She is not bad

Chapter 33 : The dance

The week was ending. All the teens were at their homes, getting ready for the dance. As they were not in senior year, their dance night was one week before the end of the year. Max chose to wear a red dress going to her knees. She knew Neil wouldn't let her go out with a shorter dress. And thanks to him, she had to hide her bruises on her legs with dark tights. She stayed a moment in the bathroom to put some make-up. She was especially trying to hide her swollen black-eye and her swollen lip. One week. She just needed to hold one week. Then, she would be free in her apartment, far from them. Max looked at her in the mirror, puffing her hair. She liked how she was looking, she even managed to smile. She got out of the bathroom, feeling pretty.

- "You're going to a dance or to work on street corners? You look like a cock-tease," Neil sharply mocked.

Now she was feeling ugly and disgusting. All her confidence decreased in one second. She hated the power he had on her. She watched her mother, hoping for some support, but the woman was hiding away in her magazine, as usual. She went back to her bedroom to take her purse when she heard:

- "Don't cry if someone rapes you tonight."

Max didn't struggle to recognize Billy's voice. Nobody was liking her outfit apparently. It was fine, they were not liking anything coming from her anyway. She ignored Billy and left the house without even telling them. Gary was waiting for her in his car in the street. When she entered, she didn't even look at him, too mad for this. The boy didn't ask anything, knowing her situation with her family. Instead of bothering her with it, he tried to make her smile:

- "You're beautiful."

- "I'm a fucking slut!" she angrily said.

- "No! Don't say that! It's not true!"

- "Whatever!"

Max made a movement with her hand to make him understand that she didn't want to hear more and crossed her arms before looking outside. She was clearly not in the mood to go to a dance. But Gary didn't seem done talking:

- "Um, I wanted to propose you something...As it's almost the summer vacation, I'll be far a few weeks, which means we'll be separated, we'll have different activities, we'll meet new people—"

- "Just go to the point!" she angrily cut.

- "I was wondering if you would accept to have an open relationship, for this summer. To enjoy it as much as possible. You can see every people you want, and same for me...What do you think?"

Max rolled her eyes. By saying "see every people", he meant "have sex with them"! She couldn't believe him. The only person who could show her some support was trying to get rid of her for the summer to bang many other girls than her. She preferred not answering, not wanting to be angrier than she already was. They continued the ride in a heavy silence. When they arrived at their school, Max tried to relax. Her friends were outside, waiting for them to arrive. She took deep breathings and got out of the car. She tried to smile to them, but Bev noticed that something was wrong. Bev just frowned, meaning she would ask questions later. The friends saluted each other before entering the building. Once inside, they noticed that the dance must have just begun. The group was not on the scene yet, and the other teens were slowly beginning to dance. Gary, Mike, Dustin, and Will went on the dancefloor while Lucas, Gabrielle, Beverly, and Max went to the buffet. Max was feeling uncomfortable since Neil insulted her. She was thinking he was right, and she hated thinking that. While Max was filling her cup with fruit juice, she noticed that Bev couldn't do anything else than checking her phone.

- "You're waiting for your date?" Max frowned.

- "Jane told me she would come. She told me she was already there an hour ago, but I don't see her," Bev answered.