Bruises in Miniature Form

Max stared down at me as we stood in silence under the street lights, waiting for Omar to finish searching his pockets for his car keys that had mysteriously disappeared.
Ronnie was leant against my back, slumping over my shoulder to imitate a towel. Every now and again he would heave a sigh, but otherwise stayed silent, which was a first for him.

“Fuck!” Omar cursed, slamming his hands against his thighs and looking pitifully at us, “I can’t find them. We’re gonna have to look for them!”
“They’ve got to be somewhere back in the theatre then. I’ll help you find them” I offered, smiling sympathetically as Omar frowned at the concrete floor.
“Noooo, Nettie has to stay with me!” Ronnie whined and curled his long skinny arms around my waist to keep me close.
“Why don’t we go into groups then to look for them? It’ll save time” Trent spoke up, stepping into my view beside Max who stiffened visibly.
“Great idea Trent,” Max replied sharply, reacting faster than any of us expecting by grabbing my wrist and tugging me straight towards him as he began walking away, “I’ll take Newton with me to search inside”
“Max!” I cried as his grip tightened around my wrist.
“Hurry up” He ignored my protests, catching the eye of a few theatre occupants lingering about.
“Max! If you don’t let go this instant, I’m going to-“
“You’ll what? Kick me? Scream?”
“Oh don’t go back to being a dick! I did nothing to set you off!” I recoiled instantly, ripping my arm finally from his tight grip.
Max quietened down somewhat as he stared at me with those pretty blue eyes, “I just want to find the keys so we can go home, that not good enough?”
“It just seems like something…”
“You think I’m jealous?” Max scoffed, jumping to his obvious first thought.
Crossing my arms underneath my chest I leaned onto the balls of my feet and stared him down, “I was going to say, it seems like something more is bothering you. But thanks for bringing Trent into this conversation”
“Guys like him use girls like you” He bit out quickly before turning to scan the crowding room.
“Trent would never use me”But those words didn’t seem believable anymore.

I knew for a fact that Trent would use me, I just never saw the using as something so bad. I enjoyed having Trent’s company, relished in the attention he spared me.
So why should that make Trent a horrible guy? He was only making me smile, making me happy.

“Trent cares about me”
“He doesn’t give a shit about you. Only what you can do for him. Face it, girls like you will never get guys like… that”
My stomach dropped heavily at his words and quickly I spun into action, running from the theatre before tears dropped from my eyes.
Girls like me?
Was I not pretty enough? Or smart enough?
I could protect myself, and to hell with Max if he thought different!!

“Whoa! Nettie!” Ronnie breathed aloud as I ran accidentally into his arms, catching my tears onto his thin black shirt.
“Nettie?” He hummed, “what’s going on?”
“Teresa, you alright?” Trent asked from behind me, his hand coming into contact with my shoulder gently.
“M-M-Max is a jerk!” I hiccupped, biting down on my tongue at how childish I was.
Ronnie sighed from above me and looked over the top of my head, “well so much for the treaty”
“I found the keys!” Omar shouted finally, “Let’s go home and make you some hot chocolate”
“Actually,” I stopped him quickly, “I think I’d like to just spend some time with Trent before he leaves again”

I knew my friends faces had dropped by my words, though I could only concentrate on Trent who smiled sweetly. I knew he was too good to be true, but at least he wanted me.
No matter what Max said! Who was he to talk about guys like Trent?
He wasn’t even honest, nor nice!

“I want to introduce you to my friend Jennifer!” I pulled onto Trent’s hand, lacing our fingers subtly.
“Anything you want” Trent encouraged me.

With that we left my friends behind; left Max behind, in favor of meeting with Jennifer for a surprise visit. I missed her in the time we spent apart and I just knew her and Trent would find good qualities in each other.
Unlike the boys who had been previously informed by Max to hate his guts, I knew Jennifer would make friends easily with Trent. She wouldn’t judge him like the boys did.
It was a long walk that we enjoyed together, flirting, laughing and smiling.
Eventually we both climbed the small steps to Jennifer’s door, knocking lightly until she answered with a whoosh of the hinge.

