Maria announced, "Almost forty dollars."

Liz replied, "Not bad for your first night. I'll let you know about you schedule, and you'll have to come back tomorrow to sign some employment papers and some other stuff."

"So you'll need my social security number?" Maria asked.

Liz asked with curiosity, "Is that going to be a problem?"

"It's not like I forged anything."

"I'm sorry I didn't meant it like that," Liz tried to apologize. "I know you didn't like Max telling me and Michael the truth about yourselves, but he did."

"Well Max obviously was only thinking about himself," Maria ripped the silver antennae off her head in disgust.

Liz defended, "But Max saved my life."

"And ruined mine in the process," Maria snapped. "You have no idea what it is like to be me."

Maria stormed out of the Crashdown and Michael came out to see what all the commotion was about. "What's going on?" Michael saw that Liz looked upset.

Liz looked down at her hands, "She is just really upset and I upset her even more."

"I'm sure she'll get over it," Michael reassured her.

Liz continued, "But she is right you know. I don't know what it is like to be her."

~ ~ ~

Maria already hated the stupid light blue waitress uniform with its silver, pleather, alien-shaped apron. She clutched the alien antennae in her fist and felt that she was somewhat humiliating her own kind. "What will Max and Isabel think when I tell them where I'm working?" Maria asked herself. She felt a chill run down spine and so she pulled her leather jacket closer to her body.

Michael said good night to Liz and retrieved the keys to his mom's Jetta out of his pocket. He was about to get in the car, but he saw a familiar figure across the street in front of the UFO museum. Michael closed the door and jogged across the street.

"What do you want?" Maria asked when she saw him coming towards her.

Michael replied, "Nothing, I just wanted to know if you needed a ride home."

Maria played with the plastic antennae; "I'd rather walk."

"Don't like taking rides with humans," Michael became frustrated with her attitude.

"You have no idea," Maria rolled her eyes.

Michael couldn't help it, "What is your problem? I am only trying to help you."

Maria turned and faced, "My problem! You want to know what my problem is! I'll tell you what my problem is! You, okay! You are my problem! Ever since Max told you the truth I've been racking my brain to try to think straight!"

"What else do you want from me? I already told you that I'm not going to go to Valenti, why don't you believe me?" Michael pleaded only it came out a little harsher than he intended.

Maria's eyes danced in fury; "Can you forget what Max said? Can you magically make your knowledge of the truth just go away? I don't think so. Valenti knows that Max and I were there, and it's only a matter of time before one of you cracks." Michael opened his mouth to say something, but Maria continued, "Don't try to help, because if you do then they'll be after you too." Maria quickly turned away and ran with great speed down the street leaving Michael to wonder if that was a threat or a warning.

I just want to feel safe in my own skin
I just want to be happy again

Maria didn't stop running until she reached the outskirts of the trailer park, and that was when she stopped to catch her breath.

But I'm so lonely I don't even want to be with myself anymore
On a different day
If I was safe in my own skin
Then I wouldn't feel lost and so frightened
But this is today and I'm lost in my own skin

She always gets an adrenaline rush every time she gets angry which is fairly often. When she got to the trailer she saw that Hank's old pick up was parked on the side. When Maria got inside she found Hank sprawled on the floor with an empty six pack next to him. Maria stepped over his sleeping body on her way to her room. She could also hear Amelia snoring in the next room. Maria closed the door and practically collapsed on the mattress. The last forty-eight hours had been the worst in her life so far and she didn't know when she would get her life back.

And I'm so lonely I don't even want to be with myself anymore
I just want to feel safe in my own skin
I just want to be happy again

~ ~ ~

"Maria are you okay?" Isabel asked at lunch the next day.

Maria shook her head; "I'm fine."

"You seem more quiet than usual," Max pointed out.

"Well it isn't every week that your entire life gets turned upside down and your entire existence is put into the hands of two humans," Maria answered back sarcastically.

Max was taken aback, "It's nice to know that you are no longer bitter."

"I'm glad you are taking this lightly. I hope you are the first one to get dissected," Maria snapped.

"Maria!" Isabel gasped. "Don't talk like that."

Maria apologized, "I'm sorry that was...harsh. I don't really want that to happen. That's why I have a plan."

"A plan," Isabel repeated. "What kind of plan?"

Maria told them, "I plan on saving as much money as possible and then...leave Roswell behind for good."

"Leave Roswell," Isabel shook her head. "We can't leave Roswell, we have family here."

