A/N: I'm still regretting not writing anything last week but I needed to carry on revising and found I just didn't have time. For the same reason this is short and sweet too (but I wanted to write something) although I've incorporated a little bit from last week in it to make up for it :) Glad Connie's been released although it did make me laugh that Zoe has been chucked in at the deep end again despite the fact she stepped down. I can't believe Rita from last week, I'm so disappointed in her. I love her and expected more from her to be honest. In fact I'm still on Team Rita rather than Team Connie regardless of everything that's happened so at least she came clean in the end. Hope my writing's ok, I was literally dropping to sleep as I wrote it so it probably isn't but I'll care more when I have time to. I hate revision :/
Max walked up to the desk where Zoe was standing, he'd only just managed to catch a break but unfortunately for him Zoe wasn't going to give him chance to have one just yet.
"Max, what's this about a sexual assault?" she asked
"Oh the girl who slit her wrists, she was being abused by her carers apparently."
"No not against them I mean the thing against you"
"What are you talking about?" Max sat up a little straighter when he realised Zoe wasn't joking.
"The girl who slit her wrists is pressing charges against you for assaulting her. What is she talking about?"
"I honestly don't know"
"Oh don't give me that Max, where did all this come from?"
"I don't know. I mean she was flirting with me in rhesus this morning"
"What you're not telling me there's something in this."
"No. Like I said I know nothing but she made a pass at me, so I just ignored it. It's no big deal, it happens all the time"
"It happens all the time."
"Ok that didn't sound like it was supposed to. It's not my fault if they come on to me."
"It is if you lead them on"
"I didn't lead her on"
"Well that's not what she's saying"
"Right well, just so we're clear, you trust me less that you trust the word of a fifteen year old girl with mental health problems."
"She's not got mental health problems"
"So you're not denying it"
"I'm just saying that-
"Oh come on, she slit her wrists"
"Ok alright maybe she has but she's of sound mind to know what happened"
"Good to know I can count on your support" Max finished and walked off, leaving Zoe behind feeling guilty. She hadn't meant to attack him like that it was just that with everything that had happened this week meant that all her old nightmares had come back, and she just had to push things too far with Max as well.
"Max look I didn't mean to be abrupt, I just wanted to know where all this came from before it goes any further. This is serious"
"Well I don't know why because I didn't do anything like I said"
"Alright ok I'm sorry"
"Just make sure you get your facts right first next time, before jumping to conclusions."
"I never said I believed them but something must be making her do this. You didn't touch her at all, even just catching your arm on hers"
"Not exactly. I mean, I restrained her when she started getting up to go after her brother but there was nothing in it I was purely just stopping her from leaving"
"You said you didn't know anything"
"I didn't think that counted"
"Obviously not. Anyway the police were looking for you; I suggest you go and find them"
"Unbelievable"
Later that evening Zoe knocked on the door to her own home and waited tentatively for Max to open it. Praying he was even there.
Fortunately a minute later the door was open and Max was standing right in front of it. "Why did you knock?"
"Because I thought it was up to you, whether I was let in or not"
Max just rolled his eyes and walked back inside, leaving the door open for Zoe to follow.
"Max I'm really sorry" Zoe began
"The charges were dropped"
"I heard. Although I shouldn't have had to"
"No Zoe you shouldn't. If this is going to work properly, you're going to have to start trusting me"
"I do"
"No you don't, or at least you didn't today"
"Max I never said you did it"
"But you didn't say I didn't do it either, despite that fact that I'd told you I didn't"
"No, I know. But I don't know what else to say other than I am truly sorry"
"I'm sorry too"
"Why?"
"For making you think there might be some truth in it."
"Max, that was not your fault. She made it up"
"No I mean I'm sorry for giving you a reason to doubt me. I must have done something wrong."
"Max you've done nothing wrong, it was my fault so please don't start blaming yourself." They waited in awkward silence for a minute, neither wanting to be the one who spoke first. At last Zoe gave in, feeling she had more to make up for.
"How's your blood blister?" she asked Max
"Terrible, I might need stiches"
"I'm sure you'll live"
"Barely"
Zoe smiled breaking the tension which in turn made Max laugh.
"Come here you" Max pulled Zoe into a tight hug "I love you"
"I love you too" she whispered placing a kiss on his cheek.
A/N: Thank you so much for reading this! :D