Without hope or agenda. Complete (A/I & CC,TEEN) 15-Aug

[StargazerUK]

Without hope or agenda

Author: StargazerUK.

Email: dj.meade@btinternet.com

Category: A/I & C/C.

Rating: Teen

Disclaimer: I don’t own any of these Roswell characters, I have borrowed them.( If I did Alex & Isabel would be living happily ever after. )

Author's Note: I had the idea for this brief, and I do mean very brief, story after watching the film “Love Actually”. To be honest the only thing I picked up from the film was the phrase “Without hope or agenda”, which is obviously the title of this story. No infringement is intended and as previously stated, this story will have nothing to do with the film bar that one line.

In case some of you are wondering I announced that my next story was going to be called “Without hope or expectation” but as you might now have worked out I got the name wrong. In my defence it has been a while since I’ve seen the film. Good job I checked!

This story is set at around the time of the pilot episode, but that is the only thing that the two have in common. Therefore this is before they became friends.

Alex has something he needs to get off of his chest, no matter what the cost!



Chapter 1


“Honey, why do you put yourself through this all the time, day in and day out?”

Alex pulled his gaze back from the direction he had been staring to the opposite side of the counter at which he sat, coming face to face with Maria who had been busy cleaning the soda machine. “I don’t know what you mean.” He frowned.

Maria had to stop herself swiping at her tall best friend with the cloth she had been holding. If there was one thing worse than a love sick friend it was a love sick friend who was firmly in denial. “Oh, and I suppose you just happen to like looking over your shoulder while you sit here at the Crashdown each evening after school. And I don’t suppose it has anything to do with the statuesque blond that happens to be sitting over there in the booth by the window with her vacuous friends!”

Alex shot a glance back over his shoulder to where he had been looking a moment earlier and saw the girl Maria had been referring to. Had he really been that obvious? Returning his eye line back to Maria he narrowed his gaze and stared at his petite friend for a moment. “What’s brought this on? I mean I am used to you and Liz moaning at me and telling me what I am doing wrong with my life but why the sudden increase in nagging?”

“Nagging?” Maria echoed as she finally caved and took a firm swipe at her friend. “I don’t nag! Old, married women nag! I show concern for a friend or loved one and offer helpful advice and/or assistance.”

“Hey, Guys. What’s all the noise about?” Liz greeted her friends as she came out from the backroom of the diner.

“Maria was nagging me again!” Alex explained as he raised his hands to defend himself from the impending strike. To his surprise it never came.

“You don’t have to tell me twice, Whitman!” Maria scolded as she brushed past Liz, heading for the backroom. “I care about you and I’ve told you time and time again what I think and I’ve had enough now! If you want to keep running round like a lost puppy after that harlot, who am I to interfere?” And with that Maria was gone.

Alex couldn’t hide his disbelief at such an outburst from Maria and, even more surprising, was her dramatic exit. He quickly turned to look at Liz who herself was looking a little bemused. “What have I done?” He almost pleaded.

Liz reached forward and covered her friends hand with her own and gave it a comforting squeeze. “Believe it or not, Alex, you have done everything and nothing at one and the same time.”

If Alex was looking for help and understanding about what was going on, that wasn’t it!

“I don’t understand. You’ve lost me, Liz, and cryptic replies aren’t making things any easier for me.” Alex scrubbed at his face with his hands as he let out a heavy sigh. “I don’t know what is going on and all of a sudden I feel like I am the bad guy in this.”

Liz gave her best friend a gentle smile. “I could tell you, but as there is a certain small friend of ours who is currently sitting in the back room a little bit upset right now why don’t you go back there and check she is alright and at the same time you can find out what’s going on.”

Alex tentatively lifted himself from the stool, but stopped and leaned back into Liz. “What if she hits me?”

Liz couldn’t stifle the laugh that sneaked out. “She won’t hit you if you get close enough to pull her into a hug. That way you will have her arms clamped fast and there’s no way she can hurt you.”

Alex stopped a moment and thought about what Liz had suggested. “Good idea.” He nodded as he proceeded into the backroom of the Crashdown which was normally reserved for staff members and/or family, but nowadays Alex almost fitted into both categories.

When he stepped into the backroom Alex allowed the swing doors to close behind him before he slowly stepped forward towards the back door. It is only as you approached the very back of the narrow space that you can see that the room opens out on the right hand side, and you become aware of a couch and a couple of single chairs that are normally hidden from view.

It was as the couch came into view that Alex found Maria curled up on one end of the sofa with a cushion clutched to her chest, her head held low so he couldn’t quite see his friend’s features. “Hello, Pretty. Mind if I join you?”

The only reply that came was what Alex perceived to be the word “Fine”. He couldn’t be sure because any comment made by his best friend had to find its way through the cushion that was blocking most of her face. Alex moved slowly to the centre of the couch and lowered himself down until he was perched on the very edge of the seat. He knew that despite not knowing what was upsetting his friend he was going to have to walk a very fine line between showing concern and annoying the crap out of her. The former he knew she could just about tolerate but the latter would see him regretting his actions for many days to come.

Alex wasn’t sure how he was going to interact with his clearly upset friend so rather strangely he started to pull at the tassel on the corner of the cushion she was holding. “I know I’m not renowned for my people skills and even less for my intuition when it comes to the ladies, but I am going to take a huge leap of faith here and guess that something’s the matter.”

Maria let out a snort of laughter, which rather unceremoniously announced that she needed to blow her nose as she started sniffing. Alex sprang from his seat to the far side of the room where he grabbed a handful of napkins before he retook his seat next to Maria, offering his friend a couple of his newly acquired handkerchiefs.

“That wasn’t embarrassing at all.” Maria joked as she blew her nose.

The two friends sat in silence for a moment. It wasn’t exactly an uncomfortable silence as they were used to spending so much time with one another that they could never feel uncomfortable, but it was clear that they were both deep in thought.

“If I’ve done something to upset you I am sorry.” Alex offered tentatively.

Maria lifted her head from where she had still been semi-hiding behind the cushion and looked at her tall, clearly concerned friend. “Alex, you’ve done nothing wrong, at least not now anyway.” She added at the end.

“Ok.” Alex nodded slowly, slightly relieved that whatever was the matter with his friend it wasn’t his fault, well not entirely given Maria’s cryptic comment. “Now here’s my problem…” Alex began. “…I have two female best friends who I have trouble keeping up with and understanding at the best of times. All of a sudden one of said friends is upset, why? I don’t know, and the other one seems to know why, but won’t give me a straight answer. I then go to my clearly upset friend and she too starts in with the cryptic comments.”

Alex surprised Maria by forcefully pulling the cushion from her clasp and throwing it onto a nearby chair, leaving her full exposed. “Maria, I love you more than life itself and I would kill or die for you, but for the love of God please tell me what’s going on!”

It didn’t help Alex’s cause when Maria simply smiled at him.

“Sit back.” Maria instructed without any preamble.

Despite still being clueless Alex decided to simply go with the flow and see what transpired.

Once he had sat back Alex was surprised, but also relieved, when Maria changed her position on the couch, turning to sit next to him and leaning in so she pressed against her tall friend. Having sat like this before Alex automatically lifted his arm and enveloped his petite friend until she was tucked up nice and snug in his warm embrace.

