Not Good Enough For Truth In Cliche

Sitting In This Room, Playing Russian Roulette

AN: today is Pete Wentz's 40th birthday (the 5th of June, if I happen to post this not on the 5th) and holy shit he's old now I love him still tho

AN: (related to the story) I know Max green would be out of the band bc he goes to rehab and that ETF was on tour butttttttt I really like Max and I wanna keep him in ETF for drama so... He's staying

*flashback*

I tried desperately to hide my tears as Max came up to me. "Babe, what's wrong?" He had just left detention for earlier today.
"Nothing." I put on what I thought was a convincing fake smile.
"Something's wrong. You gotta tell me."
"Nothing." A few more tears slipped from my eyes, despite my best efforts to hold them back.
"Ash, please. I just wanna help."
"The kid... The one that called me a slut today... He fucking, just..." I choked back a sob. "I was just waiting for you, sitting under the tree, like I always am when you're in detention. He threw a punch at me, but I dodged it, but then he got me once good in my shoulder... And I ended up on the ground, and..." I bit my lip until I tasted blood. "My ribs."
Max pulled up the edge of my shirt and inhaled sharply. "Fuck. You're all bruised."
"I know."
"We have to go to the hospital."
"We can't. They'll drug test me, and..."
"They're gonna take you away for rehab." Max realized. "Okay, um, can you walk?"
I tried to stand up, which was a little difficult, but I did it. But the second I tried to take a step, pain ran through my whole body. "No." I said, falling back onto the bench I was sitting on.
"Okay. Wait here, okay? I'll pull the car up, we'll fix you back up at my house."
"Why yours?"
"Cause if Ronnie sees what happened, he's gonna kill the dude."
"Oh."
Max went off to grab his car, and returned within a few minutes. "Hey, I'll carry you." He lifted me up and gently set me down in the passenger side seat. "You okay?" He asked.
I nodded. "Yeah."
He sped off to his house, expertly avoiding the roads with police officers. We got there within five minutes. He carried me inside and set me down on the couch. "I'm gonna grab stuff, okay?"
"Yeah."
He left the room, and came back a few minutes later. He had bandages, water, pain killers, and Doritos. "Hey, drink the water, take an asprin."
I did. "Okay."
"Lift up your shirt, I gotta see how bad it is."
I did, pulling it over my chest. The bruising extended past the band of my bra. "It's not bad." I told him.
"No, it's bad." Max said, looking at the bruising. "Okay, I'm gonna ace wrap your ribs."
"Okay."
He slowly wrapped the bandages around my torso. After he was done, he pulled my shirt down. "You okay?"
"I'm fine."
He wiped away eyeliner and mascara that had gotten onto my cheeks from my crying. "Tired?"
"Yeah." I just wanted to fall asleep. I wanted today to end.
"I'll tell Ronnie you're spending the night, and you can sleep in my bed with me."
"Okay."
Max gently picked me up and carried me upstairs. He set me on his bed. "I'm not gonna go to sleep yet, but I'll stay in here with you. If you need anything and I'm asleep, please just tell me."
"Okay."
He kissed my hair. "Goodnight, baby."
"Night, Max." I closed my eyes.
He quietly played bass guitar, and I was drifting off to the music of his playing.
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"You're good. I like the new songs." I said to Max.
He grinned. "Thanks."
"I'm assuming there's gonna be a tour?"
"Yeah, but we got Warped first. Wanna come to that one, at least? We're just playing the Cali show, it's a special thing."
"Anyone else we know playing?"
"Biersack's band."
"Nice. Gotta catch up with him."
"Also, Vic's gonna be there. My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, you know, normal stuff."
"Any opening bands that we'd know?"
"Yeah, um. Ronnie's band is opening for Black Veil Brides."
"Wow. Proud of him."
"Yeah, me too."
"Yeah."
"Would you come with? Please? I know you've got beef with Craig, but I'll protect you, and I really want you there..." He begged.
I thought. "We'll do Warped, and I'll see how well that goes, and I'll consider tour."
"Yay!" Max swept me up and spun me around.
"What's so exciting?" Monte asked.
"Ash is coming to Warped!"
"Really? Hm, you must be good at convincing."
"Yeah, I am."
"Okay, Max."
"Come on, you guys, let's tell the rest of the band! I gotta get permission to pull her up onstage!"
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*flashback*

"We're not that bad." Ronnie laughed.
"Maybe, maybe not." I grinned.
"We're better then that." Max gestured in the direction of the band onstage.
"Maybe."
"We are!" Ronnie insisted.
"Uh huh." I kissed Max's cheek. "Babe, can I have a blunt?"
"Yeah, sure." Max lit one and handed it to me.
"Thanks." I inhaled.
"Dad would be mad at you." Ronnie said.
"A, he's not here. B, I don't care. C, he'd be even more pissed at you for doing whatever you do, so... You're not telling."
"I fucking hate you."
"I love you too, Ronnie."
"Hey, I thought you loved me!" Max exclaimed with fake anger.
"Awe, babe, I do." I slung my arm around his shoulder.
"Isn't it a school night?" Ronnie asked us.
"Yeah, so?" Max replied.
"You children should go to bed."
"How about no?"
"Ugh, I can tell you wanna be alone. Have fun." Ronnie walked off.
Max laughed. "Finally, we got rid of him."
"Finally."
He kissed the side of my neck. "You're so pretty, it hurts me."
"You're so fucking handsome, it's gonna be the death of me." I tangled my hands in his long hair.
"Always know how to flatter me."
"Of course I do."
He replied by kissing my lips. "I love you."
"I love you." I mumbled, wrapping my arms around his waist. "Never leave me."
"I won't, no matter what."