Reintegration program - Elmax

Chapter 31 : Present

Max was woken up by some movements in the bed and someone grumbling of pain. She hardly opened her eyes, trying to remember where she was, before quickly turning her head to Jane. The girl's face was tensed because of pain and she was closing her fist.

- Hey, what's wrong!? asked Max with a concerned tone.

- Nothing, hardly answered Jane, gritting her teeth. I had a startle, I bended but...

- Your ribs, sighed the redhead.

Max sat next to Jane and placed her hand on her forehead.

- Breathe slowly Jane, you're tensing your body, you just make it worse, come on, focus on your breathing.

The redhead began to breathe loudly and calmly with her mouth to encourage Jane to do the same thing while she was caressing her forehead with her thumb. Jane's body began to relax and her breathing was calming down.

- Great, feeling better? smiled Max.

- Uh...kinda, hardly gulped Jane.

The ex-prisoner took support on her left elbow and raised herself with difficulties, feeling her ribs burning.

- Where are you going? frowned Max.

- Smoke, answered Jane with her natural sharp tone.

- Let me help you!

- No! I'm fine. I'm fine, I can do it.

Jane took two deep breaths before grabbing the crutch and pulling her up. The pain was atrocious but she managed to not scream. She slowly limped to the balcony, not looking at the redhead to not meet her eyes having pity for her.

Max pouted and shacked her head in disbelief. Too much pride to let someone else helping her. With her ribs, she didn't know if it was a good idea for Jane to make so much movements, she should take some rest instead! The redhead stood and prepared the breakfast, with the milk boiling, as usual when Jane was here. She joined her outside.

- Hey, said softly the redhead.

- Hey, answered Jane, looking at the landscape and taking a puff.

- You're mad about what happened during the night?

- Dunno.

- Um...I just want you to know that, I don't think you're weak, and crying make you stronger.

- Wrong.

Max gave up, she was too tired to try to convince Jane that it was fine. Instead, she walked to her, wrapped her arms around her, rubbing her shoulder, and placing her head on her shoulder.

- Uh...what you do? frowned Jane.

- I hug you, answered Max.

- I see. Why?

- Um...you don't like?

- I...dunno, maybe...

- Ok, chuckled Max. I stop.

The redhead gave a quick kiss on Jane's cheek before breaking the hug. The ex-prisoner looked at her with a frown but with the beginning of a smile too.

- I've something for you by the way.

- For me?

- Yep, I hope you'll like it, said Max, a bit stressed.

- Of course I will, told Jane.

The ex-prisoner was so curious that she didn't finish her cigarette and followed Max inside. She sat on the couch, watching at all the food, wondering what they were going to eat this morning. She liked the breakfast with Max, they were always lots of things to eat, and Max' company wasn't bad, she was always preparing her a hot chocolate.

Max arrived with two cups of hot chocolates and sat next to Jane. She quickly stood almost forgetting she had something for Jane. When she sat again, she was hiding it behind her back while Jane was drinking her hot chocolate. The redhead took the cup from the other girl's hands and placed it on the coffee table.

- It's by precaution, explained Max, seeing Jane's frown. So, um, it's not perfect, I tried to do it correctly but it was—

- Just show me, Grumpy, cut Jane.

Max pursed her lips and took a deep breath. She didn't know why she was stressing, Jane wasn't the kind to be strict, but she didn't want to disappoint her, she was suffering enough. She held out her present and Jane had an immediate reaction. She wide opened her eyes and mouth and quickly grabbed it.

- Mr.Bear! How!?

- Um, after they arrested you, I picked up every pieces on the ground and brought them back here, explained Max. I just tried to sew it like before but it was a bit damaged at some extremities so it—

- It's perfect, I, I don't know how to thank you! told Jane without stopping looking at her Teddy bear.

- Just say it.

- Thank you! A lot! You saved him! It's, it's the more nice thing someone did for me! I, I, I'll try to make more efforts, to thank you.

- Jane, you already are making some efforts, I can see it, and I'm happy you do, it's great, really!

- It's not enough, I'm a jerk, I know it...

- Your life changed in one second! It's normal that it's hard for you! I mean, when you arrived in jail, you didn't know how it was working, right?

- Um...yeah, it's right, said Jane.

- Here it's the same, you just need some time and...I hope we'll still see each other, even if you can't come to school...confessed Max.

- Um, yeah, why not, it, it sound good.

The two girls looked at each other with a small smile. Jane sank her head in her Teddy bear and took a deep breath. The smell was the same, she couldn't believe what Max did for her, it was meaning more than just a Teddy bear for her.

Max kept eating, lighting on the TV on cartoons and feeding Jane, -who couldn't move a lot-, by giving her some toasts with different jams or her cup of hot chocolate.

They spent the entire day on the couch, Max taking care and helping Jane when she needed. At the end of the day, Joyce passed to see them with the doctor and four teenagers.

- Hey Jane! said Lucas, Dustin, Bev and Melissa.

- What's up? answered the girl.

- Gosh, she didn't missed you! stated the black girl.

Jane pouted and shrugged.

- You're lucky to be alive.

- I know.

The doctor examined Jane, especially her ribs. It was still hurting but the man was optimistic, in two weeks it was over. He left, sure that she was ok, followed by Joyce, reassured to know that Jane was between good hands.

- What have you done all day? frowned Dustin, looking at the coffee table full of food and with two controllers.

- We played, answered Jane. It was cool.

- Yeah, Jane is very bad, chuckled Max.

- My hand is broken!

- I don't think it changes lots of things!

- Ouh, punchline! giggled Bev.

- Don't worry Jane, Max is impossible to beat in video games, we all gave up! told Lucas.

- Speak for yourself! said Dustin. I still wanna kick her ass at Mario Kart!

- Oh no, not Mario Kart, she is too vicious! stated Beverly.

- God, you traumatized Hills! laughed Melissa.

- I have no pity at Mario Kart, joked Max with a serious tone.

The teens stayed a moment talking before cracking and installing Mario Kart. They spent the night playing at it, trying to beat Max but the redhead kept winning, discouraging her friends and satisfying her. Once over, they all left, and Jane and Max went to bed, both joining their dreams.