When Friendship Becomes Forever

Chapter 19

Max

For a week, I had been convinced that I was broken.

Losing El and Nancy and Robin and everyone I loved had killed me; almost literally.

It wasn't until the phone rang in the middle of the night and my sleepless mind decided to pick up that I found a spark of something that could almost be labelled hope.

"Hello?" I spoke, voice deflated.

"Hey,"

It was Robin's voice.

I didn't know what to say.

I had been so convinced that I broken our friendship forever.

That I had broken everything the way I had broken myself.

But here was Robin, my best friend.

Tears fell down my cheeks and I began to sob uncontrollably.

There was hope.

But did I deserve it?

"Oh! Oh no, don't cry. I-I'm sorry for not calling sooner or...not coming to see you its just I've been so caught up in my own head and after Nancy...and my parents are...insane and I...I'm sorry. I'm really really sorry just...please don't cry,"

But I couldn't stop.

Her words were tangled up and fast and crazy and it was obvious she was echoing every one of her thoughts aloud but this was Robin.

This was what I had missed.

What I had thought I had lost forever.

"I...I'm coming over. I've skipped work like...every day this week because turns out that you can call in sick for the entire week and like...you don't get paid but you don't get fired either which is good because Steve and I made a bet and I cannot lose to him,"

I managed a small smile even though she couldn't see me, though no words formed through my hysterics.

The line cut and I was left alone in the silence once again.

But this time was different.

For the first time in days I felt something more than broken.

Something more than hopeless.

I didn't know whether I deserved it after everything I had done; after everyone I had hurt, but I had found it after losing everything, a twisted lost and found.

Robin appeared in the doorway to what used to be my bedroom nearly an hour later, an apologetic smile on her face than soon melted when she caught sight of me.

"Hi. Sorry I took so long I, uh, went to the new house cos I figured you had moved in by now but apparently not so then I had to ask Will because he and El were the only ones home and I wasn't about to ask El because I feel like that's over stepping boundaries or at least some kind of invisible line that nobody ever taught me how to see as a child so I'm kinda just guessing at this point but that's okay because I'm here and so are you and holy sh!t you don't look good. I don't mean that in a bad way just in a...very anxious for your wellbeing friend way. And I'm talking too much aren't I? Like way too much and holy crap I should really just shut up now."

I laughed and she grinned back awkwardly, running a hand through her short hair.

"I've missed you," I croaked.

She grinned again before onto me, swallowing me in a hug.

"Ditto."

"Robin! Robin, Robin!" I cried as she squeezed me.

Robin cackled and let me go, rubbing my ribs that now felt severely bruised.

"Thanks for the bruises," I snapped sarcastically, though a smile was dancing on my lips.

Robin smiled and sat down beside me.

"Do you...wanna talk?"

I sighed, the smile falling away almost as quickly as it had appeared.

"I...don't even know where I would start," I told her truthfully.

Robin thought for a second before turning to look me in the eye properly.

"Just start. I don't care if you have to talk until the next big bang. I'll listen,"

And I knew she would.

I sighed, and let the words spill out of my mouth, losing control over what I was saying.

And I guess some of it made sense because when I was finally done Robin was in tears.

"Did I just tell you my whole life story?" I asked her anxiously.

She sighed, wiping away the tears.

"Yeah," 

(A/N: Heyyy again :) I love Max and Robin's friendship in this fic 😭 Hope you guys are having an awesome weekend (or whatever day it is for you lol) Stay safe and totally tubular and I'll see you guys tomorrow (fr this time 🤩) xx)