Making her way back to campus, Max rehashed her conversation with Chloe in her head, She hadn't meant to get so annoyed with her friend, in fact, she'd brought up some good points. But the truth was, Max really was too wrapped in the excitement to think clearly.

Maybe he was right, it'll be better now we're back at Blackwell...I can think everything through clearly.

She felt a pang of longing in her chest when she thought of him. The way he held her, made her feel secure. She hadn't withdrawn into her darkest thoughts and fears at night when he was protecting her, she didn't waiver and panic over choices when he was by her side. He gave her a feeling of confidence that she didn't believe she had in her.

Her phone buzzed in her bag and she slowly retrieved it, not wanting to see the hurt message from Chloe, and to be disappointed by the fact that it wasn't from him.

But she was wrong.

Mark: I need to see you.

All logical thought abandoning her, Max wasn't sure how to reply, when her phone rang, shocking her out of her reverie.

Oh, he does want to talk to me after all.

'Hello?' she said, answering the call.

'Max, where are you?' Mark replied, with no preamble.

'I'm...out,' Max said, 'I-I'm on my way back to Blackwell now.'

'You weren't in class, I was worried about you,' he said, sounded relieved that she was safe.

Max laughed, 'I think I had enough of an education this weekend, don't you?'

'Well, I can't really argue with that, now, can I?' he replied, laughing with her. 'But...I'd really like to see you, can I see you?'

'Wait, what time is it?'

'After five. Maybe we can have an early dinner, what do you say?'

'Well, I'm not really dressed for it...'

'Then let me cook for you. At my place.'

'At yours...' Max was hesitant.

'I'll make something simple, and I'll have you back before curfew, so you won't get busted, how does that sound?' he said persuasively. 'I'd really like to see you again.'

'Okay, sure, I'd really like to see you too,' Max replied, smiling to herself. 'Shall I meet you somewhere?'

'Tell me where you are, I'll come by and pick you up.'

Max told him where she was and hung up. While she was waiting, she received a message from Chloe.

Chloe: Dude, please don't be mad at me, it's just because I care

Max: I know, I'm sorry I stormed off, I've got a lot on my mind

Chloe: Just be safe OK?

Chloe: Maybe we can have lunch tomorrow?

Max: I'd like that (⌒▽⌒)

Chloe: Fuckin emoji...

Max giggled to herself and looked up to see what she recognised as Mark's car pulling up. Suddenly feeling shy, she opened the door and climbed in.

'Wow, it's just as fancy inside!' she said, looking around.

'God, I missed you,' Mark replied, leaning over to kiss her. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of his mouth on hers, her hand reaching up the side of his face.

He pulled away, breaking off the kiss, 'I'd better stop, or else we won't get very far.'

'What if I don't want to stop?' she asked boldly.

'You're a bad girl,' he replied, giving her a wolfish look, 'Maybe one day I'll show you.'


Max was impressed with Mark,'s place, it was large without being imposing, an architect's dream.

'This is amazing!' she enthused as they went inside. The entrance hall was short, doors leading off to the lounge and what Max presumed was the kitchen. At the end of the hall, there were stairs to the upper floor.

'It's home, at least,' Mark replied, flicking on the lights, 'Make yourself comfortable. Would you like a glass of wine?'

'Yes please,' she replied, going to the lounge and admiring the large framed black and white photographs on the wall. 'Are these yours?'

He returned with two glasses of red wine, and handed one to her. 'No, these aren't mine.'

'Same style though,' Max remarked, putting her glass down on a low coffee table.

'What can I say? I've got a type,' he replied, sitting down on the sofa. 'Come, sit with me.'

Max joined him on the sofa and picked up her glass and took a sip.

'How was class? God, that sounds weird, sorry,' she asked.

'Don't apologise, it was fine. The room always feels empty without you, though.' he replied, taking her hand in his.

'Did...did you mean what you said before?' she asked tentatively.

'Mean what? You need to be a little more specific.'

'Oh, you said that you're attracted to my personality...and that you'd noticed me some time ago.' It felt unnatural to Max to ask such questions, almost as if she was bragging.

Mark took her glass out of her hand and placed it on the table, then held both of her hands in his.

