Blame

Chapter 29 (Her)

Max didn't dare look up after Joey nonchalantly asked her to dinner in front of everyone. She hated that she felt guilty for agreeing to go with him but nevertheless she could feel Dan's piercing glare through her skull and it wasn't until she knew he left the room did she look up.

The boys weren't looking at her, but rather playing around on their phones and muttering under their breath. She got up and left the break room, giving the boys a small, uncertain smile.

Max made her way to her new office and settled into the chair and buried her face in her hands. She felt so incredibly awkward and it seemed there was no way of fixing this.

"Hey, are you the new girl?" A thick British voice spoke up in front of her and Max looked up. It was a girl who she barely recognized as Roxy, Lacey, maybe? She had a thick face of make-up and dark black eyeshadow around her eyes making her look like a raccoon. She was chewing gum very loudly and Max felt her eye twitching; she was disgusted.

"Uh, yeah I guess I am." Max said uncertainly.

"Malory is it?"

"It's Maxine." Max was short with her and didn't break eye contact.

"Well here is what Joey left for you. He said he wants you to look through the previous films and create a practice set for an upcoming show using these as examples." Roxy/Lacey placed a CD foldable album not so gently on Max's desk and turned around.

"Wait, what was your name again?"

"It's Rox." Raccoon Eyes looked at Max and blew a bubble.

"Oh by the way, I'm not saying you are, but I wouldn't suggest getting too comfortable with Joe. He's a charmer all right but also a dick. He'll say you're special but you aren't." Rox didn't divert her eyes from Max and for some reason Max felt there was a story behind Rox's so-called advice, which she didn't believe were supposed to be helpful.

"Joey is my boss. That's it." Max replied curtly.

"Yeah, well so was Dan, right?" Rox grinned at Max and she was caught off guard, but started frowning.

"Don't you worry, it was office gossip. Nothing new at a place like this. I do remember you, you know. Last year when you interned here." Rox grinned but Max felt like ending this little conversation. For some reason she was angry at Rox's annoying observations and she hated feeling like she was in the spotlight.

"Well I appreciate the insight. I have to get to work." She didn't even pretend to be polite anymore and turned away, her back facing Rox. She finally felt Rox leave and Max returned to her prior position with her face in her hands. She looked up to look at the CD's and the conversation with Rox was still spinning around in her head. Max didn't feel like she could do any work. Not here and not now.

Max pulled out her phone and texted Joey, "Hey, not feeling well, so I'm gonna go a bit early, if its ok with u. Ill work on the CD's tonight."

Not a minute later her phone buzzed and she read the new message, "Totes all right. hope you'll feel better! If youre not feelin up for the dinner, let me know." Shit , the dinner. Max groaned internally and took a couple of minutes to think it over. She could possibly decline his offer, but then she didn't want Dan to think she was rejecting Joey because of Dan and then that Rox would get her way. For some reason Max wanted to meet with Joey just to spite her. Fuck Dan and fuck Rox.

"I'll be there! Thank you, Joey :)" She hit send.

"You still livin' at Dan's and Kyle's, yeah? Ill be there around 7."

"Perfect!"

"See you then :)" Joey's final text seemed satisfying for Max and she stuffed her phone in her purse and gathered her stuff in her bag. She wanted to sneak out before anyone could catch her but that didn't happen.

"Max, wait up!" She spun around and was face to face with Kyle.

"Hey you. Miss seeing you around our part of the woods." He managed a smile at her and she responded in kind.

"Look, I just want you to know we're still friends. Whatever is going on with Dan or Joey-,"

"Literally nothing is going on with Joey." Max cut him off with a glare. She was up to here with all of this 'Joey and Max' bullshit.

"Ok, yeah. Well I don't want you to feel awkward around us. You're still our bud and we want you to stick around, yeah?" Kyle smiled at her she couldn't resist.

"Yeah. Things are a little off right now, but give it time and things will get better." She replied.

"Is that you trying to convince yourself?" Kyle said with a sly look in his eyes. She returned the glance and give him a final wave before heading out.

"See ya, Max!"

Maxine practically sprinted out of the building and called a taxi. She was about to give the driver directions to Kyle's place but decided against it. Max wasn't ready to be back just yet so she asked to be taken to a local cafe. It was one of her favorite spots in London. The Monocle Cafe sat in the midst of shops on a rather small street of town, but she loved it.

They finally arrived at their destination and she paid and went inside. The sweet smell of baked goods hit her and she found a booth by the window and ordered a coffee and a cheesecake. While waiting for her food Max pulled out her phone and stared at the blank screen.

She wanted to talk to someone and she thought about her friend Katie. Without thinking twice and dialed her number. Katie picked up almost instantly.

"Hey you! How's Big Ben treatin' ya?" Katie asked with a fake British accent and Max chuckled. How she needed her best friend right now.

"Knock it off. London is amazing. Everything is good." She couldn't even convince herself.

"Liar, liar...spill now." Katie caught on.

"I'm not lying about London though. It's amazing—," the waitress brought out her coffee and cake and Max mouthed a quiet 'thank you'.

"But Dan, god it's so messed up." Max shook her head.

"Oh you guys aren't hooking up yet?" Katie asked with amusement in her voice.

"God no. There's this guy, Joey, I work for him now—,"

"Wait, what?! Are you shitting me? When were you gonna tell me?" Katie asked bewildered.

"I'm telling you now, it all just sort of happened. Look I wanna talk face to face. There's a Bastille concert at a festival here in the UK and guess who's opening?"

"Grizfolk?!" Katie squealed at the other end of the phone.

"Yes ma'am. I'll get your VIP passes, since I'll be behind the scenes and I'll get you a company flight so basically I'm paying you to get your ass over here." Max held her breath waiting for a response.

"Damn Max, listen to you kicking ass and taking names." Katie laughed and continued, "I really, really wanna be there. I'll have to see if the hospital will let me go! When is it?"

"In three weeks. June 30th."

"Okay, well I haven't taken a vacation yet, so let me get back to you on that but man I would love to see you lady. Let me see what I can do!" The two wrapped up their conversation and Max hung up. She sighed and took a sip of the coffee.

* * * * * * *

 As soon as Dan walked out her hotel door she knew she messed up. What she said, it ruined everything. What a fucking idiot. Martin's idle threats didn't mean anything and in the back of her mind, she knew that. But somehow she felt she was using Martin as an excuse to pull reign on this Dan and Max thing, that seemed to be gaining momentum as they spoke. But that's not how she expected to end things. She couldn't help as the first tears slipped down her cheeks.