Suddenly Maria started to speak. “You’re going to think I am being stupid, which I probably am, but I can’t bring myself to look at the judgemental look you are no doubt about to give me so that’s why we’re sitting like this.”

“Maria, trust me when I tell you that sitting with a beautiful girl curled up beside me is never a problem, no matter what the reason.” Alex offered, trying to reassure his friend.

His words were having the desired affect and in truth Maria would have expected nothing less from her best friend. “I think I have been having some personal issues recently, but it seems like I have been transferring my anger onto you, which is uncalled for and I am sorry.”

Alex was still none the wiser. “Maria, can I ask you to start from the beginning as I’m still a little lost.” Maria initially didn’t speak in reply to his request, but Alex could feel her nod silently as she continued to lean against him.

“Alex, you’re a great guy.” Maria stated rather unexpectedly.

“Thanks, Maria.” Alex tried not to blush. “I think you are a great girl and I hope you know that.”

Maria gave her friend a playful and very soft nudge to the ribs. “No, you ass. I’m not giving you a compliment…I’m explaining myself.”

“Oh…” Alex paused for a moment. “…sorry, back to what you were saying…I’m a great guy…”

Maria had to stop herself from laughing. “…you’re a great guy, Liz is a great girl and we all know I am little Miss Dynamite.”

“Agreed.” Alex nodded.

“So why is it that we always have to take second best?” Maria’s demeanour started to change as her voice grew louder. “Just because we don’t drive the right car or live in the right part of town people at school look down on us. If you’re not in the right group at school you’re treated as a nobody!”

“What’s brought all this on?” Alex asked in confusion. “It’s always been like that at school and I have very little doubt that it will always be like that so why bring it up now?”

“Have you seen the way Max Evans looks at Liz?”

Alex was surprised and somewhat taken aback by Maria’s question, but at least it was something he could answer. “Yes, I’ve seen him. He likes Liz, so what? As we’ve already discussed, she’s a great girl.”

“I know.” Maria conceded. “And Max Evans seems like a nice guy, not bad looking and he treats people with a bit of decency even if he is a little quiet.”

“You’re losing me again, Maria.” Alex offered frankly.

“My point is that Liz should be interested in someone like Max Evans and not someone like Kyle Valenti.” Maria explained.

Alex shook his head slowly. “Still not understanding you, Maria.”

Maria lifted herself from her position against Alex, only far enough to be able to look directly at her tall friend. “What I am saying is that I woke up this morning thinking about all the things that are wrong with the world. How there are only certain things that I can affect here in Roswell so that is what I am going to do.”

“And Liz dating Kyle Valenti is one of those things you are going to change?” Alex asked slowly as he began to understand the addled workings of Maria’s mind.

“Yes!” Maria cried out a little too loudly, clearly feeling that Alex was finally beginning to understand her thinking.

Alex may have been getting there slowly when it came to understanding his friend, but he wasn’t quite there yet. “So why were you upset with me and why are we in here rather than you having this conversation with Liz?”

“Isabel Evans!”

Any semblance of understanding that Alex might have thought he was starting to get had just picked a window and left. “What about Isabel Evans?”

“Alex, sweetie. You’ve had a thing for Isabel Evans since the third grade.” Maria took hold of Alex’s hand in a reassuring manner, which had anything but a reassuring effect on him. He was beginning to think that this was a mini-intervention. “You’ve gazed upon her more than is probably healthy, but we’re your friends so we just ignored you and let you get on with it.”

“I can sense a ‘but’ coming.” He stated nervously.

“But…” Maria continued. “…it can’t go on. Being ten-years-old and having a crush on a girl and being too scared to do anything about it is cute. Being sixteen-years-old and still not having done anything about your crush is starting to turn creepy.”

“I’m biding my time.” Alex stated defensively.

“I know, Honey.” Maria realised that she may have been offending Alex, which was the last thing she really wanted. “I’m just trying to say to you, albeit not very clearly, that you need to say what you want to say to her and move on.”

Alex paused for a moment, never dreaming when he woke up this morning that he would be having this type of conversation with Maria. “And what if I’m not ready?”

Maria leaned back into her friend and gave him a loving squeeze. “I think you’re ready, Alex. Your feelings for Isabel haven’t changed in years and neither, I suspect, have the things you would want to say to her if you ever do pluck up the courage to speak to her.”

“I’m not so sure now is the right time for me to approach her.” Alex argued.

“And when will be?” Maria pressed, countering each and every reason Alex could come up with not to speak to Isabel. “Alex, my mom used to date a guy who had very few redeeming features and one of his worst habits was that he always had a totally inappropriate phrase to fit all occasions. As rude and as crude as this saying is I can think of no better way to put how I feel about you and your feelings for Isabel Evans.”

Maria released her hold on Alex, stood up and turned to look at her friend with a loving look that Alex had received a thousand times before. “Alex I truly love you, you are my best friend, but when it comes to Isabel Evans it’s time to crap or get off the pot!”

Alex slowly rose to his feet and looked down at his petite friend, still somewhat stunned by her last comments. “Crap or get off the pot!” He echoed.

“It means put up or shut up!” Maria explained.

“I know what it means!” Alex was surprised at himself when he realised that he was starting to get agitated. “I just never thought I would hear you say such a thing to me.”

“Honey…” Maria reached forward and took her friends hand. “…I think you are missing my point. Despite me telling you to go and talk to Isabel Evans this isn’t about Isabel Evans! I don’t think she is good enough for you and I certainly don’t think she would ever realise what a great guy you are. The problem is until you get past Isabel Evans you are never going to move on to a girl that you deserve and who deserves to have you.”

“And that girl isn’t Isabel Evans?” Alex asked softly, slightly crestfallen.

“Sure she’s pretty and you know she’s popular, but you know what her reputation is around school. She only dates the jocks or the rich guys and she only ever dates them once or twice before she throws them aside.” Maria explained. “You’re just as good looking as any of those guys and ten times better when it comes to being a friend, but it would kill me to see her use you and then toss you aside. I know this isn’t what you wanted to hear and I pray you will forgive me and I never want to hurt you, but I just want what’s best for you and I want you to be happy.”

Alex tugged on Maria’s hand that he was still holding and pulled his small friend towards him. As soon as she came close enough he enveloped her in his long arms and pulled her close to his chest. Due to the height difference between the two he was able to comfortably perch his chin on top of his friends head, completely enclosing her in his grasp. “Maria, I would never believe anything other than that you want what’s best for me. I know what you are saying with regards Isabel, even if I wish you could have come up with a less graphic euphemism.”

That comment caused them both to laugh.

As they stepped apart they both heard a noise and looked over to see Liz looking slight embarrassed. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“You’re not interrupting.” Alex smiled. “Maria was just giving me some advice with regards my love life, or lack of it to be more precise.”

“That’s great.” Liz enthused. “Just tell me she didn’t use the ‘crap or get off the pot’ comment.”

“She did.” Alex nodded as Maria looked a little sheepish. “But does that mean you guys have been discussing me?” Alex raised an eyebrow inquisitively.

