Blame

Chapter 26 (Him)

        Dan still had one more destination in mind when he was showing Max around. He refused to tell her where they were going and she kept nagging him.

        "You should know by now, half the fun is the surprise. Watching your face light up is my favorite part." Dan smiled and Max blushed, giving him a playful nudge.

*** ***** ***** ****

        When Dan opened his eyes, he groaned in pain. The light from the window was blinding and he felt like his head would split in two.

        "Dan, you've got to get up. Martin's waiting for us." Kyle yelled out from the doorway. Dan mumbled something incoherently and began slowly getting up. It was nine in the morning, according to the clock on the nightstand. He rubbed his face and slowly looked around. He was still wearing his clothes from last night, the stench from the bar still on him. Oh god, last night, he thought. Spotty memories from the night before began filtering in and he cursed at himself.

        He remembered the girl and he remembered Max and he remembered their fight. It was never going to end, was it?

        "Come on mate." Kyle yelled out again, a little more aggressively and Dan reluctantly got up and began making his way to the shower. 

        Once he somehow brought himself together and finally made it into a cab with Kyle, he turned to his friend and asked what had happened the night before.

        "Mate, you just need to talk to Max probably...," Kyle shook his head and played with his phone.

        "Was it that bad?" Dan didn't want to hear the answer to that question.

        "It's getting old, you know?" Kyle said looking up at his friend and Dan looked away.

        "Where is she by the way?"

        "She left way before us. I guess she didn't want to run into you...," Kyle said and they sat in silence for the remainder of the ride. Dan wished he could remember more from the night before but it was pretty much a blur. But he still felt horrible, physically and emotionally, and he needed to sort things out.

        When they got to the studio, everyone was just about as dead as Dan.

        "Do you feel as bad as you look?" Woody chuckled and Dan rolled his eyes.

        "Look who's talking, mate. You look like a truck ran you over." Dan said, trying to act normal but his eyes scanned the room hungrily, hoping to find Max but she was no where to be found. Soon, Martin came in and barked his orders and they began their working day. 

Every few minutes he would look up and try to spot her behind the glass but she hadn't shown up. He tried to focus on the task at hand and with every fiber in his being he attempted to sing the right chords and coherently sing the verses. It was harder for him than usual. Finally a signaling wave from Martin suggested a break and the boys left the recording room and into the break room. Within minutes Joey walked into the room with a laughing Max right behind him. They were both smiling and chatting quietly about something.

Dan could literally feel his heart beat stop. He got up from the couch but Kyle pulled him right down. He shook his head and whispered, "Don't attack her. You know she doesn't respond well to that." Dan reluctantly agreed and watched their interaction from afar.

"Well good morning gentlemen, how are you?" Joey grinned at them and played with the clipboard on his lap. Dan hardly listened as Joey made conversation with the other band mates and instead he watched Max. She finally looked over and their eyes met. There was so much he wanted to say in that moment, but it's like he was physically unable to.

"How about it, Dan?" Joey turned the conversation towards him and Dan had no earthly idea what they were talking about.

"Uh, sorry. What was that?"

"Ah yes, you're a little out of it today. Had a wild night last night?" Joey chuckled and the tension in the room shifted. Dan cleared his throat and replied, "Hardly wild. Just got out of control, that's all." He looked at Max and pleaded for understanding in her eyes but there was only cold and bitter emptiness.