Lazy Note: Hey there, Strangers. So, I've been on tumblr for the past hour reading and looking at a bunch of Life is Strange stuff, and I've noticed how much hate Warren gets. Lots of people find him creepy and annoying, and I just don't see it. He's adorable, yo. I know that's my personal opinion, and if you don't like him I won't force it on you. You don't have to like the Marren ship, but it begs a question: If you don't like Marren, why are you here?
If you are a Marren shipper: Hi. Welcome, come relax. The refreshments are over there right next to the Warren plushies. I hope you enjoy long ( I mean, LONG ) one-shots. Please, grab some pizza.
Anyway, here's my interpretation on the beginning of episode 2 when Max runs into Warren, and how going to the movies would have turned out. So, for the sake of this story, we're going to pretend that Kate DID NOT try and kill herself. Instead, she skipped class and locked herself in her room. She's my angel and I've written too many sad things about her! Let her live, dammit!
Enjoy.
She Could Always Rewind
by
xLazyxWriterx
tap tap tap
Mornings were always cool, whether the sun was out or not. The sun hadn't fully risen yet, but rose enough to cast a golden glow on the earth. Blackwell Academy was unusually quiet, the only sounds being the chirping of birds in the gust of wind. The girls' dorm was mostly covered in shadows due to the surrounding trees, cooling the air even more. There was a light breeze, leaves swirling around in the air and the grass swaying.
tap tap tap
Warren Graham couldn't stand still. He felt fidgety, absentmindedly tapping his foot on the cement walk. He stood by a set of stairs near the dormitories entrance. He tapped his fingers against his side, and looked around at the nature that surrounded the dorms. He reached into his pocket and checked his phone - again - to see that he didn't receive any messages of calls in the last fifty seconds since he last checked.
tap tap tap
He moved over to look around the corner to the entrance of the girls dorms. The door opened, and his heart sank in disappointment when Taylor exited the building, flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder and sitting under a nearby tree. He sighed, and moved back to his original spot, checking his phone. No new messages. He shut it off, and tucked it back into his pocket. He reached his arms up to the sky, stretching. He had woken up a bit earlier than usual due to the throbbing in the left side of his face. It wasn't too bad, but enough to distract him from sleep. Well, and there was Max.
She had messaged him last night with questions on time travel stuff. The very message distracted him from the injuries placed upon him by Nathan Prescott. Intrigued by her request, he had spent a few hours sending her different titles, as well as researching new ones. He wasn't sure where the sudden interest came from, but he wasn't going to complain. He knew his shit when it came to time travel media, and it would be awesome to talk to Max about it.
He heard a door shutting, and peaked over to see Samuel walking over to a bench, a small brown bag in hand. He frowned, and resumed his position. It wasn't like he had been waiting long; he was just anxious. He wanted to ask Max about all the shit that went down yesterday. He didn't like the idea of her getting involved with an asshole like Nathan Prescott, and he wanted to make sure she was okay. When she didn't text him after his tussle with Nathan, he sent her a picture of his newly bruised face after cleaning himself up. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't relieved to hear back from her; it meant she was okay. Plus, she promised to call him and explain everything...even though she didn't, but he couldn't be mad about it. Hell, he was lucky she even messaged him about her time travel homework, or whatever it was.
tap tap tap
His leg was bouncing again, and he noticed. He shifted his weight, trying to control his nerves. She always made him nervous, and he always felt so dumb when he talked to her; his number one reason for always trying to be factual, even if it made him seem like a know-it-all. Brooke always told him he tried too hard, and then she would roll her eyes at him when he denied it.
When Warren felt his pocket vibrate, he almost dropped his phone trying to yank it out. It was Brooke.
"Hey," he said.
"Hey, the Ape marathon starts at 8:00. Target hasn't left yet." Her voice was monotone, yet Warren could detect the slight undertones of annoyance at the last part.
"She's not a target, dude."
"Sure." He could practically hear her eyes rolling. "Are you still going to ask her?" she asked, her tone unchanged.
Warren bit his lip. "Well, yeah. Why wouldn't I?" he asked, scratching at the back of his neck.
"And if she says no?"
"Then...she says no. I can't force her to go." He heard her sigh.
"Are you still going to go if she says no?"
Warren thought for a moment before answering. "I don't know. I guess I could still-."
"It'd be dumb to go by yourself. I'll go with you."
"Oh, uh, okay." Warren was a bit surprised about her forwardness. "I'll let you know. Thanks again for looking the info up for me."
"Yeah. Text me." With that, Brooke hung up. Warren pulled the phone away from his ear, and sighed. He hated when Brooke got like this. He had asked her about the Ape marathon, and she seemed eager to look into it...until he mentioned Max.
Warren frowned. He wasn't dumb; he had always gotten the vibe from Brooke that she was into him, but he was never sure how to go about it. He liked her, yeah, but it wasn't in a romantic way. He considered her to be a good friend, and she - usually - listened to him whenever he talked about Max, a habit he tried to break just in case she really did have a thing for him. Her tone would always change, but she would answer him, nonetheless. She thought his interest in Max was senseless, and she always warned him about showing how he felt about her due to her doubt of Max returning any of the feelings. Part of him wanted to listen to her, and some times he did, but most of the time he couldn't help himself. Sometimes he'd blurt things out to Max without thinking, and it's not like he could rewind and take anything back.
tap tap tap
While in thought, his foot began to tap again. He browsed through his phone, hoping to pass some time. After a couple minutes, he received a text from Brooke: Target has left the building.
Warren tensed, and looked around the corner to see Max walking over to Samuel. A smile pulled at the corner of his lips, and he went back to his spot, attempting to look as casual as possible. He began browsing the apps on his phone to look busy until she came by. It wasn't the most subtle of plans, and he obviously looked like he was waiting for someone - which he was - but that was beside the point.
He could hear her talking to Samuel, but he couldn't make out what was being said. Their conversation didn't last long, and he could hear her coming. His heart rate picked up as he forced his eyes to stay on the screen of his phone. He looked up with a nervous smile when she approached him.
"Warren, what are you doing here?" she asked softly.
"Oh, nothing. Waiting - for a call? I mean, I already took the call..." he said nervously and cleared his throat, "Anyway, I wanted to rap about that action yesterday." Gee, was he smooth or what?
Max smiled, crossing her arms, her head tilted as she looked up at him. "By the way, thank you for stepping in. You were pretty bad ass, Warren. I owe you." Warren chuckled, flattered by the "bad ass" comment, and put his phone in his pocket, ignoring the vibration of a text message.
"Oh yes, you do." he teased lightly. "I got knocked on my ass by that dick. I'm some personal superhero." 'Personal superhero?' Way to sound like an egomaniac, Warren. He shifted his weight, and crossed his arms.
Max nodded. "You're a real 'Everyday Hero.' You stood up to a bully and it was awesome." She folded her hands in front of her, and Warren reached to scratch the back of his neck, raising a brow.
