Handcuffs, Latched to the Past

Chapter One

The city never sleeps at night, and neither does Max. Sitting on her windowsill always calms her thoughts, especially while waiting for Nathan to come home. He always disturbs her thoughts. So loud, intense, and painful; like the city. Max wonders if she will ever get a full night of sleep.

She also wonders how she's found herself in this predicament, living at the Pacific Seattle Hotel with someone she isn't even sure she loves. He's always gone, leaving Max to her lonesome.

Sometimes, she's alone for hours on end, only leaving her with her thoughts. She always thinks back to when they were young and first falling in love; the quick loving glances in class, sneaking out of their dorms just to see each other, when they got their first apartment together. It all seemed so surreal, like somehow her past was fabricated.

But Nathan takes care of her. Clothes her, feeds her; lets her go visit her friend Kate at the church. That reminds Max she hasn't seen her devoted Christian friend in a long while, she makes a mental note to go see her tomorrow; if she's allowed.

Taking her chin off of her knee to peer down at the highway in front of their home, the small girl notices that there's not as much traffic as usual.

Where is he? Max ponders, it's 3:04am, he's usually home by 2. Of course on late nights like these he comes home under some kind of influence, which always worries the small girl. She wants him to be okay, but he's never okay. It's hard to watch him hurt himself, day after day; his perfect rich-boy facade crumbling on the marble foundation it was built on.

Hearing the door handle jiggle moves Max away from her view, carefully making her way to the doorway of their bedroom which is on the same hallway as the front door. She knows it's probably him, which makes her shy away; hiding most of her body behind the doorframe. It's taking him a bit longer than usual to get it open, he must be intoxicated again.

Max sees his slouched figure practically throw himself into their apartment, making her back away further. If she was quiet and obedient, it might not hurt so much this time. "Max!" The sudden scream of her names snaps her to attention, not sure if it's safe to move closer to him. Nathan pushes the door to, then drags his feet down the hallway. The girl stays in her spot, keeping her head down so she wouldn't have to look at him. She could tell it was going to be bad tonight.

"N-Nathan?" Max finally managed to speak out, clenching her fists. This was nothing new; it was a never-ending cycle. If he wasn't coming home completely wasted, he was tripped out on drugs. They'd fight. He'd apologize. And Max would fall into the trap yet again. It seemed that this is all Max had to look forward to anymore, life didn't seem to have much of the thrill that it did back when she was eighteen.

"Maybe you should lay down." Max spoke in a quiet voice. She avoided his drunken gaze; she knew all too well. "Don't tell me what to do!" His already bruised hand collides with the wall, causing a loud smack. Max shrieks quietly and burrows further into herself, crouching down; hugging her knees to her chest. "Oh get off the fucking floor!" His large hand wraps around her whole forearm, making it easy to pull her harshly his way.

"N-Nathan, I-I promise I didn't mean it!" The Prescott's anger only rises at her pleading tone, "Shut up! Or I'll give you something to cry about!" He pushes her back down, almost falling down himself from his tipsy state. "I'm going to watch TV, I expect dinner soon." Max is already in tears before he leaves, but now she's glad she made food hours ago knowing he would want something when he got home.

She sees him slouch into their torn couch, and doesn't dare glance his way as she opens the fridge to reheat his portion of the meal. Before the food is unwrapped from her hands, Nathan's phone rings. She listens attentively, always curious to hear who would even call this late. His grumbles came first before actually answering the phone, putting it to his ear. "No, no. I'm home."