The night was bright, lit up by a beautiful, round full moon, with the stars twinkling delightfully in the clear sky. The air was warm, which wasn’t unusual for New Mexico, but there was a nice cool spring breeze, breaking the otherwise calm air.

Max Evans stood in the alley below her balcony. She was there, lying outside writing. He could feel Liz Parker’s presence like a beacon, pulling him towards her. He couldn’t resist it. He needed her, as much as he needed the air he breathes, or the water he drinks.

He grasped the first grip of the ladder that led up to her. The coolness of the metal shocked his hands, compared to the warmth of the air outside. He slid his fingers up and down the bar, as if testing to see if he actually could do what he intended. He would do it this time, though. In the past he had always given up, chickened out, but things were different now. This time, he could climb up that ladder, go to her, and profess his undying love to her. It was just a few feet up, and then he would be there, in front of her, and there would be no turning back. He could do it. Max was determined this time.

Slowly he began to climb, pulling himself up higher, step by step, until the cool metal beneath his hands became stone, and then she was there, right in front of his eyes. Her beauty took his breath away. She lay there serenely, book in hand, dark hair falling in soft waves down her back. He almost gave up at the first sight of her. How could HE ever hope to be with someone like her? He was…well…what he was, and she was…perfect…

Max had to do it though. He had to try. She already knew everything about him, even down to what he was. Now all he had to do was take the next step…tell her how he feels. “Liz, is now a bad time?”

Liz looked up, startled for a moment, until their eyes met, and a quick calm fell across them. She smiled, a brief, simple action, but one which gave Max the courage to continue.

“What’s up Max?”

“Listen, Liz…we’ve been getting a lot closer lately. You know everything about me, and that means so much to me, it means everything. You’ve done so much to change my life. Thank you, Liz, for everything that you’ve brought into my life.”

“Thank you, Max. You gave me a chance to get to know the real you.”

“There’s just one thing left, Liz. One thing that I need to say to you. It’s just that…I love you, Liz. I love everything about you. I love being with you, and talking with you. I love looking into your eyes, and seeing the way the sun shines against your hair. I love the sparkle in your eyes when you laugh, and the way you always care about everyone. I just love you, Liz. You mean the world to me, the universe even.” Max blurted out, finishing with a chuckle.

The tears welled up in Liz’s eyes, and one lonely tear dripped down her cheek, dropping from her chin. Max couldn’t help himself, as he reached out and wiped her cheek dry.

“Don’t cry…please. I just wanted you to know. I’m sorry…”

“Oh Max, I…”

“Oh Max, I need you to pass me that extra slide. I’m short one for the vegetable sample.”

“What???” Max’s head snapped up, and he stared at Liz in shock, who was waiting for him impatiently.

“The slide, Max. Can you pass it to me? We need to get going on these cell samples. Haven’t you been paying attention at all?”

“Sorry…” Max mumbled, passing the glass slide to Liz. He had lost himself in his daydreams again. Daydreams about her, Liz Parker, the angel in Max’s world. Max hoped he hadn’t been staring at her. If she had caught him, he’d be humiliated. It was better to just stay in the background, not to get noticed by her.

He couldn’t help it though. Max had been thinking about Liz a lot more lately. He wanted to talk with her, laugh with her. He had even thought about telling her his secret, and holding and kissing her.

Max knew it was dangerous, thinking the way that he was. They could never be together. He was an alien, she was human, and this was Roswell, New Mexico. There were a hundred reasons why it couldn’t happen, and every one included in the rules he, Michael and Isabel had set on themselves.

“Hey Max, check out these cells!”

Max smiled softly to himself as he leaned into the microscope. Well…this was Freshman year basic science, and Liz Parker was his lab partner. Here at their small lab table, they were the center of each other’s worlds, even if they couldn’t be anywhere else.

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“Hey Max….wait up!” Liz called as she chased him out of the lab room. The shy freshman stopped and stared at her in shock, as if he couldn’t even believe that she was talking to him. “Max…are you up to anything?”

“Well...just lunch.” Max fumbled.

