Just One Voice

•Musicing Is Your Life•

~2~

Max pushes the highschool's front doors open with enthusiasm, allowing crisp air and sunlight to pour onto my skin.

He takes in a sharp inhale, "Smell that, B? Thats the scent of summer!"

I laugh as he dorkily spins in a circle with his arms out, taking in the ambiance of the chaotic New York streets, at least, I'm assuming that's what he's doing anyway. He could just be a wild animal in his natural habitat?

"Actually that's the sent of the contaminated and polluted city air but—" I catch on to Max's hopeless look and shoot him a prideful grin of my own.

"Nerd." He whispers as he ruffles the hair at the top of my head.

"Dork." I scoff at him, attempting to smooth the tangles he just created in my curly blonde hair.

I finally give up upon finding a huge knot right on the side of my head. Ugh, if only my hair were straighter and easier to deal with. I watch Max absorb all the pleasure of my discomfort, roll my eyes, and decide to just pull my ratted strands up with the white scrunchy on my wrist.

I am just completing a loose bun when something catches my eye on the parking lot. Again? Can't the woman take a hint?

I snatch Max' s arm and pull him into an alleyway between the main body of the school and the arts' wing.

"What are you doing?" Max yanks his arm from my grasp.

"Nothing." I lie, peering around the corner just to make sure. There's literally no escape. Just when I forget I'm not a normal teen, some big show has to be made.

"Come on." I turn on my heel, stomping deeper into the little alleyway. "We are going to miss the subway."

Max's expression instantly drops but I ignore it and walk past him.

"The subway, again?" He whines and stays put, unwilling to follow me.

"Yes, again." I call behind me, a good dozen feet from him now, and not slowing my pace.

"So that's what freaked your little self out." He snickers, finally stopping me, "You saw your limo in the parking lot, didn't you?"

I irritatedly cross my arms and face his direction.

"Yeah. So?"

"What's with this protest that you're all up and on these days?" He looks just as ticked as I am, and has to clearly raise his voice now for me to hear.

"I don't know what you're talking about, M," I say. Another lie.

"Oh okay, then remind me again why lately we've been sneaking around, disobeying your mother, and dodging your fancy limo to go ride the dirty old subway?"

I cave and throw my arms out in response, "Because, we've been over this! It's just, it's all so dumb, and I'm tired of it."

"Right B, and people thinking that your freaking awesome is a bad thing because?"

He just doesn't understand, but I shake it off and continue my way so that I don't miss the train. Boys will be boys.

"I can never win with this girl." I hear Max mutter not so quietly. I detect the slightest hint of amusement lingering in his tone. Though he will never admit to it, he subtly loves how stubborn I can be, even if it drives him to the ends of sanity. He would have burnt out already if he didn't.

It's only seconds before I can hear him running to catch up with me.

"Wait up, buttercup!" He laughs.