Savior [Completed]

Savior: [Epilogue]

Epilogue: Nick

"Leaving?" Ryan sounded even more distressed than I think Max would have been. "What does he mean, leaving?"

"Hey, don't worry, it's not a permanent thing! It's just that his grandma is having some surgery done and she's going to need help around the house, and since she lives alone, Dylan and his family decided they'd shift temporarily to take care of her."

Ryan wasn't pacified though. "Temporarily? You're sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure Ryan. Since the year is ending they just figured he'd finish there...he's coming back to town for university anyway."

"Ah, alright," Ryan nodded thoughtfully. "So when does he get back?"

Max shrugged. "I'm not too sure. A couple of months, at least."

 Ryan took a moment to digest that, and then, with a hint of mischief: "And what are you going to do till then?"

His tone had been obviously suggestive, and Max tried to play dumb. "You know I'm still in school. I'll attend class, do exams, spend time with you guys and Mum and Dad and Lucy, and-"

"Very funny, Max. I mean, what does this...his departure, if you will, mean for you guys?"

The blush on Max's face was unmistakable, and it only deepened when Rodney raised an eyebrow and Ryan beamed; their ways of telling him they noticed.

"Does that mean he's asked you officially? If someone asks now, you do have a boyfriend?"

"Ryan! Leave me alone!"

"Come on! It's a simple 'yes' or 'no' question!"

I laughed. I knew what the answer was – it was his reaction to what I knew he was thinking that had me laughing.

And I could claim to know exactly what was running through his mind: I'd been there.

I'd been watching their conversation from a distance, and when Max had suddenly stood up, a little after Jake's arrival, I'd been alerted to the fact that something was up. I made my way over to them, just in time to hear Dylan explain the story with his grandmother, but it was only when Dylan asked Max, and then me, because he'd noticed my presence, to stay for his little farewell that I'd gotten the gist of what was going on.

"But you're coming back, right?" Max's voice had been unsteady.

"Yeah, absolutely!" Dylan had affirmed. "I'm here for a few years, at least, what with university and everything, remember?"

Max's response had been instantaneous. "Then I'm not going to stick around for a big farewell. I'm going to see you again...soon."

For a moment, I'd thought he was declining because he thought it would be an inconvenience for me, but then I'd caught the look of defiance in his eyes before I could reassure him I'd be able to pick him up later.

Dylan had understood, too. "I'm gonna come back, Max." He'd replied firmly. "And then we'll...oh, that reminds me," he smiled sheepishly, "I still didn't finish saying what I was going to earlier."

He'd looked at me for a moment, Jake too, and the two of us exchanged a look that silently asked the other whether we should leave to give our friends a little privacy. Before we could disappear though, a seemingly uncaring Dylan went ahead with what he'd wanted to say.  

"Max, will you go out with me? Be my boyfriend and all that?"

Max hadn't been able to say anything; his eyes had just widened in shock.