𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐲 [elmax story]

Chapter 14: Awkward

Inside the warm coffee shop in Times Square, around afternoon, Max, Nate and Jayden were waiting for Jane to arrive. They were discussing school stuff and cracking jokes.
The door opened and Jane walked in, leaving the three of them surprised. She was wearing a full black outfit with chains added on it. She had worn a nice eyeliner and she had piercings on her ear. They weren't expecting to see this sudden change on Jane at all.
"Wow wow, what do we have here?" - Nate asked with a huge smile on his face.
"You look amazing." - Jay added.
Jane put a smirk on and sat down with the guys. Her eyes were fixated on Max as she was staring at Jane, knowing she had mesmerised her.
After ordering warm cups of coffee, the group got in a deep conversation.
"Tell us about yourself, Jane. The only thing we know so far is you have a great sense of fashion." - Jay said.
"Thanks." - she chuckled. - "Um, as y'all know I work as a bartender at the club and I come from Hawkins. My dad lives there, but I decided to move here as a way to earn money and live independently."
"Nice. How'd you meet Max?"
"Oh, she was at the club one night and she got very drunk, so much that I had to send her away with a cab. I bet you remember that day. It was a funny experience, but yeah, after that we started talking and we became good friends."
Jayden looked over at Max which seemed oddly quiet. Max smiled awkwardly and nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, I couldn't control myself that night. Glad you were there."
After saying that, Max smiled flirtatiously at Jane, whom ignored it and looked away. Max frowned and repositioned herself.
"So, Jane. How are you liking Manhattan so far? Is it the life you wanted?" - Nate asked Jane out of curiousity.
"Well, yes and no. I like my job quite a lot, but I deal with stress all the time. I've lost connection with people in my past and I haven't had the time to socialize again. But I don't mind really. I'm used to be on my own."
"I understand."
"What about the three of you, how did you meet?" - Jane asked back.
"Me and Max are friends since we were kids, back in California. Then we decided to come here together."
"Cool."
"As for me, we were friends since the first day of college. Like, we just started talking from nowhere and we became friends quickly." - Jay said.
"Where do you study?" - Nate asked again.
"At New York Institute of Art and Design. I'm in the third year."
"Wow, so you're older than us."
"Yeah."
"So, you've find someone yet or still searching?" - Jay asked with a small smirk and looked at Max who was looking at Jane with a questioned look.
"Um, I'm not really interested in this case." - the brunette responded uncomfortably. - "What do you guys do around here?"
"We just hang out during our free time after school, we eat hotdogs at the center and you know, normal stuff." - Nate shrugged.
Jayden looked over at Max again.
"Why are you being so quiet...?"
"Huh? Oh... my mind isn't here at the moment."
"Where is it then? At the moon? Your friend's over here talking to us... you might as well join in on the conversation, you know?"
"I'm just not feeling well right now. I think it's the coffee." - Max rolled her eyes.
"I see."
"Did you finish reading your comics?" - Jane asked.
"No, not yet. But I'm reading The Avengers now."
"Good. Well, I think we should go. I have to work again tonight."
"Yeah, of course." - Jay nodded and they all stood up, paying and going outside.

  The three friends were walking together, back to their school. Jayden noticed that Max was lost in her thoughts. As what she noticed minutes ago, her mind was telling her something. The blond girl smirked and cleared her throat.
  "Max!" - she half yelled and the other girl startled.
  "Why do you yell?"
  "Today you were so quiet. What's wrong?"
  "...Nothing?!"
  "Nothing, huh?! If you have something to tell us, then go on."
  "What do I have to tell?" - Max asked confused.
  "Since Jane came and until now you didn't say a word." - Nate stated.
  "I wasn't in the mood."
  "Do you really have to say something?" - Jay asked again, with a smirk.
  "What do you mean, Jay?"
  "You tell us." - she chuckled.
  "Did Jane make you feel uncomfortable?" - Nate asked confused.
  "No."
  "You sure?" - Jay continued.
  "Ugh, can you both stop?"
  "Not until you spill the tea."
  "Is there something I don't know yet?" - the boy asked.
  "Maybe...?!"
  "Ugh, you're both annoying!" - Max snapped. - "So you're curious, huh?! Okay fine, yeah, I like her, I really do. And if you found out for who I was talking about on that notebook,"- she pointed at Jayden. - "yeah, it was about her, it wasn't a boy." - the redhead said quickly, leaving her friends surprised.
  "Wow..." - Nate chuckled, still confused.
  "I knew it."
  "Yeah, happy now?!"
  "The way you were looking at her told me so much." - Jay smirked.
  "God! Okay, stop talking about this, I don't feel comfortable."
Max's heart started beating while thinking about what she just said. And it beat even more when she was picturing again Jane's figure with that outfit. She looked hot and that's why Max couldn't speak. Maybe she would be more free to talk if she wouldn't be with her friends, the redhead thought. At least, they were friends, because being more than that, Max wasn't so sure. Jane was a secretive type and impossible to read. But she believed that Jane was a big softie inside, just not ready to show it. She just really liked to talk to her or hang out with her.

When they arrived, Max collapsed on her bed and covered her head with the pillow, not wanting her roommate to tease her after what she said. Jayden understood it and laid down on her bed, not talking. Then Max's phone buzzed. The redhead just sighed and took her head out, unlocking her phone. Jane texted her from Instagram:

jhopper11
U were so quiet today
What's up?

madmax_mayfield
I wasn't in the mood

jhopper11
Oh
I thought u had something
with me

madmax_mayfield
No no
We're ok

jhopper11
Ok
Ur friends are cool

madmax_mayfield
They are lol
Thanks for joining us
today btw
We needed some
company

jhopper11
Me too
And if u want we can
hang around again
Like at the ice skatepark

madmax_mayfield
Why not

jhopper11
Kk
Bye

madmax_mayfield
Bye :)