The Loud One

Chapter Two- The Morning after

I sip my tea slowly as I lean against the kitchen counter. My head is pounding as I try to both forget and remember what happened last night.

Max slowly drags herself into the kitchen looking in worse shape than me.

"I'm never drinking again...." She groans moving over to the fridge pulling out a whole box of Hot Pockets that she only keeps for her hangovers.

"Did you have fun last night?" I poke, trying my best to cover up my ranging headache.

She shoves at least 2 Hot Pockets into the microwave, "You definitely had fun last night," She shoots back, my face goes red. I only remember small parts of last night and there's a certain detail that I'm not sure if I want to know or not.

"So what exactly..." I pause still not sure if I want the answer.

Max laughs, "I think you already know what happened if you're that nervous to hear it."

I groan and slide down to the floor of the kitchen, Max sits down with me.

"I'm just trying to remember the guys face because I swear that I know him but... " I pause, I don't know if I'm worried that it was Jack or if it wasn't him.

Max sighs, "As much as I hate to admit it I definitely think you know him..." I give Max a funny look.

"Why do you say it like that?"

"Well I know him too and he would not have let you do what you did if you were a stranger."

I put my hands over my face sighing, I ask, "His name is Jack isn't it?"

Max gives a small laugh, "Sure is, but Dawn how do you know him.." Max trails off with a bit of worry in her voice. Max is one of the strongest people I know, I don't think I have ever seen her be nervous.

"We went to high school together," I look at Max suspiciously, "He was one of my brothers' friends, how do you know him?"

"It looks like the two of you were good friends as well." She shots back raising her eyebrows making me blush even though I can tell that she is avoiding the conversation.

"Come on, how do you know Jack?" I push

Max sighs, "He's not from a good family and well... I guess neither am I but regardless our families don't get along." She pauses looking at me hoping that I will let the conversation die but I just continue to stare at her. "I meet him a couple of years ago before he was sent away, no one knew where he had gone but I guess it was to your school."

"But why would they send him away..." I wonder to myself than return to Max, "...and I know that your dad is strict, but I thought he was still a nice guy."

Max shakes her head, "There's a lot you don't know about both of them. The history between Jack's and my family is crazy and a lot of it is really bad." I try to hide my disappointment, knowing that I really never knew much about Jack at all, "But if it makes you feel better, I've always found Jack to be a good guy beside it all."

"It's just crazy how you think you can know someone so well but in reality, you are missing a huge piece of the picture." Max looks at me with a guilty look but tries to hide it. I have known since I moved in that there was a lot that Max hid from me and it was mostly about her past and family. I've never really pushed her to tell me because it's her business, but I was always aware that I was in the dark. With Jack he always made me feel like I was involved when I wasn't.

"In his defense, I think he really does care about you," I look at Max quizzingly, "I've never seen him immediately try and protect someone as he did for you last night."