Can't We Just Start Over?

Part 13

(Nathan)

It has been almost two weeks since I told Max I loved her. We spend as much time as we can together. Honestly we can sit there for hours and not talk and I still love it. I exhale a cloud of smoke. I sit in my truck, just outside the gate of my families house. Its a large cobblestone and wood structure with many windows scattered throughout. A bright green vine has crept up along the walls, making the terrifying house look more peaceful. There's a dirt road, lined with trees, that leads to it. I sit just outside of the wrought iron fence that surrounds the area of the manor. A shiver runs up my spine and my stomach lurches forward. Trying not to vomit, I take a deep breath before opening up the gate. Max takes my hand in hers. I look back to her and she gives me a soft, sympathetic smile and a light nod. We decided to tell my father that we were together. Honestly I am fucking terrified. Max however, she kept me from running and hiding. We continue to the front door. To the side of the house there are workers who are putting a concrete path to the backyard. I step up and slide the key into the door and open it up.

(Max)

Nathan and I wander through the maze like house to get to his fathers office. The hallways were quiet, you could only hear our shoes clacking against the stone and marble. Nathan knocked on the tall wooden door.

"Enter." A muffled voice came from the room. Nathan took a deep breath and opened the door. At a large desk sat Sean Prescott. He looked tired, he had permanently furrowed brows too. He just had resting bitch face in every sense of the term. He adjusted his thin rimmed glasses before speaking. "Ah, Nathan. What are you doing here?" His voice was raspy and deep, almost demonic.

"Dad, I uh, I wanted you to meet someone." Nathan answered cautiously. Sean looked at me and scanned me, analyzed me.

"Yes, who is this?"

"Her name is Maxine, uh Max."

"Why did you bring her here?"

"Because I love her. I want you to know."

"Nathan," Sean stood from his chair and took a deep breath. "Why? Also, why would you bring such a person to my house?"

"Dad, I wanted you to meet her."

"Well son, I don't have time for this."

"You never fucking have time."

"Out."

Nathan was fuming, I took his hand in mine and led him out of the room before things got too bad. I quietly shut the door before hugging Nathan tightly.

"I'm sorry Max." He croaked out.

"You don't need to be sorry, I don't care what he thinks, I love you."

"I love you."

The boy and I quickly make our way outside, where we see the fresh, wet, concrete. I stop and pull Nathan to it, he knew instantly what went through my mind. He bends down and writes with his fingers "You fucking suck" and "FUCK YOU" I notice him releasing the anger, I start to laugh. Nathan takes my hand again and we sprint wildly to his red truck. Past the gate, Nathan stopped in his tracks. He swung around and picked me up as I laughed. Once he set me down he left a fat kiss on my forehead.

(Nathan)

Max and I get back to my dorm. The small girl plops herself onto the floor with a small binder. I take my jacket off and grab my lap top. We were both falling a day or two behind with schoolwork. Totally worth it. I sit on my couch and start on some bullshit assignment for psychology.

After working for about 20 minutes I look down to Max. She sat with 10, maybe 15 photos in front of her. All from the past few days with her. She was arranging them on blank papers for her binder. After she assembled the project she tossed the light blue binder onto my lap. I start flipping through and looking at each memory my girl captured.

In the first one, I stood, hanging out of one of my windows. I had chewed on my lips all night, they were stained bright red. A morning daze had bubbled around me. The sky was a mix of light blue and greys. I remember thinking how fucking crazy it was that I woke up next to Max Caulfield. She didn't sneak out that morning. I got only one hour of sleep because I couldn't allow myself to skip any damn moment of that euphoria. Max had awkwardly climbed onto my desk to get to the other window. She cautiously held her camera, hoping the shot would be okay. I sleepily smoked a cigarette and watched as Samuel, the janitor, greet the squirrels. He brought a small bag of peanuts, as he does every morning. He's weird, but really kind in a way. He cares about his squirrels.

I slide my fingers gently across the album before looking to the next image.

In the next photo, Chloe and I were walking along the train tracks. We were approaching a tunnel, about a mile from the junk yard where the two girls often went. Chloe was further in front of me, she wore a red and black flannel and her beanie. I walked along with my red jacket. The entrance of the tunnel looked like a mouth open and ready to gulp us up. That day, we were walking in the evening. We were actually going to hang out at the old mill with some other people. Around us were grey and red leaves from fall. I remember thinking about wanting to hold Max's hand, also how I was not going to get any sleep. I didn't.

There were pages of photos, I took my time to analyze all of them. I smiled the whole time. Max sat in front of me, childlike. She waited excitedly for my approval of the pictures. All I had to do was look at her with my wide smile. She really is an artist. I wish she could get noticed for her photography. She will be. Right?

Note:

Sorry I haven't updated!!! I've hit a bit of a writers block.. Leave me some suggestions of what you would like to see, I'll do my best. Thank you for all of the support for this story, it means the world to me. <3