Stranger Things What Ifs

Chapter Sixteen

What if....Lucas hasn't seen Max in years only to find out she is with someone else? (Fluff and Angst) (Picks up from chapter fifteen)

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"Okay looks like that is all for today you guys! Good job on this project! Who knew two fresh adults straight out of High School could do so much work." The lady smiles.

Paul and Max share a glance at each other, Paul only just clenching his jaw before looking at the boss. "Thank you ma'am." Paul smiles.

"Of course! The power couple, I like it." The woman smiles.

"If that's all then I'll be getting back to work now." Paul dismisses while standing up, picking up his briefcase.

"Yep that's it." The woman closes her binder before standing up.

"Paul." Max tries, him leaving out of the door and Max following him out, him walking fast down the hallway. "Paul wait."

"Leave me alone Max." He says while opening the door to the copier room.

"Please Paul I owe you an explanation." Max says while closing the door behind her. Paul sighs before he turns to face her, an annoyed expression written all over his face. "I'm not here to ask for your forgiveness I'm just here to give you an explanation. I'm not trying to defend myself Paul but I do owe you an explanation."

Paul just looks at her, his hand leaning on the copier.

Max swallows a little. "Me and Lucas we...we have a lot of history together." She starts. "We both suffered a traumatic past, I suffered a...even harder traumatic past and Lucas was there for me during it. But after the...after the trauma was over my mom moved us away then I just cut off Lucas and stopped talking to him. His anger is towards me it isn't towards you, and it was my fault what I did. I'm sorry Paul, I never meant to hurt you with this I am truly sorry, I am."

Paul just shakes his head. "You know, that just actually makes me feel more worse about you Max."

Max nods her head. "With reason Paul, I just...I just wanted you to know. I'm sorry that I stringed you on for so long, that wasn't right for me to do in fact it was so wrong and I realize that now."

"So...all of this time where I truly liked you you were just...going through the motions." Paul throws his hand up in a exasperated manner.

Max looks down a little. "You deserve someone that is going to do right by you Paul, I'm sorry about this."

Paul nods his head, his lips being purses. He finds himself lightly laughing after a minute, wiping the tears from his eyes. "Out of the seven billion beating hearts, I would fall for the one that never beated for me."

Max swallows a little, her closing her eyes and letting out a shaky breath. "I'm sorry Paul."

"I'm tired of hearing the apologies Max! Just stop!" Paul puts his hand up. "Just don't ever talk to me again. I don't want to see your face again." He says before brushing pass her, leaving out of the copier room.

Max purses her lips while she holds her face up, trying to keep her tears at bay. She won't lie and say she loves Paul because she doesn't, she never felt anything romantic towards him and that is the worst part of it all, it only just started by a one night stand and her trying to numb her feelings. But she feels terribly bad, because Paul has been nothing but kind to her and now she does this to him. She scolds herself hard for making such a rash decision, two rash decisions that hurt both parties.

Max takes another breath before she leaves out of the copier room, going to her bosses office and knocking on the door.

"Yes?"