Who: Liz Parker and Max Evans (Narrative) What: Liz runs into Max Evans When: Sunday Evening Where: Jendrys Rating: low
Liz had been trying her best to just go through the motions of everything. It helped that there were still college classes to take and work to do so that’s what she did - classes, study, labs, and work. She had been avoiding pretty much everything else and giving excuses to friends like Alyssa and Rowan that she was busy. She was avoiding Peter too. She had told him she needed time to think and she did, but every time her brain started to think about the idea of ‘polyamory’ her mind got so jumbled it was hard to concentrate. Michael had brought it up too to her before the word had even left Peter’s mouth. She knew she should probably ask Michael some questions, but when she asked Kyle where she could find him, he told her Michael needed space. It seemed she wasn’t the only one dealing with something. Things as they were, Liz had been keeping off the network too.
She sighed and wiped at the table. It was closing time and there were no more patrons in the store which was a good thing since she was definitely moving slower since she was lost in thought. One of the things she couldn’t seem to shake was the idea that Peter just wanted this because he didn’t want to choose. The phrase ‘cake and eat it too’ came to mind. It was like how Max had slept with Tess - lost his virginity to her - gotten her pregnant and then wanted Liz to just be okay with all of it and be with him again. Was it the same? And could three people even get along like that? Liz wasn’t into girls at all despite the rumours in Freshman year before she started to date Kyle so she didn’t think she could ever love MJ like Peter loved MJ. Was that fair or was that how polyamory worked? She liked MJ enough.
Mostly Liz couldn’t shake the feeling that even if she were to agree to this sort of relationship that she’d always be second string.
Maybe she’d only always be that for people.
As if on cue to her thoughts, the door opened and the little bell chimed. “Sorry we’re close-” She turned and halted in mid speech. Max Evans stood there in the doorway of Jendrys looking like she’d always remembered him.
“Liz?”
“Max?”
They stared at each other for a moment in silence before Max took a step forward and Liz took an instinctive step backward. He frowned and furrowed his brow. “Liz? What’s going on here?”
Explaining Madison was easier than thinking about what it meant to have Max here so that’s what she did. When she was done explaining that she also explained how there were other versions of Michael and Isobel and others from their world here. Max asked questions like he always did, most of them practical, and they figured out they were from around the same time. Thankfully Max was from just a little after so he knew all about Tess and Alex. At least she would have to have the constant fights with him about that.. After a while of talking, he moved toward her with his arms open as if to hug her. “Liz, I’m so glad you’re here -”
“Don’t.”
Liz took another step back and ran into the lip of a table. She tried to look firm and confident even though everything was screaming on the inside. Before Max could open his mouth and say something that would make it much harder for her to say no, she continued. “I can’t, Max. I can’t do this with you. Not right now. We might be in another reality or whatever, but you still - you still slept with her Max. I can’t just - I need space.” Why was this sounding familiar?
Tell me one thing, do you love her?
Not like I love you
Liz brought her hand up to her forehead before she realized there were green waves on it and Max didn’t know about her powers. She didn’t want him hovering over her because them so she quickly turned and busied herself with wiping down the table she was at. “Look, it’s closing time. Can you please just - just leave? I’ll talk to you later, okay? I just - I need to close up.” And think. And maybe crawl into a hole and disappear forever too.
When she turned back around, the door was closing and Max was gone.