A/N: One-shot, of course! This is in June's POV of her and Max's relationship from Not Like The Movies. Just a few moments in time, which don't affect the story, but show you just how close they've grown. I just wanted to do this in case I couldn't write the chapter titled 'Cute'. Vote on my profile or review on chapter 9! The first one takes place right after Alex gets out of her coma, but before she came home. The second one takes place the first week Alex is home. Third one is sometime after the second one.
Catch Me
Before I fall too fast
Kiss me quick
But make it last
So i can see how badly this will hurt me
When you say good bye
Keep it sweet
Keep it slow
Let the future pass
And don't let go
But tonight i could fall too soon under this beautiful moonlight
'Don't think about it, June. Do NOT ruin this moment!' I thought to myself. Max had brought me to the park in an attempt to cheer me up. Which might just be working, I admit. Max has that effect on me for some strange reason. It was about 8 o'clock and he had his arm around my shoulders casually. He has a sloppy grin on his face and he's telling stories about when he was growing up with Alex and Justin.
He had a dark red V-neck shirt, faded jeans, and converse. He did have a hoodie, but somewhere along the way, I ended up wearing it. His eyes were bright with excitement and I couldn't fight the blush that crept up on my cheeks.
"-Alex kept turning back time so Justin could kiss this one Miranda girl. At the same time, we were having these guys taste this sandwich I invented. So when she re-did the spell, the guys said it tasted familiar, even though I'm sure they've never tasted a sandwich with popcorn in it." Max explained. I giggled and blushed when Max looked over at me. It wasn't that funny, but I couldn't help it.
"So, what's up with Alex lately?" Max asked. I shrugged. Truthfully, I didn't know much. Alex and I are still working to sort out all her memories. A lot of them are okay, but any involving Justin or Tristin are a bit fuzzy. We're sorting them out and they're slowly coming back. Alex still feels… odd toward Tristin being her fiancé, but I think I've helped her see how perfect he can be. Perfect. That was a word Alex sure wasn't. But you could never have too much good in your life, right? And Tristin was as good for Alex as they come.
"She's better, but I think she's a bit overwhelmed. I mean, she did wake up in a completely different world." I said. Max nodded in understanding. Surprisingly, Max is very understanding and smarter than people give him credit for. In fact, he had sensed the unusual feelings between Alex and Justin long before Alex was even sure herself.
"Um, what's up with your family?" He asked. The topic was a bit sensitive for Max, seeing as my Dad didn't like him much. They had visited a few weeks ago, but my Dad thought that Max wasn't a suitable match for me. He thinks that I belong with some Ivy League guy who makes a ton of money. Which, Max obviously isn't.
"They're….. Okay. Trey (my older brother) is getting married in a few months." I explained. Trey had invited me, joking that I could bring Max as my date, which had made me blush madly. Trey liked Max, mostly because Max had a great sense of humor. Mom liked him too, but thought Max was a bit out of it.
"Oh, yeah! Are you gonnna go?" Max asked. I nodded. Max grabbed my fore-arm gently and led me toward a patch of grass, where we sat and gazed up at the stars. I tried to point out the constellations, but Max didn't get it much. The only one he seemed to remember was Hercules. He pointed out clusters of stars that formed different things.
"That looks just like a rabbit!" Max exclaimed. I laughed and shook my head. It didn't look like a rabbit at all. In fact, it looked kind of like a heart.
"Is not, it's a heart!" I argued. Max looked at it again and shook his head. He then pointed out another clump of stars and launched into a wild story about Alex, Justin, and him going to Mars or something. I just stared at him as he talked animatedly. I smiled contently and tried not to think about all the time we've been spending together lately. At first, it had only been Max comforting me at the hospital. Then, it had been him staying with me day and night while I cried over Rose being in a coma. Now, it was him distracting me from Rose and all the other problems. We went out- NOT a date- at least 5 different times a week. And if we didn't, he'd sit with me in the hospital and hold my hand or something.
Just being around Max gave me butterflies now. Just being around him made me think that everything would be okay someday. He made me believe that Rose would wake up, Alex would find love, and I would finally be content with my life. I'm not trying to be a downer, but I've never been happy with my life.
I sacrificed my own happiness just for my friends or family to be happy. I made sure my friends were content before I even worried about myself. My parents always compared me to Rose and Trey. Why couldn't I be as popular as Rose? Why couldn't I be as active or gifted as Trey? Why couldn't I get a boyfriend like Rose? Why couldn't I get a scholarship like Trey? And so on it went. So, I forced myself to push the limits and was never comfortable in my own skin.
Max ended his story and looked over at me, catching me staring at him. I blushed again and quickly looked away.
"What?" Max asked. "Why were you staring at me?"
"I wasn't." I lied. Max made a confused face and nodded.
"Yeah, you were. Do I have something on my face?" Max asked. I shook my head in embarrassment.
"No, I guess I just zoned out or something. Sorry." I mumbled. Max smiled and took my hand.
"Don't worry about it." He said. And just like that, my nerves were settled.
But you're so hypnotizing
You got me laughing while i sing
You got me smiling in my sleep
And I can see this unraveling
And your love is where I'm falling
But please don't catch me
See this heart
Won't settle down
Like a child running scared from a clown
I'm terrified of what you'll do
My stomach screams just when I look at you
"Please tell me you didn't just eat all that ice cream!" I said. Max dropped the spoon and looked at me like a deer caught in headlights.
