Roswell Fanatics

Well it's update time again.

Thank you for your feedback as always its really appreciated.

Ginger: Yes I agree with you, Amy is a saint and as the storyr progresses I'm sure you'll think that time and time again.

Carolyn: My motto is 'Always be prepared'

OK so on to......

Chapter 11.

5 minutes earlier, down in the basement, Kyle and Max were playing on a games console whilst Isabel and Tess sat gossiping and Alex and Liz were over by the bar, discussing the strangeness of their involvement with this group.

When Michael and Maria had disappeared upstairs Kyle had increased the volume of the stereo knowing Maria could be loud even though there were 2 floors between them. A disadvantage of having a room near hers and he also felt the need to protect Liz’s virgin ears.

So at first no one noticed a cell ringing until there was a brief pause in the music. Tess looked wildly at her bag. “That’s my cell,” she said, jumping up from her place on the couch to grab her bag. She looked quizzically at her phone and flipped it open.

“Hey Mom,” she said. She listened to her mom.

“Yeah he’s here,” she said,

"No I don’t know why,” her eyes flashed at her audience. She listened some more.

“Em…” she looked wildly at everyone, “he’s in the bathroom right now.” She shook her head, rolling her eyes.

“OK, I’ll tell him. Bye Mom.” She closed her phone.

“Michael’s not answering his phone,” she said.

“I wonder why,” Max quipped.

Isabel rolled her eyes.

“Ermm, I have to get Michael. He’s needed at home, right now,” Tess said with fear in her voice.

Kyle laughed. “Good luck with that."

“No seriously,” Tess cried.

“Mom’s having trouble with Tommy and Michael’s the only one who can get through to him when he’s like this,” Tess looked worried.

They all turned to Kyle. He held up his hands.

“Hey I’m not going up there. I prefer my balls to stay where they are.”

“Kyle, please,” Tess begged.

Kyle shook his head as he stood up. “The things I do for this women,” he mumbled. “Ok, but you have 911 on speed dial right.”

He looked at Isabel. “If I don’t make it, you can have my car,” he joked.

“Hey thanks,” Isabel beamed.

Kyle walked to the stairs dejectedly and then he turned before he took the first step.

“It’s been nice knowing you all,” he said, and then he started up.

“He’s joking right,” Liz said quietly, “Michael won’t actually hurt him.”

Isabel laughed. “I’m not sure if it’s Michael or Maria he’s more scared of.”

****************

Michael stretched his arm out to Maria’s bedside cabinet, groping for the drawer.

“You’ll have to move, Spaceboy,” Maria giggled, though her thighs clamped onto his where he nestled between her legs.

“Nuh uh, Blondie. I’m never leaving this space again,” he said, an expression of concentration on his face.

Maria laughed. “Well that’ll make school more interesting.”

Michael’s fingers blindly hit the handle of the drawer and he pulled it open.

“Front or back?” he asked her, turning his head a fraction to look at her.

Maria raised her eyebrow with a wicked smile and twinkling eyes.

“Geez, woman,” he said bewildered at where her thoughts were. “Front or back of the drawer,” he clarified.

“Front,” she said simply, her smile remaining.

Michael dipped his hand in and hit a box almost immediately. Maria chuckled again when he stretched impossibly further, delving his fingers into the box but not quite making it.

“Fuck it,” he said and pulled the whole box out. The condoms went flying into the air, one miraculously landing on Maria’s chest.

“Well would you look at that,” she laughed.

“It’s fate baby,” Michael echoed her laugh, grabbing the foil packet and dipping his head to pull a nipple into his mouth again.

Maria purred under him as she brought one leg up and wrapped it around his hip, rubbing his ass with her calf. She took the packet from him, as he was preoccupied with her breast, and brought it to her lips and tore it open.

“Shit Maria,” Michael said, releasing her nipple when he saw her open the packet. “You’re so fucking sexy.”

Maria smiled a stunning smile that made his heart flutter. She glanced down at him. “You want me to?” she indicated to the condom and his dick.

Michael swallowed hard. “Sure,” he squeaked out.

There was a hard knock at the bedroom door, and Michael’s head shot up to look at the offending piece of wood.

“Fuck off Kyle,” Maria called out, her eyes still on Michael.

“Sorry Jailbait,” Kyle’s voiced filtered through the door, “Michael’s Mom’s been calling. He’s needed at home.”

“Shit,” Michael moaned, his head resting against Maria’s neck.

“Something about Tommy,” Kyle added.

Michael looked back at the door accusingly as Maria sighed and lowered her leg. Michael sensed her frustration.

“No,” he said grabbing the condom from her. “No, we’ll be quick.”

Maria raised her eyebrow at him.

“It’s not gonna happen is it?” he said in a sad, whiny voice.

Maria smiled and shook her head.

“Fuck,” Michael cried out.

Maria pulled his lips to hers and kissed him passionately, winding her arms around him and pulling him tightly to her. He pulled away from her and rested his forehead against hers. “We’ll finish this another time,” he said softly.

“That we will,” she agreed with a tender smile.

“Michael?” Kyle called through the door again.

“I’m coming,” Michael growled harshly.

“Don’t need to know that,” Kyle chuckled as he turned to return downstairs.

Michael looked down once more at the naked girl beneath him. “Fuck,” he said again.

“Tommy better be dying ‘cause I’ll kill him if not.” Then he rolled off her.

“Sorry about the mess,” he said pulling his boxers on and indicating to the condoms lying everywhere.

“Don’t worry about it,” Maria said, waving her hand at him, also climbing off the bed. She walked over to a drawer and pulled some sweat shorts out, as Michael tugged on his jeans. He grabbed his t-shirt as Maria looked at her clothes thrown around the floor.

“Babe, you’re gonna have to put some clothes on. I need for M.P. to disappear enough to fasten my jeans,” he said, looking at her glorious body, his eyes telling a different story. Maria smiled at his use of her name for his dick.

“Where did you fling my panties, Michael?” she asked, her eyes searching the floor.
Michael looked around the floor too.

“I don’t know. My mind was elsewhere at that moment. Put another pair on,” he said with a sly smile.

Maria just pulled her shorts on without any panties and bent to pick up her top. Michael couldn’t resist the call of her ass and tenderly reached out to caress her glorious butt. She turned her head from her bent position and smiled at him as she stood, putting her top back on, leaving her bra, wherever that was.

“Better,” she said striking a pose for him.

“Hardly,” he said gathering her in his arms. “I know what’s under there now. And I know you’ve got no underwear on. That’s hot. I could just slip my hand in,” and to demonstrate, his hand shot beneath the waist of her sweat shorts and his fingers automatically sank into her wet folds.

“So wet,” he smiled.

“Your fault,” she said softly, rocking an inch into his hand.

“Michael!” Tess’ voice shrieked from the foot of the stairs.

“Now that’s killed the moment,” he said low. Maria laughed and pulled his hand from her shorts.

“Go home Michael,” she said with a smile.

Michael returned the smile as he stuffed his hard length into his jeans with a wince.
Maria winced with him as she ran her fingers through her hair trying to give it some sort of order. She watched him put his sneakers back on and then followed him out her bedroom and down the stairs.

They all were standing by the front door, when Michael and Maria finally joined them; Liz as red as a beetroot and Max smirking.

“We’re gonna leave too,” Isabel informed Maria.

“Can you drop Liz off, Max,” Maria asked.

Max smiled at Liz. “Sure, come on Parker,” and he walked her to his car.

“We’ll talk later,” Isabel winked at Maria. “Bye, thanks for the pizza,” she called out.

They all moved outside as these three left.

“I’m home bound too,” Alex said, “but Maria can I pick your brain later for ideas for Mr. Harris’ assignment?”

“Sure,” Maria said, her voice wavering slightly, her eyes flickering to Kyle who was saying goodbye to Tess. “Maybe this weekend,” she offered.

“Great,” he said and waving to the others he walked over to his house.

Michael turned to Maria. “Sorry Blondie,” he said with a smirk.

“Don’t worry, we’ll make up for it next time,” she promised. “At least we found some release, right” she said with a smile.

“Shit yeah, but Maria one look from you and I’m right back where I started.” He pulled her back to him and sure enough his erection had only minimally deflated.
Maria chuckled low in her throat and lifted onto her tip toes and kissed him with all the passion she felt.

“Michael,” Tess called from the car. He threw her the car keys and turned back to Maria.

“I’ll call you later ok,” he said, as he placed a piece of hair behind her ear, then cupped her cheek with his hand.

“Ok,” she whispered and she turned her head and kissed the palm of his hand. He captured her lips one more time in a sweet gentle kiss.

“Bye Kyle,” he called as he walked down to the car.

“Later Michael,” Kyle called out with a wave of his hand.

Maria watched as he climbed into the car and Tess started it up, and then she gasped in surprise as Michael held up her panties, hooked onto his little finger, a wicked grin on his face as they sped off down the street.

“Little fucker,” she said with a slight smile.

“Are they your….” Kyle asked.

“Yeah,” she said turning and entering the house.

Kyle laughed as he followed her.

“So you and Guerin,” he said, still following her as she entered the kitchen.

“Yeah,” she smiled. “Is it the weekend yet?”

Kyle laughed. “No, it’s Wednesday, Einstein. Why?”

“I need a beer,” she whined.

Kyle laughed harder. “Was it that bad?” he asked.

“What! Shit no, though we didn’t actually get to the final act,” she said with a smile.

“What, no fucking?” he stated, shocked.

“No,” she said sadly.

“What the fuck were you doing up there, you were gone for over an hour,” Kyle asked and then he looked at Maria, totally shocked. “You weren’t actually doing homework were you?”

“Hell no, Kyle.” Maria smiled mischievously at him. “Greasing the wheels!”

“Shit Deluca,” he said, with exasperation. “How the hell did you end up MY step sister.”

“By the grace of God, Kyle, by the Grace of God.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thursday 1st break found Maria in Michael’s arms in the eraser room.

“So yesterday was pretty intense,” Michael said between sucking on Maria’s neck.

“Yeah,” Maria sighed. “And Tommy’s ok?”

“Yeah,” his hips found hers again. Maria moaned into his mouth, Michael’s tongue slowly caressing hers, a hand on her cheek holding her in place. She distantly heard the 1st bell, and groaned, not from Michael’s movements but from the knowledge they needed to go to their next class.

Michael felt her frustration and he pulled away from her, “Let’s skip our next class. I hear the sports equipment shed is very accommodating.”

She laughed at him. “Michael, it’s my first week and I don’t need a detention; I have to practice after school for that stupid thing tomorrow.”

“Hey, football’s not stupid,” he retorted.

“Says the jock, and I was actually talking about the cheerleading, not the football.”

Michael pulled away from her. “You like football?” he asked hopefully.

‘God no! I like the tight pants,” she said with a wicked smile.

“You’re so bad,” he grinned before he kissed her again.

“And why did you want me to cheer tomorrow?” she asked when he had finished kissing her thoroughly.

“Because of the uniform,” he laughed.

“Exactly,” she said with a smile.

They listened as the second bell rang.

“Shit Michael, now we’re late,” she said as she grabbed her bag and burst out of the small room.

They emerged into a deserted corridor.

“Which way you headed?” Michael asked.

“That way,” Maria answered, pointing down the corridor, over her shoulder.

“OK, I’m going the other way,” Michael said.

“Ok,” and Maria turned to go. Michael stopped with a hand to her arm, “I’ll see you at lunch?” he asked.

She smiled coyly at him. “Of course, I brought extra today. I’m fed up with you eating all my lunch.”

“You’re learning,” he said with a smile. “That’s my girl.”

Before Maria could answer him, he swiftly kissed her once more and left.

Maria watched as he sauntered down the corridor, his words echoing in her head – ‘That’s my girl.’

In a daze she turned and walked to her next class.

‘That’s my girl!’ Was she, was she Michael’s girl? The whole concept was crazy, even to her. Did she consider herself Michael’s girl after only 4 days of knowing him? Sure they’d fooled around yesterday, but that didn’t mean they were suddenly dating, did it?

She’d done plenty of fooling around without dating in the past. But she had to admit, Michael was different. She couldn’t wait to see him, she ached for his touch, she cherished her name on his lips and it didn’t hurt that he was hot, with a capital H. Make that capital H O T!

She stood outside her next class, her head aching slightly. Maria recognized the beginnings of a migraine, the one thing that could debilitate her. She cautiously peered through the small window in the door.

In the class, Kyle looked up instinctively and saw Maria at the window. His eye brows burrowed slightly at the pinched look on her face.

Maria caught his eye and saw the worry in his eyes. She stepped back from the door. “Screw this,” she said quietly and turning, she headed back down the corridor.

She stepped out into the sunshine and winced as the glare hit her eyes. She dug through her bag until she found her sunglasses and gratefully slid them over her eyes.

Her cell beeped and without looking she knew it was Kyle. She debated about just ignoring it but knew that would only cause him to worry more so she reached back into her back and pulled it free. She opened the message as she walked to her car.

"You ok?"

"No. Headache."

"Migraine?"


"Possibly."

"Is Michael with you?"

"No."

She found her car and opened the door, letting the hot air out.

"Don’t drive Ria!"

Maria sighed and rested her head on the roof for a few seconds and then tossed her bag onto the back seat and slid into the driver’s seat.

"I mean it Maria. Today is not a good day to scrape your body off the road."

"It’s not that bad, Kyle."

"Yet!"

Maria sighed again, deeply, rubbing her temples. ‘This was all Michael’s fault,’ she thought. ‘That’s my girl!’ She wasn’t anyone’s girl. She was Maria Deluca. She hadn’t planned on this. She hadn’t planned on Michael.

After Billy, she had vowed off relationships. She was only 17, she didn’t need to be tied down to one guy. She laughed at herself, knowing that idea had flown out of the window the second she had seen him leaning against the wall outside the café.

She should have just got back into her car and driven away but her body had thought otherwise and shit, she always gave her body what it wanted.

Thinking of what her body wanted, she leaned over and opened the glove compartment.

“Don’t do it, Ria!”

“Shit Kyle, give me a heart attack why don’t you,” she said, her hand on her chest, as Kyle slid into the passenger seat.

“Is it that bad?” he asked, indicating to the compartment with his eyes.

“Not yet?” she admitted.

Kyle closed the box up. “You bring some stuff from LA?”

Maria nodded, her eyes closed though he couldn’t see them from behind her sunglasses.

“How much?” he asked quietly.

“Not much?” she answered.

“Good,” he said. “You know, you shouldn’t keep them in the car.”

“Yeah, I know, but I’m the Sheriffs daughter,” she said with a sly grin, “they’re not gonna search my car!”

“What if they do a random search here at school,” Kyle said.

“Shit Kyle, this is a small town school, not you’re old school,” Maria said with a slight wince at the pain building in her head.

“It still happens, Maria,” Kyle said seriously.

Maria just nodded. “I’ll move them later,” she said as she rested her head back against the headrest.

“Maria,” Kyle said gently, “do the right thing. Go to the school nurse, tell her you have a migraine, pop some Tylenol and go back to class.”

Maria nodded, though doubtful Tylenol would work.

“I’ve only got a bathroom pass, so come on, let’s go.”

Maria looked back to the glove compartment and Kyle sensed where she was looking.

"You don’t need that shit Maria. Come on.”

Maria sighed deeply again but got out of the car and followed Kyle back into the school. Kyle led her to the nurse’s office, and then continued back to his class.

Maria stood outside the office, seriously debating whether to just go back outside, but then she knocked on the door.

“Come in,” a cheery voice called out.

Maria opened the door and entered the large office.

“Hi,” she said quietly.

“Hello,” the school nurse smiled. “I haven’t seen you here before.”

“I’m new,” Maria said.

“OK, what can I do for you?”

“I have a headache,” Maria said simply.

“OK,” the nurse gestured her further into the room and to a chair next to her. “What’s your name?”

“Maria Deluca.”

The nurse turned and tapped quickly on the computer keyboard. “OK, here you are. Your medical information states you suffer severe Migraines.”

“Yeah,” Maria said, finally removing her sunglasses and squinted slightly at the brightness of the office.

“Do you have any of your prescribed medication on you? My records say you take Zolmitriptan.”

Maria thought longingly of her glove compartment. “Yeah, that’s right, but I haven’t got any with me,” she answered.

“OK, I want you to bring some in so I can store some here, Ok,” she said, standing and moving over to a cabinet.

“OK,” Maria said quietly.

“I’m afraid all I can give you is Tylenol,” she said reaching into the cabinet.

“I know,” Maria said.

The nurse walked back over to Maria with two capsules and a small cup of water.
Maria took the tablets hoping she had caught it before it really raged, then the nurse noticed Maria wincing at the light.

“Look, why don’t you lie down on the cot for a while. I’ll let your teacher know where you are.”

Maria looked over to the cot in the corner. “Ok,” Maria said. She stood and walked over to the cot. “Can you work with the lights off,” she asked, getting onto the cot and lying down.

“Sure,” the nurse said softly. “I’ll just go inform your teacher. I’ll be quiet.”

“Thanks,” Maria said, closing her eyes and sighing blissfully when the lights were switched off.

************

Kyle met Maria as she left the nurses room at lunchtime.

“Better?” Kyle asked.

“Better,” Maria sighed with a small smile. “Thanks Kyle,” she said sincerely and they set off for Maria’s locker and the quad.

“Sure Jailbait, just remember, we promised the ‘rents we’d be good,” Kyle said with a smile.

“Being good is over-rated,” Maria said with a smile, “and you know it’s purely medicinal.”

“Sure it is,” Kyle laughed, “but you’re forgetting three very important factors here.”

“Oh yeah, and what are they?” Maria asked.

“I’m not that gullible and I actually know you,” Kyle said.

“What’s the third?”

“It depends on what you’ve actually got in that compartment,” Kyle said with a smile, his eyebrows rising as in question.

Maria bumped him with her hip, “Yeah, and I know you too,” she said, completely ignoring his question.

Kyle looked at her, taking in the fact she hadn’t told him what she had brought from LA, but chose to let it go for the moment. “Touché, young one,” he said with laughter.

“Where you been Legs? I’m starving,” Michael called as they entered the quad.

“Well bring your own damn lunch then,” she said as she dropped her brown sack in front of him.

“But it tastes so much better knowing it was made with your loving hands,” he smirked as he emptied the food out into the table.

“My mother’s loving hands,” she corrected.

“You got your mom to make my lunch?” he asked.

Maria nodded, grabbing a carrot stick.

Michael looked at the sandwich in his hands, debating whether to eat it or not.

“Just eat it Michael, she doesn’t know your intentions of debauchery with her precious daughter,” Maria said with a smile.

Michael took a bite just as Kyle said, “I wouldn’t be so sure of that,” with a laugh, at which Michael choked and spat the food from his mouth.

“Kyle!” Maria cried, handing Michael a bottle of water.

“What,” he said seriously. “Amy knows about Michael.”

“I didn’t tell her,” Maria said narrowing her eyes at Kyle.

“I might have slipped it out,” Kyle said sheepishly.

“So that’s why your mom was giving me funny looks last night,” Michael said after taking a big gulp of the water.

Maria narrowed her eyes at her so-called brother. “And what exactly slipped out, Kyle?”

Kyle shrugged. “I don’t remember exactly. Your name might have been mentioned along with his. She asked what grade he was in. She was impressed I think.”

“Why?” Michael asked, confusion in his voice.

“No reason,” Maria said quickly her mind racing with all the reasons why her mom would be impressed her new boy-toy was in the same grade as her daughter, and not one of them was she willing to share just yet.

Michael shifted his eyes from Maria to Kyle whilst risking another bite of his sandwich.

“Erm, Maria,” Kyle said softly, leaning over to her. Maria looked up and saw worry and apprehension in his eyes.

“I’m ok, Kyle,” she said low, thinking he was still worried about her headaches.

“Good, but that not what……” he stopped his eyes shifting to Michael. Maria followed his gaze to see Michael intently eating his sandwich and a bag of chips that had materialized from somewhere. ‘Nothing unusual there,’ she thought with a smile.

She looked back to Kyle and his eyes shifted again to something behind her and she turned to see Ben Harris staring at her.

“Oh shit,” she said quietly, “this day just gets better and better.” She’d wondered how long it would before Kyle noticed him around campus. She was amazed it had taken this long; after all, he had been here two weeks longer than her.

“We need to have a serious talk, girl,” Kyle said sternly as he stood. Maria turned again to see Mr. Harris scurry away at Kyle’s movement and laughed.

“Kyle,” she tried to stop him.

“No Maria, I’m just gonna talk that’s all.”

Maria wanted to stop him but Michael was now watching them closely. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Gotta pee,” Kyle said over the top of Maria’s head and left quickly.

Maria moved closer to Michael. “So, you gonna come to practice?” she asked placing a hand high on his thigh, distracting him.

Michael smiled. “Try and keep me away.”



“Hey,” Kyle called to the retreating teacher, “Mr. Harris,” he added sarcastically.

Ben Harris stopped and turned around to face Kyle.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Kyle asked, his voice low as students filtered passed.

“Teaching,” Ben said calmly.

“No shit,” Kyle snapped back.

“Mr. Valenti, I’m gonna have to ask you to watch your language,” Ben said, looking the ‘boy’ directly in the eye.

“Yeah, and I’m gonna have to tell you to stop watching my sister. How the hell did you find her?” Kyle said, not the least bit intimidated by the man in front of him.

“Me find her,” Ben laughed. “I’ve been here for 4 months. The question should be; how did she find me?”

“You really think she would follow you, please, you're old news in her eyes and bad old news at that. You really think Maria would move to a place like this to follow you,” Kyle gave a snort of laughter. “We moved here because my Dad got a new job. He’s the sheriff now ya know.”

Ben audibly gulped and Kyle smiled.

"Maria may not have the pull here that she had at Lucan, but I believe my dad does so stay away from her or I'll see to it that you're fired."

With that Kyle turned and walked back to the quad.

Thanks to all who read this.

Again I must say to any cheerleader out there, who may read this, do not take the comments personally. I was once a cheerleader too.

CandyliciousLovah: Michael is at his best when he’s being naughty!!! And I’m very lucky because I do have my very own Kyle.

Carolyn: I love this Kyle too. And thanks, crazy is what I was going for!!


Chapter: 12

At the end of the school day Michael was carrying Maria piggy-back style over to the field where the rest of the squad was warming up. The group hadn’t noticed them approaching as they listened to Courtney complaining loudly.

“I really don’t see why we need her,” she said disgusted.

“Because the routine only works with the correct numbers Courtney and we don’t have time to rearrange it,” Tess said.

“We don’t need sluts on the squad,” Courtney grumbled with venom.

“You’d better leave then,” a voice called out.

“Courtney, keep your opinions to yourself,” Ms. McKay said, joining the squad.

Courtney huffed and turned to see said ‘slut’ hanging onto her Michael. She stormed to the other side of the group of cheerleaders.

“I think I’ve changed my mind,” Maria said, her lips dangerously close to Michael’s ear, sending delicious waves down his spine.

“Come on babe, it’ll be fun,” he said, smiling.

“You promise,” Maria whispered into his ear, smiling, completely aware of the effect she was having on him.

“Oh I promise,” Michael answered, as Maria hoped he had caught her innuendo. She bent her head slightly and nibbled seductively on his neck.

Michael grasped her legs tighter against him and Maria giggled.

“You’re not getting out if this that easily,” he said huskily.

“Why not,” she said her lips against his neck. “I’ve heard the sports equipment shed is very accommodating.”

He laughed with her as they reached the squad waiting for them.

“Pity you weren’t this eager earlier,” he laughed as he lowered her gently to the ground.

“Oh I was eager, Spaceboy,” she smiled up at him. “Never doubt that.”

Michael let his hands drift to her ass. She had changed her clothes for practice and was now wearing a pair of delightfully short and very tight shorts and a cropped top. In point she was showing her delectable body to all and Michael was torn.

Torn because, on one hand, his girlfriend was hot but on the other hand everyone could see it. Not that you couldn’t tell she was hot with her regular clothes on, it was just more defined now.

He smiled at her as his fingers traced the hickey he had left on her body yesterday, proving to everyone that she was his.

Maria returned his smile and slid her hands up under his shirt, up his chest to where she knew his matching hickey was.

“Any time today, Maria,” Ms. McKay called.

