| "One Night, One Dream" |
| Part 2 by Minnie |
 |
|
Disclaimer: Roswell, the characters, and situations are owned by the WB. No infringement intended. Summary: Alex and Tess ... a couple? Category: Unconventional Couples Rating: PG-13 Authors Note: My timelines are a little jumbled ... call it poetic license. |
|
| Unprepared for the jolt of envy that floods her, Isabel’s temper spikes. “Listen, squirt, I'll give you something to “Scream 2!” With that, Isabel gets in her face, preparing to give her one major thwap. Alex snaps out of his dazed state to interject, “Ladies, ladies, please.” “Isabel, Tess and I were …” Alex tried to explain but finds no words coming out. What WAS he doing with Tess? Dancing? Feeling a connection? The semi-triumphant look on Tess’ face turns to confusion and hurt at Alex’s non-reply. “Why doesn’t he say something? Didn’t he feel it, feel the link between us?” she wonders. Alex glances over at Tess and sees the hurt invading her eyes. “Tess, I like you. You know that, right? ” he rushes in to comfort her. Tess gazes at Alex. “I like you, too,” she responds in breathless tone. Silent moments hang in the air as those four words suddenly take on a different meaning. “I …” Alex pauses, as the feeling of warmth towards Tess resounds within him. “Alex?” Isabel says uneasily, sensing some kind of shift in Alex. “Isabel, we …” he replies haltingly as he catches her eye. Then slides over to look at Tess. Isabel sees that glance and turns her heat onto Alex. “We? There’s a ‘we’? Since when is there a ‘we’?” “Look, we were just having fun and …” Upset at hearing “fun” and “Tess” coming from Alex, Isabel snaps out “You know what? I don’t want to hear it!” and stomps off. Tess watches as Isabel walks off. "I have go and talk to her ..." Alex says. But he hesitates. "It can wait. She can wait, Besides we haven’t finished." Tess opens her hand in invitation. “Finished what?” Alex questions her. “Our dance,” she clarifies. She smiles brightly. Alex looks at her shining face then at Isabel's fading back. He pauses, then takes Tess' hand. Tess is in his arms again. The dream fades. *** Alex awakens. “Whoa, that was weird,” he shakes his head as if to clear it. Did Tess and Isabel really invade his dream? Or was it wishful thinking? “But I felt something,” referring to Tess. He feels strange, as though some decision was just made. *** The next day, Alex walks down the school hallway. Tess is at the other end of the corridor and he heads in her direction. Halfway there, Isabel comes into view and halts his progress towards Tess. “Hey, Alex, I missed you last night,” she tells him, pretending not to know about the unsettling dream she witnessed the night before. “Yeah, so did I,” Alex halfheartedly agrees. Guilt washes over him as her arms open to enfold him. “Why do I feel guilty?” he wonders. When he looks down the corridor again, Tess is gone. He looks downwards, feeling deflated. Alex drags his feet to class. Two periods later, he emerges from the doorway of a classroom. Tess is there. “Hi!” he greets her. “Hi!” she replies. Silence follows, an awkward stranger between them. So unlike the previous night when they both enjoyed a scary movie, a tub of popcorn and a dance. Alex’s silence stretches Tess’ nerves. She is unsure what to say to him next. Finally, she she blurts out, “Um, well, I gotta go. I’m late for bio.” “Oh, bio, right. That’s my next class too. So how about I tag along?” Alex suggest. “Okay,” Tess agrees, feeling her heart give a little bounce. “Calm down, we’re just walking to bio, it’s not like he’s pledged undying love or anything,” she thinks to herself. Alex feels himself barely controlling the spring in his step as they trail down the hall. They arrive at the classroom just as Isabel takes her seat. Isabel shoots dagger looks at Tess. She remembers the dream. Tess raises an eyebrow. She waits for Alex to choose an empty seat. Beside her or Isabel. Alex gives a pained smile to both of them and opts for the seat right next to Isabel. Isabel is delighted. “So have you found out anything more about the mating ritual of slugs?” Alex opens his bio book and asks Isabel. “Yeah. Some slugs should just crawl back under the rock they were in,” Isabel snaps as she throws a bitchy look at Tess. Tess takes the seat across from them, sandwiching Alex in the middle. “And some slugs shouldn’t be surprised if they wander too far away from own rock and find that something else has occupied it.“ Tess retorts. “Ummm, okay. Good to know that,” Alex pipes in. “And some slugs really ought to stop chasing after more than one … meal at a time,” Isabel adds, snidely referring to Tess’ chase of Max. “Well, other slugs should take their own advice,” Tess counters. Her gaze says, “I know who you were dreaming about and it wasn't Alex!” Isabel gives her another stare that seems to say, "Don't even think about telling Alex!" Alex interrupts the silent exchange. “Well, I’d really like to meet these slugs! Maybe invite them out for bug juice and discuss their preferences … sap or dew?” Alex quips, knowing he’s hopelessly entangled in this conversation yet trying desperately to inject some humor in it. The bio class progresses with no further slug comments. Just as they were about to leave the class, Alex stops by Tess’ desk to give her shoulder a squeeze. “I had a good time last night.” He gives her a smile. The slight touch and fond smile registers a thrill within her. “So did I,” Tess responds softly. Isabel impatiently waits for Alex a few feet away. She lays another if-my-eyes-were-lasers-you’d-be-fried-to-a-crisp-right-now look at Tess. “We should do that again sometime,” he shyly invites. “I’d like that,” she accepts. “You mean a group date? How cute!” Isabel pipes in. “And who will you be bringing, Tess? I think everyone’s taken, ” Isabel gives Alex a proprietary glance. “I’m sure I can find someone,” she responds and looks at Alex. “Let’s go, Alex,” Isabel retorts, shooting her icy queen stare at Tess. Then heads for the door, confident Alex would be following her. Alex’s feet stay where they are. He gives a shrug to Tess, as if in apology. “Don’t worry about me, Alex. I can take care of myself,” she says confidently. “If you need someone, I’ll be here,” he tells her, a little surprised how natural that sounded. His eyes linger on her face a while. Somehow last night turned into something else. Something unexpected. “Alex!” Isabel raps out. Tess arches an eyebrow at Isabel that seemed to say, “Jealous, much?” “I gotta go, I’ll see you later,” Alex heads out with Isabel. “Yeah, I’ll see you,” Tess agrees. "Definitely,” she mutters to herself > as Alex walks off. |
| Part 1 | Index | Part 3 |