"No, you have family here, and let me point out that they aren't your real family," Maria reminded.

Isabel felt her eyes sting with tears, "I don't care they are my real family."

Max didn't like seeing his sister upset, "Where do you plan on going?"

"Anywhere just out of New Mexico, somewhere big where no one would know who I am," Maria said to him.

Max could see it in her eyes that she was scared, "Maria, I know you are trying to be strong for all of us, but you don't need to be."

"I just want a life where I don't have to be strong...or afraid. I want to know who I really am and where I come from, and maybe somewhere out there I might have a real family too," Maria was letting a little of her softer and sincere side peek through her hard exterior.

Isabel placed her hand over Maria's in comfort; "I want that too Maria, but right now we have to stick together."

"Hey Max, Maria, Isabel," Liz's cheerful voice interrupted the intense conversation.

Max's eyes opened wide, "Hey Liz." Both Isabel and Maria rolled their eyes at them.

"Um...Maria you're scheduled for this afternoon at four, and we need you to help close again," Liz told her. Isabel shot a what-is-she-talking-about look, but Maria ignored it and just nodded her head. "Then I'll see you later."

"What was that all about Maria?" Isabel gave Maria a serious look after Liz left.

Maria figured they would find out sooner or later, "I got a job at the Crashdown."

"Wait a minute. Did I hear you right? You got a job at the Crashdown," Isabel was in a state of disbelief.

Max raised his eyebrows, "So you are now working with Liz and Michael?" Max couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"Oh shut up Max," Maria punched him the biceps.

Max choked on his laughter, "Ow that hurt."

"I just needed a job because I need money so I struck a deal with Michael," Maria explained.

Isabel teased her friend, "What kind of deal?"

Maria looked away because she was always too proud to admit that she never had any food to eat, "They were just really desperate for a waitress, and I get...free food."

"Oh," Isabel and Max both shut up which made Maria feel that she was being pitied.

Maria got up abruptly, "I gotta go, I'll see you guys later." Even though her, Max and Isabel were the same Maria still felt that she was on the outside.

~ ~ ~

"OK, that is one double Kling-on caramel sundae and one Black hole banana split. "Would you like nuts on that?" Maria gritted her teeth as she waited for the customers to answer.

The portly customer asked, "What kind of nuts are we talking about here?"

Maria plastered a fake smile on her face, "They would be chopped peanuts." These were the last two customers left in the cafe and it is taking them forever to make up their minds.

"Ooh, that sounds good I'll have some nuts," the customer finally said.

"OK, I'll be right back," Maria turned her back. "With the five billion calories you guys just ordered." Maria went into the kitchen with the last order of the night. "One caramel sundae and one banana split with nuts," she told Michael. Eager to get the customers out she started helping Michael prepare the desserts.

Michael couldn't help but smile as Maria scooped vanilla ice cream into the ice cream dishes. Never in a million years would he expect Maria Guerin to put on a cheesy alien-themed Crashdown uniform and serve ice cream to obnoxious alien-crazed tourists.

"What the hell are you smiling about?" Maria demanded as she poured the caramel on the sundae.

Michael had a very devious idea, "Oh I was just thinking about how cute you would look with I don't know...whip cream in your face." With a lot of nerve Michael sprayed Maria's face with whip cream.

Maria was caught completely off guard; "You are so lucky I can't shoot red hot lasers out of my eyes." Maria wore a serious look on her face, and Michael didn't know what was coming to him. "But I can do this." Without Michael knowing Maria attacked Michael with another can of whipped cream. "Direct hit!" Maria cried as she sprayed a glop of whipped cream in his eyes.

"Oh, I'm going to get you girl," Michael retaliated and squirted the white goop into her hair.

"Ah!" Maria yelled as she reached for the jar of fudge. She grabbed a handful and smeared it all down Michael's face, and then she licked her finger, "It needs a little Tabasco sauce."

"What is going on back here?" Liz demanded from the doorway when she came upon the two of them covered in whipped cream and fudge.

Maria wiped the white foam from her eyes; "Uh...Michael started it."

"Your two customers are waiting for their order, but it looks to me that you're both wearing it," Liz had her hands on her hips.

"I'll bring them out right now," Maria retrieved an empty tray.

"Here," Liz threw Maria a towel. "You guys clean up and I'll give this to them."

Liz left with the desserts and Maria caught a glance of Michael and a burst of laughter escaped her lips. Michael would have realized that he must have looked ridiculous covered in hot fudge and whipped cream, but he was too absorbed in listening to Maria's laughter. He had never heard her laugh before and he began to wonder if she ever did.