"Even though you left me with said bully and ran off with that girl..." he joked, curiosity of the blue haired chick crossing through his mind. "She's pretty punk rock. How do you know her?"
"An old friend. Chloe Price? We haven't seen each other for a while." Max replied.
"I bet you were glad to see her blast up in that truck like a rock star." he laughed, and remembered what he really wanted to know about yesterday. "Which begs the question - why is Nathan Prescott getting all psycho on you?" His expression turned serious. She looked away from him, frowning.
"He's dangerous." Max looked back at him. "I don't want you to get involved. Lay low; Nathan Prescott is going to get his karma soon." She was serious, and he nodded, deciding to not push the subject any further, for her benefit.
"Weird fucking week." he muttered, "Like that bizarro snowfall yesterday." Warren smiled at her, mentally begging his nerves to calm down, forcing out as casually as he could, "Speaking of dystopia, the drive-in is having a 70's 'Planet of the Apes' marathon. Let's 'Go Ape!'" That didn't sound too dorky, did it?
He watched Max's eyes light up, a wide grin spreading across her face. "Yes, that is exactly what I need. I love those old-school ape films."
He wasn't going to lie, he thought she would have hesitated, but he wasn't complaining. Excitement ran through his veins as he replied cheerfully, "Well, that was easier than I thought." Woah, calm down. He quickly regained his composure. "Cool. I'll text you the info."
Max nodded in agreement, and they said their good-byes. Warren watched her as she walked through the exit. He quickly whipped out his phone, and saw a text from Brooke: So?
With a dumb smile plastered on his face, he replied: She said yes! Thanx
He waited to see if she would reply, but she didn't. A pang of guilt shot through his stomach, and his smile wavered. He hoped that he didn't make Brooke feel bad or anything. She was a nice and smart girl, and they were good friends. The last thing he wanted to do was hurt her feelings; he cared about her...plus, she could kick his ass if she really wanted to, so that was another motivation to not upset her. He winced a bit at the thought, reaching up to touch his healing eye.
Warren stretched once more, trying to get rid of some pent up nervous energy before leaving and heading back to his dorm.
Max sat on the bus heading into town. She had her headphones in her ears, blocking out the chatter of the other students. It was a difficult task to block everyone out; Juliet and Zachary had gotten on the bus, and Juliet was chewing him a new one after what happened with the sexting Victoria event. They were bothersome enough to make Evan turn around every so often to glare in there direction, something she hardly ever saw.
She pushed the little buds of her earphones tighter into her ear, and eventually Juliet's voice was drowned out by the hum of the music. She took a deep breath, and looked out the bus window, taking in the view of the town of which she used to know so well. Most hadn't changed, but it still felt different. Like there was a new chemical in the air that she wasn't familiar with.
Her thoughts wandered back the yesterday, and in the bathroom. She had only gotten a glimpse of Nathan's face before Chloe showed up, but that glimpse was enough to chill her insides. She had never seen his eyes - or anyone's eyes - be so filled with nervous hatred, agitated fear, distraught disgust...That's what she saw in the two seconds her eyes lay upon his face. When Chloe came in, his body had tensed, and he refused to even look at her, or even himself. He had just stared down at the sink, even as she taunted him, shoved him. Something broke within him, and Max could practically hear it from her hidden corner, and he pulled the gun out. She had been frozen in place, watching. Even as Nathan Prescott held the gun, his fingers shook, his voice stuttered, and the aurora that surrounded him was red, angry and nervous.
When he shot her, and Max foolishly stepped out, her hand raised and time slowing, the gun slowly fell from his fingers. In the second before she was back in the classroom, the color changed from red to black, pain and regret.
She was back in the classroom wondering if she had dreamed it.
Max closed her eyes, leaning her head against the cool window. She music pleased her ears, and calmed her senses.
She still couldn't believe that Chloe was back in her life after all this time. She wished that she had gotten in contact with her sooner, and then maybe the awkward meeting yesterday could've been spared. She was still glad that she showed up, even if she almost ran over Max with her beat up truck.
Max gave a grimace as an image of Warren on the ground, holding his face, wandered into her mind. God, she really did owe him. When Nathan was getting up in her face about what she saw in the bathroom, even though she didn't tell Principal Wells about what happened and she had no idea how he knew she was even there, she could feel the confusion and slight irritation coming from Warren. When Nathan had gotten too close, Warren finally said something, and Nathan head-butted him.
She still couldn't believe that asshole. It may sound bad to say, but she hoped that Warren got at least one good shot at him before David separated them.
She remembered getting the picture of Warren's blackened eye and cut cheek, but still smiling. She had winced, and promised to call him...which she didn't. Max sighed. She should've called him, but everything with Chloe and David and the tornado and the strange snow...it had freaked her out. Bad. Then, having to explain everything to Chloe, convincing her that she neither high nor insane was a hassle, but Chloe eventually believed her. Whether she actually believed her or just wanted her to shut up, Max wasn't sure, but they were definitely going to talk about it at the diner.
She thought back to Warren. She had felt bad about texting him so late last night, but he was the only person she felt comfortable enough to ask such questions to, knowing that he wouldn't find her sudden interest strange. In fact, he practically embraced her new-found interest with welcome arms, and had flooded her inbox with all sorts of answers. It felt good to talk to him, even if it was through text messages and emails.
She had a feeling that he had been waiting for her that morning. She would be lying if she said she wasn't aware of his flirtations and attempts to ask her out. Not only that, but after talking Dana, Alyssa, and Brooke...the awareness became stronger. She just...wasn't sure how to go about them. She and Warren were friends, yes. Did she feel anything else beside friendship for him? Honestly...? She wasn't sure. Actually, she hadn't thought about it until yesterday when he sent her that picture of his busted eye. It was a strange feeling that ran through her system, and she couldn't describe it even if she tried.
Romance in general wasn't a topic that crossed her mind everyday to begin with, and her love life so far was non-existent. It was hard for her to try and understand any sort of feelings like that, especially with everything that happened yesterday.
The bus came to a stop, and she pulled her earphones out. Juliet was still scolding Zachary, who was just taking it at the point, and she noticed that the bus was emptier. Had they already made so many stops? She stood from her seat, and exited the bus, thanking the bus driver. She stood in front of the the Two Whales, and she got a text from Chloe saying that she was going to be running late. Surprise, surprise.
Warren made it back to his dorm, shutting the door behind him. He opened his phone, and looked over the info Brooke sent him. The drive-in where the marathon was located was in Newberg, and it started at 7:30. He figured that Newberg was about sixty miles away, and that they would want to stop and grab some things to snack on during the movie, and they would want to be there early to get good parking.
Warren wondered if he should be brave and suggest going to dinner first. There was nothing wrong with getting dinner and going to a movie afterwards...
...if it's a date.
Warren frowned. He never said to Max that it was a date, and the main reason for that is because he didn't want to scare her away. He still wanted to hang out with her and go to movie, even if it meant just going as friends. He didn't want to pressure her into going on a date with him; he didn't want her to ever feel uncomfortable with him.
