| Part 45 Rated: PG-13 ************* Kyle brought over a tub of dirty dishes to the waitress station, throwing a dish rag over his shoulder. Alex walked past him, giving him a smack on the shoulder. �Courtney Banks is staring at you again.� Kyle threw Alex a frown, then looked towards the booth that Courtney was sitting in. �Real, funny Whitman.� Alex put his arm around Kyle, throwing a smile in Courtney�s direction. When Courtney saw Alex smiling at her and Kyle looking in her general direction, she bowed her head, trying to look at anywhere but them. Alex chuckled, ruffling Kyle�s hair. �See, what�d I tell you? She�s got it bad for you.� Kyle shook his head, picking up the dirty dishes and heading towards the kitchen. �Yeah, right. Nice try, but I�m not falling for it.� Alex opened his locker, untying his apron soon afterwards. �Oh, please. You already have fallen. It�s not like you haven�t had this secret crush on Courtney since we were like in third grade.� �So? So what if I did?� He dumped the dishes into the over sized sink and turned on the pressurized hose. �You know, it isn�t nice to be playing games with your friend.� �Who said anything about playing games? I�m just telling you things as I see them, and frankly, I�m thinking you should ask Courtney out.� �Wh-what?!?� Kyle was so surprised that he had lost control of the hose, squirting water all over the place. Alex grabbed the hose from him, turning it off. �You know, for someone who happens to be the Sheriff�s son, you sound awfully scared at the thought of asking out some girl.� Kyle picked up a towel, wiping away the mess he had created. �Yeah, well Courtney isn�t just some girl.� He sighed, whispering to himself. �She�s my dream girl.� Courtney Banks was a quiet and studious girl. She had beautiful blonde hair that made Kyle want to run his fingers through it. The truth was, he had had a crush on Courtney since they were kids. The minute she had given him her shy smile, he had been lost. As the years passed by, he had grown accustomed to watching her from afar, wishing in his heart that she would look his way just once. Alex�s suggestion sounded simple enough. He liked Courtney, so he should ask her out. There shouldn�t be any problem, right? Wrong. There was plenty. For instance, what would Courtney see in him? She was in AP Chem, while he had been stuck in the same remedial science class for three years. Courtney was definitely out of his league, and he would just leave it at that. There was no need to humiliate himself when she shot him down. Alex stood quietly watching his friend. If only Kyle could see what he and other people saw. The truth was, it wasn�t the first time he had caught Courtney staring at Kyle. Those two were always sneaking glances at each other. That�s why it surprised him that Kyle acted so shocked when he told him that Courtney had been watching him the minute she had walked into the Crashdown. ********* Max pushed the double doors to the Crashdown open, with books in his hands and his back pack half dangling off of his shoulder. He caught sight of Courtney, making his way over to her. He slipped in the seat across from her, heaving out his apology. �I�m sorry, I�m late, but my boss at the UFO Center wouldn�t let me leave any earlier, and I had to get my stuff, .........� Max�s voice trailed off as he looked up to make eye contact with Courtney, so she would see the sincerity in his eyes. But he noticed that her eyes were trained to the back room of the Crashdown. He turned his head, trying to figure out what had gotten her interest, but he could only see Kyle and Alex inside. �Courtney?� Courtney turned her head, and was surprised to see Max sitting across from her in the booth. When had he arrived? She blushed a deep shade of crimson when she heard the concern in his voice. �Oh, hey Max.� She began chewing on her bottom lip. �I�m glad you made it.� Max started arranging his books out in front of him, his eyes on Courtney. �Yeah, about that. I really am sorry. I hope, I mean I know you said you like people to be on time, and well I usually am very reliable, but I have so much things going on- Courtney gave him a shy smile. �That�s ok, Max. It�s no problem.� �Thanks.� She took out her books, gently twisting her pen between her fingers. �Could I, could I ask you something?� Max looked up from the mountains of notes that were spread out in front of him. He was chewing on his pencil, a look of concentration on his face. �Sure.� �I, I know that you and Liz, well that she�s your girlfriend. I mean, why didn�t you just ask her for help in Chemistry? Why ask me?� Max smiled. �You�re right about her being my girlfriend, and that�s the reason why I�ve asked you to help me. Liz and I together, well, uh, um, studying,� he made a wild gesture with his hands, trying to get Courtney to understand what he was saying without actually having to say it out loud. He had already tried asking Liz for help in Chemistry, and well, that plan just didn�t work out too well. �Max.....