Title: Admiration
Part: 1
Author: Tonya C
Email: [email protected]
Disclaimer: I Own Nothing
Summary: Paired up with Alex for a creative writing assignment where
they must name who they personally admire at their school, Isabel
realizes that her choice is the last person she ever expected
Category: Alex/Isabel
Rating: PG
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
It was lunchtime at Roswell High, and Isabel sat off to the side of the
campus, alone and flipping through a magazine. She soon tired of it and
tossed her magazine to the side, deciding to watch her fellow students
interact instead.
As she watched everyone laughing and talking together happily, she
realized how much she missed that. She missed being "normal", blending
in with everyone else. With everything that had been happening to her
and the others lately, she had barely had the chance to keep up with her
assignments, nonetheless keep an active social life. She hadn't been on
a date in weeks, and she missed that feeling she always got when her
date would pick her up. When she was out with a guy or some of her
popular friends, she felt like a normal teenage girl. Not some foreign
imposter who had no business socializing with those people.
As Isabel scanned the smiling faces, she stopped on one face in
particular-- Alex's. Alex sat among his friends, an acoustic guitar
resting in his lap, talking excitedly.
Isabel watched him, shaking her head. He was odd, but not odd in a
weird-psychotic way. He was more odd in a can't-figure-him-out kind of
way. Isabel just couldn't understand what went on in that guy's mind.
She had entered his dreams only once and had simply found out what he
really thought about her, something that still made her blush even when
she thought about it. But beyond his feelings for her, she had found
out nothing else. Isabel couldn't understand why he was so eager to
help her, Max, and Michael on their quest. He seemed more eager to help
them than even Liz and, especially, Maria had when they had first found
out the truth. And to top it all, he had been the very first one to
step up to the circle to save Michael's life during the ceremony of the
Balance. Isabel couldn't figure him out, and it was beginning to drive
her insane.
The tone echoed across the campus, signaling the end of the lunch
period. Isabel sighed, gathering her books and her magazine from the
picnic table, and headed back towards the large doors of the school.
As she passed Alex and his friends on her way back inside, she faintly
heard Alex say to his friends, "Seriously, guys, if Josh can learn a
couple more chords, we can have an awesome garage band going. What do ya
say?"
Isabel laughed lightly to herself as she made her way into the school.
************
Isabel sat in the back of Mr. Greer's Creative Writing class, doodling
in her notebook. As he finished taking attendance and stood at the
front of the class, Alex entered, carrying his guitar case.
Mr. Greer smiled at him as Alex walked nonchalantly to his seat. "Glad
to see you've blessed us with you presence, Mr. Whitman," Mr. Greer
said, crossing his arms over his chest.
Situating his belongings, Alex replied with a grin, "Sorry, I was just
preparing for my future career as a rock star."
Mr. Greer nodded. "Well, Mr. Whitman, be late to my class one more
time, and you'll be preparing for your future career as a high school
dropout."
A whispered murmur went through the class as Alex simply cleared his
throat in response, his sly grin gone.
"Now, as I was saying before I was rudely interrupted," Mr. Greer
started, "I have a weekend assignment for you."
The class groaned loudly in response, the words "weekend" and
"assignment" not going over well with them.
Mr. Greer smiled. "Yes, I can see you're all so excited about this.
Just hold back those cries of joy until I'm finished telling you about
the paper. The paper is due Monday, and it will cover who you admire
the most at this school and why you think they deserve the title of most
admirable person."
He paused, glancing at all the pained faces of his students. "Now, to
make this even tougher, I am pairing you up. You and your partner will
debate your choice, and you will include both sides of the argument in
your paper. So, each group will turn in two papers- one from each
student. Any questions?"
The students stared back at him blankly, stunned into silence.
Mr. Greer smiled, picking up his grade book. "Great. Okay, here are
the pairs. Adams and Wilson. Hart and Collins. Evans and Whitman.
Green and�"
Isabel sighed as she realized this was going to be the longest weekend
she would ever have to endure.
************
As the class ended, Isabel bolted out of the class, hoping Alex wouldn't
remember that they were partners.
"Isabel," she heard Alex call after her as she made her way through the
crowded hallway. "Hey, Isabel!"
Isabel groaned loudly, hating herself for what she was about to do.
Isabel stopped in the middle of the hallway and turned to face him.
"Hi," he said as he stood before her.
"Hi," Isabel replied, smiling tightly.
Alex looked around uncomfortably, running his free hand through his
spiky hair. "So, we're partners for this thing," he said, his voice
filled with nervousness.
Isabel nodded. "Yeah, looks that way."
"So, um, do you want to meet at the Crashdown this afternoon and get
started?"
Isabel shrugged. "Whatever."
Alex nodded. "Okay, I'll just take that as a yes. So, I'll see you
this afternoon?"
"Sure," Isabel replied and walked away.
************
Alex sat in a booth at the Crashdown, making an outline of the things he
wanted to discuss in his paper. Maria walked over to him and placed a
tall glass of Cola in front of him.
"On the house," she said as he looked up at her.
"Thanks."
Maria smiled in response. "So, what are you doing here? I thought you
were suppose to be off creating the next Nirvana in your garage?"
