He couldn’t help but wonder how Maria and Alex had taken the news. What if Maria tells her? Max thought. Then again, maybe it would sound better coming from her. He gingerly reached up and touched the side of his face, remembering the slap. His lips stung with guilt. Max had never imagined kissing anybody but Liz. As he began setting up the alien dummies, he vowed that whatever went on, he would do what was best for Liz; he hoped that was him.

Max also acknowledged that he had to think about his sister and Michael too. Although they had decided not listen to their alien side, their circumstances were so different than his own. He had to also think about Tess. None of this was fair to her. He didn’t want to hurt her, but he had to figure out a way that they could have a platonic relationship. Max had felt the power that emanated from the kiss, but that could never happen again. We will have to find another way to stimulate that power, he thought, hearing the door to the back room open. Max turned around, expecting to see Milton. It wasn’t.

Tess lingered in the doorway, smiling at Max, as always. “Can I come in? Your boss said it would be alright.”

“Ah, sure.” Max replied, staring at her. He had to admit that she was beautiful. As she walked toward him, her black skirt swayed back and forth, her eyes never leaving his. Just being in the same room with her, he could feel their connection.

“So…” she said, smoothing her red sweater and pushing back her curly blond tendrils, “how are you doing?”

Tearing his eyes away, he looked to the ground, “I am okay. Um, what are you doing here?”

She leaned lazily against a table next to him, “I thought we should talk, about getting together, trying to use our powers. I was thinking maybe we should try first on our own, you and me.”

Max could feel his mind clouding over. He willed the confusion to stay back, “why just you and me?”

“I think Isabel and Michael are not as open as you are. Plus, they are not excepting their fate very well—about being together—are they?”

“They have decided not to be together, romantically. That is their choice. I think we should talk about this destiny thing too Tess.” Max turned away from her, not wanting to look into her eyes.

Tess continued to stare at him, her eyes clouding over. “Max, they can not fight destiny, neither can you. I know this is a shock, but the more you accept it, the easier things will be. We have to stick together. No one can understand you like I can.” She moved in on him, touching his arm and placing her other hand on his chest. Something inside him began to stir, but he pushed it back down.

“No Tess. There is not going to be any destiny between you and me. I don’t have any feelings for you.”

“But you do!” She insisted, leaning in closer, “They are inside of you, they have always been there, you just won’t admit them. If you are really honest with yourself Max, you know what I am saying is true. We were meant to be. Whatever human feelings you have will change in time.” Tess looked into his eyes, pleading for him to understand. “We are meant to be, “ she reiterated, not able to think of anything else to convince him.

Max put his hands on her shoulders, “Tess, I want us four to be together, to be strong and lean on one another. I think we can still be strong without getting…involved. I care about you, I do. But, there is nothing between us, there never will be, no matter what my genes are suppose to tell me. The whole destiny thing, that might have worked, in another time, in another life, but not now. So, I think we should concentrate on everyone working together, as a group. Now, I was thinking we should get together at Michael’s tonight, go over some more stuff, try and combine our powers. Oh, and we want to know more about these people that found you…Tess?”

Her eyes were glazed over, and her lips began to tremble. “No.” she whispered to herself. “I have been told my whole life that we are suppose to be together. I have waited for you since the day I was born.” A single tear slid down her face.

Max couldn’t stand to see her suffer. He pulled her close in a tight hug. Strangely, he could almost feel her pain.

“You are my destiny.” Tess stated in a hushed whisper against his ear, closing her eyes.

“No, I’m not.” He said, just as quietly. Max felt a shiver go through her body as he continued to hold her and try to absorb some of her pain.
*****
Liz walked through the entrance to the UFO museum, the building was practically empty.

“You looking for Max?”

Liz spun around to see Milton holding a stack of alien pamphlets.

“Yes, would it be okay if I talked to him for a few minutes?” After all, she didn’t want to get him in trouble!

Milton nodded vigorously, “Yes, he is in the back. Gosh that boy has been very popular today!” Handing her a pamphlet, Milton walked away.

Liz, nervously rolling the sheet of yellow paper between her hands, walked toward the back room. The door was open just a crack. Quietly, Liz pulled it open about a foot and stopped. She tried to blink away the image, but it was no illusion. Liz’s heart began to sink.
*****
“I’m sorry,” Max whispered to Tess, softly combing her blond curls through his hand.

“Sorry for what?” She questioned.

“That I don’t think so.”

“Think what?” She asked almost too quiet for him to hear.

Max released Tess slightly and lifted his head. She opened her eyes, trying not to cry. Looking down at her, he continued, “That I am your destiny.”

“You keep saying that as if you mean it.”