“Not specifically.” Liz countered. “I’m sure Maria told you about her new found determination to put things right with the world, well before you got here she gave me a speech about Kyle being a nice enough guy, but nice enough wasn’t good enough for me.”

“Did she mention Max Evans?” Alex smiled.

“Maria!” Liz exclaimed, turning to look specifically at her friend. “Max Evans doesn’t keep looking at me and he doesn’t have a thing for me and I would appreciate you not going round and telling people he does.”

Maria simply ignored Liz’s outburst and looked at Alex. “*cough* Denial *cough*” She rather unsubtly choked out.

Alex tried desperately not to laugh, although Maria seemed very happy to smile broadly at her own joke.

“So you think that’s funny?” Liz questioned her friend. “Well maybe while I’m dating Max, which you apparently so desperately want, maybe you can date his friend Michael Guerin and we can double?”

Miraculously Maria’s smile rapidly disappeared. “That’s not funny, Liz, not even in jest!”


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


Alex sat at his desk and stared at the blank piece of paper. After his long and frank talk with Maria he had said his goodbyes to the girl’s, promising Maria specifically that he would sort out his feelings for Isabel one way or the other, and returned home to give the matter some serious thought.

It didn’t take him long to realise that he couldn’t confront Isabel face to face and say what he wanted to say, that just wasn’t going to happen! He had toyed with the idea of phoning her, but that soon fell by the wayside as he was sure even if Isabel knew who he was, which wasn’t a certainty, she might not know him well enough to allow him to phone her out of the blue and simply start spouting how he feels about her.

That left the written word. With Alex being the man that he was and this being the 21st century that obviously pointed to email, but then again…no. Email is fine for keeping in touch with loved ones, whether it is over long or short distances and it is great for catching up with what your friends have been up to, but when it comes to something a little more intimate there was only one way to go…a letter.

That was why Alex was currently sitting alone in his room, his heart racing at a million beats a minute and his only companion a blank piece of paper. Slowly a thought began to dawn on him. In fact not so much a thought as an epiphany. He finally understood that no matter what he decided to say to Isabel, no matter when he decided to tell her, it was always likely to end up in the same result…rejection.

That realisation, coupled with the fact that it actually wasn’t about the outcome, but more to do with his good intentions that mattered. He didn’t expect anything from Isabel and he hadn’t set his heart on having any kind of relationship with her. Yes he fantasised about her, but he also fantasised about being the next Bill Gates and having more money than most western countries, but it didn’t mean he truly thought it would happen!

Alex took a deep breath, smiled to himself and picked up a pen. This was going to be so much easier than he ever believed it could be, he had nothing to lose. They weren’t friends and they were certainly never going to date, so how could he be worse off by doing this? The answer was he couldn’t.

Maria was right! They had been selling themselves short for too long. It wasn’t like he was going to be rude or creepy. He would simply say what was on his mind.

With his new found confidence Alex steadied his hand and started writing.

‘Without hope or agenda…’


To be continued…

[StargazerUK]

A/N: As promised.

And, Trude, as Kath has already commented, Yes I am off to Canada to visit her and her sister Allie. Who could resist a wonderful offer to visit Canada and be looked after by such lovely girl's? ( I have to be nice to them as they are taking me out to visit the woods and I am worried they might leave me out there if I'm not lol. )


Chapter 2


“Hey, Sweetie.”

Alex pulled his head from his locker where he had been in deep thought, trying to remember what books he needed for which classes, to find both Liz and Maria approaching him with broad smiles.

“We tried to call you last night but you weren’t picking up and when we called your mom to make sure you were OK she said you were busy and asked not to be disturbed.” Liz explained.

“Is everything alright?” Maria’s voice was full of concern. “It wasn’t my ranting and raving yesterday that caused your disappearance, was it?”

Alex looked at his petite friend and could already tell that she was no longer quite as adamant about her new outlook on life as she had been yesterday. “Please tell me you haven’t had a change of heart when it comes to your new view on life!”

“No!” Maria shook her head vigorously. “On the contrary, I’m more determined than ever, it’s just…” Maria suddenly trailed off and started to look a little sheepish.

“It’s just what?” Alex echoed.

“It’s just I realised last night while speaking to Liz that Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

“I knew it!” Alex exclaimed, making both girl’s jump. “You’ve had a change of heart.”

“I have not!” Maria stated defensively. “I believe as strongly today in everything I said as I did yesterday. How Kyle isn’t the right guy for Liz and how you need to sort out your feels for a certain you know who. The only thing that has changed is that I’m not entirely convinced that me leaping upon you and forcing my ideas into your head was the right way to go about it. As your best friend I should offer my opinion and my advice, but I shouldn’t get all upset if you choose not to take that advice, even if it would be the most stupid thing you have ever done!”

Alex quickly realised that he was doing to Maria exactly what Maria has been doing to him the day before. “I’m sorry, Maria.” He offered unexpectedly causing both girls to look at one another in surprise. “I’m doing exactly what you told me you were doing yesterday.”

Maria frowned. She had no idea what Alex was talking about. “And what exactly did I do?”

Alex smiled at his diminutive friend. “You told me yesterday, once you had started to calm down, that you had woken up with all these ideas and were determined for us all not to sell ourselves short, but then you realised that you were projecting your anger with regards these new feelings towards me and Liz. That’s why you were so determined yesterday for Liz and me to do something about our lives.”

“I did?” Maria initially asked in surprise before she caught herself and straightened up her stance. “I mean I did!” She stated firmly.

“And you’re doing the same now?” Liz asked in confusion.

“I am.” Alex nodded. “But the problem for you guys is that you don’t know what I did last night and you don’t know why I am feeling so nervous this morning.”

“And what exactly did you do, Alex?” Liz pressed her friend gently.

Alex paused for a moment as his two best friends hung on his every word. It was finally clear to him that they had picked up on his anxious state and they were now visibly concerned for him. All he had to do now was tell them about the letter he had written Isabel and the fact that he slipped it under her front door late last night.

“Well, you see I…” Alex finally began before being rudely and aggressively interrupted.

“What the hell is this?!”

Liz and Maria were almost forcibly thrown back against the lockers with the sudden arrival of what turned out to be the imposing figure of Isabel Evans. Before either could react to this abrupt intrusion and before Alex could reply to the initial question Isabel yelled again.

“I said, what the hell is this?” She repeated, this time with even more venom if that were at all possible. It was becoming clear that Isabel had something clasped in her hand and as she aggressively questioned Alex she was waving around under his nose.

Much to Liz and Maria’s surprise Alex dropped his head and took a more submissive stance. “I’m…I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for it to offend you.” He spoke quietly so that only Isabel, Liz and Maria, who were closest in proximity to him, could hear. However, that hadn’t been the case for Isabel’s outburst. She had drawn a huge crowd as the hallways before class were always busy and the possibility of a fight, or at the very least a slanging match, was too good for most onlookers to forgo. In spite of her actions drawing everyone’s attention to her Isabel didn’t look like she was going to back down anytime soon and by the looks of things she really didn’t care.

“That didn’t answer my question.” She continued. “I asked what this was and I want to know why you saw fit to give it to me.”

Before Alex could reply the small figure of Maria Deluca appeared in between Alex and Isabel. The last thing Alex saw before Maria turned to face Isabel was a smile, which really wasn’t a good sign.

