Whispering Pages

Resolution?

Merida felt a wave of relief. "Great. I'll let you know the details soon."

Ethan nodded and stepped out of the car. He walked up to Max's front door and knocked. A few moments later, Max opened the door, his face lighting up when he saw Ethan.

"Ethan! What's up, man?" Max greeted him with a big smile.

Ethan forced a smile in return. "Hey, Max. Can I crash here for a bit?"

Max's smile faded slightly as he noticed the black eye. "Yeah, of course. Come on in."

As Ethan stepped inside, Merida watched from the car, feeling a mix of relief and worry. She hoped that whatever was troubling Ethan, he would find the support he needed with Max.

Max led Ethan to the living room and handed him a cold drink. "So, what happened?" he asked, pointing to Ethan's eye.

Ethan sighed and took a sip of the drink. "Just some trouble at home. Needed to get away for a while."

Max nodded understandingly. "Well, you're welcome to stay here as long as you need. I've got your back."

Ethan felt a wave of gratitude wash over him. He knew he had friends who cared about him, and that made all the difference.

After a moment of silence, Max grinned and said, "Hey, you wanna head down to the basement for a smoke sesh? Might help you relax a bit."

Ethan hesitated for a second but then nodded. "Yeah, that sounds good."

Max led the way down to the basement, where he had a cozy setup with bean bags and a small table. He pulled out a stash and started rolling a joint. Ethan took a seat and watched, feeling a bit more at ease.

As they started smoking, the tension in Ethan's shoulders began to melt away. Max put on some music, and they sat in comfortable silence for a while.

"Thanks, Max," Ethan finally said. "I really needed this."

Max nodded, exhaling a cloud of smoke. "Anytime, man. We're here for each other."

As they continued to smoke, Ethan turned to Max and asked, "Why are you always so nice to me, man?"

Max smiled and leaned back. "My grandma always taught me that life is so much better when you're good to those in need," he said. "She used to say that kindness doesn't cost a thing, but it's worth everything."

Ethan nodded, feeling a warmth in his chest that had nothing to do with the smoke. "Your grandma sounds like a wise woman."

"She was," Max replied, a fond look in his eyes. "And she was right. Helping others makes the world a better place."

Just as they were settling into the comfortable silence, Ethan's phone buzzed with an incoming call. He glanced at the screen and saw Hailey's name. "It's Hailey," he said to Max before answering. "Hey, Hailey."

"Hey, Ethan," Hailey's voice came through, filled with concern. "How are you doing?"

Ethan took a deep breath. "I'm okay. My mom's friend picked me up for the day and dropped me off at Max's place. Just needed to get away for a bit."

"I'm glad you're safe," Hailey replied. "Take care of yourself, okay? "Hailey's voice softened. "I was just calling to check up on you, to see if you were okay... I know it was really tough this morning when your dad punched you."

Ethan sighed, feeling the weight of the morning's events. "Yeah, it was rough. But I'm alright now, just needed some space."

"I'm really sorry, Ethan," Hailey said, her concern evident. "If you need anything, I'm here for you."

Ethan nodded, appreciating Hailey's support. "Thanks, Hailey. I'll call you later, okay?"

Hailey responded softly, "Okay, Ethan. Take care."

With that, the call ended, leaving Ethan feeling a bit more at ease knowing Hailey was there for him.

Max grinned mischievously. "Ouuu, you two love birds."

Ethan quickly responded, blushing, "It's nothing like that."

Max chuckled and then asked, "So, how'd your night go after you left the party?"

Ethan hesitated for a moment before saying, "I usually hate to kiss and tell, but I'm so excited. Hailey and I spent the night together, and this morning, we got caught in bed. That's why I have this black eye—my dad caught us and started to disrespect Hailey."

"Omg man, that's crazy," Max exclaimed.

Ethan nodded, replying, "Yes, it was."

"Hey, Ethan, guess what? I had a great night too with the girl I hung out with at the party,but that I won't tell it got crazy if you know what I mean " Max shared.

Ethan chuckled, "Yea, I know what you mean," as he passed the joint back to Max.

"Hey, Ethan, you can crash in the guest bedroom again or chill in the basement if you want. I'm heading upstairs to bed," Max informed Ethan before heading off.

"Thanks, Max. I think I'll take the guest bedroom again," Ethan responded.