Telling on Nathan would've been the moral thing to do, because if someone is bringing a gun to school that's a red flag that someone else could get hurt, eventually, and Max knew that she might not be there to witness it and rewind. Nathan was very clearly both dangerous and in need of some mental help.
But she couldn't bring herself to tell on him; even though Nathan Prescott had almost killed Chloe, Max knew that his family had power and that telling on him could've meant funding to Blackwell getting cut. Or worse: her scholarship. Dirty Prescott money could easily invent a reason for it get revoked, right? That was as good enough of a reason to not turn him in.
Aside from that, she'd seen Nathan around Blackwell a few times, and her initial impression of him was that he was actually…kind of cute. Cute enough for her to mention in her journal. For a rich brat, anyway. And Hayden had said he wasn't so bad. Nathan just had a bad reputation, because his family had wealth and naturally other students were jealous. That made sense.
Max liked to give people the benefit of the doubt. Nathan had just been having a bad day. And from the looks of it, Chloe had been trying to blackmail him, right? It wasn't like Nathan hadn't been provoked. Of course, that wasn't a logical reason to shoot anyone but…he didn't. Although by all means, what the hell was he even doing carrying a gun around?
But she'd stopped it. She'd saved Chloe. And that was what mattered.
It'd been a long and stressful past few hours for her, not even taking her new abilities into consideration, and by the time Chloe got her back to her dorm, Max just wanted to sleep and not think about it anymore.
She'd might've scratched his face when he had a chokehold on her, but as long as she didn't rat him out, Nathan wouldn't trash her room or anything, right?
Wrong.
Because she'd made the mistake of chastising Victoria earlier and taking a photo of her at her worse, covered in paint and scowling.
"I know where you live, and so does Nathan."
Duh. In the dorms. Like everyone else.
Max hadn't thought much of her threat at the time, or even of the embarrassing photo (in fact, she'd forgotten about it and likely wouldn't upload it despite her threats—just to stay out of drama) but when she opened her door she found both of Blackwell's most prestitious snobs standing there with one of her notebooks open.
"Hey!" She immediately shouted at them, and lunged to retrieve her old diary. "What the hell are you doing in my room? Get out! That's mine!"
Nathan, a couple of feet taller than her, held her book out of reach with the most shit eating grin on his face. "Oh, hey, we were just getting to the good part!"
Victoria shoved Max backwards and onto the floor. "I told you, you little bitch, we know where you live!"
"Uh, yeah, we all live in the same place!" Max's voice was shaky despite her trying so hard to hold her head up.
Victoria crossed her arms, giving Max a spiteful smirk, and extended her palm towards Nathan without looking at him. "Allow me."
Nathan handed her the diary.
"Victoria, I'm fucking warning you!" Max's voice cracked. "Both of you! Get out of my room-now!"
"Oh, shut up." Nathan barked back. "I can have you sent out of Blackwell with straight Fs if I wanted. So just sit there. You brought this on yourself, bitch. No one fucks with Victoria!"
Victoria cleared her throat, opened the book, and began reading dramatically. "Today, as I was leaving science class, I saw Nathan Prescott talking to some other guys from Vortex. I don't get their club, and no one ever really explains it."
Recognizing the entry, Max held her head and stared down at the floor, feeling her eyes stinging and her heart pounding. Fuck, fuck, fuck…
"But I think he's cute, even if I'd never stand a chance with him since my family isn't rich. And it'd totally ruin his reputation to even be seen with me. But a girl can dream, right?" Victoria shut the journal in an intentionally loud manner and tossed it at Max, hitting her on the side of the head with it. "I already took some photo-copies, by the way. And everyone knows your hand writing."
This was bad. Really bad.
Max had half a mind to just get up and run out of her dorm, but where would she even go? Chloe was pissed at her for not taking the blame for her weed, and it wasn't like Max had a ton of friends here. She could call her parents, tell them what happened…and then what? Leave Blackwell voluntarily before Nathan ruined her academic record?
Fuck, this was the worst, and Max hated herself for ever thinking Nathan was attractive, because on the inside he most certainly wasn't.
