| Who Loves Me - Part Two �What about Michael?� Max asked concerned. He knew how Michael could be and the way Maria was sounding didn�t help the situation. �He just left. And I think for good,� Maria said. �Okay, call Liz and Alex and Izzy and I will be there as soon as we can,� Max told her before hanging up the phone. God, please protect Michael, Maria prayed silently. �I need him,� Maria added out loud before dialing Liz�s number. ***(Fifteen Minutes Later. . .)*** �What do you mean he left?� Isabel asked, her hands on her hips. She tried her best to hide her concern, but it was a losing battle. �He said that he was leaving and then he when he got out my window, he ran,� Maria told them. Her mother had already gone to bed, so she had all of them in her kitchen. �We�ve got to find him. We all know how he is when he�s mad,� Liz said, getting out of her seat. �He wasn�t completely mad,� Maria corrected. �What do you mean?� Max asked. �He was jealous of me and Brian,� Maria confessed. �Where do you think he went?� Alex asked, putting his arm around Maria. ***** Michael didn�t think he could drive any faster. He didn�t even stop when he reached the turn to get onto 285 South. He slowed down when he reached the motel that he and Maria had shared en route to Marathon, Texas. He started to laugh at the memory of the two of them. But then he realized that he would never see Maria again. You were the one who told her that you couldn�t get attached, a voice told him. He shook his head to get rid of the voice. But it didn�t go away. He hit the gas with all he had he didn�t stop until he reached his destination. ***(Two Months Later. . .)*** �Maria I�ve got good news for you!� Liz yelled as she saw Maria standing at her locker. But the words fell on deaf ears. Liz�s smile faded when she saw the look on Maria�s face. Maria stared off into the distance and Liz knew who she was staring at. Liz turned around and only to see Brian flirting with Pam Troy. After Michael had left, Maria had told Brian that she didn�t really feel like having a boyfriend right then. Brian was pissed at her for a while but he had gotten over it. When Liz looked back to Maria, Maria had turned back towards her locker. �Maria, did you hear me?� Liz asked, trying to get her attention. �Yeah, you said you had good news for me,� Maria told her, trying to hold back the tears. �We found Michael,� Liz said. She smiled again when she saw Maria�s face when she told her. �What do you mean you found him?� Maria asked, not believing her. �Michael got a speeding violation in Marathon,� Liz said, trying to suppress the grin that was forming on her lips. But when she saw the look in Maria�s eyes, she couldn�t help but let the grin go. �Well, what are we waiting for! Let�s go!� Maria practically yelled. �Well, we�re waiting for Max, Isabel, and Alex,� Liz said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. �Okay,� Maria said as all three of them took the chance to make their appearance. Maria smiled wider when she saw Isabel and Alex holding hands. When Maria had lost her loves, Alex had gained his only love. Max came over and gave Liz a small kiss on the lips and put his arm around her waist. �Did you hear the news?� Maria said, almost giddy. She couldn�t wait to see Michael. �Yeah, we heard. But we couldn�t resist seeing your reaction to it,� Max said, laughing. �Well, then let�s get the hell out of here!� Maria said, grabbing Alex�s hand and led all of them to Max�s jeep. They didn�t mind. It was a huge sigh of relief that they all shared. Seeing Maria finally happy made them all smile. Max put the jeep in gear and sped to Marathon. �So how exactly did you find out about Michael?� Maria couldn�t resist asking. �We continuously checked the police records on the internet and yesterday, we found that Michael had gotten a speeding citation and here we are!� Isabel informed her. �Isn�t that great?!� Liz asked, giddy. �Yeah, it really is,� Maria said, trying to get her voice to carry over Max�s jeep�s engine. ***Meanwhile in Marathon. . .*** Michael walked down the streets, finally a little content with his life. He had gotten an apartment, a job, and most of all, he didn�t have some chick trying to get his attention all the time. He saw a Victoria�s Secret advertisement in a window, and he thought of what Maria would look like in that outfit. NO! a voice screamed in his head. No, you can�t think about her. You�ve gone two months not thinking too much about her. So don�t start now! She finally let you get behind your stone wall and all you can do is think about her! He took a deep breath trying to get the voice out of his head as he headed towards his apartment. ***** �We have to come up with some reason why we�re there. And we can�t just say that we�re there for a social visit, considering he doesn�t know we know,� Maria shouted over Max�s music. �What about we say that The Whits are playing at one of the clubs?� Isabel asked. �Isabel, that�s a great idea! No wonder I love you so much,� Alex said, pulling her in for a kiss. �But wait a minute,� Max started, turning the music down. �We have to get the rest of the band here and you actually have to play in order for this to work.� �Leave the band to me, Maria?� Alex said. �Leave the club to me,� Maria added. �Well, then let�s go!