back [madwheeler]

chapter ten

(SORRY AGAIN this took foREVER i was procrastinating then i got sick and exams and other testing is coming up too soon, i'll try posting as much as i can)

"speak of the devil,"

max turned around to face whoever entered he diner. max's head quickly turned back around when she saw who came in. standing at the door was mike who was looking hopefully around the restaurant. "shit, shit, shit," max said turning around trying her best to bury her face in her hands praying mike wouldn't notice her. her eyes shifted to steve who was silently laughing at her, "hmmm, wonder who he's looking for," steve joked, "maybe i should help him," max gave him a death stare hoping he was just joking.

she then heard mike talking to steve, asking for her whereabouts. he still sounded far away, so he obviously didn't notice her. she looked up to see steve who was pointing down at her, his eyebrows raising up and down, in a suggestive manner, "steve, steve i swear to go- i hate you, i hate you so much, steve please stop," but even with all of max's begging it was to late, "max?" she heard mike say, max, who was still slightly hiding her face with the marks, from mike. "oh my go- thank God your okay i- i mean everyone was so worried max, i-" mike stopped mid-sentence when max looked up at him.

he stared at her bruised face in shock, looking like he couldn't find words, steve knew that this was their time to talk, "i've a- ha- um-work," steve walked away leaving the pair alone at the bar. mike took a seat beside max in silence. "is there something wrong?" max asked, playing dumb, mike rolled his eyes at max putting one hand on the bar, "ugh ya a bit," he said sarcastically gesturing to his face. max closed her eyes in annoyance trying to come up with an excuse, "i fell off my skateboard," she said a matter of faculty, "i call bullshit on that one," he snorted amused, "max..." he said switching to a serious tone.

"it's nothing," max mumbled looking down, "max it's fine, you can tell me," he said moving his hands closer to max's whose were on the bar as-well, "its nothing," she repeated inching away from him, "max... "its nothing wheeler, just drop it!" she said angrily clenching her hands into fists. the pair went silent as max's hands slowly dropped into her lap. the kids faced the wall infront of them finding the menu very interesting. "you know your brothers a dick," he mumbled quietly. max didn't speak. "and you dont deserve to be treated like that," max stayed silence once more. "you don't have to say anything you know," max looked down and felt a small smile forming on her face. she looked up and saw mike smiling back at her.

"since when were you so forgiving," she asked lightly, "what do you mean," he asked confused, "you're usually pretty stubborn sometimes, you know with everything that happened last night, i didn't think you would be so calm right now," she confessed. mike tore his eyes away from her, "i don't know, last night everything was just kind of... stupid," he mumbled looking in his lap. max turned her attention to her hands, "sorry for leaving last night," she spoke up.

mike looked back up at her, "i'm sorry about everything last night," he laughed lightly, "i was out of line i- you- um," max's lips began to curl into a smile, "say it wheeler," "i was wrong," he said shaking his head, "mike i- i just don't get it," she spoke up abruptly. mikes smile faded, "what do you mean?" he asked slowly, "it's just- yesterday morning you hated my guts, then you acted like i was your best friend, then you went back to hating me and now your... your not being stubborn," mike looked down as if he was wondering the same thing, "why did you keep everything that was happening away from me?" she questioned looking down.

"max its not you," he said, "i just, i guess i thought having less people know would be better, i just- ugh with everything that happened last year i thought it would just, i don't know, i just thought it would not have  to be involved in every conversation," he paused for a moment, "i guess i'm just scared," he said honestly, max felt incredibly guilty, not for getting mad at him for not telling her, but because she was keeping something huge away from him as well, "max? max...hello?" max snapped out of her thoughts when she saw mike waving his hands in front of her face, "sorry, sorry i just-"