� Liz threw her head back, at the sensations that Max was causing in her body. Everywhere his fingers touched was magic. And his lips.... Oh God, those luscious lips were doing wonders to her fevered skin. In the back of her mind, Liz faintly remembered that they were supposed to be doing something important. What was it again? Ch-clothes? She looked up to see Max on top of her, his lips fused to the side of her neck. The first few buttons on his shirt had come undone, giving her a wonderful view of his muscular chest. Smiling, she ran her fingers through his hair, marveling at it�s thickness. The two of them together, they were insatiable. The heat that emanated from them was so hot, it surprised her that they hadn�t been burned yet. The chemistry between,- That�s it! That�s what it was. CHEMISTRY! �Max?.....� �Hmm?� He nuzzled the soft skin behind her ear, letting his tongue sneak out to taste her skin. He felt her body shiver beneath him, causing him to smile. �Max?� Liz couldn�t help the way her voice came out, almost breathless. She gripped his shoulders, trying in vain to do the right thing. Max stopped his ministrations long enough to look into her beautiful doe eyes. Her long eyelashes, fluttered against her cheek. Her tongue snuck out from between her lips, wetting her parched lips. Her chest heaved from the effort it took to calm down. He ran his finger down her flushed cheek, basking in it�s warmth. �Yeah, babe?� his voice was a notch huskier, deeper if possible. Liz clapped him on the shoulder, pushing him up until the two of them were back in a sitting position. �I, I think we were supposed to be studying chemistry, not actually testing it.� She couldn�t help the giggles that escaped past her lips. Seeing Max looking ravished, and their notebooks scattered across the floor haphazardly, well she couldn�t help but find it amusing. Apparently, she wasn�t the only one who thought it was funny. Max leaned back against the foot of the couch, pulling Liz into his side. �I think you�re right.� He kissed her temple, giving her shoulders a good squeeze. �Tomorrow, I�m gonna look for a new chem tutor.� Max�s mind returned to the present time where he was seated across from Courtney. He could feel the blush tinting his cheeks at the thought of why he had to ask Courtney for help. It wasn�t that he and Liz couldn�t keep their hands off of each other, it was more like they had a hard time concentrating when it was just the two of them alone together. They worked well as a team during class when they were lab partners, but once they got out of class, well some things looked a little more appealing than studying, he thought ruefully. He was about to continue trying to explain to Courtney why he had asked her for help, when the sound of an angel�s voice broke through their conversation. Liz stood beside their booth, holding her order pad, and a pencil resting behind her ear. �I�m really sorry to interrupt, but Maria�s shift is over, and I came to tell you guys that I�m going to be taking over her tables.� She gave them a warm smile. �Is there anything I could get you?� �Cherry coke for me.� Max looked to Courtney. �Courtney?� �I�ll, I�ll have an orange soda, please.� Liz nodded her head, walking backwards towards the counter. �Ok, I�ll be right back with your drinks.� Courtney sat back, watching in mild amusement as Max watched Liz�s every move. The guy couldn�t keep his eyes off of her. No wonder he asked her for help. Liz came back with their drinks, setting them carefully on the table. �One cherry coke, and one orange soda.� She wiped her hands on her apron. �Anything else I can get for you guys tonight?� As soon as the words, left her mouth, Liz stumbled forward when she felt something attach itself to her legs. �Lizzie!� Liz tried to regain her balance, unceremoniously knocking over the glass of soda in front of her. With graceful moves like a cat, Courtney picked up all of their papers before any real damage was done. Liz covered her mouth. �I am so sorry. I, I was- Her sentence was cut off short when the person attached to her legs, tugged on her waitress uniform. �Lizzie!� Courtney looked down to the little boy who had fixed himself to Liz�s leg. She tucked her hair behind her ears, smiling at the little guy. �Aren�t you adorable?� Courtney leaned down a little, gently touching Noah�s shoulder. �Hi.� Noah looked up at her, letting go of Liz�s leg long enough to wave to her. �Hi.� Isabel ran forward, picking Noah up into her arms. �I am so sorry, you guys. But I just couldn�t catch up to him. I mean the minute he caught sight of Liz....� Courtney smiled. �That�s ok, no harm was done.� Max stood up, reaching for Noah. He turned Noah to face Courtney. �Well, seeing as he�s already made his grand entrance, Courtney, I�d like you to meet my son. This is Noah.