Me & Mine

44. Flight

Max and I don't sleep much that night. We keep ourselves busy with a bottle of champagne, alcohol-fueled conversations and steamy, passionate cuddling. When the first sunrays of morning fall through the window we are both still a little drunk and weirdly energetic. We take a shower together and retreat downstairs to mix last night's champagne into some orange juice.

I raise him my glass as he fills the coffee machine to the brim. He clinks his to mine and smirks. "Here's to the wild ones," he shouts, making sure to wake our friends up in the process. I laugh and feel my head turn lighter and lighter with every breath I take. That is one way to deal with my problems – now, if I could just manage to stay drunk until Amory comes back...

"Here's to the mad ones," Max continues, "the legends and the rebels!"

I smile and clink my glass to his again. "Here's to us!"

Everything is easy with Max. We don't need to talk to know what we're thinking, what we're feeling, what we're needing. He knows something's up with me. I can see it in his eyes, the way he looks at me and kisses me a little longer than he should, a little gentler, a little softer. He slides a fresh cup of coffee over and I sigh in relief. Everything is okay when I'm with him. I can breathe. I can be me. No judgment, no questions asked. I smile and hear the squeaking of our stairs.

And that's the thing with Max and me – we're perfect together, but only when we're alone together. Richie and Harley look like shit that morning. Bags under their eyes, skin pale and terror on their faces. Travis isn't much better off, even though he's the more experienced of the three. Max and I burned our safety nets a long time ago, happy to life on the edge, not caring if our hair would ever turn grey or the times would start to edge away at our skin, as long as we lived. But these three, they need their safety nets. Travis needs a football scholarship, Richie needs good grades, and Harley... She needs to be not like me. I need her to be nothing like me. And yet, here we are.

Goddamnit. I need to get my shit together. It's the only thing I think about in school, the only thing on my mind as the buzz of the alcohol starts to wear off bit by bit. If not for myself or for Amory or for Max, then for her. I can't ruin her too.

At lunch Kane is shooting daggers at me with his eyes. I ignore him for the most part, laughing at Travis and Richie's friendly banter, smiling as Max continues to pull me closer and closer to him. He looks at me with those bright eyes and it sends shivers down my spine. I gasp for air as he slowly lowers his head and brushes his lips against the skin of my neck. Memories of last night start flowing back to me and if he isn't careful he'll end up skipping classes with me to do some extensive cuddling in his freaking car.

But before I can make him an offer I know he won't be able to refuse, a soft voice calls my name from behind me. I turn around slowly and stare in Ann's eyes. Those gorgeous, slightly upturned black eyes. She swallows and gives me back the beige folder I handed her yesterday.

"I'm sorry," she says, smiling lightly. I nod and gesture for her to sit down.

"So am I," I say, my voice hoarse. Ann sits down next to Richie, at the opposite end of the table, and I focus my attention on Max again. He draws me in and kisses me slowly. "When do I get to read it?" He asks, trailing his fingers across my thighs. I smirk and playfully bite his bottom lip. "I'll print you your own copy," my lips just barely touching his. He groans softly, just loud enough for me to hear, and I feel my skin catch fire.

"I have an idea," I whisper, dead set on getting us out of here as soon as I can.

"You two are awfully close today," Kane states abruptly. I close my eyes shortly and sigh. Great timing, as usual. His eyes are cold, his face stoic. "You look like you're still drunk."