No, he shouldn't. At least, not at the moment. Maybe he could say something on the drive there? Ask her casually if she was hungry, or something.
"Hm." Warren bit at his lip, absentmindedly scratching the back of his neck as he sat down at his desk. If Brooke were here, she would shake her head and tell him that he was lucky that she even said yes, and not to push his luck. She would say it in that tone, too.
Warren sighed. It wasn't even worth worrying about, right? They were going for fun, and as friends.
Warren gathered a few of his books, shoving them into his bag. He decided that he was going to go to Ms Grants room to work on some chemical experiments and gather his thoughts - as well as get a hold of his nerves - before his classmates showed up. Tossing his bag over his shoulder, he locked his room, and made his way to Ms Grant's class, trying to ignore just how nervous he was for 5:00 to come.
Chloe showed up eventually, and Max managed to fully convince her of her powers...eventually.
The morning had been...eventful.
Max had answered a call from Kate - which, for whatever reason pissed Chloe off - and they left the diner.
Chloe then took them to her "secret hide out" ...which wasn't all that secret since Frank - some guy that Chloe owed money to - showed up and began pestering them.
Max had never held a gun before, and she hadn't ever planned on holding one in the near future, and yet there she stood. She had David's handgun wrapped in her fingers, aimed at Frank.
She didn't want to shoot him. She really didn't. So, why the hell did she pull the trigger?
Thank God there wasn't any bullets.
Frank had laughed at them, but walked away, saying that Chloe had until Friday to pay him. Max was still in shock, mumbling an apology, when Chloe hugged her.
But that wasn't the end of it, oh no.
Max and Chloe decided to sit on the train tracks and talk. While the talk had been interesting and fun, it didn't take long before Max passed out again, visions of the tornado and the destruction of the town haunted her, and she was brought back by Chloe's cries for help. She had gotten her boot caught in the track, and Max had managed to get her out before the train came and destroyed the two of them.
Oh, yes. The morning sure had been eventful.
They were on their way back to Blackwell Academy when it began to rain.
"Dude, I have to say it again. You're hella amazing. You have saved my life twice now." Chloe beamed as she turned a corner.
Three times, actually, but Max wasn't going to mention the bumper incident.
"You need to be more careful. I might not always be there to save you." Max replied, watching the rain pour across the streets. Chloe rolled her eyes.
"Whatev. Anyway, you wanna do something tonight? Tear up more shit?" she asked, wiggling her eyes in suggestiveness. Max gave a dry laugh.
"You mean, do I wanna play with guns some more and accidentally shoot my eye out? Thanks, but I'll pass." Max smiled, and felt her body slightly jerk as she remembered that she got a text from Warren. She quickly reached into her pocket and pulled her phone out. He said they should leave around five and that he would drive.
"Psh, you're not gonna shoot your eye out, you wimp." Chloe smirked. "And even if you did, you could rewind."
"Yeah. That would be my first thought." Max replied, as well as replying back to Warren with : Hell yeah we will in your new ride. He messaged back right away, suggesting that they get supplies and maybe go to dinner.
"You'll be fine. So, we gonna hang or what?"
Dinner? Max felt her cheeks warm up a bit, even though it wasn't a big deal. Her and Warren have had lunch together before, so why would dinner be any different? Maybe it was the fact that they would have dinner before going to see a movie at a drive-in, and in most books and stories that was considered a date.
Date...
"Yo, you listening?" Max felt an elbow nudge her shoulder, breaking her of her thoughts. She looked over at Chloe.
"What?"
"Dude, quit zoning. We hanging tonight?" Chloe asked, and Max could detect some impatience in her tone. Max bit her lip. She had already made plans - date? - with Warren, and she was a bit worried about Chloe overreacting, especially after the whole call thing with Kate.
"Uh, actually -"
"What?"
"I already have plans." Max said quietly. She could see Chloe's brows furrow.
"With your best friend Kate?" she said, bitterly.
Max sighed, and shook her head.
"No, with Warren."
Max could see the instant change in Chloe's face as it shifted to bitter jealousy to curious interest. "Wait, your friend that took the hit for you yesterday?"
"That would be the one." Max replied, warily. She watched as Chloe thought for a moment before a slow smirk spread across her lips. She looked at Max from the corner of her eye.
"...What are you guys gonna do?" she asked, attempting to sound innocent, but Max could see the intent behind the question. She almost wanted to lie and say not much, but she knew Chloe wouldn't buy it.
"We're going to the drive-in."
The smirk spread into a full blown smile. "So, you're going on a date?"
"No!" Max answered a bit too quickly. "We're just friends!"
"Uh-huh...What're you guys seeing?" Chloe replied.
"It's a 'Planet of the Apes' marathon-"
"Apes?" Chloe wrinkled her nose, a bit disgusted. "That's not romantic. How are you guys supposed to get it on when all you're hearing is monkey cries?" Chloe turned another corner, and raised a brow at Max. "Unless...you're into that sort of thing..."
Max had practically turned into a ripe tomato by the implications of Chloe's words, and her voice caught in her throat. She didn't know what embarrassed and disturbed her more; Chloe assuming that her and Warren were going to "get it on," or her assuming that she was into Ape foreplay. Max opened her mouth to say something, but shut it when her phone vibrated in her hand again. She glanced down and read Warren taking back the dinner thing, guessing that he thought she wasn't interested by her lack of answer.
She heard Chloe laugh beside her. She whipped her head around, and found herself glaring at the blue-haired girl.
"Oh man, you should see your face right now!" Chloe laughed, pulling up in front of Blackwell Academy.
"We aren't like that!" That came out a bit louder and more forceful than Max intended, but she pushed the thought aside. Chloe put the truck in park before looking back at her.
"Do you want to be like that?" she asked suggestively.
No!
No...
...No?
Max turned away from her, crossing her arms. They sat in silence for a moment before Chloe spoke up again. "Dude, by the look on your face, I'm gonna guess that you want to."
"We're just friends."
"Are you sure?" Chloe smirked. "Not many guys would take a hit to the face like that for just any girl. Even the nice ones. Probably."
Max sighed.
"You don't have to be embarrassed, man. He seems cool, and he's cute...in that geeky way."
"Chloe..." Max groaned.
"You'll have the most hipster babies-"
"Ahhh! Stop!"
Chloe burst out laughing, slapping the steering wheel. "I'm just messing with you, Max. You're too tense. Are you nervous?"
Max glanced at her. She could trust Chloe, right? After all, it was like she never left and their friendship never ended. She had her best friend back, and this would be the first time she ever had a boy to talk about. When they were tweens, it was always Chloe who was really into the boys, and had a new crush every other week. Max always listened to Chloe talk about boys, and would notice how her cheeks would get a light flush and her eyes would brighten. Even though they were still just kids at the time, Chloe had multiple love interests, and Max had none. She didn't care about liking boys like that until she turned eighteen.
Was she nervous about going to the drive-in with Warren?
No.
And yes.
"I don't know." Max finally answered.
"Do you think he likes you?" Chloe asked eagerly.
Yes.