"Is that true, Caulfield? Huh?" Nathan approached her teasingly, yanking her arm and pulling her up. Max stumbled and balanced herself on the wall, standing up with tears streaking down her face. "You think I'm cute? You want me?"
"…Yes." She was mortified now, could feel her nose getting heavy and the tears drying on her face and turning her skin red. She felt maybe an inch tall. What else could she say now?
Nathan made a satisfied, amused grunt and looked to Victoria, who sat cross legged on Max's bed and watched her with the eyes of a predator.
He turned his attention back to Max and grabbed her face.
She flinched.
He pried his thumb into her mouth, pressing it just against the top of her tongue. She instinctively went to grab at his arm and try to pull him away, but he tightened his grip. "Suck it."
Zzzzzbbt!
A light flashed in the room, followed by the buzzing sound of a Polaroid processing. Victoria had taken Max's new camera, an heirloom from Chloe's late father, and snapped the scene. She promptly retrieved the developing photo and set it on the desk. "Best do what he says, Max."
Nathan held the back of her head with his other hand. "Do what I say!"
Max closed her eyes, took a shaky breath, and closed her mouth around his thumb as much as she could and sucked. His skin didn't taste bad or anything, just…kinda salty. Like anyone's hand.
Nathan audibly laughed. "Hey, she's actually doing it! Take another picture!"
Zzzzzbbt!
Max couldn't help it anymore, hearing the camera print out another photo, and broke into sobs. She'd been so strong earlier, so capable, so confident because she could rewind time but now no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get her mind to concentrate enough. It was like she'd forgotten how to flip the switch in her brain.
"Oh, Max!" Victoria scoffed. "Don't be such a baby! Or is this the first time that a boy has ever touched you?"
Maybe because he didn't want to get anymore drool on him, Nathan withdrew his hand from her mouth and wiped it on his pants, keeping the other in her hair and holding her in place. She didn't look at him. Didn't want to.
"Is that true, Caulfield? You're really a virgin?"
Max wiped at her eyes and still refused to move her eyes from the floor. "Yes."
What of it? Sex in high school was more trouble than it was worth. And if anything watching other girls fret about STDs or pregnancies just enforced her indifference to the subject. She didn't see any reason to be in a hurry. There wasn't anyone she liked enough for that.
"You ever kiss anyone?"
"I-I don't' know…" What counted as kissing?
Nathan pulled her head back and forced her to look at him. She hated being like this in front of him, a gross, crying mess….and yet, she couldn't do anything but try again and again to flip that mental switch and rewind ever coming into her room. She was so embarrassed.
She could die any second now. That'd be fine.
She crossed her arms, trying to retain at least a shred of her dignity.
Nathan looked to Victoria, she muttered something, and then he turned back to Max. "You want me to kiss you, Max?"
There was something softer in his voice, and let her go.
She didn't say anything, not even sure that she'd heard him correctly.
Victoria moved closer, camera still in hand. "He asked you a question, Caulfield."
"Victoria, look, I-" Max was trying to find words. "I'm sorry. I didn't share your picture with anyone and you can burn it if you want to. Both of you, please just…just stop…."
It was really, really hard to not panic.
"Oh, I know you're just jealous, Max." Victoria said matter-of-factly. "But this isn't about that."
Max took a shaky, stuttering breath and pulled away from Nathan just a fraction, hoping he'd let her, and he did. She cupped both hands over her eyes and let herself fall back against her closet door. While she had been repulsed, now she…wasn't? And it was making her heart beat faster and her palms break into a sweat.
"Is-is this your guys' way of coming onto me or something?!" If this wasn't about the photo from earlier, were they wanting to just humiliate her for fun? She hadn't told on Nathan, either, or even hinted that she'd seen him waving a gun around. Today had been too fucking much already.
Victoria sighed and lightly tossed the Polaroid back onto the bed, moving closer to Max and sliding an arm around her shoulder almost supportively.
It felt…odd having Victoria in such close proximity of her, yet alone touching her. Victoria always acted so above touching "filthy commoners".
