Lestappen : As Long As We're Together

Turbulence

MAX

The turbulence lights turned on and I signalled to him but he shook his head, closing his eyes and continuing the steady flow of 'lalala's.

Suddenly Leclerc was jerked out of his seat onto me and the 'lalala's stopped as his eyes widened and he braced himself against me. I was aware of how our bodies were pressed flush against one another. I was aware of his cologne and how soft his hair was, my face buried in his neck.

He pushed himself off and I forced a laugh, "I feel dirty." He laughed a little too, staying in his seat till we landed.

We parted ways as we left for our homes, "Bye, Max." He said, and I realised that it was the first time he'd used my name without any hatred.

"Bye, Charles." I said, his name flowing out of me. He nodded and got into his car.

When morning came, so did the bedsheet puller aka Daniel. "Max, I swear to god if you don't get up I will take your ice bath and dump it on you!" He threatened.

"Do it, pussy!" I yelled, somewhat muffled from my pillow.

Ten minutes of peace later, hell froze over and so did I as he dumped icy cold water on me. I yowled like a cat, scratching at anything for cover but it was too late as he poured it from a jug.

"I did it." He said, triumphantly, and left me shivering, covered in icy water, wearing nothing but my boxers.

"Damn you Ricciardo!" I yelled as I heard his joyous cackles somewhere in the house.

When I finally felt room temperature again, I opened my phone. The most recent text was one from Charles, 'ice cream?'

'Sure' My reply was instant.

Charles was very out of it as we ordered the ice cream. I ordered a caramel oreo one and the lady behind the counter raised her eyebrows expectantly, waiting for Charles' "Oh," He said, "Um nutella?" He said it as more of a question but the lady nodded, not waiting for him to take an eternity to decide like I did.

He seemed deflated, looking at his ice cream melting slowly, not bothering to lick it, "What's the problem?" I asked.

"My girlfriend," He said.

"What is the exact problem, Leclerc?"
"We broke up."

"Oh." I had no idea how to respond, "I'm sorry."
"Don't be, it wasn't right . . . what we had. But it still hurt a little."
"Well, ice cream always helps, doesn't it?"
"Yeah. . . " He sighed.

"But?" I asked, sensing what he left unsaid.

"But I don't feel like nutella right now and I don't want to waste it." He said in dismay.

"Okay." I said, there was something I could fix. I gave him my cone, taking his, barely wrinkling my nose. I hated pure chocolate ice cream. But he was already down so I wasn't going to further it.

"Thanks." he said, managing a little smile, his green eyes still sad.

"Come on, Leclerc, it's fine. So you broke up, you'll find someone else, you're-"
"She cheated on me."
"What?" I asked.

"She cheated on me and then said that that guy was better than I'd ever be and dumped me before I could process she cheated on me."

I was very protective of my friends and somewhere along the hotel room meetings, café visits and golf clubs, he became one of them. Not a good one, but still one I wouldn't think twice about defending.

"Aren't you going to ask with whom?" He asked, "Maybe gloat since you still hate me?"
"Who it is is your business and no I would never gloat about something like that."

"Oh." He said, somewhat stunned. "Well, she cheated on me with Kvyat."
"Oh no he's asking for me to-"
"It's fine." He said.

"Why would it ever be fine if-"
"I didn't even like her."
"Then why were you dating?"
"PR."
"For what?"
"For-" he stopped himself, "It's not something I can say." He sounded so weary of it so I just nodded.
"Then why are you sad?"
"Isn't everyone sad getting out of a one year relationship?"
"Not if it's PR."
"I know, but she was nice."
"No, she was a bitch."
"She was a nice bitch."
"Who threw PR into the trash for old news."

He nodded, taking a lick of my ice cream. "I don't know, maybe I need to sleep on it." That was when I noticed his eye bags were and eyes a shade redder.

"Let's go," I said.

"Where?"
"I'm taking you back to your house and we're throwing everything she left in the trash."
"But-"
"No 'buts'."