� Courtney felt her heart flutter at the pride in Max�s eyes as he introduced her to his son. She had heard the rumors about Max running around school. But she had never given it a second thought. It wasn�t any of her business, and it irked her that other people tried to make it their business. Especially Pam Troy. Courtney knew the girl was trouble, so it didn�t surprise her to hear that it was Pam that had been behind those nasty rumors. But standing here today, in the presence of Max and his son, it was truly magical. There was just something in the way he gently bounced his son against his chest, and the way his eyes lit up, that made Courtney see what a beautiful relationship they had. Max was really the nice guy she saw walking down the halls of West Roswell High, who only had eyes for one girl, and had the best friends a person could ask for. She cleared her throat, reaching out her hand to Noah�s. �It�s nice to meet you Noah.� Noah giggled, bouncing up and down in Max�s embrace. The smile he gave was one that mirrored his fathers. Liz grabbed a few napkins, wiping as much of the mess as she could. She called to the back for some help. �Kyle? Alex? Someone come out here and give me a hand. Bring some rags with you.� She called as she peeled off the sticky napkins from the table. Kyle came through the swinging doors, a dish rag in hand. �Ok, where�s the emergency?� When he came out, Noah clapped his hands together, excited to see one of his friends. �Lyle!� Kyle shook his head, tweaking Noah�s nose. �Hey there, little buddy.� When Noah erupted into a fit of laughter, Kyle poked his tummy. �Yeah, that�s right. It�s Lyle.� Kyle could feel someone�s eyes on him, so he looked up. When he did, he felt his heart stop beating. Under lowered lashes, the girl of his dreams, Courtney Banks was looking at him with that shy smile of hers. He felt his face flame up, so he looked at anywhere but her. He turned his attention back to Noah, whispering conspiratorially. �And just so you know, you�re the only one allowed to call me Lyle.� Kyle looked up again to see that Courtney had yet to stop looking at him. He returned her smile, feeling his palms sweat. Oh boy! That smile of hers was gonna get him into trouble. Part 46 ************** Maria walked across her living room floor, looking each of one of her friends in the eyes. �So, the plan is set. Let�s go over everything one more time just to make sure all the bases are covered.� She turned her gaze towards Liz, tipping her head to the side, to indicate that it was her turn to speak. �Liz?� Liz sat up from her spot on the floor. �Ok, I talked to my mom and dad, and they agreed to shut down the Crashdown for the night. I talked to Courtney, and she�s going to tell Max to meet her at the Crash for their study session.� Maria nodded, turning her pursed lips towards Alex. �Ok, now that leaves Isabel.....Alex?� Alex raised his hand, talking at the same time. �I�ve got it covered. I told her to meet me there, so we could go to the movies together.� Maria tapped her finger against her chin, deep in thought. �Good, good. Now, I think that just about covers it, so...� She turned back to her friends, a smile on her face. �Let�s get this party started!� *********** Max stood in his room, getting all of his things in his bag. He looked up to the sound at the door, smiling when he saw who it was. �Happy Birthday, Iz.� She grinned at him, plopping down on his bed. �Happy Birthday to you too. Although, I recall already greeting you this morning.� The two of them shared a laugh. Isabel sat back on her hands, watching as Max moved about his room. �So, you have plans with Liz?� Max looked up from what he was doing, and shook his head. �No. I have another study session with Courtney tonight.� Isabel raised an eyebrow at him. �Again? Don�t you think you�re over doing it a little? I mean, Liz might start getting jealous.� Max let out a hearty laugh. �I don�t think so. Liz knows I only have eyes for her, besides, she was the one who encouraged me to study with Courtney tonight.� He zipped up his book bag, swinging it over his shoulder. �Believe me when I say that, there isn�t anything I would rather be doing than spending time with Liz on my birthday, but at least this way, I�ll get to see her while she works.� He leaned back against his desk chair, casually locking his ankles together. �How about you? You and Alex have plans?� Isabel nodded. She sat up, picking at the invisible lint on her t-shirt. �Yeah. I�m meeting him at the Crashdown. We�re catching a movie together.� Max stood back up, reaching into his desk drawer. He pulled out a small, black, velvet box, handing it to Isabel. �Here. This is for you.� She gave him a wary glance, accepting his offering. �Max? I thought we said, no presents this year.� Max shoved his hands into his pockets, shrugging his shoulders. �I know. But I made a little extra last week, and well, I couldn�t resist getting it for you.� Isabel let out an exasperated sigh, trying to hide the smile on her lips. �Max!� She tried to give him a glare, but she couldn�t quite bring herself to do it. How could she, when he was being such a sweet twin brother. A smile tugged on his lips, his eyes dancing with an excited gleam. �Go ahead. Open it.� Isabel gave him a full blown smile. Her hand, pulled back the top, making a popping sound. A gasp escaped her lips, as she looked at the pearl earrings inside. She turned wide eyes to her brother. �Max, I can�t believe you did this....It must have cost so much....