"Max, Max, Max…" She sighed. "You frustrate so many boys at Blackwell with your cute little baby face, and you just don't know it. And I'll tell you…" She moved her lips to Max's ear. "Nathan is one of them. He's just bad with feelings."
"Hey, you are, too!" Nathan snapped, something else coating his tone now—embarrassment? "This was your idea!"
Victoria shrugged. "I had to see her crying. See what her face looks like, since I'll need a sad scene for the photoshoot..." She pulled away from Max and tugged her hands back, observing how Max's face was red and her eyes swollen. "Aww…you look so cute! Doesn't she, Nathan?"
"Yeah."
Max felt like they were just toying with her now, like a cat with a dead mouse. "What do you want?"
Victoria smiled fiendishly. "I need you to model for me for a certain fashion that you've probably never heard of. It's a Japanese style called Lolita. No one else has the face for it here, sadly. You can model, too, right?"
"You come into my room, wreck my shit, joke about… all to ask me to— "
Victoria shook her head and placed her index finger to Max's lips.
"No, no…I just…we just wanted to have some fun. And then I was looking through your stuff and found your old diary, so…I figured we could maybe…" She actually sounded ashamed. "Anyway…I thought you'd just get mad, since you're short with a short fuse. Not burst into tears or break down all melodramatic…I'm sorry." She gave her a small smile, and Max looked up at her finally, her eyes still watering, and glanced at Nathan, too.
He was just staring at them, and she couldn't quiet read his expression.
Actually hearing Victoria be nice to her was somehow comforting, and she got the feeling that she was telling the truth—if anything, Max trusted her feelings. Even if crushing on Nathan for even a day was a horrible idea.
"You can think about it. Joining Vortex." Victoria said dismissively, and continued scanning her face, cupping both her cheeks now. "But you are cute, Max. Maybe I'm a little jealous. For reasons."
The entire time that Max had known Victoria, she'd been such a bitch, and yet seeing her so vulnerable and upset earlier made her wonder how much of that stuck up attitude was just a façade. Victoria wouldn't be caught dead touching her in public.
Max remembered learning that people could be adamant about hating things that they secretly liked, including people. It made sense for Victoria and Nathan to both hate her, even if they liked her, because they came from money and she didn't. She didn't wear makeup or heels or attempt to be anything other than herself; she'd separated herself from the day to day drama they seemed constantly involved in, so maybe Victoria was a little jealous, too.
Max didn't have a name to live up to, or parents that policed her life.
"This is just…a lot to take in."
Victoria's swept closer, and she kissed Max's forehead, leaving lipstick on her skin, and then gliding back in a single step and signaling to Nathan, who was frowning now. "We'll leave, but if you tell anyone-"
Max felt her skin tingling where Victoria had kissed her; this sensation was so unfamiliar and yet she wasn't repulsed at all, the way she'd expected to be. She reach out and grabbed Victoria's wrist. "No, wait. I'm not…I'm tired, but you don't have to leave yet, if you wanna talk…"
Victoria returned to her triumphant posture. "Oh?"
Max realized that she wasn't crying anymore. "Hey, y'know, I…I always thought you were really pretty. I don't wear makeup, because I'm too clumsy with it. It doesn't look right on me, but…Victoria, I think you could pull off anything. And Nathan, I assumed you hated me, because…of some stuff."
She wasn't sure if Victoria knew about the incident in the girls bathroom, and she wasn't about to bring it up.
Nathan groaned, as if he didn't want to be reminded. "Whatever, I don't care. You know to keep your mouth shut. It's annoying to see girls cry, anyway. Victoria gets off on that, not me."
Victoria swiftly elbowed his side, but not enough to hurt. "Shut up!"
Something about that struck her as funny, and she laughed; Victoria smiled at him and took a step back, letting him return to his original position with her, only this time he slid a hand over her face and felt her skin with his thumb.
Max briefly wondered what Victoria and Nathan even were; friends with benefits? Polyamorous? They were always together, but she'd never heard a word about their official status.