No?
"I don't know." Max repeated. Chloe yet out an exaggerated sigh.
"Dude, you finally like a guy and this is all you give me? C'mon, man!"
"I don't like him like that, Chloe!" Max insisted.
"Then why are you blushing?"
"I-I'm not!" Max reached up to touch her cheek, and was surprised to feel how warm it was. Her heart fluttered in her chest, emotions swirling around in her stomach.
"Max, look at me." Max looked over at her. "You can be honest with me. I told you all kinds of shit when we were younger, and you never said a word. I think you can trust me to do the same. So, do you like this guy? And be honest!"
Max bit her lip. Warren's bruised, smiling face flashed through her mind, and her stomach twisted into a tight knot. Warren was a good friend to her, and she appreciated his company. She liked talking to him about many different things, and they shared a lot of interests, especially when it came to nerdy stuff. He always seemed to brighten up when he saw her, and he would get this goofy grin. He was fun to be around, and he made her laugh. Warren stood up for her when Nathan threatened her, and he got hurt because of her. Even so, he still messaged her. Hell, he still wanted to go to the drive-in with her after yesterday, after she left him with Nathan Prescott, who may or may not of still had the gun on him. After all that, he still lit up when he saw her.
"Honestly?" Max said quietly. "I don't know."
Sodium or Potassium?
That was the question.
"What do you think?" Warren asked, looking up at Brooke, who was playing some game on her phone. She shrugged at him, not looking up from the screen.
"I don't do chemicals; only robots. You know this." she said simply. Warren held back an annoyed sigh. Brooke had been giving him the cold shoulder all morning, and he didn't know how to make her stop. When she walked into the classroom, he had smiled and waved at her. She had nodded in acknowledgment, but then walked right past him. He had decided to leave her alone and let her go about her business, but apparently that wasn't the right answer either, because now she was standing in front of him, playing on her phone.
He tried making small talk, and even cracking a few jokes, but he barely got any reply. The replies that he did get were short and tart.
He hated when she got like this.
"Are you pissed at me?" he finally asked. She paused her game, and looked up at him for the first time since she blocked his view of the board.
"No. Why?" she replied, her voice monotone.
"You just seem mad."
"I'm not." she crossed her arms over her chest, looking away. "Have you heard from Max yet?"
Warren frowned. "Not since I last texted her."
Brooke looked at the window, thinking. Eventually, she let out a, "Hm."
Hm? What was Hm? Before he could ask, Brooke walked away from him and to the back of the classroom, resuming her game. Warren shook his head a bit. Brooke really was something else.
He turned his attention back to his chemical experiment. He should've been finished with it by now, but he ended up getting to the classroom later than he expected. He ran into Alyssa in the hallway, and the two of them ended up getting their geek on about Dr Who, a show that he finally talked Alyssa into watching.
They probably stood in the hall talking for about twenty minutes before she left, saying something about "contemplating shit." Afterwards, he talked to Ms Grant, who gave him a lecture about the petition that she asked him to sign yesterday. While it was interesting and all, his mind was still occupied with 5:00. He picked up a beaker that held potassium, telling his brain to think about science, not Max. From the corner of his eye, he could see Brooke scratching something into the table, but thought nothing of it. He picked up the beaker with sodium in it, and thought of Max.
He had decided to be brave and suggest getting dinner when he sent Max the info...and then immediately regretted his decision when she didn't text back. He had sent another text to say they didn't have to or whatever, and she still didn't say anything. He should have listened to the Brooke in his head; Do not push you're luck, white boy.
Max and Chloe said their goodbyes, and Max walked through the rain and into Blackwell Academy.
What a discussion that was. Chloe made Max tell her everything; from the moment she met Warren to the number of times they argued about who was the best Cat Woman. Chloe had listened to every single detail, and Max could see how giddy she was. Chloe had been waiting for Max to like a boy - she didn't like Warren though - - Maybe she did - - That's not the point - and she was milking it for all it was worth. She made Max pinky promise that she would tell her all the "juicy details" tomorrow when they got together. Chloe said that she would be looking forward to that talk.
Max found it strange that Chloe would be jealous about her answering a phone call from Kate, but be totally excited and open to the possibility of her being in a relationship.
Relationship?
The entrance door slipped through Max's fingers and closed. She shivered a bit, and opened the door again, this time successfully getting inside. God, the whole conversation made her feel weird, and she wasn't sure if she liked it. She wasn't sure if she liked Warren like that.
"If you don't like him then why are you fighting it so much?" Chloe had asked her.
Why did she fight it? Well, usually she avoided it or played dumb for the sake of not having to think about it. But, now...Chloe forced her to think about it, and now she couldn't get it out of her head.
She couldn't get Warren out of her head.
"Fuck." she mumbled to herself as she stepped into the warm halls of Blackwell Academy. She hadn't gotten too wet from the rain, but it was enough to dampen her clothes. She still had about twenty minutes before Mr Jefferson's class, so she decided to walk the halls. She saw Principal Wells, but decided to ignore him. She figured talking to him would just get her into trouble, and she didn't need any more of that. Yesterday, she had told him that Nathan had a gun, and he looked at her like she had just told him that aliens had landed on earth to take all our cows. So, she rewinded and told him nothing was wrong, and he still didn't believe her. Yeah, she didn't want to talk to him.
She talked to David about yesterday in Chloe's room, and he asked if the pot was hers. She thought about coming clean, but she didn't want Chloe to get in trouble, so she lied once more. She asked about Kate Marsh, and she was surprised by his sincere reply.
Speaking of Kate, she spotted her down the hall talking to Mr Jefferson. Before she could make it over to them, Kate hurried away, crying. Max tried to stop her and ask what was wrong, but Kate told her to go away. She worried about Kate and her well being. With that damn video going around...ugh. The fact that people were spreading it infuriated her.
Before she could fully soak in her own anger, her pocket vibrated. She pulled out her phone, and she stiffened. It was from Warren; he sent her a picture of a cat telling her to sit down "science brah," and telling her that he was in the science lab. Apparently, he was no Schrodinger's kitty. She quickly tucked the phone back in her pocket, and took a deep breath. Was she actually nervous? To see Warren?
Dammit, Chloe.
Max figured that she was being ridiculous. She was going to see Warren play Mad Scientist, and she wasn't going to feel weird. Or nervous. Or flustered.
She gave herself a firm nod, and made her way to Ms Grant's room.
Warren couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face when Max walked in. He quickly looked back down at his chemical experiment before she noticed him.
She approached him slowly, cautiously. "Hey, Warren. Are you okay? You look thoughtful, yet confused." she said softly as she walked around the side on his table. He turned to face her, flashing her a wide smile.
"Maxwell Silver Hammer!" She listened to The Beatles, right? "Perfect timing! I need help with this chemical experiment..." She looked away from him, laughing lightly.
"Asking me for help means you're screwed." she joked. Warren chuckled.
"I need to add either a bit of potassium or sodium. It's up to you to decide, Dr Max." he said, raising a brow at her.
