“Hey, everybody! Guess what!” she fairly shrieked, getting several annoyed glances from the other customers in the restaurant.

“Heeeey, everybody! Guess what?” A tall, built dark-haired boy repeated in a high, squeaky voice, mimicking her. When she shot a glare in his direction, he merely stood up and smirked at her.

A spiky-haired guy raised himself to his feet and let out a long, irritated sigh. “Okay, you two. That’s enough. Maxwell, sit back down. And Maria,” he paused, glancing around the crowded booth, “well, you can sit on my lap honey.” He patted his thigh invitingly.

Without hesitation, the girl apparently known as Maria hopped onto his lap, and leaned back contently.

The dark-haired boy just rolled his eyes. “Get a room,” he muttered under his breath, but clearly not low enough to escape the ears of the tall blonde next to him, who let out a giggle.

The spiky-haired boy scowled suspiciously. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing. So, what were you going to tell us, Maria?” she replied, hastily changing the subject.

Maria beamed, pleased to find out that someone had remembered, and eagerly launched into her explanation. “The Crashdown is getting new owners!”

Liz Parker propped her elbow up on the armrest in the family Honda, and stared gloomily out the window.

Even though she had begged and coaxed, her parents were both convinced that this move was the best thing to do for all of them. She had tried all sorts of methods, from saying that her grades would drop as a result of switching schools to that a small town would be unbearably dull. And the sympathy tactic hadn’t worked, either. “But what about my friends? How can I leave them?” she had pleaded, attempting to persuade her parents. They had merely responded like typical adults and said, “Don’t worry, you’ll make new ones.”

So, now, here she was, stuck in the backseat of the car, going to a place where she didn’t want to be. The only thing she could look forward to was talking to Josh. She had promised to call him as soon as she got settled in, and her parents had given her their permission, on the condition that she would help out with the moving and the customers during the daytime.

She must have dozed off for some time, because the next thing she heard was, “We’re here!”

Liz groggily took in her surroundings, and instantly became fully awake. She found herself staring at a rundown little brick building. When she saw the word “Crashdown” flashing across the top of a flying saucer in neon lights, her heart sank. ‘This was where they were going to work?’ When she had heard the word restaurant, she’d at least imagined something more…modern, even if it was in Roswell. But this, this was…she couldn’t even finish the thought.

“Well, what are you waiting for, Lizzie? Get out of the car and help your mother and I move all this luggage inside!” Jeff Parker picked up a heavy duffel bag from the trunk and started to haul it towards the main doors.

Wait…a…second. Why were they moving their things into the restaurant?

Noticing his daughter’s confused face, he explained, “Oh, I must have forgotten to tell you. We are going to live right up there.” Using his free hand, he pointed to a tiny upstairs window that Liz hadn’t noticed before nestled in all that brick. It was an apartment. They were actually going to live above the restaurant!

“Lizzie,” her father’s voice cut into her thoughts again, “come on!”

Liz groaned as she grabbed a suitcase and followed her parents in. Nine o’clock couldn’t come fast enough!

Five pairs of eyes zoomed to Maria. Pleased with her friends’ reactions, she plunged on. “I heard, from a very reliable source, of course, that a new family was moving into town, and the Crashdown was going to be turned over to them.”

Max raised his eyebrows skeptically. “And what reliable source is this, exactly?”

“Oh, I have my ways of getting the latest scoops,” she intoned mysteriously.

Max snorted. “Yeah, right.” Her source was probably Pam Troy, the gossip queen. Max snickered in amusement. “And did you catch ‘from your very reliable source’ why the Madisons would want to sell their beloved Crashdown?”

It was Maria’s turn to snort. “I didn’t have to. Any fool could see that the Madisons are getting way too old to be able to keep this place in shape. Mr. Madison’s 73 years old, for Pete’s sake! He should’ve retired, like, ten years ago!”

“But isn’t this place supposed to have been in their family for 3 generations? Why wouldn’t they just hand it down to their son, instead of selling it?” the tall blonde hurriedly cut in, interrupting what Max was going to say.

