YOU 1 [Charli D'Amelio]

Chapter 55.

The car ride is awkward, I hold my clothes on my lap and stare out the window waiting to see if Max is going to break the silence that hangs between us. She makes no move to speak so I pull my phone out of my purse. It's off, it must have died last night. I try to turn it on anyway and the screen comes to life. I am relieved to find that I have no new voicemails or texts. The only noise in the car is the light drizzle of rain and the slow screech of the windshield wipers.

"Are you still mad?" She finally asks as ahe pulls onto campus.

"No" I lie. I am not exactly mad, just hurt.

"It sure seems like you are. Don't act like a child."

"Well I am not. I could care less if you want to drop me off so you can go hook up with Molly" the words tumble from my mouth before I can stop them. I hate the way I feel about her and Molly. It makes me sick to my stomach to think of them together. What is it about her anyway? Her pink hair? Her tattoos?

"That's not what I am doing. Not that it is your business anyway." She scoffs.

"Yea, well you jumped to answer your phone when I was about to.. well you know" I mutter. I should have just stayed quiet. I don't want to fight with Max right now. Especially when I don't know when I will see her again. I really wish she wouldn't have dropped Literature. She just pushes my buttons, every single one.

"It isn't like that, Charli." She defends.

"Really Max? It seems like it is to me. I don't really give a crap anyway. I knew it wouldn't last." I finally admit to her and myself. The reason I didn't want to leave her father's house is because I knew once it wasn't just Max and I, it would go back to this. It always does.

"What wouldn't last?"

"This.. us. You being decent to me for once." I don't dare to look at her, that's how she gets me to turn to putty every time.

"So what then? You're going to avoid me for another week? We both know that by this weekend you will be back in my bed." She snaps. My jaw drops open. She surely did not just say that?

"Excuse me?" I shout. I am at a loss for words. No one has ever talked to me the way she has, no one has ever been so disrespectful. Tears brim over my eyes as the car slows to park. Before she can respond, I open the door, grab my things and bolt towards my room. I cut across the soaking grass and curse at myself for not taking the sidewalk, I just need to get as far away from Max as I possibly can. When she said she wants me she meant sexually, I knew this but it hurts to let it soak in.

"Charli!" I hear her call, followed by the sound of her car door slamming. One of Addison's heels drop and clamber to the ground but I keep running, I will get her a new pair.

"Damn it Charli! Stop!" She yells again. I hadn't expected her to follow me. I push myself to run faster, finally I reach my building and run down the hall. By the time I reach my dorm room I am full on sobbing, and yank the door open, slamming it shut behind me. My tears mix with the rain and I furiously wipe my face.

I am frozen in place when I see Chase sitting on my bed. Oh god, not now. Max will be crashing through the door any second.

"Charli, what is wrong? Where have you been?" He gets up and rushes towards me. He tires to cup my cheek in his hand but I turn my head. Pain flashes in his eyes as if he is asking why I am turning away from his touch.

"It's..I am so sorry Chase." I cry as Max yanks the door open, the hinges squeak and crack against her pull. Chase's eyes widen and narrow as his gaze meets Max's. He backs away from me with a horrified expression.

Max tosses the high heel that I dropped onto the floor and walks further into the room. She doesn't acknowledge Chase's presence at all.

"I didn't mean that, what I just said." Max steps towards me.