Hello all my fabulous readers (small number, I do know). I finally present you with Chapter 2.

So sorry for being MIA but my Wi-Fi died on me and had no proper Wi-Fi for roughly a month (my last post was done through library Wi-Fi) so I couldn't post or binge watch Netflix (which by the way sucked ass because I was on my six-week uni break). SO, I return to uni today and will probably have slow updates because I really wanna give my all this semester and see if I can actually survive the business aspects of my degree (doing a double in Nursing and Business, yes, it's a bloody odd degree).

But on a happier, less "will she make it" note, I hope you all enjoy Chapter 2.

I pray you enjoy, because I plan for this story to be a long one.

Chapter 2: Adulting

Max was in her senior year of high school. Apparently when this year was done, she was ready to become an adult according to the Unites States government.

"WE GOT MORE VODKA" Chelsea's voice rang out through the party.

The entire crowd cheered, including Max.

Adult? Somehow, Max seriously doubted that.

"C'mon, let's go get drunk off the good stuff" Mila's voice purred in her ear, interlocking arms with her and dragging her inside to the kitchen where her friends were.

"Oh, look who's rejoining civilization" Seth teased.

"Oh, shut up Seth" Max snapped playfully.

"She was all by her lonesome" Mila whined, the alcohol clearly doing its job for her.

"Hmm, waiting for me perhaps?" came the overly flirtatious voice of Sebastian as he grabbed her hand, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"Hey, Seb, get your hands off my girl" a voice called while a pair of arms wrapped around Max's waist, pulling her backwards towards their body.

Instantly, a small smile appeared on Max's face.

"Listen Jake, everyone knows, okay. They know, she's dumping you for me" Seb said while Max rolled her eyes.

"Yeah and I'm Tinker Belle" Jake shot back sarcastically.

"Well, the blonde hair and green number would suit you" Sebastian said off handedly.

"Jake! You are not allowed to kiss her! I want her drunk. I need to see her drunk once!" Kiera said loudly.

"Yes ma'am" he saluted before asking in Max's ear. "Why does me kissing you constitute sobriety?" he asked.

Max shrugged. Making a noise that sounded like an "I don't know"

"How was cabin life with your grandparents?" he asked kissing her temple.

"As expected, boring, poor Sammy was distraught without Wi-Fi, Aiden and Miles enjoyed it. Reuben got to hunt with Grandpa." She surmised for him quickly.

"MAX!" a voice bellowed snapping the two love birds out their little bubble.

Looking up to see Eric she asked him what he wanted.

"Coming Friday?" he asked over the music.

"Yeah, Katie's bringing lasagna" she laughed. "You coming?" she asked turning to Jules.

"Ugh. Yeah, Dad's making me" he groaned.

"Dude what else are you gonna do?" Josh asked.

"Maddy's got a free house Friday" he answered with a smirk.

"Oh, ew, okay, enough of that" Ally said stopping him before he could elaborate on his intentions. Not that he needed to. Maddison Clark had quite the reputation for her sexual exploits. Not that Max wasn't all for sexual empowerment of females. But seriously, she slept with everyone. Everyone.

"SHOTS" Mila called.

"To senior year" Jake toasted.

"Senior year" everyone's voices echoed.

"All or nothing right?" Max asked turning her head to face Jake.

"All or nothing" he nodded.

And with that they downed their shots.

Two jaeger bombs and 3 tequilas' later, they ended up in the tree house making out as you would at any teenage house party. As expected.

"Miss me?" Jake asked kissing up and down her neck.

"Mmhm" she half-answered/half-sighed.

"Thought so" he smirked while carding his fingers through her hair. "I like the hair" he said admiring the beach waves compared to her normally somewhat straight hair.

"Course you do" Max smiled.

"Nice little number you got going on" he said pulling to back to admire the skin tight red dress clinging to her body. It had a high halter neckline reaching mid-thigh on her. She always did look good in red. Of course, she had her signature Adidas originals on her feet. She had an unhealthy obsession with white shoes.

"The dress or the lace under it?" Max said with a small smile, a single sculpted brow arched.

Letting his head drop back, he groaned, "You're killing me baby"

"I know" she said before kissing him again.

"Mmm" he moaned before pulling back. "So, I have to go visit Gran again this Saturday. Seth is staying at a friends and Mum's on business if you wanna spend Saturday night on the couch with me and Zeus, watching Netflix and eating foods we shouldn't eat" he said.

"You expecting Netflix or Netflix and chill?" Max asked, a hint of shyness in her voice.

"I would not object to the second option" he smirked while nuzzling her neck as she giggled.

"Oh my god, Jake" she groaned shyly, pushing lightly against his chest.

"Hey, no pressure. I want it to be special for you. Which means no dog, no couch and no crumbs" he said pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead.

"And if I want to?" he asked looking up at him. "Then what would you say?"

"I'd say I want to. Hell, I'd go all twelve rounds with you in this tree house" he laughed. "But I want you to be 100% comfortable and not have my childhood pirate wheel poking you in the back while half our year is drunk below us" he told her making her laugh lightly

"Good, because this tree house is way too cute to be defiled like that" she said seriously.

"hmm, stop talking and get over here' he said going to pull her in for another kiss.

"HEY LOVEBIRDS" Seb's voice boomed from below the tree earning an irritated groan from Jake.

"WHAT?" Jake yelled back sticking his head out of the window.

"KIERA SAID THE BABY MAKING TIME SLOT IS UP!" he called causing Max to laugh.

"We'll be down in a minute" Max said sticking her head out the window too.

"Come, my queen. The children need tending to" He said in an awful British accent.