'I absolutely meant it. You're that kind of person who can talk to anyone, and when you do, you make them feel like they're the centre of your universe,'

'For me, people always seem to want something from me, whether it be for class, or work. There's not a lot of people who want to talk to me personally.'

For the first time, Max realised that Mark might actually be lonely. It was true that she didn't know much about him outside of work. What about his friends? Family?

Perhaps friends in the art world are transitory. When the fame ended, when your career was over, they didn't have much more in common with you.

'Have you always lived alone?' she asked suddenly.

'Not always, no,' he said evasively.

'Who did you live with?' Max persisted.

'It doesn't matter.'

'Yes it does, I want to know about your life.'

'Max, please, I really don't want to get into this,' he said, with finality in his voice. 'You're in my life, you're the one that matters.'

As if to keep her from questioning him further, he tugged her close in a passionate embrace, his mouth marking her skin with warm kisses along her jaw, down her neck. She broke away so she could take her jacket off.

Feeling brave, she pushed him back against the sofa and sat with her legs astride his and unbuttoned his shirt. She kissed him with a fierce passion, her hands on his chest, reaching round to scratch his back. Matching her intensity, he tugged her t-shirt off and slid her bra straps down her shoulders, his mouth on her neck, moving down to her chest.

She stood to remove her jeans and underwear, while he hastily unbuckled his belt and unfastened his pants.

She sat back on top on his lap and teased him by grinding her hips against his, feeling his excitement grow.

'How much do you want me?' she said softly in his ear.

He didn't answer, his heavy breathing telling her what she wanted to know.

She reached down and guided him into her waiting wetness, manoeuvring her hips to ride him gently, her fingernails dragging down his chest, his hands on her back.

Their bodies moved together, sweat breaking out on their skin, their heat rising. Their gasps of lust were the only sound in the room until, shuddering and trembling, Max felt her orgasm began to take over her. She buried her face in Mark's neck and allowed her cries of passion to flow. His hold on her back tightened, his breaths turned to ragged pants in her ear and he found her mouth to kiss her as he too reached his peak.

'I really did miss you,' he said.


Approaching Blackwell, Mark pulled the car over a few blocks shy of the school.

'I really hate to do this, but I don't think it's wise for us to be seen together at this time,' he said apologetically.

'I know, it's all right – it's not far from here anyway,' Max replied.

'I didn't mean to keep you out so long,' he said, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.

'Is my hair messy?' she said, touching it with concern.

'A little bit, yeah,' he said, smiling. 'That's my fault, sorry.'

'Don't worry, I don't think I'll be seeing anyone at this time, it's nearly curfew.'

'At least you made it in time.'

'Yeah...' Max looked toward the school. She'd take a shortcut anyway, through the trees, cutting through the parking lot and through to her dorm.

'Well, I'd better go,' she said, reaching over and planting a kiss on him.

'I'll see you soon, Max.'

She got out of the car and hitched her bag up before setting off. She hastily trekked down the leafy path and was almost through the parking lot when she heard a familiar voice.

'I have, like, no idea what that last class was all about. He was all over the fucking place.'

Fuck, it's Victoria.

Quickly ducking down behind a car, she just missed Victoria and Taylor walking by, both with lit cigarettes.

Was she talking about Mark? God, I hope she hasn't noticed anything.

Unable to waste more time, Max hurried back to her dorm and reached the door just in time.

'Running late, Miss Caulfield,' said Principal Wells from behind her, scaring her out of skin.

'Oh! Principal Wells, you scared me! I-I was just coming back from, um, from, uh, dropping a book off at the library. Y-you know, through the, um, out of hours slot?' Max couldn't help stuttering, he'd given her a fright and she'd had no excuse prepared.

Luckily for Max, the man either seemed to buy her excuse, or had other places to be as he merely nodded and left her alone.

All this sneaking around is gonna give me a heart attack before I even hit 20!

When she made it to her room, she finally felt secure, yet exhausted. She slowly got undressed and into her pyjamas, wanting to both relive her day and end it.

Why wouldn't he talk about who he lived with? Maybe I should have pushed him more.

Her brain wasn't allowing her to speculate any longer, it'd been a long day.