Romeo and Juliet, Nah not Today

Max

Billy was gone, Max can't believe he actually left without her. She's going to have to skateboard home. She starts to walk towards the direction of the trailer park. That's when she sees that rusty van, Eddie's van. Still in the parking lot mocking her. She signs, she could get in the freak's van or skateboard home. He'll probably say no so Max might as well ask.

She walks closer to his van and freezes. On the other side of the van leaning against the driver's door is Chrissy Cunningham, the Queen herself. She's looking up at Eddie like he hung the moon. He's smiling down at her as she rambles about her day. Max tries to back away quietly but Eddie's eyes snap up and he sees her.

"Aren't you Sinclair's friend?" Eddie asks, trying to remember when he's seen her. It was somewhere else not with Sinclair.

"Yeah but not just his friend. I'm my own person, freak." Max says bitterly.

"Hi I'm Chrissy." Chrissy says smiling at Max. Max can tell she's not faking her smile.

"Hi. Sorry I didn't mean to interrupt whatever you guys were doing. I was hoping for a ride. You know since we're neighbors." Max says trying to be friendly so she wouldn't have to walk home.

"Ah! You're Hargrove's sister." Eddie says excitedly. "That's when I've seen you before."

"Step sister and still a person all by myself." Max grumbles rolling her eyes.

"My mistake." Eddie says playfully. "I'll give you a ride, miss..."

"Oh, right! Max Mayfield." Max says quickly.

"Mayfield, got it." Eddie nods.

"Okay, let me go tell Vicki I don't need a ride." Chrissy says handing Eddie her backpack and gym bag.

She bounces away, her ponytail swinging. Max watches her go and turns to Eddie. He's watching Chrissy with what Max could only describe as cow eyes. She doesn't want to walk home but the question is burning in her throat. She will have to risk it and ask.

"Doesn't she have a boyfriend?" Max asks as casually as she can. "What's his name, Jonas, Justin, James?"

"Jason." Eddie says bitterly.

"Ah!" Max smirks in victory.

"She broke up with him, but he doesn't get the hint. Not that it's any of your business." Eddie says, smiling with his teeth.

"Oh, that sucks." Max suddenly feels bad for asking.

Eddie watches her and his eyes soften. He walks towards the back of the van. He opens the back door motioning for her to get in. He closes the back door behind her. Max gets comfortable as the passenger's door opens and Chrissy jumps in. The door closes after a moment. Max realizes Eddie opened the door for Chrissy. What a gentleman, Max thinks, rolling her eyes.

"So, Max, how do you know Lucas?" Chrissy asks innocently, turning towards Max.

Max thinks she's a real life Angel. "We met when I first moved here. Him and Dustin were the first people to talk to me."

"Where'd you move from?" Chrissy asks, her curious eyes bore into Max's.

"California." Max says awkwardly.

"So close to the beach! It must have been heaven living there." Chrissy says exactly.

"We're here." Eddie cuts in.

He turns off the van and smiles at them before getting out. He opens both their doors for them. Chrissy tells Max it was nice to meet her and Max believes her. Eddie waves as Max closes her front door. Max spends the rest of her night periodically pecking out the window. It isn't until 9:40 that Max watches them make their way towards his van.

The next time Max sees them she's running out her front door. They're sitting on the steps of his trailer whispering with their foreheads pressed together. They see her before she sees them. Max freezes in embarrassment. Eddie cautiously makes his way towards her.

"Hey Mayfield. Everything alright?" Eddie asks nervously.

"Can I come over?" Max says awkwardly.

"Yeah." Eddie says, he clears his throat. "Yeah come on."

Once all three of them are inside Eddie's trailer he locks the front door. They all awkwardly stand there. Eddie is the first to move, mumbling something about French toast and breakfast for dinner. Chrissy reminds him she already ate. Chrissy grabs Max's hand and drags her towards an old couch. She waits for Max to settle down then leaves the room towards the back of the trailer.

"Everything okay at home, Mayfield?" Eddie asks, not looking at her.

"Yeah, Billy is being a jerk is all." Max says trying not to get into detail about Billy being a psycho.

"Ah! You know when you guys first moved here I thought we would be good friends. Turns out he thought I was a freak just like everyone else." Eddie fake laughs. "He beat the shit outta me."

"He's such an asshole." Max says thinking about their fight. She wanted to go to El's house for the night but Billy made up a lie about Max acting up in school. She calls him an asshole and that sets him off. Once their parents are gone he's chasing her. He threatens to beat her if she doesn't take it back.

Chrissy comes back with a radio and asks Max what station she wants to listen to. Max says she doesn't really care as long as it's good. Chrissy smiles at Max and turns to smile at Eddie. He groans and begs her for mercy. She laughs and plays pop music anyways.

Fifteen minutes later Eddie asks Max how she likes her eggs and the guilt hits her quickly. She stumbles off the couch and mumbles that she has to go and that she didn't mean to stay that long. She thanks Eddie for having her over.

"Mayfield." Eddie says sternly.

Max stops and turns towards him. He asks her again and Max says scrambled. He nods and goes back to cooking. Chrissy gets off the carpet and grabs Max's hand and drags her back to the couch. They eat (not Chrissy) and talk about nonsense for about an hour before they hear a door slam close.

"Max! Max!" Billy screams in anger.

Eddie tries to get up but Max stops him. She tells them she'll get out through the back window. She doesn't want them to get involved. They try to protest but she shakes her head. She thanks them for hanging out with her and she makes her way out of Eddie's window. Once outside she makes her way around the trailers until she's behind her own. Once she calms herself down she makes her way towards Billy. He turns once he hears footsteps.

"You little bitch." He growls as he makes his way towards her.

"I take it back." Max says tiredly.

"You think that will save you, bitch." He makes his way towards her but the sound of a car coming stops him. They turn towards the car and quickly realize it's his dad's. Both quickly run back inside and try to act naturally.

A couple days later Max opens her locker and finds a gift bag sitting inside. She stares at it cautiously before grabbing it and opening it up. Inside is a chocolate bear and a note. Max grabs the note and reads it.

Sorry your step brother is an asshole.

-C

Max laughs as El makes her way towards her. El looks at her curiously. She raises her eyebrows and smiles. She waits patiently for Max to speak.

"I got a gift from a...neighbor." Max says carefully.

"A good gift." El asks, her eyes shining with curiosity.

"Yeah we should eat it together." Max says, linking her arm through El's.

"Oh I love food gifts." El giggles.

"Yeah I know, Wonder Woman."