Bruises in Miniature Form

The next morning Rick and my mother arrived home with happy smiles and laughter all around. Max stayed in my bed sleeping through the day as I offered to help unpack their bags.
Hauling them up the stairs I chatted with my mother about the camping trip, leaving out numerous details but at least letting her know I had fun with the boys.
She giggled and gave me the ‘I told you so” speech once I got to the part about Max and I agreeing to be friends, happy that I was giving the annoying hard headed boy a chance.

“Could you put those into the hamper? I’ll wash them later” She told me as I plucked clothes from her suitcase.
Nodding I tossed the clothes into the laundry basket, closing the lid carelessly once finished.
“I’m so tired” I whined, slumping down onto her bed.
“Why don’t you take a nap then? I think I might have one too” My mother smiled sweetly at me, reminding me of when I was just a little girl.
Curling onto my mother’s bed I moved over to give her room beside me, basking in the silence as she petted my hair.
“I love you Tea Cup. Thank you for putting up with me”
Curling into my mother’s side I looked up at the woman I admired most, “I love you too mum”
“Hey you two, I’m ordering a pizza. Any specifics?” Rick called from the doorway.
“Pepperoni!” My mother shouted just as I called, ‘Hawaiian’
Nodding Rick vanished around the corner, his footsteps falling down the stairs.
“I’m going to go wake up Max” I told my mother as I got up off the bed.
“Alright”

Shuffling down the hall I opened my bedroom door quietly, stumbling back in shock when a pair of lips met my own.
“Dammit Max!” I cried just as he separated from me and pulled me into my own room.
Laughing Max tumbled onto my bed, once more messing with my blankets and sheets.
“You wanted me to kiss you”
Rolling my eyes I crawled onto the bed beside him, “Rick is ordering pizza, and stop stealing kisses”
“Cant. It’s in our agreement” Max held his hands up in defence.
Lying in silence I glanced at Max from the side, watching as he chewed on the ring in his lip.
“I think I’m going to stop making agreements with you” I chuckled.

Max shrugged in his silence and let my mind go back to over working our situation.
Rick arrived shortly after to tell us the pizza was here before vanishing once more.
I couldn’t help but notice that when with Max, everyone else seemed to vanish quickly from my mind as Max began toying with my hair and pressing quick kisses to my lips.
My rumbling stomach didn’t even register as I wound my fingers into his hair, laughing when his fingers tickled my sides.
Max pulled away from my body slowly, his lips formed into a grin as he hovered over me.

“I’m surprised with you Miss Goody-Too-Shoes”
I glared at him for the nickname but decided to pursue the conversation rather than argue, “Surprised about what?”
“Nothing; never mind. Let’s go get food”
Leaping off my bed I trailed after Max quickly, “Just tell me”
“Gosh you’re nosy” Max waved me off, hopping the stairs two at a time.
“Well you make it hard not to be, with all your secrets”
Max turned then, speaking quickly in a hushed voice, “If you want to know something, just ask”
“There’s numerous things I do want to ask, some I just can’t”
“Then don’t complain about it” Max once more brushed me off and hid inside the kitchen.

“Glad to see you two could make it” Rick joked with a raised brow when I entered the kitchen, loading a plate with three slices of pepperoni pizza.
I smiled at him as he handed over a spare plate, “Max didn’t want to get up”
“I’m glad you two are getting along”
“You’re making it all sappy Rick” Max teased, biting into a slice of pepperoni.
“Ah shut up, yah dork,” Rick countered lamely, grinning at the group of us, “Awe, our family is so cute”

Max glanced up from his pizza at the remark, quietly chewing even though he never tore his gaze away from Rick. It stayed that way the rest of the night, Max looking weirdly at Rick while he beamed back.
It was like Max had never heard a comment that considered him family from Rick, even though in many numerous times Rick had treated Max like his own son.
So why was he acting so weird?
Did it mean anything?
Inhaling my food I excused myself, hoping that by leaving the room I wouldn’t be over thinking things. I dialled up Jennifer once in the safety of my room, spilling the details like a gushing teenage girl. Which I was, but you weren’t going to catch me saying that aloud.
Jennifer laughed and kept silent at all the right times, reminding me of what a great friend I had found. One that let me go on and on about details and dramatics, taking care of me as soon as I needed a hug and loving me without an excuse.

“Did you check his place?” She asked me out of the blue.
“Um. Yeah” I confirmed, thinking about the letters I had found.
“Well, what did you find?”
“Just some letters” I told her, looking up at my door as the knob turned.
“What did they say?”
“Uhm,” I watched as Max slid into my room quietly, “Max is here, I gotta go”
“Ask him about them!” was the last thing I heard from Jennifer as I clicked off the phone.
“Jennifer?” He asked as he stood nervously in the middle of my room.
“Mhmmm... what’s wrong?”
Max stopped moving around to meet my stare, “Nothing’s wrong”
“You seemed really bothered at dinner and you were just pacing my room”
“Am I not allowed to pace?” He teased.
“Well, usually when people pace their bothered by something”
Max shrugged quietly and came to sit beside me, taking the phone from my hands to occupy his fingers.
“Okay”
“Okay... You know, this is exactly what I meant earlier. About not being able to ask you things”
Max groaned heavily, breathing the hair out of his face, “Then what do you want to ask me?”
“What’s bothering you” I tried once more.
“I’m just not used to family stuff, can we drop it now?” He hissed through his teeth.

I agreed instantly and began making my bed, trying to tug blankets into place even as Max’s weight kept them pinned down.
Once finished the two of us climbed into my bed without a word to the other. It was strange how easily I began accepting the changes between Max and I.
When before we argued at every moment possible we were now curling up together, a huge change that I was still unsure of.