"So glad you're here. Now you can help Tess with her hair while I do Maria's makeup." Isabel ushered Liz up the stairs towards her bedroom and personal bathroom. "Tess is freaking out about her hair, so compliment her a lot," whispered Isabel before disappearing into the bathroom to help Maria with her makeup.

"So," said Liz to Tess. "I guess I'm helping you with your hair. Do you want it all up, or down, or curled…"

"Whatever you think your cousin Kyle would like," she said with a dreamy look in her eyes.

"You're going out with my cousin…gross!"

"And I think it's gross you're going out with my brother!" yelled Maria from the bathroom. Liz heard Isabel lightly hit Maria. "Ow! Hey, I meant that my brother is gross, not Liz," she heard Maria protesting.

Liz just smiled and turned back to Tess. "So…uh…Kyle's always been a sucker for long flowing hair, so you could keep a lot of it down…"

"Sure," said Tess. "Thanks for helping me."

"Oh…no problem." Liz grabbed a brush, some mousse, and some hairspray and started working on Tess's hair. Finally she finished.

Tess looked in the mirror and gasped. "What have you done?"

Liz said, "Oh…you don't like it…I'm sorry, here, I can undo it…"

"No, it's amazing. I love it!" She turned around and gave Liz a friendly hug. Liz didn't know what to do, so she just stood there.

Isabel and Maria came out of the bathroom and looked at Liz. "Now it's our turn to help you," said Isabel. Liz quickly put on her dress and then sat down on the bed while Maria did her hair and Isabel did her makeup and Tess did her nails.

When Liz stood up, she looked in the mirror. "Why…why are you all helping me?"

"Because you're going out with Max," said Maria. "You make him happy. We all appreciate a happy Max."

"Yeah, and I'm going out with your brother…" said Isabel. "And I work with you. I really want to be your friend. This whole rift between the popular kids and the unpopular kids is really getting immature."

"I agree," said Tess. All four girls looked at each other and burst out laughing.

"Tonight is going to be great!" said Maria.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Tonight's going to suck the big one," said Michael.

Max looked at Michael. "How can you say that? We'll be with the girls we like…"

"Yeah, but I'd rather be with the girl I like, making out on the couch, not dancing and stepping on her feet."

Alex laughed at Michael's comments as he put his shoes on. His cousin, Kyle, came out of his bedroom with his tie around his head.

"What did you do?" asked Alex.

"I don't know. I tied it the way my mom showed me…it's just not working!"

Max walked over and expertly fixed Kyle's tie, while Michael and Alex laughed. When Max was done he turned to Alex and said, "Thanks for letting us get ready here and meet the girls downstairs at the Crashdown."

"No problem. It was actually Liz's idea," said Alex modestly. All of a sudden they all heard loud giggles coming from below them.

"The girls are here," said Kyle, leading the guys to the top of the stairs. They all walked down and into the Crashdown.

All of the guys gasped when they saw how beautiful their dates were. And all the girls were blown away by how hot their dates looked. All in all, everyone was satisfied.

"Well, we should go," said Alex, his voice cracking.

"Wait!" yelled Mrs. Parker, running down the stairs. "I want to get pictures! Oh, don't you look darling Alex. And Kyle, you're all grown up. Oh, Liz…my little girl…" Mrs. Parker started to tear up.

"Mom…" said Liz, turning red. "Just take the pictures and let us go." Mrs. Parker snapped tons of pictures and finally let them go.

The guys had all chipped in and rented a limo, so all four couples crammed themselves in tightly and had the chauffeur head for the high school. On the way, they laughed and talked. The wall between the popular and unpopular people was slowly being taken down.

The limo pulled up the main doors and the guys got out, helping their dates out. They walked up to the front doors, enjoying the other kids staring. Everyone had to agree that these four couples were the best looking people at the dance. Max and Liz were the last ones in of their group. Max handed his tickets to the man at the door and guided Liz inside. Almost as soon as he was in the door, he groaned.

Kyle looked up, wondering why he had heard Max groan. He saw Ericka Tortilini and he also groaned. "Great," he muttered. "Chef Boyardee's daughter is here." Tess giggled as she eyed Ericka with amusement.

Everyone in the whole school, everyone in all of Roswell, knew that Ericka was infatuated with Max.

She walked up to Max and whispered in his ear, "Hey Maxiepoo…how about you drop the bimbo on your arm and rock my world?"

Max turned pale and pushed Ericka away. "Don't you ever call Liz names like that, you understand me? Never!"

"Oh," said Ericka is a seductive tone. "Touchy…touchy…touchy…" As she said the last touchy she quickly reached up her hand and cupped Max's crotch.

