Somewhere Only We Know

XXV - As Good As It's Gonna Get

Maxine woke up with a throbbing headache. She had eaten too much ice cream the night before and was now paying for it. Glancing at the clock on her nightstand, she saw that it was 9:00 AM, much later than she had planned. Her stomach felt unsettled, probably from eating too much dairy and not getting enough sleep. She needed to be at school by 10 AM, but instead of having a calm morning, she realized she was already running late.

Maxine got out of bed, feeling groggy and unsteady. She quickly went to the bathroom, turned on the light, and looked in the mirror. She saw that she looked tired, with dark circles under her eyes from staying up late talking to Kai. She splashed cold water on her face to wake herself up, but it only made her feel more confused.

Maxine didn't have time for a long shower. She quickly took off her pajamas and jumped into the shower. She almost slipped on a bath bomb she had used over a week ago. She set the water between lukewarm and cold because she couldn't wait for it to heat up. The water pounded against her skin and she washed herself very quickly, spending barely more than ten minutes under the water. While she ran the shampoo through her hair, she hurried to figure out how much time she had left before she had to leave the apartment.

After her shower, she quickly dried off, leaving her hair damp. She grabbed a towel and went back to her room to find something to wear. In her hurry, she almost tripped over the pile of clothes from the night before.

Maxine had no choice but to wear the same uniform she had worn the other day. It was 9:14 AM, and she realized she had little time left. She tried to blow-dry her hair but gave up after a few seconds. She decided to let the warm weather dry her hair naturally, knowing it would end up frizzy by the time she got to school.

She felt hungry but didn't have time for a proper breakfast. She went to the kitchen, hoping for a quick meal. The fridge was almost empty, a sign she needed to go grocery shopping soon. There was only a cold, half-eaten grilled cheese sandwich from the day before. She frowned but had no other choice. She took the sandwich, took a bite, and the chilled cheese stuck to the roof of her mouth. It wasn't the best breakfast, but it would have to do.

While Maxine was eating, she saw a new email on her laptop from her school principal. The email asked her to explain which colleges she was thinking of applying to. This made her feel upset because college had been causing her a lot of stress. She hadn't made any final decisions yet, and the pressure to have everything figured out was overwhelming.

She sat at the small kitchen island, holding a sandwich in one hand and a laptop in the other. She tried to write a clear response, but her thoughts were mixed up with anxiety and tiredness. The message she typed was hard to read. She hesitated, then clicked "send," hoping her principal wouldn't be too critical. "Dear Principal Myers, it is with deep regret that I must inform you of my indecisiveness and as of now, I fear I have no plans for the near future. With love, your Class of 2020 Salutatorian."

By the time Maxine had finished getting dressed, eaten the sad excuse for breakfast, and responded to the email, it was already 9:36 AM. Panic set in as she realized she had less than half an hour to get to school. She grabbed her bag and keys, throwing them over her shoulder as she rushed to the door. Her hair was still damp, sticking to the back of her neck irritatingly, but there was no time to fix it. She cursed under her breath as she hurried into the hallway.

Maxine lived a few floors above Jesse, so she hurried down the hallway and pressed the elevator button repeatedly as if that would make it arrive faster. Her mind raced as she mentally calculated the time it would take to get to school, park, and rush to class. She didn't need this kind of stress first thing in the morning.

When the elevator doors finally opened, she rushed inside, almost colliding with someone standing in the middle. "Sorry—" she started but then froze as she realized it was Jesse. His presence caught her off guard, and she could see the same surprise reflected in his eyes. The awkwardness between them was palpable, hanging in the air like a thick fog.