Her expression changed from confused to poised in an instant. "Wrong, Warren." she said, teasingly. "You have to add chlorine, not sodium or potassium."
Warren was taken back a bit. "Chlorine?" he asked. "I didn't think of that...Can't argue with a confident scientist. Let's try it!" With that, he grabbed the beaker with chlorine in it, and slowly poured it into the mixture in front of him, Max watching eagerly over his shoulder. The mixture instantly turned a violet color, and he lifted the mixture, swirling it with a smile. "Eureka! She's got it!" he exclaimed.
"No, you got it." she replied, looking down at her hands. Was her face pink...?
"Don't be so modest," he laughed. "Dr Caulfield." He just couldn't stop the flirtation from mingling in his words. Max may not of detected it - hopefully - but someone else did.
"Oh, you guys really broke the bounds of science." Brooke's voice said sarcastically, but Warren ignored her. Max had turned to look at Brooke, and turned back around, slightly embarrassed. They laughed lightly, and Warren watched as she pulled out her camera.
She held it up for him, raising a brow. He picked up the beaker with the violet liquid in it, and gave her a peace sign. She smiled, and took his picture.
Warren was cute when he was in full-on geek mode. Max couldn't deny that, no matter how much she tried.
When he was doing something that he loved, Warren's eyes would go wide, crinkling at the outer corners. They were no longer a dark brown, but a warm chestnut speckled with bits of golden honey. They made the bruising around his left eye seem non-existent, and his pale skin had a light glow, his cheeks pink with excitement. His lips would slowly part to reveal straight teeth, small dimples indenting his smooth skin.
Warren was too amazed with his experiment that he didn't notice Max's stare. She felt her pulse quicken, and she forced herself to look away. She thanked God that he was too preoccupied to notice her wandering eyes on his face.
He looked back at her, raising the successful beaker up. "Check out the big brain on Max! You might be the next Heisenberg of Blackwell!" he joked, laughing.
She laughed with him. "Warren, we have to cook." she did her best Walter White impersonation. Warren almost dropped his beaker while chuckling.
"Science bitch!" Warren replied with his best Jesse voice. Max was impressed by how deep he could make his voice go.
"Language, Mr Graham!" Ms Grant called from her desk. Warren looked down, a smirk still playing on his features.
"Sorry, Ms Grant." he mumbled, suppressing a laugh. He glanced back at Max, still holding in his laughter. Max covered her mouth, trying to cover her own giggle that was threatening to leak out.
"Miss Caulfield, you should head out. Class is going to start soon." Ms Grant informed her, eying the two of them with an almost amused look. Max nodded, and met Warren's eyes.
"See you at five, right?" Warren asked, and his face twisted into the wonderful look he had when he was doing science. It caught her off guard to be looking straight into his warm gaze, and all she could do is stare back and nod.
Warren gave her a thumbs up, saying, "Go Ape!" and before he could turn back to his work, Max felt herself blurting out, "Dinner too, right?"
Flustered surprise spread throughout Warren's expression before he flashed her a nervous smile. "Sure, if you want."
"Sounds great." Max couldn't help but sound breathless. It was probably due to the fact that she held her breath from the moment her question flew through her lips.
Warren watched Max as she left, and relief and dizzy bliss threatened to expose it's self through his lips with a cry of happiness. He controlled himself, though, settling for looking through his notes with a stupid smile. All regret for asking her to dinner vanished, and the Brooke in his head remained quiet for the time being.
Max felt like she should run around the campus to get rid of her nervous energy, but she knew that wouldn't end well. David would more than likely be out there, and she figured that she could outrun him with all the built up energy she had, but decided against it. Even if the image of a panting and heaving David trying to catch her while she ran circles around him as through she were the Flash was amusing.
She snapped out of her thoughts when she heard Mr Jefferson call to her. He expressed his disappointment of not receiving a photo entry from her, which is what she expected.
She then remembered Kate. She forced a pair of warm eyes from her mind, and asked Mr Jefferson about Kate.
Shit.
He forgot his notebook for class.
How the hell did he do that?
Warren frowned, and checked his bag once more. Class was going to start soon, and he needed his notebook. He told Ms Grant, who looked ready to lecture him on tardiness and organization, but he busted out of there before it could come out of her.
Once he was outside, he jogged all the way to his dorm room, grabbed his notebook, and jogged back out. He attempted to stay dry by hurrying, but it wasn't totally unavoidable.
Before he reached the doors of the school, he spotted Kate. He stopped, and walked over to her. Her eyes were swollen, and she was letting out quiet sobs. He tried talking to her, but she pushed him away. He wanted to call after her, but he wasn't sure of what to say. He was fully aware of the video going around, and he was ashamed to admit that he had seen it. Brooke had showed it to him, and he still couldn't believe it existed. He knew Kate, and she wasn't like that.
Warren shivered, realizing that he was getting wet from the rain. He gave a final look at Kate, and saw that Mr Madsen had approached her. He turned and headed back into the school.
Luckily, the bell for class hadn't rung yet, and according to the clock, he has a good four minutes to spare. His gut told him to go to Mr Jefferson's class and see Max, and tell her about Kate.
The talk with Mr Jefferson didn't help much. He didn't say much about Kate, or anything at all. Max didn't tell him about Nathan and the gun, figuring that he would just tell Principal Wells.
She had gone over to talk to Alyssa, but she was too busy "contemplating shit."
Also, dealing with Nathan and Victoria sitting at her table? Not the highlight of her day. When she managed to sit down, she noticed Kate wasn't in her seat. She couldn't even begin to describe how much she worried about her. The constant harassment Kate went through was ridiculous, and it made her wish that she had laser eyes instead of rewind powers. She wondered how much Victoria would scream if her precious cashmere suddenly caught fire in class.
"What up, Max?" Warren's voice nearly made her jump out of her skin. She looked up to see him sitting on her table, looking down at her.
"Hey, Warren." she managed to reply.
"I just saw Kate. Her eyes were all puffy from crying." he said, and she could detect to worry in his tone.
Max looked down at her notepad. "Kate...has a lot on her plate."
"I didn't know what to say, and she didn't tell me anything-"
"Okay, I know you love me, but if you're not in this class, beat it." Mr Jefferson's voice was heard.
Warren looked around, frowning. He got up, and waved at her. "See ya at five." he said, giving her a small smile.
"See ya..." She watched as he left, feeling a pang of worry when she noticed Nathan right behind him. Mr Jefferson spoke, but his words were nothing but an echo.
"We have a lot to cover today, and so little time as usual..."
Even though science was his favorite subject, Warren found it hard to concentrate.
Even though Mr Jefferson's photography class was her favorite, Max found it hard to concentrate.
The school day seemed to last forever.
It continued to rain, and the clouds cast a dark shadow across Blackwell Academy.
