Maxine hummed in thought as she looked around, waving her arms slightly in a playful way as she thought over my proposition. It was just a small one, I invited Kate, her girlfriend, and her to come over and have a movie night over in my dorm. I had nothing to do that night so really I thought, why the hell not have some friends over while I'm at it.
"I'll even buy you your favorite chips and dip." I said and her eyes landed on me and brightened up at that. I was glad to see her happy and smiling again, ever since that Chloe girl died a few months back Max hadn't really been herself, she was depressed it seemed. She wouldn't go to the movies with me, she continuously looked at Nathan who was finally allowed back to school after 2 months in jail but he was watched 24/7 now. For awhile I swear she liked the guy or hated him for killing what was her best friend 5 years ago. But I soon threw both of those ideas out the window once she began to date Kate Marsh, who I never really knew all that well but she was a nice girl. I saw Max talking with Nathan one day and it seemed like they were both crying and making up for something I still haven't figured out and probably never would.
Nathan avoided me like the plague, not that I was even trying to talk to that asshole. All he ever did before he went to jail was make fun of me and push me around with his jock buddies who were only around him for his money, but now not even those dicks want to be around the Prince of Blackwell. I was a bit smug I will admit, knowing that now whenever he made fun of ME for not having any friends I could just look and see no one who even cares about him. . .Maybe that's a bit rude to think, Max would kill me if she knew I thought of Nathan that way ever since the two of them seemed to be on good terms now. Even Victoria is sort of friends with Max, but never seems to speak to Nathan anymore.
"I think you just won my heart White Knight!" Max said dramatically with a hand in his forehead and a faux faint, I laughed as I caught her and put her up right once again.
"Oh how I, m'lady. Sadly Lady Marsh has taken your love and adoration for herself." I said, making my voice go serious and I let her go, stepping back as she laughed softly. She looked over and I noticed something in the corner of my eye. I looked over to see Nathan sitting on a bench by himself with a bunch of his use to be friends surrounding him, he seemed pissed more than scared as they spat at him, even from here I could hear the terrible things they were calling him. I felt myself stiffen as I realized that Nathan was now in my position.
"Oh no. . . " I heard Max say and I saw her making her way over and I panicked and grabbed at her.
"You shouldn't go over there Max. . ." She shook her head and waved a hand.
"Just go to the dorms, I'll meet up with you later, okay?" She said and I let go of her, having to trust her and turned away, not wanting to really know what happens to her and ran down to my car, deciding I should probably go buy some snacks for movie night.
Sitting in my room and checking the clock I was almost worried that Max and Kate weren't going to show up until I heard a knock on my room and jumped up, opening my door to say something host worthy and dramatic until I saw Nathan standing awkwardly behind the two girls, his face wrecked.
"Hey War! I hope you don't mind, I invited Nathan to come with." Max said, stepping in around me and Kate grabbed Nathan's arm gently and led him in as well. I let them pass me and I closed the door, feeling a bit of anger and annoyance at the unwanted by me guest. I turned and saw that the girls were already wrapped up in one another on the floor in front of the TV I had just recently bought with some left over money and Nathan just standing awkwardly in the middle of my room. I rolled my eyes and motioned for him to sit on the bes, he winced at the motion and I stared at him in confusion as he obeyed and sat down quickly. Avoiding my gaze at all costs as he shrugged off his jacket and began to fiddle with him hands. I shook my head, prying my eyes away from him and walked over to the DVD player, plugging in my hard drive that is now stocked full of illegally downloaded movies, some that haven't even come out yet, and scrolled through until I found Crimson Peak. Surprisingly I haven't watched it yet but it looks damn amazing.
I sat on the bed next to Nathan much to my displeasure but I was no about to sit in my desk chair, that shit is not comfy enough for this, I laid on my stomach and rested my chin on my hand as the movie began and throughout the movie I could see Max helping to shield Kate's eyes from the 'Scary' parts, which weren't at all that scary, it was actually pretty interesting and the movie is not at all like I expected. Also during it I could see Nathan's face from the corner of my eyes showing so many motions that I have never seen before of him, some of surprise, sadness, and even happiness when something good happened. At the end he stood up quickly, making me flail and fall off the bed.
"Hell no! No! You can't just! Nooo" Nathan fell to the ground as Tom Hiddlesen stabbed the guy from Pacific Rim through the stomach after being directed on where exactly to stab him where it would not kill him. I had to laugh as Nathan ranted about it for a good five minutes before falling silent again as the movie continued, he fell back down, this time next to me on the floor and he grabbed my arm, still staring at the screen, "Best movie evveerr." He winced a bit and some blood came out of the tear on his lip but he ignored it and kept his eyes glued to the screen. I tilted my head as I studied the jackass next to me who, for once, wasn't making fun of me for something and seemed to be enjoying his time with us, even if Max and Kate were too wrapped up in once another to really care what we or the movie was doing, in fact. They seemed to be asleep. I sat up slowly and looked at them, yep. They fell asleep. I turned to Nathan who was now staring at me with curiosity. I studied the bruises that littered him and I opened my mouth to ask but he interrupted, "Earlier when Max and Kate came over. . .the guys started to be dicks to them. So I stood up for the two. . . .nothing else really but that. Got the shit beat out of me and that's how I got dragged to a movie night in the room of the guy who I regret beating up that one day just because I was pissed."I looked at him, confused.
"When did you ever beat me up? What are you talking about?" Nathan tensed up and it looked like realization dawned on him.
"Nothing. . . . nothing at all." Nathan got up off of my floor and stood in the middle of my room, seeming to fight with himself on something. He then turned and looked me right in the eye, coming up to me in long strides and quickly pulling up by my shirt collar and raising me into a kiss. I froze against him as he kissed me and when he pulled back he looked broken, more broken than before. "Just thought you ought to know." He said softly, then briskly walked out of my room into his own as I sat there, still feeling his lips against my own even after the girls woke up and asked what happened and why I had some blood on my lips. I shook my head as I licked my lips, tasting them and trying not to think anything of it.
"Nothing. . . . nothing at all."