We got older | Madwheeler

Conversations happen.

"My sisters and I used to sneak out to this diner a lot" Max quietly informed him, once they slid into a booth. "Reminds me of the one Steve worked at" Mike noted mostly to himself, Max smiled "one of the reasons I chose this place." Mike's eyebrows shot up "always the rule breaker Mayfield" he grinned, the tension slowly breaking away. A pretty waitress approached the teens, not much older than them, a pen and pad ready. "What would you like?" She asked flashing a smile at the pair. Mike returned the gesture with one of his signature smiles, causing the waitress to blush slightly and look in Max's direction. "You look familiar?" She mused tapping her pen. "I uh... used to go to a school here" Max answered vaguely, "the super strict boarding school?" The other girl offered kindly. Max nodded in response, her head hurting. Mike felt the awkwardness and decided to pipe up "we need the energy, so could we have the sweetest thing in here? - besides you of course" this earned a giggle out the waitress who scribbled something down in her pad, glancing at Max she made her way back to the kitchen.

"Must be nice" Max said, as Mike whipped his head back to her. "What?" He asked lips turned in a slight smirk. "Getting pretty privileges" Max sighed cursing herself for even opening her mouth in the first place. Mike shrugged his shoulders "being hot doesn't get you far" he trailed off looking at the snow that was beginning fall outside. He hated winter. Max snorted loudly but decided to drop the subject it had been a rough day and she just wanted to go home, if that even existed.

Only a few minutes had passed when Max spoke up again "thank you, by the way, for coming with me" she said in a small voice. Mike rolled his eyes playfully "I really had no choice since you practically kidnapped me" Max grimaced shrinking further in her seat, "yeah sorry, you just pissed me off" she whispered, her impulsive nature to make stupid decisions hadn't been tamed after all these years. "So what are you gonna tell everyone?" She asked, "you know cause you've been gone for a day, with no notice?" she elaborated, when Mike threw her a puzzled look. The boy sighed running a hand over his face, Max felt herself freeze. "I don't know... I doubt anyone will ask" he stated. Max frowned "not even your parents?" Mike barked out a frustrated laugh "my mom doesn't find the time to get out of her bed adorned with her new toyboys and my dad's never home to care... don't blame him though, I wouldn't wanna be around that mess we call a house." Max shifted "what about Nancy?" Mike looked at her as if she had spoken a foreign language. "College" he supplied, realizing Max wasn't there for the past few years. Max nodded looking down at her hands that were joined on the table.

"So what about your friends? Won't they ask where you've been?" Max didn't know why she pressing further into the issue, she figured she just wanted small talk. "What about your friends Mayfield?" Mike asked instead, it was Max's turn to shrug "I don't have many since I'm starting over and shit, but I'd like to believe Will and Dustin would be curious" she said nervously mentioning their names. Mike hummed in response "not Lucas?" he said half taunting half curious. Max sighed "I don't know" Mike felt uneasy, a pang of guilt hitting him, "I'm sorry for what I said about him and Henrietta" Max cringed wondering why the food was taking so long. "It's fine, he's happy, Henrietta seems nice, I should be happy for them" Mike studied her "but you're not" he confirmed flatly. Max ground her teeth, looking out the window. "It's just... what you said about them dating when they were kids... how long after did Henrietta come into your lives, how long after I'd gone?" Max could feel her nose start to sting, she felt easily replaceable. "Not long after" Mike finally answered "but they started dating after about a year" he continued wanting to give Max the answers she yearned for. "But it's not like that, Lucas did miss you... a lot... we all did!" Max snorted again, causing Mike's chest to clench. "Sure" she mumbled giving him the cue to drop the subject.

The meal was spent in silence as was the walk back to Max's car. When the silence became unbearable Max turned to Mike "you know I can drive back, you don't have to" she offered eyeing her car keys that were wedged in his jean pockets. "It's fine I'll drive... you've had a pretty traumatic -" he stopped himself short, the horrific memory of the guard and her old school boiling to the surface. "It's fine you don't need to talk about it" he quickly added, swinging the car door open for her, who in turn ducked in, avoiding his eyes. "Just don't tell anyone about this" she said quietly once Mike had climbed into the driver's seat. Mike placed a hand on his chest "won't tell a soul" he said. "That'll be easy, since you and I now run in different circles" Max muttered. Unfortunately Mike had heard and was visibly taken aback. "What do you mean?" Max closed her eyes "you know... you're with the popular clichés while I'm hanging around with Dustin, Will, Lucas and Henrietta" Mike raised an eyebrow "so you don't mind being around Lucas and his girlfriend?" "Honestly? I think it's easier than hanging out with you" Max admitted truthfully.

Silence hung heavy in the air. "So then what are you doing hanging with me now?" Mike asked quietly after a while. "I mean at school, it's a different setting, we're different, you're different" Mike clutched the wheel tighter, his knuckle stinging from the wounds. "Jane seems to like you... and the rest of them, except for Britt" Max leant against the window, feeling queasy. "It's not about them not liking me, it's about you Mike" she said cautiously. Mike pursed his lips, looking at the road ahead. "Is this about the kiss?" He asked tentatively, not looking at her. Max felt her insides churn aggressively at the memory. "Yes" she answered shortly. "I was a dick about you... rejecting me" Mike said, a sullen look on his face. "Good, it was a dick move, not every girl has to go all the way with you" Max said, a hint of bitterness in her mouth. "And nor do I want them to" Mike admitted. Max laughed awkwardly "sure Mike, like I really believe that, every girl is obsessed with you" her mind going back to Henrietta's words. "That's not true, you aren't." Mike countered softly. Max froze, her throat squeezing tight. "I know, which is what hurt your precious ego in the first place" she replied with a half smile. Mike stared ahead, "that wasn't the reason, Max" he said in a tone that told Max not to probe further. Instead, she nodded in the dark, positioning her body towards the window hoping to sleep the rest of journey off.

Max was lucky she was tired because she was awoken with a soft tug on her shoulders. "Max this is my house, you sure you can drive back to your's fine?" Max drowsily opened her eyes to face Mike's worried ones. She didn't know Mike was capable of that level of worry for anyone other than El... Jane, until today. Her gaze shifted to his split knuckle that was still lingering on her shoulders. Mike noticed and removed his hands quickly, causing a chill to creep up Max's body. She shook herself, and stretched up nodding in response to his earlier question. "Sure I can take it from here, my house is only a couple minutes away" Mike threw her a small smile and shifted back into the driver's seat, before stepping out the door. Max did the same and they crossed paths at the front of her car. "I'm sorry for dragging you into this shit" she said lamely, not meeting his eyes. "It's cool, it was uh... quite the adventure" Mike said coughing into his hands. The pair looked at each until Mike squeezed her shoulder coyly and turned to go towards his house. Max watched him go a sinking feeling in her chest, she sighed twirling her keys in her fingers and went back to her car. "Home sweet home, it is" she sighed, starting up the ignition. 

I'm back! I'm slowly starting to regain my writing steam and continue all my madwheeler stories haha! Thanks for all the lovely messages and sticking with me!