“Hey, you,” her mother said, noticing her in the mirror.

Liz smiled and walked the rest of the way in. “hey, you going out?”

Ms. Parker smiled at her daughter. “Liz, I know that this is going to be weird for both of us—“

“Mom…”

Her mother shook her head. “Just hear me out, ok?” Liz finally nodded and sat down on the bed.

“Me dating is going to be difficult, for both of us. And I know how much your father meant to you,” he mother said softly.

Liz picked up a pillow and fiddled with the end. She could feel the tears brimming in her eyes.

“And I want you to know, I love your father, even now, and I always will.”

“I know…” Liz admitted in a small voice. “I just wish he was still here.”

Her mother smiled at her. “Me too.”

Liz nodded and stood back up. “I better go get ready. Alex is gonna be here in a minute.”

Her mother looked at her from the mirror. “You’re not going out with Kyle tonight?”

Liz shrugged. Kyle was ok, but that was it. “No…Alex and me decided to hang tonight. Maybe see a movie.”

Ms. Parker smiled. “That’s good. I’ve always liked Alex. He’s so adorable,” she added with a knowing glance.

“Mom!” Liz said with a desperate tone. “Alex is just my friend.”

“A mother can dream.”

Liz sighed and backed out of the room. “I see ya later.” ******************************************************************************

Max Evans grabbed another box and lifted it up onto his bed. He scanned the box and saw it was labeled books. He opened it up and pulled out the first few. His sister and dad were always joking with him about being from another planet ‘cause all of his books were science fiction. Isabel would constantly call him and Michael the ‘Space Boy’. But he’s caught her glancing through a few of his books more then once.

Max couldn’t believe they were actually back here. He knew he was originally from Roswell, New Mexico, but he’d never really been here in over 10 years. Max turned when he heard a soft knock at his door. He turned to see his dad standing there.

“Hey, you all unpacked?” he asked.

Max glanced around his room. “Just about.”

His dad smiled and walked into his room. He noticed the box on the bed and pulled out one of the books. The cover read ‘Among Us’.

“How many times have you read this?”

Max shrugged. “Few. Atherton is a little off base, but it’s a good read,” he said.

Mr. Evans smiled and studied his son’s face. “So, Roswell, New Mexico. How do you like it?”

“It’s got a few upsides,” Max said.

“Michael?”

Max smiled at the thought of his best friend. He hadn’t actually seen Michael Guerin in years. He could barley remember what he looked like as a child, but he did know they were at the same foster home at the same time.

And he remembered talking to him at night, while Isabel was asleep in another room. And that’s all he could remember.

But for some reason, as long as Max could remember, he had been pen pals with him. Isabel even talked to him on a regular basis. He wasn’t sure why, but he felt he had a connection with Michael. Max could stare at the phone, wanting Michael to call, and it would ring. When he picked it, Michael would be on the other end. Stating the only reason he called was ‘cause he knew Max wanted to talk.

“It’s been years since we saw him,” Mr. Evans said.

“I can’t really remember even living here,” Max admitted.

“Trust me, you did.”

Max smiled. He sighed and glanced at his dad. “So, tonight’s the big date?”

His father nodded. “I’ll be back later. I left the keys to the jeep on the counter for you and Isabel. Don’t be out to late,” he warned.

“We won’t. Michael said something about going to get a bite to eat.”

“Ok, I’ll se you later.”

Max watched his dad walk out of the room and went back to unpacking his books. A second later his sister Isabel walked in and sat on the bed.

“Dad just left.”

“I know,” Max answered, not looking at her.

“Well?” she asked.

“Isabel…we can’t force him to stay home,” he finally answered, looking her in the eye.

Isabel sighed and pulled her feet up under her. “I know…I just don’t like he going out on dates. It’s so…so…”

“Unfair?” he finished.

Isabel just nodded. “I miss her, you know.”

Max sat down beside his sister. “ I know…me too.”

They were both quiet for a few minutes. Finally there was a knock at his window. Max watched as Michael stuck his head in. “you ready?”

Isabel rolled her eyes. “God, Michael. We’ve been here all of three days and you’ve already started to climb through windows.”

Max smiled as his sister bantered back and forth with Michael. “Where we going?”

Michael climbed the rest of the way in. “this place called the Crashdown,” he answered.