"You want me to go with you to the stores, Isabel? I'm not working at all this afternoon since I'm spending the night at your house and everything." Liz offered, putting her books in her locker and taking out the ones she needed to take home for the weekend.

"Nah, that's okay. You just pack and get yourself ready, I just have a few things to get and a few other errands to run besides." Isabel waved the gesture off. She did not want Liz to see all she was buying since the girls didn't know that Max had invited Michael and Alex over as well tonight.

"Does Max know what you've planned tonight Isabel?" Liz couldn't help but ask, as she turned back to Isabel and held her books almost protectively against her. She wanted to know what Max's reaction was since he had been pretty calm and distant in Biology earlier.

"Yeah, it's no problem with him." Isabel smiled.

Liz nodded and sighed. Maybe it was only she who was nervous about sleeping under the same roof as Max. He didn't seem like anything bothered him anymore. He treated her like a casual friend, and nothing more.

When they had brushed up against each other while working on a project in class today, Liz had felt the jolt and jumped back, but when she had looked at Max he had been casually taking notes again, as if he hadn't even realized they had touched.

And maybe to him it was no big deal anymore. After all, he did say he was more balanced without her. Maybe he realized that what he'd felt for her wasn't anything more than a crush on a girl he could never have. And now that she was available and interested, he'd lost interest. She didn't want to believe that, but it sure seemed like it now. And besides, that's what Maria mentioned had probably happened. And Maria also believed that Michael had just used her for his convenience as well. Aliens weren't big on her list lately, so she was surprised that Maria had agreed to the sleep over at Isabel's. She probably wanted to keep Liz and Max apart. Yeah, like that was going to be tough. Liz thought. Max probably won't even come out of his room all night. She thought.

Liz sighed. She didn't think she would ever get over Max. Seeing his tall, strong figure going down the halls or right next to her in class was making her crazy. She ached to touch him and be with him again. She felt unbalanced without Max. She had seen him talking to Karen Beals in the halls today and although she knew Max wasn't interested in any human/alien relationship, she couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy. She wanted to be able to walk up to him and slip her hand into his and let everyone know that he was Liz's. She knew Karen Beals liked Max, she had heard her going on about him in the P.E. locker room. How she was going to win that silent, sexy guy over, especially now that he seemed to be over his 'Liz Parker' phase finally. That had really hurt. Liz had thought that that was true, but to actually hear it voiced had had an impact. She had felt like she'd been kicked in the stomach.

And now, to spend the night in the same house as Max, and know that he felt nothing, she hoped she could do it. But she wanted to prove to everyone that she was okay too. That she didn't care that Max had broken up with her. Only she didn't really know if she could keep the longing and love out of her eyes when she saw Max. Just be strong, Liz. She told herself.

"So I'll see you around Six?" Isabel said, tying her hair back as she usually did before she headed for the jeep, and started to walk backwards toward the school doors, still looking at Liz.

Liz nodded and smiled, trying to look more confident than she felt. Isabel and Max headed for the grocery stores after school. Isabel was nervous, but also determined to make her plan work. She had already gotten some of her popular friends to help her with some of the 'other' supplies she needed. Things she couldn't get herself, and didn't even want to try getting.

"Brownies." Max grinned, as he looked at his half of Isabel's list.

Isabel smiled. She knew his weakness for chocolate. And there were plenty of other things that she knew each person liked, as well. And she had ice cream sundae makings for Liz, Maria and herself.

"Yeah well, I figured if we split the list, it would get us out of here that much quicker. I still want to run by a friend's house before tonight." Isabel explained. Although she didn't tell Max why she was running by a friend's house.

Isabel dropped Max off at the house to start putting the groceries away, and drove over to her friend's house two blocks away. After she'd borrowed the few things she needed, she headed back home to get ready for tonight.

***************

Alex walked up to the door and taking a deep breath, he rang the bell to the Evan's house. He kept telling himself that he could do this. He could be casual and calm and just be Isabel's friend, like she had mentioned after last week's camp out. Boy had he blown it with thinking she had wanted to date him. Yeah right Whitman, you geek. But then Alex chastised himself for being so hard on himself. After all, Isabel still wanted to be his friend, and to be around him.