“I know that!” Liz laughed. Max was noticing how her laugh sounded like the soft tinkling of a bell. He loved it. “I mean for lunch. Maria and Alex are on a field trip with their French Class, so I have no one to eat with! Would you like to hang out?”

Liz was intrigued by Max. He was so shy and mysterious, like a puzzle that needed solving, and Liz was the kind of girl who was always looking for some sort of challenge to take on. She had been watching Max Evans for years, curious as to what was going on inside his head. Liz didn’t know what initiated it, maybe because she had seen him watching her during class, but for some reason today, Liz wanted to solve the puzzle that was Max Evans.

For the briefest of instants after asking, Liz could have sworn that she saw panic fly across Max’s face. All of the millions of reasons why he shouldn’t go with her were swimming across his mind, but something made him push it all back. Maybe it was the eager smile on Liz’s face, or the fact that she’d be alone otherwise. Max had spent so much of his life alone, he would never want to wish that on her. Whatever it was, something made Max change his mind that day, and his face settled into a soft smile, as he softly responded, “Sure, I’d like that Liz.”

As they walked across the campus, Max still tried to figure out why he said yes. Every ounce of reason within him screamed for him to walk away, find Michael, and drive off into the desert somewhere away from Liz. Maybe it was the increased daydreams he had been having recently. Max wanted to know how that last one would end. Maybe it could happen in real life. It shouldn’t…Max should run, but he didn’t want to, and for the first time ever, Max did what he wanted, and ate lunch with Liz that afternoon.

That lunch period was one of the most wonderful moments in Max’s life. Liz and him sat together on the lawn in back of the school under a tree. The warm May sunshine streamed down between the branches of the tree, casting a soft light over Liz’s face. They talked and laughed with each other for the whole hour, dishing about everything from family and friends to school. Finally, at the end of lunch, came the moment that would change Max Evan’s life forever.

“Hey Max, Freshman Formal is next weekend. Are you planning to go?” Liz asked, her eyes pleading with him. She didn’t intend to ask him. It came completely out of nowhere. The period had just been so wonderful. Liz really enjoyed Max’s company. She was really comfortable with him, and found him to be really easy to talk to. So she just asked, completely out of nowhere.

Max was shocked by the question. Did she want him to ask her?

“I dunno…I mean…I never really thought about it.” Max stumbled over his words, unsure about how he should respond.

“Why not?” Liz asked incredulously. Freshman Formal was THE event of the school year. Everybody was going to be there.

“I dunno…I guess I’m just not comfortable in that kind of situation. I wouldn’t want to go, because I always end up just wandering around by myself there, while everyone else is dancing around having fun. Isabel is always doing her popular girl thing, and Michael just wouldn’t bother showing up. They’re the only two people I ever really hang out with.”

“So…pretty much you just don’t want to go alone.” Liz translated.

“Yeah, I suppose.” Max admitted. “It’s really lonely.” He confessed.

“Well…I’d go with you!” Liz protested. She suddenly stopped herself and blushed, realizing how forward she was being. “Well, I mean, I would if you asked me.”

Max stared at the angel sitting in front of him, his mind reeling over what was happening. Eight words out of his mouth, and all of his dreams, all he ever wanted, could become a reality. Should he do it? Should he take the plunge and ask her? Or should he crawl back into his shell, hide behind his tree. If he asked her, everything would change. His whole world would become a different place.

No, Max decided. If he went back now, he would be stuck there forever. He would never get another opportunity like this one.

“Will you go to Freshman Formal with me?” Max asked in a rush before he changed his mind. He had been studying the grass beside him, so he slowly brought his eyes upwards, his shy gaze meeting Liz’s pleased one. Their eyes locked for the first time, bringing the two of them into a moment of long soul wrenching gazes, during which both Liz and Max knew that they had come to a crossroads into their lives. Now it was time to either go down the path together, or turn down separate roads.

“I’d love to.” Liz finally responded.

The lunch bell ran at that instant, interrupting the moment, and Liz immediately stood, collecting her things. As she walked off, she suddenly stopped, returning her gaze to Max.

“Thanks for lunch, Max. I had a great time. I’ll talk to you more later.”