“Now listen to me, Stretch.” Maria began, her voice steady and calm, which was another bad sign. In fact it was a very bad sign. Maria’s usual course of action was to speak first and think about it later. When she was slow, calm and collected it meant only one thing, she was in full control and someone had triggered one of her automatic responses. In this instance Isabel had unwittingly triggered the mother of all Maria’s automated responses…someone threatening her own! “I’m not sure what exactly is going on here and if I am completely honest I don’t really care. What I do know is that some snotty, stuck up prima donna has come waltzing in here shouting and yelling like she owns the place when she should be off somewhere polishing her broom stick.”

Isabel stepped forward to emphasis the height difference between the two girls. It was a tactic she had used before when trying to intimidate other girls, but despite the fact that she had a good seven or eight inches on Maria her tactic didn’t seem to be working if the look of disinterest on Maria’s face was anything to go by. Realising that just as she had a reputation around school, so did Maria Deluca she thought better of trying some more intimidation.

Eventually Isabel took a step back and returned her attention to Alex. “You had no right to do this, Whitman! You had no right to do this to me!”

“Isabel, I know Alex better than anyone and I can tell you that if he has done something to upset or offend you I am sure it wasn’t done deliberately.” Liz cut in, jumping to her friends defence. She glanced over at her closest friend and to her dismay rather than a nod of agreement or some comments of his own, Alex simply stood with his head held low. What Liz could see of her friends face was one covered in guilt. “What exactly is it that you think Alex has done?” Liz turned her attention to the piece of paper Isabel held in her hand. The same piece of paper she had waved under his nose when she first appeared. “What is that you’re holding?”

For the first time since his change in demeanour Alex sprang to life. At the very mention of what was that piece of paper Isabel was holding his eyes darted from Liz, to Isabel and finally to the piece of paper that she was holding. He was shocked to notice that when Liz spoke Isabel tightened her grip on the article in questioned and pulled it closer to her chest.

Alex was no longer sure what he was more concerned about. The fact that his little plan had spectacularly backfired and sent Isabel into a rage or the fact that his very private letter, that he only ever intended Isabel to see, was on the verge of becoming common knowledge and in turn making him the laughing stock of the school. Well that had been his fear until he saw Isabel’s actions of tightening her grip and making sure no one else got hold of it.

“What it is, is none of your business or anyone else’s for that matter.” Isabel suddenly stated, snapping Alex out of his daze, as she looked around at the gathered crowd, giving each and everyone of them a cold hard stare. “Maybe I’ve made a mistake by doing this here, but this isn’t over.” She stated firmly as her gaze finally came to rest on Alex, who automatically dropped his head again.

As Isabel turned to storm off Liz noticed two silent witnesses, who looked as surprised as anyone at Isabel’s outburst, watching from a far corner. First one and then the other turned to follow Isabel, the second pausing long enough to give Liz the briefest of smiles before he moved away.

“See.” Maria gave her friend a nudge. “I told you Max Evans likes you.”


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


“You have to tell us!”

“I don’t.”

“Alex, you do. I’m telling you that you have to tell us!”

“And I’m telling you I don’t.”

“Oh, for goodness sake!” Liz cried as she dropped her sandwich onto the tray. “Maria, if Alex doesn’t want to tell us what was in the letter he wrote then he doesn’t have to tell us and you sitting here and nagging at him isn’t going to get it done!”

“Nagging!” Maria repeated. “Why the hell does everyone keep telling me I am nagging? Moaning, I don’t mind. Whining, I could live with. God, you can even say I harass, but nagging is for old wives and I am neither old nor a wife.”

“Then stop behaving like one!” Alex cut in. Before Maria could launch herself at him Alex threw his hands up in a defensive pose. “I’m sorry, that was too easy and I couldn’t pass it up, but if it helps I didn’t mean it.”

“I do love you, you know?” His friend offered sweetly, apparently trying a different tack.

“It’s never gonna happen, Maria, but for the record I love you too.” He countered with a smile.

Alex took another bite from his pizza and simply watched as Maria sat with her arms folded across her chest in a defiant pose, a frown firmly fixed on her beautiful face. Since the encounter with Isabel earlier in the hallway the talk of the entire school was what had quiet, unassuming Alex Whitman done to so enrage Isabel Evans? With the whole school intrigued about what the mystery was between them heaven only knew how much Maria wanted to know what was going on. She was inquisitive to say the least when it came to other peoples lives and gossip in general, but when it was to do with her best friend her interest knew no bounds.

Finally Alex let out a heavy sigh as he wiped at his mouth with a napkin and pushed his tray to one side. “Do you really want to know what I wrote to Isabel?”

“Yes!” Maria replied instantly. Her frown gone and her body now leaning forward waiting for Alex’s next words.

“No.” Liz cut in. “Alex, you don’t have to tell us what you wrote. It’s clearly a very private matter and even though we are your closest friends there are certain things that should remain just between you and, in this instance, Isabel Evans.” Liz now turned her focus to Maria who was suddenly looking very crestfallen. “Maria, I know you better than anyone so I know exactly how much you wanted to hear what Alex wrote, but if you really think about it I don’t think you really want to know.”

“I do!” Maria started to bounce in her seat. “Liz, I really do.”

“You do?” Liz repeated slowly. “You want to know our best friends most personal thoughts about someone else? You want to know information that is clearly only meant to be known by Alex and Isabel? Keeping in mind that this is Alex we are talking about. He tells us everything, but we both knew that the time would come when there would be other people in his life other than us that he wants to be close to and share things with. I think if you are really honest with yourself I think you might want to know what he wrote out of curiosity, but that in truth it really isn’t for us to know.”

With every single word Liz uttered Maria simply wilted in her chair. She had gone from overly keen and excited to completely deflated within the space of a few choice sentences from her best friend. “I hate it when you do that!” Maria stated dejectedly. “I was all happy to know and hadn’t really given the subject much thought, but then you and your conscience show up and ruin it for me. Do you know before I met you I lived life very happily without a conscience? Completely oblivious to the feelings of others, but now you’ve gone and ruined it all for me.”

“And we love you all the more for it.” Liz smiled at her friend before she turned her attention to her other friend who had been sat silent for awhile. “Are you going to be OK, Alex?”

“I think so.” He nodded although the smile that accompanied his nod was a little forced and both girls could tell. “It wasn’t as though I expected anything specific from Isabel once she read the letter, but what I didn’t expect was for it to upset her and send her into such a rage.” Alex paused for a moment and hung his head. “Now that I think about it I suppose I shouldn’t have expected anything other than how she reacted. How would you girls react if some guy you hardly know wrote you a letter telling you that you had no need to hide, that the world would be a better place if only you would allow yourself to be seen rather than be hidden away behind some façade that clearly wasn’t you?”

“Maybe that’s the problem.” Liz offered gently. “Maybe it isn’t just that you wrote a personal letter to Isabel. Maybe it’s that you said all the things she had been thinking, all the things that she had denied herself.”

Alex lifted his head and gave Liz a weak smile, thankful for the support. “But if I did that, if I did tap into Isabel’s hidden feelings haven’t I just reminded her of all the things she must hate about herself. If she is hiding away from everyone else there must be a reason and whatever that reason is it isn’t simply going to disappear because I wrote some letter.”

