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Max and Mike rode home quickly and quietly. "Hey Mom said we're sharing a room." Max nodded and hopped off her board. She place it in the garage and ran inside quickly. Mike watched her run and walked in. Even if he was being nice to her, he didn't like her. "Hey Mike! The rooms all set up, Max's in there now." Mike nodded taking a banana, "I'm gonna go to the arcade to meet up with the party."
"Oh Micheal can you take Max please?" He nearly dropped his banana. Mike turned back to his mom and shook his head. "Please Mike! She doesn't know anyone here and I'm worried about her!"
"No! I'm not letting her meet my friends! They don't even like her!"
"Micheal please."
He took one look at his pleading mothers face and sighed. "Fine! MAX COME DOWNSTAIRS!" Karen gasped and smacked him on the mouth, "stop it! She's afraid of yelling Mike! Don't do that to her." The two heard footsteps running down the stairs and sniffles. Max walked into the kitchen crying quietly. She looked up at the two, waiting to see what she has done wrong. Karen went to hug her and she flinched, backing up. The older woman put her arms down and sighed, "Max? Do you want to go to the arcade with Mike and his friends?" Max thought for a second before looking at Mike. She didn't want to upset him. He sighed and rolled his eyes, "she doesn't talk mom! Shes a freak!" Karen ignored him, "you can ride your skateboard there if you'd like?" Max nodded slowly which put a smile on Karen's face. Mike rolled his eyes once again before going to the garage. "I'm sorry about him sweetheart. Have a nice time and heres some money for you and Mike," she pulled out two bags worth of hundreds of coins. Max nodded and took the small bags, running to the garage.
The redhead tapped Mike on the shoulder. He turned around quickly and she flinched, thinking he was gonna hit her. She shakily held out the two bags. He gave her a small smile before taking one. She shook her head, still holding out the other one. He looked at her hands, they were so boney and they had scars everywhere. "No Max, that's yours. I can't take it." She shook her head again and threw the bag into his hands. She got on her skateboard and started to skate away. "Shit!" He shoved the two bags into his pockets and started biking after her. "Max!"
The two made their way to the arcade. Mike put his bike in the bike rack and watched Max pick up her board. The party watched in annoyance as the girl fiddled with the wheels. Dustin was the first to speak up, "Mike can we have a word with you?" He eyed Max up and down, "alone." The raven haired boy nodded and walked away from Max. The group stopped walking and turned to him. "Okay what the hell Mike?!" He turned to Lucas and sighed.
"Listen I didn't want to bring her or want her to come. But, of course, mother of the year forced her to come. I don't think she wants to be here either."
Dustin rolled his eyes, "why is she so skinny?!" Mike shrugged again, "don't worry we can just avoid her in the arcade. I just need to make sure she doesn't run off." The rest of the party nodded as they walked back over to Max. She smiled shyly at them, trying to hide behind a few kids that were coming out of the arcade. Mike sighed and walked over to her. He grabbed her arm harshly, "I'm gonna hang out with my friends okay? Take your money and go play some games, don't leave the arcade without me and don't follow me. I'll come get you when it's time to go." He shoved the bag of money into her hands and let go of her. She nodded walking into the arcade quickly. Mike smiled back at his friends and held up a thumb.
It's been a good hour since the gang arrived at the arcade. Max had spent all her coins on dig dug while the rest had ran around the arcade like headless chicken. Forgetting what Mike had told her, she decided to go do some tricks on her board outside. The redhead had been riding and working on new tricks when a group of boys walked up to her. "Look! A girl on a skateboard!" Two of the boys laughed while the others crowded her. She looked around, hoping for a way to escape. To the poor girls luck, there was none. One of the boys took the board from her hand. She gasped and when to grab it when another boy grabbed her and held her back. "What you want it?" He waved it in her face and she nodded frantically. He smirked at her and snapped it on his knee, "here you go!" He threw it at her and laughed. More people started to crowd around them. The redhead gasped as tears filled her blue eyes. The boy that was hold her, threw her to ground. She grabbed the two halves of her skateboard as tears started to silently roll down her cheeks. "Aw are you gonna cry now? Is the little lesbian gonna cry now?" He kicked dust into her face as everyone laughed. One of the boys grabbed her by her hair and smacked her across the face. The group took turns hitting the small girl.
"Dude we've been here for like two hours!" Dustin exclaimed, hitting the machine. "I'm well out of coins by now, what about you guys?" El looked in her pockets and found nothing in there. The rest of the boys shook their heads at Dustin, who swore his way out of the arcade. Mike looked down at his watch and sighed, "I should probably find Max and leave." El rolled her eyes and hugged the boy, kissing his cheek lightly. He blushed and smiled at her, "it's ok El."
He walked around the arcade quickly, looking for the small redhead. He didn't find her. Furrowing his eyebrows, he walked up to the counter. "Can I help you," Keith asked munching on his chips. Mike nodded, "I'm looking for a redhead. Do you know if she walked into the bathroom by any chance?" Keith thought for a moment before shaking his head, "I saw her at the dig dug machine a couple minutes ago. Some boys were watching her, you could see if they know where she went." Mike nodded before going back to his friends. Will looked at him and immediately noticed that he was stressing out. "Hey Mike what's wrong?"
"Max shes missing." El rolled her eyes at that. Mike sighed, looking at her. "I know El. But my moms gonna kill me!"
Lucas looked at him, dumbfounded. "How do you lose a girl with hair like hers?!" The taller boy shrugged, running a hand through his hair. "That's why I'm freaking out! I told her not to leave but of course she doesn't listen!" Lucas looked at the doors and noticed a crowd. He pointed at it, "Mike!"
The raven haired boy looked up and gasped before running out of the arcade, his friends following quickly.
