Rating: G

Category: Alternate Universe/ Foofy Friendship Fic

Summary: Liz and Maria share one last tea party before going off to Middle School.

Spoilers: None what so ever!

Disclaimer: As you all know, I do own Roswell. In fact, I own the entire operation! The books aren’t Melinda Metz’s, and I write Roswell. (Although, right now that’s probably a bad thing.) Actually, I am merely a student just fulfilling her favorite hobby.

Author’s Notes: This idea popped into my head when I overheard my sister and her friend having a make-believe tea party in her room. I want to credit all the great Roswell fanfic writers out there who take their time and put their energy into writing such great fics.

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

“Would you care for another spot of tea, Ms. Parker?” Maria DeLuca asked her friend.

“Why, yes, Ms. DeLuca, that would be lovely.” Liz Parker responded.

The two girls giggled feverishly, both taking imaginary sips from their teacups.

Maria looked at her best friend and smiled. Lizzie could be so silly and wacky sometimes. But not as silly as me, Maria thought. It had taken some convincing on Liz’s part, but Maria finally got her to play tea party for the last time before their adventure into 7th grade at Roswell Middle School.

Maria smiled again when she looked down at their attire. It was so funny to her to see the ever “mature” Elizabeth Parker wearing a big, floppy straw hat and a neon pink boa with white gloves. Liz took another imaginary sip of her drink and sighed.

Maria stopped smiling and gave her friend a questioning glance.

“Lizzie, what’s wrong?” Maria asked, her voice full of concern. “Are you bored or something? ‘Cause we could stop if you want to.”

“No, Maria. It’s not that at all. I’m having a great time. It’s just…”

“It’s just what?” Maria pressed.

“It’s just… I can’t help but think this will be the last time we do this. I mean, we’re going off to middle school now, and things like pretend house and tea parties just wouldn’t be cool. And what would the boys in our grade think if they knew that we were 12 years old and still dressed up and had tea parties?”

“I dunno, Lizzie. I bet some boys in our grade would love to see you wearing that straw hat and boa.”

Maria leaned across the table and pulled on one of the feathers.

Liz rolled her eyes and laughed but she couldn’t keep her curiosity under control.

“Like who?”

“Oh, come on, Liz. I know you aren’t that dumb."

Liz raised her hands up in question.

“You’re serious about this.” Maria stated.

Liz nodded.

“OK, girl, you gotta start paying more attention! Are you telling me you never noticed Max Evans drooling over you in Mr. Krowlitz’s class? That you didn’t notice him worshipping the ground you walk on? Or the pencils you used, or the chairs you sat in?” Maria waved her hands around in grand flourish to prove her point.

Liz shook her head in confusion.

“All right, than you’re the only one who doesn’t see it, ‘cause everyone else certainly does.”

Liz shook her head and laughed, some brown wisps of hair falling out from under her hat.

“Maria, you’ve got to be kidding me. Max Evans doesn’t like me. Me? Why would anyone like me?”

Maria’s mouth dropped to the floor. She closed her eyes and smacked her hand to her forehead in frustration.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me.” She groaned.

Maria removed her hand from her head and opened her eyes, looking straight at Liz, who still had the “I don’t get it” look on her face.

She gave a sigh of exasperation and held up her left hand with all her fingers spread out, pointing towards the sky. She pointed to her thumb finger with her right hand.

“Factor Number 1. You’re gorgeous. Your skin is perfect, you have these big, beautiful brown eyes, and DO NOT get me started on your hair.”

Liz blushed in embarrassment.

Maria moved her right hand to her index finger.

“Factor Number 2: You are probably the nicest person in our grade. You never say a bad thing about anyone, although I know how you secretly feel about Casey Stevens.” Maria gave Liz a sly smile, “You never backstab and you are totally helpful to everyone. You’re like the Mother Theresa of our grade.”

Maria continued on by pointing to her middle finger.

“Factor Number 3: You’re smart! I mean, I know guys say they don’t like smart girls, but it’s so not true! They don’t like airheads or snobby girls like Casey. Believe me, I have the inside scoop.”

Liz’s curiosity piqued again. “Where’d you get this inside scoop from?”

Maria pretended to zip her lips and throw away the key. “Not revealing anything, chica. Sorry. Anyway, moving on…”

Before Maria could continue her speech Liz interrupted her.

“And anyway I’m not that smart.”

Maria looked at her in disgust. “Don’t even get me started. Just shut up and wait for me to finish before you start going against what I’m saying, OK?”

Liz nodded.

Maria pointed to her ring finger “Factor Number 4 is that you know how to flirt. That might not get some girls to like you, but it certainly works on the guys! You think you don’t know how to flirt, but believe me, you do. In fact, you might do it better than Casey Stevens and Isabel Evans combined. You see, you do this thing with your hair and you giggle. Boys absolutely love that. You’ve got the flirting technique down cold,” Maria nudged Liz a few times “Maybe you could give me a few tips sometimes. Huh? Huh?”

Liz laughed and playfully slapped Maria’s shoulder. Maria went undiscouraged and pointed to her pinkie finger.

“And last but certainly not least, Factor Number Five: You are just an all around great person. Any guy who doesn’t like you ought get his head examined because any guy who wouldn’t like you has to be an idiot.”

Maria smiled and full on smile and grabbed Liz into a hug.

“Thank you, Maria.” Liz whispered into her friend’s ear.

Maria backed away slightly and answered, “Anytime, Lizzie.”

Liz sat back in her chair and looked Maria squarely in the face.

“Since we’re on the subject of boys and liking boys… what about Michael Guerin?”

Maria nervously looked at her feet, twiddling her thumbs in her lap.

“What about him?” she croaked.

Liz laughed, “Oh come on, Maria! You two flirt constantly!”

“No we don’t!” Maria exclaimed defensively.

Liz nodded her head pointedly, “Yes you do, don’t even try to deny it!”

Maria shook her head in disgust.

“Michael Guerin is a stupid boy who couldn’t find his way out of a paper bag.”

“I think you like him.”

“What? Are you serious? Me, like Michael Guerin? I don’t think so.”

“I think he likes you too.”

“What are you on, Lizzie? I think those ‘Do it yourself’ lab kit fumes are getting to your brain. Michael Guerin hates me.”

“Have you ever seen the way he looks at you?” Liz asked.

Maria’s eyes brightened; there was a hint of a smile on her lips.

“He looks at me?” she asked.

Liz nodded.

Maria’s eyes grew dark again.

“Who cares? Michael Guerin is stupid and I am sure he looks at me like I’m an insect or something.”

“No! Not at all! I think he really likes you.” Liz replied.

Maria smiled and picked up her teacup.

“I would like to make a toast.”

Liz picked up her teacup and waited for Maria to continue.

Maria looked at the sky and tapped her foot before saying, “This is a toast for you and me, Lizzie dear. A toast to remind us that we don’t need boys in our lives; that they just complicate them and make it harder for us to be strong. All the boys in the world could love us and go after us but we will never stop being friends. Ever.” She took a sip of her glass.

Liz smiled brightly and said, “Here, here! I’ll drink to that Ms. DeLuca.”

Liz took a sip of her teacup and looked at her best friend; she knew she would never find anyone quite like Maria DeLuca. She also knew she would never find a better “tea-party” mate.

She never wanted to.

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