� She shook her head, snapping the box back closed. She pushed the box back into Max�s hands, stepping away from him. Max looked at the box in his hand, then at his sister. �What are you doing?� Isabel crossed her arms in front of her, straightening her shoulders. �I�m not accepting that as a gift, Max. That was way too expensive, and I highly doubt that you making a little extra money could let you afford that.� She shook her head again, her lips coming together in a tight line. �Are you serious?� He watched as Isabel gave an affirmative nod of her head. �We already agreed on, no presents. You can�t go back on your word.� Max opened his mouth to speak again, when their mom poked her head in, holding Noah�s hand. �Ok, kids. Your dad and I are off to dinner, so we�ll see you guys later.� She looked down to Noah. �Say buh-bye, Noah!� Noah let go of Diane�s hand, running into Isabel�s open arms. �Bye.� Isabel smiled at her nephew. �Bye, sweetie. I�ll see you later.� She turned him towards, Max. �Say, buh-bye to daddy?� Noah smiled at his father, waving at him from the comfort of Isabel�s arms. �Buh bye, daddy!� Max walked up to his son, plastering him with kisses. �Bye, little man. You be good for gramma, and granpa, tonight.� He placed one sound kiss on his son�s forehead, turning back to his mom. �Are you sure that you and dad don�t mind taking Noah to dinner with you? Because I could take him to the Crashdown with me.� Diane walked to Isabel, taking Noah from her arms. �Now don�t be silly, Max. We love our grandson, and I personally think that we don�t get to spend enough time with him as it is.� She looked into Noah�s smiling face. �He�s just growing up so fast.� She turned back to Max, a wistful look in her eyes. �Well, we better get going. We don�t want to be late.� Diane hugged her grandson closer to her, as she walked out of the room. �Bye, mom!� Isabel tried to walk out of Max�s room, without having to argue about the gift. But she just wasn�t that lucky. �Hey, we�re not done talking yet.� She stopped mid step, slowly turning around. �Look, Max. I really, really appreciate that you went out of your way to get me something so beautiful for my birthday. But I just can�t accept them. They�re too much.� Max had an incredulous look on his face, as he dug into his pocket, revealing a brand new watch. �And, what? This watch right here isn�t too much?� Isabel closed her eyes as she watched her brother dangle the watch that she had bought for him. She had left it on his table this morning with a birthday card. She was well aware that they had agreed on no presents this year, but she just couldn�t resist. She had been saving up all her money for a while now, and well, she knew that Max had been eyeing that watch for over a year now. She knew how much he wanted it, but he refused to splurge on himself, and instead, spending what little money he did have on his son. She crossed her arms in front of her again, taking on a defensive stance. �No, it isn�t!� Max looked at her wide eyed, tossing the watch on the bed. �Whatever.� He stood up, adopting the same stance as his sister. �Fine. If you won�t accept my gift, then I won�t accept yours.� Isabel felt her jaw fall to the floor. �You can�t no accept it! It�s my gift to you. A gift from me to you.� Max gave her a smug smile, tossing the velvet box up in the air, and then catching it again. �Well, that just it. I will only accept the watch, if you accept the earrings. I think it�s only fair.� He held out his open palm towards her, the velvet box sitting on it. With his head tilted to the side, he eyed her warily. �What do you say, Iz?� When she wouldn�t budge, he walked up to her, still clasping the tiny box in his hand. �Oh, come on. It�s our 18th birthday today. Don�t you think we should splurge? I mean, other than mom and dad getting gifts for us, we won�t be getting anything else.� He gave her his best sad eyes, pouting a little. �Please? For your older brother?� Isabel bit back the smile that wanted to plaster itself on her lips. She slowly took the box out of Max�s hand, but in the process, giving her brother a nice punch on the arm. Max jumped back, rubbing his arm in pain. �What�d you do that for?� Isabel finally let the smile form on her lips, throwing her arms around her brother. �That�s for being the most obnoxious, stubborn, older brother that you are. Thank you.� Max smiled, giving his sister a good squeeze before pulling back. �Well, I guess I should thank you for being an obnoxious, stubborn, younger sister.� He rocked back on his heels, his eyes dancing with mirth. �But I won�t be hitting you. I don�t believe in violence.� Isabel made a face at him before walking backwards to her room. �Real funny, Max. You�re a real comedian.� Max held up his hands in front of him, shrugging his shoulders. �What can I say? I try.� Isabel stuck her tongue at him, running to her room. �I�m just gonna grab my stuff and then we can go.� Max walked up to his bed, picking up his brand new watch. He placed it on his wrist, twisting and turning it, as he watched the light play across the glass face of the watch. He shook his head, laughing at the thought of what just happened. �So much for no presents this year.