“Are you okay, Maria?”

Liz’s voice startled her. Maria was busy staring out one of the windows in the Crashdown.

“Hm?” The blonde girl said.

“Where were you just now?” Liz asked. “You looked like you were a million miles away.”

Maria tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “Oh… I’m fine. I was just thinking…” Her voice trailed off.

“Yeah? Thinking about all that fun you had California this summer? The sun, the sand, the surfer guys?” Liz smiled at her best friend mischievously.

“No. You know it wasn’t even like that, Liz,” Maria sighed. Her face fell for a moment, and then she perked back up. For Liz’s sake.

“Yeah, I know,” Liz said. Her face fell for a moment, and then she perked back up. For Maria’s sake.

“Actually I was thinking about how much it sucks to be stuck back here in Roswell. You know, this little town has absolutely nothing to offer for a world-class traveler such as myself.” Maria said melodramatically.

“Oh really? Well then I guess Roswell is perfectly fine for little homebodies like me.”

“Yup.”

Liz popped Maria with her dishcloth and both girls giggled. “I’m glad that you’re home, Maria. Things just weren’t the same without you.”

“Yeah. I know. I missed you too, Lizzie.”

“I just feel so bad that we didn’t get to spend too much time together before you left. We’ve got a lot of catching up to do.” Liz grinned.

“Yeah… I guess we do…”Maria turned back to the window.

“Hey… why don’t I come over tonight? You bring a movie. I’ll bring the Ben & Jerry’s. How’s that?”

Maria smiled at her best friend. “Sure. Sounds great. I just… ah… I have something I have to do first. I just have to go to the pharmacy and pick something up.”

“You’re not sick or anything, are you?”

“Well… I… um… I might be coming down with something. I just need to make sure.”

“Oh… I hope you’re okay, Maria.”

“So do I.”

***

[I have to tell Liz.] Maria thought as she drove to the pharmacy. [Even if I’m not… even if it’s nothing. It is nothing. It’s nothing. I’m just overreacting. I’m just stressed out right now. Maybe I really am sick or something. But I have to tell Liz either way. Alex too. They’re my best friends and I’ll need them… even if it’s nothing. It’s nothing. Liz should know about what happened with Michael anyway. I should have told her in the first place. But it only would have made her think about Max and then she would have gotten sad all over again. I couldn’t do that to her. But she has to know about Michael now. Oh… Michael… what am I going to tell him? Nothing. I won’t have to say anything because I’m not-- because it’s nothing. It’s nothing.]

***

Maria picked up the box and reread the instructions. They were pretty easy to follow. And the results would be pretty easy to make out too. One line for no. Two lines for yes. Ninety-nine point nine percent accuracy. She took it home. She took the test.

7:00. She waited. She paced. 7:01. She wrung her hands. 7:02. She wondered what she’d do if it came out positive. 7:03. She wondered what she would do if it came out negative. 7:04. She wondered what she would tell Michael. 7:05. She picked up the white plastic stick. She looked at the little indicator. She saw two little pink lines. One line for no. Two lines for yes.