“So you are saying that rather than showing Isabel that there is someone else out there that knows who she truly is you’ve only reminded her that she is hiding her true self and must continue to do so.” Maria was trying to follow Liz and Alex’s train of thought. When they both nodded she knew she finally understood. “But then, at the same time, couldn’t your letter be telling Isabel that she has no reason to hide? I mean obviously in her eyes there is a reason that she is hiding, but it doesn’t necessarily make it a valid reason. Maybe all she needs is a gentle push in the right direction and she will come to understand that she can have friends, real friends who will love her no matter what.”

Liz and Alex exchanged a look, open mouthed. “All this from the girl who said relationships are best left on Beverly Hill 90210.” Liz offered in amazement at her friend’s sudden and very deep insight.

“Yeah, well…” Maria unexpectedly became a little coy. “I do pay attention when you two guys talk and maybe a little bit of your warm and fuzziness is rubbing off on me, which might not be a good thing.”

“Oh, it’s a good thing.” Alex offered. “It’s a very good thing.”

“So what will you do now?” Liz asked tentatively.

Alex frowned. “Do now? I hadn’t planned on doing anything. I’ve made my bed now I’ve got to lie in it. I’m sure I will be the laughing stock of the school for a week or two, but then it should all blow over. Plus it’s not exactly like it is the first time for me.”

“I think you should talk to her.” Liz continued.

“Isabel?” Alex almost choked out. “You think I should talk to Isabel? Isn’t that rather like poking the bear, pardon my poor choice of words. I think I have caused her enough pain and anxiety, which was the last thing I wanted to do so I am guessing the best thing is to leave well alone.”

“But your feelings haven’t changed!” Liz pressed. “What you wrote in your letter hasn’t changed just because it caused a reaction with Isabel. Worst case scenario is that you went about it the wrong way, but your intentions were good.”

“And we know what they say about good intentions…” When Alex saw the blank look on Maria’s face he could only smile. “The road to hell is paved with them.” He informed his bewildered companion.

“Well I think you may as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb.” Liz countered.

Once again Maria looked a little lost. “When exactly did we stop speaking English?”

“We are speaking English.” Liz laughed. “It just means that he’s already in trouble so he might as well finish the job. From the looks of things this morning Isabel couldn’t get any more upset with him.”

“Then why didn’t you just say that!” Maria cried as she threw her hands up in the air.

“I’m sorry.” Liz apologised. “I thought I did.”

Just then the bell sounded to mark the end of the lunch period. They collected their things and started to move back towards the main school building. “Will you at least think about it?” Liz asked softly, not wishing to harass her friend.

“Liz, I doubt that for the next few days I will think about anything else.”


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


Alex sat at his desk desperately trying to do his homework, but failing miserably. He had spent the entire evening simply going over the events of the day in his mind, time and time again. Sadly, the outcome never changed. He still made a fool of himself and Isabel was still really upset, which was the last thing he wanted.

He had even run through what Liz and Maria had told him about things not necessarily being as bad as he thinks and that maybe some good would come of this. The only thing he couldn’t agree with was for him to go round and speak to Isabel about it. Aside from not really being keen on the idea of receiving a slap to the face from any girl, let alone one he had a long standing crush on, he couldn’t get past the idea that it would only make things worse, which he really didn’t want to do right now.

“Alex, Honey.”

Alex heard a muffled cry emanating from down the hall. He stood up and moved to his closed bedroom door. When he reached it he pulled it open, stuck his head out and peered down the hallway. “It’s only 9:30 mom. I told you I am going to put the trash out before I go to bed.”

“That’s good to know, dear.” She called back. “But you have a visitor.”

Alex pulled his bedroom door closed behind him as he headed to the front door mumbling to himself. He was trying to decide which of his two best friends had decided to come and visit. Would it be Liz, who clearly only wanted the best for him, but was convinced confronting Isabel was the way to go. Would it be Maria, who in spite of herself really did want to know what was in that letter, but if it was Maria she would only be here to check he was alright and if he needed anything.

Alex came to an abrupt stop. What if it was Max Evans or even Michael Guerin? Come round to ‘sort him out’. He simply shook his head and shrugged as he continued to the front door. He’d never run from a fight and he wasn’t going to start now.

It was going to be Liz or Maria, he was sure.

“And what can I do for such a beautiful young lady on a night like to night?” He offered with a flourish as he turned the corner to see which of the girl’s had come to see him.

Alex came to a crashing halt.

“Erm…you could let me come in so I can talk to you.” Isabel offered softly, all the time fighting the urge to blush furiously.



To be continued…

[StargazerUK]

A/N: OK, here it is, the final part. I did say this was a very short story so three parts is about right. As I am off to Canada on Thursday I am posting his early as I have lots to do and I am worried I might forget to post this in the melee and we don't want that.

Rather belately, this story is for Pooh! I am reliably informed that her birthday is fast approaching, I believe I am not letting out any secrets when I say she will be 21...again! Pooh's a lovely lady who has been very kind and helpful to me, plus it's cheaper than a present! ( If only I were joking. )

I hope you enjoyed this short story and I wholeheartedly intend spending any down time in Canada working on some new stuff. I have my trusty laptop, assuming they let me take it on the plane, and my own Roswell goddess whose brains I intend to pick while I am enjoying the countryside. ( Kath, do you know what you have let yourself in for? lol. )

Take care and thanks very much for the feedback.

Cheers, David/StargazerUK


Chapter 3


“Isabel!” Alex called in shock. “I didn’t…I thought…”

“I take it you were expecting someone else?” She offered, finally putting Alex out of his stuttering misery.

“No… I mean yes!” Alex shook his head wildly. “What I actually mean is I had no idea who it was going to be, I simply assumed it was going to be either Liz or Maria, hence my comment about a beautiful young lady.”

When Isabel lifted one eyebrow in a quizzical gesture Alex realised that his last comment may have come across as anything but polite. “Not that you aren’t a beautiful woman…I just meant…”

“Isabel, is it?” Alex’s mom cut in to save her clearly befuddled son. She moved forward and took the statuesque blond gently by the arm and guided her further down the hallway, away from the front door and her blithering son. Alex watched motionless as his mom stepped in, receiving a warm smile from Isabel, as she welcomed the new visitor to their home. “You’ll have to forgive Alex, he doesn’t get many female visitors…”

“Mom!” Alex cried, but his mother simply ignored her son, clearly enjoying putting him through this awkwardness.

“…of course his best friends Liz and Maria, who are both very beautiful, young girls are over here all of the time, but they are used to Alex’s ways so they think nothing of it.”

“It’s really not a problem.” Isabel replied to her welcoming hostess. “I really should have called first and checked with Alex that it was OK for me to come over like this…”

“Nonsense, dear.” Mrs Whitman enthused. “You’re very welcome and you can come over here whenever you like, no need to phone before hand. Alex is almost always in.”

“Mom!” Alex cried again. “You’re killing me here!”