Maria smiled at the coach and waved her hand, “Patience is a virtue,” she said softly and Michael wasn’t sure if she meant that for the coach or for him. She removed her hands from his hard chest and pulled him in for a quick kiss.

“Come on Maria, “Tess’ angry voice called, “he’s not going to disappear.”

Maria pulled away with a giggle and she pushed him away from her.

“Go and sit down, Spaceboy,” she said and when he started to walk backwards to the bleachers, she stopped him, “and keep calm.”

He smirked at her. “Ok, Legs, go do your thing.”

She smiled at him once more, and then joined the squad to warm up.

Once they were ready they walked through the routine so Maria could understand her spacing. The lift with Zach was smooth, much smoother than some of the others and only caused a slight scowl from Michael. There were several snide comments from Courtney and the viper twins which Maria ignored, but all in all it went ok. They then ran the routine to the music and Maria cringed at the corniness of it.

After several runs through Ms. McKay asked Maria if she wanted to learn some of the cheers, to which Maria completely refused, stating, “I’m only here to do the routine.”

“Ok,” Ms. McKay said, realizing Maria wouldn’t give in, “just one thing left then. We need to sort out a uniform for you.”

“Hell yeah,” Michael called, pumping his hands in the air.

Maria rolled her eyes at him, smiling at his enthusiasm.

Ms. McKay dismissed the rest of the squad, satisfied that they were ready for tomorrow’s game and she steered Maria in the directions of the locker room and her office.

Michael made to follow her when Maria stopped him. “Where are you going?” she asked.

“With you to find a uniform,” he said with a smirk.

“Nuh uh, Spaceboy, meet me out front,” she said and she smiled at his dejected face.

Tess caught up with her and the coach as they entered the locker room. “You were great Maria,” she said with a smile, “thanks for doing this.”

“Just this once Tess, you’d better work out the other routines or whatever for the next game ‘cause I’m not going to do this again.”

“I know Maria,” she said, jumping up and down, holding onto her arm, “but thank you.”

Maria chuckled. “It’s ok Tess, now let me go so I can get my uniform.”

Ms. McKay easily found a uniform for her and reminded her to wear it to school the next day, like all the others.

“Shit,” Maria moaned, “do I have to. I don’t think I can take Michael punching anyone who looked at me wrong.”

“Sorry Maria but for tomorrow you are a cheerleader and you will act like one,” Ms. McKay said.

“You do know prostitution is against the law,” Maria said with a sideways glance.

“Oh please Maria, I’ve read your transcripts and anyone arrested in a strip club can’t moan about one day in a cheerleading outfit!”

“Why did you look at my records?” she asked, her eyes narrowing.

“To see if you were on any squads at your old school,” Ms. McKay said. “I must say your old coaches spoke very highly about your dance and gymnastic abilities. Do you want a more permanent spot on the team?”

“No thanks,” Maria said, walking to her locker to change back into her jeans.

Ms. McKay followed her. “It said you were voted off your old squad.”

“That’s right,” Maria said.

“Why?” Ms. McKay asked sitting on the bench between the two rows of lockers.

“You don’t want to know,” Maria said with a slight laugh, as she slipped into her jeans.

“And what about the dance teams?” the teacher probed.

Maria sighed and sat next to Ms. McKay, straddling the bench. “The faculty didn’t approve of my routines so I quit.”

Ms. McKay nodded. “Have you ever thought about dancing professionally?”

Maria raised her eyebrow at her teacher and Ms. McKay actually smiled, “apart from the strip club,” she laughed.

“I guess, maybe when I was younger but not for a while now. My future lies down a different path,” Maria said.

Ms. McKay noted the sadness and regret in her voice. “Don’t give up on your dreams Maria. You’re too young to be so jaded.”

“Yeah well, I know what my life has to offer,” she said softly, her eyes on the floor.

She then stood and visibly shook herself. “OK Coach, I’m outta here. I’ve got a hot body waiting for me.”

“Be careful Maria,” Ms. McKay said with a smile.

“Don’t worry, Ms. McKay, I’m always careful.” And she waved as she left the locker room.

She leaned back against the wall just outside the locker room and took a deep breath. She hated being reminded of where her life was headed. She knew it wasn’t Ms. McKay’s fault, she didn’t know the intricacies of her life. She didn’t know about the long ago dreams of a life of dance, or the not so long ago dreams of a future in music. She didn’t know that her university had been picked for her when she was 7, or that her future was set regardless of her dreams and hopes.

She swiped angrily at the tear rolling down her face as she pushed herself off the wall and headed to the front of the school. Today had been a shit day, she needed a drink and she hoped Michael was still waiting for her as she didn’t know where her usual drinking buddy was and she hated to drink alone.



Michael showed her a liquor store near the trailer park he used to live in, determined that she wouldn’t get served. His jaw dropped as she flirted with the cashier, showed her I.D. and bought two six-packs of beer and a bottle of Tequila. Maria also asked for a packet of Marlboro but Michael told the cashier ‘no’ and turning to her he said, “no more cigarettes.”

As they drove away from the store, Michael smiled and said, “I can’t believe you just batted your eyes and he served you.”

“Yeah well, this helped too,” she said with her own smile as she showed him her fake I.D.

“Yeah,” he smirked, “that’ll work every time. Can you get me one?”

Maria laughed with him as he directed her to a small park. He was going to take her to the quarry but it got quite dark out there at night, so they found themselves sitting side by side on a park bench drinking their beers.

“So what’s wrong, Maria?” Michael asked as they started their third beer. They had talked about little things up until then and Michael couldn’t hold the question back anymore.

Maria just shrugged. “Just wanted a beer,” she said taking another drink from the bottle.

“And the Tequila?”

“Emergency stock,” she said. “Haven’t you ever just wanted a beer?”

“Sure, but I got the impression you weren’t allowed to drink.”

“Not on a school night,” she admitted with a heavy sigh. “But what I’m allowed to do and what I do are two entirely different things,” she said with a smile.

Michael watched her as he took a drink from his bottle. “Is this all just about the cheerleading thing, ‘cause really Maria, it shouldn’t drive you to drink,” he said with a nervous laugh.

‘No Michael, it’s not about that,” she turned her head to him. He was looking intently at her and she smiled. “So what’s up with you and Courtney?” she asked.

“Courtney was a bad mistake that just keeps on giving.” He smiled and she smiled with him. “I’m sorry she keeps harassing you,” he said sincerely.

"Michael, you need to sit that girl down and tell it to her straight or I won’t be held accountable for my actions,” she laughed.

“I have but I’ll try again, Maria,” he said.

She finished her beer and reached for another.

“Hey,” he said, his hand on her arm stopping her, “come here."

Maria smiled at him and moved the beer that was between them and slid closer to him as he turned his upper body to hers, capturing her lips with his. ‘Distraction works both ways, Blondie,’ he thought, his hand wrapping around her neck, holding her in place.

“You looked hot today,” he whispered, his lips against her neck and smiled as she shuddered slightly.

“Uh huh,” she said, tipping her head for him, holding his body to hers. Feeling frustrated that she couldn’t feel enough of him she pushed his body away and climbed onto his lap. With her knees either side of his thighs she pushed his light jacket from his shoulders, her hands running over the muscles on his arms and a smile on her lips. She moved her hands down and under his t-shirt, lifting it up slightly higher and ran her hands over the firm muscles of his abdomen, his t-shirt settling high above his stomach.

Michael ran his hands under her t-shirt as well, across her back, holding her close as their lips met again, their tongue dancing delightfully.

Maria groaned as she felt Michael harden between her legs and she rocked forward against his groin causing Michael to pull away from her lips with a hiss.

“God Maria,” he said.

She just smiled at him, watching him as she rocked again, harder, against him; her eyes darkening to match his. Michael moved his hand down and then back up her thighs and onto her ass, grasping her through the material of her jeans as Maria again slipped her hand between them and unsnapped his jeans and lifted his growing erection out. She inched closer to him so her jean clad core was against his dick.

Michael’s hand snaked around her body to grasp a breast and kneaded softly as she again rocked against his now free dick. She moaned at his hardness and whimpered that it wasn’t skin to skin but she wasn’t drunk enough to strip buck naked and do him on a park bench; she had some class.

Michael hissed again at the feel of her jeans against his dick, but then moaned against her ear. “If the cops come I’m saying this was all your idea, Maria,” he groaned.

“Ok, Spaceboy,” she whispered heavily, moving harder, searching for that delicious friction. “I have some pull with the local sheriff‘s station.” She sighed happily. Her movements must have worked as the center seam of her jeans finally rubbed against her clit.

“Yes,” she sighed blissfully and Michael brought his hands to her hips and rocked her harder against him.

“Shit Maria,” he cried out when she bit down gently on his neck, his own lips lifting to meet her at her demand. He’d never done this before, and despite her willingness to take the blame, he was the one exposed here, so they had to be quick. He brought his lips to Maria’s neck, just below yesterday’s hickey and returned her bite.

Maria cried out at the sensation of his teeth on her sensitive neck to which Michael quickly covered her mouth with his lips, needing to keep her quiet.

They continued to move frantically and Maria pulled her lips from his breathlessly and rested her head on his shoulder.

“Oh shit, Michael, I want……..I need……..” she said incoherently against his shoulder.

“I know babe, but not on a park bench,” he said, his own breath haggard.

“No,” she agreed, looking up at him, their eyes meeting and holding.

Michael couldn’t believe he was gonna burst right here in the open and she’d hardly touched him. He felt it down in his toes and he pushed harder into her jeans as it grew and he grabbed her face, kissing her mercilessly as he came all over his stomach. Maria followed him over, screaming into his mouth.

She rested her head against his neck as Michael did the same, their breathing matching each-others.

“Shit, Deluca,” Michael smiled against her neck, “I have never cum like that before.”

She smiled but didn’t raise her head. “First time for everything,” she said, her breathing finally stabilizing. She tilted her head to snuggle into him, his hand in her hair, stroking softly.

“I hope you won’t get into trouble with your parents for not being home,” she said softly.

“Don’t worry about it. How about you?”

Maria’s hand swept across his chest that was still covered, and down to the skin of his abdomen, tracing endless patterns.

“My mom’s used to me by now,” she said. “Kyle might be a problem though,” she added, remembering her earlier talks with him. He would be worried for her, she knew that. She really treated him like shit sometimes.

She looked down at his now flaccid dick and tenderly ran her finger along the length. She giggled softly when it twitched at her touch; and at Michael’s guttural moan.

The stillness was broken when his cell rang loudly.

“Guess we’re busted,” Maria said her fingers still dancing lightly across his dick and Michael couldn’t stop the shudder of delight at the sight of her delicate fingers on him.

Michael shifted a little to retrieve his cell from his pocket, one arm locked firmly around Maria, holding her close so she couldn’t fall off his lap. “Who do you reckon, Tess or Kyle?”

“Kyle,” she said easily, knowing her cell was in her car so she wouldn’t have heard it ring. Michael looked at the display and smiled. She was right.

Flipping it open he drawled, “Yeah.” He listened as he watched Maria rub her fingers into the sticky mess on his stomach.

“Yeah, she’s here,” he grinned, and then groaned as she slipped her fingers into her mouth.

“Fuck Maria,” he said, his dick jumping at the sight.

Maria giggled as she heard a string of expletives from Kyle over Michael’s cell, her eyes on Michael as she sucked seductively on her fingers.

Michael pushed his cell over to her. “He wants to talk to you.”

Maria smiled mischievously at him as she took the cell and rested her hand back by his expanding dick.

“Hello Kyle,” she said into the cell in a sickly sweet voice.

“Where the fuck are you Maria?” Kyle’s voice yelled down the cell.

"Calm down Dad, I’m safe,” she answered, scooting back a little on Michael’s knee, her ass dangerously close to falling off. She pushed Michael further back against the bench, listening to Kyle moan about her being inconsiderate and immature.

‘Oh, I’m definitely immature,” she agreed as she bent her head and ran her tongue against Michael’s stomach, cleaning him. Michael groaned loudly at the sight and feel of her tongue against him, licking up every drop she could get to.

“Where are you?” Kyle asked.

Maria swallowed. “Don’t know,” she answered simply.

“Would you please just stop sucking Michael off when you’re talking to me!” Kyle moaned in her ear.

“If I had Michael’s dick in my mouth I most certainly wouldn’t be able to talk to you,” she said deadpan.

Kyle huffed, “just put Michael back on, slut.”

“Oh, harsh Kyle,” she said with a smile and handed the cell back to Michael.

“Yeah,” Michael said again, as Maria dipped her head again and ran her tongue along his now almost fully erect length. Michael grinned at her when she looked up at him, her eyes sparkling. She watched him, his eyes on her as he listened to Kyle and she rained kisses along the length of his dick.

“Three beers,” Michael answered honestly and Maria sat up with a groan and not a good one.

“Yeah,” Michael said to whatever Kyle asked.

Maria waved her hand to Michael, indicating she wanted the cell back, which he gave her with a grin.

“Kyle,” she said as she climbed off Michael’s knee.

“Maria,” Michael whined his hands indicating to his hard dick. She sure helped him bounce back quickly. She waved her own hand at him as she turned away with his cell.

“Did you take something?” Kyle asked her.

“No,” Maria said hard, turning to see if Michael had heard.

“But you have had some beer,” Kyle probed.

“Yeah,” she said back.

“You know if you don’t stop this Mom’s gonna send you back to the shrinks,” he teased.

“She can try,” Maria said with a laugh.

“Where are you, Jailbait?” Kyle asked, “neither of you should drive.”

“I can drive Kyle,” she said indignantly.

“Don’t fuck with me Maria. I’ve already told you I don’t want to scrape your body off the road. Now where are you?”

She looked at Michael who was stuffing his now slightly deflated dick back in his jeans. “Where are we, Spaceboy?” she asked.

“Berrendo Park,” he said with a slight wince.

Maria ran her hand along his cheek and under his chin, smiling at the feel of his stubble there, and then she leaned in to kiss him softly. “Sorry Michael,” she whispered against his lips.

Michael shrugged as he heard Kyle scream at her to pay attention.

“Berrendo Park,” she repeated softly into the cell, her eyes intent on Michael’s face.

“Don’t move Maria, I mean it,” Kyle ordered.

Maria sat back down on Michael’s lap, sideways with an arm around his neck.

“I’ll stay right here,” she said to Kyle.

“Ok, bye,” and he rang off before she could answer him.

Maria closed the cell and handed it back to Michael. “We’re to stay right here,” she repeated.

“OK,” Michael said, moving her slightly so he could pull his t-shirt back into place, trying to ignore the small wet patches.

Maria settled back into his arms as he held her securely against him.

“Do you ever wish your life was different?” she asked him quietly.

“Sometimes,” Michael said softly, “not so much these days,” he added, one hand stroking her hair, “but yeah when I was younger, practically every day.”

“Did he hit you Michael?” Maria asked, barely above a whisper, not looking at him. Not wanting to see the look in his eyes if what she suspected was true.

“Only when he was drunk,” he admitted hoarsely.

“And how often was he drunk?” she asked, her hand back on his chest and her endless patterns.

“Only every day,” he whispered.

Maria swallowed at the sadness in his voice. If she ever met this Hank creep, she’d kill him. In fact, hell, she had connections, she knew people, and the world would be a better place without that dipshit.

“Do you remember your Dad?” he asked, his voice breaking with the emotions he was trying to hide.

“Vaguely,” she said. “It’s like I have this image of him in my head and I’m not sure if it’s what I remember or what I’ve fabricated through what others have told me about him.”

“What was he like?” he asked, his other arm coming around to hold her safe in his arms as he stroked her back with one hand and the other in her hair.

Maria shrugged. “Tall, but I guess everyone is tall to a child. He was driven, ambitious, and he loved his family, at least that’s what his obituary says. To me he was just my Dad; my everything; my hero. I thought he’d always be there. Dads aren’t supposed to leave, ya know. They’re supposed to be there forever. To fight with about the way you dress and over your first boyfriend, to be there when he breaks your heart, to walk you down the aisle, to always catch you when you fall."

“I bet you were a Daddy’s Girl,” he said with a smile.

She gave her own wistful smile against his chest. “Yeah, I guess I was.”

“How did he die?” Michael asked cautiously, wondering if he’d gone too far with his questions.

Maria swallowed hard, but Michael had told her about dip-shit and she figured an even exchange of information was always welcomed.

“Car crash, a simple car crash,” she whispered. “He’d picked me up from my ballet class and we were running late to meet my Mom. He was rushing and didn’t stop at a light. He said he could make it. The semi had other ideas.”

Michael held her tighter. “You were in the car?” he asked.

Maria nodded against him and he was speechless as she continued and he could feel her tears through his t-shirt.

“It crashed into his side and I remember I screamed. There was a lot of blood and glass flew everywhere. My Dad……he…….looked at me, he’s eyes wide and I could see………he had a huge gash in his neck and the blood was pouring out in waves.”

Maria closed her eyes and shook slightly as the images from that distant day played through her mind.

“Maria,” Michael said, tenderly, wishing he hadn’t asked that question.

“He looked at me with these big wide eyes, exactly like mine, and they were full of sadness. I remember I called to him, ‘Daddy,’ I said, ‘don’t leave me’, and then I saw through his window, the back of the semi swinging round and heading for our car and I just sat there, knowing it was going to hit us, thinking I was going to die. I looked back to my Dad and his eyes were glazed. When it did hit us, it was loud and sounded like iron scraping against iron and our car lurched sideways and then it collided with something else and it spun.”

Maria swallowed and sniffled. “I woke up a week later in the hospital and they’d already buried my Dad.”

Michael held her as she clung to him crying softly around his neck. He couldn’t get the image of a 7 year old pixie child with curly hair, screaming for her father, watching him die, thinking she was going to die, waiting to die. His parents had also died in a car crash, killed instantly by a drunk driver but he hadn’t been in the car, he hadn’t witnessed it.

“Things changed so dramatically after that. I wasn’t young and carefree anymore. I had this huge weight placed on me and I can’t escape it.”

Michael pulled Maria away a little so he could look at her. “What do you mean?”

Maria stared into his eyes and saw only concern and affection. Maybe Kyle was right, maybe Michael was different. She leaned forward and kissed him hard, kissing him with an emotion she couldn’t voice. Not yet.

“Well at least they still have their clothes on,” a voice giggled and they pulled apart to see Kyle and Tess in front of them.

Kyle noted straight away the look in Maria’s eye’s and squatted down in front of her where she still sat on Michael’s lap.

“Maria,” he said cautiously, looking between her and Michael. If he had hurt her he would seriously maim him. He never got the chance with Billy so he had a lot of pent up aggression and, Buddha be damned, he would beat the shit out of Michael if he had to, despite the fact that Michael was taller and bigger than him.

Maria leaned into Kyle and looped her arms around his neck but made no move to leave Michael’s lap and Michael still had one arm around her.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered to Kyle.

Kyle looked over to Michael and was amazed to see him wipe a tear away. Kyle knotted his brows together in a silent question. ‘Her father,’ Michael mouthed and Kyle understood.

“Come on Ria, let’s get some coffee into you,” he said softly.

Maria laughed against shoulder. “I’m not drunk, Kyle,” she said, “I’ve just got a slight buzz going.”

“I know that, you only had 3 beers right,” he said.

She nodded, still against his shoulder, as Michael confirmed they had had only 3 beers.

“Well, you were almost busted the other night with just one beer. I don’t need any more lectures from my dad about drinking on a school night,” Kyle said with a small smile.

Maria giggled against him and then Kyle spied the Tequila bottle.

“Shit Deluca, not the tequila again.”

She pulled away from him, her eyes dancing. “It isn’t open and you were the one to introduce me to the demon drink.”

“That’s because I can’t stand that Sambuca and vodka shit you drink,” he said, again with a smile playing on his lips.

She leaned back against Michael and pushed Kyle’s shoulder. “That’s ‘cause you don’t know what’s good for you,” she laughed. “And we all know how you get when you drink tequila.”

“Hey, that last time was not my fault,” Kyle cried indignantly.

“The goat was found in your room Kyle!” Maria laughed.

Kyle huffed. “And what about that time you drank that bottle of Absinth?”

“That, I blissfully don’t remember,” Maria said, her hand slowly caressing Michael’s hand where it lay against her stomach.

“Yeah, but I have the pictures of all the fun stuff you got up too,” Kyle laughed.

“Dude,” Michael said, with all seriousness, “I’m gonna need a full set of copies of those.”

“You do realize you’re both perverts don’t you,” Maria laughed.

“And as I keep saying, you like it that way,” Kyle smiled.

“With him, yeah,” Maria said, indicating Michael, “but you’re my brother Kyle.” She looked at him with all seriousness, “they have institutions to help with that ya know.”

“Like they have institutions to help with you?” he countered.

She watched him hard and laughed when he fell laughing to the ground.

“Michael,” she turned to him again and wrapped her arms around him. “I’m hungry; I think I forgot to eat.”

“Shit Maria, you drank without food!” Kyle shrieked getting up. “Come on, let’s go to the CrashDown, your treat.”

“Does this mean I get to drive Maria’s car.” Tess said excitedly.

Kyle and Maria looked at each other.

“She’s not driving my car,” Kyle said blankly.

“I can drive myself,” Maria moaned. Kyle gave her his ‘you’ve got to be kidding me look’.

“Michael can drive,” she tried hopefully.

Kyle shot his eyebrows up. Maria was willing to let him drive her merc! That was definitely a first. The next thing he’d know he’d be riding her Harley. “Michael can’t drive either,” Kyle said evenly.

“Shit,” Maria groaned.

“Hey, I’m a good driver,” Tess said indignantly.

Maria looked skeptically at the smaller blond, her eyebrow raised.

“Come on Blondie,” Michael said, “she’s a good driver really. You can snuggle in the back with me.”

“Nuh uh, Spaceboy,” Maria said shaking her head, “if she’s driving my car I need to keep an eye on her at all times.”

Hey Guys. Time for another update.

CandylicisousLovah: My Kyle is the best! Just don’t tell him I said that!!! And you’re lucky, my brother- in- law is a dick!

Carolyn: Michael defiantly enjoys watching her practice!

Ginger: Maria’s control issues will absolutely be address, in time. And, hey girl, no giving the game away!!! And yes, I’m petitioning for Amy to be canonized as we speak. Amy’s actions with Maria will eventually be explained. I just like to keep my readers guess.


Chapter 13.


They arrived at the CrashDown in one piece and Maria sighed blissfully as she took a bite of the Will Smith burger she had ordered.

“Can we get some more coffee,” Kyle called to a waitress. Liz was nowhere to be seen so she must not be working tonight.

“Are you excited about tomorrow?” Tess asked bouncing slightly in her seat next to Kyle.

“I know I am,” Michael said with a devilish smile to Maria.

“Cool your jets, Spaceboy,” she said, patting his thigh under the table.

“Do you get to keep the uniform?” he asked her leaning into her slightly.

Maria smiled and shrugged.

“Yeah, work on that one Blondie,” he said as he took another giant bite of his burger and stole one of her Saturn rings.

“Hey, you know what we should do?” Maria said excitedly.

“Book you in for a lobotomy?” Kyle asked with his eyebrows raised.

“Get dirty?” Michael asked, hopefully.

“Pigs,” Maria said, throwing a fry at both of them.

“What?” Tess asked, catching Maria’s excitement easily.

“After the game tomorrow, we should go to that club over on Reed Street, ya know, The Purple Spaceship.”

“Yeah,” Tess agreed, a huge smile plastered on her face.

“How do you know about that place, Maria,” Kyle asked.

Maria shrugged, “I heard someone talk about it in the bathroom at school.”

“Only if we win,” Michael interjected, “because if we don’t win I won’t be in a mood to party.”

“Then you’d better win, because I want to dance and I’ll be going with or without you, Spaceboy,” Maria said sweetly.

“You expect me to let you lose in a club full of horny teenagers and gropey 20 somethings. Not in this lifetime Blondie.”

“Then you’d better win,” she reiterated with a smile on her face.

“The girl really wants to dance,” Kyle said with a smile.

“Oh Maria,” Mr. Parker called, walking across to their table. “Did you want to organize some shifts?”

Maria looked skeptically at Liz’s dad. “You still want me to work here?”

“Of course,” Mr. Parker said, with a big grin, “you’re a natural with the customers.”

“It’s all about customer care, right Jailbait,” Kyle said with a smirk, to which Maria kicked him under the table.