Alex frowned. "Yeah, well, I got dumped with a weekend assignment so�"
"So, what is it?"
"Oh, it's some stupid paper where we have to right about someone we
admire and deserves the title of most admirable person at school."
"And who would your choice be?" Maria asked, curious.
"Well, I have it narrowed down to a couple, but I think I'm going to go
with the janitor."
Maria looked at him, holding back her laughter. "I'm sorry? What?!"
Alex shrugged. "The janitor. I think he's admirable."
Placing a hand on Alex's shoulder, Maria replied, "Alex, only *you*
would choose to admire the janitor." She paused with a sigh. "But even
with that being said, that doesn't sound like a hard paper. Why start
now? Do like me, wait until about midnight on Sunday and write down any
random thoughts that come to mind."
"Normally, I would, but we have to discuss our choice with our partner."
"And who's the lucky soul who gets to debate the janitor?" Maria
grinned.
"Isabel."
"Well, that's a convenient pairing."
"What do you mean?" Alex asked, confused.
"Well, the last time our gang was so conveniently paired up, we� Well,
never mind." Maria looked up as the caf� door swung open, and Isabel
entered. "Well, here's your partner now. Good luck, pal."
Maria patted Alex on the back and walked away as Isabel sat across from
him. "Hi," he said, "I was beginning to think you forgot."
Isabel smiled slightly. "No, just fashionably late."
"Well, I guess we should get started. Do you want to start?"
Isabel smirked as she replied, "Considering I haven't even thought about
this paper since it was given to us, I think you should start us off."
Alex nodded. "That's cool. Okay, my admirable person is the janitor."
"The *janitor*?" Isabel asked, not sure if he was joking or being
serious.
Alex nodded. "Yeah, I think he deserves the title, don't you? I mean,
he deals with all the crap no one else wants to deal with. He cleans up
after us. He keeps the place looking nice, and he gets no respect for
it."
"You have got to be kidding me." She sighed, leaning forward, her arms
resting on the table. "Okay, humor me, Alex. Do you have any other
choices?"
"Of course," he replied, looking down at his notebook. "There's the
janitor, the lunch lady, you, the guy who mows the school lawn during
the summer..."
"Wait," Isabel interrupted, "did you say *me*?"
Alex looked up, slightly embarrassed. "Um... yeah."
Isabel scoffed as she replied, "I'm flattered, Alex. Really, I am, but
I am the *last* person you want to admire."
"Well, you're no janitor, but I still think you have admirable
qualities," Alex replied, smirking. "Like how you don't care what other
people say about you. You do whatever you want to do, no matter what
other people might say. I, on the other hand, will always be a
follower. Someone who has to look to the majority to see how to act and
feel and think."
Isabel sighed. "I have my reasons to act that way, and I'm sure you
have your reasons to act the way you do."
Alex leaned forward. "You mean because you're a..."
Isabel looked sternly at him, warning him against what he was about to
say.
4
"Foreigner?" he finished. "Which is another reason I admire you and Max
and Michael as well. You have this huge burden to carry, this secret
that could destroy you and those around you, and you still manage to be
calm and collected and even an Honor Roll student. How is that
possible? I mean, the only burden I have is programming my VCR to
record The X-Files, and I'm still trying to pass Chemistry."
Isabel smiled slightly. "It's a gift, I guess."
Alex nodded, smiling. "Well, put that gift on *my* Christmas list." He
sat back, sighing. "Maybe you and I have something in common after
all."
"No offense, Alex," Isabel replied, "but I seriously doubt that."
"No, I think we do. I'm your typical insecure teenager, but I cover it
up with jokes. You, on the other hand, are a typical insecure...
foreigner, but you cover it up with this whole perfection image." He
paused, examining her expression. "Stop me if I'm wrong."
Isabel hesitated before she changed the subject, "Okay, the janitor
keeps things clean, but what else makes him so important?"
Alex smiled, realizing she was avoiding the question.
************
Max and Michael entered the kitchen, Isabel sitting at the oak kitchen
table, staring at an empty page in her notebook. When she didn't look
up to acknowledge them, Max looked at Michael who shrugged in response.
"Isabel?" Max asked as Michael retrieved two cans of soda from the
refrigerator.
Isabel looked up and smiled faintly. "Oh, hey, Max. I didn't hear you
guys come in."
Michael handed one of the cans to Max and stood over Isabel's shoulder,
opening his own can. "So, what has you thinking so intensely?" Michael
asked, sipping from his drink.
Isabel sighed. "Oh, it's this silly paper I have to write on the person
I admire most at school."
Michael smirked. "And they won't let you write about yourself? Man, I
see your dilemma."
Isabel looked up at him, frowning. "Michael, I love you like a brother,
but if you don't get away from me, I may have to kill you."
Max smiled and grabbed Michael's arm. "We'll leave you alone, Iz. Good
luck with the paper."
Max drug Michael out of the kitchen as Isabel muttered, "Yeah, I'll need
it."
Isabel stared down at her blank sheet of paper, wondering if she should
write her paper about the person who was really on her mind at that
moment.
Story Unfinished.
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