Unexpected Ways | Madwheeler

Chapter 5.

It was a Saturday evening and Mike was preparing to make himself a late night sandwich, when his phone rang. He cursed as he made his way to retrieve it. "Wheeler residence" he answered monotonously. "Mike..." a small voice on the other end made his stomach drop, scattering all of his previously built up appetite. "Max?" He asked. "Yeah it's m-me... um so Lucas has gone out for the weekend and I.. uh didn't know where to go. But —" Mike could hear her pull the phone away from herself. "Max?" He asked again. "Mhm" she replied. Mike realised that she was having a hard time speaking. "What's wrong?" He questioned more harshly than he intended, he was beginning to worry. "Y-y-you know that favour I wanted in return for tutoring? Well could... could I come over to your's for today?" Max finally managed. Mike didn't know how to respond, there was no one in the house, since Nancy had gone over to Steve's for the night and his parents were at a party which would definitely go on till late. "It's fine if you can't Mike." Max said flatly interrupting Mike's thoughts. "No! No. I mean... yeah sure... you can come over" the boy replied breathlessly. "Thank you." Max whispered before putting the phone down. 

Max arrived within 15 minutes and the sight in which she was in froze Mike to his core. "I fell off my skateboard" Max weakly offered upon seeing Mike's shocked face. "That's not a fucking skateboard Max..." He said in a low voice. "Whatever, could I just get some plasters, please?" Mike nodded, leading her to the kitchen. "Dinosaur plasters?" Max sneered, waving them about. "They're old and they won't cover your injuries Max." Mike said seriously, "you have a cut lip, bruised eye and a swollen left cheek and... and that's all on your face! Christ knows what's underneath your clothing!" Max gagged "wow Wheeler I didn't take you for a pervert as well as a stalker." Mike groaned. "Max this is fucking serious okay?" He yelled. "I know it is!" Max yelled back, her voice choking off into a sob. "I-I just don't know what to do, okay?" Mike fell silent and looked at Max, she looked smaller than ever. On basic impulse he took the shaking girl into a hug. "You can stay here for a while" he muttered into her hair. Max nodded and tiny hands wrapped themselves around Mike's lower waist, who rested his chin on her head.

They stood like that for a moment, allowing Max to relax slightly, until they realised how close they were. Max was the first to spring back, Mike slowly after, in a daze at their intimacy. They smiled at each other awkwardly, with Max's split lip starting to bleed again. The moment however, was short lived as there was a knock on the door causing Max to flinch, "I'll see who it is" Mike said softly, squeezing her arm gently. Max watched nervously as he made his way towards the door.

Another short chapter! But the next one will be long to make up for it :)