� ********** Phillip pulled up into the alley way behind the Crashdown. He got out, helping his wife with their grandson. They knocked on the back door, knocking twice, taking a pause, then knocking once, taking another pause, before finally knocking three more times. They waited until they saw Liz�s head pop out from behind the door. She looked behind them down the street, then down to the other side of the street. Finally she looked at the Evans and smiled at them. �They don�t know that you guys are here, right?� Diane shook her head, a smile playing on her lips. �No idea. They should be here soon, though.� Liz nodded, pulling the door open, letting them inside. �Good, come on in before they get here.� ********** Max pulled the jeep into a parking space in front of the jeep. �Max?� Max pulled his keys out of the ignition, turning to his sister. �Yeah?� Isabel fingered the hem on her shirt, her voice soft. �Don�t you feel a little awkward that we didn�t tell anyone that it was our birthday today? I mean, I�m feeling a little odd that we didn�t tell any of our friends.� Max sat back in his seat, taking a deep breath. �Well, yeah. I mean I kinda feel like I�m betraying Liz and everyone else, but at the same time, I know that if Liz knew, she would make a big deal about it. I just don�t want her to feel like she has to do something, you know?� Isabel just nodded, jumping out of the jeep. The two of them walked to the Crashdown, when Isabel suddenly stopped, grabbing Max�s shirt sleeve. �Max? Do you notice something weird, different?� Max looked at her, then at their surroundings. He scratched his head, trying to see if there was anything out of place. �Actually, no. Why? What�s wrong Iz?� �Well, it just happens to be a Friday night and there doesn�t seem to be anyone around.� She looked around the empty street, as if to emphasize her point. Max pointed to the row of cars on that were parked a little away from them. �Well, Alex�s car is right over there, and that�s Courtney�s. Maybe there�s a party tonight or something� Isabel placed her hands in her back pockets, and started walking again. �You�re probably right.� Max pulled open the Crashdown doors, the doors making their familiar jingling noise. He didn�t know why, but he felt his stomach was all tied up in knots. He turned to Isabel, and by the looks of things, she was feeling the same way. As they opened the door, they realized for the first time that the Crashdown was without lights. �What the- The room was suddenly flooded with light, and a chorus of voices rang out. �SURPRISE!� Part 47 ************* �SURPRISE!� Max and Isabel both flinched as their eyes were hit with the lights as they were turned back on. When their eyes came back into focus, they took in the scene before them. The Crashdown was decked out in balloons and streamers, a big banner hanging above the service window reading, Happy 18th B�day Max & Isabel! As they looked around some more, their gazes finally landed on everyone in the room. Everyone they cared about, everyone they loved stood in front of them, smiles on their faces. Isabel was the first to react, tears stinging her eyes. She held up her hand to her mouth, taking in everything around her, and thinking about it�s significance. �I can�t believe you guys did this!� She took another look around the room, tugging on Max�s arm, pulling him with her as they walked further into the room. When they stood but a few feet from everyone, Noah�s little voice caught the attention of everyone. �Soopize!� He clapped his little hands together, sliding down from Liz�s arm, running towards his father and his aunt. Max crouched down, opening his arms to accept his son�s embrace. He almost fell back with the force in which Noah had run towards him, but at that moment, he couldn�t care less. He couldn�t believe the sight in front of him. All of this, for him, and Isabel. He just couldn�t bring himself to believe that anyone would make such an extravagant plan, such as this, just for the two of them. He looked into everyone�s smiling faces, each giving them his most sincere smile. �Thank you.� Isabel grinned wildly, clapping her hands together. �Thanks, everyone!� Everyone kind of just stood there, until Kyle�s voice broke through the haze. �C�mon people, this is supposed to be a birthday party.� He gave a little salute to Max and Isabel. �Happy birthday guys!� He turned back to everyone, rubbing his hands together, a devilish twinkle in his eyes. �Let�s start this party!� People started milling around the cafe, each one stopping to say happy birthday to the twins. When it was Diane and Phillip�s turn to greet their twins, Isabel tried to give them a glare. �I can�t believe you guys did this to us. I mean you�re our parents. And to think that you guys almost forgot about our birthdays.� She crossed her arms, still trying to put on the facade of being angry. Phillip walked up to his daughter, putting his arms around her. He gave her temple a kiss, giving her shoulders a squeeze. �We would never forget, sweetie. Another wonderful milestone crossed. Happy Birthday kids.