Pulling Isabel closer to her, Mrs Whitman leaned into her tall guest with a sly smile and whispered. “It’s one of the many perks to being the mother of a teenage boy, putting him through hell and embarrassing him in front of his friends, and especially female friends.” It was all Isabel could do not to burst out laughing after finding out this was all a little ruse by Alex’s mom to play a game on her son. “He’ll be mortified for a week so you mustn’t tease him too much.”

“I’ll try not to.” Isabel replied in equally hushed tones.

“When you’re quite finished, Mom.” Alex finally cut in.

“Sorry, sweetheart.” She gave her son a quick peck on the cheek before turning and giving Isabel a little wink that only she could see. “It was very nice meeting you, Isabel. You have a very beautiful name, which I won’t forget in a hurry having heard my son shriek it out at the top of his voice when you arrived.”

“It was very nice meeting you too, Mrs Whitman.” Isabel replied cheerily as Alex’s mom finally disappeared from view leaving the two of them alone at last.

“I’m sorry about that.” Alex offered nervously.

“Are you kidding?” Isabel countered. “I think your mom is lovely, she seems such fun and so sweet.”

“She is, but please don’t tell her I said that.” Alex nodded. “She seems to like embarrassing me a little too much for my liking. She’s forever making me uncomfortable in front of Liz and Maria.”

“I think it only shows how much she loves you and cares about you.” Isabel countered. “I’m lucky as I have great parents as well, which I know a lot of kids at our school don’t have. They either don’t have time for their kids or they simply show no interest.” When Isabel spotted how Alex was hanging on her every word she suddenly felt very self-conscious and dropped her head.

Alex noticed this and began to blush himself. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable, it’s just I didn’t expect to hear you speak so passionately about such things.”

Isabel lifted her gaze sharply. “What? You think I’m just some kind of airhead with nothing to say or no opinions of my own?”

“No.” Alex shook his head. “Not at all, why would you say something like that?”

When Isabel saw his reaction to her accusation she realised that she had gone too far. “I’m sorry, that was uncalled for. I’m so used to guys thinking I am just a pretty face or some kind of dumb blond that I find myself always on the defensive, which was completely the wrong thing to do here, please forgive me.”

“That’s OK.” Alex offered a brief smile. “I can only imagine what you have to put up with so you have no need to apologise. I think we come from the two ends of the spectrum. You, who walks around under everyone’s critical eye, your every move commented on and critiqued and then there’s me. If it wasn’t for Liz and Maria I don’t think anyone would know me at school.”

“I don’t believe that for a second.” Isabel stated quite forcefully. “We’ve been in the same grades for most of our schooling, Alex, and I know you have many friends.”

Alex paused for a moment before nodded in agreement. “In fairness you are right, I do have friends so in that respect I am lucky, but I think my comment was more directed at the fact that I walk around almost unnoticed. I should stress I’m not saying that is particularly a bad thing, I just meant we were looking at the middle ground from opposite ends.”

“Ahem!” A discreet cough interrupted the two as they continued to stand in the hall. They both turned towards the sound and found Alex’s mom leaning out from a side doorway. “Alex, your father and I have worked long and hard to provide you with the safest, most comfortable home we could possibly afford. Part of our plan was to have rooms other than the hallway to entertain our guests in. Now far be it for me to stop you both if you are happy where you are, but I thought I would make sure that you have offered Isabel a drink, something to eat and maybe somewhere to sit and talk other than the hallway.”

Once again Isabel had to stop herself laughing as she turned to look at the picture of awkwardness that now adorned Alex’s face. He, on the other hand, couldn’t decide if he should be more upset by the fact that his mom kept showing up and up staging him or by the fact that everything she had said was correct…what was he thinking?

Mrs Whitman discreetly backed away smiling.

“I’m sorry, my mom was right. Would you like something to eat or drink and more to the point would you like to go and sit down?” Alex offered in a rush. “We have most things, but if you want something we don’t have I can quickly run down to the store…”

“Anything will be fine.” Isabel interjected, stopping Alex mid-ramble. “Coke or Pepsi would be great.”

“That I can do.” Alex stated in relief. He was just about to head for the kitchen when he stopped himself. “Would you like to take a seat?”

“Do you have anywhere private so we can talk?” Isabel asked nervously, conscious of changing the light-hearted mood they had been in since she arrived.

“There’s the kitchen or the den, but my family might come in at any moment.” Alex offered frankly.

“What about your bedroom?”

Alex felt everything stop. He knew Isabel was simply asking about his bedroom for practical reasons and even if she had torn all of her clothes off and demanded to be taken to his room he was fully aware of the conversation he would soon be having with Isabel with regards his letter so he wouldn’t have been in the mood for fantasy thoughts now no matter what, but the fact remained that Isabel Evans had just asked about the possibility of the two of them going up to his room for a bit of privacy. It took every ounce of mental strength that Alex had to stop his mind from wandering and his skin from blushing, but somehow he managed it. “Sure. It’s down there, third on the left. I’ll just grab the drinks and join you.”

As he turned away he metaphorically slapped himself on the back, pleased with himself for holding it together under such difficult circumstances. Abruptly, in the middle of his celebrations, he came to a crashing halt. “Oh, God!” He stated out loud. “Where did I throw my dirty boxer shorts after my shower?”


Isabel pushed open the door slightly to check she had the right room. When she saw the bottom of a bed she at least knew she had found a bedroom, which was a start. She pushed the door open further and became more confident she had found the right room. It didn’t scream teenage boy at her, but then again neither did Max’s room. There was a PC with note books strewn all around the front of it, opened and with pages of hand written notes on view. Numerous CD cases lay around the room as well as there being several small shelves with lines of CD’s neatly arranged. In the corner on a small stand was a guitar. Isabel knew Alex was a musician and, according to the talk in the girl’s locker room, he was really quite a good musician, maybe just not quite rock star material.

Feeling something at her foot she looked down to discover what looked like a discarded pair of boxer shorts. Not exactly her first choice for what she would want to find in a strange boy’s bedroom, but in truth what did she expect? If someone had entered her room unannounced on almost any day of the week they would find clothes and underwear all over the place. Her mom was forever telling her to keep her room clean in case, that one time, when someone unannounced was dropping by.

With a discreet kick to the side she pushed the underwear under the bed. That would stop Alex feeling embarrassed about leaving them on open view and it would also count as her good deed for the day. Having thought about it she found herself lacking in that department today and saving Alex from a round of blushing would count. Plus she had to admit to a certain amount of relief to find that they were plain black ones. She hadn’t given Alex’s choice of smalls a lot of thought, but not finding them covered in cartoon characters was a definite plus.

The bedroom door swung open and a clearly concerned Alex came in carrying two glassed of cola. Isabel had to throw a hand to her mouth to disguise her smile as she watched Alex’s eyes involuntarily dart around the room, no doubt looking for those pesky boxers.

“Lost something?” Isabel couldn’t help but tease Alex, although he didn’t know she had found what he had been looking for.

“No!” Alex stated rather too abruptly. He softened his stance and gave Isabel a shy smile. “Just looking to make sure there wasn’t anything embarrassing lying around.”

“Nope.” Isabel shook her head gently as she slowly glanced around the room. “It all looks fine to me.”

