Saving Max

Chapter 37

"What are you doing?" I ask as I enter my bedroom, my eyes landing on Caden anxiously waiting at the end of my bed.

"Waiting for you, of course." he says it like it's the most obvious thing in the world, offering up a wide grin in my direction. He doesn't intertwine our fingers like he would normally do when I sit down next to him, or even touch me at all for that matter. He just stays still where he is, turning his head to face me, his face showing that he's highly concentrated on his shoulder not brushing mine right now. Neither of us have been too keen on physical affection of any kind ever since the night of our confessions a few days ago.

"I figured that out." I tell him, a small laugh bubbling from throat. "But why?"

He waits for a second, adding to my anticipation before he speaks. I can see the proud glimmer in his eyes as he opens his mouth. "We're going to have a picnic."

I raise my eyebrows skeptically at him as he smiles, waiting for me to say something. When I don't, he flops himself over onto his stomach and reaches across my bed to the floor, pulling up with him a picnic basket that I notice is already packed. It's full of everything we might need, including a soft blanket that I can see peeking over the edge.

"Really?" I question, grabbing the basket out of his hands so I can flip the top open, skimming through the contents of it quickly before setting it down next to me. There are sandwiches, some wavy potato chips, olives, and even a few of the little brownies that my mom made the night before. "Is Max coming, too?"

Caden shakes his head in response, pushing himself to his feet so that he now stands in front of me. "No, not today. I think we both need to just get out of here and away from everything. Just for a day, Bella. The weather's perfect, too. It's a great day for a little escape, wouldn't you say?" he now looks exuberant, his whole figure bouncing with excitement, eyes sparkling as they bore into mine.

"Well," I draw out, already feeling a grin form on my face despite myself. "when you put it like that..."

He celebrates by himself for a second, doing a little fist pump into the air, grabbing my elbow lightly afterwards to lead me out of the room. We walk straight through the living room, Caden telling my parents and Max that we'd be gone for a couple of hours at the park, and to call if they needed us for anything. They seemed to have known about his plans before I did, not looking at all surprised when the words leave his mouth. They tell us to have a good time and to keep both our phones on the whole time, just in case something is to happen to one of us. She didn't have to say anything more than that for everyone in the room to understand what she meant, all eyes shifting to where I was leaning against the back wall. I nodded stiffly in her direction, giving her a reassuring smile to ease the nerves I', sure are coursing through her body. I know how scared she is to let me leave the house without herself or dad by my side, but it's something I have to do. I need to be able to finally put this all behind me. Besides, it was going to happen sooner or later.

As Caden and I walk to the car, I roll my shoulders back, marveling at how my head lulls from side to side along with them. Ever since I got my cast off yesterday, I've been discovering the littlest things I can do with my neck, realizing how much I've actually missed them. These things are so small and seemingly unimportant until they are taken away from you, and it's only when they're gone that you figure out how privileged you are to be able to do them. You never know, these things might become impossible for you to do tomorrow. I feel stupid for ever taking them for granted.

"Which park are we going to, Caden?" I ask, turning to face him from where I'm currently seated in the passengers seat. We have just pulled onto the main road in the town, but we're going in the opposite direction of any park that I know to be around here.