"Uh, I didn't eat all that ice cream?" Max mumbled. I groaned and sat next to him on the couch. I had just bought chocolate ice cream for Alex, which she would die without, and I really didn't want to go back to the store. He smiled at me sheepishly. The ice cream was on the table, completely empty.
"Sorry?" Max offered. I smiled and looked over at him. He smiled back and I laughed at his chocolate covered face. I got back up and grabbed a wash cloth, wet it slightly, and made my way back toward Max.
"You've got chocolate all over your face." I explained, wiping his cheek. He whined and tried to protest. "Oh calm down! Don't be a baby, Max!"
"I'm not!" He protested. I laughed and continued to wipe the chocolate off.
"Yeah, you are." I laughed. He grabbed the wash cloth and glared at me playfully.
"I'll do it, I'm not a baby!" Max said. I rolled my eyes.
"Sure seems like it! Now come with me to the store so I can go get Alex more ice cream!" I said. Max set the towel down and headed toward the coat rack to get his jacket. When he turned back to me, I noted the big smear of ice cream that was on his cheek. I sighed and grabbed the wash cloth again.
I wiped it off and noticed how close we were. I could feel his breath on me and smell his cologne. I looked up at him, blushing madly. He was blushing too and staring down at me. We stood there for what seemed like forever before Alex appeared on the bottom of the stairs. She stopped in her tracks and stared at us. Immediately, an 'aaww' escaped her and a smirk found its way on her lips. I blushed even brighter and quickly took a step back. I grabbed my coat and practically ran out the door. I heard Max call after me, followed by Alex's laughter.
Run far away
So I can breathe
Even though you're far from suffocating me
I can't set my hopes to high
Cause every hello ends with a goodbye
But you're so hypnotizing
You've got me laughing while I sing
You've got me smiling in my sleep
And I can see this unraveling
Your love is where I'm falling
But please don't catch me
So now you see
Why I'm scared
I can't open up my heart without a care
But here i go
It's what i feel
And for the first time in my life i know it's real
"What's going on between you and Max?" Alex asked. I blushed at the mention of his name and gulped.
"What do you mean?" I asked defensively. Alex was lounging on her bed, eating ice cream- that I had bought! She had only woken up about a half an hour ago, yet she was eating ice cream! I had tried to lecture her, but she wouldn't have it.
"You know what I mean! You guys are always flirting and hanging out, so are you guys going out or what?" She asked. Alex, being Alex, was straight forward and to the point.
"No. I mean, yes. I don't know!" I exclaimed. She smirked and thought for a moment. Oh no, this couldn't be good.
"You so like him!" Alex laughed. I shook my head, hiding my face in my hands. "Wait- do you mean that he hasn't even asked you out officially?" She asked in disbelief. I shook my head.
"We're just friends I guess." I mumbled.
"Has he called you pretty or cute or hot?" She asked.
"He called me beautiful once, but I don't think he meant to say it." I said. Alex rolled her eyes.
"Has he even talked about you guys being boyfriend and girlfriend? I mean, you guys have to be dating by now!" Alex argued. I shook my head.
"No, he's never said anything like that." I told her.
"Has he ever acted jealous when you talked to other guys?" Alex asked.
"Yeah, a few times, but what does that prove?" I asked. Alex rolled her eyes.
"You are so in denial!" She exclaimed. "You so love him! Face it, June, you love my little brother!" I shook my head wildly. No way. Love was not in my vocabulary! Love was a word without meaning. I mean, you loved your family, but no one else. Everyone just makes up or exaggerates their feelings. Love? Really?
"I am not! There is no way-" I began to protest. Alex cut me off.
"Don't lie, June! You can't hide from this stuff!" Alex said. I sighed and shook my head. Well, if anyone knew what love was, it was Alex. I mean, she was going to sacrifice everything for the one she loved. So, if that wasn't love, what was? Not like I'd ever say it of course. But would I do that for Max? Not that it would ever come to that, of course.
"What if your dad refused to let you marry Max?" Alex asked. "Would you go against your parents for him? When you can answer yes to that, then you know you're in love. If you'd give up everything, you'd know you're in love." Alex explained. I thought for a moment. Would I? Could I do that to my family?
"I-I don't know. Maybe." I mumbled. Then, I thought differently. What if Max's life was in danger? What if I had to give up my life for his? Immediately, part of me said I would. That part was my heart. But my head told me that it would be stupid. I was divided.
"You'll know sooner or later." Alex assured me. "Love isn't about finding someone perfect for you, June. You don't need someone who's just like you. You need someone who compliments you. You need an opposite, but not completely. I don't know how to explain it. It's like Justin and I. We're opposites, but we still have things in common. We complement each other."
And Max and I were just like that. I barley had a sense of humor, yet Max was the funniest guy alive. Max was a bit out of it, but I was class valedictorian. I'm complex, Max is simple. I worry about everything, while Max is laid back. But we'd both do anything for family. I suppose we did complement each other well.
"Now if you guys aren't perfect for each other, I don't know what love is." Alex said. And I couldn't agree with her more….