“OK,” Maria relented, “for a trail period only.”

“But I know how you work,” Mr. Parker said confused.

“For me, Mr. P, a trial period to see if I want to work here,” she laughed.

“OK,” Mr. Parker agreed with a smile. “Let’s go look at the schedule.”

Michael did debate whether to make Maria climb over him to get out but relented and moved so she could squeeze past him, which she did with a loving caress to the bulge in his pants.

“Saturday and Sunday afternoon,” he said to her with his hand to her ass, ‘helping’ her pass. She nodded and followed Mr. Parker to the backroom.

10 minutes later and she returned to see that ‘someone’ had eaten all her Saturn rings and half her fries.

“Hey,” she said to Michael, “I’m the one who needs to eat not you.”

“Gotta bulk up for tomorrow, babe,” he said with a smile, patting his stomach.

“And don’t forget, no shaving Guerin,” Kyle said.

“What?” she said, laughing.

Michael sighed. “The guys have this superstitious thing where if I shave in the morning, we won’t win.”

“Stupid,” Tess said, shaking her head.

Maria held her hand out to Michael’s cheek and the slight stubble he had, rubbing it with the back of her hand. She leaned closer and gently replaced her hand with her cheek and whispered in his ear, “I like that!”

Michael turned his head and covered her lips with his, prying her lips apart with his tongue.

“And there goes my dinner,” Kyle dramatically, leaning back against the booth back, his arm casually across the top of the seat and his fingers gently brushing Tess’ shoulder. He looked sideways at her and winked, to which she playfully slapped his arm. They had had their own make out session before looking for the lust bunnies.

A waitress brought over another basket of Saturn rings, fries, and a Will Smith burger. “Mr. Parker wanted her to have these as he thinks her burger might be cold after they’d talked.”

She dropped the plate and basket on the table loudly and removed Maria’s old burger and empty basket.

Maria and Michael jumped apart at the noise and Maria caught the look both she and Michael received from this waitress.

“Another bad mistake, Guerin?” Maria asked as she squirted mustard on the new burger.

“Afraid so,” he said, uncomfortably, taking a handful of the fresh fries.

Kyle laughed at how uncomfortable Michael looked. “Maybe I should hire a bus and ship some of your ‘bad mistakes’ in from LA and then you’d be even.”

“Don’t even joke about that,” Maria said as she took a bite of her burger.

“Hey, is it my imagination, or is that guy staring over here,” Tess said, pointing slightly to a table across the room and the other three turned to look. Maria and Kyle both groaned to see Ben Harris sitting at a table watching them not so discreetly.

“Hey, he’s one of our teachers, I’ve seen him around school,” Tess continued. “He’s so handsome, don’t you think?” she said, looking at Maria. Maria shrugged non-committedly.

“That must be his girlfriend,” Tess continued, “she’s very pretty.”

Maria turned back to look at the blond haired woman sitting next to him, with delicate features and a quiet elegance.

“Yeah, she reminds me of someone,” Kyle said, his gaze pointedly focused on Maria.

“Who?” Tess asked intrigued.

Kyle noted the anxious look Maria gave him with a sideways glance to Michael as she ate some more of her burger, “Just someone I used to know in LA,” he answered, fighting Michael for the last fry.

The bell above the door jingled as Sheriff Valenti entered the diner. He looked across the diner and stopped when he spotted his two kids.

“There you two are,” he said walking over to them.

“Hey Dad,” Kyle called loudly and watched as Ben Harris quickly stood, dragging his protesting girlfriend with him.
“Hey Dad,” Maria echoed with a grin.

“Maria,” Jim said, looking down at his step-daughter sternly, “a simple phone call is all it takes. Your mother called the station asking if you’d been picked up”

“I told her I’d be late home!” Maria said in her defense.

“Maria, late is 5 or 6 O’clock. It’s 8.30 and you still haven’t called her,” Jim said.

“Sorry,” Maria said, giving Jim her best puppy dog eyes.

“Don’t give me that look, Maria,” he said, “call your mother before she calls in the army,” and then he turned to leave the diner, stopping short when he saw Ben Harris standing at the pay desk.

Ben looked at the Sheriff and seemed to shrink a little.

“Sheriff Valenti,” he said nervously.

“Mr. Harris,” Jim answered with a tight nod of his head. He turned back to the table he had just left to see Maria and Kyle watching him intently.

“Maria,” he said, sternly, holding his hand out to her.

She knew what that meant; he wanted her to go with him.

“But……” she started, her eyes darting to her food.

“Now Maria,” he said again, maybe a little louder than intended as several heads turned to look at him.

“Give Michael you’re car keys, I’m taking you home.” He left no room for argument.

“Sheriff Valenti……” Michael started but stopped abruptly when Kyle kicked him under the table, shaking his head.

Maria grumbled obscenities as she dug her keys out of her pocket and handed them to Michael. “Do not go racing in my car, do not go joy-riding out in the desert. Just because she can hit 140 doesn’t mean she has to in 60 seconds.”

“Hey that’s my advice,” Kyle said with a smile.

Maria gave him a look and he shut up. She turned back to Michael, “I know the numbers on the clock and don’t try for the Mexican border. And you’d better be outside my house 7.30 sharp tomorrow morning.”

She turned and said low to Tess, “don’t let him drink my tequila.”

She looked at Kyle. “Can you bring my book bag and that stupid uniform home,” she asked, raising her eyebrows and hoping he caught that she needed him to empty her glove compartment too. She didn’t want Michael to run the risk of being caught.

“Sure,” he said, his own eyes conveying that he got her subtext.

‘How embarrassing,” she mumbled as she leaned back into Michael for a quick kiss.

“Maria, I haven’t got all night,” Jim called.

Maria stormed over and out the diner’s door, shooting a death glare to Ben Harris that unfortunately was all too obvious to some of the patrons, and his current girlfriend.

She pulled open the passenger door of Jim’s cruiser, swung up into the seat and glared at him when he got in next to her.

“You do realize the town's tongues will be wagging now,” she huffed.

“I couldn’t care less, Maria. You are not gonna be around him whilst not in school,” he said, his eye hard.

“I didn’t know he was in there,” Maria said fastening her seat belt as Jim set off for home.

After a few minutes she said, “I guess mom told you.”

“Yes,” he said curtly. “We may have to move you to another school.”

“No way, Jim,” she cried, “I haven’t even finished out my first week at West Roswell. You can’t move me. Please.”

“Maria, I don’t know what else we can do. Your mom spoke to Harvey and because no complaint was filed we don’t have a legal leg to stand on. Your name means nothing in this town.”

“You’d be surprised, Jim,” she said with all seriousness. “I’m not moving school’s again. Ben Harris means nothing to me.”

“It’s not you I’m worried about, Sweetheart,” Jim said gently.

“Jim, he has a girlfriend, you saw her,” Maria said.

“Yeah, I saw her,” he said with disgust, “and did she not remind you of anyone?”

Maria looked at Jim, shocked. “That tramp did not look like me!”

“Yeah, right Maria,” Jim said with sarcasm.
Maria turned her head indignantly and looked out at the passing scenery.

“He’s gonna haunt me for the rest of my life, isn’t he?” she said quietly.

“Maria, honey, we all make mistakes during our formative years,” Jim said kindly.

“Yeah, and I know, I’ve made enough mistakes for three lifetimes,” she said as she turned her head back to look out the windscreen.

“But you’ve still learned from them, Maria,” he said simply. “I hope,” he added.
He turned his head slightly to her and then back to the road.

“Maria,” he voice was gentle, understanding, “I know once you finish university, that’s it for you, fun time is over, and I know you’re making up for that now. I just wish you’d take this time to be a kid again.”

“I’m trying,” Maria whined, “but when I ‘be a kid’ the shit hits the fan and I’m in jail, passed out or tied to someone’s bed.”

She had the grace to wince at his look. “Sorry.”

They were silent as they entered their street.

“I just want to have some control, you know,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Maria, you’re 17,” Jim answered.

Maria laughed at him. “17 year olds are supposed to talk to their friends about which university they’d like to go to, decide on several career choices before settling on one, and then have the chance to change their minds two years into college. 17 year olds don’t have hundreds, thousands of people relying on them to not screw things up.”

“Maria, listen, do me a favor,” Jim flicked his eyes to her briefly. “For the next 6 months, don’t be that 17 year old, be yourself. Just Maria, young, carefree, normal teenage. Not Maria Deluca, the girl with the weight of the world on her shoulders. Don’t grow up too fast.”

“Too late, Jim,” Maria said tiredly.

He pulled up to their house.

“Just remember this the next time I’m in trouble. You want me to be a kid, to act irresponsibly. So you can’t turn around and lecture me that I’m being irresponsible and that I should grow up.”

“No one can win against you, can they?” Jim said with a shake of his head, but a smile on his face.

“They can try, but you know what they say,” she said returning his smile.
Jim raised his eyebrows in question.

“Resistance is futile.”

Jim laughed at her. “Get out of here, Maria, and ……..”

“Do your homework, yeah I know. Though you must know you made me leave my book bag in my car, which you gave to someone else for the evening and I swear, if Spaceboy scratches my car, the repairs will be shared by the both of you.”

She climbed out of the car and then turned back before she closed the door. “Oh and tomorrow night I’m gonna cheer at the football game. My free 6 months are about to start.”

And with that she blew him a kiss and ran into the house.



Maria looked at herself in the mirror and sighed deeply.
The blue and yellow of the cheerleading uniform did absolutely nothing for her complexion, but she did smile at the skirt length. It was only this way she could get away with showing this much length!

With a last swipe of her lip gloss across her lips she threw the tube into her bag and left her room.

“Now that brings back memories,” Amy said with a smile when Maria entered the kitchen.

“Don’t get used to it,” Maria said gruffly. “This is a one time thing.”

“Oh but honey, you love cheerleading,” Amy said, looking sideways at her.

“You do remember I was kicked off the team, right,” Maria said straight faced at her mother.

Amy looked sternly at her daughter. “Yes, and you still haven’t told me why,” she said.
"The less you know the better,” Maria said lowly.

“Maria,” Amy said, a quiver of fear in her voice, “what did you do?”

Kyle entered just then. “Hey Jailbait,” he said, not realizing he was interrupting something. “Michael’s here.”

Maria grabbed her bag quickly. “If he’s scratched my car I’ll string him up by his balls and use him as a piñata, I swear,” she said as she left the kitchen quickly, anxious to know that her car was ok, and only slightly desperate to get out of the conversation she had been having with her mother. Sometimes, the less she knew the better it was.

Michael was leaning against the hood of her car, with the top down, when she emerged from the house. He watched as she sauntered down the drive toward him and was certain she added that extra swagger just for him. He stomach flipped at the sight of her in that uniform and thanked every god that he could think of that she was his.

“7.30 on the dot as demanded, Princess,” he said with a smile.

Maria walked over to him, her eyes not leaving his until she stood in front of him.

“God baby, you look incredible,” he said, his eyes roaming freely over her body.

Maria dropped her bag by his feet and then slowly walked around her car, checking for any marks that Michael might have made. When she eventually stood back in front of him, he smirked at her.

“Pass your inspection?” he said with a raised eyebrow.

Maria now let her eyes take Michael in. He was wearing his letterman jacket, with a plain black t-shirt underneath and dark jeans and finished with his trademark Doc Martins. He had stubble on his face which only seemed to enhance his rugged look.
Michael smiled as she took in his appearance, appreciating the look of desire that gleamed in her eyes when they finally returned to his.

“You pass,” she said, her voice thick.

“And the car?” he asked, his lopsided grin back.

“If the car didn’t pass, you wouldn’t pass,” she said with her own smile as she finally leaned into him and offered him her lips.

Michael didn’t need to be told twice as he caught her lips eagerly, his arms running around her waist to bring her closer and he opened his legs so she could fit between them.

When Michael finally released her lips, he rested his head against her shoulder and whispered into her ear, “You look incredibly hot. I have a million fantasies running through my head right now.”

“A million,” she chuckled, “now that’s a lot for one little uniform.”

“I have a very wild imagination,” he said with his own chuckle.

Maria laughed as she pulled back from him. “That I don’t doubt, Spaceboy.”

Michael’s hand fell to her bare thigh and started to run higher up. “Do you have anything on under here?” he asked.

Maria chuckled again,” Sorry, Michael but this skirt is too flighty to go commando with. Wouldn’t want to flash some poor delusional freshman now would I.”

Michael growled slightly at her words, “Absolutely not.”

“Hey Michael,” Kyle called as he finally came out of the house, “you might want to remove your hand from under my sister’s skirt. My dad’s home and he has a gun, ya know.”

Maria laughed when Michael quickly removed his hand. “You could have told me, Maria.”

“Where’s the fun in that,” she said, running her fingers up his t-shirt. She turned to Kyle, “Are you riding with us?”

Kyle shrugged. “Might as well,” he said and jumped into the back seat.

“Feet don’t belong on the upholstery, Kyle,” Maria said sternly as she threw her bag into the seat next to him where Michael’s bag already lay.

“Yeah, I remember telling you that,” Kyle said, “but did you listen, no, and then you wondered why you had a big gash in the leather. Those spiked heels should be illegal.”

Maria tuned him out as she kissed Michael once more and turned to climb into the passenger seat of her car.

“You drive, Michael,” she said.

“Hey,” Kyle said, sitting up straighter in the back seat. “You never let me drive,” he moaned.

“Yeah, well,” Maria said with a smile as she watched Michael slide into the driver seat beside her. “You don’t give me what he does.”

Kyle smirked at Kyle as he started the car, “Damn straight,” and they set off down the road.

“Next thing we know, you’ll be letting him drive the Harley,” Kyle grumbled, voicing his thoughts from the previous night.

“Let’s not get silly now,” Maria said, with half a smile.

Michael gave Maria a quick look. “Let’s not rule it out completely, Legs!” he said.

"Not gonna happen Michael,” she said looking at him, "just give it up.”

“Never,” he repeated, flicking his eyes quickly to hers and then back to the road. He moved his hand from the steering wheel and placed it high on her thigh, just below the hem of her skirt and considering the shortness of the skirt, that was pretty high. He stroked her soft skin, his fingers running under her skirt and Maria involuntarily opened her legs an inch or two for him, a smile on her face.

“Excuse me,” Kyle said from the back. “Not while I’m in here please. There’s some things I just don’t need to see.”

“Never,” Michael repeated to Maria, smirking at the look on her face and ignoring Kyle.

“Yeah,” she said, taking his hand from her thigh and, turning it, she interlaced her fingers with his, “we’ll work on that later,” she finished.

Michael flashed her his most special sexy grin before turning his eyes back to the road.
“Thank fuck for that,” Kyle snorted, settling back against the soft leather.

Michael parked the car in a spot near the front of the school, another perk of game day and he and Maria climbed out of the car.

“Maria, I love your car,” he said simply.

“Yeah, you and everyone else,” Kyle said as he sprang from the back seat to Maria’s dismayed cry of “feet.”

She leaned into the car to retrieve her book bag and smiled, turning her head, when she felt a body plastered over hers from behind.

“Shit, Maria,” Michael exclaimed, reaching over her to grab her bag and his. “Do not lean over in that skirt.”

“I thought you liked it,” she said seductively as she wiggled her bottom a little against him.

“Yeah,” he grinned, “but I don’t want everyone else to like it, too!”

She just laughed at him as she straightened up and he moved away from her. She turned around, throwing the strap of her bag over her shoulder and started for the school, Michael and Kyle either side of her.

She smiled as Michael bristled beside her, his eyes moving constantly, comments hitting his ears about Maria, as they moved toward the doors.

He suddenly stopped her and took her bag from her shoulder. He dropped their bags to the ground and shrugged out of his jacket. Maria giggled at him as he forced her arms into the over large covering and pulled it around her.

“I don’t think that helps,” Max said, appearing at their side. “Now it just looks like she’s not wearing anything.”

Michael took a step back and looked at her. Sure enough, his jacket was so big on her, it covered the length of her skirt and with her hand holding it closed, it looked like she'd turned up to school in nothing but her sneakers and his jacket. He found that highly arousing, and when she bit her bottom lip while he was looking at her, M.P jumped and tried to get the attention of its owner. Which, of course, she noticed and when her eyes flicked down to the bulge in his jeans, he growled, “Shit, Maria,” and picked up both their bags and grabbed her hand, pulling her into the school, all the time mumbling about pouty lips and cheerleading outfits.

Maria laughed at him. “Hey, this was your idea, remember. You should have thought it through.”

He led Maria through the school to her first class. He actually walked in and sat her down at the desk she indicated.

“You stay there until I come back for you, and keep my jacket on.”

“Michael,” she whined, “It’s hot in here.”

“I don’t care, keep it on,” and he turned to leave.

“Hey, what’s the rush,” she called after him.

“I need to take care of something,” he growled out and again he felt her eyes on his groin, and he groaned when she licked her lips.

“Want me to help?” she asked, her eyes catching and holding his.

Michael was on the verge of taking her up on her offer, but that would mean having her move around the school again.

“No, shit,” he moaned. “You stay there,” and he turned and left quickly before he changed his mind.

Thank you all for your patience with this fic and as I promised, I will not abandon this story. I will be posting the chapters every two weeks with this fic. Working 12 hour shifts 3 days a week really digs into my writing time!! Pesky Job!!!

And can I just say to SARA: Do you have some access to my computer or have you found my note books!! ?

Anyway here is the next chapter and I hope you all enjoy it.

Chapter 14.


By lunch, Maria was tired of Michael’s behavior. She bristled with anger as she stalked down the corridor looking for her Neanderthal playmate. Who did he think he was, telling her she couldn’t walk around without him there? She spotted him coming out of his art classroom and quickly caught up with him, grabbing his arm, and dragging him further down the hallway toward the eraser room.

Michael just grinned at her when he saw the direction in which they were heading.

Maria opened the door, and after quickly scanning the small space for any occupants, she roughly pushed him into the intimate space.

“Hey, not that I’m complaining,” Michael said, “but what’s the hurry?”

She closed the door and then spun round to face him. “You’ve got to stop, Michael,” she hissed.

The grin fell from Michael’s face. “Stop?”

“Yes.”

He swallowed nervously. “Stop what?”

“This whole possessiveness thing,” she huffed. “We’ve already talked about this.”

“But babe,” Michael started.

“No, Michael,” Maria cut him off. “This whole day is threatening to be a disaster. You wanted me to cheer at the game tonight, so you have to deal with the outfit.”

“Maria, I can deal with the outfit, I just don’t want…..”

“Yes, Michael, I get that. But you have to trust me, OK?”

“It’s not you I don’t trust,” Michael mumbled.

“Well, trust me to handle myself. I’ve taken care for myself for years before we met. It’s not even been a week since we’ve known each other.”

Michael signed. “OK,” he relented.

“OK? As simple as that?” Maria was astonished.

“No, it’s not simple, Maria. I can’t help the way I feel when I see another guy looking at you. But, like you said, I trust you.”

“Good, ‘cause there’s only one guy I want, Michael.”

“Oh,” he smirked. “Anyone I know?”

“Maybe,” she returned his smirked and moved closer. “Do you know the guy who works at the hardware store?”

“Ha ha, Maria. You’re so funny I almost forgot to laugh.”

“So no more caveman behavior?”

“Only when we are alone,” he conceded.

“I can handle that,” she smiled and drew him into a kiss.

They were interrupted by the door opening, and they sprung apart to see Tess and Kyle in the door frame, both looking equally amused at who they found on the other side of the door.

“See, I told you someone was in here,” Tess grinned.

“Are you done, Ria? Others want to get some, too.”

“Hey,” Michael called out. “That’s my sister you’re talking about.”

“Ha – now you know how it feels,” Kyle smirked.

“Come on, Michael,” Maria said, pulling on his arm and dragging him from the room. “Let them have a little fun of their own.”

“Thanks, Jailbait,” Kyle smirked, stepping back to let Tess into the room first.

***************************

The last class of the day had been cancelled for the pep rally, and Maria begrudging stood beside the rest of the cheerleaders positioned at the doors of the gym where the football players would make their entrance.

The other members of the team were jumping and cheering and generally being all peppy, and Maria really wished she could just join her friends and make ridiculous comments.

She turned her head to search the bleachers for Liz and Isabel, grinning to them when she finally found them near the top of the stands with Alex. They waved as one and then lifted a banner painted with bright colors which read ‘GO MARIA’. Maria’s smiled widened, and she turned back to the other cheerleaders when a voice began announcing the players as they entered the gym.

She dutifully clapped as the team entered, only raising her voice and showing any form of enthusiasm when Max, Kyle, and Michael made their appearances. She let the other cheerleaders take center stage and lead the school through some chants while she sat on the bottom bleacher.

She watched Michael as he sat, absolutely bored, with the rest of his teammates. Her view flickered to her brother, and she grinned in amusement as Kyle’s eyes followed every movement that Tess made.
Yep, her brother had it bad for the small cheerleader.

Her eyes wandered the gym again and involuntarily settled on her music teacher.

There weren’t many things she had done that she regretted, but Ben Harris was one; maybe the biggest mistake she had made so far in her life.

She remembered meeting him one day by Santa Monica Pier during summer vacation before her junior year. How was she supposed to know he would be the new teacher at her prestigious high school? They had hit it off right from the beginning, not surprisingly finding common ground in music. He had obviously taken her for someone much older, and she hadn’t corrected him on his assumption. They had gone to a karaoke bar that evening after spending most of the day together and performed together the song that she had sung in his music class earlier in the week – ‘Summer of ’69’. The night had ended with Maria in his bed.

They had spent the entire vacation together, and for the first time in a long time, Maria had almost forgotten about her real life. That illusion had come crashing down when she had walked into her music class the first day of term to find him there, her new teacher.

He had been equally as shocked as her, and when she had met him later, he had a few choice words for her. But the ones that stuck in her memory were the ones where he declared that he had fallen in love with her. Maria had been taken aback by his confession, but resolved that whatever had happened between them could not continue. Aside from the fact she was legally underage, he was her teacher.

He had agreed, but somehow, things didn’t really change between them. That is until the fateful day when her worst enemy had come across them in a compromising position.

Alesha Edwards was the principal’s daughter, and she and Maria hated each other on sight from their very first meeting. When Alesha had stumbled upon the two of them afterschool one day, during a student-teacher discussion, she had all the ammunition she needed. She had told her father about her discovery, hoping that Maria would be expelled from the school. Needless to say, things hadn’t quite gone the way Alesha had expected them to as Ben Harris had been given two options. Leave now and nothing would be documented on his working file or stay and be dismissed for misconduct. Maria was given a rap on the knuckles after a serious talking to from her mother.

Ben had left almost immediately and an older teacher had preplaced him. Many of the faculty looked down their noses at Maria from then, but she didn’t care.

She met Ben one more time before she thought she had seen the last of him. He, again, declared his undying love for her, despite her age and the restraints of society. He asked her to run away with him. Nothing had gone onto his file, and they could find a nice small town to live in and pretend she was older. Maria laughed at him, playing the part of bitch to perfection, and he left, dejected. Maria found the void within her widen just a little more.

What followed had been three months of her being totally out of control. She hadn’t loved Ben - far from it - but he made her happy. He was a distraction from her life. Now she took her unhappiness out on everyone else. She drank, partied hard, and used men. She hit an all-time low when she was arrested with Kyle for possession of narcotics. Again, with help from her name and Jim, that had been swept under the rug, with Kyle’s name being erased from the file and her doing community service. She was sure that it had been these months that had spurred Jim to look for work elsewhere. Maria was sent back to the shrink who she saw after her dad died, and her mother pleaded with her, again, to change her ways.

So Maria tried. She really did. She would do anything for her mom. She went to the appointments with her psychologist and cut down on the alcohol, making that stupid deal with Jim to only drink on the weekends, and when she did, to drink responsibly. She knew things could have been worse. She was underage, after all. Her parents could have said no alcohol at all, but they were pretty cool and knew they couldn’t stop her altogether because Maria would do as she wanted. They could only hope she would choose to be responsible about it.

The move to Roswell was just what the family needed. Here she was just Maria Deluca. Her name didn’t precede her. Well, for the moment, anyway. And she would not be able to pull the shit she did in L.A. and get away with it. Maria found that oddly liberating: To know that her parents were trying to gain some control back in her reckless life.

