Chapter 30
A year later, on the anniversary of Liz’s departure, the group gathered it Max’s apartment. Yes, Max had moved out, somewhere around Christmas and only three months later, he celebrated his 18th birthday. It was pretty much the size of Michael’s bit maybe a little more better organised. Anyway, the group gathered about a week later. As everyone arrived and found him or herself a place to sit, Max took a moment to look around the room.
His sister and Rath were now living in Santa Fe where Isabel already began her medicine university. And to add on that, the couple eloped as soon as his sister did turned 18. They did it in Las Vegas but Max insisted on three things. Not in Elvis’s chapel, not in Phoenix and not I shall believe. They did as told and had the group meet them in Santa Fe. It was actually how they decided on that place to live. Isabel had offers from all parts of the country. But Santa Fe won her over.
Maria and Michael were still in Roswell, working in Crashdown. During the summer, Maria was offered a record deal and the two went to New York but she soon realised that she couldn’t do it the way they wanted her. So they came back. Jeff Parker didn’t mind it. He took them back with open arms. They had another year to finish in West Roswell High and with Maria’s strong arm, she was able to keep Michael seated down and head in the books so he will be finishing with all of them.
Alex and Tess. Alex already was accepted to Las Cruses. The two agreed that he would go but Tess would stay. She had no intention of actually going to collage, which surprised the young alien king. But he decided not to get into with their personal life. Michael had already tried doing it and ended up being in a fight with the girl that he considered his baby sister.
Kyle was taking up mechanics lessons along with school and working as something like an apprentice in a garage. Nikki, thanks to Vince, transferred schools here and was working hard to do great so she could go to the school of her choice, in Art. Max knew only so little in it.
Zan and Serena. Zan had no intention of going to school so he spent most of his days, doing nothing in the house because he couldn’t really get a job and be seen during the day when Max was supposed to be in school. The two agreed to tell the Evans’s. But they knew they needed a whole lot then just ‘this is my duplicate, mom and dad’. Serena was, along with school, singing with Jim Valenti’s band.
Speaking of Jim Valenti, everyone’s favourite sheriff got fired last year when the incident with Laurie Dupree happened. Michael learned about his human origins and the sheriff became the ex-sheriff. He didn’t hold it against the kids in any way. Instead, he formed his band.
Then finally, Max. Max, Max, Max. What could be said about the young man? After Liz left, he spent most of his time, in books, work and worrying about everyone. Then there was the constant journal update. He never dated, eve though girls threw themselves at him. One day, during lunch a group of girls gathered around them, wanting Max’s attention. Pam Troy was in front of them all, wanting him all for herself. Serena felt sorry for him so she just got up and kissed him in front of everyone. At first, he was taken by surprise but it seemed like she was telling him with her mind what she was doing so he relaxed. Of course, there was Zan to explain it to later.
“Max, I have to get back and study. Can we hurry this up.” – Isabel rushed her brother back to reality. He looked at her and nodded. –“Alright, thanks for coming, guys. I’m sorry that we drifted in the last few months.”- he paused, thinking for a second. –“Maxwell, ya out of words or what?” – Michael cut in and everyone looked at him.
“Look, guys, it’s been a fucked up year, which we all know. We’ve all been here and we’ve seen it through, kicking their asses so bad that they didn’t know what hit them. And I say, hip hip hooray for us. But we still have another year ahead. She’s gona be back then and I’m sure she’ll expect progress. And not just in schooling and jobs but also in the way we are to each other. This whole drifting apart sucks and she won’t like it, No, she won’t like it all. So how do you suggest we change it?” – Michael looked at Max for the approval of his words and got a nod. He then looked at everyone else.
“He’s right.” – Nikki suddenly spoke, for the first time. But what Max noticed then was that she wasn’t the one speaking. Her eyes were in the colour of the granolith. It had been a year since she felt any kind of connection with it. And suddenly, it was using her to talk. She stood up and looked all of them. –“She has had a hard enough time as it. With all that takes her time. The good and the bad. Mostly, the bad. When she comes home, in the following year, she will want family and the warmth of her friends. Being divided is not good. It will not bring her any kind of peace.”- Max noticed that the others realised that they understood who or what it was now. –“And she will need each and every one of you.” and with that, she was gone, who ever it was that spoke to them. Max could only assumed that it was Liz’s birthmother again.
“We know she’s right. But what do we do about it?” – Alex said as Tess adjusted in his lap, rested her head on his right shoulder. He had his hands wrapped around her stomach. Everyone looked at Max. –“We spend more time together.”- he said simply. –“We talk.”- he looked at each and every face in the room. –“We listen.”- another pause. –“And finally, we respect each other more.”- he concluded. His friends nodded.