Max opened the door and grinned at Alex. "Hey, Alex, glad you could make it. Come on in." He said and stepped back to let Alex in.

Alex looked around. "Where's Michael?" he asked. Max looked toward the kitchen. "In there with Isabel." He said casually as he led Alex to the kitchen. Alex's eyes widened. "Isabel is here? She's not like on a date or anything?" Alex asked, then wanted to kill himself for sounding so excited and desperate to hear she was there. Max just smiled lightly and shook his head.

"Hey Michael." Alex said as he came into the kitchen. He put his hands in his pocket and tried to look casual and relaxed. Then his eyes went to Isabel. He had been dying to look at her. Now he could, since he had to say hello. She was beautiful to him. Her hair was around her face, straight and silky. And she was wearing a pair of black leather pants and a red sweater.

"Hey Isabel." Alex smiled and pulled his eyes away, so that he would not look desperate to her.

"What's he doing here?" Michael asked with a frown, getting right to the point.

"I invited Alex over tonight too. I figured there's no reason we all still can't be friends." Max explained.

Alex smiled at Michael a little uncomfortably. Michael always made him feel uncomfortable. He didn't know what Maria saw in him.

"Come on, I'll show you where to put your sleeping bag and stuff." Max said and walked toward the stairs, with Alex and Michael following.

Isabel let out her breath when the guys left the room. Alex had barely looked at her! Maybe he didn't care anymore. Maybe her telling him they were just friends had gotten through loud and clear and Alex had moved on. She had seen him talking with a friend of his band this morning in the halls, and saw a girl from his group come up and put an arm though his and made him laugh. Isabel loved his laugh. She especially his smile, and when it lit up just for her.

She hoped that after she had told Alex they could only be friend; he hadn't had second thoughts and maybe been relieved because he realized, after all, that she was an alien, and he would rather be with a normal girl. She frowned and took a deep breath, determined to go through with this plan. It was for the best. It was the best for all of them.

****************

"What's going on here Max?" Michael asked when they entered Max's room.

"Nothing, I just thought we should get to know Alex a little better, since he is one of the very few who know about us. I thought we were starting to all become friends before, well, I thought we were all becoming friends and wanted to just have a guys night." Max explained and shoved his hands in his pockets of his jeans and tried to look casual.

"Besides, Isabel is going to have this house full of women tonight, and I wanted some guys on my side." He added and looked casually at the two guys, waiting for Michael's reaction.

"WHAT GIRLS?" Michael asked with narrowed eyes and a little loud.

"Well, Liz and Maria. You know, Is was starting to make friends with them before, and she just doesn't want to lose that."

"Well, I'm outta here." Michael stated and started out of the room.

"Yeah, Isabel said I shouldn't have invited you, cause you wouldn't be able to be around Maria, that you couldn't take it." Max let that hang in the air, just the way Izzy had told him to.

Michael stopped short and turned around defensively. "What do you mean can't take it? She's the one who can't take being around me. I can handle it fine. It's nothing. Maria is just another girl. Nothing more." He tried to convince himself.

Max nodded, "Exactly, which is what I told Is, and why I invited you two over."

Alex saw the manipulation and smiled to himself. So the big rough guy did have something for Maria? Well wonders never cease. He thought. This might turn out to be a night to learn more about each other after all.

***************

Kyle sat in the back seat of his friend Tommy's car and watched Tommy and his girlfriend try to make out while Tommy was driving. He rolled his eyes and realized it had been a mistake to hang out with everyone tonight.

Tommy had told him he would feel better hanging out with them, instead of home alone to dwell on Vickie having dumped him.

But all it made Kyle do was feel more alone. All of his friends had dates tonight or girlfriends, and Kyle just felt like a fifth wheel. And since Tommy had handed him that bottle of booze, all it had done was make him feel worse. Now he was drunk and lonely. What was it about him that made girls want to break up with him? What was wrong with him? Maybe he should be asking one of his ex-girlfriends that question? He thought.

And since he did not want to see Vickie, he knew he should go to Liz. Liz who had at least been straight with him, and probably would tell him the truth about what was wrong with him. It was only a little after six now. He would have his friends drop him off at the Crashdown so he could have his answers, good or bad. And being drunk, he figured he might be able to take the answer better.