In Too Deep

The first editorial meeting with Jackie back was… tense. And awkward. And overall just very unpleasant. There was an aura of discomfort as the staff sat in a circle in the newspaper room.

“So, moving on to the commentary section,” Jackie prompted. Max said nothing, just looked at the floor and sighed. Jackie narrowed her eyes. “Leopold, I’m talking to you.”

He glanced up. “Pass.”

The entire room stared at him. Jackie folded her arms across her chest. “You… pass?”

“Yup,” Max said, making a popping noise at the end of the word.

Alex, back to his position of executive editor, saw that Jackie was about to explode from anger and tried to take over. “Er… Max, you’re the commentary editor. You can’t pass.”

Max looked at him. “Well, the newspaper’s going to hell, anyway. What does it really matter?”

“What is wrong with you?” Jackie yelled, standing up from her seat.

“Seriously, guys, chill,” Jeffrey said calmly.

Max ignored him and stood up too, but didn’t face Jackie. “I don’t like our editor. I don’t think she deserves her position. I think she’s ruining the paper.”

“Max, you know that’s not true,” Alex said.

“It is true,” Max retaliated. “And if she’s staying, I’m leaving.”

He pushed his chair aside and made for the exit. As he was shutting the door, he was startled to find Jackie right behind him. She grabbed him by the arm and steered him around the corner so they weren’t right outside the newspaper room.

Max pulled away. “Don’t touch me!”

“Listen,” Jackie said, her tone deadly. “Your hatred for me and my hatred for you is personal. Don’t get the newspaper involved.”

Max groaned loudly and hit the wall in frustration. Jackie stepped back in shock. “You don’t know how much I can’t stand being around you,” he said through gritted teeth. “It’s different now. Everything’s different now.”

“Care to elaborate?” Jackie asked, annoyed. “Because you’re not really making any sense!”

“You give up,” Max said simply. “You always give up. You don’t try to do anything. You always play it safe.”

“That wasn’t any clearer,” Jackie said shortly.

Max looked her in the eye and spoke slowly. “I… fucking… want… you.”

Jackie stared at him, mouth open. “Oh.”

“Clear enough for you?” he asked harshly, leaning his forehead against the wall and sighing.

“I…” Jackie began, not knowing what to say.

“You freak me out,” Max said, saving her from speaking. “You’re fucking crazy. And even though you blatantly rejected me in Paris, I can’t help but want you.”

“I thought it was the vodka…” Jackie choked out.

Max was still facing the wall as he said, “God, I was angry. I said something stupid and completely untrue.”

Neither one said a single word for several minutes. Finally, Jackie took a step forward and tapped Max on the shoulder. “What?” he grumbled.

“Why did you start dating Catie so soon after I left?” Jackie asked softly, leaning against the wall and looking up at him.

Max still spoke to the wall. “I needed a distraction,” he said, sounding muffled.

“Why didn’t you tell me about her in Paris?”

He finally turned his head to look at her. “Then you wouldn’t have kissed me at all.”

Jackie couldn’t help it. She hated him, but she wanted him. Separated by only a few inches, they began to close the gap between their faces.