Punch, Cut, Kiss

PCK Chapter 23

If you don't want to read Max's POV (It's further on down), then skip to the "*" below it.

Finally, I decided it was time to release her. I pulled her away from my chest and kissed her lips softly. I didn't really know how to process the information. I'd never known a cutter, or someone who had been abused. I didn't know how to help, or even if I could. All I knew was that it hurt me to see her like this. I was glad she opened up to me, but her problems were huge. It really didn't help that I may have to go back to school soon. I mean, I just told her I'd never leave.

Not that I planned on leaving. I meant everything I said to her.

"It's getting late," she whispered. Her voice was rough from her tears.

I looked down at her. She was gazing up at the sky. I looked up to. I almost laughed when when I saw the pitch black backdrop with little white speckles on it. The only light came from a little lamp post. "It is late," I said. "And, you have homework to do."

She gave me a puzzled look. I decided the best thing to do was act like the new didn't phase me. In honesty, it scared the crap out of me. I didn't change anything though. I just felt like she was delicate. Fragile. Breakable. I had to be there for her.

"Oh, yeah," I said, my eyes widening. "You didn't come back to class."

She bit her lip. "Yeah," she said, scratching her head. "I didn't know how to act around you." Her words came out slowly.

I laughed and pressed my lips to her hair. I grabbed her hand. She really was too cute. "Act like," I tried to think of some way to put it. "This much you must know, we'll meet again. And I'll, I'll have you know I'm scared to death."

She laughed. "Act like Mayday Parade lyrics?"

I kissed the top of her hand and pulled us both up. "All my sandcastles fall like ashes of cigarettes, and every wave drags me to sea," I whispered. Great, now I had the song stuck in my head. "Act normal. I'll be mean to you, and you'll stare at me and try to look like you're not in love." I looked over at her face and winked.

She shoved my shoulder lightly. "I don't do that," she said, smiling.

"Really though, act normal. We have times like these to act like this," I said, throwing my arm around her shoulders.

"You know what's weird," she said. She paused in her steps. "No one even came down here."

I smiled at her, and pulled her along. "Well, it is a park. I don't expect many teenagers to be here."

"I come here," she said, watching her feet fall over the grass.

"You're weird," I said. She elbowed me in the stomach and I let out a small chuckle. "I was kidding. We were also by the pond and it's like, forty degrees. No one in their right mind would be by the water."

"We wer-"

"I said in their right mind."

We both laughed a little. When we were at the top of the hill, I contemplated my next move. I hadn't noticed how long I'd been thinking until she said, "Does this deafening silence mean nothing to no one, but me?"

I laughed. I grabbed her hand and pulled her down the hill. I got to my car and turned toward her. "I'm going to walk you home," I said. "I mean, if it's okay."

She opened her mouth right away. She closed it right after. I kept forgetting about Max. There really was something off about their relationship though. He just knew too much. I could tell by the way he analyzed us during class. He knows something is up.