“Newton!” Jennifer screamed happily, lunging herself onto my body.
“Je-je!” I cried back with a smile tugging my lips.
“I’ve missed you! Don’t you ever leave me that long again!”
“Okay” I agreed.
“whose… this?” She finally noticed Trent.
“This is Trent. Trent, meet Jessica-“
“It’s nice to meet you” Trent smiled politely, shaking her hand like a gentleman.
Jessica nodded back and ushered us into her home, leading us to her bedroom before kicking the door closed, “So how long are you in town, Trent?”
“Awhile” was the answer.

With that we spent the next few hours getting to know each other, or rather Trent and Jennifer did. I just sat quietly on her bedspread, taking in the interesting walls that had suddenly changed to a million pictures of friends and herself.
I spotted a few of us together, grouped closer to her bed, something that put a smile on my face and made me remember the almost awkward kiss when we first met.
It hadn’t even really been that long since we’d known each other but aside from Omar she was definitely my best friend.
Trent eventually brought up dinner and took us back home, talking the whole way about how I finally had a nice friend and should stop hanging out with the boys.
Of course, I was sure he wouldn’t say that after meeting Bryan, for Bryan was a very likable guy. Hell, I even found it difficult back when Max and I were on a rampage.

“You should make more girlfriends here, those guys are just… well, it’s obvious what guys like them want”
That question struck me hard, as it was the exact phrase Max had said in reference to Trent. Now how is it guys can tell what other guys want, yet girls are left in the dark?
“Guys like them?”
“Yeah, guys with tattoos, piercings and that dyed black hair. They’re just some rocker wannabes after a fresh piece of meat”
I couldn’t help but feel insulted, the guys weren’t like that. Or at least not to me.
“They’re not like that. Omar is the sweetest guy, and Bryan is caring and always dependable. Ronnie while he might seem like a jerk is definitely not! He really cares about his friends, and he tries his best to keep people happy. And. And..”
“And?” Trent paused curiously, giving me time with a dull smile.
“Robert is genuine. He’d never use a girl that way, he’d think first!”
“Alright” Trent agreed, though the bobbing of his head made me furious.
“And while Max might be rough around the edges, he is by far a…”
“A what? Sweet guy? Funny? Charming? Oh wait! He must be the nicest thing since chocolate?”
“Why are you getting so rude about this?”
“I’m sorry Teresa, I just worry about you. And I have a feeling that Max’s intentions are not what you make them out to be”
“Well maybe so but they’re my friends, and I’d appreciate you trying to get along with the”
“Anything for you Tea Cup” Trent whispered close to my face, brushing strands of hair away to get closer.

Blush rose upon my cheeks pleasantly, swirling about my butterfly atomic stomach.
He was a sweetheart when he wanted to be, my perfect Trent.
A door slam brought me from these thoughts however and suddenly I was slung over the shoulder of a darkly dressed Max Green. How might you ask?
Apparently he was sick of waiting at the front door for us because he was hungry.
Trent calmly followed after us, making small chat though his voice sounded strained.
I was dumped at the kitchen table seconds later, getting comfortable as the food was served up and everyone began to converse.

“You know, I was thinking, Olivia. Why don’t you and Trent stay here for the rest of your trip, it’s so much for hotels now-a-days”
My eyes lit up as my mother asked this, smiling at the blonde opposite her.
“Yes, that would be a fantastic idea!” Rick added.
“Oh, I’m not sure. I don’t want to be a nuisance” Olivia tried to decline, shooting a look at her plate as she struggled to cut the pork chop.
“Actually, it would be a great idea if you stayed here. It’d give Trent and I a better chance to get to know each other,” Max shocked us as he spoke, “You can take the room I’m staying in, I’ll just stay in the living room”
“Oh Max, you don’t have to do that!”
“Nah, it’s no problem” He grinned, the ring in his lips screaming out the lies I could clearly spot. I decided then I would corner him later that night.
“But I still don’t think it’s a good idea. It’s very kind of you, but we’ll stay at the hotel, really”
“Nonsense Olivia. You have no choice!” My mother continued to try and persuade her friend.
Honestly, I felt bad for Olivia at that moment. She didn’t want to stay, yet everyone was trying to make that choice for her, “Mother, I think it’s up to Mrs. Wilson”
My mother pouted once before the subject was dropped and dinner continued in an almost silence. Eyes darting suspiciously at everyone else, as if daring the topic to come back once more.