HEARTBURST,, The Next Step

[4.5] runaway

❝ Did you drink from the bidet, bro?❞

‧₊˚✩

This was it. This was the beginning of Maxie's new life... Kinda.

She and her mum were stood in the car park of the airport, her flight with the boys to London was in three hours time and they were due to meet in the waiting area in one. So they knew this was going to be their last goodbye.

Rose stroked her daughter's hair lovingly, "My beautiful baby girl."

"Mum," Maxie cringed, avoiding looks of passers by about to jet off on their holidays.

"What, I can't express affection for my daughter?" Her mum raised an accusatory eyebrow, "Maxie, you're about to leave the country for who knows how long. I'm allowed to savour my last few moments with you."

Letting out a laugh, Maxie quipped, "I'm not dying, mum. Besides, I don't think petting me like a dog will do much."

Rose took a step back, grabbing both of Maxie's hands. Disregarding her daughter's previous statement, the woman tilted her head, "Are you okay?"

"I will be," Maxie swallowed nervously whilst nodding, "Leaving's just the hard part, right?"

"It's not the only one," Rose continued. "Have you told the boys yet?"

Maxie stopped, "No, I haven't."

"Max..."

"No, I know, okay? I know I need to tell them," She ran her hands through her hair as she looked around, making sure they weren't nearby, "I just don't know how to yet."

Rose squeezed Maxie's hands, "You don't have to do this. You can stay here and fly out closer to the day."

"Mum, the day is in three days anyways, if I don't go now, I'd lose my chance to tell any of them about it," She argued back.

"I just can't believe I'm losing you so soon," She mumbled.

"Mum," Maxie's brows pulled together before she went in for a hug, "You're not losing me, I'm still gonna be here."

"I know, I know," She pulled her daughter in tightly, "Now go."

Maxie stepped back, "What?" Confused that her mum had switched up so quickly.

Rose shook her head, pulling Maxie's suitcase up. The rest of her luggage was being transported by a moving company a few days after she got to London.

"You need to go meet your friends, and I am not about to stand here and cry in a car park," She spoke sternly.

"Okay," Maxie let a small grin take over her lips.

She went in for one final hug, before turning and walking away, not daring to look back at her mum for fear of crying; she knew if she started, she wouldn't stop, and there was no way to explain that to the boys without revealing the truth.

"Maxie!" The boys practically yelled as they watched the girl emerge from duty free, after spending a good part of an hour in security.

Eldon looked like an excitable puppy as he hugged the girl in greeting.

"You'll never guess what Riley just told James," He practically heaved out, desperate, it seemed, to tell someone.

James rolled his eyes as he hit Eldon's side, "We were supposed to keep it secret, but, uh, she said one of the new guys on her team is an actual prince. Just found out this morning."