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so much has happened lately, Liz. On the anniversary of your departure, I call all of them to come. Or most of them. Ava and Vince are on their vacation in Florida now so they didn’t come. Let’s start from the basics. First, Isabel and Rath eloped. No Elvis chapel, no Phoenix and no ‘I shall believe’, no worries. They’re in Santa Fe now and Isabel’s doing great in school. Who would have thought? Medicine! Michael and Maria are back. Maria’s record deal didn’t work. Something about them wanting her to do a different kind of music and she wouldn’t do it. We’re all glad for her because, she doesn’t have to give up her music for them. And she didn’t. So they’re back here, right as they left things. Your dad let them work in the Crash again. Which wasn’t a surprise much, to be honest.
Kyle seems to be doing well in mechanics. I don’t understand why he wants to do it at the same with school but that’s not my business. Vince got Nikki transferred to West Roswell High and she’s doing good in school. I think she’s going to ace the Art dream. You won’t believe Tess! She’s not going to collage! Could you believe that? Alex is already invited to Las Cruces but she’s staying in Roswell. I was going to talk with her but Michael did it already and it was ugly. Ugly with a capital U. So I ran and hide like a good little king.
Zan has a pretty non-busy life. He can’t really be out since I’m in school. So it can cause problems. We’re gonna be telling our mom and dad about him soon, Isabel and I. Wish us luck. After the whole thing with Laurie Dupree, wrote you about it before, the sheriff got fired. But he seems all right. He started his own band and Serena’s his singer. From time to time, it gets really creepy. Or at least, that’s what Kyle says. Thank God that Zan doesn’t see them or Valenti would be dead. Speaking of dead people, I should probably mention that Serena kissed me a while back. Easy, girl. It was just a kiss, I swear. A bunch of girls were gathering around me, Pam Troy shot gun so she kissed me to get them off my back. I doubt Pam Troy got the message but what every. It was bad when she told Zan. I don’t think he’s forgiven me yet. On some nights, I lock myself in my place and Zan and Ser go out to be seen. I don’t see how that can work since he has long hair but it seems to be working just fine!
Where was I? Oh right. Like I said Ava and Vince couldn’t make it. They’re in Florida. My dad gave Vince a week off. Wait, did I tell you? Vince got a job as a lawyer. It seems he beat a sure winner, some guy name Jesse Ramirez. Serena commented that it was good that neither Iz nor Lonnie were here since he’s their type. What are they talking about? Anyway, Vince seems to be a great lawyer. My dad thanks me every time he sees me. All I do is smile.
Your mother was here, on the meeting. Or at least I think it was she. One of them took over Nikki to tell us you were coming. To tell us that it’s bad up there. It makes me worry even more. What’s going on up there? I can’t stop to wonder. I miss you. I miss you so much Liz. Sometimes I can’t sleep for hours when I think about you. Other nights I dream just about you. I have a new favourite song. It’s called ‘I don’t wana to miss a thing’ by Aerosmith. It’s appropriate, don’t you think? I love you. Never forget that.
Max closed the black journal and took a deep breath as the music on his headphones finished. ‘I don’t wana miss a thing’ was really is favourite song and he listened to it all the time. It seemed so perfect for him. He rubbed his eyes and put the journal on the night stand next too his bed. Adjusting himself, he lay his bed on the pillow and closed his eyes, drifting to sleep right away.
[Dream]
He walked through a long hallway, unsure where he was going. He seemed to be in the body but he wasn’t in control. He stopped in front of a large mirror, to look at himself. He stared in shock at the image ahead of him. He looked almost like him. Well, he looked much more like Zan because of the longer hair. But then it hit him, it was Zan. Just not the Earth one. He smirked at the sight of him and continued to walk.
He arrived to a huge set of doors and pushed them open, entering something that seem to be like a closed garden. He walked quietly through the trail, like he was lurking. Then suddenly, he was on the ground and laughing so hard. When the creature about him stopped, he looked at it. It was beautiful. She was beautiful. She had the most perfect face, black eyes and beautiful long brown hair. He knew who it was, from deep inside him. He felt himself smile.
“My my, princess, looking more beautiful each time I see you.” – he told her. She blushed. –“You’re just saying that, your highness.”- she said getting up. He sat up first and then got up, dusting himself. He looked back at her, the glass roof let the midnight light come in. From something that seemed to be the moon. And she was glorious like that. –“Ellie, how many times have I told you?”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m supposed to call you Zan.” – she interrupted him. He smirked shaking his head. –“Have you ever considered I call you like that as you call me princess?”- she said, getting close to him and resting his hands on his chest as he wrapped his arms around her waist. Moving her hands around his neck, he nodded. –“You like i when I call you princess-”- he informed her. She stuck out her lower lip pouting as she looked down for a second before looking back into his eyes. –“You don’t like my pet name for you. I’m hurt, Zannder.”- she said with a sad tone of voice.
He moved to her and kissed her nose gently before moving his lips over hers. He gently brushed her lips with his before he kissed her again, she let him kiss her with his tongue this time. As they parted, she smiled. –“Anything you do, I love, princess. I’m sorry.”- he told her and she giggled.-“What’s so funny?”- he asked suspiciously.
“Don’t ever apologize. It doesn’t work for you.” – she said and continued to giggle. –“Is that so?”- he asked her. She nodded. –“It is.”- he nodded too. –“I see.”- he said and kissed her again. Something about it reminded him of him and Liz but he wasn’t sure what. –“I love you, Ellie.”- Zan said.
