What Comes Next

Chapter 20: Antoinelle

Chapter 20: Antoinelle

Have you ever felt so emotionally and physically drained in your entire life? Did it feel like there was a dead weight inside of you? What measures would you go to in order to get rid of it? Is there-

"Antoinelle?"

I looked up. Ever since I woke up in the hospital (because people overreact when someone faints) I've asked for no visitors. But of course, Max would go and mess up everything exactly when I'm feeling on edge.

"You have that look about you..." He stared at me, concerned. I raised an eyebrow at him. What could he possibly be alluding to? "Look Max, it's not like I'm gonna go back to where I was before everything."

Max pulled up a chair, the back facing me, and rested his hands on the top. "Oh, you mean before Lucas? Or do you mean your father? Oh, maybe it was the last reason you got landed in the hospital."

I glared at him. Sometimes, I loved Max but 85% of the time he was super annoying. Like, throw him off the roof of the Empire State Building (which had an amazing view) annoying. "Max, don't bring that up. I'm perfectly fine now. It's been years since..."

Max leaned forward, listening for more. "Years since what, huh? Aw, don't be such a big chicken now. Or could you possibly not even be a chicken when you used to despise it?"

"It's not that I despised chicken!" I half-shouted. I lowered my head from embarrassment. "It's just that I didn't eat it."

Max made a noise of disbelief. "Or eat anything for that matter." I frowned. I thought we were over it. This was way too much stress. I just wanted to go home.

"Max, are you going to take me home or not?"

"Not." I was surprised at the answer, and a little hurt. I stood up. "I know you might be upset with me but-" I stopped when I saw Max chuckling. He was just joking. Well, two could play at that game. I started walking out the door, pausing to ask, "Did you already check me out?" I got a questioning look and a nod in response. I smirked and kept on walking.

By time I had reached the elevator I heard Max's footsteps behind me. "Where are you going?" he said after we had stepped inside. I looked at him innocently. "Home. I need to hurry since I'm walking so if you don't mind..." I walked out the elevator's open doors, waving goodbye to the front desk lady.

I felt a gust of cool air hit me as soon as I stepped foot outside. It was freezing! How could I forget it was winter!

Someone was chuckling at me. "Cold?" Max asked. I took the jacket he held out for me and marched over the only beat up Honda civic in the lot. Darn rich people and the rich doctors who take care of them. Then again, I'd be darning myself if I count all the money I have access to... No, that money doesn't count. I will never take money from my father, no matter how much he won't miss it.

Once inside the car, Max cranked up the heat. I smiled apologetically and thankfully at him. He smiled back at me. I counted the cars on the way back to my condo. Red, silver, gray, blue, black, gray, Leo... I jumped, shocked at the thought. Max turned to me for a moment. "Are you okay?"

"Look at the road!" I shouted at him, clutching the seat as Max swerved around a car. I panted with relief while Max laughed. I faced him. "You think that was funny?!"

Max stopped laughing and stopped the truck. We were at the condos. "You know it's not funny to me." I stopped breathing as I remembered that Max too had his own issues. His parents divorced when he was younger and his older brother had died in a car accident. Max saw my look and opened his arms out for a hug. I fell right into it.