A/N: So, I managed to start writing this in my spare lesson at school. I just couldn't stay away! The reviews I didget were encouraging, so…. wow, is it really Chapter 20 already? Seems like Yesterday I was creating Sadie and all the other characters! And this achievement deserves a change – Max's point of view!
Chapter 20 – Getting Better
Eh. I didn't really know how to react. I mean, it's not like I really care… after all, it's not like he's my boyfriend. And I don't like him either, right…? Right. I liked Max, no one else.
"I just blurted it out," he continued his unnecessary explanation, "I mean, everyone else was saying it, so I thought-."
"Okay, Patrick, I get it! You don't love me, you just said so in the spur of the moment."
"I'm so glad you understand!"
"Now you're free to be with Anna without the added burden of your love for me," I said it playfully of course. His red hair caused him to blush easily – which is exactly what he did when I said that.
"A-a-anna?" he stuttered.
"Yeah, Anna. Isn't she your girlfriend now?"
Genuine confusion…
"Oh, yeah! Sorry, mental blank! Yeah, she is."
I narrowed my eyes at him. What the hell?
"So, I'll see you later, right?" he seemed very eager to get away from me.
"Uh, sure…" I agreed.
"Bye," he hurried off then, his uniform of grey shorts and a dark blue shirt matching his red hair.
Max must be an alarm, for most afternoons he calls just as I get in the door.
"Hey, Honey Pie!" he greeted me.
"Hello, Mr Moonlight! – White Album, Beatles For Sale!" I greeted in return.
"Poo. Mr Moonlight?"
"Yeah, remember? Just after we found out about our specialness I called you that? On account of the moon making us like this..."
"Oh, yes, I remember. So, how as school?"
"Pretty average actually. Well, apart from a few things…"
"Oh?"
"Yeah, Prue's still not talking to me, but I bumped into her, literally, and I could see all these angry bruises on her face! I mean, she covered it with makeup, but with my superior vision I could see it. And she even limped away!"
"Oh my God, wow. Did you try talking to her?"
"We've tried, believe me. It's not worth her rejecting us every time. But for some reason, she opened up to Anna… not sure why. Speaking of Anna… her and Patrick are going out!"
"What?"
"I know, very sudden. First they announce their 'relationship', then Patrick comes up and tells me he doesn't love me like he said he did, it was just some spur of the moment slip of the tongue."
"Wait, he said he loved you?"
"Rubber Soul! And yeah, kind of, in a way. I thought you knew that?"
"I wasn't paying attention, and for good reason too! I knew he liked you, just not full on loved. Well, I guess that's a good thing then. Now I can rest easily knowing you won't go to him."
"Anna (Go To Him)."
"Haha, very funny – PLEASE PLEASE ME!"
"I let you get that one."
"As if!"
"I did! Anyway, that song title is very accurate. I mean, Anna did go to him. Weird. Coincidental."
"So, I just wanted to check up on you… as usual."
"Oh, how did your day go?"
"Nothing much happened. I've been wondering… isn't it weird how I've met some of your friends, but you've never met mine? Like I've met Anna and Patrick and Tim…"
"DON'T YOU DARE!"
"Okay, sorry! I just meant I've met yours, I think you should meet mine."
"You really think so?"
"Oh, I know so."
"Have you been talking about me?" I asked in a suspicious tone.
"Well they asked! So I told them all about you."
"Yeah, I talk about you too! Hang on, do they know about the Woolworths Incident?"
"Yeah… I couldn't leave it out. They are one hundred percent on your side."
"Who would be on Tim's side?"
"No one?"
"Correct."
Just then, I heard the garage go up as Mum came home.
"Ooh, Mum's home," I announced.
"Mine too! They come in at the same time… coincidental."
"They work together and their work is the equal distance from both our houses."
"Sadie, I'm home!" Mum called out.
"In here!" I called.
Mum came into the lounge room where I was lounging around. She appeared in front of me wearing her purple satin blouse, high waisted grey skirt and black pointy high heels.
"Who you talking to?" she whispered to me.
"Max," I whispered back.
She nodded and smirked before sauntering away. I could hear Max laughing on the other end of the phone.
"What are you laughing at?"
"Nothing!"'
I could then hear Joan talking to Max.
"Oh, Mum, Joan got home the exact same time as you!" I called out to Mum.
"Really? She left early," Mum replied.
"Where'd she go?"
"She had an appointment."
"Ah."
"That was Mum," Max coyly said.
"I know, I heard," I giggled, "Did you know she left early to go to an appointment?"
"No."
"Oh. Well, I better go. By the way, Anna suggested a double date with us and her and Patrick. I said I didn't know whether you'd agree."
"That'd be cool."
'Okay, I'll tell 'em yes."
"Oh, Sadie?" Mum came into the room again.
"Yes?"
"I got a call today… the court date's been set."
"When is it?"
"The ninth of November."
Today was the twentieth of October – it was only twenty days away!
"Did you hear that Max?" I asked my boyfriend.
"Crap. I don't want to go! I'll see that bastard."
