Saving Max

Chapter 26

Sitting in a crammed both at the only pizza place in town was the last place I expected to be this Friday afternoon, but yet here I am, having called into work sick just a couple minutes earlier.

Caden and Max were waiting for me in the school parking lot when I found them, Caden leaning casually against his car. He was wining his key ring making circles in the air as he swung it carelessly about, his actions stopping as soon as his eyes found mine. After pecking my lips hello, he got a small lecture from me about pulling Max out of school for no reason before I finally just decided to let it go, not wanting to start something over nothing. This small victory made Caden grin with happiness, ushering me into the car without another word.

It's nice how easy being with him is sometimes. It's so natural, like we've known each other forever. I know all the little things in his personality, and the things he does out of habit, without even knowing he does it most times. I know how he grins when he gets his way instead of commenting on it, because it's hard for him to share his happiness with others. I know that even when he does something he knows is wrong, like pull Max out of school, he always has a good reason.

Well, except for today. I don't really see how getting pizza with Derek counts as a good reason, but we're here nonetheless. Not that I'm complaining. I love pizza more than I love myself sometimes.

The pizza has just arrived at our table, everyone gabbing a piece before the starting up conversation again, Derek being the first one to have words leave his mouth. No surprise there, at least.

"So," he starts, clapping his hands together, crumbs flying off his hands as he does so, looking around the table at all of us before continuing. "Thanksgiving is in two weeks, y'all."

I furrow my eyebrows, turning my head to look at Caden, a small smile on his face as he looks across the table to his best friend. I nudge him with my shoulder, our intertwined hands bumping against his leg in the process. Caden turns to me after a second, shaking his head with the same stupid smile, squeezing my hand as if to tell me to wait.

"Is that why we're here? To talk about Thanksgiving?" I ask incredulously, looking between the two guys with a skeptic look on my face. Sure, I wouldn't put it past them to drag both Max and I here just to talk about Thanksgiving, but I'm not really buying it today. 

"Well that, among other things." Derek waves off, making Max crack a smile, a string of cheese falling from his mouth. Caden and I both shake our heads, reaching across the table at the same time to swipe it from his chin, causing all of us to laugh a little. Small things like that easily amuse us these days.

There hasn't been all too much to laugh about. But now, with Derek around, laughing has been coming easier than it has in a while. He just puts us all in a good mood, something which I'll always be grateful for.

"What should we do? I'm not going up to see my folks in New York because tickets are way too expensive, and I know Caden and Max are spending it together, hopefully with me, but you haven't mentioned anything about Thanksgiving yet, Bella." Derek says, leaning back in the booth as he speaks.

It's true, I have been kind of skidding around the whole Thanksgiving topic, but I have good reason. It's not that I don't want Caden, Max, and I to spend Thanksgiving together, because I do, I just don't want them with my family. My family isn't really known for keeping it together on thanksgiving, and I don't want Caden and Max to be a part of that. It's not fair to them.

Thanksgiving wasn't always bad in my family, but since the year Izzy got diagnosed, Thanksgiving dinner has always been a little tense, even after she passed away. The whole holiday revolves around food, and it feels like my family always finds a way to make things awkward; whether it be mentioning Izzy, or just how much food is on the table, things always end up going bad. The air is tight and very little conversation is ever made. It's not terrible or anything, it's just not necessarily a pleasant situation to be in.