Bruises in Miniature Form

When Omar and I arrived home I noticed all the lights off a well as a locked front door so my best guess was that Max had left.
I locked the front door behind us as Omar skipped into the kitchen to get a snack.
A thought suddenly occurred to me that almost bowled me over, why hadn’t I thought of this before?

“Hey Omar, why is Max always over here with Rick instead of his own parents. I mean I heard they’re always working and hardly home but why not go with them? And why stay at Ricks?”
He looked up from the fridge with a stern face, his eyes narrowed as they landed on me and I guess that might have been something wrong to say?
“Newton -“ he started but stopped to inhale deeply, “I cannot possibly tell you those things but...”
“That’s why he doesn’t like me or something?” I concluded.
“No, no, that’s just. It’s a whole different world with Max and he doesn’t really see you in it yet”
“I don’t think I want that yet in there, he made his choice, right?”

Sighing he raked his fingers down his face and pushed the fridge door shut, leaning on his feet to stare straight ahead.
Whirling on his feet he passed me as he heard a door open and close again, moving to check on who had come in.
I followed after him noticing a drenching wet black haired Max shaking off his coat as he cussed heavily under his bed.
His blue eyes were narrowed at the floor as he kicked is shoes across the room almost hitting me in the process.
When I squeaked a little in surprise he looked up at me and frowned heavily.

“Thought you were out with Daryl” He plainly ignored his friend who greeted him happily.
“Came back home”
“Right, get lost in a mall” He rolled his eyes.
“I didn’t get lost in the mall, some idiot security guard tried to put me in some weird custody thing”
Max barked a short lived laugh and moved up the stairs, “Whatever, I’ve got something in my room for you. Rick told me to keep it till you got back so get your ass moving”
“So I get no hello?” Omar finally managed to squeeze in.
Max glimpsed at his friend for a second, shrugging heavily, “Sorry”
Omar smiled and waved it off, “I have to get going anyway, place nice you two”

After Omar left I ran up to Max’s room, knocking on his door to get his attention before entering.
I still cannot believe this boy got his own room in a house that doesn’t belong to him, he was just so pushy in things and Rick seemed to always give in.
He sat cross legged on his bed sitting in his ripped jeans and studded belts, his usual band t-shirts clinging tightly to his chest.
‘I wonder how many times he`s been mistaken for a girl?’ I mused quietly to myself.

“So where’s this thing Rick wanted you to keep for me?”
He waved a hand in the direction of his computer, blue eyes scanning my face as I turned toward the directed area.
I quickly spot a large box sitting beside the computer tower on the floor, the lid was duck taped on but looked like it had already been peeled off and examined.
Kneeling down on the floor I pulled back the tape again to release the lid, only once glancing back at Max who snorted quietly and pulled out some magazine that he stashed away underneath the mattress.
After the lid was off I realised it was a full set of paints, the ones I had left with my father after moving away with my mother to Rick’s.
Squealing in delight I began shifting through for my photo album I had stuffed in there with everything else, I knew it would hold those cherish memories.

“What’s so great about a box of paint?” Max mused to himself.
“Ah so you did look through it already” I laughed not even caring he was being his usual nosy self.
“Everything here is mine remember” He cheekily answered.
Standing up and placing my hands on my hips I was ready to start a fight with him, “Why don’t you like me Max?”
“Who said I don’t like you?” He shot back now dropping his magazine to his lap.
“Well you’ve made that very clear, haven’t you?”
Shrugging he brushed away his black bangs and smiled innocently, “Well if you followed rules you wouldn’t think I hated you, now would you?”
“Stop answering my question with a question!” I snapped finally catching on to what he was doing as he howled in laughter.
“Seriously Newt, Tea Cup, whatever the hell you wanna be called if you just stayed out of my way life would be so much easier”
“I live here; it’s not as easy as you think to stay out of your way! And besides you have your own house, its right across the damn lawn!!”
Max rolled his beautiful blue eyes and gave me a thumbs up, “Very perceptive of you darling, now if you don’t mind take your box and get out”
“Thought everything belongs to you” I shot back unintentionally.
“Oooh kitten has claws”
“Don’t be juvenile!”

Sauntering over to me I held firm in my spot, clenching my fists and wishing the anger away.
I was taught to always treat others the way I wanted to be treated, to respect my elders yet stand for what I believe in, and to make sure no one walks over me yet never walk over anyone in the process.
How can I show Max that and keep a firm hand in the game, was it even possible to fight back against him without losing?

“Let’s make this fun then, see who loses first”
“What are we playing, no sense in playing a game when there’s nothing determined”
“See who leaves the house first”
“Leaves the house first?”
“Yeah, runs with their tales between their legs back home”
“You never sounded more vindictive then you do right now”
He laughed and rocked on the heels of his feet, “I like games they make things interesting, plus I wanna see how you can hold your own”
“Well explain this game of yours to me so I can actually understand it”
“You’ve got your home with your dad and that Daryl guy; I’ve got my house ‘across the lawn’ as you put it. We see who can handle it all till they run away”
“so your saying we try and push each other out of this house?”
“Why not, we both have places to go and it’s not like Rick and your mom will mind if either one of us suddenly goes to another house”
“You know what Maxwell I agree with you on that, for once I really do. I’ll play your game but I want some rules”
“Name your rules”
“We don’t bring Rick, my mom, Daryl or anyone else in on this. That means no outside help”
“Tea Cup you’re going to need outside help with this, but fine whatever makes you sleep at night”
Again crushing the urge to belt him over the head I rolled my eyes and stepped over to my box of paints, picking it up in my arms to carry back into my room, “When I win, you not only have to leave but you have to start being nice whenever you see me and tell me why you were such an asshole to begin with”
“Fine but when you do lose, and you will, I want to know about that Trent guy”

I stood in shock for a few minutes, that name caught me off guard again until I suddenly remembered him reading my diary the first day he was here.
Agreeing I left his room with my box in hand with a thousand ideas and thoughts running a mile through my mind.
I think Max might be right, Imight need back up for this.