Not Letting Go

Chapter 14

When Max returned, Kate was sitting on the bed, already in her pajamas. This time she had low cut cotton shorts. It was not the weather for it, but Max didn't say anything. It was really difficult though not to stare at her slender legs.

She has to be doing this to me on purpose. Come on, Max...get it together.

The brunette forced out a question, "So...movie?"

Kate did not seem to notice Max's flustered state and said, "Actually I thought we could just lay in bed and talk."

Max gulped and replied, "Sure...yeah. That's sounds good."

Kate smiled and slipped into bed and under the covers, but then pulled them back half over herself to let Max in. The brunette felt her cheeks redden, and she paused before turning away and pulling down her jeans, revealing a dark pair of girl's boxer briefs. She went to put them by the bed, next to Kate's bag. As soon as she got near, Kate made a forward jerking motion of her body, as if she was about to try and come in between Max and her bag. She pulled back to remain where she was when the brunette simply tossed the jeans on the floor below the bag's place on a small bedside shelf. Max pretended that she did not notice Kate trying to keep her from her things, but wondered what her friend was protecting. She let it go for now.

Max got in bed, but was not able to look at Kate in her own partially state of undress until the blonde threw the other half of the blanket and sheet over her. When she did look, Max had to look away again under the weight of Kate's loving stare.

"Hey Max..." Kate's expression shifted to aprehension.

"Yeah?"

"So I still had a question that came up in my therapy..."

"Uh huh..."

"Well...she did the hypnosis. It actually worked and I was able to remember a lot more of that day...on the roof."

Max nodded, listening closely.

"So...it was actually pretty amazing. She had me be able to look at some moments in time like pictures and one of those moments I was looking down and across the campus. I didn't notice at the time...but...now I could see almost every face. And-"

"Hold on, Kate," Max said interrupting her. I have to tell you something first before you say anything else. Please?"

"Oh. Okay..."

"Remember that first day you came to my room and I said there was something I was not ready to tell you?"

"Yeah..." Kate had no idea where Max was going with this, but she seemed all too serious and it worried her.

"Well..." Max hesitated.

She may still think I'm crazy, but...now is the time to tell her.

Kate continued to wait nervously for Max to go on.

Max sighed in agitation.

Fuck...just say it...

Then she could hear Chloe. Don't be a chickenshit now, Max!

"Okay," Max began firmer than intended, but at herself, then spilled out, "You saw me didn't you? You saw me and the next moment I was there on the roof. Right?"

Kate's eyes grew large and her mouth opened.

"How..." she began, "How could you know that? How could you know that, Max!? How could you possiblyknow that!?" Her voice grew into almost a frantic shout. Max had never seen her like this. She seemed utterly anxious and confused.