Ship: mcxmax (violaxmax)
Prompt: “Don’t touch me”
Warnings: Angst, Swearing, Blood mention
Note For the anon that requested this, hope ya enjoy
‘What a sight it was, two teenagers in love. And what a sight it is, to see them crumble and fall. When your mistakes come back to haunt you, you look for a place to hide. What you didn’t know, my dear, those who always stood by you, get scared too.’
Her wrist hurt and her eyes were burning with unshed tears. Footsteps echoed behind her and she knew that he was close, but he had never seemed more faraway. Hair hung in front of her face like a veil, the pain spread through her body like fire. The footsteps neared her and she knew he was behind her, but made no move to turn around and stop. Walking faster hurt her ankle, that didn’t stop her from trying though, because everything was better than here.
His voice shook, because he knew. He knew that there was nothing he could do to make everything better. He knew, yet he tried, again and again.
Gripping her wrist tighter, she walked further. It was unlike her, to run away from her problems. Not this one, she didn’t want to stay and talk it out, she wanted him gone and out of her life. Hopefully never to return.
She stopped walking, no longer feeling the need to run. Now blinded by anger instead of her tears, she turned around. Her shoulders shook with rage and she dug her nails so deep in her palms, that a little blood started dropping from the wound she had created.
He winced, this was not going to end well and he was to blame. She stepped closer to him and for once in his life, he didn’t know what to do.
“You used me! And I was stupid enough to fucking fall for your stupid redemption arc! I was so, so stupid!”
“I know what it looks like, but I swear I love you. I never meant to hur-.”
He cut himself off. That wasn’t true, at the beginning he did mean to hurt her. He had meant to humiliate her. It had been a stupid bet he had made with his friends to mess with her.
“All you have to do is pretend to like her, make her fall in love with you, the tell her it was all fake when she confesses. It will be fun. Show the Willow Creek bitch who rules the district.”
He had laughed at that idea.
“If I have to spend time with her, voluntarily, then I want something from you when I succeed.”
They had laughed at that together, his friends and him. The idea of hurting her was so alluring at the time, especially since they had lost their last game to Willow Creek. This would have been pay back.
She shook her head and turned to walk away from him, till he grabbed her wrist. Her sharp intake of breath, made him drop her hand immediately.
He smiled at her words, because he was truly happy to hear them. In that moment he had completely forgotten about the bet and he was just genuinely happy to know that she loved him back. He had gotten to know sides of her, he never knew even existed. She had shown him her hiding places as a kid, places she had never shown anyone. And he was happy, like he hadn’t been in a long time. However, that moment of bliss didn’t last long. Before he could say it back, he heard his friends laugh from the tree behind them. Panic hit him. The sound of laughter scared Viola so much that she fell of the swing, landing on her wrist. She winced, holding it tightly in her hand as if it was going to help.
“Please, Viola. Give me a chance to explain.”
His voice sounded broken, but she didn’t care. All she wanted right now was to go home and cry herself to sleep. So she shook her head and turned back again to walk away. In panic and feeling desperate, he grabbed her arm, stopping her in her tracks.
“I said, don’t touch me.”
He pulled his hand back, defeat sinking in. But he wasn’t ready to give up, to let her go. Max didn’t know what to do, he wanted to do something so badly. The situation was bad and he had no chance at convincing her, he knew that. But people would do anything if they are desperate enough. He was ready to beg for forgiveness if that was what it took, he would have done anything.
Viola turned towards him before he could do as much as utter a single word. The disappointment and pain was evident on her face.
“I don’t know why, but I feel sorry for you Max. At first I thought that you are the way you are, because of the pressure your father puts on you.”
She laughed through her tears; the sound pierced his skin. Tears welled up in his eyes. Not paying attention to the fire starting in his body, she continued.
“The truth is, Max, you are just who you are. I really hope this was worth it.
“I can’t believe she fell for it.”
Nate put up his hand for a high five, but it was left unanswered. His eyes were fixed on her; the brief surprise in her eyes didn’t go unnoticed. She trusted him, at least used to trust him. Her eyes hardened and fixed on the ground. The laughter was still going and it seemed to grow louder. He offered her his hand to help her up, but she didn’t take it. Instead, she pushed herself up, forgetting her hurt wrist. The pain caused tears to stream down her face. Or maybe it was because of his betrayal. Either way, the pain he felt was indescribable. She managed to get up and walk away without even saying a word or without even glancing at him. He felt his friends pat him on the back and congratulate him on the win, but his eyes were still fixed on her retreating figure. He was frozen for a couple of minutes, and then he ran after her.
“It wasn’t, Viola. I swear, I-I just want to make this right. Please, I love you. Give me another chance.”
She didn’t answer. Turning away from him, she walked away. All he could do was watch, watch her walk away, still gripping her wrist. He felt his breath quiver, suddenly he felt pressure on his chest and not being able to handle it, he fell. He was trying to catch his breath, gasping every now and then. An asthma attack. He hadn’t had one since he was 8, but here he was in the middle of the street on his knees trying to stay alive. He was lucky he still knew how to calm himself and that he always carried his inhaler with him, even though it took him longer than usual. When he finally managed to breathe normally again, he dragged himself to the nearest tree and sat there till dawn. His thoughts a mess and his hands shaking. Everything was a mess, a mess he had created and now was forced to live with.