� Max smiled at his dad, running his hand down his mother�s arm. �Thanks, dad, mom. I can�t believe you guys did all of this without us knowing.� Diane shook her head, threading her fingers through Max�s. �Oh, we had nothing to do with it honey. Liz and Maria, and all of your friends were behind all of this. They just invited us.� Max gave his mom a curious look, before his gaze landed on Liz, who was manning the soda machine. Her eyes caught his, and the smile that she gave him, almost knocked the wind out of him. He felt his knees weaken, his breath quicken. How was it possible that she could that to him every single time he laid eyes on her? Diane noticed that her son�s attention was elsewhere, and deservingly so, to the object of his affection. She couldn�t help but feel giddy at the sight the two of them made. Oh, to be a teenager again. She sighed, placing her hand on his shoulder. �Go on, honey. This is your party. You shouldn�t be stuck here all night with me and your father.� Max looked down at his mother, to tell her that he enjoyed her company, when she gave him a little push and a wink. He squeezed her hand, before walking to the counter, taking a seat. Liz was busy filling up a pitcher of soda, when she felt the hairs on her neck stand up. �What does a guy need to do to get some service around here?� She could hear the amusement in his voice, and it made her happy. She thought he might be a little mad at her for throwing a surprise party for him, considering that he was a pretty shy guy. It made her happy that she could make him feel a fraction of the happiness that he made her feel. She turned around, the pitcher still in her hands. She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, trying to play it cool. If Max wanted to play, she could definitely play. �I�m sorry, sir. But I only wait on tall, dark, and handsome men.� She gave him her most demure smile, but her eyes were a stark contrast. Her eyes took on a wicked gleam, her tongue wetting her red lips. Max�s eyes followed the movement of tongue. What he wouldn�t do to have it be his tongue instead of hers, touching her soft lips. He unconsciously licked his own lips, his eyes returning to hers. He returned her smile, still continuing on with the game that they had begun. �Well, I am tall, and I do have dark hair,� he leaned closer to her, resting his elbows on the counter. He invited her closer with his finger, his voice softening a touch. �And not to sound cocky, but I have been told a few times that I am a handsome man.� Liz leaned in closer, her face mere breaths away from his. �Well, I have to give it to you sir. You do have dark hair, and you are very handsome,� she took a dramatic pause, letting her eyes rake over his handsome face. �But I don�t think you�re all that tall.� Max sat back, pretending to look offended. �I�ll have you know miss, that I am six feet tall. A lot taller than your five foot one frame.� Liz scoffed, resting her chin on the palm of her hand. �I may be short, but at least I don�t lie about my height on my driver�s license. You�re more like 5�11. Close, but no cigar.� Max pointed an accusatory finger at her. �So, you�ve been sneaking glances at my driver�s license. That�s how you knew it was my birthday!� Liz returned to a standing position, placing her hands on her hips. �I�ll have you know that that�s not how I found out about your birthday. I am more resourceful than that.� Max tilted his head to the side, studying his girlfriend. �Then how did you find out?� Liz smacked the dish rag against her hand, giving Max one of her dazzling smiles. �Well, a girl�s got to keep her secrets, Max.� She leaned down again, reaching across the counter for Noah. She sat him in front of her, lacing her fingers through his. She kissed his chubby cheeks, swinging their clasped hands in the air. Max crossed his arms, a frown accenting his attractive features. He gave a little pout as he muttered under his breath. �So much for being the birthday boy.� Liz looked up to see her boyfriend sulking. He was just too adorable for words. She leaned across the counter, cradling his jaw with her hand. She looked into his eyes, whispering against his lips. �Happy Birthday, baby.� And with that, she gave him the kiss he had obviously been waiting for. She could feel him smiling against her lips, causing her to smile as well. She parted her lips, allowing him to gain deeper access, when Noah started squirming. �Cake!� Max and Liz broke apart when they heard him speak. Max bit back his laugh, instead opting to touch his lips that were now covered in Liz�s lip gloss. �Cake?� He ran his hand down his son�s back. �Sorry buddy, but cake isn�t until later.� Noah kicked his legs forward, his arms bouncing. �Cake!� Max turned him around so that they were facing each other. �What is it with you and cake?� Liz felt her cheeks warm up. She gave Max a sheepish grin. �I sort of told him he could have cake as a reward for staying quiet while we tried to do our surprise.� Max nodded his head in understanding. �Well, now you know the secret to getting an Evans man to do something for you.