Chapter 3: Day out
I got up early, ignoring my eyes dropping from exhaustion. Bolted for the shower to get cleaned and dressed. I couldn't wait to see her, just thinking about her made me smile for unknown reasons. As I walked out I saw the line up just starting, each of my sisters smiling at me, and laughing.
" Jojo has a girlfriend" they chided as I passed by each of them, I shook it off and glared at them until I arrived at the kitchen, as usual mom was cleaning up the remains of plates and humming to herself.
" Morning Jojo" She replied without turning around, she placed the plates in the cupboard and turned to face me, " Your plate is right there, unfortunately your father has no time for your 12 minutes, so I thought we could talk a bit" I rolled my eyes, great whats worse then dad talking to you? Your mom.
I nodded hestiantly and took a seat down beside her, watched her sip her coffee and dab her fingers on the table and sigh quietly.
" Any plans hon?" She asked while rolling an eye over towards me, I nodded in response.
" That's good I better not keep you from them, should I?" She chuckled while she stood up and returned to washing the stack left over. I smiled myself as I stood up and walked out of the door.
It was a nice day out as I walked down towards her street, my mind brimming with stuff on what to do. She was a girl, meaning clothes, gossiping, boys. I narrowed my eyes in thought, Nah, Max isn't that type of girl. I recalled her saying she liked music, maybe that new CD store in the mall would be a place to go to, after all seeing her last night like that made me feel bad. She was obviously in love with that boy, Jake. I wondered why when I thought of her upset it made me feel afflicted.
When I saw her house I walked up the steps and rang the doorbell, I was greeted by her father to which he gave me a look.
" You must be Jojo, well come on in and have a seat Max is having a shower at the moment" I nodded as I followed him into the living room and was shown where to sit at. I plopped on the red couch, sunk in a bit and waited for Max.
Down the hallway I could hear a door opening and closing, and the sound of feet pitter pattering across the floors, walking towards this way. I sat up a bit and watched as Max came walking out of the darkness. My eyes popped at what she wore.
Her hair was a golden brown from the water hitting it. Her hour glass body only covered by a loose red towel, it blended in with her crimson red fur and black stripped pelt. She smiled kindly when she saw me.
" Hey Jojo didn't know you were here, I'll be right back gotta get dressed" Her finger pointed towards a door in the hallway before she stammered away, leaving me in a slightly catatonic state. My heart was beating loudly against my ribcage as my face heated up with excitement and uneasiness. I looked up as I saw Max come running out wearing a purple corset today still with black skinnies.
" Ready to go?" She smiled kindly and asked, I blushed and nodded my head.
" What a drag, they didn't even have Whovana in stock" Max complained as she took her straw out of the milkshake container and nibbled on the end of it, I nodded in agreement as we took a seat at the food court, I laughed silently as I noticed at how noticeable we were in a sea of colors.
" Sooooo Jojo, what would you rather do?" Max turned the tables towards me and stared at me contently. I shrugged and took a quick look around, I spotted a clothing shop and pointed. She laughed out loud and looked at me.
" You know you can talk to me" She replied while her eyes locked with mine, I nodded and sighed. Even though I can talk my actions speak much more louder and thinking to myself makes me realise a bit at how much it's better for me to be silent.
" I guess your not comfortable around me just yet are you?" She asked quietly as if coming to a realisation, I whinced to my surprise. It wasn't that, I just find myself at a lost of words around her. Coming from someone who doesn't speak would sound weird but though I force myself to talk to one of my sisters, it seems mangled just trying to say hi to her.
We stood up and walked towards the clothing store and browsed. I moaped around the store and watched as she peered at some of the black jackets for girls, she was different a Who who wore different clothes rather then their own fur, I smirked, that is what I liked about her. I had many girls who liked me and thought I was cute, she however, never said anything and only saw me as a friend. If it was more, she was keeping a good job at hiding it from me.
" Jojo, this would look good on you" Max announced while handing me a long straight black jacket. I fondled with the coat hanger and glared at the price tag, A heck of a lot of money but apparently she had different taste in things. As I peered up I saw her try on the black sweater. It was tight and went well with the purple corset perfectly, the black choker on her neck was shiner then the coat and still went accordingly, her black skinnies were perfect to the set, she made black look a lot better then some of the girls I've seen around school.
She tugged the sweater around her and twirled around getting the feel of it. She took it off and placed it on the checkout desk adjacent to her.
" Excuse me miss, can you hold onto this? I'm gonna browse some more" The girl gave her a mmhmm sound and passed her eyes onto something else. I watched as Max dove for the strapless shirts area and pick out a red and black checkered one, smiling instantly she arrived at the counter and started paying for her stuff. After she finished she gave me the finger motion for me to follow her, like an obedient dog I did as I was told.
" Any stores you would be interested in Jojo?" She asked sweetly to me, I shrugged and looked up at her. Man, she was tall or maybe because I'm just so short, I felt slight intimidated by the look of her towering over me, by a couple of inches.