She jumped when there was an exceptionally loud cheer and realized the pep rally was over. She eyes focused again on Ben to see him smiling slightly at her. She shook her head, blowing away her thoughts, and standing quickly to join the others.

******************

The game went extremely well, West Roswell High beating Goddard High 37 – 24. Maria joined the squad on the field to congratulate the boys afterward.

Michael found her almost immediately, picking her up and spinning her around.

“Gross, Michael,” she squealed. “You’re spraying sweat all over me.”

“Didn’t hear you complain last time,” he replied with a smirk, wriggling his eyes suggestively.

“Yeah,” she grinned back at him. “Well, that’s different.”

Michael settled Maria back on the floor as another member from the team slapped him on the back.

“Excellent work, Guerin.”

Michael nodded, grinning at his teammate, before turning his attention back to Maria.

“So you played well?” Maria asked him.

“Didn’t you watch?” Michael looked dejected.

“Of course I watched,” she replied indignantly. “It’s just, your pants distracted me.”

“My pants?”

Maria nodded with a smile and then grabbed his hand, pulling him over to the locker room.

“Go shower, Michael. Celebrate with your friends, and then we are hitting the club.”

“Are we all meeting there?” he asked her, walking backward toward the school.

She nodded. “Ask some of your friends to join us, if you want. I’m going home, I’ll see you later.” And before he could answer her, she turned and walked off, blowing a kiss to him over her shoulder.

******************

Michael kicked at a large pebble in the graveled parking lot of The Purple Spaceship.

“I thought the whole point of having a meeting time was so you could all meet at a certain time,” he grumbled to no one in particular.

“Michael, will you give it a rest?” Tess drew out.

“What time is it?” Michael asked Max, turning to face him.

“Five minutes since the last time you asked,” Max laughed.

“When are they gonna get here?”

“Oh Michael, a girl likes to make an entrance, ya know?” Isabel said with a smile.

“Oh, thank God,” Tess cried as she watched Maria turn the corner with Kyle and Alex in tow.

Maria could feel the agitation rolling off from Michael in waves.

“So we’re a little late,” she confessed with a smile in way of a greeting.

“Michael, close your mouth. You’re drooling on your new shirt,” Tess smirked at her brother as he greedily took in Maria’s outfit: Dark jeans with a tie-fastening fly and an emerald green glittering top with small, barely-there straps. A pair of killer black heels finished her outfit perfectly as she sauntered toward the group.

“You too, Max,” Isabel added.

“Well, come on,” Maria cried happily. “Can’t do much dancing out here.” And she turned on her heel and headed over to the club’s entrance.



It was hot in the club, and Michael felt a little uncomfortable. They had snagged a table by a far wall, and now the four guys were all sitting, watching as the four girls danced in the middle of the floor.

“That girl really wants to dance,” Max said with a smirk to Michael.

Michael bristled at his friend’s comment as yet another male wandered over to Maria and whispered in her ear.

He watched as Maria smiled, but then shook her head and turned back to her other friends, his won grin widening as she rejected yet another suitor.

Pretty soon, Maria noted they had a group of guys hanging around them, and as a group, they were dancing with their male admirers. Maria smiled to Liz to see her throwing herself into the situation and enjoying herself immensely. She felt a hand circle her waist and for the briefest moment she thought it was Michael. But her body told her otherwise, and she turned to face her newest groper.

She didn’t know the guy, and he looked older than their high school crew, tall with shaggy dark blonde hair, reminding her of the surfers back in L.A.

“Can I buy you a drink?” he yelled over the music into her ear.

Maria shook her head, not skipping a beat as her body continued to move with the music.

The guy continued to dance with her, leaning in to ask, “You want to go somewhere quieter?”

Maria turned her head to the table the guys were sitting at, hoping that Michael was not about to lose his newfound control. Their eyes met, and she smiled to him.

“You here with someone?” the stranger asked her, and she nodded, pointing over to Michael.

She giggled a little when surfer guy swallowed nervously at Michael’s glare.

“Is he liable to hit me if I continue to talk to you?’ he asked, almost too casually.

Maria flashed him her best smile and nodded slowly.

“OK,” was the only thing he said as he turned from her and moved on to another girl.

Maria turned back to her friends, shaking her head slightly at surfer dude’s obvious fear of her Spaceboy, and the music changed into a song with a slow, sensual beat.

Tess scrunched up her nose. “Can’t dance to this,” she moaned.

“I need a drink anyway,” Isabel added, and then turned to Liz. “How about you?”

Liz nodded eagerly, and they turned to return to the table.

Maria smiled as they neared their destination to see that one of the guys had refilled their waters and gratefully grabbed a bottle as she collapsed into Michael lap.

“Having fun?” he asked her, his lips skimming her earlobe and sending a shiver throughout the body.

She nodded placing her battle back on the table. “Dance with me, Michael,” she asked, turning in his lap slightly to look at him

“Looks like you were doing just fine with them,” he grumbled, tossing his head back in the direction of the dance floor.

She turned completely around, shifting herself so she was straddling him. “Nuh-hu. I want to dance with you,” she smiled.

“I don’t dance, Maria.”

“Please Michael, I bet I can get you to dance,” she challenged seductively.

Michael sighed deeply as he grabbed hold of her hips and lifted her from him. He followed her up, and Maria grinned as she pulled on his hand, leading over to the dance space.

“Oh my God, I’ve seen it all know,” Tess said from her place beside Kyle. She started to giggle, “Michael is gonna dance.”

“Can he?” Liz asked intrigued. “I don’t think I’ve seen him dance before.”

“That’s because he doesn’t, Parker,” Max added, offering her one of the hot wings in the basket in front of him.

“Whenever he goes to the school dances, it’s just to score,” he finished.

“Score?” Liz asked, her forehead wrinkling a little in question.

“Sex, Lizzie,” Alex provided for his friend. “At least that’s what I think he means,” he finished, hoping it wasn’t drugs that Max was indicating at. Liz was a good girl, and he didn’t want her, or him, for that matter, mixed in something that crazy.

Liz blushed at Alex’s comment and was glad for the dim lights as her eyes followed the others back to Michael and Maria out on the floor.


Maria turned in Michael’s arms and suppressed a giggle at his deer caught in the headlights look.

“Relax, Michael, you can’t dance when you’re so tense,” she instructed.

Michael looked nervously around them.

“Don’t look at them, they’re not looking at you,” she laughed.

“No,” he agreed. “They’re looking at you.”

Maria shook her head and placed her hands on his shoulders. She ran her hands down his arms until their hands met. Then, smiling to him, she lifted his hands and set them on her hips, with hers covering them.
Michael’s eye flittered again to the people around them.

“Michael,” Maria moaned. “I’m getting a complex here. Would you really prefer to look at them instead of me?”

Michael quickly turned back to her. “Don’t be ridiculous, Babe.”

“Correct answer, Spaceboy,” she laughed.

She held onto his hands against her hips, and she swayed to the music, keeping her eyes locked with his.

When he still remained rigid against her, she transferred her hands to his hips, moving them in time with her and the slow beat of the song.

Michael’s eyes remained with her, and eventually, he relaxed against her body, and her hands slide back up his sides and around his neck, plastering her entire front alongside his, them both moving together, sort of dancing.

“She did it,” Isabel laughed from her seat. “She actually got him to dance!”

*****************

Hours later Maria was pulling Michael into her bedroom again, her lips attached to his and she refused to separate them as Michael stumbled with the height difference.

Eventually they needed to pull away from each other and in that moment, she pulled his shirt up and over his head.

“Ahm, Maria,” Michael stuttered as her hands flew to the buckle of his belt. “Are your parents home?”

Maria looked up at him with a mischievous grin and a shrug.

Michael groaned, knowing he was gonna regret it, but he stilled her hands. “I don’t think I can have sex with you with your parents in the house.”

“What?” she asked clearly shocked.

Michael rubbed the back of his neck. “Well, it’s just…..”

Maria laughed. “Easy Michael, they are out and will be for another couple of hours, at least.”

“Well, in that case,” he returned and pulled her top from her body.

****************

“How long do you think they’ll be up there?” Tess whispered to Kyle as they watched Michael and Maria disappear up the stairs.

“I have no idea, but knowing Maria, probably hours. You might want to get comfortable, or do you want me to take you home?”

“Nah, I’m good here,” she replied as she followed him over to the luxurious sofas in the family room. “If that’s ok?” she added with a shy smile.

“More than ok,” Kyle beamed back at her.

Tess flopped down onto the overstuffed plush cushions and giggled as Kyle followed her, his arm accidently falling over and around her shoulders, his other arm reaching for the TV remote.

Kyle lifted his feet up and rested them in the solid wood coffee table as he flicked through the channels, searching for something interesting to watch, as Tess wriggled a little until she half-turned in her seat.
She watched Kyle as she too lifted her legs and settled them, bent at the knee leaning against Kyle’s legs. When he smiled, she sighed and snuggled into his side.

“Perfect,” she heard Kyle say and when she looked back up to him, he indicated to the TV. “Family Guy marathon. That should see us through a couple of hours.”

******************

Maria quietly made her way down the stairs, fastening the buttons on Michael’s shirt, not wanting to wake anyone and unsure if her mom and Jim were home from their night out. At the bottom of the stairs, she faintly heard the TV in the family room. There she found Tess and Kyle curled up together on one of the sofa’s watching Family Guy.

Kyle looked up when he heard her shuffle into the room.

“Thought you’d be out for the count by now,” he smirked.

“I’m starving,” she replied ignoring his comment as she wandered over and into the kitchen

“Copious amount of sex will do that to ya,” he quipped. He swung his head back to the stairs. “Where’s Michael?”

“Asleep,” Maria’s voice floated back from inside fridge.

“He’s asleep!” Tess said unbelieving.

“Yep,” Maria replied, taking the ingredients to make her sandwich over to a countertop. “I think I wore your brother out,” she added with a giggle.

Tess looked at Kyle, and she couldn’t help the snort of laughter that erupted from her. They continued to watch the TV as Maria made her sandwich, singing low to herself.

“Oh, that’s a sure sign she got something good,” Kyle whispered in Tess’ ear.

Maria perched herself on a stool at the counter separating the kitchen from the family room, watching the
TV with them. Her eyes fell on her brother and Michael’s sister when Tess laughed aloud at something Stewie said. It was funny how they had hooked up with brother and sister and great, as well.

When she had finished her sandwich, she walked over and flopped onto the other sofa, deciding to watch TV with them while Michael slept.


Twenty minutes later, Kyle heard Michael’s quiet voice from the stairwell, “Maria?”

“She’s in here,” Kyle called back to him.

Michael walked over into the family room, looking a little like a zombie in just his jeans, to see Maria sprawled out on her stomach on the large sofa.

“Love the new look,” Tess smirked to Michael, indicating his wild hair.

Michael ran his hands through his tousled locks with a smile, only succeeding in making it worse.

He walked closer to the sofa where Maria lay and squatted down beside her head.

“Come on, Maria,” he whispered gently, rubbing his hand on her arm, finally noticing that she was wearing his shirt. ‘Now that’s hot!’

“Huh,” she answered sleepily. “Sleeping!”

“I know, come on, I’ll take you back to bed.”

She lazily opened her eyes and flashed him a seductive grin.

“Geez, Deluca. You are insatiable,” he laughed out.

“Yeah, but you love it.”

“Yeah, I do. Let’s go.”

Maria sighed, moving around on the sofa and turning over on her back as she lifted her arms to him. “Carry me.”

“Sure, Princess,” and he swiftly picked her up into his arms.

He turned back to Tess. “I’ll settle her in, and then we can go.”

“Sure you will,” Kyle scoffed. “I’ll take Tess home.”

As Michael hit the bottom of the stairs, Kyle called out. “Just so you know, the ‘rents should be home soon.”

Hey guys, bet you didn’t expect to see this update. Surprise!

Thanks for your patience.

Ginger: Thanks and yeah Real life sucks

Katie: Thanks, it was quite a surprise let me tell you. And I’m definitely back on the mend now, thanks.


Chapter 15

The next morning flew by with Maria spending her morning catching up with her mom by the way of shopping, then working at the CrashDown in the afternoon.

After their shift Maria drove Michael home.

“Do you want to meet my family?” he asked her as they sat in her car outside his house.

“Why?” Maria replied, her eyes narrowing at him.

“Because that’s what people do, Maria. I mean, we are dating.”

Maria looked at Michael like he had lost his mind. They were dating?

“Have we been on a date, Michael?” she asked him.

“Well, technically, no. Not just between the two us,” he replied, rubbing his neck with his hand. “Just come in, Maria,” he said gruffly, climbing out of the car.

Maria reluctantly pulled her keys from the ignition and followed him from the car, all the time mumbling to herself.

She followed Michael around the house and through the back door which opened directly into the kitchen. The aroma of food cooking greeted her, the distinct smell of a lamb pot roast and she smiled at the homely feeling that emanated from the room.

“Michael, have you eaten yet?” a female voice called from the depths of the walk-in pantry.

“No,” Michael mumbled.

“Well, dinner will be ready in 20 minutes if you want to eat with us,” the disembodied voice responded as a middle-ages woman emerged from the storage area, giving a body to the voice. “Oh!” she said, surprised to see Maria there.

“Sheila, this is Maria. Maria, Sheila Harding,” Michael made the introductions effortlessness as he smirked at Maria’s obvious unease with the situation.

“Ah, so you’re Maria,” Sheila said with a smile. Her mousy hair framed her face perfectly and she was of medium height and had an apron wrapped her slim waist.

Maria shot her eyes to Michael, wondered what he had said about her.

“Oh, don’t worry, Michael hasn’t said a word about you. All my information has come from Tommy and Tess,” Sheila informed Maria.

“Well, don’t believe a word of it,” Maria said, returning the woman’s smile.

“Oh, I don’t know. Tess tells me you to all but practically single-handedly saved the cheerleading squad.”

“She did, huh?” Maria laughed, relaxing a little. This wasn’t so bad.

“So, are you staying for dinner, Maria?” Sheila asked.

“Erhm….” Maria looked at Michael, a question in her eyes and unsure how to respond to his foster mother.

“Yeah, if that’s ok?” Michael answered for her.

“Of course, Maria. With three growing boys to cater for, there is always plenty.”

“Thanks, Sheila,” Michael called then took Maria by her hand and headed out of the kitchen.

He led her upstairs and into his bedroom, closing the door softly behind them.

Maria wandered around his small room which was dominated by his simple bed, and a desk lined one wall. Along the other was a dresser that matched his bed.

“My room is not as big as yours,” Michael stated as Maria came to a stop in front of his desk, and he moved over to her.

“It’s your own space, Michael, and that’s what matters,” Maria answered.

He moved to meet her in front of his workspace. Once he was in front of her, he leaned closer so he could capture her lips with his.

Maria smiled against his lips as she moved into his embrace. Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, she deepened their kiss. She had been waiting for this all day. They had a brief kiss at the CrashDown before their shift but then the afternoon rush had removed any chance of anything else.

Michael lifted her onto his desk, moving her legs apart and stepping closer so their bodies were flush. He slid his hand up the outside of her thigh and under the hem of her shorts, stroking her skin teasingly.

They were interrupted by a rapping on the door.

Michael tore his lips away from Maria, causing her to groan at the lost.

“Go away,” Michael growled, swinging his head around to the door.

“Mom said she hopes you’re not doing anything you shouldn’t be,” a light voice called through the wood.

“Go away,” Michael repeated, turning his head back to Maria and attacking her neck with his lips.

“I think she means you’re not allowed to have sex with your girlfriend in there,” the voice countered.

“I know what she means, shit-face. Now get lost,” Michael growled again.

“Michael,” Maria whispered as his hand crept up her body to gently caress her breast.

“Don’t worry, he’ll get fed up and move eventually,” he replied to her non-question.

“I know what you’re doing, Michael,” the voice said again.

Michael grinned at Maria as he brushed his fingers against the apex of her legs. “I bet you don’t,” he called back.

“You’re touching your girlfriend where you shouldn’t.”

Maria moaned when Michael added more pressure with his fingers but then reached between them and pulled his hand away.

Michael looked up at her, his eyebrows shooting up.

“We can’t, Michael,” she said simply. “Not here, not now.”

Michael looked intently at her then nodded and moved away from her, his face showing his disappointment.

“Later, Spaceboy,” Maria grinned to him. Michael’s eye widened at her promise as he quickly strode across the floor to the door and yanked it open, startling the young boy on the other side, causing the slim youth to jump back in surprise, his mop of blonde hair falling over his eyes.

“Maria, this is Nicholas,” Michael introduced his younger foster brother who breezed into the room.

“Nice to me you, Nicholas,” Maria offered.

Nicholas moved his blonde, wavy hair out of his eyes as he looked Maria up and down. “You’re hot.”

“Well, thanks,” Maria said with a giggle at the brazenness of Michael’s foster brother.

“And you’re 11,” Michael countered as he pushed the wiry boy goodheartedly.

“A very mature 11,” Nicholas bit back.

“Hey, Maria,” Tommy grinned as he entered Michael’s room. Michael watched as both his brothers stood transfixed before his girlfriend and couldn’t help his smile. He remembered what it was like to be their age and have a crush on an older girl.

“Hey Tommy,” Maria waved to him. “Haven’t seen you for a while.”

Tommy ducked his head to hide his deep blush.

“Hey, Maria,” Tess called as she, too, bounced into Michael’s room and flopped down onto his bed. “Mom said you were here.”

“Ok,” Michael said holding his hands up. “There are far too many people in my room. Those of you whose name does not start with a M, out!”

“Michael,” Maria chastised. “Don’t be rude to your family.”

“Oh, don’t worry, Maria, we are used to it,” Tess grinned.

“Yeah, he just wants to stick his tongue down your throat,” Nicholas beamed as Michael attempted to wrestle him from the room.

“I apologize for my brother,” Tommy said courteously.

“Which one?” Maria laughed.

“Hey,” Michael growled, from his position near the door where he held Nicholas in a head lock. “I haven’t done anything wrong.”

“That’s a matter of opinion, Michael,” Tess chimed in seriously.

They heard the front door open and close, and Nicholas’ head turned sharply from his place under Michael’s arm. “Dad’s home!”

Michael quickly let the young boy go and gave him a push in the direction of the stairs, and Nicholas ran down then, shouting at the top of his lungs, “Dad, Michael’s got a girl in his room!”

“Actually, I have two,” Michael bellowed as he walked back into his room to see both Tess and Maria looking
at him, each with an eyebrow raised in amusement.

“What?” he said bewildered. “Tess may be my sister, but she’s still a girl.”

Maria and Tess looked at each other and then burst into laughter.

“Good to know,” Tess giggled.

“Dinner’s ready,” a voice floated up from downstairs.


Maria found herself seated at the dining table of the Hardings, squeezed in between Michael and Tommy. His foster parents sat at opposite ends of the table with Tess and Nicholas opposite of her.

She wondered what Mr. Harding would think if he knew that he was eating dinner in his own house with the person who technically, if not actually, wrote his pay check.

She smiled as they all discussed their days, filling the family in with what was happening in their lives.

“Maria,” Ed Harding said, looking toward her. “What does your father do?”

“He’s the town sheriff, Mr. Harding,” Maria answered politely, praying silently that Tess or Michael didn’t bring up the small fact that she wasn’t technically a Valenti because that could lead to unwanted questions about her surname.

“Really?” Ed asked, swinging his eyes to Michael in surprise. “Dating the sheriff’s daughter, Michael. That has to be different. You’ll definitely have to keep on the right side of the law now.”

“Yeah,” Michael grunted as he shoveled another forkful of potatoes into his mouth.

“Excuse Michael’s manners, Maria,” Sheila said with an amused smile.

“Oh, don’t worry, Mrs. Harding. I’m used to Neanderthals eating habits. I have a teenage brother.”

The rest of the dinner progressed with ease and after, Maria helped clear the dishes and tidy up, all the time smiling at the antics of Michael’s brothers as Nicholas tried to impress her and Tommy constantly apologizing for his brother’s behavior.

“Michael,” she started after they had finished. “Maybe we could go back to my house?”

Michael noted the look in her eyes and was instantly on his feet, heading off to let Sheila and Ed he was going out.

“You wanna come over?” Maria asked Tess, knowing that Kyle would appreciate her bringing Tess back with her from the Harding household.

“Can I come over?” Nicholas asked hopefully.

“Maybe next time,” Maria laughed.

“Really?” Nicholas grinned, his eyes lightning up.

“Sure, you can come over and swim in the pool if you want,” Maria offered.

“Score!” Nicholas bellowed jumping from his chair, his hands in the air. Then he ran from the room mumbling something about calling all his friends to tell them he had a date with a hot high school chick.

“Maria, you do realize his gonna be like a limpet now. You’ll never be able to shake him off,” Tommy said seriously.

“Oh, he’s harmless, believe me. You’re welcome to come over, too, ya know,” she smiled.

“Ah, well,….. thanks, yeah, I might take you up on that offer one day,” he answered rubbing his neck with his hand, a gesture she had seen Michael use as he too left the room.

“I’m just gonna go change,” Tess said, shaking her head at the antics of her brothers. She added before she left the room. “Maria, it seems like the Harding household is under your spell.”

Feeling a little self-conscious standing by herself, she moved through the house looking for Michael. She found him quickly enough, standing by the entrance to another room. She walked closer to him, and he turned his head quickly as he heard her approach. He lifted his finger to his lips, urging her to be quiet, obviously listening in on their conversation.

“I don’t know how we are going to achieve this, Sheila,” Ed was saying.

“We need to, Ed. That poor little girl needs to know that there are people out there who want to take care of
her and to love her. She’s had such a tough life, and she’s only 8.”

“The numbers just aren’t adding up. I could take a second mortgage on the house, but that may go against us in the long run.”

Michael moved Maria back from the doorway and back toward the family room.

“What’s wrong?” Maria asked.

“Sheila met this little girl at one of the foster homes, and she wants to bring her here.”

“Well, that’s good, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, except the Department of Family Services say the age gap between Tess and Alyssa, the kid, is too much, and she needs to have her own room. For that to happen, we need to make alterations on the house, and Ed is struggling to make the numbers work.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah. He’s the head of his division at work, but he doesn’t get paid that much. And with four kids at home and one in college, things can be tough.”

Maria nodded her head as if she understood, though in truth, she would never comprehend the need to count every cent.

“Are we all set?” Tess called as she descended the stairs.

“What?” Michael said unbelieving, looking at his sister as she came to a stop in front of him.

“I asked Tess if she wanted to come along,” Maria explained.

“And she invited the drool twins to use her pool whenever they wanted to,” Tess added.

“What? No way, Maria. We’ll never get rid of them now,” Michael moaned.

“Hush, Spaceboy,” Maria chastised, hitting him gently with her hand on his stomach.

“And why is Tess coming along?” he continued, not bothering to lower his voice.

Maria sidled closer to him and whispered in his ear. “I thought she would be a good distraction for Kyle.”

“I like your thinking, Legs,” he said with a smile, then turned and hollered out to the study where Ed and Sheila were still talking. “Tess and I are going over to Maria’s.”

“Ok,” Sheila called back. “Midnight!”

“Midnight?” Maria asked.

Tess rolled her eyes. “Curfew.”

Maria nodded in understanding and let herself be led from the house by Michael.


The next morning, Maria spent a few hours doing her homework, completing her trig problems easily and putting the finishing touches on her paper for history.

After she was done, and Kyle had stolen her work so he could copy it, she walked through the house, heading for her mom’s studio.

She cautiously opened the door and poked her head in. Noting her mom wasn’t there, she stole into the room and over to the desk in one corner. She opened a couple of drawers before she found what she was looking: A black address book.

She flipped quickly through the pages and finding the information she needed, she quickly fled the room, the book securely in her hand.

She moved outside the make the call from her cell phone.

The phone rang a few times before it was picked up.

“Tyler Andrews,” a business-like voice answered

“Maria Deluca,” she returned, just as crisply, repressing a giggle that was threatening to erupt.

“Miss Deluca,” the voice sounded surprised. “What can I do for you?”

“Tyler, can you contact Harvey’s assistant, Bethany, and have her send all my school work. She knows where it is.”

“Of course, Miss Deluca,” Tyler answered. Maria could almost envision him writing the information down.

“Also, I need some information about Amitron Electronics, specifically the Roswell division.”

“Is there anything I can help with, Miss Deluca?”

