All Liz could think about was Max. The two of them had been together for a week now, but tonight was their very first date, and Liz couldn’t help but feel nervous about it. She just wanted everything to be perfect between them.

Max wasn’t Liz’s first boyfriend. She had dated before, although never seriously. No one had ever made Liz feel the way Max did. He made her feel alive! He made her feel special. And Liz liked being with him…a lot.

It was a relief when the bell finally rang for school to end. Liz wanted to get out of there…fast!

Maria and Isabel were both coming over after school, so that they could all get dressed together and help each other with their hair and makeup. Liz was so excited. It would be a fun girl bonding session.

Maria was going to the dance stag. Liz wasn’t at all happy about it. Maria kept blowing it off though, laughing about how she would have a choice out of all the guys in the room. Liz knew her best friend though, and she knew that deep down inside of Maria’s teflon-girl exterior, she was scared and sad about going alone tonight. Liz desperately hoped that she would find someone there to make her happy.

The three friends giggled their way through the afternoon, experimenting with every possible way that they could wear their hair and makeup, until they found the perfect match.

“Maria, you have the most beautiful, long hair.” Isabel commented, as she twisted it up on top of her head.

“Really?” Maria asked. “Do you think it looks good? ‘Cause I’ve kind of been thinking about cutting it short, you know, to try something new.”

“Cut it off? No way Maria. Short hair wouldn’t suit you at all. Don’t do it.”

“You think?”

“I know. Trust me on this one.”

“Okay. “ Maria agreed. “I’ll just leave it. I’d probably just regret it later anyways.”

“All right, you’re all done Maria. You look amazing.” Isabel announced.

“Wow, you did a great job, Isabel!” Liz commented.

“Thanks Isabel!”

“I’m going to hop in the shower.” Isabel told them. “Don’t miss me too much!”

Maria waited until she heard the water running before turning to Liz:

“Oh my God, Liz, she’s so nice! Whatever happened to Isabel Evans the bitch of West Roswell High?”

“I honestly don’t know, Maria. She was like that at first, but now she’s always sweet like this. I think this is the real Isabel, Maria…I think that the bitch thing is all an act. The only thing I don’t understand is why?”

The three girls smiled widely to one another as they put the final touched on their make up and jewelry, right at the same time that Liz’s mom knocked on the door.

“Girls, Max and Alex are here!”

Liz and Isabel grabbed hands and squealed to one another. Their night was finally going to begin!

“Hey you guys, you two look incredible.” Maria complimented them. “Max and Alex aren’t going to know what hit them.” She smiled wistfully at her two friends.

“Maria, you’re going to find someone there. I just know it.” Isabel comforted her.

“Thanks, but seriously you two, I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. You two are going to have a killer time! So go out there and get your guys!”

Max stood in the entryway of Liz’s house, shifting back and forth uncomfortably. Very uncomfortably considering that he was in his suit, and the Parkers were shooting him question after question, probably testing him to see if he was worthy of their daughter.

Alex was grinning widely at him, recognizing the nervous look on Max’s face. Alex’s eyes laughed silently at him.

“Do you smoke?” Mrs. Parker asked him.

“No.”

“Do you drink?”

“Never.”

“Hmmm…” They studied him closely. “Have Liz home by 10:00.”

“But Dad! The dance doesn’t even end until 11:00!” Liz complained as she made her appearance at the top of the stairs.

Max whirled around to face her, and immediately his jaw dropped to the floor.

Max thought that Liz looked beautiful on a regular day, so he knew that seeing her all dressed up would be incredible, to say the least, but he was in no way prepared for the reality before him.

She looked like an angel, a goddess…some kind of creature of perfection that no alien guy could ever actually hope to touch…except that she was smiling at him, and walking towards him.

“Danger Max Evans! Danger!” His mind warned him. “OH GOD! I need to wake up from this dream!”

“Hi Max.” Liz greeted him shyly as she approached him. She had noticed his reaction to her entrance, and her heart immediately started fluttering in her chest.

He looked incredible! How is it that every girl in school didn’t notice how handsome Max was? She had always described Max as being the dark, mysterious type, but GOD he was good looking too. And he was HER boyfriend…

Her greeting knocked him back to reality.

“Hey.” He replied, “This is for you.” He presented her with a single red rose that he had been clutching throughout his test with the parents.

“Oh Max…it’s beautiful! Thank you!”

“You’re beautiful.” He responded evenly.

Liz blushed as he took her hand, and they turned together to face her parents, whose eyes were shining with emotion after observing their exchange.

“Okay, 11:30.” Liz’s dad agreed.

“Thank you Daddy!” Liz reached up to hug him.

“Have a good night!”

The dance was already going strong when the five friends wandered in. Within moments they were already moving along with the beat, the music taking control of their bodies.

“I’ll see you lovebirds later!” Maria called out before pushing her way into the crowd on the dance floor. Alex and Isabel followed her, leaving Max and Liz alone.

“How are you doing?” Liz called out to Max over the music.

He stared at her, a confused expression on his face. “What?”

“Before…you said that you don’t do this, that you’re not comfortable in these kinds of situations, so I wanted to make sure you’re okay. I want to have fun with YOU tonight. It doesn’t matter where we are.”

“Don’t worry, Liz. I’m here with you. That’s all that matters to me.”

Liz smiled at her boyfriend. “Really?”

“Yeah.”

The music quieted down to a soft love song, so Max offered Liz his hand, leading her out onto the dance floor.

Don't stray, don't ever go away
I should be much too smart for this
You know it gets the better of me
Sometimes, when you and I collide
I fall into an ocean of you, pull me out in time
Don't let me drown, let me down
I say it's all because of you
And here I go, losing my control
I'm practicing your name so I can say it to your face
It doesn't seem right, to look you in the eye
Let all the things you mean to me
Come tumbling out my mouth
Indeed it's time to tell you why
I say it's infinitely true

Max pulled Liz into his arms, and they slowly started swaying to the music. She rested her head against his chest, listening to his heartbeat, and know just how lucky they were to have found each other. She could feel herself falling further and further, but at the bottom he was always there to catch her in his strong arms.

Max felt his control slipping away as he pulled Liz up against him. It just felt right, her in his arms. He felt as though he was drowning in her arms, but no one could save him except her. More than anything Max wanted the strength to be able to tell her everything she meant to him, but the words wouldn’t come.

Say you'll stay, don't come and go
Like you do
Sway my way, yeah I need to know
All about you

The biggest fear plaguing Max as he held her there, was that she would leave him eventually. She still didn’t know about him, and he didn’t want to tell her. Would Liz still feel this way about him if she knew that he was not of this earth? He wanted to be completely honest with her, like she had been with him so far, but he didn’t know if he could.

And there's no cure, and no way to be sure
Why everything's turned inside out
Instilling so much doubt
It makes me so tired - I feel so uninspired
My head is battling with my heart
My logic has been torn apart
And now it all turns sour
Come sweeten every afternoon

His life had changed so much since Liz walked into it, and it had only been a week. Liz brightened every day for him, made everything sweeter. But things still weren’t simple for him. His friendship with Michael was falling apart. And there was still the issue of what he was. Max had never loathed his heritage more than he did at that moment.

Say you'll stay, don't come and go
Like you do
Sway my way, yeah I need to know
All about you

Say you'll stay, don't come and go
Like you do
Sway my way, yeah I need to know
All about you