I shrugged as my eyes scanned the place, there was nothing very much around the mall, many of the stores have closed down due to the Horton incident, and others were barely hanging by threads. Max sighed as she took a seat at a bench. I watched her place her bag beside her and clamp her hands together loosely.
" Hey Jojo," She whispered, I turned and cocked my head with a smile.
" I don't know what to do," I looked questionably at her small, fragile voice.
" You see Jake called me today, he said he was gonna come down for a visit this week because of my birthday and stuff, but I don't know should I retaile his feelings back to him or wait? I'm scared because this feeling of love..." she paused and placed her fist in front of her chest as she sighed in opine, " Doesn't feel like it's there at all, just a dust covering my heart you know it's there, yet the feeling is minimal and you know it's just gonna. . . . . fade away" Her eyes glazed over with fear as her body shook visibly, " I'm scared, how do I know if it's love? or a crush? I've never been in love before Jojo and this feeling of remorse is killing me!"
I nodded in confusion althought masked it with agreement. I could tell she was confused, and I wish I could tell her how I feel, alas I'm the same as her, quiet, introverted. Never felt love or puppy love for that matter, just watched it blossom around me.
" Thank you Jojo" She murmured, catching me off guard as I whirled my neck around and narrowed my eyes.
She smiled a kind hearted smile and closed her eyes loosely. Once again, dubious wither or not she was placing her hand on mine on purpose.
"I needed that off my chest" I mantled a bit at her now blissful, pleasured voice. Her fingers getting a feel of my hand, etching the nerves and tracing my hands delicately in and out between each one, sighing quietly to myself at the felicity that erupted within me.
" Oh, s-s-sorry Jojo" Abruptly stopping, terror in her eyes at what she was doing in a comatose state, her face as well ablazed as she placed them near her lap and stared her eyes away from me. My fingers still twitching from her absent touch.
" Maybe I should get going" Max stood up and looked at the clock hanging above the food tower, she turned towards me and lit up for a brief moment before turning her back and heading out. I followed foot behind her, heart almost in pain that she wanted to leave so soon.
" Jojo?" I looked up noticing how close I was to her, she peered down like a mother to a child before smiling again and petting my head jokingly.
" Do you wanna go to the Observatory?" She kept her voice low so no one would hear her. I shook my head, I'd rather go at night where no one could see you very well. She understood and walked to the doors and held them open for me.
" Is there any place you wanna go?" She asked, I thought for a minute or two before my eyes lit up and my face revealed a smile. I grabbed a hold of her hand and started to pull her towards the woods behind the mall.
" Where are we Jojo?" Max asked after looking around the untrailed woods that I brought upon her. Gripping her hand tightly I leaded her towards a part of the woods were a small dirt path was starting. Walking down the path I stopped when I saw the huge rock mountain loom in front of us. I let go for a minute and started to climb up the jagged rock edges and motion for her to do the same. With no problem Max was climbing up the mountain ledge with me and watching my moves carefully. When we came up to a grassy slope of it, I held onto my balance as the moss was proving water was present. I peered down at the huge waterfall we were staring down on, beside me I could hear Max gasping.
" Wow" Was her only reply. I laughed as I looked at the height and the two tightly tied ropes hanging off the trees below. I smirked a bit and I smiled deviously over at her. I whistled grabbing her attention while suddenly I jumped over.
" JOJO!" She screamed as I fell towards the rushing waters. As soon as my feet briskly touched the water, I latched my hands out and grabbed the rope, burning my hands in the process. I swung back and forth and looked at Max's expression. I smiled again as I saw her start to jump but decline right away.
" I'LL GET MY CLOTHES WET!" She yelled down at me. I let go of the rope and let myself get submerged as I swam towards the muddy, shoreline. I stared up at her in thought. I just had my fur on and that was it.
" I'LL JUST TAKE THEM OFF" She yelled down returning reality to me. My face blushed as perfectly in front of me I saw her purple corset land on a wet rock adjacent to my foot. My eyes popped open more as I watched her pants float lazily towards the water, to which I jumped in and grabbed them. I dared look up, even though she would reveal her fur, not what was underneath it.
" WOOHOO!" I heard her scream in excitement as she dangled onto the rope and dove into the water. When she surficed I got a look at her colors, beautiful crimson red with black stripes just as beautiful when I saw peeks of them earlier. She swam around for a bit laughing.
" This is awesome Jojo! It's like a swimming pool" I nodded along with her and watched as she swam to the shoreline and scrambled to put on her clothes, I watched nervously as I too got out and shook a bit, splashing her in the process.
" I had a fun time today Jojo" Max declared as we stood at her doorstep, I had my hands in my pocket and nodded along with her. She opened the door and slowly stepped in, however instead of completely turning around she turned back to me and walked towards me.
" Thank you once again Jojo" She whispered before leaning forwards and giving me a kiss on the cheek, she smiled while her face blushed and shut the door. Meanwhile I stood there with a hand on my cheek that was set ablaze, before I knew it a smile found itself on my face.
I blushed a bit myself as I returned my hand to the pocket and started towards my house.