The Sun Always Sets in Paradise

I sat up and hugged my knees to my chest. My whole body ached for touch but my mind made me shy away from it. I wanted Max to take ahold of my face and capture my mouth with his.

But I shuddered at the thought of being touched. It was different when it was in the heat of the moment, like earlier. But now that I have time to dwell on it, well, the thought didn't quite settle with me.

Maxim cleared his throat, capturing my attention. I looked at him patiently.

"Umm... That was Ellie. She told me that she was going to come pick you up and meet me at the theater but I had told her that I would get you. Okay?" Max nervously looked at me.

I shrugged my shoulders. "Okay."

Maxim stared at me for a moment longer so I just stood up and offered my hand to him. The fear of being touched suddenly tightened my throat but I ignored it so i could act as if everything was fine.
Luckily for me, Max waved away my hand and stood easily and gracefully from the ground.

For a fleeting moment, I wished to see what his body looked like. I squeezed my eyes quickly shut to block out the thought before following Maxim to his car.

*^*^*^*^*

The movie had been fairly boring to me. But then again, I let Ellie pick it out and she chose some silly drama that was completely pointless. I sighed heavily as I followed Maxim and Ellie out of the theater.

The fall weather bit my face as the temperature began to drop for coming winter. I shivered before pulling my hoodie closer to my body. I sighed again. Max was listening to Ellie as she chattered on about something her cousin did last year.

I rolled my eyes, letting my thoughts drift. I began to think of how I acted in the theater. I had refused to sit near Max or Ellie. I didn't want to be in any close vicinity of anyone at the moment.
I just wanted to keep to myself.

"Dez!"

I snapped my head up from where I was watching my feet move with every step. Ellie and Max were about ten feet ahead of me and Ellie was staring at me with slight annoyance.

"Dezzy, what's wrong? You've been acting weird all night." She crossed her arms impatiently.

"Oh, sorry. It's nothing. I just... I've just been thinking about my dad." False. I keeping to myself. No one in, no one out kind of deal.

"You're dad?" Ellie raise her eyebrow at me.

I was now standing in front of Max and Ellie, contemplating on whether or not I should continue walking.

"Where are we going?" I asked, avoiding her question.

"We had agreed on going to Classic Pizza being that it's just a few blocks from the theater. You knew that." Ellie gave me a baffled look. "You are so out of it. You weren't earlier today."

I shrugged my shoulders. "Mood swings, I guess."

"I guess." Ellie agreed quietly.

Maxim just stood by, watching me the entire time. There was this look in his eyes when I met his scrutinizing stare but he turned his attention to the road before I could decipher it.

A car was driving slowly by. It's windows were severely tinted; obviously passed the legal limit. Maxim watched it carefully even as it was driving away. That unnerved me.

Ellie was oblivious, though. "So... We're still going, right?"

Maxim nodded.

We continued walking.

*^*^*^*^*

I sat, quietly, in the booth on the side opposite of Ellie and Max. Ellie was sitting precariously close to Max but he was politely ignoring her at the moment. Silence was prominent at our table as Ellie looked at the menu, I studied the checkered tablecloth, and Maxim looked thoughtfully at me.

I met his grey eyes for the second time since we had been in the restaurant. Again, Max gave me a heart-melting half smile. I looked down at the tablecloth again, trying to ignore him.

Stop it! I yelled at him in my head. Ellie is sitting right there! She likes you. I don't want her thinking that I like you when you keep making me want to blush!

Max obviously didn't hear me so he just kept watching me with those gorgeous, bright, stormy-grey eyes of his.

I sighed heavily. "Find anything that we would all like?" I whispered to Ellie before resting my cheek against the table.

Ellie looked at me. "Just regular pepperoni pizza sound fine?"

"Yea." I agreed.

"Sure." Max added brightly.

"Okay, that and breadsticks." Ellie put down the menu and looked impatiently for the waitress. "Our waitress it Kelly Hackey. She's such a whore. Probably getting banged in the back room..."

I started laughing at Ellie when she said that.

"You don't like only because she managed to ask that boy to the small middle school dance in 6th grade before you could!"

Ellie childishly crossed her arms and humorously stuck her tongue out at me.

I was about to say something to Ellie when the waitress interrupted my thoughts.

"What can I get you today?" A simple blonde-haired girl looked down at us in annoyance. She was covered in dough flour and had her hair in a messy braid but she was still attractive to some degree.

"We'll have the large pepperoni pizza on a regular crust with extra cheese and breadsticks. Thanks." Ellie sassily handed the girl the menu.

The girl took it without another word and I kind of felt bad for her.

"Oh my go-" Ellie started.

"Stop." I cut her off. "Be nice."

Ellie stared at me for a second with quiet fury but it soon subsided into shame. "Was I realy getting bad?" She asked without even considering that Max was still sitting next her. "I hate it when I really start ot become a complete drama bitch..."

I smiled softly. "It's okay. Everyone has their moments."

"I can tell that you ladies are close enough to be the point of sisters." Max commented.

Ellie laughed lightly, "Yea, I don't know what I'd do without her."

I felt bad. I was starting to push her away again. She could live without me, I knew, but it would be hard for her.

*^*^*^*^*

Night was now upon us as we walked back to the vehicles. Ellie skipped the remaining feet to her car. "Desiree, are you riding with me?"

"Oh I had told her that I would take her home when I had picked her up." Maxim said, cutting me off.
He had actually said no such thing on the ride to the movie theater or even at my house.

I eyed him skeptically, glad for the cover of darkness so that Ellie wouldn't see.

"Oh.. Okay." Ellie sounded slightly disappointed.

I walked up to her and gave her a hug. "I'll text you when I get home."

"Okay."

I pulled away and began walking towards Max's car. However, I elbowed him discreetly, in hopes that he would understand the underlying meaning. Gladly he did. Or somewhat.

Max walked up to Ellie and gave her an awkward hug. "Later."

"Bye." Ellie turned away from him after he release her.

I knew that she would be shouting my ear off later tonight when she was alone.

*^*^*^*^*

Max pulled up into my driveway and shut off the quiet purr coming from the Camaro of his.

I was about to just climb out ad make the agonizing journey to the front door and then eventually to my room. Terror filled me like every time ever since the attacks.

"I'll walk you to your door." Max quietly got out of his vehicle, taking his keys with him.

"I hummed my acknowledgment before accompanying him to the door. Once there, we stood there awkwardly.

"Well, Night." I finally said when I could no longer bare the silence.

"Desiree..." Max caught my hand before I walked fully into my house.
I turned to him.

"I have no problem staying with you. My parents aren't home tonight, anyways. So they won't be wondering where I'm at."

I watched him for a moment. I released the air I hadn't realized that I was holding in.

"Please, will you?" I asked in a very quiet and terrified voice.

Maxim enveloped me in his warm, strong arms. "Of course."