There was a lull in the conversation and for the first time since Isabel had unexpectedly arrived both their minds turned to the obvious reason why she was there. After many years of being in the same schools and same grades, for Isabel to make her first visit to the Whitman house on the day after she received a very personal letter from Alex was too much of a coincidence. She was here to put Alex straight.

“I just wanted…” “Before you begin…” They both blurted out at once.

“I’m sorry, you go first.” Alex offered.

“No.” Isabel shook her head, but smiled gently. “It’s your house so you should go first.”

“I would say that you’re my guest, but we could be here all night so maybe I should go first.” Alex joked weakly. He stopped for a moment to take a deep breath, but also to steel himself for what he had no doubt was about to come. “I just wanted to start by saying I am so, so sorry. I know we don’t really know one another and I had no right to write that letter let alone give it to you, but you just have to know that I never meant to hurt you or embarrass you at any stage.”

“Did anyone else see it?” Isabel asked softly, the hurt now clear on her face, which mad Alex feel all the more remorseful for his actions.

“Absolutely not!” Alex stated forcefully. “I know you know that I am good friends with both Liz Parker and Maria Deluca, but they have no idea what I wrote and it was entirely my idea.”

“But they know you wrote me a letter.” Isabel’s comment was more a statement than a question.

“They do.” Alex nodded slowly. “But only in that they told me that I should make my feelings known to you and that…”

“You have feelings for me?” Isabel asked in surprise.

“No…wait!” Alex started to stutter and panic at one and the same time. “I don’t mean feelings in that sense. I mean that I’ve sort of known you a long time and I kinda like you and…”

“You mean like a crush?” Isabel was trying her best not to embarrass or offend Alex, but this was all new to her and she was just trying to get to the bottom of what was going on with Alex.

Alex suddenly stopped all his panicking and nervousness as he blushed and dropped his head. It became clear that he was gathering his thoughts as, after a few brief moments, he lifted his gaze and stared directly at Isabel. “There’s no way I am coming out of this without making us both feel weird and awkward and without you thinking I am some kind of loser. It seems my closest friends, namely Liz and Maria, have been aware of my feelings for you for quite some time.”

Isabel went to speak, but Alex lifted his hand gently to stop her as he gave her an affectionate smile. “It was slightly mortifying for me as I was totally unaware that I was being so obvious.”

“How long have you known you have had feelings for me?” Isabel quickly cut in before Alex could stop her question.

“Since the third grade.” Alex offered meekly.

“Eight years!” Isabel stated in amazement.

Alex simply nodded. “Round about that long, give or take.”

The conversation paused for a long moment. “Why didn’t you ever say anything to me?” Isabel asked gently.

Alex looked at Isabel and shrugged slightly. “Wasn’t exactly sure what to say.”

“Hello might have been a good start.” She pressed, trying not to upset Alex. She didn’t succeed.

“If I thought I could have gotten past the long line of boys who were constantly queuing up at your door I might have!” Alex stated defensively.

“That’s not fair and it’s also not my fault.” Isabel threw back, unsure how she became the culprit in this story.

Again they fell silent. Isabel glanced around and finally stepped back and lowered herself onto the edge of the bed to take a seat. Alex simply scrubbed at his face with his hands as he tried to recompose himself.

“As I started to say…” Alex continued. “…I have been what you might politely describe as being quite keen on you for a rather embarrassing number of years. Liz and Maria have often told me that, at the very least, I should go up and say hello, much as you just suggested, but as I said I didn’t quite know what to say, which is code for I couldn’t quite work up the nerve.”

“So what changed?” Isabel asked in a hushed tone.

Once again Alex shrugged. “I think I realised that I hadn’t exactly had any sort of relationship with you over these years so I really had nothing to lose. If I wrote this letter and you didn’t like it or agree with it what did I have to lose?” As he paused he turned to look away from Isabel as she was watching his every move. “The only problem was I hadn’t fully thought it through, as in how the letter would affect you. I thought, worst case scenario, you would laugh at me or even slap my face, but I never thought for a second that it would truly hurt or upset you.” Alex turned back to look at Isabel.” No matter what else you think of me you have to believe that.”

Isabel tried to give Alex a reassuring smile. “I do.” She nodded. “Despite my outburst earlier I didn’t, for one second, think you intended to hurt me.”

Alex frowned in confusion. “Then if you don’t mind me asking. If you never thought I meant to hurt you why were you so upset? Why didn’t you just laugh in my face or even give me a slap?”

It was Isabel’s turn to feel uncomfortable. She abruptly stood and started to move towards the bedroom door. “Look, I only came here to clear things up and I think we’ve done that so…”

“Isabel, wait!” Alex caught hold of Isabel’s arm firmly but gently as she moved away from him. When Isabel looked back at where he was holding her he quickly let go. “I’m sorry. I just don’t want you to leave like this.”

“I don’t know what you want from me, Alex.” Isabel pleaded.

“I don’t want anything.” He replied. “What I would like is to finish this conversation.”

Isabel turned back to fully face Alex. “What, you want me to suddenly open up to you and tell you my inner most secrets?”

“Yes, if you want!” Alex stated firmly. “But that’s not what I am expecting.”

“What are you expecting then?”

Alex took a step back to make sure he was no longer crowding Isabel. “I would really like to know what upset you so much about my letter. Was it a case of me being so wide of the mark that you couldn’t believe someone could be so wrong about you or was it that I was right?”

“So that’s it!” Isabel cried. “You just want to know if you were right, if you know me better than all the other boys!”

Alex shook his head vigorously. “That’s not what I am saying at all. This isn’t some kind of competition, I’m not looking to be a winner.”

“Then what?” She pressed.

“You’re clearly unhappy!” Alex blurted out before he could sensor himself and he could see his comment had hit its mark. “I promise I don’t mean that to hurt you and I don’t mean all your life is unhappy, but I see you at school or I see you out on dates and I honestly think I can see that you are unhappy. Tell me that I am wrong and I will believe you.”

Alex waited for some kind of retort, but none was forth coming.

“You live in a beautiful house. I know your parents are great people, they’re friends with my parents. Although I don’t know your brother Max very well I know him from some of my classes and just like you he is a straight ‘A’ student and very well liked. You’re always helping other people, I see you every year organising the Christmas pageant and also various food drives.” Alex explained. “But throughout all of that there just seems like something is missing.”

Isabel simply stared at Alex after his unforeseen speech. “And do you know what that missing thing is?”

“I haven’t a clue!” Alex almost made himself laugh with how honest a statement he just made. “I was hoping you could tell me.”

Isabel moved slowly back to the bed and retook her seat. To Alex’s relief she seemed to have lost the desire to storm out, but he didn’t know where they were supposed to go from here.

“All my life…” Isabel unexpectedly began. “I’ve been surrounded by family who loved me dearly, supported me unconditionally and I’ve wanted for almost nothing.”

Alex simply remained silent, but nodded in understanding.

“But ever since I have been in school I have always been part of the crowd that everyone else has wanted to join. It never came as any sort of effort to me. I was always invited to the coolest table at lunch, asked to hangout with all the most popular people and invited to all the right party’s.”

“But…” Alex pressed.

