Not Letting Go

Chapter 9

Max awoke with start, bumping into the side of her bed.

"-the fu..." she groaned and squinted around confused, realizing she was on the floor. The memory of last night began to come back to Max.

Kate...

"Kate?", She called out uncertainly. Then again, with even less confidence, "Kate?" She was answered by silence. Max sighed in defeat and drooped her head down.

She let herself fall back into the blanket. After taking a deep breath in, the brunette rolled around with blanket around herself until she faced the ceiling. She paused a moment in thought before bringing the blanket back to her face and inhaled again.

Kate? Yes...she was here...she was laying with me lastnight...wait...how do I know that? I know her smell? I do, I do know her smell...ah man, I'm such a creeper...

Max took in another breath from the blanket.

I don't care she thought to no one and smiled, but it faded remembering Kate wasn't here.

Might as well get things started.

She forced herself to stand up. Using the bed to assist her wobbly stance, she glanced at the bed, then away, but back again when she realized she saw a piece of paper there. She snatched it up and read.

Hey Max! I'm sorry I had to go but I had so much fun with our first open ended sleep over. Maybe let's make it to the bed next time.

(there was a wink right after that and Max blushed even by herself as she continued)

I had to get to church, but I will come back after that and after I take care of Alice and a few other things, so please stay. I want to be there before your parents come. I will text you. Have a wonderful morning, Max!

-Katie

The dot in the "i" of "Katie" was a heart, a very tiny heart, but a heart.

Max read the note again a couple more times before putting it in a drawer. The paper almost felt sacred, because Kate wrote it for her, so she felt the need to keep it safe. Putting it in a photo album would be going too far, Max thought, but she actually wanted to, and was only stopping herself in case Kate somehow found it.

Maybe someday...no, I need to focus...

Max started to change into her clothes for the day to leave as soon as possible so that she would be back before Kate returned, but she decided to take a shower. In the back of her mind, she knew she was doing it for Kate, to smell nice for her, or at least not be smelly.

Once done, she quickly put on a pair of blue jeans and a black band t-shirt. Slipping her bag's strap over her shoulder, Max headed out the door and made her way to the bus stop once again. The next one arrived a few minutes later and she spent the ride listening to music from her phone's earbuds. She played Sufjan Steven's To be Alone with You on repeat most of the way.

Once she reached her destination, the brunette got out, but did not walk away from the bus stop. Max held an arm with the other hand and slightly twisted back and forth. She wished Kate was with her, but knew she could not do what she needed to do if her friend was here. Taking a deep breath, she pushed herself the rest of the way to Chloe's house once again.