The Heart and the Broken

Chapter One

Max's mother was sat on their dark blue couch setting out Chinese food as Max slams the door open and limps into their small house. His brown hair all ruffled and his once bright, brown eyes now panicked and wild.

Without looking up, his mother says as she sets out food on the glass coffee table, "I got your favorite, Maxy! Sweet and Sour chi-"

He cut her off, his voice shaky as he tries to hold back tears, "Mom." She goes to look at him and sees the state that he is in. His yellow, long-sleeved sweatshirt and light blue skinny jeans now covered in dirt and specks blood.

"Oh my god!" She shrieks. The tears he once was trying to hold back begin to roll down his face as his mother rushes forward to embrace him. She questions in a panic, "What in hell happened?"

Max didn't answer. He just fell to the ground--worn out and in pain.

"Honey. I'm so sorry," she says to him. His mother puts an arm under his knees and one on his back and attempts to pick him up bridal style. Her being not that strong of a woman fails to pick him up the first time. On the second try, she manages to to lift him up off the ground, breathing heavily as she carries him over to the couch.

"Don't apologise," he tells her between breathes. "It's not your fault, mom."

"What happened? Who did this?"

"Mom, please. Don't make things worse," he tells his mother. Guilt qashes over her face as she stays quiet, taken aback by his words. He knew how much this was hurting her, but he didn't want anyone to know about the ugly predicament he got stuck in. He interrupted the tense silence "I know that face. I'll be okay mom."

"No you won't!" She screams at the top of her lungs. "Someone is hurting you to the point where you can barely walk! That's not OKAY! How is that OKAY?!"

They were silent for a while. Neither of then knowing what to say. What were either of them supposed to say? Max was too stubborn to get help and his mother was just too exhausted from her 3rd shift job and the stress Max was putting her through. All of the sudden, there was a knock at the door making them both jump.

A male voice could be heard from the other side of the door.  "Hey, Ally? Are you okay? I heard you yelling and I wanted to see if you're alright," worry laced in his voice.

Max's mother sighs, recognising the voice, "Everything's alright, Benny."

Max gave her an amusing look knowing about her huge crush on their brown haired, blue eyed, 27-year-old neighbor.

"Are you sure? May I come in?" Benny responds with a worried tone.

Max looks at her with an encouraging smile, "Let him in, mom."

"Can you make it up the stairs on your own?" She asks, worried that he might hurt himself going up

"Yeah. I'll be fine. Just invite your boyfriend in."

"Not my boyfriend," Ally retorts as she helps Max up. "Now go take a shower, eat your food, and rest, kiddo. I love you." She stands on her toes to give him a gentle hug so she doesn't hurt him.

"Love you, too, Mimsey."

//Edited\\