girlfriends | elmax

IV

"Thanks for walking me home," she smiled, "and also for hanging out with me. I thought it would be super hard to make friends because..." her sentence trailed off.

"Because..?" Max questioned, searching the girls deep brown eyes.

"If I tell you your just gonna think I'm weird, and probably not be my friend anymore." Jane said, not being able to meet the girls eyes.

"Hey..! You can trust me daydreamer." Max smiled, trying to lighten the mood. Jane took a deep breath.

"Basically.. I'm bisexual, which means I like guys.. and girls. And people at my last school didn't like that. So there it is, you can go back to your normal friends if you want, I won't tell anyone we hung out." said the smaller girl, looking away, almost as if she was ashamed. Max's heart started to race again as she squeezed Janes hands, causing the girl to look up and finally meet her eyes.

"Hey.. I don't care who you like, it doesn't matter to me. Also, while we are on the subject I may too get it out of the way.. I'm a fucking lesbian." Max admitted. Jane looked at her wide eyed, before bursting into laughter.

"I won't lie to you, that's a massive relief. Does the party know?" Jane questioned.

"Yeah. Some of them are LQBTQ+ too. Will is gay, Mike is bisexual and Dustin is pan." answered Max.

"What about Lucas?" asked the curious older girl.

"Nah he's straight. Anyways, my point is Jane.." Max stepped a bit closer to the smaller girl, intertwining their fingers further, "Your sexuality doesn't matter to me, it shouldn't matter to anyone, and if someone's made you think different then they are really missing out, because I know I've only known you for a few hours I can tell that your a fucking amazing girl and.." Max noticed the girl blushing, a small smile on her lips, still not being able to meet her eyes. "And I'm going to stop now because I sound stupid." Max chuckled, scratching the back of her neck and looking away.

"No, you don't. I just can't believe how lucky I am to have met you today, it feels like I've known you forever!" Jane reassured the younger girl in-front of her. Max began to blush, meeting Janes eyes one last time. "Gosh she's so perfect" Max thought, feeling those familiar butterflies in her stomach.

"Ok but seriously, my dad's gonna kill me if I don't go inside. See ya tomorrow Maxie!" Jane giggled, turning towards her house. She had a little jump in her step which Max thought was so freaking cute. Max turned to skate home, a warm smile spreading across her lips.

Turning the last corner to her house, she flicked up her board and walked up the driveway and into the house. She closed the door quietly, trying not to make a sound. However, she was a little too loud putting her skateboard away, which causes and angry, drunken Neil to come storming into the hallway, grabbing Max by the collar of her shirt and pinning her against the wall.

"WHERE THE FUCK HAVE YOU BEEN?!" he yelled, spitting in her face. Max squirmed, trying to get out of his grasp but it was no use. She could feel her windpipes straining as she gasped for air.

"At.. park! Please Neil- can't. breathe!" she whispered harshly.

"WHO WITH?! A BOY? IT BETTER NOT BE THAT LUCAS KID OR I SWEAR TO FUCK MAXINE-" Neil continued.

"No.. a girl- my friend. Neil please.." Max begged.

"YOU BETTER NOT BE LYING TO ME MAXINE, IF I FIND OUT YOU WERE WITH THAT BLACK BOY I'LL GO TO HIS HOUSE AND I'LL FUCKING S-" Neil began, before a fist went flying and hit him square in the jaw, causing him to release his grip on Max. The girl turned to see her brother Billy, looking extremely angry.

"DON'T YOU FUCKING TOUCH HER AGAIN YOU PEICE OF SHIT. YOU HEAR ME?! ONE FINGER ON HER AGAIN AND YOUR DEAD, FUCKING DEAD." Billy yelled. Neil opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. He had always argued with Billy, but he had never seen him this angry. He also knew that Billy could easily beat him up, so he just grunted angrily and stormed off to his office. Max and Billy could hear things being smashed, and Max tried to peer round, but Billy ushered her upstairs to her room.

"Come on Max, it's ok." he whispered.

"Thanks Billy." she replied in a hushed tone. When they reached her room, he sat on her bed with her and started flicking through comics to read to Max.

"Hey Billy? Uhm, so you know how it's your 18th birthday soon? Are you gonna leave me here? With him?" she asked nervously. Tears brimmed in her eyes at the thought of living alone with Neil. Billy noticed and pulled her into a hug, shushing her.

"Of course not Max. As soon as I'm 18 I'm fighting for custody of you in court, so I can be your legal guardian. Then we can get Neil out of our lives, or if not atleast far away. We can get a house, apartment, flat, whatever we can afford and start life without him. Don't worry Max, I wouldn't dream of leaving you here with that monster." He answered softly, combing his fingers gently through his sisters hair. Although the party knew Neil was racist, homophobic e.t.c. , they didn't know how bad he was, how violent and addicted to alcohol he was, except for Will. She hadn't opened up to the rest about it because she didn't like showing her soft/vulnerable side with them. She smiled into her brothers jacket.

"Thanks Billy." she whispered,

"It's okay, siblings stick together. Now, which comic?" he asked the redhead.