More time together (Grahamfield)

Not-so-trivial trivialities

Amber Graham cut the hospital's wristband from Max's left wrist while talking to her. "I feel so relieved that you'll stay at our house... I must confess that the idea of leaving you all by yourself tonight was worrying me. When you get there, please make yourself at home and try to rest as much as you can."

Max smiled softly at the nurse. "Thank you so much, I really don't know what I'd do if it wasn't for you and Warren..."

Amber put her hand on Max's shoulder, reassuring the student. "That's what friends are for. Did you get all of your belongings?"

Max nodded. "See you soon then!" Amber said to Max while opening the room's door.

Walking through the main hallway, Max spotted Kate and Warren waiting for her at the reception. Both stood up when they saw her. As she was getting closer to them, she started to feel some butterflies in her stomach. 'I'm so grateful to Warren and his mother... It would feel really awkward going back to Blackwell tonight, if not terrifying... Well, things may get a little weird between Warren and me... But I guess I can handle this sort of awkwardness...'

Warren didn't feel much different than Max, as he saw her approaching. 'Surreal, to say the least. Few hours ago I was just planning to show her my car... And maybe ask her for the drive-in, if there was an opportunity... And now... I'm about to take Max to my house, to spend the night. It was supposed to be the coolest thing ever, but not under the current circumstances...'

Those thoughts saddened him. 'She needs total support now.' Warren thought, striving to smile at Max when she stopped in front of him and Kate. "Hey Max... Shall we go?"

Max nodded yes, and the three friends headed to the hospital's parking lot.

...

"Nice wheels, Warren. Very old school." Max remarked, while Warren opened the car passenger door and pulled the front seat forward.

"1978, to be exact!" He replied, feeling shyly proud.

While they were still talking, Kate entered the car and took the backseat. Max took her place on the front seat and opened her bag, searching for a piece of paper and a pen.

Max was looking down, so she didn't notice Warren not so subtly gazing at her as he entered the car. He couldn't help it: it was probably the closest he got to her since they met for the first time. A few seconds later, he came to himself. 'Focus' He mentally said to himself, while starting the car.

Warren drove fast: it was almost 5 p.m. and he had a lot of errands to run before picking up his little sister Emily at school by 6 p.m. Usually, it was their father's responsibility, but he was out of town for a job, and their mother would have to stay longer at work that evening.

As agreed between him and the two girls, first, he would leave Max at his house; then, he and Kate would head to Blackwell to get some clothes and other personal belongings for Max and herself, and to take Alice as well. Next, Warren would drive Kate to her aunt's place, where she would spend the night. Finally, he would pick up Emily at school and then drive back home.

On the front seat, Max struggled to keep her right hand steady: she was [trying to] write down a list of things she would need for the next couple days. It wasn't much: just a change of clothes, some hygiene items, her cell phone charger and her notebook. The list also included a black dress and a necklace with a doe pendant, for Chloe's funeral.

After a ten minutes drive, Warren parked his car at one of Arcadia Bay's typical streets and announced, sounding a bit nervous: "It's here!"

The three students exited the car. As Warren walked toward the house's front door to open it, Max stood behind, contemplating it for a while. It was a cheerful light yellow house; the door and the windows frames where painted white; colorful flowers decorated the front. 'It matches Warren's sunny personality' Max thought.