Climbing down the tree before going back to the kitchen, it seemed as if none of her friends had moved. Well, none except for Eric who was currently very busy getting to know some girl, Kylie perhaps? On a whole other level.

"Hey, anyone seen Sammy?" Max asked to no one person in particular.

"Yeah. I think she's with Dion and Lola in the lounge" Chelsea said coming up for air from her somewhat important make out session with Seth.

"Thanks, Chels" Max said laughing as she went straight back to playing tonsil hockey with her boyfriend. "Hey, I'll be back in a minute, alright?" she said turning to Jake.

"Sure, go be all sisterly" he said.

Max could only roll her eyes in response.

Sure enough, in the lounge, sat Sammy with her two best friends Dion and Lola. They were like three peas in a pod. Dion was gay, and a bit of a princess. Lola was a cheerleader like Max and Sammy, but she had a bit more of an appreciation for the nerds (due to the fact she became fast friends with a little bookworm named Elle who was in Max's Literature class) and the cooks of the school.

Upon spotting her sister, Sammy immediately bombarded her with a question on the latest gossip.

"MACKIE! What do you think about the rumours of Mr Stancy and Miss Whitehall?" Sammy asked clearly very interested by the conversation.

"Poppycock" Max said immediately. "He's way too in love with his cat. Besides, isn't Whitehall seeing that new guy? You know, that new family that moved into town, the new girl's uncle or whatever? She's in your class, isn't she?" Max asked.

"Yeah Violet or Viola or something. She's in my bio class" Lola answered for Sammy who was downing some sort of cheap alcohol.

"You good to stay the night here?" Max asked Sammy.

"Why? You and Jake planning on doing the nasty in the tree house?" she snarked.

"No, you idiot. I've been drinking, so have you and either way you've only driven a total of five hours, none of which was night driving which means im not risking it" Max said. "Lily would have my head mounted on the wall"

"Yeah, but the alcohol in your system means tree house sexing, right?" Sammy pressed.

"Well, actually we were planning porch sex first, then pool sex, but yes Sammy. Tree house sex is on the list" Max said sarcastically.

"Knew it" she said. "But sure, Lola and I can stay, right?" she said turning to Lola.

"Sure" Lola shrugged.

"Thank you. Both of you" Max thanked them gratefully before zipping off to the kitchen again.

After two or three hours, the party died down and everyone went off the sleep, except for Max and Jake who lay in bed, still somewhat awake.

Lying face to face, mapping the lines and contours of his face, which looked even more beautiful in the moonlight. Normally she'd say things at this point, but she was as quiet as a mouse.

Noticing this Jake asked her, "What's on your mind?". Grabbing her hand and looking at her face for any signs of distress while brushing a few stray hairs off her face.

"Nothing" she said dazing into his beyond amazing hazel eyes.

Being a master at hiding her emotions, he knew better than to believe it.

"Is it about the conversation we had in the tree house?" he asked, this time really looking out for signals.

"No" she said shyly somewhat avoiding his gaze to which he simply raised a brow.

"Maybe" she surrendered.

"We don't have to-" he began only to be cut off.

"Just hear me out, okay?" she said before she could chicken out.

He nodded, curious to hear what she had to say.

"I still get nervous around you. It's stupid, I know, but I do. If we plan things out I'll just get more nervous and anxious. So, I think it should just happen when it happens. I don't mind you coming onto me, I'd let you know if something happened I'm not comfortable with. Just don't think that I don't wanna have sex with you. I do. I just don't know...how to go about it" Max admitted anxiously.

"Okay, first of all. It is not stupid that you're nervous. It isn't stupid at all. Secondly if you want whenever it happens, it'll happen whenever it happens. I won't ever mind coming onto you, but the second you feel uncomfortable, you tell me, I don't care how little or stupid or irrational you think it is, tell me. I won't be offended or think you're leading me on or anything." He told her.

It was things like this that made Jake Brookes the perfect boyfriend.

"I don't even have words to describe how perfect you are right now" Max smiled, looking up at him with her brown doe eyes.

"Yeah, yeah. You make me a better person" he huffed. "I was an ass before you came along" he said, reminiscing about before they became friends.

"You were a bit of an ass, weren't you?" Max said in deep thought.

"Y'know sweetness, that was cue for you to tell me what a great boyfriend I am and be a supportive girlfriend, how much if an ass I'm not and how I wasn't that bad-" Jake began only to be cut off.

"You were awful! I hated you with very good reason you know! You called me Queen Elizabeth and told me I couldn't handle anything stronger than Earl Grey Tea!" Max objected immediately.

"Yeah, okay, fair point." Jake surrendered.

"Yeah, that's right, tell me how right I am" Max smirked happily.

"Jesus, okay, you're right" Jake rolled his eyes before kissing her cheek.

"Y'know, you're feeding my power kink" she giggled.

"Oh. Your power kink huh?" he grinned suggestively, nudging her ribs with his knuckles. "I suppose we can discover the mechanics of that someday?"

"I suppose we shall" she smiled up at him shyly.

They shifted into a comfortable silence, lasting all of two minutes before Max's voice became audible.

"Hey Jake?" she asked quietly.

"Mmmm?" he mumbled cuddling her a bit tighter.

"We can have a slow, steamy make out session with some adventurous touching, right?" she said nonchalantly.

He let out a noticeably satisfied groan before hooking the hand that wasn't under her waist, over her waist and pulling her flush against his side, her nearly on top of him.

"Max de Bourbon you are the love of my life" Jake practically moaned before wrapping his hand around her neck and bringing her down for a kiss.