You fell for that sob story?"

"What do you think of her?"

It was such an honest question that she turned her head to look at him. Seeing that he really needed her opinion on this, she bitterly swallowed her personal hatred for the blonde girl.

"I don't really know her, but I guess she seems okay."

"Cool," Max said and rolled up into sitting position. "Thanks, kiddo."

"You know, she's probably only after your body," Liz said.

Max smiled broadly - and slightly proudly - as he puffed up his chest. "They all are, baby."

On the bus, Tuesday afternoon
(2004) Max is 19, Liz is 18

"Oh, it's the biggest news," the blonde announced as she sat down in the bus seat behind Liz.

Liz sighed as the sound level on her iPod was not high enough to drown out the chattering teenagers. Not only had she been forced to rely on public transportation today to get to the mall because her car was being serviced, but now she also had to sit and listen to two airheads.

"I can't believe I've missed it," the brunette friend mused. "I thought he was really off the market this time."

Liz rolled her eyes as she fumbled in her bag to find the iPod. She was just about to turn up the music as a familiar name reached her ears and instead of turning up the volume her finger pressed 'pause'.

"Did you see them at the prom? Melissa was like all over him."

"He was all over her," the other girl said and Liz grimaced, her heart itching to press 'play' and tune them out but her brain itching to hear the rest.

"And you know what they say about him, right? He's an amazing fuck-"

"-but leaves straight after," the girl filled in and they both laughed.

"I wonder why she stuck around for as long as she did."

"Doesn't matter. They're history now anyway."

Liz straightened at this, her breath caught in her throat. They broke up?

"I guess he got tired of her."

"Which is kinda what he does."

"I wouldn't hold his urge to have one-night-stands against him though," the blonde girl said with a sugary voice. "I mean, if he ever gave me a second look, I wouldn't... You know..."

They both giggled and Liz got lost in her thoughts.

Max broke up with Melissa? Liz had been sure they had been in for the long haul.

"He's apparently always up for some fun," the brunette said.

"He's working at the supermarket now, did you hear?"

Liz slid down further in her seat. Didn't these people have anything else to talk about than other people's lives?

"Oooh," one girl exclaimed. "I saw him! He was wearing one of those aprons. Oh God. I thought I would faint. Those ugly things would look horrible on anyone else. I'm telling you; total fashion disaster. I wouldn't be caught dead in something like that. But somehow he looked incredibly yummy."

"Really? I should go there. Maybe mom needs something from there."

"I'm not sure when he's working though."

Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, Liz thought and pressed 'play'.