Into The Vale of Shadows // Max Mayfield

II; xiii. a weekend thing

chapter thirteen
a weekend thing

     RIDING A CAR whilst having a little hangover isn't really that great if a combination. Especially when your car driver is holding the wheels like a maniac, stepping ever so hardly on the gas like their lives depends on it. Raven felt like she was riding a roller coaster after eating a shit load of on a stick. Her stomach felt like everything she just ingested is climbing back up to exit her mouth. Her head felt like it was spinning, the buzzing feeling that once soothed now hurting her. Not a good combination at all.

     "Nancy, slow down." She tapped on the driver seat where Nancy drove. Raven squeezed her eyes closed, hoping to ease this throbbing sensation in her head, glad that it somehow worked when she opened her eyes.

     The car came into a sudden halt. Raven was sent flying towards the back of Jonathan's seat, but Sid was quick to grab the back collar of her shirt from where he sat behind her. He pulled her up right, Raven patted his hand that was slowly letting go of her collar, the girl mumbling a small "Thank you," before opening the car door to exit the car when the others started doing so.

     Raven sprang up too fast that the tip of her head had accidentally hit the edge of the car ceiling, causing pain to flow from the impact site and throughout the entirety of her head, making her hiss out of pain.

     "You okay?" Max asked. Sid laughed at her mishaps, will stood beside the boy, hand still on his lower back as he bit back his smile. Max shook her head at the duo, attention poured into Raven's pain, her hand shivering just above Raven's shoulder, gripping tightly on the girl's jacket that hung loose on her shoulders.

     "Yeah," Raven mumbled, hand barely touching the top of her head. She turned to Sid and said, "Fuck you, Thompson." She flipped the Thompson, only earning a louder laugh.

    "Love you too, Buckley," he said, falling into another fit of laughter when Raven had made a face of disgust. Sid's glance had wandered off to Max's direction, her jaws clenched and hands dropped to her side, the red head now filled with nothing but this emotion, one that was well known to him.

     "Don't get too cheesy on me now." Raven massaged her temples. Sid wrapped his arm around Raven's waist, still looking subtly to Max who was busy glaring at his hand to even notice the looks he was giving her. He lead Raven to Bradley's Big Buy where Nancy's car had taken them, smiling to himself for Max still had this emotion on her face that she didn't even bother hiding. "God, my head feels like shit."

     I got it. The pain slowly faded, her vision coming clear as the day, the static in her hearing now gone, all was eased after Gorgon's said words.

     "Where will I be without you?" Raven smiled, her arm subconsciously snaking up to Sid's shoulder, resting there as they walked the rest of the way.

     I am certain that you would have been resting six feet underground ages ago, Gorgon chuckled, too infectious that Raven had given her own quiet laugh too.

     She sighed, her laughs fading into a soft smile. "Thank you, Gorgon. For . . . for everything," she uttered greatfully. A feeling came bubbling from the depths of her guts, joyful, warm, it was comforting, and she was sure it was from Gorgon.

     I should be the one to say thankful words, Gorgon breathed. There was happiness in her tone, always ever so genuine.

     "I see that you're growing soft on me," Raven poked.

     You wish. Raven let out a soft chortle. Sid looked to her, confusion written across his face.

     "Who are you talking to?" Sid questioned. He looked beside her to see nothing but the tree line, glancing back at Raven with his eyes glinted with question.