Call it what you want (Maxley)

Hate me?

Another unreasonably long break from this fan fic but I'm finally on summer break so I'll be more active!!! I'm honestly surprised at how long I've been interested in these two. And I think you guys will really like this chapter >:D

The next few weeks went by pretty nicely for both max and Bradley.

Bradley and Eleanor had become pretty close, Bradley started to really enjoy talking to her. She was real and honest, about home and about how she feels. A reliable and trustworthy person and Bradley started to admire her, they hung out in weekends and sometimes throughout the week. Bradley met Eleanors boyfriend and he was even cooler, he felt like he fit somewhere again, finally.

Max focused a lot on schoolwork, it was nice not to stress about anything being missing like he usually did. Since the incident with Tank he hadn't really done much of anything, his mood had been destroyed since that day. Max still had good days but something just felt different and it pissed him off. Max went to his dad's ceremony and celebrated at home for a weekend but when he returned to the dorm he felt more odd than before.

Max:
Fiddling with his pencil, max found himself staring at the wall trying to focus on biology diagrams. Sitting at his desk in the silence of his dorm was miserable, it had been a nice day and he was too busy to even enjoy it. Bradley was always gone so the dorm was always quiet. At first Max enjoyed it so much, the quiet was calm and he felt like he was living alone. Soon enough though, the loneliness got to him. He longed for someone to be there.

The worst part of Max's loneliness was that it was chosen. Max could easily invite Pj and Bobby over but he didn't want to. He was lonely but he wasn't hopeless. With that, max couldn't really complain about being lonely if he most definitely had options.

If it was romance he had no problem, since the X games he had formed a sort of "fan base". Max didn't want to brag of course but quite a few girls were interested. None that sparkled in his eyes enough though, he hadn't been much into girls lately. No he hadn't been too much into guys either but sure they were more interesting than girls.

*BAM*

Max jumped and fell out of his desk, Bradley had just got home and slammed the door. What? But he hadn't been home this early for weeks, what is going on?

Max heard Bradley rambling on to himself but it wasn't clear enough to understand

Should he go and check on him or leave Bradley believing he's alone and sneak out his bedroom window? Questioned max

No, if max was struggling he would want support, even from someone like Bradley.

Slowly opening his bedroom door as it squeaked, max walkout out spotting Bradley leaning over the sink with his eyes closed and head held high. He had looked...exhausted.

"Hey Bradley..you're home early huh?"

Said max a bit quietly, careful not to startle or set off Bradley again.

"Huh? Oh..yeah..good afternoon max."

Bradley had sounded much more calm as he adjusted his position, now facing Max.

Max didn't like the silence and everything just felt awkward so he decided to face it head on

"So I heard you, you sounded pretty angry...is everything okay with you? Did something happen?"

Max began to make his way closer to Bradley and there was definitely tension but it didn't feel aggressive or uncomfortable this time. 

"Oh..jeez, yeah sorry. Something's just going on in the family. Don't worry about it."

It was as if Bradley was trying to shove it away and act like nothing was wrong or it wasn't as serious as it sounded.

"Well I am worried. I mean you haven't been here at all lately, you've barely spoken a word to me in weeks and now you show up so early in the afternoon and something is clearly upsetting you!"

Max had raised his voice, he didn't realize until now how frustrated Bradley's absence had left him and it was embarrassingly clear now.

Bradley had widened his eyes, he almost looked scared but more surprised than anything.

It was silent a few moments and they both transferred their views from eye contact to random objects in the room.

"Look max, I didn't realize how important my attendance in here was. I figured everything's better when we're not around each other, but if that's not what you prefer..I.....well I don't know.."

Bradley was agitated, you could hear in his tone, but he was not angry. More so confused and that made sense.

Max's face flushed and he felt immensely uncomfortable with himself and his words. What in the world is wrong with him? Poor Brad. But also not poor Brad? This whole thing is getting out of hand and what if this makes everything weird forever? What then-

"Max? Are you there?"

Asked Bradley, annoyed and concerned. Gosh couldn't he pick one emotion and stick to it?? But no he had to feel such vastly different ones at all times

"I can show up here more, it's probably best for me and my grades anyway."

Bradley went on, the conversation felt like it was ending and that wasn't what max had wanted

"I didn't mean to sound..weird about it. I'm honestly just lonely Brad, I don't want to be here alone all the time but it feels out of place with anyone else here"

Max tried explaining himself

"That's Bradley, not Brad."

Replied Bradley with a small smirk

"I understand what you mean, it's not weird to feel lonely"

Gosh this was getting awkward, the conversation was long dead but Bradley dragged it on. Mac couldn't help but feel bored with the silence and the very clear guard they both put up around each other.

"So what happened? With your family I mean. What's going on?"

Bradley hesitated

"My younger sister Carley, she's in the hospital. She's really sick and with mid terms coming up I'm unable to visit her."

Bradley was now looking at the floor, as if we was disappointed with himself though none of this was his fault.

"I'm sorry to hear that Bradley that's terrible, all we can do is hope she's okay."

Said max as he came closer, leaning next to Bradley against the sink.

"Thank you...you know you're really easy to talk to...I kinda hate it."

Bradley looked up from his hands to find max and his big dark eyes.

It was a small, quick second but within it max had felt something. He knew exactly what this feeling was and the look in Bradley's eyes made him feel like it was mutual.

"You..hate it? Why?"

"Well you're supposed to hate me. I'm supposed to hate you too."

Max understood exactly what Bradley meant

"But what if..I don't...?"

Asked max

"Don't what....Max..? Don't hate me?"

Max looked don't at his baggy shorts and nodded

"Well then...maybe I don't hate you either, maybe I hate the fact that I don't even more."

Explained Bradley, it was so honest and so real.

The moment was so different from all other encounters and max couldn't help but wonder if Bradley was just in a very vulnerable state, was he saying things he did not mean?

Max didn't want to bear the shame of misinterpreting this conversation, he had to get out.

"Well, I should probably get back to my biology diagrams hah! I might fall behind.."

Bradley was startled at the abrupt shift in max's tone but nodded off to his own room soon enough.