paris | madwheeler ♡

10 | downpour

" sans défense "

by the time they reached the park, dustin, lucas and will we're sitting at a picnic table. their bikes leaned against a near by tree, where mike placed his as well.

they hadn't noticed the red head, just yet. her eyes being blinded by the sun, she squinted, placing her board next to mikes bike.

"max?" will questioned, lucas looked up from their conversation.
"oh." he said, not expecting to see max or mike less than ten feet apart from each other.

"hey." mike said, sitting down across from will, and max sitting on the edge of the seat.

"hi." she spoke, she didn't mean to sound so soft. dustin gave her a small wave and a cheesy smile.

"i hope you guys don't mind i brought max along." mike said, glancing to her. she felt awkward but tried to make the best of it.

"of course not." dustin spoke, standing up from his spot, to walk around mike, pulling max into a deep embrace. she smiled, hugging the boy back. for, she missed being accepted like this. will rested his head on his hand, glad to see max there. lucas on the other hand, couldn't have felt more uncomfortable. of course he knew max was staying at mikes, but he assumed they avoided interacting at all cost.

dustin pulled away from their hug, standing behind the girl.

the park was filled with trees and beautiful long green grass. flowers were beginning to bloom, and the lake water was finally starting to warm up.

"how are you guys?" she asked.

"mike you didn't catch her up! how could you!" dustin said. "i have a girlfriend now, her name is suzie, and she's great." dustin spoke fast, wanting to flick mike in the back of the head.

"lucas joined the basketball team, and i'm taking art classes." will said, looking across the table to the three. lucas sat quietly on will's right. "how have you been?" will said.

"not much is new, other than parents being out of town." she said.

"meaning, chain-smoking back to back without parents looking over your shoulder, hm?" lucas said, breaking out of his silence.

"leave her alone." mike said, he made it sound lighthearted, though, he was serious.

"why are you defending her?" lucas said.

"i'm not, but you can chill out."

"i didn't think you'd still be mad." dustin said speaking to lucas, returning back to his seat.

"i'm not mad." he said. max felt a sharp shock of anxiety. "it weirds me out how mike is acting all protective."

"i'm not acting protective, i just don't think it's necessary to be a dick."

will and max looked at each other across the table, wishing they could both just disappear from the conversation in the moment.

"i think the dick move was sleeping with her, but i thought he'd be over it by now." dustin said, spilling.

will choked, and max's body stiffened.

"what?!" lucas said, standing up from the bench.
dustin's eyes widened, just realizing now that mike never told lucas anything.

"you told DUSTIN?" max let out, looking over to her secret lover.

"i'm going to kill you." mike said, eyeing dustin. he swallowed. while will sat there looking between max and mike, with wide eyes. lucas shook his head, beginning to walk away from the group.

"stop, it's not what you think." mike said, trying to call after lucas, in which he turned around.

"no, i see how it is. pretty little maxine can sleep with any guy that gives her five minutes of attention but won't touch her own boyfriend of two years. while my best friend can go behind my back and fuck my only ex girlfriend." he said.

"i'm not yours!" max said, in defense. "i don't owe you anything, not even a simple explanation. but i'll have you know, that i do have self respect, so you can stop shaming me for things i haven't even done."

"so you didn't hook up with mike?" lucas said harshly.
max went quiet, not ready to deny the night they shared together, but not ready to admit it, either. "that's what i thought." lucas turned back around and began walking away once again, picking up his bike and taking off.

"holy shit." will said, still probably in shock, and at loss for words.

"mike, i'm sor—"

"don't." mike cut him off.

"i should go." max said, sitting up, giving will a small wave goodbye before disappearing behind the trees.
she found herself back in the embrace of guilt. though, she personally has nothing to be guilty for, mike on the other hand. definitely did. it began to rain lightly, they hadn't even noticed how dark the clouds had gotten.
mike sighed, resting his head in his hands now.

"why didn't you tell him?" will spoke, breaking the ice.

"i dont know," he spoke. "i should probably go find max." he said, standing up to follow after the ginger girl.

max should have never come, she should have just declined right when mike offered. then maybe she wouldn't be feeling so god damn shitty. she mad it half way back to the wheelers before mike finally caught up to her.

"max!" he yelled from behind her. she ignored. "maxine!"

"what?!" she said, turning her head towards him. just then, her small wheeled rolled over a not so small rock, launching her backwards, and her board forward, a few feet away from her.

she felt like the world sped up for a moment, because the moment she blinked, and her eyes reopened she was on the ground. arm scraped, bleeding against the pavement.

mike stopped his bike, leaning to the side, before crouching down beside her.
"are you okay?" he asked.

"i'm fine." she said, pulling herself off of the ground, and began walking towards her board to pick it back up.

"max, you're bleeding." he said, walking his bike over to her, following close behind.

"mike, i said i'm fine." she said. tears formed in her eyes. weather it was from physical pain or mental.

"you're not fine." he said, catching up beside her, fast walking. it was pouring now, max's freshly washed hair drenched. she whipped a tear away from her face, avoiding looking at him every change she got. "are you crying?" he asked, softly. he had never seen her cry. she puts on such a big front that it was shocking to see.

"leave me alone." she said, they were almost home now.

"max, please." mike spoke, trying to get her to stop walking.

"are you going to try to control me now too?" she said, rain and tears rolling down her face, as she stopped to look at him.

"i'm sorry." he said, soft and sincere. running his thumb across her check, moving away tears. her eyes pierced bluer than the sky, he couldn't help but find himself drowning in them.
she didn't speak, though she stared up at him. she found herself letting go of the world around her. her feet moved forward onto her tippy toes, wrapping her hands around his neck, and placing her lips on his. suddenly there was no pain, no harsh words, no mad ex lovers.

it was just them, kissing in the down pouring rain.