Max and Lucas: Teens of Heartbreak and Despair
It's been five years since Billy's death.
Max is a senior in highschool now, just like the rest of the party. She's had to deal with Neil Hargrove alone now, and his constant bickering and bitterness. He comes home every night, wasted and smelling of alcohol, eyes bloodshot and dead. Susan usually serves him dinner and stays quiet like a mouse when he starts arguing about the taste. Max doesn't even sit at the table for dinner anymore.
She stays in her room, surrounded by Billy's posters, his clothes and his cigarettes. She has his radio too, and plays all of his favorite songs. Scorpions, Bryan Adams, Metallica hell, even the Talking Heads. She even dresses like him sometimes; denim jeans and denim jackets, all accompanied with aviators and a stoic look on her face. She hardly smiles anymore and everyone that passes her in the school hallways thinks she's always pissed off. Her pale blue green eyes are like ice, glaring hard at anyone who would dare tell her to put down that cigarette. She smokes them because the smell reminds her of Billy. Sometimes it makes her sick to her stomach too but, whatever... Billy loved his Marlboro Reds. So she loved them too.
"You gotta take a break from those things."
She rolls her eyes but isn't mad at being chastised. It's because she knows he doesn't really mean it and it's also because Lucas is the only one who makes her smile anymore. He's a senior too, but they don't share many classes, so she hardly sees him. But he's always sure to check up on his girl every time he gets the chance.
"What took you so long stalker?" she demands though her voice and demeanour are cool.
Lucas sighs, joining her under the bleachers. "Mrs Henson kept us back to review our projects."
"Bitch," Max mutters, putting out the cigarette under her shoe.
Lucas snorts and nods, "Yeah, totally."
He doesn't say anything more, waiting patiently for her to work herself up to it. He knows she hates PDA or whatever, but when she really needs it, she'll be silent for a minute before burying her face in his chest. Losing her brother had made her turn into an angry, depressed mess of a bitch, but he knew deep down that she was trying to break free from those chains. Neil also made it worse, always fighting and yelling at night. Lucas has heard him a couple of times when Max called late at night to just talk... and sometimes cry.
God, he couldn't wait until they got to college.
Couldn't wait to take her back to Cali, away from all of this agony and heartbreak.
"Missed you," she murmurs, finally moving closer and nuzzling at his neck. He wraps her up in his arms, holds her tighter than all the times he's ever held her before and kisses the top of her head.
"I'm right here Maxine. Not going anywhere."
"Promise?"
Her voice is so weak and vulnerable, that it breaks his heart. But at the same time, it ignites a fire within him that's fierce and protective. And it's almost poetic the way he remembers the first time they'd held hands... back in that godforsaken bus, waiting to be eaten alive by those demodogs. He knew he'd protect her then. Those feelings hadn't changed one damn bit.
He strokes her hair gently and nods. "I promise."