“Tyler, how many times have I told you? Please, none of this Miss Deluca crap. It’s Maria.”

“Sorry, Miss…” he paused before righting himself. “Maria.”

“Thank you. I’m looking to see if it is feasible to give some workers there a pay increase.”

“As far as I’m aware, that division is working out well, though it’s still early. The facility has only been in operation for 16 months.”

“I know all that, Tyler. Look, I would consider it a personal favor if the head of the division, Ed Harding, found his paycheck a little healthier.”

“How much healthier?” Tyler questioned.

“Shit, I don’t know, Tyler,” Maria said with frustration down the phone. How was she supposed to know what was considered a good wage? “How does doubling the wage sound?”

“I think that would be a lot of cash, Miss Deluca,” Tyler responded, forgetting to call her by her given name.

“Ok, then that’s perfect,” Maria concluded. These guys were always over cautious with the money. “I want it done immediately with three months back pay,” she instructed.

“As you wish, Miss Deluca.”

“Maria! And send me confirmation by email, Tyler. I want this done a.s.a.p.”

“First thing in the morning, Maria,” Tyler confirmed.

“Thanks, Tyler. Catch ya later,” she said cheerfully, and then shut off the phone.

“I don’t think you are supposed to use your secret powers to make sure the guy you’re screwing’s dad makes more money, Jailbait,” Kyle said sternly as he walked closer to her.

Maria had jumped at his voice and turned to him as he approached her.

“It’s for a good cause, Kyle,” she said as she slipped her phone into her back pocket.

“I don’t think Michael gets an allowance from them, ya know, so he won’t be taking you to an expensive restaurant with this extra money,” Kyle said sincerely.

“That’s not why I’m doing this,” Maria said. She grabbed hold of Kyle’s hand and walked him over to one of the loungers near the pool and sat down on one, pulling him to sit with her.

“They want to foster this little girl, but the DFS people won’t let them until they expand their house. And at the moment, they can’t afford that. So….”

“So, you figure a pay raise will help?” Kyle finished for her.

Maria shrugged her shoulders. “It can’t hurt, can it?”

Kyle looked at Maria as a smiled spread across his face. “There’s hope for you yet, Deluca.”

“Don’t be a dick, Kyle,” she said as she playfully slapped his arm, beaming up at him.

“Seriously, Maria. I’ve never seen you do anything like this before for your friends.”

Maria looked at Kyle liked he had grown another head. “And when did any of my ‘friends’, and I use that term very loosely, need any financial help?”

Kyle thought for a moment and then nodded. “Ok, I’ll give you that one.”

They were silent for a moment and then Kyle said, “Maria, if you are doing this for Michael and his family, don’t you think it’s time he knew?”

“I don’t think I’m ready for that just yet,” Maria answered softly, turning her head to study the hardy plants that her mother had incorporated into the landscaping of the backyard.

“Well, I’m just gonna put my two cents worth out there,” Kyle starting, grabbing her hand and forcing her eyes to meet his before he continued. “I think you should tell him, and I mean tell him everything, including Ben Harris and Billy Darden.”

“I don’t know, Kyle. You know I don’t like to gamble.”

“I think he will deal, Maria. He knows you are no blushing virgin, just like you know he’s had his share of gal-pals.”

“But what about the rest?”

“You can’t change who you are, Maria. You know that. And he can’t change who he is. Give him a chance.”

Maria thought on his words, seeing the wisdom in them but remained undecided whether to put herself out there, to truly let Michael in and run the risk that he wouldn’t understand.

“Oh crap, Ria,” Kyle laughed. “All this deep shit is frying my brain.”

Maria giggled at him, then her laughter grew, and she pushed him slight on the lounger. Kyle moved slightly and sunbed almost tipped over. So she pushed him again, harder this time and then stood quickly. In almost slow motion the deckchair toppled over and with one last shove from Maria, Kyle landed in the pool.

“That should cool your fried brain,” Maria giggled.

Kyle spluttered in the water, looking up at her in disbelief. “I can’t believe you did that! You are so going down.” And he attempted to splash her but only succeeded in soaking himself more, the water hitting the side of the pool and splashing back at him instead up to her.

“Oh, bring it on, Buddha Boy,” Maria laughed. When she saw Kyle climb from the pool, a look of determination on his face, she turned and hightailed indoors, squealing gleefully.

******

Hey to you all. Please leave feedback as it makes me happy

And you remind you this fic will post every two weeks.


Chapter 16

Later that day, Maria was idly playing her guitar in the basement den when Alex came down the stairs.

“Maria?” he called out.

Maria lifted her head from where she was laid on one the comfy couches. “Hey Alex,” she called out
cheerfully.

“Are you free to talk about this project?” he asked as he entered the space fully.

“Sure,” she grinned and waved him over. “Take a load off,” she added, indicating for him to sit, though she didn’t move from her prone position.

Alex flopped down onto the other couch.

“So, what do you think of this assignment with Mr. Harris?” he asked her, watching her fingers strum the strings, making music seemingly effortlessly.

“I don’t know. Does he do this sort of thing a lot? In fact, does the school do this kind of thing often? A monthly health topic. That’s crazy. How can there be enough health topics to keep the school going throughout the years?”

Alex laughed. “I think a lot are repeated, and they think we’re too dumb to notice. I’m sure we had this topic about eight months ago.”

Maria returned his grin as she sat up and moved placed the guitar on the couch beside her. “How many different versions of “Like a Virgin” do you reckon there will be?”

“I don’t know, and does that actually promote abstaining?”

Maria thought for a moment, the lyrics from Madonna’s classic song running through her head before she concluded, “Don’t think so.”

“Do you have any ideas on what you are going to sing?”

“Well, maybe,” she answered with a shrug.

“Could I maybe play the song for you while you sing? Seriously, the class would thank you. I can’t sing all that well.”

“I was actually going to perform something I wrote myself,” she said sheepishly.

“Really?” Alex asked, shocked.

“Yeah.”

Alex snorted. “You wrote a song about abstaining from sex. I’m sorry, Maria. Don’t take this the wrong way, but somehow, I can’t see you abstaining.”

“You are so funny, Alex Whitman,” Maria laughed sarcastically.

“Seriously, Maria.”

“It’s just sex, Alex,” Maria said casually

“I’ve never met anyone like you, Maria,” Alex commented amazed.

“Of course, you haven’t,” she beamed. “I’m unique.”

“Are you always this frank about sex?”

“Alex, it’s just sex. Something that a vast majority of people on this planet do every day. Yes, it can be romantic, special, and passionate if you are lucky enough to find the right partner, but most of the time, it’s raw, sweaty, messy, and animalistic. Don’t hype it up to be something it’s not.”

“Maybe you just haven’t found the right person yet,” Alex replied slowly.

Maria thought back to her times with Michael and smiled. “Maybe I’m just not doing it right. I should keep practicing,” and with that, she flopped back down on the couch.

Alex laughed before looking at Maria seriously again.

“Maria?” he started, not sure if he should be asking. “I’ve been meaning to ask. What’s up with you and our music teacher?”

Maria turned her head to him quickly at his question, her eyes wide in surprise. “What?”

“Mr. Harris?”

“Nothing’s up with me and Mr. Harris,” she said quickly, sitting back up and crossing her legs sitting sideways on the couch, looking at Alex.

“See, I’ve noticed he’s different when you’re in class,” Alex told her with a slight incline of his head.

Maria gulped nervously and picked up her guitar again, her fingers finding the strings automatically.

“Remember when you first moved here, and I told you about the rumors?”

Maria nodded absentmindedly.

“And I found out that Mr. Harris worked in L.A. before moving here.”

Maria stopped playing and looked to her tall friend. “Alex, please.”

“And the school he worked at was a private school,” Alex continued.

Maria met his steel gaze, her eyes begging him to just leave it alone.

“Imagine my surprise when I find out the very school he worked at is the same school you used to attend.”

“Alex.”

“Maria, are you the girl in the rumors?” he questioned plainly, fed up with dancing around it.

Maria remained silent.

“Did you have an affair with a teacher?” Alex asked. Though he had worked the whole scenario out in his
head, he was still finding it hard to accept.

“I wouldn’t call it an affair,” Maria offered with a dismissive shrug of her shoulders.

“What would you call it then?”

“A moment of blatant insanity.”

“For how long?”

“About six weeks.”

“How come there is nothing in his file?” Alex asked the question that puzzled him the most.

“He was given the choice,” Maria explained. “Either leave the school quietly, and have nothing else to do
with me, and nothing will go in his professional record, or a formal complaint will be lodged which would result in an arrest and jail time.”

“How did that happen?” he asked in disbelief. “I guess it does help if your father is in law enforcement?”

“Well, only partially,” Maria provided almost shyly.

Alex looked at her in confusion.

“The Lucan Academy, Alex,” she sighed as if defeated by his questions, moving her guitar to the side again.

“Yeah.” Alex shrugged.

“The Lucan Academy,” she echoed slowly.

“Yeah,” he repeated, not seeing where she is going with this train of thought.

“Say it quickly,” she instructed.

Alex looked at her quizzically. When she nodded at him, he said, “The Lucan Academy.” Maria indicated with
her hand, in a circling motion for him to continue, and so he did, repeating the three words over and over, eventually coming out with Delucan Academy.

He stopped his eyes wide and set on Maria. “Deluca Academy!”

Maria nodded, her lips twisting into a slight smile. “The De was removed just before I started there.”

“Shit, Maria,” Alex exclaimed, shock evident in his voice. “Your family owns a school?”

“Well, it’s not actually my family that owns it,” Maria answered him. “More the company that owns it.”

“What company?”

Maria swallowed nervously. Was she really ready for someone to know? But she could see Alex was already mentally assessing the information.

“Wait, Deluca Enterprises. Your family owns Deluca Enterprises?” Now there was newfound surprise in this voice.

“Not exactly,” Maria answered reluctantly, her eyes not meeting his.

Alex waited patiently for her to continue.

“There is hardly a Deluca family anymore,” she finished, her voice low.

Alex looked at her confused.

“Me, Alex. I’m the only Deluca in Deluca Enterprises,” she told him as she lifted her eyes back to meet his.

“Deluca Enterprises operates in more than 50 countries,” he stated evenly, not quite believing the girl in front of him was the owner of such a vast company.

“Fifty-three actually,” she corrected him with a smirk.

“Holy crap, Maria!”

“I became the youngest owner of a multi-billion dollar company at the age of seven when my dad died. My grandfather spearheads the company at present. I just have to make appearances every now and then. I won’t actually take the reins until I’ve graduated college.”

She looked at Alex to see the astonishment on his face. It actually felt good to tell someone, for one of her new friends to actually know.

“And is that what you want?” Alex questioned her cautiously.

“It’s not about what I want. It’s about fulfilling a role that has been set out for me. If my dad was still alive maybe things would have been different. Maybe I’d have a little brother to take over, but I don’t so…….”

They sat in silence for a minute while Alex digested all this new information. His eyes light up with mirth as he looked back to her and asked, “So, you’re über rich, right?”

She smiled at him. “Don’t Alex.”

“No, really?” Alex probed, grin widening. “If I was to see Forbes’ Most Wealthiest Americans, where would you come in that list?”

Maria shrugged nonchalantly.

“OK, let me rephrase that,” Alex laughed. “If I was to see Forbes’ Most Wealthiest teenagers, where would you be?”

“I don’t know.”

“Do you even know how much you are worth?” he asked skeptically.

Maria shook her head.

“And you choose to live in Roswell, New Mexico?” his eyebrows lifting high on his forehead.

“Hey, I may be worth billions, but I still have parents I have to live with.”

“That must suck.”

“Tell me about it,” she sighed dramatically.

She looked down and brushed idly at some flecks of cotton on her clothes before looking back up to Alex.

“Alex, don’t say anything to the others,” she implored him. “This is the first time my wealth hasn’t preceded me, and I’d like to leave it like that.”

“Michael doesn’t know?” Alex asked her surprised.

She shook her head. “Not yet, but I’m gonna tell him soon.”

“OK, Maria,” Alex agreed. “Your secret’s safe with me. And don’t worry, I’ll keep Mr. Harris at bay for you.” He paused. “You don’t want to be with him, do you?”

“Shit, No!” her expression showing that she couldn’t believe he asked her that.

Alex nodded his head, happy with her answer.

“So, this song of yours?” Alex started, feeling they had covered some seriously major topics. “Are you gonna sing it for me?

“Sure,” Maria said with a smile grateful that Alex was going to leave it there and picked her guitar back up again, clearing her throat slightly.

*********

Maria was almost late for her shift that afternoon after spending time with Alex. They had agreed to do the song together, and Maria had promised to find her written sheet music for her creation so he could learn it by Wednesday.

“Where you been, Blondie?” Michael asked her from his position on the couch when she entered to backroom of the CrashDown.

“With Alex,” she answered simply as she moved over to him and settled neatly onto his lap. She watched as his jaw hardened, and she leaned into him. “Relax, Spaceboy. We were discussing a school project.”

“That’s ok, Maria,” Michael said evenly. “I trust you, and I know Alex. He doesn’t have the balls to try anything with you.”

“Alex is a gentleman, Michael, and any woman would be lucky to have him,” Maria told him.

“Yeah, if that woman liked tall, scrawny guys who play at being rockstars,” Michael huffed.

“You do realize I play two instruments, don’t you?”

“Really?” Michael asked.

“Did you not see the guitar and keyboard in my room?” she returned sarcastically.

“Babe, we sort of had other things on our minds when we were in your room,” Michael answered with a smirk.

“How about the baby grand in the living room?” she queried.

“Nope, I didn’t notice it,” Michael answered honestly.

“Do you walk around with your eyes closed?” she laughed.

“Not all the time,” Michael offered, echoing her laugh. “You’re kind of distracting, though, Maria.”

“Ah, you say the sweetest things.”

The door between the backroom and the diner moved, and Liz stuck her head into the small room. “You know, its helps to serve the customers if you are actually out in the diner.”

“Semantics,” Maria said with a wave of her hand.

“No, actually, it’s a proven fact,” Liz finished sternly.

“Liz Parker, playing the role as boss to perfection. I always knew you’d be a dominant person,” Maria said, smiling secretively at the brunette.

“What do you mean?” Liz asked her eyebrow furrowing.

“Nevermind,” Maria answered with a wave of her hand, and she pulled herself up from Michael and retrieved her antennae headband from her locker.

“Hey, Legs?” Michael called to her before she could move into the larger room. “This thing between us, are we taking it seriously?”

“Excuse me?” Maria asked, confused by his question.

“You know, you and me. Not seeing anyone else?” he asked, his eyes not meeting hers as though embarrassed by his question, and he squirmed a little on the couch.

“Why? Do you want you see someone else?” she queried, her face serious, but her eyes shining at his discomfort.

“No!” he answered sharply, snapping his head to hers, before quietly probing “Do you?” he probed.

“No,” she grinned walking back to him and standing between his legs, leaning her forearms on his shoulders.

Michael wrapped his arms around her waist. “So, we are, like…. what’s the word?”

“Exclusive?” Maria offered.

“Yeah, that will work,” Michael smirked. “Well?”

“Well, what?” Maria asked, running her fingers through his hair.

“Are we?” he asked.

“Are we what?”

“Maria!” Michael aspirated.

“Michael!” Maria repeated, her lips curling up into a smile.

Michael huffed at her, his jaw tightening and Maria laughed.

“Yes, Michael. We are exclusive and only seeing each other.”

“Good,” Michael smiled, then kissed her.

While Maria enjoyed his kiss, giving him control, her mind wandered. She had never considered herself to be in an exclusive relationship before. Even though she had been with guys for a significant period of time, she still had never really considered the fact that if she wanted to see someone else, she couldn’t.

She felt apprehensive at that thought, but also strangely contented, which, of course, was a contradiction in itself. She hadn’t looked at another man since she had arrived in Roswell. Michael was fulfilling all she needed in a guy and a lover, and she was happy: Happy to be living in small town America, happy to be exclusively his, and for the first time in a long while, happy with her life.

******

Update time.

Hopefully there are still some out there who are reading this.

Thanks for sticking with it, I appreciate all your feedback.

Sara: Yes, Maria did do a good thing. See, she has a heart after all. And Alex is the best and he will hold Maria’s secret until she’s ready.

Killjoy: Yeah, we are just waiting for the Michael explosion now!

Katie : Hey, I like that – Holy Frostbite! And thanks

Ken_r : Thanks for reading. And hey, feedback is feedback, I’ll take whatever I can

Carolyn:


Chapter 17

Amy Valenti stirred, her hand swatting out again at the annoying buzz that seemed to be circling her head. She heard a light groan as her open hand connected with the hard flesh of her husband’s shoulder as he was sleeping beside her in their bed.

“Keep away from the killer bees,” he grumbled in his sleep, rolling onto his side away from her as the noise turned into the shrill ring of the telephone.

Amy wearily reached over for the offending instrument, wishing damnation on whoever was on the other end of the line.

“Hello?” she queried into the receiver, trying hard to disguise the tiredness in her voice.

“Hello, Mrs. Valenti,” a distinguished voice called through the device. “Please accept my apologies for calling so late.”

Amy tipped her head so she could see the time, moaning when she read the dial: 11.56pm. She must have just fallen asleep before the phone had jarred her awake.

“Hello, Tyler. What do you need?” she answered tiredly, knowing full well that Tyler Andrews would only contact her if absolutely necessary, and given the lateness of the day, she figured this had to be something important.

“I’m afraid we need Maria here tomorrow morning.”

Amy sat up in the bed, now fully awake. “You have got to be kidding me.”

“I’m sorry, but no,” his smooth tone came over the line. “We have a board meeting with some stockholders from overseas.”

“Tyler,” Amy exclaimed, exasperation evident in her voice, as she pinched the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger, “You do realize it’s a school day tomorrow, right?”

“Yes, Mrs. Valenti. I’m aware of that, but they have specifically asked for Maria to be there.”

Amy felt Jim stir next to her in the bed as her one-sided conversation woke him from his slumber.

“Ok, Tyler,” Amy relented, her eyes swinging back to the clock, and her mind calculating what needed to be done to have Maria in L.A. the next morning.

“The stockholders are due in at 9am. I will have the company jet ready to leave Roswell at 6.30. That should give you plenty of time, taking into account the time difference.”

“Geez, Tyler. You don’t make it any easier for me, do you? You’d better be ready for a grouchy Deluca.”

“Yes, Mrs. Valenti,” Tyler chuckled, having personally experience how grouchy Maria could get. “The jet will be stocked, as usual. Will Mr. Valenti and yourself be joining us?”

“Me, definitely. I can’t let Maria loose in L.A. by herself. We may never see her again, and I don’t think another arrest on her record will do Deluca Enterprises any good.”

“Of course not, Mrs. Valenti,” Tyler agreed. “And I will do my best to have her back for afternoon classes. I promise.”

“Thank you, Tyler,” Amy smiled, even though she knew the man on the other end of the line couldn’t see her.

“Until tomorrow then,” he concluded. “Goodnight, Mrs. Valenti.”

“Goodnight, Tyler,” she returned before replacing the receiver in its cradle.

“I take it we have an early morning wake-up call tomorrow?” Jim asked, climbing from the bed and wandering over to their bathroom.

“Yeah. Some overseas shareholders have asked for Maria to be at a board meeting. We need to be at the airport by 6.30,” Amy explained.

Jim stuck his head out from the bathroom, “Which airport?” he asked dreading the answer and the possibility of needing to wake Maria even earlier to drive to Albuquerque or another larger airport in state.

“Don’t worry, honey,” Amy answered him with a wave of her hand. “Before we left L.A., I spoke to Tyler about the possible needs of getting Maria back to the offices. Apparently, though Roswell is a small town, there is a city air center. That’s where the jet will fly into.”

“I guess we have to be thankful for the small things,” Jim grinned to her as he re-entered the main room and crossed to their bed, climbing in before his feet got too cold.

Amy lifted her clock to set the alarm, cursing under her breath at the battle she knew she would face in the morning. Once it was back on her side table, she wriggled back down under the comforter, moving closer to Jim.

“Go back to sleep, Amy. You’ll need as much as you can get.”

**********

Maria inched away from the sharp object that was annoyingly poking her in the arm, burying her head stubbornly further under her covers.

The poking started again with an added bonus of a shaking against her upper arm. It was becoming unbearable, and she knew who was to blame.

“Fuck off, Kyle,” she grumbled sleepily, “You can’t take out my Harley.”

“Maria!” her mother’s voice finally filtered through her sleep-addled brain.

Maria lifted her head from her pillow, her eyes still closed and her forehead wrinkled in confusion. “Mom?”

“Yes, Maria,” Amy answered her, moving back a little from her daughter at her tone. “Come on, open your eyes.”

Maria concentrated on lifting her eyelids, willing them to cooperate, though she wished she could just collapse back against her soft pillows. Eventually, her green eyes met with her mom’s hazel ones, then her focus shifted, and she took in her mom’s smile.

“What’s the time?” she muttered, already lowering her body back to the bed.

“Oh, no, you don’t,” Amy said quickly, catching Maria by her arms. “Come on, Maria. I need you to get up.”

Maria swallowed thickly, then repeated her question. “What’s the time?”

Amy braced herself behind saying, “5.30.”

Maria groaned loudly, closing her eyes again. “Mom, please tell me you are joking?”

“No. Come on, get out of bed. We have to go.”

“Go? Where are we going?” Maria moaned, then her eyes snapped open again, alarm evident there as she
sat up fully in her bed. “Is everyone ok?”

“Yes, Maria, everyone is fine,” Amy answered her, softly stroking her cheek. “We need to go to L.A. You’ve been asked to attend a board meeting.”

“You mean summoned,” Maria grumbled.

“Whatever, come on. We have 45 minutes to get ready and across town. I’ll put the coffee on.”


Thirty minutes later, Amy stalked back into Maria’s room.

“Maria, I hope to God you’re……” and she stopped when she saw her daughter sprawled out on her bed fast asleep.

“Shit,” Amy whispered. She walked quickly back over to the bed.

“MARIA!”

“I’m up!” Maria shrieked, sitting straight up, her eyes closed and her hair wild.

Amy moved swiftly around the room, grabbing a pair of grey sweats that was draped over Maria’s desk chair.
She threw them over to her daughter. “Put these on.”

Maria sleepily did as she was told and watched through half-open eyes as her mother stalked into her closet, muttering to herself under her breath.

Amy reemerged a few minutes later with a pair of jeans and a top, which she put on the bed.

“Grab whatever you need, Maria, because we are going. Now!”

“But….,” Maria started to complain, her eyes flickering to the clothes her mom had just grabbed for her.

“They are for school,” Amy told her, pulling her from the bed and pushing her toward the exit, a threatening look in her hazel eyes.

“Hold up,” Maria grumbled and stumbled back into her room, grabbing an over-large sweatshirt that Amy remembered seeing Michael wear the evening before and her cell phone. Amy watched as Maria slid the clothing over her head, her slight body becoming lost within it, and she prayed that when Tyler had said the jet would be fully stocked, he hadn’t be joking, and there would be something for Maria to wear on board. She knew from personal experiences there would be excellent bathroom facilities, and Maria could shower en route.

Maria grabbed a pair of Converse shoes before again being moved from the room.

Once she was settled into the back seat of Jim’s cruiser, she pulled the hair elastic from her wrist and pulled her hair up into a messy ponytail.

“There are some clothes on Maria’s bed,” Amy told her husband as they whizzed easily through the early morning traffic, “Could you bring them when you pick us up? Then Maria can change before going on to school.”

Jim nodded in confirmation.

“And can you get Kyle to bring my school books?” Maria added, leaning forward a little.

“Sure thing,” Jim agreed, catching her sleepy look in the rearview mirror.

The made it to the airport with seconds to spare, and Jim drove straight out onto the runway where their plane was waiting.

Maria climbed wearily from the car and over to the steps leading up into the craft.

“Good morning, Ms. Deluca,” a uniformed man greeted her.

“Morning,” she mumbled, trying desperately to remember the name of the man who had been their pilot for
a few years now. “Ted, right?”

“That’s correct, Ms. Deluca,” he smiled to her.

Maria nodded and continued up, waving to their two usual cabin crew members, Celia and Bradley, offering a cheeky grin to the handsome man as she passed through into the plane and flopped down into the large beige leather sofa that was placed along the side of the cabin.