"I'll see him before then! He comes back to school next week."
"I feel sorry for you."
"I feel sorry for myself!"
"And please, stay out of trouble."
"It's not me you should be telling!"
"Patrick has a hard time controlling himself, doesn't he?"
"He's just protecting me! And himself…"
I added the last part after I could feel Max's chagrin.
"Okay, I'll talk to you later," he finished, "Bye."
"Bye."
And then we hung up and I started my English assignment – a supernatural short story. This should be fun…
Max
"Dude, we so want to meet her," my best friend Kane told me at morning tea on Tuesday.
"Who, Sadie?" I asked.
"No, the queen, of course Sadie!"
"Oh, right. Yeah, well I talked to her yesterday… she wants to meet you too."
"Really?"
My group of friends – Kane, Riley, Adam, Nathan and Des – were ecstatic. I had no idea why.
"Uh, yeah. Why are you all so enthusiastic to meet her?"
"Dude, she's your girlfriend," Adam reasoned, "We've all met Hayley and Brianna, so we should meet Sadie."
We had met Adam's girlfriend Hayley and Nathan's girlfriend Brianna before. Did I mention we went to an all-boys school?
"Well, just say when and where and I'll ask her."
"This weekend we should get together," Nathan suggested, "Like us six, Brie and Hayley, Sadie and maybe some of Sadie's friends?"
"I actually know some of her friends. I told you about Patrick…"
"Oh, yes, the 'Woolworths Incident' as Sadie likes to call it," Riley did quotation marks.
"Yeah. I'm pretty friendly with him. I mean, he's saved Sadie quite a few times, so I'm grateful. He's really friendly. I like him."
"What about her other friends?"
"One of her friends, Anna, helped us escape from David Jones when we were stuck there. And of course there's Tim…"
I spat at the hateful name. I made a disgusted face.
"No, mate, he's not her friend is he?" Adam was appalled.
"No, no, oh God no! Ugh. Oh, by the way, the court called. The date's been set."
I was so lucky to have great and supportive friends. Especially these five. They were the only ones who knew about everything that had happened with Sadie and I. Well, apart from the few of Sadie's friends that is.
"When is it?" Riley was supportively concerned.
"November ninth."
"That's only a few weeks away!"
"I know."
"You nervous?" Kane asked.
"Who, me? Nah."
They all looked at be doubtfully.
"Okay, fine, maybe I am. But who wouldn't be when going to court?"
"Nah, it's fine mate."
"I just want all of this to be resolved. Not just for my sake, but for Sadie's. I mean, she has to go to school with the bastard!"
"I feel sorry for her," Nathan said, "Even though I don't know the bastard, from what you've told us he is the fuckiest of fuckwits."
We all laughed at his unusual expression.
Just then the bell went and we all went off to our lockers to get our books and go to class.
I was actually an attentive student. I was taking notes as Mrs Clarendon talked about Captain Cook and the First Fleet and how the Aboriginal's land was taken away from them.
"… take out your handouts about the massacres," my short, skinny, dark-haired SOSE teacher ordered.
I took the sheet out of my folder and listened as Mrs Clarendon explained in depth about how the new white settlers attempted genocide. Just then, the deputy principal Mrs Garth was knocking at the classroom door.
"Ah, Mrs Garth, how may we help you?" Mrs Clarendon greeted.
"I would like to talk to Maxwell," the tall blonde lady replied, scanning the room for me.
"Max," Mrs Clarendon said. I solemnly stood up and gathered my belongings. What on earth could she want to talk to me about? I have done nothing wrong! I got a chorus of 'oohs' from my classmates. I hated the assumption that whenever someone was called to the office it meant they were in trouble. Obviously I was not, seeing as how I hadn't done anything.
"Get your homework from someone else, okay?" Mrs Clarendon told me as I exited the classroom and I nodded.
I followed the deputy in silence down the hallways and outside where we went down the familiar path to the office. Once there, Mrs Garth motioned me into her office where I sat in one of the red client chairs on the other side of the desk. But I noticed we were not alone. The school counsellor, Mr Brandenburg was there also. Mrs Garth took a seat at her desk. She clasped her hands on her desk and leant forwards to talk to me in a serious manner.
"Maxwell, it has come to our attention that you have gotten yourself involved in some trouble recently," she started. I was literally confused. What trouble?
"Huh?" I managed to croak out.
"We have heard of your recent run in with the police."
My eyes literally popped. What, so first Sadie has a conversation about this in the office with her deputy and now me? Is there anyone else in the world that would like to know?
"Oh, that!" I waved my wrist as if to say it was nothing.
"Yes, that. We have been informed by a number of sources that you were involved in a violent scene in a shopping centre where, along with three other students from a different school, you were arrested. Would you mind telling me the story?"
Yes, I would mind! Was my private personal life everyone's business? I didn't particularly feel like philosophising to my deputy principal about my love life. If that's what you can call it…
"Maxwell?"
"Huh? Oh, well I really don't think I want to tell you," I told her, a little hesitantly. I wasn't sure how my refusal would go down.
