startled!

i got you

a day or two after their sleepover, brooklyn purposefully wanders around the place where she had met max, secretly hoping she would run into again. she did.

it was almost identical to the first time they'd met, max skating, fairly far away, and brooklyn just standing their, staring at her in amazement. max looked up at her, noticing brooklyn- and thankfully, not falling this time.

she grinned, kicked up her board and tucked it underneath her arm, jogging over to brooklyn. "hi," she says when she finally reaches her, out of breath. brooklyn giggles. "hi," she replies, smiling softly at max.

"your really good." brooklyn quietly compliments. "i mean, at skateboarding," she adds, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"thanks." max's smile softens. "do you skate?" 

brooklyn stifles a laugh, her nose scrunching up.

 "no."

"why not?"

brooklyn shrugs.

"ill teach you," max says, not giving brooklyn a decision.

"here, okay, steady your feet," max instructs. "this is scary," brooklyn blurts, staring down at her shoes. "oh, my god, your fine, i got you," max snickers, grabbing both of brooklyns hands in an attempt to calm her.

they  spend the next 15 minutes skateboarding. well, max trying to teach brooklyn to skateboard- brooklyns face reddening everytime max grabbed her hand, or put her hands on her hips to help her.

max finally lets her skate in a straight line by herself, and brooklyn does. almost. she falls, and max scrambles over to her, in a panic. "are you okay?! oh, my gosh, im so sorry!" max kneels beside her.

brooklyn sits up, giggling. "im fine," she reassures, smiling that small, soft smile of hers. "your bleeding," max points out, her eyes dropping to brooklyns, now bleeding elbow. "im fine," brooklyn repeats. max completely ignores this, though, and rushes brooklyn to her houses, despite her complaints.

now, brooklyn was sitting on the edge of max's bed, waiting for max to return. she did, moments after, sitting beside brooklyn. silently- and suddenly, she took brooklyns arm and adjusted it so she had a better view (?) of the scrape, before perfectly placing the bandage over it.

"thanks," brooklyn says, giving max a sheepish smile. "yeah," max smile-smirks.

"what are you doing tomorrow?" brooklyn asks after some silence. "im going to the mall with el," max replies, laying down onto the bed.

"el?" brooklyn repeats, shifting to face max, but still sitting up.

"oh, yeah. youve never met el. shes really cool."

brooklyn is somewhat jealous. she scolds herself for this though. there isn't really anything to be jealous about.

"oh. she sounds cool," brooklyn replies.

"yeah. why dont you come to the mall with us? you can meet el, and- oh yeah, and steve and robin," brooklyn is almost overwhelmed with all these new names.

"okay. i mean, if you dont want me t-" brooklyn starts, but is interrupted. "obviously i want you to come. i just invited you," max scoffs, rolling her eyes as she sits up.

"okay," brooklyn cant help but crack a smile. max smiles at.. her smile.

"okay, cool. uh, we're going at 3. i can.. bike you there if you wanna meet at your house?" max offers, tucking hair behind her ear. "okay, yeah, uh, we can do that," brooklyn is all.. blushy for some reason she doesnt fully understand.

max looks down at her watch. "oh, wow, its already 8:30," she exclaims. "oh shit. oh- god. i gotta go. i was supposed to be home at eight." brooklyn starts, standing up- in a panic,  and max is taken back.

"shit, shit, hes gonna be so mad," brooklyn stressfully runs a hand through her hair. "okay, uhm, ill.. walk you out," max stands up, too, grabbing brooklyns hand.