Max quickly took a step back as Liz took a step forward…and slapped Ericka. "Whore! Don't you have your own date?"

Ericka raised her hand to her cheek, in disbelief that Liz had just slapped her. "You bitch! If it wasn't for you, Max would be all over me right now! I don't know what he sees in you…you're ugly!"

Liz stepped forward and pushed Ericka. "What was that, you said? I don't think I heard you correctly."

Ericka pushed back and soon they were both pulling hair and slapping. 'Wow,' thought Max. 'They're fighting over me…most importantly, Liz is fighting for me!'

"Oh….bitch fight!" yelled Michael, attracting a crowd.

"Michael!" yelled Maria, thumping him upside the head. When neither Liz nor Ericka showed signs of stopping, Maria, Isabel, and Tess pulled Liz back.

"She's not worth it," said Isabel. "Don't get yourself in trouble…or worse, rip your dress."

As Liz stopped struggling, Ericka walked past her towards the door. As she passed Max she pinched his butt. Liz started to struggle again. "Let me at her! I'll tear the slut's eyes out!"

"Whoa…chill," said Maria. She turned to Isabel and Tess and said, "Tonight is going to be very interesting indeed."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

After Liz calmed down again, they all walked into the gym, which had been decorated for the dance. The guys all sat down on the bleachers, not wanting to dance till they absolutely had to.

"You're one lucky guy," said Kyle. "Having those girls fight over you…but that was just nasty when Ericka felt you up…"

Max blushed and nodded his head. "It was pretty weird…I'm just amazed that Liz would fight the girl for me…"

As the guys were discussing what had happened, the girls were on the dance floor, dancing and talking.

"That was so brave," said Tess. "I don't think I'd ever have the courage to do something like that…I'd be afraid of getting in trouble or getting hurt."

Liz nodded, still angry. I just can't believe Ericka would do something like that with me right there! Ugh…I hate that girl!

Maria giggled and shared a knowing glance with the other girls. "What?" asked Liz.

"You like Max a lot…" said Maria.

"Yeah…I do…so what?"

"Do you love him?"

"L-love him?" squeaked Liz. "No…I mean…maybe…NO. I don't love Max…of course not. What gave you that idea?"

The other girls just looked at each other and nodded.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Finally a slow song began to play and the girls dragged the guys onto the dance floor.

"I don't wanna," said Michael, sounding like a whiny little kid. Maria once again hit him upside the head.

"Michael, you with either dance with me or be killed…very very slowly." She pulled him close and tried to ignore that fact that every other second he stepped on one or both of her feet.

Isabel and Alex were off on the other side of the room. "This is fun," said Alex.

"Really? You're not hating this like Michael is?"

"No way…I could never hate dancing with you." Isabel smiled and leaned in to kiss Alex passionately.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"For what?"

"For being here with me, for being such a great boyfriend. Alex, I love you."

"And I love you Isabel. I've loved you since third grade." They kissed again, both lost in their own world.

Near the bleachers, Kyle and Tess danced. Kyle felt like giggling like a schoolgirl, he was so happy that he was with Tess. Tess all of a sudden pulled Kyle closer and kissed him hungrily. Kyle kissed her back, loving the way that every time she kissed him was a time when he wasn't expecting it.

"You wanna ditch this dance and go to my house?" asked Kyle. "My dad doesn't get home till 2…"

Tess nodded and they slipped out the door, noticed only by Max and Liz.

Liz giggled and pointed at Tess and Kyle. Max smiled. "Your cousin is quite the lady's man, Liz."

Liz nodded and then looked up into Max's dazzling eyes. "Max, about before…"

"Yeah, uh, thanks. You know, for fighting for me."

"I just…I didn't even think about it. I just got so angry at her and I just wanted to go after her. No one should treat you like that, Max."

Max smiled and looked down at the awe inspiring beauty in his arms. "Liz, would you mind if I kissed you?"

"Not at all…" said Liz, leaning in to capture his lips. Max was gentle and loving, caressing Liz's lips with his tongue. She parted her lips to grant him entrance, feeling woozy with the feel of Max's mouth against hers.

*FLASH*

Young Max walking in the desert, hand in hand with young Maria. Both naked and covered in jelly-like substance.

*NEW FLASH*

Large space ship crashing to the earth, military men running and yelling.

*NEW FLASH*

Max and Maria being adopted. Both are terrified.

*NEW FLASH*

Max and Maria using powers for the first time to fly a kite with no string.

*END OF FLASHES*

Liz pulled back and looked up at Max in fear and revulsion. "What the hell are you?" she yelled.

Max swallowed and sighed. He didn't want her to know yet. But there was no choice but for him to tell her the truth.

"Answer me, Max! What the hell are you?"