“I do mean it Tess.”

Quietly, Liz stood and watched as Max embraced Tess. All she could see was the back of his head. They were speaking quietly, and Liz leaned up against the door to listen as she heard Max say the worst thing she had ever heard. He had been whispering quietly before, but she had heard him say, ‘that I am your destiny’ to Tess! Liz was dumbfounded. She had heard him say it! He admitted it! An uncontrollable wave of emotion passed over Liz. Again, she turned and ran as far from Max as possible. But this time, she was never going back.

Tess saw a flash of movement, and her eyes darted to the door. It was half open and Liz stood behind it, her face frozen in shock. Before Liz even noticed she had been spotted, she began to turn away. Immediately Tess panicked. How much had Liz heard? She had to hang onto Max, he will come around, she thought, as he released her body.

Max turned to see what Tess was looking at, but there was no one there. The room and doorway were empty. “Tess? What is going on?” He questioned.

She shook her head and stepped away from him, “You are wrong about us Max, we do belong together. I have to go. I will talk to you later.” With that, she ran out of the room and left Max reeling.
*********
Liz walked out of the UFO museum and into the cool evening air. A splash of deep red hung in the sky as the sun began to set. At a different moment, Liz would have stood in awe of its beauty, but now all she could see and feel was pain. She willed her legs to move even though they felt like jelly. Liz placed a hand on her stomach, she felt so sick. Then, slowly, she slid her hand over her heart, trying to ease the pain.

Liz was actually surprised there were no tears in her eyes. She knew why, this went beyond any tears she could have cried. She wanted to scream until every drop of pain echoed around the world.

“Liz?”

Liz turned slowly. She barely even recognized her own name. As she saw the girl that stood before her, she took in a breath. “What do you want Tess?” She asked softly, feeling defeated.

Tess took a step closer, puzzled by Liz’s reaction. “I saw you inside a few minutes ago…”

“What do you want from me? There is nothing left that I can give you.”

Tess knew something wasn’t right, Liz almost looked destroyed, as if she were coming apart in front of her very own eyes. “What are you talking about?” She probed.

Liz looked up into Tess’s gem-like eyes, then looked away. Her words were so soft, Tess almost did not hear them, “I heard him, I heard Max say that you are his destiny.”

For a moment, Tess felt as though she was floating. Liz had only caught the end of the conversation! She did not know that Max had been admitting the exact opposite. “Liz…” For a split second, she considered telling her the truth, but knew she couldn’t. This was her opportunity to really have Max all to herself. This is what she had been waiting for, a rift between Max and Liz. Now, all she had to do was make the gap wider. “Neither of us wants to hurt you. But, I am his destiny—Max and I are—“

Liz interrupted in a lackluster voice, as if repeating some random fact for History class, “Made for each other, I know, Isabel and Michael told me everything.”

Tess let the lies slip out of her mouth, hoping one day they would be the truth, “Max couldn’t hide his true feelings any more. I am the one he wants, you heard him say it. He never intended to hurt you—which is probably why he hasn’t told you yet. Liz, the four of us are all meant to be. You and your friends are holding us back. I mean, the reason Max has held back from his destiny is because of you. He cares for you, but he will never truly be free until you let him go. I am his destiny, you need to let him have that. You said it yourself, it was meant to be. Let him go Liz! He will never completely come to me if you keep hanging onto him, do you know how much guilt he feels about doing this to you?”

Liz heard Tess’s words and, as she spoke them, she saw memories float through her mind, memories of her and Max.

Tess leaned in and touched Liz’s shoulder and Liz’s happy visions faded and were replaced by new ones, ones that didn’t include her. She saw Max as a little boy, alone and frightened. Then she saw him standing with Tess, holding her hand, looking at Tess the way he use to look at her. She could feel the connection between them.

“That is destiny Liz.” Tess whispered into her ear. Liz stood too stunned to move. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up and her skin crawled where Tess touched her. Liz pulled back, hugging her arms around her body. Like a flash of lightening, the disturbing images and malevolent vibe disappeared. For the first time, Liz fully understood that it was an alien standing before her.

Tess picked up on her apprehensiveness, “Now you understand. Max is never going to be human, no matter how much you try to believe he is. He is different from you, but him and me—we are the same. Liz, let fate take its course, quit torturing him and let him admit who he really is, let him be with me, let him follow his destiny.”

Liz could no longer bear to hear the words from Tess’s mouth. Without a sound, she turned and began running. She needed to get as far away as she could. As Liz ran, the ponytail holder fell out of her hair and her long, wild locks tumbled down her shoulders. Holding her hair with one hand, she continued running, never looking back.