� �Huh?� Max grinned at her, stepping off of the stool to stand up. �If you promise an Evans man with something sweet, then you�re guaranteed to have them at your mercy.� A smile tugged on the corners of Liz�s mouth. She reached her hand out to Max, walking around the counter to his side. �I�ll have to keep that in mind.� She gave him a wink, leading him towards the rows of tables of food that they had prepared. He grinned at her, squeezing her hand. Part 48A *************** Kyle took a seat beside Maria, following her gaze. �You think after being married seven years, those two would have gotten past the whole PDA part of the relationship.� Maria shook her head as she watched her mother and her step father whisper and cuddle like they were still teenagers. Kyle laughed, wrapping his arm around Maria. �Tell me about it. I had to ask Mr. P to give me extra hours just so it would get me out of the house. You think out of the four of us, those two were the teenagers.� �At least they�re happy. I mean, that�s pretty much all that matters, I guess.� She gave him a sideways glance, flashing him with a bright smile. �It could�ve been worse. I mean they could have ended up being with someone else, and well, you know, I probably would have missed out on the pleasures of fighting with you for the bathroom.� Kyle pulled back a little, his smile growing a little wider. �Why, are you actually saying that you enjoy being my sister?� Maria turned serious, as she reached for Kyle�s hand. �Yeah. I wouldn�t have it any other way.� She gave his hand a squeeze, delighting in the fact that she made him blush. Kyle cleared his throat, trying to act unaffected. �Yeah, well, same here.� He placed a kiss on her temple, hugging her close to his side. His gaze traveled across the room, finally landing on the person he was looking for. Courtney was standing at the food table, laughing and talking with Max, Liz, and Noah. For a brief second, she had looked up, catching his eye. She gave him a smile, causing him to sigh. Could she be anymore beautiful? �Why don�t you just go over there and talk to her?� �Huh?� Kyle looked down at Maria, wondering when she had started speaking again. He sat up, his gaze returning to Courtney. �What were you saying?� �I said, why don�t you just talk to Courtney, already. You obviously want to, why not just do it.� Kyle glanced back and forth to Maria and Courtney. �Me, talking to Courtney? I-I can�t do that Maria.� He let his gaze linger on Courtney, heaving a heavy sigh. �I just can�t.� �Oh come on. If you can handle babysitting, then you can certainly handle talking to a girl. I mean, it isn�t as if you never talked to one before. You talk to me and Liz all the time.� �You and Liz don�t count. You guys are practically my family. Courtney, well, she�s different. I just can�t talk to her like I do you guys.� �Why not?� �Because.......she�s, I just don�t want her to think I�m stupid. I�ve had the reputation of class clown since we were kids. What if- Maria placed her hand on his shoulder. �Look, Kyle. You�ll never know if you don�t try. If you make a fool of yourself, it�s ok. Things like that are temporary. People forget. But regret is permanent. You�ll never forgive yourself if you pass up on this opportunity. You�ll always be left wondering, what if......� Maria stood up, pulling Kyle along with her. She grabbed his arm, looping hers through it. She started walking towards the food table. Kyle felt himself being dragged along, panic setting in, when he saw where they were headed. �Maria, what are you doing?� he hissed between clenched teeth. She smirked at him, finally dragging him the last few steps to the table. �Doing a little intervening.� ********** �Alex, I still can�t believe you guys went through all of this trouble, just for me and Max. It�s just, just...� she smiled, planting a kiss on his cheek. �Thank you, Alex. I�m completely, and utterly speechless.� Alex could feel the blush starting from the base of his neck, finally settling on the tips of his ears. �It�s not....no problem....� he grinned. �I�m just glad that you�re happy.� Isabel linked their fingers together, giving his hand a good squeeze. �I�m always happy when I�m with you.� This time, the blush refused to leave Alex�s face. It was like a permanent fixture now. But he didn�t mind it too much. Being with Isabel just made him happy. �The same goes for me too.� He placed a soft kiss right between her eyebrows, his fingers gently caressing her knuckles. �Always.� They both looked up to the sound of someone clearing their throat. �Sorry to interrupt, guys. But I was wondering if you guys have seen Maria. I just popped into the kitchen for a second, and the next thing I knew, she was gone.� Alex watched Michael scratch the side of his eyebrow. �I think she was with Kyle a little while ago.� His eyes did a quick scan of the cafe, finally landing on Maria�s blonde curls. �Oh, there she is.� Michael followed where Alex was looking. He smiled when his eyes landed on Maria. Without taking another look in Alex�s direction, he waved, saying his thanks. When he made his way over to Maria, he wrapped his arms around her, taking in the sweet scent of her hair. She looked up at him, smiling as she wrapped her hand around his. �Hey. I was wondering where you ran off to.