� Liz yelled as Max pushed his foot on the accelerator. ***** It was another two hours until they reached Marathon. They checked into a hotel room and Alex was able to get the rest of the band to come down there when he needed them. He had a hint of doubt when he�d called them, but he figured they�d come. They had wanted a chance to play somewhere outside of Roswell anyway. It took Maria a little while longer to get a club to sign The Whits. They called the KROZ radio DJ to see if we were legit. Maria laughed at the DJ�s voice, but she couldn�t help herself. She hadn�t really noticed that the night she had performed for the Blind Date Contest. After some convincing by both herself and the DJ, they agreed. They told her not to worry about promoting the concert, they would do that themselves. Finding Michael and performing outside of Roswell, things were just too good to be true! ***(Okay, this is everyone�s�except Michael�s�POV)*** A whole week in a hotel with Max! Liz thought happily. He may be in the next room, but I don�t care! It�s going to be heaven! __________ I�m not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing, Max thought. Sleeping in the next room to Liz�good thing; my short grasp on control when she�s near me�bad thing. _________ This is not good, Isabel thought. Sleeping in a hotel room with Alex in the next room. It might be more than I can handle. _________ This is great! Alex thought joyfully. I can�t believe this! I get to sleep one room away from Isabel Evans! For once in my life, I actually feel lucky. ***** It was the next day when the five saw posters for The Whits at Club Destiny. It was the hottest club in Marathon and it was a prime hangout spot on Friday nights. Now if only they knew if Michael hung out there. . . ***** Oh no, Michael thought. This is SO not good. He shook his head to see if his mind had been playing tricks on him. Nope�still there. Try again. He closed his eyes and counted to ten. He slowly opened his eyes, praying that the poster wouldn�t be there. Wrong again�it stood there, taunting him. He had never been to Club Destiny. He had heard too many stories about it. He couldn�t believe that Maria had gotten her, er, Alex�s band to play at that club. Beside him, he heard two guys talk about Maria. �I wonder what her name is! She�s hot!� the tallest guy commented. Hearing that, Michael had a strong urge to punch him. �If she sings at Club Destiny, she�s bound to fast,� the second guy commented. That did it. Michael turned around, took one swing, and knocked both the guys down. �What the hell did you do that for?!� the tallest one asked, rubbing his chin where Michael had punched him. �If you ever say that about my, I mean, her again, I�ll kill you!� Michael screamed. �Chill out man!� the other guy told him as Michael started to walk away. Michael almost turned around to tell them her name, but he decided it would be better not too. I can�t believe you! the same voice as before yelled. You nearly said that she was your girlfriend. But I wanted to, he threw back. Make up your mind! Do you want to be behind your stone wall and not hurt her or do you want to be with her and end up hurting her in the end? He sighed. He already knew the answer. ***Friday Night�Club Destiny*** �You�ve got a packed crowd in there Maria!� the drummer commented. �I know! Can you believe how many people turned out?� Maria said, giddily. �They all came here to see you Maria!� Alex said, hugging her as the drummer walked away to sit with the rest of the band. �Thank you Maria.� �For what?� she asked. �Everything. I mean you got us the gig at the Blind Date Concert and here you are getting a gig in Marathon for a packed crowd!� �I just wonder if a certain someone is out there,� she said, turning around to look at the crowd again. ***** I can�t that I actually came, Michael thought to himself. I can�t believe that you actually chose to lo, er, be with her and end up hurting her instead of staying away and never hurting her! the same voice retaliated in his head. But me staying away from her is hurting her, he threw back. But the last time you left, she told you that she didn�t want to be you, the voice returned. She wants to be with me, I just know it, Michael thought as the announcer walked on stage. �Here we go,� Michael softly said. ***** �I�m glad to see that most of you turned out to see The Whits. The Whits are originally from Roswell, New Mexico. They got their break back in February when they performed for a Blind Date Concert sponsored by their local radio station. Most of this is because of their lead singer, Maria Deluca,� he said. The crowd cheered at Maria�s name. It made Michael�s insides turn gooey at the mention of her name, but when the cheers started, it took all of his strength not to jump up and say, �She�s my girlfriend, so all of you just shut up!� But that wouldn�t go over too well. He didn�t even pay attention to what the announcer was saying. All he wanted was one thing�to see Maria. As soon as he thought, his wish was granted. �And ladies and gentlemen, Club Destiny is proud to present The Whits!