Tess’s lips turned up into a satisfied smile. She had done her best. She had no doubt that Max and Liz would be no more. Max would be hers and Liz would simply disappear and everything would go as it had been planned. Turning, Tess began walking back to her car, looking up, she was surprised that the sunset had painted the sky blood red.
*******
Max waved goodnight to Milton as his boss locked the museum doors behind him. Instead of turning left and heading home, Max began walking the other way, toward the Crashdown. He looked up as the sky rumbled ominously and lightening cracked through the darkness. He quickened his pace as he saw Liz through the windows of the Crashdown. For a moment, he stood and watched her as she cleaned up. But, Max knew it was time to stop watching and start explaining.

Wiping tiny wisps of hair from her face, Liz put the last chair up for the night. The evening was finally over. It had seemed like one of the longest days of her life. For the last few hours, Tess’s words had been ringing through her ears, “we were meant to be, Max doesn’t want to hurt you, I am his destiny, we were made for each other.”

The rumblings of thunder broke Liz’s thoughts, it looked like a storm was moving in. Untying her apron, she headed for the kitchen, but stopped when she heard the tapping.

Turning, she saw Max at the door. Liz’s lips trembled and she froze for a moment, just staring at him, watching his hair blow around his face in the wind. His eyes stared at her, begging to let him in. She moved to the door and her hand quivered as she touched the keys to unlock it. Suddenly, just one turn short of snapping open the lock, Liz stopped. She just stood there, looking at him, paralyzed.

“Liz, please, we have to talk,” Max pleaded, placing one hand on the glass. As if the window were a mirror, Liz lifted her hand to his, only the door separating them.

“Max,” she whispered.

“I need to talk to you Liz, there is so much you don’t understand, there is so much I don’t understand!” he said urgently, locking his eyes on Liz’s.

She stared into his brown eyes, as she had done a thousand times before, looking for some sign of his newfound feelings. Liz only saw what she usually did—his kindness, his warmth and his feelings for her. She saw the yearning and concern. The way his eyes glistened made Liz ‘s heart pound. She knew that look—it was the look he always gave her, like she was the only girl in his world. Slowly, Liz’s mind began to doubt Tess’s words.

Then, it all shattered.

Just as Liz began to turn the key the rest of the way, the jeep pulled up behind Max. Barely able to pull his gaze away from Liz, he turned to look at his sister and Tess, who was seated in the passenger side. He instantly felt the push toward her, but he fought it as anger coursed through his veins, “What are you doing here?” He demanded.

Isabel looked over at her brother, feeling the tension in the air, “Mom thought I better come get you because it looked like rain, I was just on my way to drop Tess off, she stopped by for a little while. So, are you getting in?”

Max shook his head adamantly, “I have to talk to Liz!”

“Doesn’t look like she wants to talk to you.” Tess remarked, her eyes shifting toward the Crashdown.

Max turned to find himself staring into empty, dark windows. She was gone. His first instinct was to lash out at Tess, as if she had caused this. Instead, feeling defeated, he climbed into the jeep. Lost in his own despair, he missed the satisfied smirk that briefly crossed Tess’s face.
*******
Liz ran up the stairs to her room, shutting the door as tears threatened to run from her eyes at any minute. The pain was almost unbearable. For a moment she had actually believed that her and Max were going to have a chance, that there was hope. She had been wrong. Whatever excuses he had, she did not want to hear them. Liz knew the truth now and there was no way to soften the blow. She couldn’t bear to listen to him break up with her a second time.

Swallowing her tears, Liz knew from that moment on that she had to stay away from Max. She had to let him go and let him move on with his life, with his destiny as Tess had said. Liz wistfully thought of a time not long ago when she thought that she had been his destiny. How wrong you were Liz, she thought, picking up her phone and automatically punching in a familiar combination of numbers.

“Hello?”

“Maria?” Liz sniffed, “Maria, I need you.”

“I will be right there!” Maria answered, slamming down the phone and rushing out the door.
*********
Isabel drove the jeep silently through the streets of Roswell. She looked over at Max, concerned. He had not spoken a single word since he had gotten into the jeep. He had not even said ‘goodbye’ or made any kind of gesture when Tess had gotten out at her house. Disappointedly, Tess had promised them both that they would get together and talk very soon.

“Max, what happened between you and Liz this afternoon?”

Max gave her a puzzling look, “what do you mean Iz?”

“Didn’t Liz come talk to you this afternoon? I had a talk with her Max, I told her everything, I hope your not mad.”

Max shook his head, “I’m not, but she never came. I have not seen her since yesterday.”

