It All Started With A Ride

34. "Treat her right".

"Max I swear to god, if I see you with that same hoodie on for one more night-" my Mom began, then paused, "where did you even get a Harvard hoodie from?"

Tabitha. But I didn't answer it like that.

I shrugged, "A friend".

Mom raised her brows and started to pour a cup of coffee, "a boy?"

I stopped in my tracks and turned around to look at her, "Mom!"

"What?" She looked at me, "Boys are a Vidal part of being a teenage girl".

"Boys smell like piss and Axe body spray," I said pointedly.

"Max!" Mom said with a laugh.

"I mean- she's not wrong" Madison walked across the living room and to the kitchen island, sitting on the plastic gray seats, "but they're still pretty cute-"

"You think everyone's cute" I pointed out.

"Especially guys with feminine features" Madison sighed dreamily.

"This is why we think you're gay!" Henry yelled from his bedroom.

"Shut up!" Madison yelled back.

"There will be no yelling across the apartment!" Steven yelled.

I laughed, while Mom shook her head, "he's lucky he's cute".

I looked at Madison, she looked at me and the two of us both wrinkled our noses, "ew!"

"Seriously though," Mom said, walking past me and then stopping at my side to tug the oversized hoodie a bit, "wash this if you're going to wear it every day".

I nodded. Madison and I watched Mom turn the corner before Madison quickly turned to me, "What's up with you? You wear that hoodie every day after school until every morning before school".

I shrugged, "it still smells like Tabitha," I said as casually as I could before I went to Madison and I's room.

Once I did, I bit my lip- no crying. No crying- no crying- oh my gosh. I'm crying.

It's been exactly 21 Days, 504 hours, 30240 minutes, and 1814400 seconds- so in other words, almost four weeks.

I was completely miserable- and the only thing that made it worse, was knowing I had work in another hour.

"You can cry in the shower dumbass," I told myself with a sniffle. Since the walls in our apartment were thin, I quickly covered my mouth and nose to keep myself from making any sounds.

Stop it Max- this can't get any worse- you can still see her- she's happy- she's fine- but what if she thinks I hate her? I can't deal with that at all!

Was this bad? Yes. But what if Harmony told her who I really was? What if Harmony told Layla? Then what...

All people will see me as is the "sick girl".

Maybe it'll be good when everyone does see me as that and only that- because then they'll stop caring and it won't matter anymore.

"Max- I need to come in the room for a minute. And Ivy's here!" Madison banged on our bedroom door.

"shit! It's only five!" I yelled.

"No" Madison answered, "it's six thirty".

My eyes widened, "shit! I just got in here!" I jumped up and wiped away my tears before opening the door and letting Madison in.

"No. You've been in here for an hour-" Madison gave me a look of concern, "are you okay?"

"Y-yeah" I lied.

Except, I wasn't. And she knew that. But it was only a matter of time before shit went down in flames.

Now, all I have to do is find a new school and slowly watch life at my old one go down in flames.

Thank you, Harmony. Thank you so damn much.
. . .
What. The. Fuck, I thought, staring wide-eyed at Harmony as I watched her giggle and flirt with Tabitha at a table in the back.

Ivy, who actually wasn't on shift at the moment, kept working around their table, and was eavesdropping on what Harmony was saying- and every time Harmony would flirt with Tabitha- Ivy would tell me.

It's not like I asked her to but she did- and I was really appreciating it since I was too scared to go over there and see for myself.

"So what happened with you two?" Oliver leaned in and asked me in a whisper. I just shook my head, "why'd you say it like we're together?" I asked him.

"Weren't you?"

"No" I wish.

"Oh.. are they".

I sucked in a breath of air, "I mean it looks like it-" Oliver stated with a shrug, and before I knew it, I was walking over to Tabitha and Harmony's table and putting on the fakest smile I could muster, "is everything here good? Can I get you guys anything else?" I asked.

Seeing what I was playing at, Harmony smiled, "Yes actually- but can I talk to you for a moment".

"Sure," I said through gritted teeth. No Harmony, I just want you to leave me alone and stay away from what's mine- I mean Tabitha, stay away from Tabitha- Max what the fuck?

"I'll be back, Tabby" Harmony said in a sweet voice that made my blood boil- Tabby? What the fuck? I thought my nickname sounded better.

I walked from the table to the hall where the bathrooms are- which is a pretty secluded area- "what the hell" I began, "you think you can just come back into my life and act all sweet and fucking innocent?" I questioned angrily.

"Hell no" Harmony scoffed.

"Then what the fuck are your intentions, Harmony the hurricane? Tell me, why are you here?"

Harmony, who has always been taller than me, smirked and folded her arms over her chest "Because I know you" she looked me up and down, "coming here was unintentional, but this" she shook her head, "the drinks, the popcorn- even this very moment, and my pretty long wait to swoop in, was planned" she leaned in and whispered in my ear, "because I know you- and I can tell when you like someone" I shivered a little, that proved to be a good response for her, because she backed up, "so now, instead of telling people your deep secret, I'm going to take everything- your friends, your crush- even your job if I have to" she titled her head as if she were admiring her evil scheme on a wall, "and the best part is" she chuckled and shook her head, "you're not gonna stop me".

I sucked in a breath of air. She was right.

I wasn't going to do anything.

"Just treat her better than you treated me" I answered in a hurt voice before squeezing past her and going back behind the front counter.

"I will" Harmony grinned, "until I won't" I watched Harmony go back to a confused and hurt-looking Tabitha- and all I could do was feel my heart break more and more every day.

Please Harmony- treat her right...
. . .
HARMONY NOOO- why are you doing this to my sweet baby? 😭

WHY AM I DOING THIS TO MY SWEET BABY??

I want to cry for her- Chapter 36 can't come fast enough :(
. . .