Maybe You'll Be The One That Saves Me

Ronnie's point of view-

Max was pulling his phone out of the pocket of his skinny jeans. I saw his eyes widen as the phone continued to vibrate before he quickly put it away and turned to me with an almost scared expression on his face.

Who could have possibly have called him that caused him to become so terrified all of a sudden. I didn't have time to ponder over that much as he was soon sitting up. I sat up with him, giving him a confused look. He turned to me, his brilliant green eyes sparkling with some hidden emotion...Sadness? Fear? Regret?

"I-I have to go, Ronnie…I’m sorry…Thanks for everything and letting me stay and taking care of me…” He stammered, getting up but not before I grabbed his arm.

“Please Max, stay with me…I don’t want you going home, just for a day. Stay with me. My dad won’t mind at all…” I reassured him with a gentle smile. I did not want him to go home if home was anything like his nightmare, which judging by how scared he seemed to be when he woke up, it was.

He pulled his arm away. A look of hurt passed my face but I quickly snapped out of it as the door shut behind Max.

I rushed out of the room, after him.

"Max, wait!" I called down the stairs, forgetting my dad was most likely asleep and I'd wake him up with my yelling. Max was my main priority right now.

"I'll call you...?" He said, as he pulled open the door. His phone must have begun to ring again as he was pulling it out.

"I'm coming, dad. I was just at a friend's...I'm sorry, I'm coming home right now..." I heard him sniffle and could tell he was crying again despite the fact he wasn't looking at me.

I heard yelling on the other line..."You come home right now, you pathetic piece of shit. Or I'm going to beat the living daylights out of you! You better not be doing drugs!"

I could barely make out the words, but my fists were automatically clenching, anger coursing through my veins. How dare his father call him that and threaten him?! I wanted to punch him right in his face.

Max finished the call and I gently reached for his hand like I did this morning when he woke up from the nightmare, interlacing our fingers gently.

"Max...please, you can't go back to that hell you call home...You can stay here, with me. I'll take care of you," I offered him a small smile.

He shook his head, letting go of my hand, turning his gaze towards me. Our eyes met. His were swimming with tears again. It seemed like he could do nothing but cry...He really must have been living a nightmare.

"Do you have a phone?"

I nodded and pulled it out, handing it to him. He typed in, what I presumed was his number, before saving it and handing me back my phone.

"Thanks..."

"Call me tonight or something...And thanks again." He said, a small smile appearing on his face.

"It's nothing...I just wish you could stay here...I'll give you a call in an hour just to make sure you're okay." I needed to know he got home safe and if he would be alright though doubt filled my heart, judging by that call he received from who must have been his dad.

I watched as Max left, cursing myself for not going after him. With a heavy sigh and running my hand through my long, black hair, I headed upstairs to try to get some sleep...It was too fucking early. However, I knew I probably wouldn't be able to get much until I was sure Max had been okay...

Adjusting my pillow, I lay down on my back, staring up at the Motley Crue poster on my ceiling...

"Please be alright, Max..." I said to myself, as my eyes slipped shut and before I knew it, the welcoming arms of sleep soon enveloped me...

When I woke up, I was surprised to find the sun slowly sinking in the sky...
What the hell?

And then I glanced at my alarm clock and saw that it was reaching 5PM.

I slept for another eight hours? Man, I must have been tired...But I did like my sleep so...

And then I remember last night's events and my mind wandered over to Max. Shit! I gotta call him, I promised I would in an hour...

My mind and heart both raced, as I desperately hoped he was okay while pressing his name on my phone, and holding it to my ear...It rang for what seemed like forever...and then,

"Ro-Ronnie?" He whimpered.

"Max, Max, I'm so sorry, I forgot to call...I fell asleep and-are you okay? Did your dad..."

"It hurts," he said, letting out a tiny whimpering noise that broke my heart.

"I'm sorry..." I said, at a loss for words...i wondered vaguely how much damage his father had inflicted upon him this time, how many new bruises and cuts he had, how much pain he was in. I didn't want to know, feeling sick. This was all my fault.

"It hurts," he repeated..."R-Ronnie..." he gasps and then I heard shouting.

"You're still crying?! What the hell did I tell you, you disgusting human being!" I heard his father yell and then the phone went dead...