Dreamcatcher

Chapter Forty-Two: Bonding

After a short meeting with the principal, Mark Jefferson was officially instated as a member of the Blackwell community.

Word quickly spread throughout the school of Jefferson's arrival and recruitment, in which the rumours were confirmed when every classroom break, students spotted the aspiring photographer roam the halls, going about his business without a care in the world, except for his own devious, sinister schemes.

When Max caught wind that her idol, Mark Jefferson, had arrived at Blackwell, she was ecstatic. Given that the lesson in which she attended and he taught wasn't until the next day, Max couldn't stop fangirling over him.

If only she knew the truth about him...

Even after being reunited with her best friend, Max couldn't bring herself to talk to him after having spent years away in Seattle. The burden of believing that the Price twins detesting her continued to eat her alive. All she needed to do was talk to Clark, but she neither found the confidence to do so, except confide in her new friend, Kate Marsh.

Since the two girls were neighbours, it was very easy and convenient for the pair to find comfort being in the other's company. So Max set out late that evening and walked across from her room to Kate's. Her knuckles lightly tapped on the door as she waited to be ushered inside. The door swung open to reveal Kate Marsh in her pyjamas with her hair undone.

"Oh, Max. What are you doing here?" Kate spoke high-pitched and in shock to find the brunette paying her a visit so late past their curfew.

"Umm... I-I wanted to talk to you... about something." Max stammered sheepishly.

Kate pulled the door wider open and allowed Max to enter her room before closing the door behind her.

"About something, or 'someone?' "

Max sighed in defeat.

"Alright. It's about someone."

"Is it about Clark? Do you have feelings for him?" Kate asked intriguingly.

Max's eyes widened, her face flushed in shock that it was obvious even though Kate hadn't spent enough time around Max. But she knew Clark a little more than she did Max, so there was some level that Kate could understand better than others could.

"W-Well... I might've had a bit of a crush on him." Max admitted shyly.

The second Max said this, she bowed her head. She only just missed the expression on Kate's face drop. Even though they'd only met nearly half an hour ago, Kate felt something deep down spark, like there was a feeling she wasn't quite fully certain about but had a suspicion of.

"You don't think he still feels the same, do you?"

Kate let out a hefty sigh and shrugged her shoulders, her hand slapping her thigh.

"I don't know, Max. You should try talking to him. He did seem surprised that you're back - he might still have feelings for you. I don't rightly know, but it wouldn't hurt to catch up with him since you guys haven't seen each other in years." Kate responded, sounding disheartened.

"He talked about me?"

"A bit. I mean, by the way he did mention you, he didn't sound too enthusiastic about it. It was like he lost the other good thing going on in his life after the passing of his dad."

"Oh Clark... Thank you, Kate, for the tea," Max said as she made her way for the door. "I'm so sorry to leave you like this, but I think I should go talk to him. M-Maybe we could do this again sometime? Like, have tea dates."

Kate froze.

"D-D-Dates? O-Okay. Y-Y-Yeah, sure, Max." The dirty-blonde stuttered.

Max gleamed in delight, giggling so innocently as she refrained from jumping up and down.