Author: Linda
E-Mail: [email protected]
Rating: PG-13
Category: Max & Liz, Maria & Michael, Isabel & Alex, Kyle & Cassie (She's mine)
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em, just borrowing 'em. I'll return' em the way I found 'em.
Summary: This sequel deals with issues the six were left with
right after my other story ended. What 'other' symptoms might Liz
develop carrying Max's child? What happens when Kyle and Maria
commiserate about their parents' dating? What happens if Kyle
finds out about the alien trio? And, what about the other alien
pods from the same crash as the trio? Can there be more
alien shape shifters out there?
Author's note: If you haven't read my previous story, "Us
Six Against the World", it is recommended before reading
this one. This story begins the day after my other story ended.
It's gonna be another LONG one. ;-)
I Knew I Loved You
By Savage Garden
"There's just no rhyme or reason
Only this sense of completion
And in your eyes
I see the missing pieces
I'm searching for
I think I've found my way home
I know that it might sound more than a little crazy
But I believe
:: CHORUS::
Sense of Completion (Part 16)
Friday afternoon, as Kyle was heading over to the field to practice, he kept thinking about Cassie. She had looked different today. He wasn't sure what it was, but she just seemed to shine more. Of course, it was her smile and eyes that had gotten him at first, but today she had also just looked more vibrant and he hadn't been able to think of much else all day.
He wasn't used to being obsessed by a girl. Even with Liz,
he'd looked forward to dates with
her, but she hadn't been on his mind all the time like Cassie was
now. He wasn't sure he liked it either. He frowned and shook off
the thoughts as he ran out onto the field to practice. They had a
game next weekend and they needed to really focus so they could
beat their rival team and be in competition for the statewide
championship in football. Kyle really wanted to take the team to
the top for the next three years, so that he could get a
scholarship to any school he wanted, and then go into pro
football.
He had dated Cassie every night this week, except for her girls'
night Thursday night, and he had missed her a lot last night. He
had been neglecting homework and barely had his mind on practice
all week. He frowned.
He didn't like the fact that she took over his thoughts all
the time now. Maybe he didn't really want what Liz and Max had.
It was too overwhelming and scary, and Kyle didn't like feeling
tied down to one person. To have to answer to them. Not that
Cassie ever asked him to. She'd been great.
But maybe that was the problem. She was too good to be true, and
Kyle was waiting for something to go wrong.
Cassie waited for Liz in the library after school to work on
more of their project. She yawned as she waited. Every night this
week she had barely gotten any sleep. She smiled as she
remembered why. Even after dating all week, Kyle would call her
when he got home from dropping her off, and
they would talk on the phone until late. And last night, because
they hadn't seen each other, they had talked until 3am after she
had gotten home from the girl's night.
She was amazed at how quickly she and Kyle had gotten so
comfortable with each other. And how much she enjoyed talking
with Kyle about anything and everything. She was surprised at how
fast she had gone from coming home alone to no one and not having
anyone but her cat Frosting
to talk to, to having some girl friends to actually share things
with, and now Kyle! It was almost too good to be true. And she
couldn't help but feel a twinge, for it really was too good to be
true. And in the back of her mind she remembered that she didn't
deserve to be happy. Then she pushed that thought aside.
Liz came into the library after school and found Cassie waiting
for her. She hoped her earlier lunchtime crying spell didn't show
on her face. Maria and Isabel had helped her put cold water on
her eyes in the bathroom and cover the rest of the red with
make-up. Liz hoped these emotional outbursts stopped soon! This
emotional roller coaster was driving her crazy, and she knew it
was scaring the hell out of Max. Poor Max. And the rest of the
gang too. She tried not to laugh as she thought back to Alex and
Michael's faces at lunch.
She also felt bad for Maria and Isabel, because she was sure
this would make their guys hesitate about having babies of their
own someday.
"Hey Cassie." Liz smiled as she put her backpack down
and took out her books.
"Hey." Cassie smiled back. She thought Liz looked a
little pale and she frowned remembering how Liz had felt faint
the other morning. And then she remembered the gossip about the
eraser room from the other day as well. And the one this morning.
Boy, Liz had been busy lately.
"Ah, so you and Max are okay right?" Cassie asked as
Liz sat down. "I mean, I heard part of what happened this
morning. How that--Tina tried to cause trouble for you and Max.
You didn't fall for it did you? Cause I've seen the way Max looks
at you Liz and there is no way..."
Liz laughed warmly as Cassie tried to defend Max. She was touched
that Cassie wanted to make sure that Liz was okay. "Yeah,
we're fine. I didn't believe it for a second." Liz winked.
Cassie blushed. "So that rumor is true? You...showed Tina
how wrong she was?"
Liz laughed again. She guessed Barbie had had a field day with
that story. Not only had Tina not gotten a response, but that Liz
had showed them how much of one she could get. She turned red
thinking about it; now that she was calm she couldn't believe she
had done that. Poor Max! If he stayed with her after all this...
"I don't know what came over me, but she made me so
mad."
"I think I would have felt better if I had slapped her like
you did." Cassie winked.
"Not when she was still all smug about it. She made me so
angry. I wanted to pull her hair out, but then I just wanted to
show her how pathetic she was. Geesh! Poor Max!"
Cassie's soft musical laughter turned some heads in the library.
Liz saw how the new haircut, had lifted and fluffed up her hair,
and how the right shampoo and conditioners and hot oil treatments
they had given Cassie last night made her hair shine even more.
And the eye-make up they had played around with really set her
eyes off. Liz was pleased at how much better it seemed to make
Cassie feel about herself as well.
