"Oh, hi Liz," Maria said, nibbling on her lower lip as she looked back down to the blue sheet of paper in her hand. "It's a flyer about the crash course in Payson next weekend for juniors."

"Crash course for what?" Liz asked as she removed some books from her back pack and put them in her locker.

Maria looked up at her friend as though she had lost her mind. "Duh, the SATs are in two weeks and if you haven't noticed, I'm a nervous wreck about them. If I don't get a good score I'll never get into college and out of Roswell and with my grades the way they are right now, I don't even think I could get into a junior college."

Liz smiled at her friend and shook her head lightly. "Maria, be realistic. Your grades aren't that bad. And besides, junior colleges will accept almost anyone, maybe even you."

Maria's mouth fell open and she slapped her friend lightly but a smile was still on her face. "Bitch! Thanks for the vote of confidence."

Liz tossed her head back and giggled. "Hey, what are friends for?"

"With friends like that, who needs enemies," Maria joked and then groaned and stamped her feet on the ground as she looked back down at the blue paper. "This test is going to kill me. I took a practice test last night and I only got a three fifty on the verbal and a four-ten on the math. I really need to go to this retreat and it says that they are only taking twenty-five students. It's first-come, first-serve so I have to sign up now. Do you want to come with me? I mean, no one can be too prepared for the SATss and besides it will do us some good to get away from Roswell for a weekend."

"I hear that," Liz muttered, as she closed her locker. "But, I don't really think...." her voice trailed off as she caught sight of Max Evans and Michael Guerin coming down the hallway. She suddenly felt sick to her stomach and she turned around sharply.

"Liz, can we talk?" she heard Max's deep voice ask as he came up behind her.

She pretended that she didn't hear him and spoke to Maria in an icy voice. "Sure, Maria. I'll go. I'd do anything to get away from Roswell and those Czechoslovakian assholes. Let's go sign up."

Maria smirked and then looked Michael up and down in distaste. To Liz she said, "Yeah. I know exactly what you mean. Let's go."

**********

"Yes, there is still plenty of slots left," Maria cried in relief as they reached the door of the counselor's office. She jotted down her name on the paper and then handed Liz the pen but Liz didn't take it. Her eyes were boring holes into the ground and her eyes had teared up.

Maria let her head fall back and she groaned. "Liz! Forget him! Forget all of them. They made their choices and it obviously wasn't us so it's time we move on."

"I know, Maria. You're right. He made his choice and it wasn't me. It was the wicked bitch of the southwest," she said, calling Tess Harper by hers and Maria's pet name. "But it still hurts so bad sometimes."

"Babe, it's been six months since it ended. You have to move on like I have. I felt just as strong about Michael as you did Max but when Michael chose the Ice Queen over me, I knew it was time to move on. Those Czechoslovakians can all go to hell. I refuse to let them dictate my life anymore. I do what I want and with who I want. And you should too."

Liz scribbled her name down on the paper and thought what Maria said for a second, realizing that her best friend was right. She couldn't spend the rest of her life pining over someone who didn't want her and she really didn't want to.

"So, what are we talking about, ladies?" Alex Whitman appeared at their sides and wrapped an arm around each of their shoulders.

Maria rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Liz's inability to move on with her life and forget about the Czechoslovakians."

A muscle clenched in Alex's jaw and Maria instantly felt bad. She knew that any mention of the aliens was a sensitive subject for Alex. He had been the one to walk in on Isabel and Michael making out the day after Isabel had said she wanted something more serious with Alex. As it turns out, she was only trying to fight her feelings for Michael, using Alex as a distraction.

"Anyway," she said, changing the subject. "We just signed up for the SAT crash course next week in Payson and there are still some slots available if you're interested in getting away for a weekend."

Alex scratched his head and made a face. "I don't know. It seems like an awful waste of a weekend."

"Please, Alex. We really want you to come," Maria begged as Liz gave him puppy dog eyes.

His face broke out into a grin and he nodded, "Okay, I'll go. Besides, I can think of worse ways to spend the weekend than with my two favorite ladies," he said as he signed his name under Liz's.

Liz smiled and Maria said, "Good. And just think, it will be just like the old days when it was just the three of us again."

"Yeah, just like the old days," Liz sighed.

**********

The morning of the crash course dawned bright and hot. Maria and Liz went to sign in with the teacher while Alex grabbed their bags from the back of his father's mini-van. By the time he loaded their bags onto the belly of the bus, they were all signed in and prepared to board.

"OH MY GOD!" Maria cried out, startling Liz. Liz looked over to where her friends eyes were glued and her insides tightened.

The Evan's jeep had just pulled into the parking lot of the school and she watched as the four Czechoslovakians crawled out and grabbed their bags from the back.

"What are they doing here?" Liz asked sharply.

Maria narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. "Oh, they probably saw our names on the list and decided that they couldn't resist to rub it in."

Liz, Maria, and Alex boarded the bus and took seats near the back. "So much from getting away from those who have hurt us," Maria grumbled and she slumped down into her seat.

"We could always change our minds," Liz suggested hopefully.

"No way!" Maria said as the two alien couples boarded the bus. She spoke loud enough so that she could be heard all the way in the front. "I'll be damned if I let them ruin my weekend. I came to prepare for the SATss and that's what I'm going to do. As far as I'm concerned, they can all kiss my ass. Hell, they hardly even exist to me anymore."

*****

Michael looked at Maria in that instant and he groaned. "Man, Max. I told you this was going to suck and look, I was right. I'd rather ram red hot pokers up my ass than have to deal with Frick and Frack and their amazing Boy Wonder."

Max looked to the back of the bus and his eyes briefly met Liz's before she turned away.

"Come on, honey!" Tess, his...well, his sorta girlfriend said, smiling up into his face. "Look, there's some good seats in the back."

Max knew her intentions were malicious, that she wanted to flaunt it to Liz that she had won and he didn't think that was right. "No, I think these seats are just fine," he said, sitting down in one of the benches in the front.

Tess pouted as she sat down next to him. "Geez, Max. I thought maybe you'd want to sit in the back so we could make-out," she said loudly, wanting Liz to hear her and Max gritted his teeth. He was getting real tired of her nastiness towards Liz.

"Well, I'm outta here," Michael said, turning to leave but Isabel grabbed his hand and pleaded with him. "I thought you wanted to spend some time with me Michael. Come on, we can't let them ruin our weekend. Please????"

Michael sighed and then nodded. "Okay, babe. I'll stay."

**********