When the bell rang to mark the end of the school day, Warren practically bolted from the classroom, bag barely in hand. He pushed his way to his locker, swinging it open. He dug through his bag, grabbing his keys and phone. He double checked to make sure his wallet was still in his back pocket. Luckily, he hadn't been pick-pocketed, and it was still there. He checked the time on his phone, and it read 4:34. He shoved his bag into the tiny space of his locker and shut the door. He turned around, and about yelped in surprise when he saw Brooke standing there.
"Have fun." Brooke said, and he was stunned by the sincere look in her eye. "Remember, don't push your luck, white boy." With that, she walked down the hall before he could even reply. Sometimes, he wasn't sure what to think of that girl.
Max caught his attention the moment she opened her locker. He approached her, unable to hold back his grin. "Max!" She turned, and returned a smile.
"Hey, you ready to go?" she asked eagerly.
"Hell yeah!"
It was still raining heavily, and the two of them ran across the school grounds to the parking lot. Max had taken off her jacket and held it over her head to block the rain, but Warren hadn't been so lucky. He didn't even bring a jacket or anything, and he was practically soaked. Once they reached his car, he fumbled with his keys before prying the door open, unlocking it. Max quickly got in, panting. They two of them sat there for a moment, trying to catch their breath.
Max looked over at Warren. His hair was dripping, and strands clung to the sides of his face and forehead. Drops fell along his cheek, across his jaw line, and down his neck. Max watched the multiple drops drip, mesmerized. He ran a hand through his hair, a deep chuckle echoing in his throat. He must of realized how wet he was because he shivered, and Max could see the goosebumps rising along his skin. He looked over at her, meeting her gaze. He smiled. "You good?" he asked, fumbling with his keys.
Max nodded. "Yeah," she replied, breathless.
Warren started the car, and turned the heater on. Warm air met Max's skin, and she shuddered lightly. She set her wet jacket on the floor beside her, and eyed Warren. "Are you good?" she asked.
Warren shrugged playfully. "Hey, little water never hurt anyone. Right?" He rubbed his hands together. "Besides, I like rainy weather."
"Really? I always figured you for a sunshine guy."
"Yeah, sunshine is great and all, but rain is soothing, relaxing. And I'll dry eventually." Warren repositioned himself, and reached for his seat belt. Max mimicked him, clicking her own into place. He put the old car into drive, and they were off.
Warren reached over to turn the radio on, keeping it at a low volume. "So, dinner?" he asked, grinning.
"Yep." Max replied. "Where do you want to go?"
"I was supposed to ask you that." Warren teased, pulling out of the Blackwell Academy parking lot. "What are you in the mood for?"
Max thought for a moment, and she remembered the menu at the Two Whales, and an image of a juicy double cheese burger with a side of fries. She could feel her belly moan at the thought, and she was sold. She just hoped that Chloe wouldn't happen to be there. Not like it mattered anyway; this wasn't - was - a date. No! It wasn't. Just because they were going to dinner and a movie - at the drive-in, parked in Warren's car with no one else around them - didn't make this evening a date. It was two friends - friends? - hanging out. Then why was she suddenly so on edge and jumpy?
"Two Whales?" she suggested finally. It was just dinner.
"It's like you read my mind."
The knot in her stomach tightened, and she looked out her window, hiding the blush that spread across her cheeks.
Warren loved going to the Two Whales; they had the best mushroom burger in town. He hadn't been there for a while, so he was pleasantly surprised when Max suggested it.
When they arrived, they sat at a booth towards the back and waited the waitress to take their orders. They browsed the menus in silence. Max decided on a bacon burger while Warren on a mushroom burger. They decided on a basket of fries to share, and two cokes. They put the menus away, and listened to the guitar tune that was playing on the jukebox. The song skipped a bit, and the people around them complained.
The waitress made it their way, a brow raised in curiosity and delight. "Max, lovely to see you again."
"Hi, Joyce." Max greeted. Warren was curious of how she knew the waitress.
"Don't believe we've met." Joyce looked down at Warren, who held his hand out to her, grinning.
"Warren. I'm a friend of Max." he said warmly. Joyce shot Max a look at the word "friend," and shook his hand, visibly pleased by his manners.
"Well, Warren, hope you're treating Max right." Warren gave a firm nod and noticed Max looking down at the table at the comment. "Now, what can I get you kids today?"
They placed their orders, and Joyce walked - did she wink at Max? - away, calling to the cooks in the back. Warren turned back to Max. "She's nice. How do you know her?"
"She's Chloe's mom. She was like a second mom to me when I was younger." Max explained. Warren nodded.
The two chatted until Joyce came back with steaming plates and a basket of fries. She made a second trip with their drinks, and they thanked her. Warren checked his phone for the time, and figured that they had plenty of time to eat and enjoy themselves. Through out the meal, He couldn't help but feeling like that waitress was staring at them. He chose to ignore it, and focus on Max.
She had an interesting way of eating. She never bit into her burger, but she tore small chunks of it and plopped them in her mouth. He had never watched someone each a burger like that, but decided not to comment on it. He didn't want her to feel self-conscious about eating in front of him. She also ate most of the fries, folding the long ones in half and dipping them in ketchup.
He tried not to be too much of a pig as he devoured his food, making sure to wipe his mouth with his napkin and not talk with his mouth full. It was a difficult task, since the food was delicious.
Something was...off, though. He noticed it the moment they jumped into his car. The two were breathless from running the whole way, and he had been soaked from the rain. She kept stealing glances of him, and she was more quiet that usual. She seemed to be in a deep thought. He had tried making small talk, wanting to hear her laugh, but she seemed preoccupied with her thoughts. Even now, as they say across from each other in a light conversation - which was now mostly one sided - she barely looked up at him. Sometimes she shook lightly, and he figured she was cold from the weather. He made a mental note to give her the extra jacket he kept in the backseat when they got back to the car. Most of all, though, she was distracted. It was worse than yesterday; she at least geeked out with him about the movie-booty on his drive.
Joyce came over, and Warren was ready to accept the check, despite Max's protests, but Joyce just shook her head. "On the house." she said simply, refilling their cokes. Warren blinked in surprise, and Joyce walked away before he could say anything.
He took a sip of his drink, studied Max's face. "Hey, you okay?" he asked. He felt like that was a question he kept asking. Max looked up at him, a bit puzzled.
"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine."
"You sure? You seem...distracted."
"Just thinking too much."
Warren bit his lip, and sat back in his seat. "You still wanna 'Go Ape,' or...?"
"Yes." she answered quickly, and he was a bit taken back. She cleared her throat, and pushed her plate away. "I'm going to use the bathroom before we go."
"Okay." He watched her get up and hurry to the bathroom. He couldn't help but feel concerned. What could she be thinking about that had her so... flustered?
She couldn't believe that Warren had her so...flustered.
Max entered the bathroom, biting at her thumb nail. She looked at herself in the mirror, and sighed. She couldn't deny that he was making her nervous. Hell, it wasn't even really him that made her nervous - even though it kind of was - it was everything that Chloe and her had talked about that made her nervous. No matter how much she denied it, Chloe just shook her head and gave her a knowing smile. Chloe said denial was usually apparent in cases of strong attraction.
