Max did practically nothing for the rest of the weekend. He had partied far too hard on Friday.
As the new school week approached
Max grew increasingly nervous to go back.
What would people think of him now?
If he was already being called gay before, will it just get ten times
worse?
Like most teens, school had always been one of the main stressers in Max's life, only Max thought he had it a lot worse than other kids.
Only one person could help Max's thoughts not get a hold of him, Ronnie.
He was all Max had thought about for the last few days. When Monday finally did roll around Max wasn't nearly as anxious as he would have
been.
"Max! Your friends are outside!"
Max's mom yelled from downstairs. A
"Coming!" Max bolted down the stairs.
He had thrown on the same pair of girl jeans he borrowed from Monte and an Iron Maiden shirt, along with a plain black zip up hoodie.
"Bye mom!" Max grabbed the bagel his mom left in a plastic bag on the table for him and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
He hopped in the car.
"Morin' virgin!" Ronnie smacked
Max's thigh.
"Careful smacking around there, from the look of his wrist he might have-"
Craig's cruel remark was cut off by Ronnie.
"Be very careful with what you say next cause i got a pair of brass knuckles that are really itching to beat a queer up."
"Go beat up your boyfriend then, I'm sure he'd enjoy it." Craig came back with another quick gibe.
"Fuck you faggo-"
"It is seven in the goddamn morning." Robert interrupted Craig and Ronnie's cat fight, "Stop being so chapped and just lay off each other."
Monte proposed an idea,
"If you two ass bandits can get along for this entire week, Robert and I will get you Starbucks everyday for the next two weeks."
"Deal." Ronnie and Craig spoke in unison.
"Are we actually going to school today?" Max questioned.
"Yeah, I have a couple girls I need to break up with." Monte replied.
"A couple?!" Max was caught off guard by Monte's reply.
"I gotta break it off before they start forcing couple's Halloween costumes on me. Or even worse hinting at what they want for Christmas."
"Oh man, that reminds me, I gotta break up with my girlfriend too."
Robert was reminded of his priorities, "I think we should all just live the bachelor life forever."
Max zoned out while the boys talked about "living like bachelors". His gaze was fixated on Ronnie.
"Max... Max! Earth to Max! Maxie!
Maxie Pad!" Ronnie tried to get
Max's attention.
"Huh?!"
"What's your number?" Ronnie was getting ready to type.
"Oh! Uh- it's 702-333-4129. Why?"
Ronnie quickly typed Max's number into a new contact.
"So we can invite you to shit, dumbass." Ronnie laughed and ruffled Max's hair.
"Oh." Max played it cool, but he was overjoyed that he could text Ronnie at any moment of the day now.
The mini-van pulled into the Mojave parking lot.