� the announcer shouted over the crowd as the band made their way on stage. The crowd�s cheers turned into deep breaths as Maria stepped onto the stage in a long, silver metallic dress. It had spaghetti straps to hold it up and the material shimmered in the light as the song �Let Me In� by Save Ferris began to play from The Whit�s band. Michael had one last coherent thought before Maria began to sing�she looks more beautiful than I have ever seen. Let Me In� I've been watching you and all you do For quite some time Knowing all the ins and outs of you I should've known what was on your mind But all the world is spinning round and round Inside my head tonight I will fall into the darkness And I fear I will never see the light (repeat) So let me in All that I wanted from you Was something you'd never do So let me in Oh please tonight Don't let this end Tonight I'll Fall Through no light the darkness seems to be So very strong How does one alone against the world Find the strength to carry on? What happened to the way we used to love It seemed as though life had just begun But now that love has come and gone to fade away Like the setting sun Cuz' you won't let me in. All that I wanted from you Was something you'd never do So let me in Oh please tonight Don't let this end Tonight Cuz' I'm starting to fall So let me in It was all that I wanted from you It was something you never knew To let me in But not tonight For this is the end Tonight I fall As she finished, the crowd cheered louder than they had before she had started singing. They gave her a standing ovation, but they soon quieted as she spoke. �Is Michael Guerin here?� she asked, her eyes searching the crowd. Michael�s mind raced. What if she�s here for me? What if she�s here to publicly embarrass me? Oh screw it! �I�m right here Maria,� he said from his seat. �Where?� �Right here,� he said standing up. She smiled and got down off the stage. Alex turned to his friends in the audience and winked. They smiled and watched Maria walk towards Michael. �Michael, I have to ask you something,� she said, pulling him towards the stage. Whatever happened to you resisting her? a voice yelled. Oh for God�s sake will you shut up! he threw back and immediately it quieted. �What is it Maria?� he asked as he helped her back on stage. She grabbed the microphone and spoke into it, �Michael Guerin, will you forgive me and take me back?� �Are you serious?� he asked, not believing her. He got many responses from the crowd�No Maria, date me!, Go for it Guerin!, but only three came through loud and clear�YES! MICHAEL SAY YES!!! He immediately knew who it was�Liz, Max, and Isabel. He smiled and a lone tear fell down his face. Maria put her hand up to his face and wiped the tear away. �Well, Michael, what do you say?� she asked, her eyes full of hope and fear. Hoping that he would say yes and fearing that he would say no. �Why would ask that I should forgive you when I should be asking you to forgive ME?� Michael asked, his eyes full of love. �Is that a yes?� Maria asked playfully. �Hell yes!� Michael said, grabbing her and giving her a deep kiss full of all the passion that he had ever had for her. They broke only to find that the audience was cheering and hollering them on. They turned around and smiled. Michael grabbed the microphone and yelled, �Ladies and gentlemen, my girlfriend, Maria Deluca, and The Whits!� The crowd cheered more as Maria gave Michael another kiss and shooed him off the stage. The Whits began to play Tarsha Vega�s �Be Ya Self�. Michael found his way to his friends and was greeted by them hugging each one of them. They hadn�t expected that, but like everything in their life�everything was unexpected. Michael smiled as Maria continued to sing. ***Two Weeks Later*** �Welcome home Michael,� Maria said as she grabbed her boyfriend�s hand and walked to the Crashdown Caf� in Roswell. �Thanks Maria. I know you�re glad I�m home because you�ve said that three times since we left my apartment ten minutes ago,� Michael said, playfully trying to get her angry�something he�d missed since he left and since he had returned, he hadn�t gotten enough. Maria playfully slapped him and he knew he had won the battle of getting her angry. But he would never win the war that was known as Maria Deluca. He smiled as he pushed the door open for Maria to walk through. He saw Isabel, Max, and Alex sitting at their regular table and Liz bouncing from table to table getting orders and giving out food. �Maria, you better hurry up or you�re not getting off early!� Liz shouted at her. �I gotta go,� Maria told Michael, kissing him lightly on the cheek. He hated to see her go, but he knew he had to. �Okay, I�ll be waitin�,� he said. He walked over to where the other aliens and one human sat. �Hey guys.� �Hey Michael, how�s it goin�?� Max asked, moving over for Michael to sit down. �It�s going,� Michael answered, his eyes going to Maria as she came out from the back in her uniform. �How�s it feel to be back home?� Isabel couldn�t resist asking. �Good,� he answered. Home. He was finally home. Here with his family�Max, Isabel, Alex, and Liz. And Maria�Hurricane Maria. He sighed as she got the first order to its table. He knew now that he was where he was meant to be�beside Maria�s side. That�s all he needed. No home planets, no answers, no nothing�just her. He couldn�t believe that his home had been with him all along. The End! |