Can't We Just Start Over?

Part 10

(Max)

I sit down next to an eager Warren. "Maximus!" He yelped at me.

"Hey Warren." I yawn as I pull my notes for science out. I look up at Warren who is staring at me in confusion. "What?"

"Why the fuck are you wearing Nathan's jacket?" I look down realizing that I put it on unconsciously. It still reeked of cigarettes and a hazy cologne. It was intoxicating.

"Um.. we have been hanging out.." Warren's expression shuts down as he looks away. The two of us sit in silence as we wait for the class to start. Victoria stumbled in wearing expensive jeans and a sweater. She looked like shit honestly, there were bags under her eyes. She may be a rich girl but those bags are not Gucci. The girl was clearly hungover. Her gaze rises to me and her frown turned into an even bitchier one.

"Crackfield what the fuck. Give me Nathan's jacket. Why the fuck do you have it?" She demands answers from me.

"Max and Nathan have been hanging out." Warren sternly says as he stares at me with sadness in his eyes. Victoria scoffs and walks to her desk as the bell rang.

After class finally ended, I checked my phone to see if Nathan texted me. He hadn't yet. I was on lunch break for an hour so I decided to walk around a bit. A crowd of people sat in the courtyard and I scanned for Nathan. He wasn't there. I did see Victoria and her slut squad along with the rest of the vortex club. I decided to go see him at his dorm, if he was there.

I knock on his door but he didn't answer. I put my ear up against the door and heard quiet sobs on the other side. I knocked again "Nathan it's me, are you okay? Let me in." After a moment he opened his door. His hair was a mess, his lips were bleeding and his eyes were red and glossed. The boy stood in front of me, shaking. He turned and slumped onto his couch.
(Nathan)
I couldn't breathe. I kept gasping trying to get anything into my lungs. Max walked in and shut the door. She stood still for a moment unable to comprehend the situation. I put my face in my hands. Max slowly walked towards me. "Nathan what's going on?" I inhaled a deep breath that just felt like my lungs were filling with sand.

"My.. my life is hell." I say in reply, my voice squeaking slightly.

"Why do you say that?" Max asks. I look up from my palms and turn to her.

"You don't get it. Everybody is always pushing me... Everyone uses me."

"I may not get your situation, but I'm here for you." Max places her hand on my shoulder. I let out more loud sobs as I fall into her. She holds me tightly.

"Everybody wants to hurt me, I'm like everyone's voodoo doll.." My voice cracked. I shove my face into Max's shoulder, dampening my jacket which she wore. Max smelled of vanilla and nutmeg. I inhaled deeply, the scent reminded me of when I was a young boy. My mother would make hot cocoa on cold fall and winter days using those as ingredients. The warm smooth flavors would sooth my sister and I after a long day. My father would always add some type of alcohol to his which I thought would be disgusting. I inhale again and hold Max's collar to steady myself. Her eyes were clenched shut as I brought my head up to hers. A tear quickly fell from her left eye. I quickly wipe it away with my thumb. "Why are you crying Max?" Her eyes flutter open.

Fuck, her eyes. I swear they were made as gifts from the fabric of the sky. When her eyes scanned my own I swear her eyes were flames. My veins are ice and when she looked at me I felt alive.

(Max)

"I just, I don't want anything to hurt you." I say staring at his gentle yet sculpted features.

"Why?"

"B-because I care about you. I don't want anyone to hurt you."

"I'll break your heart."

"I don't care." Nathan chuckles at that.

"Stop pretending this doesn't terrify you."

"Why should this scare me?"

"I'm a goddamn monster Max." But in reality he wasn't a monster. Not at all. I remember the way he held my hand and kissed me. He's gentle and caring. He has problems but he is not the monster some people see him as. Nathan just needs help. He just needs someone to be there for him.

"All monsters are human Nathan. All humans are monsters. That doesn't change how I feel about you. Plus I like messed up people, I know what I'm dealing with. It's normal and nice people, they scare the hell out of me." Nathan looks up at me with red eyes that made the blue color brighter. He gave me his usual smirk and hesitated before grabbing me and holding me close to him.

"I'm sorry." He mutters. I don't reply, instead I wrap my arms over his back. I don't know what I am getting myself into. Nathan opened up to me, he's shown me a different side of himself. He is completely intoxicating.

After about ten minutes of sitting in an embrace, I reach under his bed. I grasp a bottle of liquor which sat neatly beside others. Nathan watches me as I open it and take in a gulp. The vodka burned and reminded me of that sanitary taste of a doctor or dentist office. My face turned at the taste as it went down my throat. Nathan chuckles and takes the bottle from me. "You're crazy Max."

"Fuck yeah I'm insane." I giggle back. Nathan takes a long swig of the vodka. He squeezes his eyes shut in the process. I look around his room scanning all of the small details I might have missed before. Something catches my eye though. A photo. I stand up to get a closer look of the image that is pinned on his wall above his bed. A selfie. Nathan actually took a selfie of the two of us. I was passed out with my head on his chest. No wonder I don't remember this. It was like both of our photo mediums put together, a selfie but it was still dark. I smile turning back to Nathan who's face was tomato red. "I hella want a copy of that photo." Nathan smirks and nods. I sit back down across from him as he turns on his MP3 player. He didn't listen to the typical rap music that his friends listened to. Instead his music was the singing of whales. I shut my eyes and listen to the mysterious creatures. This must be the only soothing thing he hears. 

(Nathan)

When I was little, I used to believe that love was like a storm. Powerful and passionate. So many of those storms have passed through me, leaving me empty as if all of myself blew away.  But Max, she was the night after a storm. When everything calmed down but it was still cool and brisk. I watch as Maxine sways along to the whale songs. A grin on her face and her blue eyes gently shut. I look to her bag that sits beside her, she has her books and camera. I quietly take the polaroid and snap a picture of her. She jumps at the sound as the image prints. I can't help but smile when her face turns red. I look to my little alarm clock on my bedside table. Class would be starting soon. "Lets get out of here, for the rest of the day." Max just stares at me.

"I can't just ditch my photography class." A light whine to her voice.

"Come on, we won't get in trouble. It'll be fun." Max sighs and pulls out her phone. She dials a number and I sit silently waiting for her.

"Hey Kate, will you please tell Mr. Jefferson I won't be in class? I'm not feeling very well I just need to rest." Max talked with a fake nasal sound to sell her performance. I hear a muffled answer. "Thanks, I can always count on you. See you later." Max hung up and looks back at me.

"So are you coming with?" I ask with a mocking nasal voice she had used. We both laugh and then sit quietly waiting for the main bell. I don't know where the two of us will go but I'll figure it out as I drive.