This whole situation was just as bad as when she discovered her powers; confusion, shock, and curiosity.
At least with her powers she had control. If she did something wrong, she went back. But, Warren...for some reason she couldn't rewind her attraction.
Her attraction. Max ran her hands under cold water, trying to distract them from shaking. She sighed. She was attracted to Warren. Why? She didn't know. There wasn't anything wrong with him, quite the opposite. She just...she used to think of him as a friend. Just a friend. Why did that have to change so suddenly?
"Max?" Max about jumped out of her skin at her own name. She looked up in the mirror to see Joyce. She had a knowing smile. "First date jitters?"
"It's not a date." Was she a broke record, or what?
"Sure, it's not." Joyce crossed her arms, and made her was to Max. "He's cute, and you can tell he adores you."
Butterflies flew around in Max's stomach. "Oh?" She turned the facet off, and dried her hands.
"Do you like him?"
Did she like him? That was the question. Max knew the answer, and she wondered how much longer she was going to turn from it. How much longer could she turn away from it? Soon, they were going to be back in his car driving to Newberg, and they were going to sit through a whole marathon together, alone...in his car. The very idea made her dizzy.
She turned around to face Joyce. "Honestly?"
Joyce raised a brow, waiting for an answer.
If she was going to spend the evening in an intimate area with him, she might as well be honest with herself for the first time today. If she screwed up, she could always rewind.
"Yeah, I do."
Warren left a five dollar tip, and stood from the booth. He had tried cleaning up the crumbs from their meals, since Joyce was nice enough to give them a free dinner.
Max finally left the bathroom, and he immediately noticed how red her face was. He could practically feel the heat evaporating off of her. He gave her a concerned look. "Woah, you're not getting sick, are you?"
"No! I'm fine! We should head." she said quickly.
Warren wasn't totally convinced. "You sure?"
She seemed to have recomposed herself because she looked him in the eye as she nodded, assuring him that she was all right and ready to go.
They waved goodbye to Joyce, who smiled in return, telling them to be safe.
It was no longer raining, and the sun was attempting to peak through the clouds. Warren was thankful for it, seeing that he was finally dry enough to feel comfortable. He predicted that the sun would eventually show through before it set into nighttime.
They got settled in his car, and Warren reached in the back, offering his jacket to Max. She took it, thanking him. They buckled up and were off to Newberg. The radio was mere background noise as Warren struggled to find a topic that would get more than a few sentences from Max. "Has Kate said anything you? About the video, I mean?" he asked cautiously. It wasn't the lightest subject, but he was concerned too.
Max sighed. "We talked this morning. She's barely functioning, and it doesn't help that people keep harassing her. This morning, Victoria wrote the web link on the bathroom mirror." Warren rolled his eyes in disgust. If you asked Warren what kind of girl was a total turn off for him, he would jerk his thumb back at Victoria and her stupid haircut. "I erased it, but still."
"At least you cared enough to do something." he told her. He knew that Max was one of the very few people who had the decency to care about Kate, the other being Alyssa. He didn't know Kate very well, but she seemed too nice for anyone to pick on. She got lots of shit for her abstinence campaign, and the video coming out did not help her cause in the slightest.
"I figured that if I could stop at least one person from watching in, then it was worth it." she said. Warren nodded. She looked over at him, and he could tell she wanted to ask him something.
"I agree. Too many people have seen it. Not cool."
"...Have you watched it?" she asked, quietly. Guilt washed over Warren, and he bit his lip.
"Brooke showed it to me." He couldn't help but sound as though he admitted to murder, and he was embarrassed that he had watched it. When Brooke had showed it to him, it wasn't anything that he was expecting. The only reason he made it through the entire video was because he could barely believe any of it. Seeing Kate intoxicated and making out with a bunch of random guys was like watching a Sasquatch-sighting video; too impossible to actually be true. Yet, it was. "It was crazy. You haven't watched it, right?"
"No." Warren listened for the disappointment, but it wasn't there. Hopefully she didn't think any less of him. He could see from his peripheral vision her gripping at his folded jacket in her lap.
"Good. Don't."
They sat in silence once more. Minutes passed with the hum of the music on the radio being the only thing breaking a some-what uncomfortable silence. When a particular song played, Warren turned it up a bit.
"What color is your toothbrush?" The very question caught him off guard.
"What?" he asked, chuckling.
"What color is your toothbrush?" she repeated. The question was strange and out of place, but he wasn't going to argue. She was trying to break the silence, and he wasn't complaining.
"Blue. Opaque. And you?"
"Green. Electric."
"Electric? Well, aren't you fancy." he teased. She gave a hearty laugh.
"Oh yes. You should see my hairbrush." she joked. Warren faked an excited and amazed expression.
"Your hairbrush is electric, too?"
"Yes, sir." She tilted her chin up in mock superiority. They both laughed at the stupidity of the conversation as it furthered, distracting them for the long ride to Newberg.
They arrived at Newberg a little less than an hour before showing, and yet they weren't the first ones there. Although, they did get a fairly good parking spot in the middle. They had stopped at a drugstore and bought some snacks and bottles of water for the show, and used the bathrooms. Max took the time to prepare herself. What for? She wasn't entirely sure.
She had managed to keep a conversation with him after the toothbrush thing - an icebreaker taught to her by Chloe - and they hadn't stopped, even in the store. She had managed to push her nerves aside, and just enjoy his company without much worry.
It was when they went to separate bathrooms that her anxiety levels kicked it up a notch, and she was able to realize just what she had been feeling the whole drive here. Talking with Warren, hearing his laugh, seeing his smile...it made goosebumps rise along her skin, butterflies flying around in her belly, her blood rush faster, chemical mixtures in her brain that made her feel light and dizzy...
It had always been there, and she had just ignored it because they were all so subtle...but now, they were electric within her. It was a strange thing.
She had done her business, and splashed water on her face. She stared at herself in the mirror, and noticed a smile had slipped onto her face. That smile stuck with her up to when they officially parked the car in the drive-in.
The sun was still covered by clouds, and little warmth was hitting the earth. She slipped on the jacket Warren had given to her, and she was enveloped in his scent. He had pulled his seat back so that he wasn't so close to the wheel, and relaxed. She followed his example, and pushed her seat back a bit, getting comfortable.
"We have half an hour til showtime." he said, opening up a package of skittles, popping a red and yellow into his mouth. Max looked out at the other cars - she counted fifteen - and wondered how long they had been here.
"Looks like we're not the only ones excited to Ape it up."
"Yea, we're not that hardcore." As he said that, a heavy man in a full body gorilla suit slid out of his car and waddled his way to the bathrooms. Warren held in his laughter - kind of - and they shared a look before both bursting out laughing.
"Oh man!" Warren laughed.
"How itchy do you think that thing is?" Max asked through giggles.
"Horribly. Like, flea and tick itchy horrible."
"Ah, gross."
Their laughter died, and Warren offered her the bag of skittles. She held her hand out, and he poured some into her palm.
