Adopted by Brendon Urie

23

Two Months Later

Brendon's POV

"Hey, Brendon, can you drive me to the skate-park?" Max was already carrying her board-that Gerard had given to her after Claire's death- and was walking out of the house before I could answer her.

"Sure." I muttered, just after the door had closed. I grabbed my keys off the counter and walked to the car.

"Max, why do you keep coming to the skate-park?" I hoped it was because she was finally meeting people. After the conversation we had earlier, I had done everything I could to help urge on Max's social life, but still stay at a distance.

"Oh, uh, I just like to use my board." She was stuttering. Max never, ever, stuttered. She had definitely met someone, and didn't want me butting in.

So naturally, I kept asking her questions. "Did you meet someone? What's their name? Do they skate?"

"I didn't meet anyone, Brendon. I just like to skate. It's nothing." She shrugged it off, and there was no stutter, but Max was very persuasive. Deep down, I still had a feeling that she met someone.

Max's POV

Brendon was close to finding out about Axel. Yes. I did meet someone. And he was a very attractive someone. What Brendon didn't know couldn't hurt him.

I did some flips for a while, deep in thought. All I could think of was Axel's silver eyes. They were like liquid mirrors, or the line between the sky and the sea at the horizon. They were fathomless, and the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen. When he looked at me every emotion of happiness was in those eyes, and when someone else hurt me, I knew how cold his eyes could get.

I smiled at myself, skating for a while, before sitting down on a nearby bench and humming to myself. All I could think about was Axel. Axel's fine dark brown hair- so dark it was almost black- the freckle on the edge of his lip, his hands that were so comforting when I held mine in his.

I was head over heels for this boy. And he was head over heels for me. But Brendon didn't even know. And I didn't want to tell him.

There was something magical about the secret.

Brendon's POV

Max was humming to herself, playing the piano rather loudly. As her phone buzzed, I pretended not to notice. She was getting a lot of notifications lately. If all of the guys were out on tour, that would have been common, but while they were here, they preferred to come over.

I spied Max's phone on the counter across the room. I kept thinking of possible ways I would be able to see who all the notifications were from.

My thoughts were jarred from Max coming into the room. "Maxie, It's your birthday next week. Do you want a party?"

She looked up from her phone smiling. "What? Oh. Whatever you want to do, Brendon. I can't believe it's already been a year." She texted the mystery person back, chuckling to herself.

It was probably just Gerard. He was the only person who made her laugh that hard.

***************

"MAX!" I called up the stairs. "You should probably start getting ready."

She rushed down stairs quickly, looking absolutely stunning. She was dressed in a black dress, with dark mascara, deep red lips, and all black converse high-tops. She wore a single necklace around her neck, and a simple pair of silver hoops.

The only thing that marred the image was her skateboard. "I'll be back before the party starts, I promise." She kissed me on the cheek. "I love you!" She ran out of the house, like Cinderella, running from the prince.

Little did I know, she was running to her prince.