Roommates (Maxley)

Chapter 9

"Did you invite him?" Roxanne sits across from Mocha with clasped hands, "I managed to convince Max to come but this isn't going to work without Lover Boy."

The code name Roxanne and the squad used for Brad, it suited him well. Max had been distraught without him, moping around with dark circles decorating his eyes and a permanent pout. Bobby and PJ tried talking to him about it but just Brad's name being mentioned seemed to make him uncomfortable. He obviously still liked the guy, Roxanne saw him double-tapping every post on the dude's social media account. Not that she blamed him, Brad was unfortunately pretty handsome, she found herself envious of him and the attention Max was giving him despite his absence. She was right here, why didn't he see her?

"I'm ninety-nine percent sure he'll be there, but will he bring the wounds left by worry, or will he come carefree like a chickadee?" Mocha lays her head on the top of her hands, "If he doesn't come then we'll all just have a good time without him."

"I won't be able to have a good time with Max being all depressed." She leans back into her couch cushions, "And we still need to go get stuff for tonight. Stacey's bringing the drinks so all we really need is people and chips."

"I can definitely get chips," Mocha smiles as Roxanne scowls, "Relax or you'll get worry-lines. Everything's going to be fine. You're welcoming negative spirits with all of this angst of yours."

"You're right, I need to be positive." She takes a deep breath before standing, "Tonight will go well. Brad is going to come and Max will make up with him and then he'll be happy again."

"What about you? Are you happy about this?" Mocha already knows the answer, she's the therapist friend after all.

"I'm happy when Max is happy."

She must've been miserable then, because that's what Max was as he laid in his bed staring at the wall. Brad had yet to respond to his texts, and he didn't want to seem desperate even though he honestly was. He kept dreaming of him, waking up with his name heavy on his tongue and still feeling the warmth of his lips when he thought of that night. He wishes he could take it back, wishes he would've given him more time- why did he rush him? He didn't mean to, he thought they were on the same page but they weren't even in the same book. He had seen what his father had done to Brad at Family day, of course he understood why he's so scared of him but he thought...it doesn't matter. He thought wrong, completely wrong. Brad wasn't interested, he should've accepted that at the first sign.

"Hey, Max! Are you awake?" Bobby is knocking on his door, reminding him that he's supposed to be getting ready.

"Don't tell me you're going to keep brooding just because Brad is gone." PJ smiles when Max opens the door, "There's our Goof!"

"Guys, I don't know if I can go." Max fakes a cough and sneeze, "I think I'm sick."

"Come on, you know Roxanne is counting on you to come." Bobby gently squeezes his shoulder, "It'll be fun! Mocha's going to be there and she's got the good stuff, y'know."

"Yeah, good for you, I don't smoke." Max watches Bobby and PJ make themselves at home in his dorm, quickly changing into clothes he can wear outside of his dorm. Sweatpants will do, and so will this black V-neck cotton shirt with buttons on the angle. "I barely even know Mocha besides her helping Roxanne with some setup things for the concert."

"I'd love to get to know her more," PJ says with a longing look in his eyes. "She's prettier than pearls."

"Look, I'm sure she's nice and I'm sure the party would be fine without me." Dread, a feeling he's become accustomed to since highschool.

"Brad's going to be there."

The house isn't far from campus, really the boys could've walked there to save gas but PJ loved driving his truck around. They could hear the music from down the street, booming from the front door left ajar. Bobby and PJ walk in first, leaving Max on the porch with a lump in his throat. Part of him wanted to turn around, to say fuck it and go home. Just the thought of seeing him made his stomach clench, he still had no clue what he did wrong and it had been driving him insane. Brad still wasn't responding to his messages, he knew the chances of him talking to him in person were nonexistent.