The interior of the craft was crisp and clean with cedar paneling and white accents. It held in its main cabin six large leather chairs that swiveled in any direction needed and a long sofa in the same upholstery as the chairs. There were three flatscreen TV’s in various places, and in one of the storage spaces, a large library of DVD’s was available to help relieve the boredom on long flights. Panels along the side of the cabin could be moved and lifted creating tables for meals or desks for paperwork.

There was a partition in the same cedarwood that divided the cabin, and the main side of this wall held a cabinet stocked with an array of drinks and snacks. The door led through to a large bedroom and an incredible bathroom.

By the main opening into the jet, there was a small kitchenette where the crew could prepare any meals or drinks the passengers would need. This also opened into an area for flight and cabin crew which in turn led to the cockpit.

Amy greeted the cabin crew warmly as she also entered the main cabin, slapping Maria gently on her leg as she passed her. “You can sleep when we are in the air.”

As Amy settled into one of the chair, Ted spoke to her. “We should be in L.A. in a little over two hours, Mrs. Valenti.”

“Thanks, Ted,” Amy returned with a smile. “I guess this has been a long night for you.”

She knew he would have already made the flight out to Roswell in the early hours of the morning, then prepared the jet for their journey back to L.A. Then, of course, in a few hours, would need to do it all again.

“This is my job, ma’am,” he smiled to her before heading for the cockpit to make ready for flight.

Maria stumbled from her prone position on the sofa and into a chair identical to the one her mother was in as Bradley secured the door.

Celia, a woman in her late twenties with long dark hair and dark features, who had worked for Deluca Enterprises for over five years, handed Amy a magazine as she asked, “Would you like breakfast once we are in the air?”

“Yes, please,” Amy answered, “something light, but not until we are about 30 minutes from L.A.” She glanced over to Maria. “Just bring us lots of coffee, please.”

Celia smiled and nodded as she looked over to Maria to see the girl had again closed her eyes, her head resting against the padded back of the plump seat.

“Of course, Mrs. Valenti,” and she headed back to make her pre-flight checks.

Maria felt the low rumbling as the engines coming to life and blindly reached for her seat belt, fastening it quickly across her lap. She smiled as she felt someone place a soft blanket over her, her nostrils taking in a distinctive masculine scent. She opened one eye to see Bradley, his clear blue eyes twinkling to her. He personified the beach boy look with his blonde hair, tanned skin, and toned body, and it amazed her that his career choice had been air steward. She could totally picture him riding the waves at some Southern California beach, in search for that flawless wave, the perfect green room.

“Thanks,” she said softly, her eyes finally opening fully and meeting his gaze.

“No problem,” he smirked to her before turning and moved back down the cabin.

Maria could help her eyes from following him, her head tilting slightly, appreciating the view of his ass.

“Maria,” Amy said low, watching as her daughter’s eyes followed Bradley down the craft. “Does the name Michael Guerin mean anything to you?”

Maria shot her mother a glaring look. “Doesn’t mean I can’t still look,” she quipped, but she did berate herself as she pulled her cell from the front pocket of her boyfriend’s sweater.

Before she opened the message boxes, her mind registered that she now thought of Michael as her boyfriend. In all her previous romantic encounters, there were only a few who had been granted this title, and after her last romantic involvement disaster, she’d vowed to never raise a guy to that status again for a long time. And here she was, less than a month later with another. And not just any boyfriend. This guy, there was something different about him, something that made her want to be different.

She shook her head as she quickly opened her inbox and sent a message of to him.

Sorry, won’t be in school this a.m. I have something I can’t get out of. Call you when I can. xx

She thrust the cell back into the pocket and snuggled back under the blanket, her nose delving into the long sleeves of his sweatshirt, inhaling his scent deeply.

Amy shook her head as Maria settled back into her seat, but her eyes gleamed when she noticed Maria sniff Michael’s shirt. Maybe this one would be different, she hoped.

The fact that her daughter had been involved with one of her teachers still upset Amy, though she knew he wasn’t the only older man who had been attracted to her daughter. Maria had always been a beautiful girl, from the moment she was born, and she recalled numerous conversations she had with Maria’s father regarding the trouble she would cause them. She hadn’t been wrong in her assumptions; the only difference was he hadn’t been there to go through all the drama Maria had brought into their lives.

She shifted her gaze back over to her daughter. It still amazed her that Maria could sleep during take-off. She put it down the amount of time she had spent on their private jet when she was a young child. It had become second nature to her.

Less than 15 minutes later, they were in the air, and Bradley moved back into the cabin to offer drinks to them.

Maria grumbled as she was awoken from her nap again.

“Why won’t people just let me sleep?” she moaned as she forced her eyes open. “We can’t possibly be there already.”

Bradley grinned to her from where he was standing beside her chair. “Just thought you’d prefer to sleep in the bed,” he offered, his gaze maybe a little too intimate.

Maria looked quickly over to her mother to see she had vacated her seat, probably in the bathroom.
Maria reached under the blanket to unfasten the belt and stood, stretching sensually, grinning at his look.

She moved and flopped onto the sofa again. “Nah, I’ll just sleep here, thanks,” she answered, hoping her rejection would say what she needed to without words. There may have been a dalliance between them in the past, but that’s where it was going to stay.

Bradley reached for her discarded blanket, and in one swift stride, he was beside her, covering her again.

“Are you sure?” he asked her, his eyebrow rising, and Maria almost giggled at how persistent he was being.

“Absolutely, Brad,” she countered her lips twitching slighting. She reached out and patted his cheek, and then closed her eyes, settling back in to the luxurious leather of the sofa.


Maria opened her eyes sometime later to see her mom asleep in her chair. She pulled the blanket back and stretched out on the sofa, yawning wide, and she finally waking properly.

She lay there for a minute, her arms stretched out over her head and her feet pointed downward. She blinked a few times, focusing on the ceiling of the cabin, wondering why she was needed for this board meeting.

One hand quickly moved down to reach for her cell again. She grinned when she noted Michael had sent a text back and swiped her thumb over the buttons to open the message.

What has you up and about so early, babe?

Maria bit her lip, wondering what to say to him without going into details. She certainly didn’t want to have that conversation over the phone.

She stood from the sofa and moved down the cabin and through the door into the moderate-sized bedroom.

She crawled up onto the bed, sighing blissfully at the feel of the soft silky sheets, wondering why the hell she hadn’t slept here. She reached for the phone, lifting it to her ear, hearing one of the co-pilots.

“Can I help?”

“Yeah, can you patch through a number for me?” she asked, wishing someone would update the telephone system on the jet.

“Of course, Maria,” a cheerful voice answered her.

She gave Michael’s cellphone number and waited for the called to be connected.

It rang a few times before Michael finally picked up. “Hello?”

“Hey, Spaceboy,” she smiled down the phone.

“Maria?”

“Who else calls you Spaceboy?” she giggled.

“I didn’t recognize the number, that’s all,” he explained.

“Yeah, I’m low on minutes,” Maria lied, not wanting to say she was out of area.

“So, why aren’t you in school this morning, babe?” he asked.

Maria stumbled on his question, knowing he was gonna ask but wanting to talk to him despite that.

“Just something I need to do. Some stuff left over from my L.A. life,” and she prayed that would be enough.

“OK,” he answered skeptically.

“We’ll talk when I get back,” she offered him.

“When will you be back?” Michael asked her, his voice telling her he was nervous and she chuckled low in her throat.

“I’ll be back in school after lunch.”

“Good.” And Maria could almost see his smile.

“So, where are you?” she enquired.

“About to head into school,” he sighed.

“I guess phone sex is out of the question then,” she giggled.

“Unless you want our history class to join in,” he quipped back.

“Nah, it’s ok. Maybe I’ll make it back for a rendezvous in the eraser room.”

This time Michael gave a low, sexy chuckle. “What did I do to deserve such a sex-crazed girlfriend?”

“You’re just lucky, I guess,” she laughed back then stopped abruptly, listening hard when she heard a mumbling of Michael talking to someone with his hand over the mic of the phone and the movement as it passed hands.

“Hey Jailbait,” Kyle’s voice came over the line. “Can’t you leave him alone for one minute? Don’t think I didn’t hear you two going at it late last night. You need to get me some new earplugs.”

“Or soundproofing,” she grumbled down the phone to him. “You shouldn’t be listening, perv.”

“Hey, I tried not to. I eventually fell asleep with my headphones on,” Kyle paused as he looked to Michael, knowing the guy wasn’t aware his sister was in the air and flying to L.A. “Don’t get sucked back into all that shit,” he offered to her skeptically.

Maria smiled at her brothers veiled attempts to make sure she didn’t look up any of their unsavory friends whiles in the Golden State.

“As if I’m gonna have time for that,” she told him. “Now, put the sexy one back on.”

“Hey,” Kyle exclaimed indignantly. “I’m sexy.”

He batted Michael’s hand away when he reached for his cell.

“Yeah,” Maria teased him. “Sexy to a mosquito.”

“Oh, Jailbait. You know you don’t mean that,” Kyle responded, dejectedly.

“Sure, Kyle, you’re hot. I curse the day you became my brother,” she said, deadpan. “Now put Michael back on.”

“And don’t you forget it,” he replied.

She heard the dim noises of insults being thrown, and then Michael’s smooth tones came across the line.

“Hey, Legs. You know your brother is a dick, right?”

“Oh yeah, of the highest quality,” she agreed. She glanced at the wall clock above the small door and
groaned. She needed to get moving if she was gonna look presentable when the plane landed.

“So,” Michael started and she grinned at the smile she heard in his voice. “What are you wearing?”

“I thought we weren’t gonna try phone sex right now?” she laughed.

“Doesn’t hurt to have a visual, babe.”

Maria looked down at herself wearing a pair of old sweat bottoms and his sweatshirt over her pajamas.

“What would you say if I said nothing?” she asked sweetly.

“Then I’d hope to God you were lying, because you must be somewhere public, and nobody gets to see the goods but me,” he answered her sternly.

“Then I’ll admit I’m lying,” she laughed.

She looked up when her mom stuck her head into the bedroom, her finger pointing to the clock.

“Michael, I have to go,” she said reluctantly.

“Ok, babe. I’ll see ya soon, right?”

Maria couldn’t help noticing the hint of fear in his voice, and she wondered if he thought she wouldn’t be coming home.

“Right after lunch,” she assured him.

“Ok. Later then,” he sighed.

“Bye, Michael.”

She heard him disconnect the call, and she slowly replaced the phone she was using.

“You’d better get a move on,” Amy said. “Twenty minutes, and I’m asking Celia to start breakfast,” then she turned and headed back down the cabin.

“Lots of coffee,” Maria called down the aisle to her mom. She sighed heavily, her mind whirling, trying to come up with answers to the many questions Michael would be asking her on her return to school.

“Move it, Maria,” her mother’s voice shoot through the plane.

“Can’t I get a minute of peace?” Maria grumbled as she stood from the bed, heading for the shower.


After a quick shower, she opened the small wardrobe that was built into the side of the room, a huge smile spreading over her face at the array of clothes hanging there, sales tags all in place, and she knew the ones she discarded would be returned to the store.

She pulled a few of the outfits out, holding them in front of her as she scrutinized her image in the full-length mirror on the back of the door. She threw the articles on the bed and selected a few more.

Twenty minutes later, she finally emerged from the bedroom. Her hair fell straight and golden over her shoulders, parted slightly above her left eye and her make-up discreet. She wore an exquisite light grey, silk taffeta pencil skirt that flowed like mercury over her hips, hugging her body sensually, and ending an inch above her knees. She coupled this with an almost sheer pale blue, button down shirt, fastened dangerously low and showing a glimpse of her breasts encased in an equally pale blue silk bra. Satiny thigh-high stockings and a pair of pumps finished her outfit of choice along with a fitted, light grey blazer which she draped across the sofa as she slid into the chair opposite her mom at the table laden with breakfast foods.

She swiveled her chair slightly so she could lift her shapely leg, and she turned her ankle from left to right, admiring her shoes.

“Look at these, Mom. Aren’t they just to die for?”

Amy looked to the shoed foot in front of her: a patent leather, nude-colored, peep toe pump with a ridiculously high heel.

“Why is it red underneath?” Amy asked as she sipped on her coffee.

Maria replaced her foot on the floor and rolled her eyes at her mom as she lifted her own cup to her lips.

“Because they are Christian Louboutin. It’s like a signature thing,” she explained before taking a drink.

She replaced her coffee cup and picked up a croissant, tearing the end off and popping it into her mouth, her features showing she was in deep thought.

“This is going to be all right,” her mom reassured her, thinking she was worried about the board meeting.

“What?” Maria asked shaking her head a little as her mom’s words registered in her brain. “No, I’m not worried. I’m thinking if I should go with the suede Jimmy Choos.”

“Maria,” Amy sighed.

“I’m kidding, Mom,” Maria exclaimed, again rolling her eyes before swallowing nervously. “I’m actually thinking how to approach all this,” and she spread her arms wide, indicating their surroundings, “with Michael.”

Amy watched Maria as she tore another section from her croissant, ate it quickly, and reached for her coffee cup again.

“Do you think he will think differently of you because of the money and the business?”

Maria shrugged her shoulders. “I just feel…….I’ve been burned before by money-grabbing bastards. I know Michael isn’t like that, but……”

“You’re scared,” Amy said simply with a smile.

“If I’m scared, why are you smiling?” Maria asked.

“Because the fact that you are worried over Michael’s reaction indicates he means a lot more to you than you are ready to admit, maybe even to yourself,” Amy answered wisely.

Maria huffed at Amy’s reasoning, brushing flakes of her pastry from the linen napkin on her lap.

“Maria, honey,” Amy said softly, and Maria looked to her. “Michael is different from those other men you’ve……..played with.”

Maria snorted with a smile at her mother’s choice of words.

“He wasn’t brought up like the boys from Lucan or had things handed to him on a plate. He’s had to work for everything he has and he knows the value of the dollar.”

“Exactly,” Maria exclaimed. “So when he asks later where I was this morning, how do I tell him I was flying across the country in a private jet to attend a board meeting at my own billion-dollar company?”

Amy reached across the small table and grabbed Maria’s hand, squeezing tightly. “You need to sit him down, and tell him the truth. About everything, Maria,” and she caught Maria’s eyes with her own, telling her without words what she was saying.

“Everything?” Maria squeaked.

“Everything,” Amy repeated. “You can’t build a relationship on lies.”

Maria lifted her other hand and ran it through her hair, a nervous habit she had picked up years earlier, then
gave her mom a swift nod.

***********

Thanks to everyone who is still reading this. I really appreciate your support.

Katie: I agree, those early morning starts are killers.

Carolyn: Yes, Maria and Amy had a truly flying visit to L.A. And Maria will tell Michael everything – hopefully.

Ken_r : Crazy how we both have the same ideas here I agree completely, Michael is most definitely not a gold digger. And how he will react to her wealth is something that will be addressed. It is nice for Maria to have no money worries. Thanks for reading.

Sara: Thanks, but I’m afraid you’ll have to wait a little longer.


Chapter 18.

An endless four and a half hours later, not counting the time-zone changes, Jim pulled up in front of West Roswell High.

Maria was jolted awake again as the car stopped, and she reached her arms out in front of her, curling her back slightly to stretch her muscles.

In her estimation, the morning had been a complete waste of time. The meeting was boring, and nobody actually asked for her opinion. It was as though she was expected to sit there and look pretty, and that was all. She wondered what the board of trustees would do when she actually took over the running of her business, which she fully intended to do after she graduated college. She suspected the stuffy men who ran her industry at present, with the exception of her grandfather, expected her to live the high life, be a social butterfly, and never actually have anything to do with the day-to-day work. Well, they were seriously wrong. If she was giving up her dreams of being a singer or a dancer to follow her father’s dream, then that was what she was going to do, and the board could go to hell, for all she cared.

The only good thing to come out of this impromptu trip was she had been able to talk to Tyler directly regarding Mr. Harding’s pay increase and was happy to hear he had made all the arrangements first thing that morning, and Mr. Harding would receive a healthy check for three months back pay the following day.

She looked over to the large building and sighed heavily. “Mom, can’t I just have a sick day or something?”

“Maria, come on. Out, and learn something new,” Amy encouraged her.

“Yeah, like that is going to happen,” she grumbled low. She again looked warily at the school building. “I wish I had my clothes to change into,” she moaned.

Jim sighed deeply before responding, “Kyle thought he was being helpful by taking your clothes with him.”

“Well, he wasn’t. I’m trying to keep a low profile, remember? And it’s hard to achieve that when you turn up to school in clothes that cost more than the average mortgage repayment. I don’t see why we couldn’t stop off at home.”

She knew she was being a brat to Jim, and as much as she wanted not to, she couldn’t keep the bite out of her voice. She was tired, and her body was confused. By her accounts, she’s been on the go for more than eight hours already, and it was only half-way through the school day. At this rate, she could easily be asleep at her desk by the end of class.

“No time,” Jim answered her.

“And to make matters worse, it’s lunch. And you know what means?” she continued as if he hadn’t spoken.

“That people are eating?” he asked hopefully.

“It means,” she returned, shooting him her death ray look, “that people will be roaming the halls.”

“Maria, quit your moaning, and go to school,” Amy said to her.

Maria grumbled as she slid gracefully from the cruiser, her ease of movement contradicting her childishness as she slammed the door hard behind her. She held her cell phone in her hand, and she had seriously debated throwing Michael’s sweatshirt on over her shirt, but she knew that would just make her look ridiculous.

She hit the speed dial number for Kyle as she moved away from the vehicle and hoped he answered before she got too far into the building.

She pulled the door open and stalked down the halls, glaring at anyone who dared to look at her, and they sure did look.

“Pick up the phone, Kyle,” she muttered into her cell.

“Looking good, Deluca,” someone called after her, which she ignored as she rounded a corner, slamming her phone shut and heading for Kyle’s locker.

When she got there, she fiddled with the combination lock for a minute or two before slamming her hand against the steel door. “Fuck!”

“Oh my God, Maria,” she heard a familiar voice and turned slowly to see Liz standing in front of her.

“Wow,” Liz continued, “ya know, that outfit might be a little too much for your average school day. Not to mention maybe breaking a few dress code regulations.”

Maria smiled to her friend. “Well, you know me, always pushing those boundaries. Have you seen Kyle?”

“Erhm, yeah. I think he’s in the quad,” Liz answered.

“Typical,” Maria returned frustrated. She looked at Liz sideways. “Hey Liz, could you possibly……”

“Hey Liz,” another voice called, and Maria turned her head to see Leo Hacker, a fellow student, jogging through the hallway to catch up with them.

“Are you ready?” he asked when he was close enough, and he turned to Maria. “Sweet Jesus,” he groaned out, his eyes wandering over her, and he almost tripped over his tongue.

Maria noted that Leo’s eyes were fixated on the low front of her shirt, and she knew he was enjoying the view through the almost sheer material.

“Bumbling idiots, every member of the male species turns into a bumbling idiot at the sight of a little skin,” she mumbled, rolling her eyes.

This seemed to snap Leo out of his staring, and he glanced up to her eyes. “Sorry,” he muttered, his face bright red, then he turned back to Liz.

“Are you ……. I mean…..shall we…….” he stammered to her, and Maria couldn’t help the snort that escaped her lips as and he proved what she had said was true.

“Sure,” Liz smiled to him, feeling sorry for him and wishing she could have this effect on guys. She turned back to Maria, “I’m sorry. We need to work on a project,” she explained.

“That’s ok,” Maria smiled. “It’s too late now, anyway. I’ll find him myself.”

As Liz moved and started down the corridor with Leo, who was walking rigidly, and Maria stopped her again.

“Hey Liz. Was Michael with Kyle?”

Liz turned around and smiled with a nod, and then went back to walking away.

“Of course,” Maria groaned to herself. “Great. Just fucking great.” And she turned in the other direction and headed toward the quad. She was Maria Deluca and Maria Deluca never backed down from anything.

By the time she made it to the quad, Maria actually had a grin on her face. The guys here were so juvenile. Based on their reactions to her wardrobe, she felt she could ask any one of them to run around and complete any task she asked by the end of the day.

She found Kyle almost immediately and moved quickly over to her new friends. Michael had yet to see her, as he had his back to the entrance.

Maria slipped her arms around his shoulder, leaning her body into his back, her lips coming close to his ear.

“Hey, Spaceboy,” she whispered. “Did you miss me?’

She watched as a huge grin spread across his face, and he moved, pivoting so his left arm wrapped around her back, and he tugged her closer, holding her to him tightly.

“Maybe,” he grinned. His fingers caressed the soft material of her top, and he wondered what she was wearing that felt so delicate. He tugged on her waist, pulling her around and down onto his lap, his hand trailing down to her thigh, still feeling the fabric of her clothes.

Maria wrapped her arms around his neck and brought her lips to his, hoping to distract him enough so he wouldn’t notice her outfit.

“Hey, Guerin,” a voice called, and Michael moved away from Maria’s lips and turned his head to growl at whoever thought they could interrupt him.

His steel gaze met one of his football teammates, a large bulk of a boy who was one of many he had partied with.

“Can I borrow your girl?” he leered at Maria.

Maria giggled a little at this request, but she was glad she was on his lap as Michael began to simmer over his teammates comment.

“Get your own,” he growled, and Maria smiled to him, wrapping her arms around her shoulders and pulling him closer.

“Excellent restraint there, Spaceboy,” she whispered into his ear. “I’m impressed.”

“It’s only because I haven’t seen you all morning,” he returned, “and I really don’t want to get up and pummel his ass. I’ll get to that later.”

“Oh my God, Maria. What are the chances I’ll be able to squeeze my feet into your shoes?” Isabel exclaimed, and Maria shifted in Michael’s lap, lifting her trim leg and showing off her shoe with a grin.

Tess leaned over to inspect Maria’s footwear. “Very slim to nil,” she laughed at Isabel’s question. “But I might be able to.”

“They must have cost a fortune, Maria,” Isabel probed, and Maria, again, cursed the need to wear them to school.

“Nah,” she lied, waving her hand offhandedly, “found them in a thrift shop. Obviously the previous owner didn’t know what they were throwing away”

Maria eyes shifted nervously to Kyle, and he gave her a sympathetic smile.

“They look hardly worn,” Tess added, and Maria lowered her foot to the ground as best she could while still sitting in Michael’s lap.

“And your shirt? Is that Prada?” Isabel asked, her eyes narrowing suspiciously at the blonde.

“I wish,” Maria huffed, wishing Isabel wasn’t so knowledgeable when it came to fashion and that she would stop scrutinizing her clothing.

“Well, I, for one, think you look amazing,” Tess smiled.

“Me too,” Michael echoed. “But then again, I always think you look amazing.”

Maria grinned to him and patted his cheek. “You’re only saying that because you want something in return.”

“What are you gonna give me?” Michael returned with a small laugh.

Maria wriggled her eyebrows at him, and he smirked to her, his eyes falling to wander over her body.

“Shit, Maria. What the hell do you think you are doing coming to school in a shirt like that?”

“You don’t like it?” she asked, with a small pout.

“What’s not to like, Babe, but…..”

“Yeah, I know, too much on show for the poor, deluded male population of West Roswell High,” she grinned to him. “Don’t worry. Kyle has normal clothes for me in his locker.”

“So, where were you this morning?” he asked, and Maria shuddered, knowing this was the one question she absolutely dreaded answering.

“Hey Maria,” Alex called across the table. “Do you have any time to rehearse that song?”

Maria gave Alex a small smile in gratitude at his interruption.

“Sure,” she said before turned back to Michael. “We have that project for music class,” she reminded him, by way of explanation.

She stood quickly before Michael could draw her back into a tricky conversation.

“So, do you want to go try now?” she asked Alex, her eyes wide and hoping she conveyed to him her thanks.

“Sure,” he answered with a few nods of his head as he stood from seat and gathered the rest of his lunch together.

Maria turned to Kyle. “My clothes?” she asked.

“Can’t I finish my lunch first?” Kyle moaned.

“Kyle,” Maria spat out with her impatient look.

“For fuck’s sake,” Kyle grumbled as he, too, stood.

“I’ll catch ya later, Michael,” she said quickly before bending to him and placing a swift kiss against his lips.

Michael smirked as she flashed him a good look down her shirt.

