Bruises in Miniature Form

“You two fight like cats and dogs, I just don’t understand it sometimes” My mother smiled pleasantly as she flipped through a catalogue.

“We don’t fight like cats and dogs” Max replied bashfully, turning his head to face the window when she rose an eyebrow in his direction.

“And I’m the Queen of England”

“I don’t get why people use that saying” I sighed and returned to stirring my tea.

“It’s a metaphor,” Max rolled his eyes, “I think...”

“So Max, how did that audition go?” Mom asked him, looking up from her catalogue to give him attention.

“Fine I think, well I’m pretty sure it went great”

“When did you hear about his audition?” I asked my mother; a little stunned that she even knew when I had to bribe it out of him.

“Max told me some time ago,” My mother smiled and looked away to the window of our kitchen, “That also reminds me, your father is picking you up today to spend some time together”

“What time?” I asked suddenly excited.

“Four I believe” She answered as she neatly placed the catalogue on the table and got up to her feet, patting us each on the head as she left.

“Why don’t you live with him anyway?” Max asked me when silence flooded our ears and left us deaf to anything else.

“My father?” I asked lightly, still refusing to look at him as lately his black hair and bright blue eyes made me feel ill to my stomach.

“Who else would I be talking about?” He snapped childishly back.

“He moves around a lot, haven’t we discussed this before?”

“Whatever” He scoffed into his glass of orange juice.

I watched him then when I knew he wasn’t looking and took in whatever detail I could.
He was slim and every now and again I thought he could pass as a girl with his growing hair.
As much as we fought and I wanted to be rid of him I was beginning to get used to his presence and attitude, in fact it was starting to get weird whenever he left the house to go visit Ronnie or his other friends.
Omar had stopped by a few times just to visit me as well as Jennifer who had helped keep me sane while I pondered over my loss of the idiot.
I’d grown attached to arguing with him, to hiding my things and locking my bedroom door the minute I stepped out even if it was to go to the bathroom.
I had become accustomed to his remarks about owning everything in this house and had even begun to let him have his way without notice.
But mark my words; Max Green was not going to win!

“So you’re coming with us today, right?” Max suddenly spoke up, getting up from his seat and dumping his dishes into the sink.

“Coming where?” I questioned.

Laughing Max turned to face me with his back against the counter, “I’ve got to get my suit fitted for the wedding”

“Do you want me coming along?” I raised a curious eyebrow, trying to deduce his hidden agenda.

“Course” He shrugged, “And I think your dad’s coming for the first little bit anyway”

“Yeah, okay then” I relented and got up.

My father picked me up a lot sooner than I was beginning to like, Max had me suspicious and when he climbed into the opposite seat of mine and sent everyone in the car grins.
Even me.

“So you two are getting along now?” Daryl asked from the passenger seat.

I shrugged my response and kept a close eye on Max as we arrived at some wedding outfit place I had never seen before.

“I chose the place” Max answered my silent question, climbing out and holding the door open for me.

Max must be bipolar, that can be the only reason why he’s holding the door open for me.
Walking into the store after the three males I kept my eyes on Max’s back.

“Stop being so suspicious” Max muttered from in front of me.

“How can I not be?” I shot back but smiled nonetheless.

Was he turning a new leaf? Finally choosing to be kind to me?

“I would give you instructions but I’m sure you’d mess them up” Max retorted quickly and effortlessly.

Why does my mind continue to believe there’s some sort of nice Max underneath?
Sighing I heaved myself into a chair as my father spoke to one of the stores clerks before leading Max back into a dressing room.

“You know it’s cute to watch you two flirt” Daryl horrifically giggled out.

My head turned slowly to stare wide eyed at him, “Are you kidding?”

Smiling Daryl leaned back in the seat beside me, “Well I decided to do some snooping of my own ever since you’ve been whining about him. It really is cute how you both secretly like each other”

“I don’t- what do you mean both?”

Raising an eyebrow he answered me plainly, “Most boys are mean to their crushes, it’s how it works”

“Dad wasn’t mean to mom” I muttered and turned away, “And he doesn’t like me, and I don’t like him either”

Laughing Daryl shook his head and let the subject drop, looking over to Max who was looking quite uncomfortable in the black suit, “Maybe different pants would work better?”

Max glanced up and looked back down to the baggy pants with a half shrug, “Probably right”

“We’ll have to pin the jacket back too” My father added and showed us the result, tugging at the back of Max’s coat so it fit him properly, “Okay, we’re just going to pin this down then you can change, Max”

As Daryl and my father went off to talk to the clerk more Max dropped down into the seat beside me, watching me from the corner of my eye.
“Why are you staring at me?”

“I need your help” He ordered without so much of a plea.

“With what?” That was why he was being nice then.

“Can you sing?” He asked suddenly and looked completely at me unabashedly.

“I suppose so, why?”

Running a hand through his hair Max looked over his shoulder at my father and Daryl before turning back to me, “I promised Rick I would play a song at the wedding but the guys bailed yesterday. I was thinking you could sing, make your mom happy and all that”

“Are you suggesting that we work together?” I mused and watched him shrug once more.

“Yes or no”

“Okay” I agreed.

“But if you suck I’m getting someone else” Max rudely added and got back up as my father came over to help take the pins out so he could change.