It's Not Three Inches With You

Chapter 10

El

Max and I dug through my backpack until almost all of my clothes were scattered across the floor.

She stared at the mess.

"Well."

I giggled softly.

"Well what?" I asked.

"No, no its okay. See what about...these pants and this shirt with this belt...no scrap the belt, it's too chunky. What about those suspenders with the blue shirt instead?" she asked and I just stared at her and then back up at the clothes.

"Um..." I replied and she laughed.

"Okay how about these pants, with this shirt and then the black suspenders?"

I nodded and she looked relieved.

"Finally!"

I laughed again, taking the clothes and my scrunchie into the bathroom down the hall from her room.

Closing the door behind me, I got dressed, brushed my teeth and then attempted to do my hair.

It was matted and the curls kept getting knotted between my fingers.

"Max!" I called awkwardly , her footsteps coming down toward the bathroom. She paused.

"Can I come in?" she asked through the door.

"Yes." I said and the door opened, Max stepping in.

She wore pale brown cargo shorts and a loose singlet. Her wavy red hair was out, falling down past her shoulders. (A/N: Again, think Ziggy Berman in Fear Street 1978)

She looked amazing.

It was becoming more and more obvious to me that I liked girls.

Liked her.

But I shouldn't.

I shouldn't have butterflies every time I saw her.

I shouldn't nearly have a heart attack every time she touched me.

And I definitely shouldn't want to kiss her.

But the thing was, I didn't understand why.

"What's wrong?" she asked and I was pulled out of my thoughts.

"I don't know how to do my hair." I told her embarrassed.

She smiled.

"I can help. If you want, I mean."

"Thank you." I said as I handed her my scrunchie.

She blushed slightly as she took it, as well as a brush that sat on the basin.

Brushing my hair gently, she ran her hands through it and I felt a tingling sensation flow through my body.

I liked it.

"How do you want me to do it?" she asked and I frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"Like...what style?"

I looked at her, confused.

"Style?"

Max grinned.

"I'll be right back."

And she was.

Only a minute after she left the room she was back, holding a stack of magazines.

"Sorry, I only brought a few of my new ones to Cali, so if the styles have changed in the last week, you wont be up to date."

I laughed, knowing she was teasing and she grinned.

"Have a look. And don't worry, the stores shut like, really late around here, we've got plenty of time."

I nodded, thumbing through the magazines with Max.

"What about that one?" she asked, laughing hysterically.

She had pointed to an image of a woman with hair the size of a house.

I pulled a face at it before laughing too.

"It looks like Nancy!" Max choked out through fits of laughter.

That made me laugh harder, she was right.

I pointed at a simpler-looking hairstyle. The girl in the photo had teased out bangs with the rest of her hair up in a ponytail. My hair wasn't exactly long, but it was long enough for that.

Max nodded excitedly.

"Sure!"

She got to work, rolling my hair in and out of a plastic tube she found under the sink, teasing out my bangs and crimping them slightly.

Then she took my scrunchie and piled the rest of my hair on top of my head, tying it into a ponytail.

"What do you think?" she asked.

"Bitchin'." I replied with a grin.

"Awesome! Let's go!" she exclaimed, pulling me back downstairs toward the door.

"Where are you girls headed?" Sam asked and Max paused.

"The mall." She told him and he nodded.

"Here," he said, fishing into his pocket. "Here's some money. You girls have fun."

Max stared at the large amount of money in his hand before grinning and taking it.

"Okay! Thanks!"

"Thanks!" I echoed as we ran out the door.

...

Stepping off the bus, Max turned to smile at me like she had the first time we ever went shopping together.

"Come on!" she said and I grinned, running through the entrance, her hand gripped tightly around mine.

"Where do you want to go first?"

I stared around the place for a second and then looked back at her.

"I-I...don't know." I stuttered, laughing.

She grinned.

"Let's go get you a swimsuit!" she exclaimed and I smiled back.

Pulling me toward the doors to a shop, we ran inside laughing.

The shop assistant stared at us, before looking pointedly away.

We just laughed harder.

"So what do you like?" she asked me and I looked around.

My eyes lay on a white two-piece outfit with neon patterns on it. It reminded me of the romper I bought at Starcourt Mall back in Hawkins the first time I went with Max.

"That," I said, smiling.

Max looked surprised before grinning too.

"Really? A bikini? Okay!" she said.

"B-bikini?" I asked and she laughed.

"Yeah. That's what they're called." She told me before taking one off the rack.

"What size are you?" she asked and I blushed slightly.

"A ten."

She blushed too and took a ten off instead.

"Just like your looks." She blurted out before looking away, her cheeks deep crimson.

"I'm an eleven but okay." I replied, grinning and she looked back, grinning too.

(A/N: Ooohhh, flirty flirty! Hehehe- El's finally figured it out for reals now omg, let's celebrate!!! 🏳️‍🌈🥳👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩🎉 (lol, I'm so excited hehehe) ANYWAYS- I hope you enjoyed this chapter and that's about all! Don't forget to comment, they always make me laugh, and don't forget to vote! Stay safe and totally tubular and I'll see you in the next one xx)