Isabel pursed her lips, that was odd, she had seen Liz walk toward the UFO Museum. “I wonder what happened,” Isabel thought aloud, “Max I think—“

She was cut off by Max’s quiet, yet authoritative voice, “Let me out.”

“What?” She asked, surprised, “It is going to storm.”

He abruptly turned toward her, his eyes intent, “The Crashdown is only a block from here, I have to talk to Liz, it can’t wait another moment.” Max climbed out of the jeep and faced Isabel. “I can’t lose her, not now, not ever. Whatever is happening with Tess is…is something beyond my control—like being brain washed, like I am being forced,” He paused and licked his lips, “But Liz, Liz is my heart. I can’t survive with out her, I didn’t wait eight years to give her up this easily.”

Isabel reached out and caught Max’s hand. “I want to say I understand Max, but I don’t. You and Liz have something so rare and special. Alien, human—what does it matter? Just do what your heart tells you.” Isabel fidgeted uncomfortably, she was not use to sharing her feelings, especially about Max and Liz. There would always be a tinge of jealousy—she couldn’t help wanting what her brother had and yet she was afraid at the same time he would be taken away from her. Liz was one thing, a once-in-a-lifetime love, but Isabel was not sure she could share him with Tess too.

Max briefly smiled at her, “thanks, Iz.” With that, he jogged toward the Crashdown. Turning the corner, he could see the lights flickering on Liz’s balcony.
*******
Liz sat in her lounge chair, a pen trembling in her hand. She had originally planned to write a diary entry, but half way down the page, she stopped, overcome by another wave of tears.

“Hey sweetie,” Maria said sympathetically, leaning out of her bedroom window.

Liz laid the pen in between the pages and placed her diary in her backpack. “Hey Maria,” she sniffled, trying to hold it all in; realizing she couldn’t, tears began to streak down her face.

“Oh Liz!” Maria exclaimed, “Come here!”

Liz leaned back through the window and into her room. Maria grabbed her and threw her arms around Liz. “What really hurts is that she is an alien, how can I compete with that? I mean, she can understand him in a way I never can.” Liz said, her voice muffled by Maria’s shirt. Pushing back a little, she sadly looked into Maria’s face, “I want him to be happy though and if he is happy with her then that is what I want.” Liz whispered a far away look in her eyes.

Maria squeezed her friend’s hand, “I don’t think Max will ever stop loving you, no matter what. I don’t know what is going to happen, but you two are connected—alien or not.”

Liz tried to smile, but it came out looking like a painful wince. The two girls sat on Liz’s bed and talked for a while, Maria trying to cheer her up. Finally, noticing how tired Liz looked, Maria got up to go. The girls hugged warmly at Liz’s door.

“Call me if you need anything! We’ll get through this…somehow.” Maria promised.

Liz nodded and, closing the door after Maria, headed for the bathroom. She hoped a tub full of warm water would melt away her sorrows.
**********
Max peered through Liz’s window; he had come up just in time to see her enter the bathroom. Finally, after impatiently waiting for almost an hour, Liz emerged in a pair of sweat pants and a T-shirt. He watched her as she toweled her hair, trying to get it dry. Max thought how beautiful she looked, even with her eyes red from crying. He swallowed harshly, it was his fault, all his fault. If only he could have controlled himself with Tess.

Max watched as Liz walked across her room and removed several papers from the top drawer of her dresser. Sitting on her bed, she spread the items out. Then, slowly, one at a time, she picked up the first, then the next, until she was holding all of the papers in her arms. Suddenly, Liz pressed the items to her chest and tried to sniff back the oncoming tears.

When Max realized what she was holding, he felt his heart being ripped out of his body. He recognized the first two pieces of paper because he had written them. They were both notes he had given to Liz in the last few months, telling her to meet him in the eraser room. The smallest slip was a fortune from a cookie from Senor Chows, it was from their first date. Next was a biology paper they had written together and lastly was a clipping from the paper. It was a picture of them, kissing, from the blind date contest. At a different time, Max realized, knowing Liz had all that stuff would have made him laugh, considering he had a box filled with similar items in his room. But now, all Max could think about was making Liz’s pain subside.

Liz, taking one final look at the picture of them, slid the memorabilia back into its drawer. She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths to calm herself. It was then that she felt it. She felt Max’s presence. It felt like a wave of heat gently wrapping itself around her. Opening her eyes, she turned around and peered out the window. There, looking right back at her, were Max’s soulful eyes. For a long moment, she did nothing, but then moved to the edge of her room and opened the window.

“Can we talk?” Max asked, extending his hand to help her through the window.

Liz nodded, ignoring his invitation for help and hoisting herself through the window, “I think that would be a good idea.”