Nathan gently sighed, but not in a way that was angry or irritated—no, that sounded intimate, and suddenly she was dizzy. "Tell me when to stop."
Before she could say anything or doubt what she knew what was about to happen, he gently tilted her face just an inch and pressed his lips to hers, and his tongue moved into her mouth. She was stuck between pulling back, because what the fuck you guys just trashed my room and were threatening me, and returning the kiss with what little experience she had, closing her eyes (because you're supposed to, right?)
He started trailing his other hand down her side, pulling her closer by her belt loop until her body was right up against him and she could almost swear that she felt his dick through his pants, right against her stomach with him being taller than her. She felt like maybe she should touch him back, stand on her tiptoes and wrap her arms around his neck like in the movies—no, that'd be too cliché, and the moment Max contemplated it she could see herself losing balance and falling over.
Kissing someone like this felt…intimate. Kinda nice. So nice that she was forgetting to breathe, and her body was stiff. He was half moaning into her mouth, going between practically pushing his tongue into her mouth and tugging her bottom lip between his teeth.
She hesitantly pushed her hands against chest and pulled her face back. "O-Oh god…"
I did not just do that.
"I'm out of breath…" And she was suddenly really, really nervous that this would escalate.
Victoria shook her head. "You were going too fast for her…"
Nathan shrugged, a little insulted. "Then why don't you try?"
Max didn't expect Victoria to actually kiss her, but she did without another word—her lips were softer, more delicate—and the kiss was much more brief and sensual. Max hadn't shut her eyes this time but Victoria did, and seeing her long lashes so close and taking in the scent of a perfume probably too expensive to pronounce made it a totally different experience.
Victoria ended it just as quickly as she'd started, taking care to retrieve a tube of her lipstick and freshen herself back up immediately. "Like that, Nathan. You can't be so rough all the time, I've told you…"
Max blinked, letting the back to back tastes of both of them settle in her mouth for a second. She couldn't decide if she liked it or not.
Victoria gave her a kind smile and softly pressed the makeup to Max's lips next, carefully applying it to her. "Hm…it isn't really your color, but if you'd like me to doll you up some time, I guess you can knock at my door when it's late."
"Th-thanks…" Max fought the urge to wipe it off; makeup always felt so weird on her face. She was still processing what had just happened and everything that had been said. This day had been insane enough, so she wasn't in entire disbelief. "You guys aren't just…messing with me, right?"
The other two looked at each other, then back to her.
"No. Why would we sully our reputation?" Victoria sounded like she might laugh. "But if you join Vortex, it won't matter…maybe we can get a bit more serious if you like."
"…Yeah, we'll see." Max shyly rubbed at her arm, not able to help from feeling her face getting hot again. "Anyway…if you guys don't mind, it's been a long day."
To her pleasant surprise, Victoria gathered up the photos she'd taken earlier and keenly ripped them in half simultaneously. "Sorry we were so rough at first."
Nathan looked a little pissed at her, like maybe he wanted to keep them, but Max was grateful for the sudden change of heart. They really were telling the truth.
This was the very last thing she'd expected today. All of it.
"I, uh…I'm not gonna lie, you guys scared me shitless at first." Max exhaled, hand over her heart, content now that it wasn't going to explode. "Please don't do that again. If you like me, I mean…that's fine. …I like you guys, too, I think. And I'll think about it. Joining Vortex, I mean."
"Of course you will, Max." Victoria tossed the ripped photos in the garbage can. "I know you'll come around. It's been a shitty day. Glad we could end it like this."
"Yeah," Nathan grunted. "A particularly shitty day."
He opened the door, letting Victoria take her leave first, and then smiled back at Max—which was weird, because Max hadn't ever seen him actually smile at someone without it being with that sinister look in his eyes. "We'll see you later, Max."
She awkwardly waved at them. "Y-yeah, see you later…"
And he shut the door behind them; Max waited until she couldn't hear their footsteps anymore, and fell onto her bed, immediately smudging off the red lipstick with her sleeve.
What the fuck even was that?