Sweet Tooth: On My Block

14: thinking things over

^Realized I never added a pic of their apartment, so here's the inspiration^

Maxine sat up in her bed and looked at the clock. She groaned when she saw the time: three o'clock in the morning. She couldn't stop worrying about her feelings for Spooky and Dom. After Nova's questions, she was scared that she didn't even have passion for Dom. Was he just something she was using to get over Spooky?

She pushed aside her bedsheets, careful not to wake sleeping Dom, grabbing her phone as she made her way to the kitchen. After making a cup of tea, she sat down on the couch and opened "contacts," staring at the name "Oscar." 

"Don't pick up," she whispered aloud, though she knew she wasn't really wishing for that.

"Hello?" He answered on the second ring. "Maxine?"

"Hi, I know it's three o'clock, but I couldn't sleep, and I was thinking about things and I wanted to say sorry about Sofia."

"It's okay. She was being a bitch. She gets like that sometimes. I couldn't sleep either. I was thinking things over too."

"So, what's the answer?"

"What do you mean, the answer?"

"Normally you come to a conclusion when you think things over," she explained.

"Oh." After a pause, Maxine heard him flick on a lighter and light a cigarette. "I did come to a conclusion, but...I want to hear yours over first."

"Okay," she agreed. "But you have to listen, and if you don't like it, just forget I ever said it." She waited for his yes, and when he said it, she took a breath. "I decided-I decided that I want to break up with Dom."

"Oh!" He exclaimed, and quickly regretted how eager he sounded. "I'm just surprised, that's all. Why would you want to do that?"

"I wasn't ever really into him." Maxine sighed and took a sip of her tea. 

"Well, since you've told me something personal, I guess I need to as well," Oscar told her. "I came to the conclusion that what I'm doing with Sofia isn't right. And I was lying when I said I didn't like you. Maxine, I've liked you ever since I met you."

Maxine dropped her phone onto her lap. "What?"

"I like you, Maxine. And I don't know why I was denying it. It feels good to finally let it out." She heard him take a puff from his cigarette. "I have to go."

xxx 

Maxine stood up, trying to process what had just happened. But before she could even fully understand everything, she heard someone chuckle from the kitchen and her heart sank when she saw who it was. 

"I can't believe it," Dom said, the hurt he was feeling clear in his expression. "My girlfriend doesn't even like me."

"Dom, I-"

"It's fine, I get it. Spooky's hotter, funnier, better than me. But why did you have to lie to me for over a month, then call another guy to tell him you're going to dump me before you even tell me, and-is that him right there? Did you invite him over?!" 

Maxine followed his gaze out the window, where Oscar's red Impala was parked. Just as she turned back to Dom, the doorbell rang. "Should I-"

"Fine. Open the goddamn door," Dom told her, throwing his hands up.

She sighed and twisted the doorknob, letting Oscar in, though she knew it would be like letting a hurricane into your home. 

His face lit up when he saw Maxine standing there, and he opened his mouth to speak, but shut it quickly upon seeing Dom behind her.

"Did she invite you?" he asked.

"No," Oscar answered quickly. "She didn't even know I was coming."

"Good."

"Look, what's your problem, Dom?"

"My problem? My problem is that my girlfriend called another man while I was sleeping next to her, and told him that she didn't like me in the first place."

"She told you."

"No, she didn't. She wouldn't have said anything if I hadn't overheard your conversation," Dom replied bitterly. 

"I'm so sorry, Dom," Maxine began, but he cut her off.

"Are you really? Because I know that you're secretly glad that it's over. That you don't have to date me anymore." His eyes were watery and he quickly turned away so she couldn't see them.

She didn't know what to say, because he was right. 

"There's no point of me being here. We're through, Maxine," Dom told her, brushing past her without looking her in the eye. He slid on his shoes and slammed the door behind him.

Oscar turned to Maxine, who looked like she might cry, and took her into his arms.

"I'm a horrible person."

"No, you aren't," Oscar insisted. "You're an amazing person who didn't want to hurt someone else's feelings. That's it."

"I'm in someone else's arms feeling bad for myself when I just broke someone's heart."

He sighed and released her. "Maxine. You're the sweetest girl I've ever met. I meant what I said over the phone. I like you, a lot. That's not even a good enough word for what I feel for you." 

"I like you too, Spooky."

"Oscar," he corrected her.

"I don't know," she considered. "You were a big jerk. I don't know if I can call you that yet."

"You're right. I was a big jerk, and I'm sorry. I hurt you, and-"

"It's fine."

"No, it isn't, Maxine. It wasn't okay for me to do that, I took advantage of you." Oscar's regret was written all over his face. "Can you give me another chance?"

"I forgive you." Maxine smiled. "Why did you come clean to me now?"

"Don't know," he shrugged. "I guess I finally decided to come to my senses. And it was worth it." 

Maxine knew she had to seize the moment that she'd been waiting for. 

She stood up on her tiptoes, then flung her arms around his neck and brought her lips to his in a feverish kiss. Though he was surprised, Oscar got over it quickly. His hand on her waist; he pulled her closer to him and brushed back a few strands of hair from her face. As Maxine stepped back to break away from the kiss, his lips met hers again, and she couldn't say no to that.