EXPLICIT LOVE ❇ MAXINE BAKER

chapter six

Nat and Brayson approached Emily as she put books in her locker. "I heard you were hanging out with my sister." Natalie stated. "Yeah and it was totally boring." Emily complained. "Well they are a bunch of sophomores." Brayson said. "Hey." Natalie smacked him as they started walking. "I'm a sophomore."

"But youre my special sophomore." He said kissing her forehead. "Ugh kill me now." Emily joked. "Oh you love it." Natalie teased kissing her boyfriend. "You know, I dont mind it."

The three laughed ignoring stares from other kids. "So was any part of your little hang out fun?" Brayson asked her. "Not really." Emily said when her eyes caught a nervous Max. "Well, kissing Maxine Baker seems fun." Natalie said showing her the video. Emily rolled her eyes. "Okay so I kissed her, big deal." She told them.

"Okay, okay, just know, she falls for girls fast." Natalie warned as the younger girl approached. "See you later, Em."

Emily rolled her eyes at her friend before turning back to the brunette. "Do you need something?" She asked. "Um, yeah. Ginny's kind of panicking." Max said dragging the blonde behind her. "I dont really care Max." She tried to stop. "Just come please? She totally tripped and threw her tampon in her boyfriends face in English." Max told her, and the girl couldnt help but laugh as they approached the berry tree.

"Thats amazing, you've really outdone yourself Gin." She patted her step-sisters back. "Oh Max, why'd you bring her?" Ginny whined. "I thought shed help." Max shrugged. "Don't worry I can big sister you." Emily said in a teasing voice hokding up her arms. Ginny groaned but still threw herself into the blondes arms.

But she pulled herself away at the sound of her boyfriends voice. "Hey, Ginny." Emily moved back next to Max.

"My sisters always crave salt." He explained handing her a bag of chips. "Sorry I wasn't at Brodies last night I had some last minute tutoring." He told her. "Maybe we can hang soon." Ginny nodded. "Yeah." Hunter sent a small wave to the girls before walking away. All of them squealed as he left. "That was extremely awkward but so sweet." Emily said. "Yeah that totally transcended gender." Max agreed. "Ok, I have to run to auditions but have fun shopping." Max told them. "Good luck." Emily winked as she walked off. The girl blushed looking back to her friends. "Love you, mean it." "Hate you, kidding."

After she was gone the girls looked to me and Ginny. "Sorry we didnt invite you, you can come if you want." Norah said. "I already have plans, sorry." Emily told them before leaving the school.

"Took you long enough." Natalie whined from the car. "How much were you flirting with her?" Brayson asked sarcastically. "Haha." She said climbing in the backseat. "Where are we going?" She asked. "Shopping if course, my treat." Natalie told her from the passengers seat.

The three ended up just wandering around the town, not really interested in anything they saw. "Oh wait, that bag is totally cute." Natalie cheered pulling the other two behind her into the boutique. Emily stopped following the couple when she saw Ginny sat near the register a nervous look on her face and the other two standing opposite her. "Hey, you okay?" Emily asked walking to her. "Please don't talk to her, were waiting for her mother to get here." The lady at the register said. "Screw you I'm her sister. What happened." She asked again. "I caught her stealing." The lady said. "I'm sorry, I dont think I was talking to you."

"Did you do it?" Ginny sighed looking to the earring on the counter. "Did they take anything?" She gestured to the girls and Ginny nodded a little. "Hey did you check the other girls? Or just my sister cause she's black? Cause that seeems pretty racist to me." Emily snapped at the lady.

The woman scoffed. "I saw her take them." Emily rolled her eyes. "And did you see them take anything?" She pointed back and the woman stayed silent. "Of course." She muttered sitting beside Ginny. "I'm gonna wait with her."

They waited about ten nore minutes before Georgia came storming in. "My daughter would never steal.
This is an outrage. She would never..." She called out. "Mom I did it." Ginny cut her off. "Dude?" Emily nudged her. " Did you check the other girls' purses, or just my daughter because she's Black? I work at Mayor Paul Randolph's office, and he'd be fascinated to know that a store in Wellsbury was racially profiling." Georgia continued. "Race had nothing to do with it." The woman said, but they all knew she was lying. "Don't tell me race had nothing to do with it. Did you see her shoplift?" The woman scoffed. "Yes a pair of earrings and.."

"Oh my God. Oh, I feel faint. I'm sorry. Social injustice tends to upset me. I'm sure this was a misunderstanding. I'd love to pay for the earrings. And this lovelg jacket, Such beautiful things. Who picks all this out? You? What an eye. You take cash?" She smirked to the woman.

They all left the store, Emily had her arm protectively around Ginny while she glared at the girls. Even if they didnt get along well they had eachothers backs.

"Fun day girls?" Georgia looked at the two. "We didnt knos Ginny was stealing." Abby quickly lied. "That's total bullshit and you know it." Emily snapped at them. "Probably took something too right?" But Georgia put a hand on her shoulder. "Why dont you girls get goin'?" The two retreated quickly, scared of the older blonde. "Em, head home so Austin ain't all by himself. I'm gonna have a chat with Ginny." Emily sighed but still left.

The next day Emily ditched her friends to stay with Ginny. Though they just argued the whole time she didnt want her to be by herself after the incident the day before.

"I got tge lead." They heard Max sing as she danced down the hallway of the school. "Yes! I did it, I got the lead!" She cheered getting to the. "Thats amazing, Max." Emily said hugging the girl. "I told you you could." Ginny said when the two pulled apart. "Hey Max!" Abby called out. "Dont look, were mad at them. What they did...." Max started. "Bullshit." Emily chimed with her. Both girls blushed looking away. Emily bit her lip, she never got nervous around girls.

"Want a ride?" She asked Max as they left. "Sure." She grinned. The thred got out at the Miller home. "Can talk to you real quick?" Max asked pulling her aside. "Yeah."

Max messed with pants as she spoke. "So I heard Georgia and you the other day before Ginnys date.." She started. "I know and you want to ask about the drinking?" Max nodded. "I'm fine okay? I struggled a year or so ago but in okay now." She told her. "But you got drunk at school, that doesnt sound okay to me." Emily sighed. "I promise I haven't at all in a couple of days." Max paused. "Okay, but if you're having a hard time you can talk to me."

"Thanks Max, thats sweet." Emily blushed slightly as the younger girl made her way back to her house.

Rewrote this chapter, I just didnt feel like it fit with the rest of the book. Do you think is better?