"Maxwell, I'm not asking you to tell me. I'm telling you."
"Well, why haven't these 'number of sources' of yours told you?" I asked matter-of-factly, using air quotes. I was leaning back casually in my seat.
"It has come to our attention that you may be having some social problems in your personal life."
I'm having some problems with you right now, I thought.
"So? And why is it any of your business?"
She seemed taken aback by my impoliteness.
"I'm sorry…" I mumbled.
"If you are having problems, Mr Brandenburg can help you."
She referred to the young counsellor sitting next to me in a matching red chair.
"I don't think that's necessary. I'm not having any problems, I'm fine."
"Are you sure, Maxwell?" Mr Brandenburg asked me, speaking for the first time.
"Max, please."
"Sorry, Max."
"And yes, I am sure. I'm going to court to resolve the issue, but I'm pretty sure you know that."
"You're making a lot of assumptions here, Max," Mrs Garth pointed out.
"You're making assumptions that I have problems."
An awkward silence. Wait, I shouldn't be so rude to my authority figures. Would Sadie approve? No, probably not.
"Well, if we can't offer you any help then you're going to have to help yourself."
"Thank you Mrs Garth, but I don't need any help."
She made it obvious that I was free to go, and I stood up and walked to the door. Before I left, I turned around.
"And I'm sorry, if I said anything impolite or offensive," I apologised before leaving the office.
"I quite like him," I heard Mrs Garth say as I walked down the hall. I smirked to myself. Thank you, superpowers.
The garage was open when I got home, so I just walked in like I always do. I soundlessly opened the door. Being a late finishing day, I got home at four-thirty. I immediately heard voices as soon as I stepped into the laundry from the garage. Having super hearing gave me the wicked ability to eavesdrop. Okay, maybe that wasn't a good thing, but it was interesting and fun! I silently placed my backpack on the armchair in the family room and tiptoed to the wall so I could listen to the conversation happening two rooms away in the dining room.
"… we still have Max's old baby stuff," I heard Mum say.
"We still have most of Sadie's too."
Martha? What was she doing here? I guess I didn't pick up on the fact that it was her blue Rav4 out the front.
"I love looking in the baby section in the shops. All the stuff is so cute!" Wait, wait, wait, Sadie? Then I remembered that we could pick up on scents and I could smell all three of theirs'. It wouldn't be long before Sadie picked up on mine.
"Just having a baby is an incredible experience," Martha added. Why on earth were they talking about babies?
"I don't think now's the right time to tell Max just yet," Sadie advised.
"I agree. He's been a bit hung up about something lately I've noticed," Martha said. Every now and then I heard a coffee cup hitting the table.
"And I don't think he needs this to add to his problems," Mum added, "His deputy principal called me today."
Oh no, she didn't!
"What happened?" my girlfriend asked my mother.
"He was called there about the arrest, but apparently he just gave backchat and refused to tell her what happened."
"Mmm, he can be stubborn sometimes."
Some supportive girlfriend she is!
"So I think you should just wait for the right time to tell him," Martha said.
"I know, but it can't be put off forever," agreed Mum.
What are they talking about? They're talking about me! What aren't they telling me just yet because I have a few little problems?
"It will be a bit of a shock to him at first," Sadie continued.
"It's foreign to you two," Martha added. I assumed the 'you two' was Sadie and I. But what was foreign? Whatever it is, it sound like a pretty imposing problem from what they're saying. They were right, I did have some problems (albeit, minor) – first Sadie and I nearly had a falling out, second the incident with Tim and the arrest, third we gained these awesome superpowers, which wasn't really a problem but still a burden with the kryptonite basil, then we have to go to court in a few weeks, and lastly, my deputy calls me to the office about the incident. What on earth could this be?
"Yeah, neither of you are used to having a baby around," Mum agreed.
Wait, WHAT? A baby? What the hell? Sadie and I never…
"I guess we'll have to get used to it," Sadie mused.
I choked on my own spit. It wasn't very loud at all, but I knew Sadie would hear it. That was the problem with eavesdropping on your also superpower-owning girlfriend. They suddenly went silent. Sadie must've shushed them for the next thing I know…
"Max?" Sadie called. And not as if she was asking if I was there, more like she was asking me to come over to them. I came out from behind the wall and slowly and bashfully walked into the dining room where Mum, Sadie and Martha were sitting at the dining room table looking at the doorway where I walked in.
"How did you know he was there?" Mum asked Sadie.
"Were you listening?" Sadie interrogated me, ignoring my mother. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"Uh, no…"
Great. A random baby. This was just getting better.
A/N: A bit of an Australian history lesson for you readers from other countries! And what's all this talk about babies? GASP! Ohmigeorge! What does Max thinl? Did you like Max's point of view? It's a bit different from Sadie's, isn't it? He's quite sarcastic, and isn't as forthcoming to the principal as Sadie is, is he? He can stand up for himself! We're seeing a different, more stubborn and rebellious side to our beloved Maxwell! Even though, as Sadie mentioned in Chapter 18, he feels guilty easily. Anyway, please review!