The young girl looked at him for a second. She adored him and her eyes didn’t hide it. Finally she smiled. –“I love you too, Z.”- she told him and she kissed him.
[End Dream]
Max woke up and looked around the room. The light by his bed was still on. When she looked at the alarm clock on the table, he realised it was only a half an hour later. And he was wet in sweat. Sitting up, he rested his elbows on his knees and dug his head in his hands, not understanding what this meant. Finally he got up and walked into the kitchen and got himself a glass of water, his mind still thinking about the dream. He wondered if it even was a dream. He finished the glass and walked out of the kitchen and then paused. He had to know if it was real or not. He walked into his bedroom and put on a t-shirt and shoes and took his car keys.
Outside of his apartment, he got into his car and drove to the dupe’s house. As he arrived there, he parked the car and walked to the doors, ringing the doorbell. As soon as he did, he realised he shouldn’t have. It was in the middle of the night. He saw the light come on and then Serena opened the door in her robe. She could barely see. –“This better be good, Maxwell.”- she warned him and let him in. –“I really need to talk to Zan.”- he simply said. She nodded, waved him into the living room, closed the doors and left him there.
By the time he came into the living room, Zan came out, wearing only the pants of his PJ’s. He rubbed his eyes and looked at Max, half-asleep and half angry. –“This better be life and death, Evans.”- Zan warned him. Unlike Serena, Zan was someone to take serious. Max sat down and nodded. –“I had a dream.”- he started.
“WHAT?” – Zan yelled. –“What?”- he hissed, knowing that Serena wanted to sleep. He sat on the armchair across him. –“Ya out of yar fucking mind?”- he hissed again at his dupe.
“Zan, please.” – Max pleaded him. He needed to know. Zan nodded after a few seconds. –“I had a dream tonight but I don’t think it was a dream. I think it was a memory. Of that Zan.”- he whispered. Zan seemed far more awake now. –“What was it?”
“It was in some kind of inner garden.” – he said certain that it was enough information. Zan raised his eyebrow. –“Max, that was our favourite place with Ellie. Ya gonna have to do better then that.”- he told him. Max was surprised but nodded.
“I was Zan. He looked himself in the mirror and then walked in. She crashed into him and tickled him. Then she called him ‘your highness’ and he told her he didn’t like it.” – Max talked, remembering as much as he could. –“She pouted and then he told her he loved her.”- he finished. Zan nodded, remembering. He smirked.
“Oh, yeah, I remember that. She was all surprised once I said it.” – Zan spoke in the first face. –“So, you remember all of that?”- Max asked. Zan nodded slowly. –“We always have. I think Liz knows too, I just never said it. I couldn’t.”- he admitted.
“Why did we, you, he, I don’t know . . . pick Ava?” – Max finally asked. He needed to know. Zan rubbed his eyes and looked away. –“Ava was more powerful then Ellie ever knew.”- he finally started. Max was silent, listening. –“It turned out that they were some kind of long distant relatives. One of her mother’s brothers mated with a slave girl and he was thrown out of da family. Then da kid married some royalty from another planet and you get Ava.”- he paused taking a deep breath. Looking down, he shook his head and put his hands over his head.
Looking back at his dupe, he continued. –“I didn’t know this until Ava, my Ava told me.”- he explained in the middle of the story, referring the Ava in his royal four. Max nodded. –“But she mindwarped me. Da first time I saw her, in the lake, she was beautiful. I won’t deny that. I felt something familiar in her. I know now. She comes from the same line of women as Ellie does. As much as Ellie has dark hair and eyes, Ava had light hair and eyes.”- another pause. –“That day I told Ellie I never wanted to marry any other woman but her. And I didn’t lie. But da next morning . . . da next morning when I woke up, I was in love with Ava. I had no idea how it happened. Part of me still cared about Ellie but it was Ava.” – a pause with a sigh.
Max observed his duplicate. He seemed devastated by the story. It hurt him to but it seemed to effect Zan more. More, because he had to live with it all these years. He moved his hand and put it on Zan’s shoulder. When the more alien king looked at him, he got a nod of gravitate. Zan then talked on. –“Two nights later, I talked to my father and he announced that I’ill marry her. I took her to da glassed garden then-”- he stopped talking like he couldn’t speak anymore. And he couldn’t. Because what he was about to say, was the ultimate truth of what he had done to the woman he loved.
But when he looked at Max, he knew he had to continue. –“I took her there and I kissed her. I’m not sure if even wanted. But it was like, I had to. Ellie seen us that night. Which I didn’t know then. God, I didn’t know so much. And I hurt her so bad.”- he said, shaking his head again.
“We both did.” – Max suddenly said. –“You had to carry the memories and it was worse for you. But it hurts her too. So much. Not knowing what he turned from her.”- he told him, getting his attention. –“Zan, sometimes, when she looks at me, she looks at me and sees that Zan. Mostly in the eyes, she said.”- he informed him. Zan nodded.