“But all the while no one ever took the time to get to know me, the real me.” Isabel turned her focus to Alex. “I don’t mean the inner me or any crap like that I mean the things you should look for and talk about with friends. I’ve never once been asked my opinion on anything that didn’t have to do with clothes or shoes. My so called friends laugh if I try to start a conversation that isn’t about whose party are we going to next or who is dating which football player and all the while I am supposed to simply stand there like a shop window mannequin looking pretty while saying nothing.”

“It’s like I said to you earlier, I can only imagine what you go through.” Alex offered gently.

“And what makes you so insightful?” Isabel asked with a slightly smile.

“Manners I guess, and Liz and Maria.” He quickly added. “You’ve met my mom and she’s simply the best mom in the world. I know most kids would say that about their moms but I think I actually might be right. She just always taught me to treat people with respect, value other people’s opinions and to not judge a book by its cover. If you couple that with the fact that I am best friends with Liz and Maria, two great girls by the way, you’ll understand why I am able to be nice to people and not expect money in return.”

Isabel smiled broadly at Alex joke comment as she stared at her companion for a moment. “So what do you think I should do?”

“You’re asking me?” Alex asked in surprise. Isabel simply nodded. “It might seem a little radical, but if you’re not happy with your friend’s maybe you could try finding some new ones.”

“Like you, maybe?” Isabel asked coyly.

“Look!” Alex stated sternly. “I knew there was no way that I was going to come out of this without looking like a loser, or at the very least like some kind of stalker, but there’s no need to be mean. I said I was sorry!”


“Alex…” Isabel called to her angered friend softly as she stood up. “…I wasn’t being mean and I am sorry if it seemed that way. I was being perfectly serious. If I am going to make new friends I need to make sure I find good ones and the word around school is that they don’t come much better than you.”

“Me?” Alex asked in surprise. “If that were true, which I don’t think it is, it will only be because Maria has gone round telling people that I am a great friend and threatening those that dared not to agree with her.”

“Oh, I can see that you and I are going to get on very well.” Isabel enthused. “We can compete over which one of us is the most insecure.”


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


“So I said to him, ‘listen buddy, if you don’t like the fries then don’t keep coming in here!’”

“And you wonder why my dad never makes you employee of the month!” Liz stated with a bemused smirk.

“Hey, I’m great with the customers!” Maria protested.

“And you’ll kill anyone of them that disagrees with you.” Liz joked in reply.

When she saw no reaction from her friend she thought she might have gone too far. “Ria, I was only joking. You shouldn’t take these things so seriously.” When for a second time she didn’t get any reply Liz knew something was wrong. It was then that she realised that her companion was no longer looking at her but past her and towards the entrance to the diner.

Liz turned around just in time to see the most unexpected of sights. As the door to the Crashdown was held open the statuesque figure of Isabel Evans stepped confidently through, closely followed by Alex who was wearing the biggest smile. Now that Liz thought about it Isabel seemed pretty pleased herself.

“Pinch me.” Maria stated in the middle of her stupor. “Oww!” She suddenly cried as she rubbed at her arm. “What did you do that for?”

“You asked me.” Liz stated matter-of-factly.

“I didn’t mean literally pinch me.” Maria moaned.

“Then make yourself clear next time.” Liz countered, all the while not taking her eyes of Alex and Isabel.

It was Maria’s turn to realise that her friend was distracted and it was only at the last minute did she realise what was going on. “Oh, no you don’t” She cried as she rushed after her friend who had gone to serve the newly arrived couple, and they did look like a couple.


Alex and Isabel were caught by surprise when they suddenly found two waitresses at their table ready to take their order. “It takes two of you?” Alex asked teasingly, although he knew full well why they were both there.

“We’ve had a few incorrect orders tonight so we are double checking ever new order.” Liz lied, not caring how transparent her lie was, she couldn’t get over the fact that it looked like Alex and Isabel were on a date.

“So what’s the story with you two?” Maria asked rather unsubtly.

“Maria!” Liz exclaimed.

“What?” She shrugged. “He’s our friend so we are entitled to ask.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Isabel cut in with a smile. “Alex and I have decided to be friends and as friends we are getting something to eat together.”

“How very ‘When Harry met Sally’ of you.” Maria let slip.

Isabel gave Alex a sly wink before looking at Maria. “Wasn’t it your idea that Alex and I become friends?”

“Well I wouldn’t say that.” Maria replied bashfully. “I just said…”

“Thanks.” Isabel smiled broadly. “I really appreciate it.”

“It was nothing.” Maria stated, rather embarrassed by the attention.

“So…” Liz cut in. “…food?”

“I’ll just have a soda and some fries.” Isabel asked politely.

“The usual.” Alex replied nonchalantly.

“You have a usual?” Isabel asked in surprise.

“He eats here a lot.” Maria offered.

“Much like my brother.” Isabel countered as she nodded to the far corner.

All four turned to see Max Evans and Michael Guerin, who had clearly been looking over at the group, suddenly avert their gaze and return their attention back to their food.

“You’re right, he does eat here a lot, more than Alex in fact.” Maria slowly turned to look at her best friend. “It’s as though he likes something or someone here even more than the food.”

“We’ll just get your food.” Liz stated abruptly as she spun away and headed towards the kitchen.

Maria glanced down at the seated couple and smiled broadly. “One down and one to go.”

When Maria trailed off after her friend it left Alex and Isabel alone. They sat silently for a moment, both lost within their own thoughts.

“Will Max mind?” Alex asked out of the blue. When he saw the confused look on his companions face he continued. “I mean about you eating with me?”

Isabel shook her head with a slight smile. “No, other than him being surprised that I am out with a nice guy for a change he won’t mind at all.”

The silence descended once again and it became apparent to Isabel that there was something wrong with Alex. “Is it something you want to talk about or are you going to keep it to yourself?”

When Alex looked up he was glad to see Isabel smiling at him, her words were clearly said in jest. “It’s a little uncomfortable to talk about, but I was just thinking that at any turn now you will think I am after you in someway or looking to pursue you.”

“Where on earth did that come from?” Isabel asked in shock.

“I just mean this whole thing started out with me telling you how I felt about you and all my private thoughts about you and I have just realised that I have put you in an impossible position.” Alex confessed.

“Alex, how can you not think that me knowing that you like me is a good thing? Of course I want you to like me.” Isabel tried to reassure her new friend.

“But didn’t you just say that you were fed up of friends and dates simply taking you for granted and not seeing you for who and what you really are?” Alex argued.

“Yes, I did.” Isabel conceded. “But if it’s any consolation to you, Alex, you have paid more attention to me and taken in more of what I have had to say this past hour than anyone else has done in the last six months or my last twenty dates.”

“Really?” Alex asked in surprise.

“Really.” Isabel confirmed. “As for your worry about me thinking you are pursuing me…what are you doing Saturday night?”

“Nothing, why?” Alex stated, oblivious to where Isabel was going with this line of questioning.

“Oh, I just wondered if you would like to go out on a date with me.”

Alex froze. “What?” He finally blurted out. “You want to go on a date, with me?”

Isabel simply nodded. “No pressure. We can get dinner and see a movie if you would like.”

“I’d like that.” Alex stated honestly. “I’d like that very much.”

“Good.” Isabel smiled. “Now how about you come round and sit this side of the table before the food turns up, a girl could get lonely sitting here on her own.”


The End.