Snapshot · (Roswell Fanfiction) · √

70. From This Moment On

(1998) Max is 12, Liz is 12

It was two days after her birthday and it was the first sunny day in a week plagued by summer showers.

Ever since her birthday, she'd been sitting with her nose pressed up against the window pane, frustrated watching the rain flood the outside of the large windows. There was absolutely nothing to do in the house. Her brother was away on basketball camp, her parents were on a business trip and she was basically left to her own devices with only the service staff around.

Amongst numerous parcels of expensive clothes, bags and shoes, a bicycle had been delivered for her birthday. Even though she wasn't overly delighted about the two-wheeled transport vehicle, it represented an escape from the house. She desperately needed to get away from there.

However, she didn't feel like riding a bike in the rain. So here she was, waiting for the rain to stop so that she could try out that new shiny bike.

Hence, when she had woken up that morning, on the 24th of June, and the rain droplets from the last rain the night before glistened on the leaves in the morning sunlight, Gabriela almost had to tie the girl to the chair to get her to eat breakfast before she was out the door.

She didn't have a particular plan on where to go. She just needed to get away. Her only plan was to ride the bike around for the rest of the day, because she really didn't feel like going back to the big, empty, boring mansion any time soon.

Gabriela's "Be careful!" fell on deaf ears as the girl hurried out the front door.

*****

The boy, almost one year older than the girl, slowly awoke to the smell of pancakes that same morning. He barely even registered the sunny weather that had gotten the sister of his best friend so excited as he drowsily followed his nose towards the kitchen.

"Morning, baby," his mother cooed and ruffled his hair as he sank down in the chair.

He gave a mumbled protest at a) being called 'baby' and b) getting his hair ruffled. But the protest was half-hearted at best as the smell of freshly baked pancakes was rapidly awakening his senses.

"You want some pancakes?"

He nodded slowly, blinking away sleep as he slowly yawned, "Yes, please."

The boy's mother smiled to herself as she put two pancakes on the plate in front of her son. It was in the morning sleepy behavior of her son that she could spot how that same boy might behave as a difficult-to-talk-to-teenager. The kind that mutters in response and barely acknowledges their surroundings. Her smile widened. She couldn't wait.

"Is there ice cream?" he asked and she started shaking her head. Ice cream for breakfast? Ah, why not.

"Sure, hun."

"Thanks, Mom," was the boy's reply as he started shoveling the first pancake, his hungry stomach not having the patience to wait for the ice cream, into his mouth.

Diane put the ice cream container down in front of him and Max nodded a 'thank you' as his mouth chewed away. She sank down on the chair opposite her hungry son and took a sip from the hot black coffee.

"Have you got any plans for today?"

Max shook his head. "Not really. But I might check out if they have anything new at the music store."

"Do you need money?" Diane asked.

She had raised Max to save up his own money and so it was on very rare occasions that she found herself giving him extra money outside of his regular allowance. But his birthday was coming up and she saw no harm in bending the rules somewhat this time.