� �It was nothing.� She gave him a coy smile. �So, does that mean that we can have some fun now?� �Sure, anything you wanna do.� Maria pulled out of his embrace, pulling him towards the center of the room. �I wanna dance.� Michael�s feet were rooted firmly to the floor. �I don�t dance.� He crossed his arms, trying to stick to his guns. Maria gave him a pout. �But you said you would do anything I wanted, and I want to dance.� She batted her eyelashes, reaching out to touch him. �Please, pretty please?� Michael gave her a scowl, before allowing himself to be lead out to the dance floor. Maria giggled, glad that she could get Michael to dance with her. She looked back to where Kyle and Courtney were standing. She just hoped that they would get the hint. ******** When Alex saw Maria and Michael head out to the dance floor, he stood up, extending his hand to Isabel. �May, I?� She took his hand, allowing him to help her stand up. �Why, thank you.� Alex lead them to the center of the room, wrapping his arms around Isabel. The two of them swayed to the music, just enjoying being in the presence of the other. ******** Liz nudged Max with her elbow. �So, what do you say Mr. tall, dark, and handsome. You wanna dance?� Max shrugged his shoulders, crossing his arms across his chest. �I don�t know. I�m still a little upset that you called me a liar.� He pretended to act upset. Liz rubbed her hand across his shoulders, bringing her hands to wrap around his neck. �Oh, I�m sorry, baby. I was only kidding.� When he still wouldn�t budge, she stepped closer to him, so that there was but a breath between them. �Tell you what? If you forgive me, I promise to make it worth your while.� She flashed him a mischievous grin. Max�s curiosity was piqued. He raised an eyebrow at her, trying to keep his lips from forming the smile that so desperately wanted to escape. �Well, I do say you�ve got me intrigued. What exactly did you have in mind?� Liz closed the space between them, leaning to the side so that she could whisper in his ear. �Like I said before, a girl�s got to keep her secrets, Max. I guess you�ll just have to wait and find out.� She nipped at his earlobe, smiling when she felt him shiver. �So, how about that dance?� Max practically dragged her to the dance floor, immediately wrapping his arms around her. He kept her close, so close that they could feel each other�s body with every move they made. Max buried his face in her neck, taking a deep breath. Liz was going to be the death of him. ******** Kyle rocked back on his heels, watching as all of his friends paired of. He sighed, jamming his hands in his pockets. If only he was so lucky. But he was never that lucky. He would never- �Hey, Kyle.� Kyle looked up to see his dreamgirl, standing right beside him. And she was, she was actually talking to him. Heck, she even knew his name. Kyle tried to get his voice to work, but he had to swallow a few times first. �H-hey, C-courtney.� Kyle felt like kicking himself for sounding like such an idiot. He couldn�t even talk to her without stuttering. He chose to look at his feet, not feeling worthy enough to look her in the eyes. �Do you want to dance?� His eyes flew up to the sound of her voice. Had he just heard her right? Was she asking him to dance? Him, class clown, Valenti? When he didn�t answer right away, Courtney backed up, feeling embarrassed. �It�s, it�s ok. Don�t worry about it.� She turned around, feeling her cheeks flame up. What had possessed her to be so bold as to ask Kyle Valenti to dance with her? He probably thought that she was just some geeky girl who did nothing but study. Which actually wasn�t far from the truth. She was just some geeky girl. She kept walking, intending to hide herself in one of the booths, when she felt a hand on her arm. She turned around, looking to see who it was that had stopped her retreat. Her breath was caught in her throat, when she saw Kyle smiling at her. �Courtney, I�d love with to dance with you, that is, if you, you know, still want to.� She saw the smile on his face, causing a smile to form on her own. �I still want to.� Kyle held out his hand to her, wrapping her hand in his. As they got to the dance floor, he whispered in her ear. �I guess this would be a good time to tell you, that I�m a terrible dancer.� She grinned, pulling his hand around her waist. She let her hands link behind his neck. �That�s ok. We can be terrible together.� Together. He liked the sound of that. Kyle felt himself tripping over his own feet, stepping on Courtney�s toe. He gave her an apologetic look. �Sorry. I told you I was terrible.� �Don�t worry about it. Just relax.� Just as the words left her mouth, she felt herself stepping on his foot. �Ooops. Sorry.� She gave him a sheepish grin. The two of them burst into laughter, both realizing how terrible they really were at dancing. But neither of them cared all too much. They were having the time of their lives. Back Next |
| Own Me |