“Later, Blondie,” he returned and turned in his seat to watch her walked from the quad, Alex and Kyle following her.

***

As soon as they were inside the building, Maria looked to Alex.

“Thanks, Alex,” she said. “You know, for the save back there.”

“What did he do?” Kyle asked.

“Alex knows, Kyle.”

“Knows what?” Kyle asked, looking between them both.

“You know,” she returned, waving her hand in a circular motion. “Everything.”

“Everything,” Kyle repeated.

“Yeah, everything,” Alex added.

“What everything?” Kyle asked Maria.

“Deluca Enterprises everything,” Maria whispered.

“And Mr. Harris everything,” Alex provided.

“Oh, Everything,” Kyle grinned.

“Ok, stop repeating everything,” Maria said, holding her hands up to stop them. She looked to Alex, “Do you
mind if we rehearse later? I really need to change these clothes.”

“No problem. Are you free this evening?”

“Sure, come on over after dinner.”

“Ok, I’ll see ya later,” he called over his shoulder as he headed down the corridor.

Kyle looked over to Maria when she sighed deeply and then pulled her into an empty classroom.

“Long morning?” he asked sympathetically.

“That is an understatement in the greatest sense of the word,” Maria replied warily as she all but collapsed
into a hard chair.

“So, what did they want?” he probed as he perched on the desk opposite her.

“It was a complete waste of time,” she moaned, rubbing her forehead and hoping this throbbing was not going to burst into a migraine. “I’m sure I didn’t really need to be there. But these stockholders would only meet with Tyler if he agreed the boss would be there.”

“But,” she continued with a smile, “there is a benefit this weekend that I need to be seen at so….”

“Do I get to go with you?” he asked hopefully.

“Of course, who else?”

“Well, I think your boyfriend might have something to say about that.”

Maria closed her eyes and prepared herself for a lecture on the benefits of telling Michael her life story.

“You have to tell him something, Ria. You know that. You fly off to L.A. this morning, you’ll be there overnight at the weekend…. what excuse are you gonna give him when you can’t see him?”

Maria shrugged. “Monthly cramps?” she answered hopefully.

“Ria, just tell him.”

“I suppose you are an advocate for me coming clean about Ben as well, huh?”

“Your mom been talking to you again?”

“Endlessly, like the whole flight home. Longest two hours of my life.”

“You know, Amy Valenti is a very wise woman.”

Maria huffed at his answer, “Aren’t you supposed to be on my side?”

“You know I’m on your side, Maria. I just don’t want to see you get hurt in all this. And to be perfectly honest, that’s what I see happening. Michael is different. He’s not with you because of your money or because he thinks you can advance his career or, of course, my personal favorite because he thinks he can control you and take over your business. He’s with you because he likes you.” Kyle leaned over to her conspiratorially, “And I don’t think it’s just about the sex, either.”

“Of course, it’s about the sex, Kyle,” she grinned to him.

Kyle shook his head. “Not for Michael,” he said cryptically.

Maria narrowed her eyes at her brother. “Has he said something to you?”

“No,” Kyle answered. “It’s more of what the other guys have said.”

“Has he been talking about our sex life? Because if he has, I’m gonna…..”

“No, Ria. Calm down. Nothing like that. It’s just, some of the guys from the team have said you are the first girl he’s been with for longer than a night.”

“And…”

“And that has to mean something. And I know you, you have done more things recently for him than you have ever done for any of your friends back in L.A.”

Maria looked skeptically at him.

“Don’t look at me that way, Ria. You work in a grease pit just to be near him and for money that you absolutely do not need. You cheered at his game because he asked you to, despite swearing you would never wear a cheerleading uniform again.” Kyle looked around at the door and then back to Maria. “Not to mention the whole wage thing.”

“I just wanted to help his family,” she replied with a shrug of her shoulder.

Kyle smiled warmly to her. “You know my feelings on this, Ria. The longer you leave it, the harder it will get to tell him.”

“Ah, when did you get so wise?”

“Through zeal, knowledge is gotten; through lack of zeal, knowledge is lost. Let a man who knows the double path of gain and loss thus place himself that knowledge may grow,” Kyle replied serenely.

“Thanks, Buddha boy. I think?” Maria laughed.

Kyle grinned to Maria as she stood from her hard seat. “Let’s go get my clothes so I can return to the land of high school students,” she instructed.

“Great outfit, though,” Kyle said, admiration evident in his tone. Maria might be his sister, but he could still appreciate a beautiful woman when he saw one.

“Isn’t it just?” Maria beamed back to him, her hands sliding down the silky material of the skirt. “And I have a delightful pair of Jimmy Choo’s hidden away in Michael’s sweatshirt.”

“Maria, do I have to do an intervention on this shoe addiction of yours?” Kyle asked seriously.

“Oh, hush,” she laughed. “You’re only jealous there wasn’t a pair for you.”

“Hey,” Kyle’s eyes lit up. “Maybe we can convince the ‘rents to let us go to L.A. early Saturday so we can hit Rodeo.”

Maria laughed harder. “Does Tess know of your love of shopping, Buddha boy?”

Kyle looked hard at her. “Does Michael know his girlfriend owns her own football team?”

“Touché,” Maria answered as they moved from the classroom.

“Anyway, your clothes are in your locker. I couldn’t fit your bag in mine,” Kyle told her as they set off down the corridor.

Maria threw her arms up in the air. “And you’re only just telling me this now?” she moaned.

“Sorry,” Kyle grinned and then dashed into a restroom.


Maria walked back down the hallway toward her locker, her eyes ever watchful as the whistles and leering looks followed her every movement. She really didn’t understand it. Her skirt was a moderate length, and her shirt covered what it should. The fact that her skirt hugged her body provocatively, and her shirt showed more than it covered, and her heels emphasized her lean legs was lost on her

She almost made it to her locker and the blissful normality her regular clothes would bring her when she heard name being called.

She groaned as she recognized the voice and moved a little quicker, hoping he would give up and leave her be.

“Maria,” he called again, a little louder, and she had no choice but to stop. She turned to see Ben Harris hurrying down the hallway to her.

“Could this day get any worse?” she mumbled to herself, debating whether to just continue walking away from him. She was mindful of the students around them and did not want to cause a scene with all these witnesses.

As he got closer, she recognized the look in his eye as they raked over her all too well.

“Wow, Maria,” Ben beamed to her. “You look amazing.”

“Thank you, Mr. Harris,” she spat out, emphasizing the mister in front of his name.

“Ah, yeah,” Ben answered his gaze shifting to the people walking the halls. He stepped closer, his arm reaching out and his hand resting on the small of her back while the other indicated to an empty classroom.

“Can I have a word, please?”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Maria hissed low, stepping away from him.

“Please Maria,” he asked, and Maria shivered at the soft, intimate way he said her name, his tone instantly transporting her back to the weeks they had spent together.

Ben smiled nostalgically to her, and Maria shook her head quickly, brushing all thoughts of their past away.

“Whatever you need to say to me you can say right here,” she replied, staying firm on this.

“Maria, please. It’s important,” he pleaded, closing the distance between them again and letting his fingers return to her lower back.

Maria shot her eyes to his, hers filled with questions. Just what does he think he’s doing? she thought, and against her better judgment, she let him lead her into the empty classroom.

Courtney Banks was fuming. She had given Michael some time to come to his senses and see that skank of a bimbette he was following around these days was nothing but a slut, but it seemed that Michael was just like all those other guys and was easily led around by his dick.

But she could be gracious, she would forgive him and welcome him back into her arms, and of course, her bed.

She watched as the object of her misery moved with ease through the halls. She had to admit, her enemy looked good. Her silver skirt and pale blue shirt were spectacular and obviously not purchased in Roswell, maybe even New Mexico. And the fact that Maria even dared to wear an outfit like that school, well, she was either really ballsy or begging to be kicked out.

She stopped by her locker, not wanting Maria to see her scrutinizing eyes on her as she moved through the hallway. She hated her; really hated her. She had taken the one guy in this school who was worth a second look, and she had done it effortlessly. Courtney wished she would just go back to L.A.

She lost herself in her daydreams about Michael for a moment, imagining them walking through the school hallways together, laughing with Michael’s group of friends, and her cheering at his football games.

She slammed her locker door closed, bringing her mind back to the present, and she turned, hoping the Deluca slut had moved further down the corridor.

She was surprised to see Mr. Harris talking to her. Now, he was another man to drool after. He couldn’t be older than 27, and with his light brown hair and piercing gray eyes, he was the ultimate fantasy material. She guessed he must work out a lot, and his body reflected this, his t-shirt’s always hinting at the muscle underneath. And Courtney watched as he reached out and brushed his fingers against Maria’s back.

Courtney was shocked, and for a few seconds, she stood there in shock. That touch was a little intimate to be an innocent touch between teacher and student, and it was obvious to her this was not the first time he had touched her this way. With wide eyes, she watched him lead Maria into an empty classroom.

What the fuck! Was he another guy who was just gonna fall at Maria’s feet? It just wasn’t fair, she wailed internally. And then Courtney’s mind began to work. Mr. Harris was a teacher, Maria was a student. That was a total no-no. Courtney lips curled into a devious smile as the wheels in her head continued turning. Weren’t there rumors about Mr. Harris and a student from his old school? She remembered wondering at the time if she could persuade Mr. Harris to repeat his indiscretion. Though, of course, she wouldn’t be foolish enough to be caught. Her smile grew. She had a new focus now: To find out where Mr. Harris’ old school was and to see if there was any connection whatsoever to the Deluca slut.

She’d show Maria, once and for all, who ruled at West Roswell High and she would bring her down from the pedestal everyone had placed her on. And then Michael would be hers….

**********

Hey guys, sorry for the delay in this update, this chapter has been written and re-written so many times its crazy.

Thanks for your patience.

Carolyn: I agree. and thanks.

Killjoy: I agree completely with your friends wise words, but, in Maria’s defense, she didn’t want to go to school like that! And my descriptions of her clothes must be really off because her skirt was in no-way a mini skirt, figuring hugging yes, but not short, definitely not club wear, she’d been to a board meeting after all.

CandyliciousLovah: Yeah, Courtney absolutely needs to watch herself.

LuckyMiss: Thanks girl Courtney is definitely out for the kill

Chapter 19

Maria watched warily, her eyes narrowing, as Ben closed the classroom door behind them. She nearly asked him to keep it open but stopped herself at the last minute, not wanting anybody out in the halls to hear what he might have to say to her.

“That’s quite an interesting outfit you are wearing for school,” he observed with a glint of amusement in his eyes.

“I’ve just flown back from a board meeting in L.A.,” she explained with frustration. “I don’t think those high and mighty business men would appreciate me turning up in jeans and Keds.” She didn’t have to hide anything from him, Ben knew all about Maria. He had firsthand knowledge what her name could achieve in L.A. and the business world.

Ben nodded at her short explanation, his eyes still roaming over figure.

“Stop it,” she hissed, her voice low.

“Stop what?” he asked innocently.

“Looking at me like that,” she returned, her gaze shifting from his to the closed door nervously.

“Like what?” he probed impishly.

“Like you know what I look like naked,” she answered sternly.

Ben smiled at that. “I do know what you look like naked,” he whispered, taking a step closer to her.

Maria backed away from him and sat on the teacher’s desk, crossing her legs, and her hands holding the edge of the wood as she looked at him. Her face showed her obvious dislike for the man she had once been in a relationship with. “What do you want, Ben?”

Ben moved around to sit in one of the students chairs across from her, leaning his elbows on the table top. “I just want to make sure that you are not going to say anything about…….well, you know,” he replied.

Maria shook her head, glad that he had put a little distance between them, but disbelieving this was what he thought was so important to approach her in a public place, let alone drag her into an empty room inside their school. “If you don’t want me to say anything, you need to back off,” she scoffed. “God, Ben. Anyone would think you were some drooling teenager the way you are acting. Snap out of it.”

Ben just looked at her and let her wounding remarks flow over him. He knew their time together meant something to her. He knew Maria better than she gave him credit for. She wasn’t one to stay with a guy overly long if she wasn’t getting something out of the deal.

He loved this girl, loved her like he had never loved anyone, despite their age difference. Of course, when they first met, he hadn’t realized she was so young, and then when they found he was her new teacher at her exclusive high school, he knew they wouldn’t have risked everything to continue their illicit affair if there was no emotion involved.

He was glad when someone discovered them together, even though he knew the revelation could have led to his arrest and jail time for having sex with a minor, plus him being branded a sexual predator for life. He couldn’t help it: He fell in love with her during the summertime before he knew she was underage, and he got tired of sneaking around. He wanted to show the world how much he loved her. He even asked her to leave L.A. with him so they could get married. But she had laughed in his face, telling him vehemently she did not love him, and their time together wasn’t about love: it was just about sex.

He didn’t believe her, but for the sake of his reputation and his teaching degree, he agreed with the terms her school and her parents laid out for him and left town, hoping she would follow. But she hadn’t.

He moved to Roswell, thinking a small quiet town would be good for him after the fast pace of L.A. He found a new teaching job and, eventually, a new girlfriend. He loved Natasha, but she wasn’t Maria. She couldn’t be Maria, and he couldn’t be in love with Natasha because of that. She was a woman who just reminded him of his lost love.

And suddenly, one day, there she was in his classroom again like fate, kismet, destiny. The moment he heard her laugh, his heart skipped its normal beat and almost syncopated with her laughter. The ache he had been feeling deep within left almost immediately. She was back, that had to mean something. Had she followed him there? He knew she had the means to track him down if she really wanted to, and he took her presence in his school room to mean she loved him, followed him, and wanted to continue their relationship.

While she had been only 16, though looking older, when they first met, he knew she was now 17. If they were still back on California things would still be impossible for them, but in New Mexico the age of consent was 17. Maybe that was why she had followed him out to Roswell, knowing they could be together without the constraints of society. Though his role as school teacher did make things a little complicated. He could always move schools again.

Then he had seen her with that Guerin boy, the one who was always in trouble, a foster kid, who was with a different girl every week. In a way, Ben guessed they were a good match for each other. He knew, despite her age, Maria was a man-eater, using them for what she wanted and then discarding them, and Michael was just the same with the female sex. But that didn’t mean it still didn’t hurt whenever he saw them together in the halls.

And anyway, what would someone of Maria’s standing within the society of the richest people in America do with a nobody from Roswell who had no money to call his own? She would eventually spit Michael back out, and he would be here waiting for her. Though he had an unsettling thought that he, as a high school teacher, was still so far down the list of respectable professions for a woman of Maria’s stature, but he knew they could make it work.

She shifted slightly on the desk, unnerved by his intense stare, and his attention was brought back to her.
“I just wanted to make sure my job is safe here,” he continued.

“It is as long as you stay away from me,” Maria returned immediately.

“I can hardly stay away, Maria. You are in one of my classes,” and he smiled again. He liked that idea a lot. Without thinking again, he gave her a meaningful look and added, “And I don’t want to, either,”

Maria shot a disbelieving look at the man sitting calmly in front of her.

“What?” she asked incredulously.

“Maria, you are everything to me….” he implored, and Maria stopped him, holding her hand up in a halting motion.

“Stop,” she said abruptly. “I don’t want to hear it. You said you wanted to talk to me about not telling anyone about us, and then pull a stunt like this!”

“I just want you to know how I feel,” he practically moaned to her.

“Ben, we are over and have been for a long time. Move on. I have,” and she moved off to the door, stopping midway before turning back.

“I’m not foolish enough to tell anyone what happened between us, but I will be telling Michael,” she informed him.

“What!”

“I have to be honest with him,” she stated softly. “If I have any chance of building anything with him, he needs to know the truth.”

“And you want that? To have a serious relationship with Michael Guerin?” he sneered out Michael’s name.

“Yes,” she answered honestly.

Ben laughed at that. “You’re too young to be in a serious relationship,” he snorted out.

“Yet that is what you want from me,” Maria smirked at him.

“We were so good together, Maria.”

“We were good together,” Maria returned, “in the sack, but that’s all.”

“Is that so bad?” he smiled, his hand coming to rest on her shoulder.

Maria brushed it off quickly and turned back to reach for the door, only to be stopped as he pulled her back against his front.

“Maria,” he pleaded his lips an inch from her ear. “Please.”

Maria swiftly lifted her arm, and she jabbed it back, her elbow connecting with his ribs, and he backed away in pain, grunting at the force she used to free herself.

She turned to him, her eyes blazing with anger.

“Do not touch me again. Stay away from me,” she hissed. “Or I’ll have you fired.”

“You have no control here,” Ben answered easily, his hand rubbing at his chest and a mocking smile on his lips.

“I have as much control as any high school student being harassed by her teacher. And who do you think they’ll believe? Someone who was forced out of their last school because of rumors about him having an affair with a student? Or a poor, defenseless girl?”

“You are anything but a defenseless girl, Maria.”

“Yeah, and don’t you forget it,” she retorted sharply as she turned on her heel and pulled the door open. She turned before she left. “And stop saying my name like that. I’m your student and nothing more.”

*********************************

Courtney watched discreetly from the water fountain across the hall from the classroom Mr. Harris and Deluca had disappeared into not too long ago.

When the door abruptly opened, she snapped back quickly, but she certainly caught the seething look on Maria’s face as she rushed from the room and down the corridor. But it was the look on Mr. Harris’ face that intrigued the conniving girl the most.

It was a look she rarely saw directed at herself; A look that spoke volumes. It was painted on his face as clear as day; the look of love and tenderness was laced with a hint of desperation and need, as well.
Courtney sidled up beside the music teacher, a winning smile on her face.

“Hey, Mr. Harris,” she breathed out as seductively as she could, a sexy smile on her lips, which fell when the man beside her didn’t respond, only gazed longingly at the figure moving fast down the hallway.

“Mr. Harris,” she repeated a little more sternly.

“Emm,” he finally mumbled, though not turning to her until Maria turned the corner.

When he did, Courtney couldn’t help saying, “You look like you just lost the love of your life,” and she laughed as though she had been joking.

And the look in his eyes told her everything she needed to know, and she smirked as she headed off down the corridor, searching for someone to help her answer the questions in her head regarding Mr. Harris and Maria.

****************************

Maria smiled as she turned in circles, her arms outstretched and her head tipped back. The heat of the sun beating down on her face felt wonderful, and the soft grass under her feet, comfortable and also liberating.

She felt the warm breeze as it fluttered the thin material of her sundress around her thighs, and she sighed.
She was happy, blissfully happy.

When she felt the palm against her ankle, she stopped and looked down, a delicate smile on her face.

“You’re making me feel dizzy, Blondie,” Michael smiled up to her from where he was sprawled on the dark green grass.

He ran his hand up her calf and behind her knee, giving a gentle pull as he said, “Come and join me.”

Maria giggled as she fell softly against his side on the grass, her head automatically resting on his shoulder, and a hand settling on his chest.

She picked at the buttons on his shirt, idly unfastening and then refastening the closings.

“Are you happy?” Michael asked, the fingers of one hand stroking her hair while the other ran up and down her arm that was comfortably lying across his chest.

“Blissfully,” she answered, her smile widening.

Michael looked down at her smugly. “Good.”

She laughed again. “Full of yourself, aren’t you?”

He rolled her quickly so she was half under him and grinned down to her. “Absolutely. Do you want to be full of me?”

Maria wrapped her arms across his shoulders, both hands delving into his soft hair. “Absolutely,” she whispered sensually and brought his face down to hers, flicking the tip of her tongue over his luscious lips before closing hers over his, teasingly at first and then more intensely as the passion within her built.

Michael let his body rest against hers as he trailed his hand down her bare arm, feeling her skin lift into goosebumps at his soft touch.

He shifted his hand and brought it back up her body until he palmed a small pert, breast, squeezing gently, and Maria couldn’t suppress her moan.

She moved her head, tearing her lips from his when the need for air became necessary.

“Michael,” she whispered, pushing herself further into his large hand, and he responded by slipping his fingers into the button-down front fastenings of her dress, popping each button open slowly as he kissed down her neck, pausing to place a delicate peck behind her ear.

Maria felt his lips widen into a smile as she shuddered beneath him at his chaste kiss in one of her most sensitive spots, then sighed as he continued lower. The front of her dress was open now, the naked flesh of one breast exposed to the warm air.

His digits grazed over the erect nipple before closing his lips over it, his tongue moving over the puckered area, and Maria moaned again, her hands moving into his hair, holding him tightly to her.

She again dragged her fingers through his hair, loving the length and silkiness of it. She had never dated anyone with hair his length before, and she loved just running her hands through it, especially during these intimate moments.

She sighed when Michael’s lips released her nipple, and he kissed all over the plumpness. She pulled on his hair again, “Michael,” she shuddered.

Under her hand she felt his hair changing texture slightly becoming wirier, as though morphing into something else.

“Michael,” she groaned again at the pressure of his palm on her thigh as it inched higher.

“Maria,” he returned, the obvious need evident in his voice, and for a moment, Maria smirked….then her smile faded.

That wasn’t Michael’s voice.

“Michael?” she called again, her brows furrowing slightly in concern.

The voice just moaned as his hand rose higher under her dress, and Maria looked down.

Michael’s hair appeared lighter and shorter, and she moved her hands so she could tilt his head back.

She inhaled sharply when she met gray eyes, and not the familiar whiskey orbs of Michael’s.

“Ben?” she whispered, confused.

“You know you want me,” Ben answered her, bringing his lips back to her breast, and Maria couldn’t stop the breathless whimper that escaped her, her eyes closing at the sensation and her hands delving deeper into his hair.

When she felt his hand rise almost to her hip, she stopped.

“No,” she said low, pushing gently at his head, trying to move him from her.

“Maria,” Ben mumbled from his position against her plump flesh, “let me love you. You are everything to me.”

“No,” she replied, harder this time, pushing his hands away from her. “I don’t want this. I don’t want you.”

He lifted his head at that, looking deep into her eyes, and Maria shuddered when she noticed the love and adoration there.

He palmed her cheek, smiling a defiant grin that had made her insides melt when they had been together. His thumb grazed her full lips, and he leaned closer. She allowed him to kiss her, letting herself drown in the feel of him against her. Different from Michael’s form, but all too familiar to her as her body reacquainting itself to his touch.

No, the word resounded in her head. I don’t want this. I want Michael.

She ripped her lips from his. “No!” she said louder………and bolted upright in her chair at the back of her history class.

She swiveled her head a little, confused about where she was, her eyes catching those of her fellow students as they had all turned to her at her shout, giggling and snickering.

Michael leaned over to her, his lopsided grin all too obvious. “You have a little drool there, Blondie,” he smirked and pointed to the side of his mouth.

Maria lifted her arm and wiped at the side of her mouth with the back of her hand, feeling a pink tint creep into her cheeks as Mr. Sommers tried to bring the class back to order.

“That’s quite a blush you have going on,” Michael observed. “I hope you were dreaming about me.”

She smiled nervously at him and turned her face back to the front of the class as Mr. Sommers called, “Miss Deluca?” When he was sure he had her attention, he added, “Detention.”

Maria groaned and slumped back into her chair. Could this day get any worse?

Maria walked tiredly to the bleachers beside the football field, her whole body protesting with an exhaustion she hadn’t felt in a long time. The day had been endless, with her early morning start, flying to L.A., sitting in on a boring meeting where her opinion was considered less valuable than pig shit, flying back, and having to go straight to school in an outfit that made her stand out from the other students by a mile. Not only did she deal with that, but she also shared a very uncomfortable conversation her music teacher/past lover, and then an erotic dream in her history class where her present boyfriend turned into her current teacher/former lover, and she was disgusted that she was actually a little turned on by that.

Now, after completing her detention, she had to sit through half of the football practice, as she didn’t have her car with her. She laid down on one of the bleachers, letting the afternoon sun beat down on her as she drifted almost to sleep but not quite, not wanting to relax too much, fearful of the dreams she might have.

When she felt a warm weight pressed closely against her, her eyes snapped open, her body tense and ready to flee, only to see a beaming Michael looking down at her.

“Hey, Babe. You ready to go home?” he asked her gently, noticing just how tired she really looked.

“Yes,” she smiled up to him, but, contradicting her words by not immediately moving from the bench, she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him closer to her.

She didn’t place her lips over his, she just held him, something she had needed to do since that conversation with Ben, and then that strange dream. She knew she needed to tell Michael about Ben, but for the first time, she was worried about what his response would be.