"So, you ready for our date tonight?" Liz asked as she
pushed a strand of hair out of her face, and opened the page in
her notebook with their project notes.
"Ah...yeah. I guess," Cassie said hesitantly with a
frown.
"What's wrong?"
"It's probably nothing. I'm just over tired. Kyle just
seemed a little...distant today is all. I'm sure everything's
okay. I guess I still just can't believe how lucky I am, and I'm
always expecting the worst to happen to change this sudden luck
back again."
Liz felt for Cassie. She remembered how when she had first fallen
head over for Max, and how she had waited for something to go
wrong, and then it had. But only to correct itself again. That
fear was normal. But not fun.
"Cassie, you and Kyle were meant. I can tell." Liz
smiled assuredly and watched as Cassie smiled.
"Well, we'll see. Let's get to work though, so we don't have
to work on this over the weekend." Cassie sighed and Liz
nodded.
Kyle swore as he sat down on the bench with the coach and the
assistant over him. His finger was killing him and he cursed
himself for being so stupid. He knew it was broken. He knew
better than to get distracted during a game or practice. And he
knew he had to stop this whole distraction problem. He would have
to take things more casually with Cassie. Maybe just see her
less. Maybe
date others so as not to make Cassie too important to him.
He knew he was out of the rest of today's practice and that the
coach would try to keep him out of practice the rest of the
weekend and maybe part of next week as well. The coach knew Kyle
was ready, and he wanted him well enough to play next weekend.
But Kyle couldn't miss practice this next week. He needed to get
the plays down just right with the guys. And he needed to set up
their runs and his passes until they were perfect. He was furious
with himself, and would make sure he practiced all next week even
though the coach, his dad and the doctor might argue. And he
would make sure nothing like this happened again.
Kyle left the locker room and headed toward his car with his
backpack slung over one arm. He had taken some aspirin for the
pain and had his finger in a splint, but he was in a foul mood.
When Tina Owens stepped in front of him he was not pleased to see
her. "Hey Kyle! How's my favorite football star?" she
flirted, tilting her head to one side and batting her eyelashes.
"Better than you from what I've heard," he said dryly.
Anger shot from Tina's eyes as they narrowed on him. "Watch
it, Kyle. You have nothing to be smug about. Liz Parker dropped
you flat for that guy if you remember. I thought you would be
glad to see them broken up," she retorted.
Kyle just shook his head. "You thought wrong. I wouldn't
stoop that low ever, Tina. Especially when I know how useless it
would be. I can't believe you actually thought you could take Max
Evans' interest from Liz!" he said amazed.
Tina huffed and stalked off. Kyle felt a little better having
told her off. But he was still angry about his finger.
"She deserved that, Kyle," another voice said from
behind him.
Kyle turned to see one of Tina's cheerleading friends, Susan
Altman standing there smiling. He couldn't help but look her
over. She was the sexiest cheerleader on the team. She had long
blond hair and a build that was to die for. And she wore her
cheerleading outfits to perfection. He had dated her for a while
before he had dated Liz. She was pretty decent compared to most
of the other cheerleaders and friends she hung out with.
"Hey, Susan. How was your cheerleading practice? You girls
ready for the big game?" he asked with a light smile. There
was no reason to take his anger out on her.
"Yeah, but I head what happened to you? Are you going to be
okay? Will you be able to play in next weekends game?" She
really looked worried.
"Yeah, I'll play never doubt it," Kyle said, and then
saw Cassie walking out of the building with Liz out of the corner
of his eye.
His first instinct was to jog over to her and offer her a ride
home, but then he bit back the impulse. He was going to treat
Cassie more casually he reminded himself. He knew they had a date
tonight with Liz and her gang, but that didn't mean he had to
only see her.
"Hey Susan, what have you got planned this weekend? Say
tomorrow night?" Kyle asked suddenly.
Susan blinked. "Just the usually party at Barbie's house.
You planning on going?" she asked.
"Depends? If you'll go with me or not?" Kyle smiled.
Susan smiled and looked surprised. "Sure."
"Okay, great." Kyle said and felt a little better. He
would just take the dating thing more casually. No more heavy
feelings for one girl. He would keep his goal on his football
career, and not get tied down emotionally to one girl. He was
sure Cassie would be okay with that. After all, they had just
started seeing each other. They could just casually date so it
wouldn't be that big of a deal. Girls like Cassie could get a guy
in a lot of trouble with eyes like hers. He needed to stay
focused.
He caught Cassie's eyes as she and Liz passed not to far away,
but he only nodded and turned back to Susan.
Cassie swallowed and tried to keep the sting out of her eyes
as she passed Kyle, and walked with Liz over to the parking lot.
Liz frowned at Kyle, but he wasn't even looking at them. What the
heck was wrong with him!? She had seen the look between Cassie
and Kyle, and how Kyle's eyes had lit up for a second, and then
had quickly lowered to hide it, and then he had turned back to
Susan Altman.
"Cassie. Don't let that bother you. Guys are stupid that
way. I'm sure he's just panicked. Guys get that way when they
realize how much they actually care for someone. And I know he
cares for you a lot."
"Whatever. He can do what ever he wants," Cassie said
casually.
"I'm sure you two are still going out tonight. I'm sure Kyle
will call with a good explanation. Will you call me about
tonight? I want you to go no matter what happens with you and
Kyle okay?" Liz asked.
Cassie wasn't sure if Kyle was going to still want to go out
tonight, and she wasn't even sure she would want to with the way
he had acted all day, but she would wait and at least see what he
had to say for himself. But either way, she would go bowling with
her new friends.
"Well, either way I will go bowling with you guys tonight so
count on that." Cassie smiled at Liz.