“Rob?” Maria exclaimed incredously. “Isn’t he supposed to be an investor who’s making hundreds of thousands of dollars a year? You actually think that he would settle for owning his family’s restaurant? And in Roswell, of all places!”

Before anyone could answer her, the door chime jingled, announcing the arrival of more customers.

Max watched as a man and a woman walked in, each carrying a duffel bag. Following closely behind was a petite brunette close to his age, who looked as if the suitcase she was trying to drag was way too heavy for her.

These weren’t customers! They were the new owners! Blabbermouth Maria Deluca, the gossip princess who was second only to Pam Troy, had been right for once! The Crashdown was switching hands!

“See? What’d I tell you, Mr. Know-It-All Evans?”

Max ignored Maria’s smug voice, and instead, he focused on the girl. She had finally reached the counter, and gratefully set her suitcase on the floor.

Liz’s eyes started to roam around this strange new place while her parents were being heartily greeted by the plump, pleasant-looking restaurant owners, Mr. And Mrs. Madison.

“Are the people friendly here?” Liz heard her dad ask.

“Oh, they are most gracious! I’m sure the two of you and this delightful young lady here will be given a very warm welcome by our townsfolk here! And your daughter will be very happy here, as well.”

When Liz heard this, she wanted to laugh out loud at the man’s ignorance. ‘Be happy here? Her, Liz Parker? Hah! Fat chance. The only place she could ever be happy was back in LA, with her gentle, considerate boyfriend. Not in Roswell. Not now, not ever!’ Liz vowed to herself.

Max saw that the girl looked rather bored, standing there through all of the “adult talk.” He couldn’t help but notice that she was rather pretty, and she looked so lost, standing there all by herself.

He was just about to get up to introduce himself when Maria squealed, evidently ecstatic that the family had a teenage kid. And a girl at that, which was even better.

Max almost covered his ears. God, that girl was so annoying. Maybe he could convince his best friend to dump her once and for all, so he wouldn’t have to suffer with her tagging along everywhere Michael went. He was probably going to go crazy if he didn’t find some way to get rid of her soon.

He got even more annoyed when Maria rushed past him, and up to the girl. ‘Darn,’ he thought, ‘Maria got to her first. Now she’ll surely turn her against me.’

Maria hurriedly got up out of her seat and went to welcome the new girl. She had observed that Max had been about to get up as well, and hadn’t wanted him to corrupt her before Maria had a chance to get to know her. It would have been such a shame, because the girl looked so nice. ‘Hah, beat you to it,’ she gloated and threw a triumphant glance over her shoulder, which was met by Max’s poisonous one.

She bounced energetically up to the girl, and stepped into her line of vision. “Hi! You and your family must be the new owners of this restaurant, right? I want to be the first to welcome you to Roswell! I’m Maria!”

Liz blinked as she looked at the bubbly blonde in front of her. ‘Looks like the Sunshine Committee has arrived,’ she thought. She watched as a spiky-haired boy rose from the table where Maria had been sitting and walked over as well. When he took Maria’s hand and gently caressed it, Liz felt a pang of sadness. It was obvious that they were an “item” and that reminded Liz of Josh. Liz shook off the feeling. She couldn’t let her mind dwell on her boyfriend too much. She had plenty of time for that when she called him tonight.

Maria nudged her boyfriend in the ribs lightly. “Oh, I’m so sorry. Michael.”

Liz forced a smile at the couple. “I’m pleased to meet both of you. I’m Liz.”

Max watched as Maria approached the new girl and just started ranting. He snorted. That girl never shut up. He might as well get on up there and see how much damage the hyper blonde had done, he thought, as Michael got to his feet to join his girlfriend.

Liz tracked the dark-haired boy’s movement as he advanced towards her. She couldn’t help but observe how built and muscular he was, even through his leather jacket. ‘No, bad Liz,’ she scolded herself, ‘don’t think thoughts like that. You haven’t been away from Josh for even one full day yet!’ She shoved the thought out of her mind. ‘And his eyes are so…captivating.’

“Max Evans.” Liz was snapped out of her musings with a start. Embarrassed, she accepted his outstretched hand.