"I better go wash this off," Maria said catching her breath. She left Michael alone in the kitchen as she ran to the bathroom. Maria washed as much whipped cream out of her hair as she could. She splashed water on her face, "Get a hold of yourself Guerin. You are not like them." Maria roughly wiped her face and left the bathroom. She went back to the serving floor and found her customers enjoying their desserts.

"So what happened back there?" Liz approached her.

Maria took a broom out of the cleaning closet and began sweeping under the tables, "Michael attacked me with a can of whipped cream and I had to retaliate, so I gave it to him."

Liz raised her eyebrows as Maria swept the floor vigorously. The last two customers finished their desserts, paid their bill and left. "Here this is yours," Liz held the tip they left on the table out to her.

"You deserve at least half for covering my butt," Maria told her.

Liz shook her head, "Nah, it's all yours. They were your customers. I didn't have the pleasure of waiting on them."

Maria reluctantly took the small tip and stuffed it in her pocket and then she went back to sweeping. "I noticed that I wasn't scheduled for tomorrow night, and I can really use the money."

"Oh, uh we close early tomorrow, because the whole town is going to be at the Crash Festival. Are you going?" Liz started to wipe down the tables.

Maria shook her head, "Wasn't planning on it."

"Oh," Liz muttered. "So I guess Max and Isabel won't be going either."

Maria knew that Liz wanted to know if Max was going to be there. "Isabel and especially Max do whatever the hell they want to do, so I don't know."

"Why don't you guys come to the Crash Festival with Michael and me it will be fun," Liz suggested.

Maria reminded, "I thought you would be going to the festival with your little boyfriend, Kyle Valenti."

"He's not my boyfriend," Liz denied.

Michael oblivious to what they were talking about, "Hey Liz, I thought you were leaving early because you have a date with Kyle."

Maria gave her a smirk and started sweeping towards the door. Liz looked away; "I was just leaving, so I'll see you guys tomorrow."

"Bye Liz have fun," Maria sarcastically said. Liz's cheeks turned red as she left.

Michael began putting the chairs on top of the tables, "What was that all about?"

"Nothing," Maria used the dustpan and swept up all the garbage on the floor.

Twenty minutes later Maria was putting her antennae and apron in her work locker. She slipped her leather jacket on and grabbed her bag.

"Do you need a lift?" Michael took off his bandanna and ran his fingers through his messy hair.

Maria straightened her collar; "I can manage."

"You know Maria I would feel a whole lot better if you let me take you home. I don't like the idea of you walking home alone at night," Michael hung his apron on the kitchen door.

"Oh how sweet," Maria replied in a fake, syrupy voice. "Little Mikey is worried about the poor alien girl." Maria continued in her normal voice, "Well don't be, because I've been taking care of myself for the past ten years, and I don't need some human boy making sure I get home okay." Maria began to leave, but Michael kept the door shut.

"Well excuse me if I am showing a little human compassion and that I actually might care for you," Michael let slip.

Maria quickly turned to him, "What did you say?"

"I said I might care for you, might being the keyword," Michael covered up.

Maria looked him in the eye; "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Come on Maria you are obviously cranky, so just let me take you home. If you refuse I'm going to have to embarrass you at lunch tomorrow in front of Max and Isabel and probably the whole school," Michael playfully threatened.

Maria smirked, "Well if you do that then I guess I will just have to KICK YOUR ASS."

"You are asking for more whipped cream in the face," Michael didn't get intimidated by her.

Maria rolled her eyes, "Fine, anything to shut you up."

Michael noticed that Maria seemed uncomfortable sitting in the passenger seat of the Jetta. "You can let me out right here," Maria spoke up and Michael pushed on the brakes.

"There is no here," Michael observed the surrounding area.

Maria took off her seat belt; "I can walk the rest of the way."

"I'm not going to leave you out in the middle of nowhere," Michael protested but Maria was already out of the car.

Maria reassured him, "I'll be fine, I can take care of myself." Michael waited until Maria disappeared before he got out of the car.

He made sure that he remained in the shadows so Maria couldn't see him. Michael watched as Maria entered the trailer park, and he continued to follow her until she paused at the front entrance.

Maria didn't really want to go in, but she didn't really have another choice. Maria noticed that Hank's truck wasn't there which was somewhat of a relief, and once Maria got inside she found Amelia sprawled out on the couch clutching a bottle of gin and snoring loudly.