𝓜𝓪𝔁 ❁

I

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"Max?"

***

The short redhead opened her sparkling blue eyes slowly. She looked next to her and saw the girl shes been crushing on since they met and she ignored her handshake. El looked into her blue eyes and gasped. "Shes awake! Shes alive!" El gave her friend a tight hug before pulling away. The smaller girl winced in pain.

Four kids ran into the room quickly, trying to see their friend as if she would disappear at any second. Mike immediately ran to her side and frantically started apologizing for being such a bitch to her. She held his hand comfortingly and gave him a soft smile. A smile that said everything was okay. That she was okay. He flipped her arm over and ran his fingers over her cuts. The two started at each other, smiling.

Eleven looked at them, pure rage building up in her chest. No wait she wasn't angry. Was she? Oh! No she was jealous. She wasn't jealous because Max was holding Mike's hand. No. She was jealous because Mike was holding Max's hand. Oh how she wished she were holding Max's hand and rubbing her fingers along her cuts. Wait! No that's wrong. Girls can't like girls! Right?

Okay. She was way off. Maybe girls can like girls. Once she walked out of the room, she saw Robin staring at a girl. El decided to sit next to the distracted girl. "Robin?" The older girl looked at her and smiled. "What's up El?"

"Max and Mike were holding hands. Again." Robin gave her a soft, sad smile. "And you're jealous?" El nodded playing with her fingers. "Mike probably just feels bad. It's okay to be jealous. I would be too." The younger burnette shook her head, "no. You don't understand." Robin tilted her head in confusion. That confusion was replaced by realization soon after. "You're jealous of Mike."

***

The whole group in the tiny hospital room became too much for Max. The kids decided to do one at a time. Everyone left, except Mike. He sat down on the little plastic chair next to the hospital bed.

Max finally looked at him, "how did you know?" Mike looked up at her, "know what?" She gave him a look. One that said you know what I'm talking about. He sighed and played with his fingers, "I saw them on the pictures Max." She nodded slowly.

"Why?" The short girl looked at him. "Why what?" Now it was Mike's turn to look at her. "I deserve it." She looked down at her hands and started playing with them. Mike stood up and took her small hands in his, "no. No one deserves pain. Unless you do something horrible. Or your a horrible person. Your dad deserves pain. Neil. They do Max, not you."

Max smiled at him, her tears threatening to fall. "Also I should let you know I took maybe every sharp object that was in your room out. And if you think we're gonna leave you alone your very wrong."

See Max! Your friends do care about you.

Shut up!

The small ginger could feel her face heat up.

***

Will walked into the room and gave her a soft smile. "You look exhausted." He sat in the chair Mike had been sitting in. "The notes, you were-" she cut him off, "no. Will okay. When you and El left I was all alone. I had no one I just wanted to leave, wanted to see Billy. So I wrote notes, would've been shitty if I didn't give you guys some closure, letting you know I loved you and it's not your fault. I tried to do it. I tried two times. The first time I woke up in the hospital second time your brother saved me."

Will was confused by her last statement. "Johnathan saved you," she nodded. "He was visiting Nancy and we were all over Mike's house. Me and Mike had a dumb fight and I left. I went to the quarry and I was gonna jump. Johnathan pulled me back," Will understood. Understood that she wanted to leave.

"But Max, your not alone. You have all of us and El now!" The ginger nodded, "Mike apologized for being a dick." The small boy was shocked. Mike apologizing? What?

***

Lucas. Sweet, sweet Lucas. Oh how she missed his smile. "So your uh gay?" The girl couldn't help but giggle. "I'm sorry Lucas I-" he didn't mind her laughing. A small smile danced across his lips, knowing that's the first time he heard a genuine laugh come out of the girls mouth.

"But um yeah. I'm gay," she was worried he was gonna scream at her. Afraid he was gonna tell everyone. "That's okay. I'm proud of you for telling me." Max smiled at him and laied back.

"Your funeral was supposed to be today."

"Funeral?"

"Yeah. We planned it!"

"Y-you guys?"

"Max," he took her hands in his, "does Neil abuse you?"

The girl pulled her hands away, roughly. She looked away from the darker boy. "Lucas I- no. He's not."

"Max-"

"I think you need to leave Lucas."

"Max please le-"

"Go."

The boy who was once her boyfriend looked at her and frowned. She was too stubborn for her own good. Always helping other people, never helping herself. He walked out, respecting her wishes.

From the corner of her eye she could see someone shaking their head. She knew she disappointed him.

***

"MadMax!"

"Dusty-bun!"

No matter how much Dustin wanted to be mad, he couldn't help but smile. She was alive and here. Talking to him. "We missed you so much. Mike was crying!"

The small redhead smiled, a genuine smile, as she broke into giggles. "Really? I wish I was there."

"It was the funniest! He felt so guilty and he was crying and-"

"But you didn't cry, did you?"

Dustin looked down sheepishly and blushed. "Aw Dusty-bun! You didnt need to cry for little ol' me!" She just loved embarrassing the kid, didn't she?

***

Max was shaking. There were a couple people that wanted to see her. Steve, Nancy, Johnathan, Robin, Joyce, her mom, the police, and...

She walked in. Max could've help but notice the tear streaks on her cheeks. It broke her heart, seeing the girl she loved cry.

It's your fault Max. You made her cry.

I know.

She would've been better off if you didn't make it.

I know.

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Everything will be okay Max.