It was getting dark, and Warren switched the radio back on. It was a soft song, and it sent chills up her spine. Warren noticed, asking, "You cold?" She tugged the jacket closer around her as he reached into the back seat and pulled out a thick dark green blanket, unfolding it and covering her legs with part of. It was very wide, and it managed to cover part of him, even through they were far apart. She thanked him quietly, and noticed that the large screen started to flicker. Warren changed the radio to the right station, keeping it low as the sounds of commercials began to play.
It was almost starting. Anticipation swelled within Max, both for the movie and for Warren...for some reason. She wasn't sure what she was going to do once all the lamp posts went out and the only light source would be the large screen. She could feel her heart rate pick up as she heard Warren chuckle at one of the commercials, and her eyes handed on his hand. It rested on top of the blanket over his leg. He had set the skittles aside, and was focused on the screen.
Her eyes wandered up his arm, to his shoulder, up his neck, and to the side of his face. She studied him as the colors of the screen danced along his features. The image of his soaked figure popped back into her mind, and her fingers twitched. He was dry now, but his hair now seemed messier from the rain, and parts still stuck to his cheek and forehead. She could barely make out the bruising on his eyes, and the bridge of his nose was straight and strong. The curve of his lip was full, and Max swallowed, her mouth going dry. She felt her leg begin to bounce, a sign of her nerves kicking in.
The movie was starting, but Max didn't notice. Her gaze remained on him. His hand reached for his water bottle, she was watched as his fingers unscrewed the cap and brought it to his lips. His adams apple bobbed with every swallow, and his tongue swiped along his lips, catching every drop. He glanced at her, and she froze. He faced her, a brow raised curiously.
"What? Is there something on my face?" he asked innocently. She shook her head slowly. It may of been dark, but she could still make out the warm chestnut color of his eyes, and the dilation of his pupils due to the darkness. She could see the curiosity swirling around his warm iris', and she knew that she should look away, or at least say something. Her fingers twitched.
If there was a time to do something, it was now. If it went terribly, she would rewind.
"Warren," her voice came out small, weak, "why did you ask me to come here with you?"
He blinked, puzzled by the question. "Well, we're into the same kind of movies, and I thought it would be fun." he answered, not completely understanding why she would ask him such a thing.
"Because we're friends?" It was a term that she continually insisted upon, but when the word left her lips, an ache tighten in her stomach.
"Well, yeah." She could see that he didn't know what to say. "Are you feeling okay? You've been acting strange today."
She froze when his hand reached up to touch her forehead, a frown appearing on his face. "You're burning up-" He was cut off when she reached up and grabbed his wrist tightly, pulling it away from her face. It took every ounce of her energy to not scream in flustered frustration. His fingers had practically burned her skin, and she could still feel the ghost of their presence on her skin. Her fingers shook around his wrist, and he turned his body to face her.
"Max?"
She could always rewind.
She jerked his wrist, pulling him forward. A noise escaped his throat as he leaned towards her. She never broke eye contact, and she held her breath as she watched his eyes widen in bewilderment. Though there was a gap between their bodies, his face was close to hers now. She could feel his breath against her mouth, and her tongue slid out to wet her bottom lip. His eyes were extremely dilated now, and she could feel his quickened pulse in his wrist - or was that her? - as his skin heated. He was frozen, waiting. Her mind was dark, thoughts no longer humming in her mind, and all she knew was his face, his eyes. She broke eye contact as they traveled down to reach his lips. They were parted slightly, and he wasn't breathing, only waiting.
Their heartbeats were in sync, and her grip on his wrist tightened. Her bottom lip trembled, begging to close the gap. Max let her lids drop, and her mouth met his. The connection caused an instant tingle along her lips and cheeks, liquid fire rushed through her brain, and her fingers trembled along with his wrist. She heard him inhale through his nose sharply, and his lips pressed back. She didn't have much experience, and neither did he; that was obvious, but it didn't damage the meaning and feelings.
She parted lightly, and took a short breath. Her eyes slowly opened to see that his were still closed. He swallowed roughly, and let the air escape from his parted lips. She wondered if they were just as hot as her, and the desire to find out took over. Before he could look back at her, she let go of his wrist and placed her hand on his neck, causing him to flinch. Her mouth met his once more. This time, she parted his lips with hers, deepening the kiss. She could taste the fruitiness of the skittles, and it was mouthwatering. Her other hand tangled its fingers in his hair, and it awoke something in him. He grabbed her face, bringing her closer. The suddenly contact caused her to gasp, breaking away from only a mere moment before he pulled her bottom lip between his, giving a light suck.
Was it going farther that she thought it would? Yes. Was it unwanted? No. Did she want to continue? ...Yes, she did. Something had been awakened with her, and it wasn't going to die down anytime soon. She was going to take advantage of this situation. She was tired of being shy, and ignoring everything in front of her.
After all, if things took a terrible turn, she could always rewind.
Warren had never disliked the human need for air as much as he did at that moment. His mind couldn't comprehend what was happening, and he wasn't sure if any of it was real. Maybe he fell asleep during the movie...except that it hadn't even started. Or had it? He wasn't sure; all he could focus on was the burning sensation pressed against his mouth.
This was happening...wasn't it? He reached out to her, just to make sure. She was fire under his touch, and she shook lightly. Her fingers grazed his neck and he knew it was all real. The radio that sounded the movie was nonexistent, and he didn't mind.
She tasted sweet, and her scent was intoxicating, like a floral mist mixed with earthy rain. He couldn't help but deepen the kiss, hoping for it to last. He didn't want to think about what was to come once they broke apart. He sucked lightly on her lip, his body heated up at the sound of a moan deep in her throat. He decided that they weren't close enough, and used his arms to pull her to him. God, she was warm. He was running out of air, not entirely sure on how to properly breathe while kissing. Shocks were going through his body. How could he be so unaware of sure intense nerve endings? A groan was swallowed by her lips.
He pulled away from her, panting. He almost didn't dare open his eyes. The sweet bliss lingered in the air around them, mingled with their short breaths. Warren peaked through his lashed as her, and his grip around her tightened. Even in the semi-dark, he could make out the rose color that spread across her cheeks and nose. Her eyes were dark, and he could barely make out any of the blue. Her lips were plump, swollen. The look she gave him sent shivers down his spine, and a mixture of feelings pooled within him.
The next kiss was much more rough, sloppy. Needy. He couldn't keep track of what was happening, all he knew was that her tongue pressed against his felt good, and it was addicting. His finger tangled roughly in her brown locks, pulling her closer. She scooted closer, but she must not of thought it was enough because she let out an annoyed sigh. Before he could say anything - or think - she had pushed herself out of her seat, and climbed onto him, his lips never leaving hers. Warmth enveloped him, and Warren wrapped his arms around her, keeping her close and away from the steering wheel. He thanked God that he had pushed his seat back earlier.
The movie no longer existed. Nothing else mattered.
It was only her.
There was no going back now.
She didn't want to rewind.
Exhausted. Me go sleep now. English good later.
Thanks for reading!
xLazyxWriterx