Would he be disgusted with her? And if he was, would it be because Ben had been her teacher or the fact that he was so much older than her?

She could argue until her dying breath that Ben had not been her teacher when their relationship started, but she knew the problem most people had was that it hadn’t finished once the taboo issue had come to light.

Also, Michael was known to have a temper and be overly jealous when it came to her. Would he do something foolish and go after Ben? As much as she kind of liked that idea, Michael making a stand for her, she didn’t want anything to happen that may draw more questions than anything else.

She giggled as Michael blew lightly against her neck, her body reacting immediately.

“Come on, Blondie,” Michael said, pulling away from and tugging on her hand until she was standing in front of him.

They walked hand-in-hand toward the parking lot and to Michael’s car.

“Where’s Kyle?” she asked distractedly as she lifted Michael’s hand to her mouth, her lips brushing against a knuckle.

“I think he’s taking Tess home,” he answered her with a smile, loving the simple, tender things she did; showing him without words how she felt.

Maria’s eyes flashed to him. “Maybe we’ll have the house to ourselves then,” she smiled.

“Ah, babe, you’re killing me here. I have to work.”

Maria pouted to him. “Michael, I’ve had an extremely long, stressful day. I was hoping for a massage.”

“Maria,” he groaned, and Maria giggled.

“Ok,” she sighed dramatically. “I guess it will just have to be a luxurious bubble bath.”

She laughed harder when Michael groaned again, louder.

Not too long later, she was waving Michael goodbye as he headed off to work with a promise to call her when he was finished.

She trudged wearily up to the house, scratching Jacob behind his ear as he greeted her enthusiastically at the front door.

There was nobody home, so she collapsed on a couch in the family room and was asleep in seconds.

***************************************

Thanks to everyone still reading this fic and leaving feedback. It is appreciated so much.

Carolyn: I agree. Michael is the only one for Maria.

Killjoy: Your predictions may prove true. And only a small amount of K/T in there, but I’m hoping for more in the future.

I am using my creative license here and taking ownership of the lyrics used as those created by the character involved for the duration of this update, though , of course, all credit goes to the actually creators of the song.
For those of you who need it, here is a link for the song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s__QUKSWrK0

Chapter 20.

By the time Wednesday rolled around, Maria seriously debated whether to just ditch school for the day, not looking forward to her music class or having to face Ben again. So far, she managed to dodge him in the halls, but she knew she would have to face him sooner or later. She knew Alex was depending on her for their music assignment, so she begrudgingly dragged herself onto schools grounds, leaving her guitar in her car, not trusting the music room and the miscreants of West Roswell High.

Her morning classes flew by, which always seemed to be the case when a person wanted to run from something, it inevitably came faster than it normally would because the time picked up its pace instead of slowing down in their favor.

It was during their third period meet-up in the eraser room that Michael noted she was distracted, as she wasn’t nearly as appreciative as she normally was during their make out sessions.

He pulled back from her, his lips grazing over her neck before he moved back completely.

“What’s wrong, Blondie?”

“Nothing,” she replied distractedly.

Michael sighed deeply. Was this it? he thought. Was this the end of their relationship already?

Maria heard the despondency in his sigh and reached up to cup his cheek. “I have that performance in music this afternoon,” she told him. “I guess I’m a little nervous.”

She hated lying to him again. She was never nervous when it came to performing. It came naturally to her, but she could hardly tell him the real reason she didn’t want to enter her music lesson. Not yet, and most definitely not in the school eraser room.

“Let’s go eat,” Michael offered.

Maria smiled up to him before placing a gentle kiss against his lips and letting him lead her from the room.

They found Liz at a table in the quad, her lunch on a small space of the table while the rest was covered with textbooks and notepads.

“Hey, girl,” Maria greeted the brunette cheerfully. “Do you mind if we join you?”

“Not at all,” Liz answered with a smile, moving her books into a large pile in front of her so Maria and Michael could sit with their lunches.

Michael flipped one of the larger textbooks so he could look at the title. “AP Biology,” he read in disgust.
“There’s more to life than school and learning, ya know.”

“Yeah, that whole part where learning helps us to get a career and stable lives,” Liz retorted, and Maria
giggled a little at her friend’s newfound courage, deciding now was not the time to inform Michael that she should, technically, be in advance placement classes too.

“Nah, I don’t buy that,” Michael said with all sincerity. “Too much knowledge could kill you. It should come with its own Surgeon General’s Warning or something.”

“Michael,” Maria laughed. “Have you never heard the saying knowledge is power?”

“Sure, I’ve heard it, just don’t believe it, that’s all,” he answered gruffly, searching through the two brown paper bags she placed on the table in front of their seat to snag the better lunch.

“Ok, O wise one. What is more important than getting a good education?” Maria asked, grabbing her own bag from his hands before he could steal her Peanut Butter Oreos.

Michael seemed to ponder about her question for a moment, his brow creasing with concentration.

“Sex, hockey, and your Harley,” he said finally, obviously pleased with his answer.

Maria looked at Liz, whose mouth was hanging open slightly at his deformed wisdom, before turning back to Michael.

“Well, at least I factor into two of those reasons,” she countered glibly with a shrug.

“Don’t worry, babe. I’m sure we can work out how to get you involved in the other,” Michael grinned before ramming half a sandwich into his mouth. He chewed for a few seconds before his expression changed from one of smug satisfactions to that of disgust.

He swallowed his food before separating the bread slices in his hands. “What the hell is this?”

Maria peered over his arm. “It looks like roast beef, Swiss, some dressing, and sprouts.”

“Sprouts!”

“What can I say? My mother likes to try new things,” Maria informed him with a teasing glint in her eyes.

“And why does she have to try these new things out on me?” Michael asked, opening up his sandwich and throwing the small lumps of green vegetable on the table after haphazardly picking them off.

“You don’t like it, then make your own lunch,” Maria returned quickly, retrieving one of the sprouts from where it landed on Liz’s textbooks. “Sorry,” she muttered to her friend, handing Liz a napkin so she could wipe her book free of the drops of dressing that had followed the sprout.

“What? And deprive your mom the joy of fixing my lunch?” Michael grinned again, satisfied he had all the offending green from his sandwich and taking another big bite, groaning beneath his breath in pleasure from the green-free sandwich.

“Yeah, because that’s obviously what she lives for: To make my boyfriend his lunch.”

Liz chuckled at the easy banter between the two, liking this new side to Michael.

“Hey, you wouldn’t believe what happened,” he said suddenly, abruptly changing the conversation, not wanting her to know how much it meant that she had publicly called him her boyfriend.

“What?” Maria asked, amused by his sudden excitement as Kyle, Max, and Isabel joined them, Max sliding in next to Liz without hesitation, making the small brunette blush as she offered him a weak smile.

Maria made a quick mental note to have a serious talk with Max. She knew his reputation around the school, and she would see hell freeze over before Liz Parker became another one of his notches.

“Ed got this huge hike in his pay at Amitron Electronics. And with three months back pay,” Michael’s voice brought her back to the lunch table.

“And,” Maria said, motioning with her hand for him to continue, playing the innocent role to perfection. She was sure she deserved an Oscar.

“And….” Michael grinned, “It means they can afford to make the alterations to the house, maybe even build an addition.”

“Oh, that means your family will be growing,” Maria beamed, pretending she had finally caught on, her eyes meeting Kyle’s briefly. “The Harding’s can now foster that little girl.”

“Yep. I’m hoping they furnish out the basement, put a bathroom in there, and I can make it my own.”

“Oh, your own space away from the other kids. I like that idea,” Maria smiled beside him, her arm snaking around his waist as she leaned into him.

“Yeah, me too,” Michael smirked back to her, throwing her arm across her shoulder.

Kyle coughed, “Personal gain.”

“What?” Isabel asked him

“Nothing,” he grinned to Maria while she flipped him off with the hand against Michael’s waist.

“You two are the weirdest people I know,” Isabel countered shaking her head.

“Thank you,” Maria replied happily, as if that was the best thing anyone could say to her.

“Our mission is complete,” Kyle added.

“Are you gonna return to the mothership now?” Michael enquired.

“Are you trying to say something, Spaceboy?” Maria asked a warning in her voice.

“Absolutely not, babe,” he returned quickly, a swift kiss landing on her lips

“Good.”

“Hey, Maria,” Alex called as he rushed over to their table. “Are you ready for music?”

“Hardly,” Maria mumbled before she plastered a dazzling smile on her face. “Sure, just gotta fetch my guitar from my car.”

“Why didn’t you bring it in this morning?” Michael asked as he finished his sandwich and reached for the other half of hers.

“You’re kidding, right?” Kyle laughed. “Like she would trust anyone with her precious guitar.”

“Yeah, I can see why, though,” Alex grinned as he sat down beside Isabel. “That instrument is a thing of beauty.”

Kyle smirked at Maria. “Only the best for Maria Deluca, right?”

“Absolutely, right,” she returned, her eyes blazing at his unspoken implications. She turned back to Michael.
“Wanna walk with me to my car?”

Michael looked at Maria and then back down at his unfinished lunch. “Is that a trick question?” he asked.

“What is it with boys and their food?” Maria asked theatrically, throwing her arms in her air.

“Men, honey. We are men,” Michael commented, hitting a closed fist to his chest in emphasis.

“Funny, all I heard was ugg, ugg, ugg!” she returned with a teasing smile. “Ladies, shall we leave these Neanderthals to their meals?”

“Sure,” Liz answered, standing self-consciously from her seat next to Max at the end of the table.

“God, yes,” Isabel agreed eagerly, gracefully moving away from the table.

Maria also stood before turning back and cupping Michael’s chin, kissing him softly before saying, “Later, Caveboy.”

As the girls walked off, he called after her, “That’s Caveman to you, Legs, and you know it.”

Maria turned back to him, “And I’m sure you will show me again and again,” she countered from across the quad, winking at him suggestively.

“You know it!” he repeated with a grin and a suggestive wiggle of his eyebrows.


Maria walked into the classroom behind Alex, her eyes intent on the back of his head. She moved quickly into her seat, setting her guitar carefully beside her chair, refusing to look at their teacher even though she could feel his eyes in her.

On the upside, if he continued like this, someone was bound to notice and ask questions about Mr. Harris’ more than scholarly interest in his student. She just hoped that someone didn’t dig too deep, and put two and two together, and reveal a shitload of crap she could do without.

The class started with Mr. Harris calling on volunteers to get the ball rolling.

The first group of giggling girls set up on the small performance area, and just as Maria had predicted, the first chords of Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” drifted into the room from a small sound system one of the girls had hooked her iPod to.

Maria shook her head slowly, not believing that song had actually been picked.

When the trio finished to a smattering of applause, Mr. Harris stepped up on the platform.

“Ok,” he said, looking despairingly at the group of teenagers in front of him. “Who else has prepared a Madonna inspired song?”

The students looked at each other as several hands rose slowly into the air, and Ben exhaled deeply.

“Let me put this another way. Did anyone come up with a song that actually promotes abstinence?” his eyes gliding hopefully around the room. When no one indicated they had found such a song, his gaze landed on Maria, almost hopeful.

Maria turned her head, not wanting to meet his look, hoping he didn’t ask her directly.

“Eh, Mr. Harris,” Alex offered helpfully. “Maria has a song which maybe doesn’t promote abstinence but puts up a good fight about having sex at an early age.”

If Maria hadn’t been so shocked at Alex’s revelation, she would have giggled over the way he blushed when he said the word sex.

Mr. Harris seemed to visibly relax at Alex’s words.

“Well, come on,” Mr. Harris indicated to the stage and moved off to the side.

Maria sighed deeply before reaching for her guitar, then she and Alex moved in front of the class.
Alex placed a stool for Maria center stage and one for himself to her right as she took her guitar from its case, her hand loving holding the smooth neck as she perched on the stool, and she grin to Alex beside her.

“I wrote this song a couple of years ago,” she told the class with a wry smile. “I guess the lyrics are pretty clear but for those of you who are a little unsure, the message is not to give it up too soon.”

She nodded to Alex and started to sing with Alex joining her in the chorus.

Turn out the light, Just say goodnight to yourself
May I remind you, when you find you
are all alone’s when you,
You've got to be strong,
That's when they call you, in the night
He's got your picture in his mind,
He's got your number on a paper
At his disposal anytime

Is it really true? Could you save yourself
For someone who could love you for you,
So many times we just give it away
To someone who
Someone who

You met in a bar, in the back of a car
And for a moment, you felt important, but not in your heart
Cause my self-esteem, it's been low
Go ahead and count, it's been lower than low
I know the feeling, of it stealing life out from under me

‘Cause I want to learn,
How you save yourself, for someone who
Could love you for you, So many times we just give it away
To someone who couldn't even remember your name
Could you save yourself, for someone who loves you for you
And loves me for me
Give it away
To someone who
Someone who
Would cherish your name

‘Cause I want to learn
how you save yourself
For someone who could
Love you for you
So many times we just give it away
to someone who,
couldn’t even remember your name

Could you save yourself
for someone who loves you for you
and loves me for me
Give to away to someone who someone who
would cherish your name
would cherish your name.


When they finished, Maria looked out at her small audience to see some of her fellow classmates seriously considering the lyrics of the song, and she smiled.

“Thank you, Maria,” Mr. Harris said, that soft tone back in his voice, and Maria shuddered slightly, her mind flashing back to her dream from the other day. She shook her head, willing the imagines that invaded her mind away as she stood and carefully placed her guitar back in its hard case.

Alex and Maria moved back to their seats, and Mr. Harris returned to his place in front of the class.

“Well, since there seems to no other song adequate for todays intended lesson, and following Maria’s own creation, it only seems appropriate to talk about compositions.”

The rest of class passed without incident, and when the bell rang to signal the end of the lesson, Maria exhaled deeply, turning to Alex and smiling brightly.

The students eagerly left the room, each dashing in different directions. At Maria’s, imploring look, Alex held back, waiting for her to collect her gear.

“So, Maria,” Ben started, walking over to the two student. “Are you willing to perform your song in front of the school?”

“I don’t know,” she answered, looking sideways at Alex, not wanting to be alone with Ben and hoping Alex wouldn’t leave her alone with him.

“Hey, if you want, you know I’ll be there with you,” he offered, thinking maybe she was nervous about singing in front of a large audience.

“I’ll think about it,” she told her teacher, though she was looking everywhere but at him.

“Thanks,” Ben whispered gently before turning and leaving the room.

“God, that guy is just a total creep around you,” Alex observed.

“Tell me about it,” Maria huffed, glad she had Alex for back-up.


Out in the hallway, Courtney was walking with her wannabe’s, smiling at a few of the guys, flipping her hair and acting like she owned the school.

When she heard Maria’s name, she involuntarily paused, listening harder to what was being said, hoping it would be something damning.

“She has a really good voice,” one girl was saying. “I wish I had half of her talent.”

“Yeah, me too,” the guy beside her admitted. “It doesn’t hurt that she’s totally hot, too,” he added.
Courtney felt herself bubbling with irritation.

What was it about that Deluca slut that made everyone talk about her like she was the next best thing?

She watched as Mr. Harris walked from a classroom, and she moved closer to the door and looked in to see Maria standing beside a chair with an open guitar case resting on the desk.

So, Mr. Harris and Deluca were having one-on-one meeting again. Maybe now was a good time to tell that bitch she knew about her and the teacher. Well, technically she didn’t know what she knew, but it was a start.

“I’ll see ya later,” she said, dismissing her wannabe’s with a wave of her hand, and she walked into the room.

“Getting nice and cozy with teacher?” she stated before she saw Alex standing beside Maria.

Maria recoiled at Courtney’s implications. Did she really know something she shouldn’t? And she felt Alex straighten with concern beside her.

“What the hell are you yapping about now?” Maria spat out, covering her hesitation as best she could. “You think I have something going on with the music teacher? Well, Alex must be involved, as well, since he has been here all the time.”

Maria turned to Alex, her confidence building. “So tell me Alex, you having a secret three-way affair with the music teacher?”

Alex smiled at Maria, admiring her coolness despite the fact Courtney was too close to the truth for comfort.

“Of course, Maria,” Alex answered with a wide smile. “You remember that wild time we had in the equipment shed. You, me, and our crazy imaginations.”

“And then the way Michael reacted when he found us?” Maria laughed.

“Man, I couldn’t forget that,” Alex answered with a dreamily glaze in his eyes before he turned to Courtney and said in a stage whisper, “Couldn’t sit down for days.”

“Ewgh! God!” Courtney said with a disgusted expression on her face, to which Maria and Alex laughed even harder.

“You really think you’re something, don’t you?” Courtney continued in anger.

“I know exactly who I am,” Maria returned, her voice low with rage, “And you are nothing, not even a blip on the radar next to me.”

Alex couldn’t stop himself from nodding and adding, “That’s true.”

“So, I hear my girlfriend has an amazing talent that I don’t know about,” Michael’s booming voice called as he entered the room.

“I have a talent that you do know about?” Maria countered, turning to face Michael with a smile, effectively ignoring Courtney altogether.

“Of course,” Michael beamed back to her as he got close enough to press a kiss against her lips. “You’re amazing between the sheets.”

“Pssh, tell me something I don’t know,” Maria replied glibly, with a wave of her hand.

Courtney watched the easy way Maria and Michael interacted, noting Michael had never been that way with her. With her, it seemed to be all physical and no talking.

Of course, there was something to be said about a purely physical relationship with Michael Guerin, but she would have liked to hear him talk to her, call her his girlfriend, and be proud of her achievements.

Her eyes wandered to the guitar held in the hard case on the table top. It was obviously Maria’s, and Courtney’s face twisted into a malicious smile as she reached out for the instrument.

Maria turned back to Courtney just as the bleached blonde wannabe lifted her guitar from its case. “Hey, bitch, put that guitar down.”

“What? This lump of wood?” Courtney smirked at the look of apprehension on Maria’s face. “I thought I’d give it a go being one of those rock stars, ya know, and see what satisfaction I get from smashing it against the table.”

Alex inhaled sharply at Courtney’s words, his eyes swinging from the guitar to Maria and Courtney.

“You do that, and it will be the last thing you do and you will be paying for a new guitar, and let me tell you, one like that doesn’t come cheap,” Maria warned.

“These things are a dime a dozen,” Courtney huffed, her bravado rising now she knew had an audience, and she was obviously pushing Maria’s buttons.

“Courtney, that’s a $6,000 guitar, limited edition.” Alex reasoned.

Courtney looked down at the guitar in her hand, slightly bewildered.

Maria huffed. “And the rest, Alex. It’s custom made.”

“I hardly believe that,” Courtney belittled, even though she remembered the expensive looking clothes Maria had worn to school a couple of days ago. Courtney and her family were amongst the most influential and prosperous in Roswell. “I know the Sherriff’s wage isn’t that good. My dad’s on the City Council.”

“All I got from that was blah blah blah, I’m a skanky ho,” Maria shot back, unable to stop herself from retaliating.

Courtney opened her mouth but was unable to think of a snide remark as she watched Michael step closer to Maria, maybe hoping to calm his now irate girlfriend. Courtney’s lips twisted in an evil grin as she lifted her arms, then she brought Maria’s guitar down against the edge of the desk.

The wood cracked with a sickening sound and Maria froze in place. Courtney took Maria’s inability to move to her advantage, repeating her movement, this time the body splitting, and on the third swing, the neck broke, and Courtney dropped the broken guitar onto the floor with a clatter, a satisfied smirk on her face.
Maria’s focus blurred, then the blood rushed in her ears as the broken pieces of her guitar sharpened and formed into the splintered shards of wood on the floor.

In one fluid motion she sprung, and if Michael didn’t have such good reflexes, Alex was pretty sure Courtney would be dead where she stood.

“Let go of me, Michael,” Maria hissed angrily, her eyes blazing, legs flying in all directions, and her hand clawing at Michael’s arms around her waist. “I’m gonna rip your fucking crappy hair extensions from your head, you skanky whore.”

Courtney gloated at Maria. “Guess your guitar isn’t so precious now, bitch.”

“You better have a good lawyer because that guitar was worth thousands. $10,000, to be precise, and you are gonna pay me back every cent of it,” Maria ground out, her eyes flaring with fury.

“Maybe now would be a good time for you to get out of here,” Michael growled to Courtney, and Alex grabbed her arm, dragging the girl from the room.

Michael watched as Maria deflated in his arms, and he set her back on her feet.

“Babe, we’ll get you a new guitar,” he offered, hoping she said had been exaggerating with the value of her guitar because, if not, he did not have a chance in hell of getting her one like that.

Maria just looked down at the ruined instrument on her floor, stunned and unmoving.

Alex moved back into the room and over to the smashed guitar, bending at his waist to pick up the largest piece.

“Leave it,” Maria hissed to him, unable to keep the emotion from her voice.

Alex turned to her, seeing the unshed tears glistening in her eyes.

“Maria?”

She ignored him as she moved forward until she was standing amongst the broken wood, and then a sob escaped her lips as she sank to the floor.

“Maria?” Michael’s voice dropped an octave, soft and tender, as she tried to reach her this time.

“This was my dad’s guitar,” she told him in a hushed voice. “This is the only thing I had left of his.”

Michael looked at Alex, the both of them now understanding her attachment to her guitar. It wasn’t the fact that it had cost so much. Alex knew that meant little to her. It was the fact it had belonged to her father.

“He used to play it while singing me to sleep,” she said to no one in particular. Another great sob escaped her as she picked up the neck of the guitar, the strings hanging from it haphazardly.

“Maybe we can get it fixed?” Michael asked hopefully, looking back at Alex for confirmation.

“Maybe,” Alex agreed, seriously doubting they would and the cost involved before he remembered who he was dealing with. Money was not a problem.

They both looked back at Maria who was shaking her head. “It won’t be the same,” she whispered, her voice breaking as the tears flowed in earnest.

“Alex, go find Kyle,” Michael instructed.

Alex nodded and ran from the room, seeing Courtney out in the hall. She was laughing with her friends, recounting how she had brought Maria Deluca down to earth.

“You have no idea who you are dealing with Courtney,” Alex hissed to her. “You’d better call your parents because when she’s through with you, it will be a miracle your parents will be able to afford that trailer you are so destined to live in.”

He moved quickly down the hallway, seeing Max and Isabel standing and chatting by Isabel’s locker.

“Hey, have you guys seen Kyle?” he asked quickly.

“No,” Isabel responded.

“I think he’s in the eraser room with Tess,” Max offered with a smirk.

“Thanks,” Alex rushed out, turning on his heel and heading back down the corridor, noting Courtney had left as he whizzed past.

He knocked loudly on the glass door to the small room that has seen so many students at West Roswell.

“Occupied,” he heard Kyle’s harsh voice call out.

“I’m sorry, Kyle, but I need you,” Alex shot back.

He heard high pitched giggling from inside and cursed his words.

“I mean, Maria needs you.”

That was all it took for the door to suddenly fling open, nearly hitting Alex in the head in the process.

“What happened?” Kyle asked quickly.

Alex set off again, retracing his steps as Kyle followed him.

“Courtney smashed Maria’s guitar,” he informed her brother.

“Holy shit, the Hummingbird?”

Alex nodded.

“Holy fuck.”

Kyle entered the classroom to find a distraught Maria in Michael arms, crying softly.
Maria sensed Kyle in the room and looked up at him. “She killed my dad’s guitar.”

“I know, sis. Come here,” and he quickly knelt beside her amongst the wreckage.

Kyle was surprised when Maria seemed reluctant to leave Michael’s arms, but eventually, she moved over to her brother to be enveloped by his arms.

“It’s ok, Maria. We’ll get it fixed,” Kyle soothed, watching Michael cautiously starting to pick up the broken guitar.

“Leave it,” Alex said. “I’m going to get the principal so he can see what Courtney did.”

“I’m going to crush her,” Maria said vehemently against Kyle chest.

“I know, Maria,” Kyle answered, his eyes moving to Michael as he stood off to the side.

Michael watched his girlfriend being comforted by her brother, almost glad Kyle was there. He wasn’t used to girls crying on him, and this time, he was reminded of the first time, which was only a few days ago, when Maria broken down and recounting her father’s death to him. It was too much to handle, but he stayed, silent, and watched over Maria as her sobs cut at him.

Emotional women unnerved him, but he had a feeling he would encounter a few emotions he previously had ignored on his journey with Maria.

*******************************************************