Snapshot · (Roswell Fanfiction) · √

21. My Rollercoaster

Wednesday - A couple of hours after Brenda dropped Liz off
Phone conversation between Brenda and Max
(2008) Max is 23

"Hey Max, it's Bren."

"Hey. What's going on?"

"I need to ask you something. And you might think I'm crossing some imaginary line by doing so, but I have to ask."

"What is it, Brenda?"

"Were you in a relationship with Liz?"

Silence.

"Max?"

His voice was distant and cold as he answered, "I don't mean to be rude, but that's none of your business."

"She kinda made it my business."

"She told you?" There was obvious surprise in his voice and Brenda couldn't blame him. After all she had only known Liz for three days.

"So there was something there?"

Pause. "You tell me."

She didn't recognize his voice. His normally warm tone was now defensive, like an anxious dog that would bite your hand off if you moved too quickly. "She heard our conversation earlier."

"She...what?"

"I'm really sorry. I always put calls on speaker in the car. I was about to tell you that Liz was listening when you started saying these things-"

"She heard that?"

His voice was now weak and she visualized an accompanied pale face.

"It was wrong of me to do that, I realize that now. But that's not why I'm calling you."

Not being able to get past the fact that she had heard him just yet, Max asked, "She heard me call her a brat?"

"I'm getting the feeling that you've said that to her face before anyway, so what's the big deal?"

"It's not the same," Max murmured.

"Max," Brenda sighed. "I haven't known you for long, but I generally think I'm pretty good at reading people. The information I was getting from Liz and what you were saying about her makes me wonder if I was wrong."

"Bren, that's between Liz and I-"

"No, it's not," Brenda said tightly. "How long have you known this girl, Max?"

"Uhm...most of my life."

"And why do I get the feeling that she is completely messed up?"

"She's not completely-"

"Don't defend her," Brenda interrupted. "Her eyes are empty, Max. Have you noticed? If you're her friend you couldn't have missed it."

There was silence for a long time and Brenda briefly wondered if he was going to hang up on her. His voice was quiet as he finally said, "It's complicated."

"Oh," Brenda said, realization dawning on her. It was only 'complicated' when love was involved. And in their case it was very possible that that meant, "You slept with her."

He sighed. "For fuck's sake, Bren-"

"And you forgot to pick up the pieces. She's broken inside, Max."

"It's not that simple-"

"Stop excusing her behavior and just help her!"

"I'm fucking trying to!" Max erupted.

"No, you're not," Brenda replied calmly. "You're not. Apparently you told her that you slept with me."

"Bren, I-"