talk too much | max mayfield

*37. van life

VAN LIFE

✧･ﾟ: * Nora and Mike are currently sitting at the top of stairs, just about out of earshot of the security guard dudes because of the TV playing, waiting for Max, Will, and Jonathan to finish packing - Max stealing clothes from El's closet since they won't let her go home.

The whole group is still on house arrest, but Will and Mike informed Max and Nora of the plan involving Argyle and pineapple pizza, so he'll probably be here soon and they can all run away with him and find El.

"You okay?" Nora nudges Mike slightly, the girl in a new mood after making up with Max.

"Yeah," Mike shakes his head slightly, but still clearly deep in thought.

"What is it? Y'know El, she'll be fine. She always is," Nora tries comforting.

"No, it's not that. I mean, yeah, it is but. . . there's just something else," Mike says cryptically.

"What?" Nora stares at him.

She's been friends with Mike for as long as she can remember, but he's still totally indecipherable. He keeps his emotions bottled up and just explodes every now and then, pushing everyone else away until eventually they all come back.

Nora doesn't want to say it's out of pity, but there's something especially sad about seeing Mike eat lunch alone - the pensive look does not suit him.

"It's, um. . . well," Mike suddenly turns so he's staring deep into Nora's eyes. "Do you and Max ever. . . like, y'know. I don't know, do you think you two are friends?"

"Yeah, I think we're friends," Nora says slowly, not sure where this conversation is going.

She hasn't told Mike about her. . . her preferences, only because it hasn't really come up. She's unsure how he would react, but maybe if he's upset about it then it's a good thing she got him out of her life sooner rather than later. I mean, what kind of friend would he be if he totally iced her out after learning she was into girls?

Anyway, this isn't about Nora right now.

"I'm confused," she states.

"I just mean, like, I don't know, do you ever- have you ever, like. . . do you think you might like her?"

"Yeah, I like her, we're friends. . ." Nora continues staring as Mike gets a kinda distant look in his eye.

"Okay, well what about El? Do you ever. . . y'know?"

"I like El too. . . do you like her?" Nora's too confused at the moment.

"Yes! Yes, of course I like her, she's my girlfriend, obviously I like her. Yes, yeah, I like El," Mike assures.

"Okay. . . do you like Max, then?"

"No! I mean, yeah, we're friends. . . or, whatever, no, this isn't about Max. Or El. Well, kinda El. But not Max."

"Then, why are you being weird?"

"I'm not being weird!" Mike's voice cracks slightly. "I'm just making conversation," he's turned his head straightforward now.

"Max and I are dating," Nora blurts out suddenly, allowing her curiosity to get the best of her and saying whatever it takes to get Mike to open up to her.

"What?" He's looking at her again, but now Nora keeps her eyes straight ahead at the wall before the second flight of stairs.

"Yep," she nods, knowing it's too late to turn back now. "Girlfriend and girlfriend. Dating. Kissing. Doing things girlfriends do."

"Okay," Mike sound slightly taken aback, but if Nora's acting so casual than he can too. "Um, cool. Nice. Good. . . um, good for you. Congrats."

"Thank you."

"Okay, so I can tell you something then?" Nora practically see the gears turning in his head as she turns back to him, knowing for sure now that he doesn't hate her. I mean, doesn't hate her anymore than he normally does.

"Please do," she urges.

"Well. . . never mind," he looks away again.

"Are you kidding me?" Nora groans. "I outed Max for nothing?"

"What?!" Of course the redhead's voice comes from right behind Nora.

"Oh, this isn't happening," Nora says mostly to herself.

"Good luck," Mike nods as he stands up, walking back upstairs into Will's room, Max taking his place immediately, leaving her bag behind the two.

"You told Mike about me? About us?"

"I know, I'm sorry," Nora rushes out. "But he was being weird and shady and asking me questions about if I, like, like you like you, so I kinda thought he already knew, and I could tell he was keeping something from me, so I was trying to make it a secret for a secret kind of thing, I don't know, I know I suck, please don't me mad we just made up like two seconds ago."

Max starts laughing a little.

"Are you having fun right now?" Nora stares sarcastically. "You enjoying my pain?"

"You're cute when you panic," Max explains, still smiling.

"Is that why you make me do it so often?" Nora's also enjoying the banter, but still trying to look stoic.

"Just take some deep breaths, Nor," Max puts her hands atop Nora's as they rest in her lap. "We've already established I can only go so long being mad at you. There's nothing to panic over."

"I lo-" Nora starts, feeling butterflies in her stomach as Max's warm hands cover her own. Her sentence is interrupted, however, by the doorbell.

"That was fast," Jonathan expresses both his and Nora's thoughts as he comes into the hallway, then in between the two girls down the stairs to answer the door.

"Let's go," Max leads Nora up, the two grabbing their bags before following after Jonathan, Nora ignoring the fact that that's the second time she's trying talking to Max about her feelings, and the second time she's been interrupted.

That's not a sign from the universe or anything, is it?

a/n:
I have opinions on Jonathan but I need to hear everyone else's before I say them