One Fucked Up World

Chapter Seven

Seven

     Anne wanted to watch a film tonight, so I stayed with her. Max and Harry were going out for a drink. I supposed Max was trying to frame Harry as a grown up Tommy. It wouldn't work for sure and I'd see how long it'd take for Max to buy the tickets for us to go back. I'd be patient.

     Max was paid better now by his new job at the hotel. Jennifer hugged Max on his last day. He said she'd almost broken his rips. Jennifer, however, had a way of making Max to attend the church service with her every Sunday. I was surprised that Max didn't complain even after Jennifer got him into the choir team.

     Anne was crying next to me now because we were watching The Notebook. Every one cries watching that. I tried but I couldn't so I pretended to wipe my tears only. Later we chatted. Anne didn't have any fancy things today, it was quite disappointing.

     "He's madly in love with you," I dropped my head on Anne's shoulder, "Just like Noah. Has he told you about us? In Louca, I mean."

     "I think so," Anne replied, "he'd told me what's happened to you. Did you tell Harry about that? I don't think you did."

     "Of course I did," I lied.

     Anne shrugged. "I don't think you like him. Like, I know Harry is a nice person, but he's weird. Quiet and shy and, just weird." I didn't want to say anything about Harry.

     "How did you react when Max told you about us?" I wanted to know.

     "It was on the third date," Anne said slowly like she had difficulty remembering it. I stared at the black screen of the laptop. I tried to picture Max and Anne on it, make it a little film. "We were going to picnic, his idea actually. There were those little puppies with an old lady. They were so adorable and he didn't even want to touch the camera when I asked him to take photos. We sat down later and I asked him. He told me about his dad first, and then his best friend."

     "And?" I asked eagerly. I pictured them sitting under a tree with marshmallows.

     Anne smiled, "I wasn't ready for a complicated guy. So I avoided him the next week. He went to my university and sent me all kind of stuff like chocolate and cakes and plush."

     "He's never told me," I said. "But he doesn't talk me now. Go on."

     "It was upsetting because I missed him," Anne said. "I saw Max one day and he was helping a pregnant woman to get to a hospital. It was a messy day. The woman fell on the floor, screaming. Somebody gave us a drive to the hospital. I saw him and I knew he was not the person he said he's been. And what's really mind fucking was he cried hysterically when he was talking to me in the car. And the driving man kindly gave me cards and maps afterwards, suggesting all sort of rehabs and clinics in the town and told me to make appointments for Max as soon as possible. He is literally the first legal guy I've seen crying."

     After Anne left, I went to bed. I thought about Max crying in the car. It was a difficult night since I couldn't stop picturing a lost, vacant boy on my laptop screen.

   

     Wales and Heaven was a book shop located in the edge of town. There were only a couple of people lived nearby. Quite a spooky place it was. I was getting a cook book for Harry, I had no idea what else to give him.

     The boss was a short, friendly looking man with hooked nose. There were only a few people in the shop, and I was glad that they were not playing opera music. I was trying to pick up the tune of the Christmas song when the chime bell rang roughly. It was Kelly's friends with green hair.