Disclaimer: Same as always.
Chapter: 6 Someone Like You
I was roaming around; I was looking down at all I see
Painted faces fill the places I can't reach
You know that I could use somebody
You know that I could use somebody
Someone like you…
"Hey Max, wait up," Liz called as she chased after him, only catching up when they reached mid-quad. He turned angrily to face her, and it was all Liz could do to keep herself from flinching at the barely hidden pain in his eyes.
"Now you have time for me?" He sneered. "How fucking gracious of you. I know how much you loners," he made air quotes, "appreciate you're alone time."
"Maybe if you weren't such a DICK—"
"—and maybe if you actually got some you wouldn't be such a BITCH!"
Liz was momentarily struck dumb by the knot of hurt that bloomed in her chest. It must have shown on her face, because she saw Max's eyes flicker with remorse. Sure, the two of them bantered, but his last remark had gone way beyond bantering. His last remark had hurt, a lot. Then again, that's what she got for putting herself out there. It seemed she hadn't learned from the past after all.
"You sounded like you could use somebody…a friend," Liz squared her shoulders defensively, "My mistake. I won't be repeating it." She turned to leave.
"No, wait, you were right." Max reached out his hand to stop her, his eyes pleading for forgiveness. "I'm having a bad day. You were an easy target. But you're right. I could use somebody—a friend. You want to go somewhere, grab a cup of coffee, and talk?"
Liz shook her head. "I don't know. It's late, and I really should be getting back to the dorm." All they really had in common was debate, it was better to leave it at that.
"Just one tiny cup of coffee?" Max held his fingers slightly apart in emphasis. "Please," he tacked on becoming serious again.
Liz bit her lip in contemplation. "Coffee isn't good for you," she finally said jokingly. "It stunts your growth."
She watched as Max's mouth curled in humor. "You know that's a myth right? It goes hand and hand with that one about size not mattering."
Liz blushed, and then said, "Yeah, its right up there with flashy cars not being a substitute for the male member. But you wouldn't know anything about that, would you?" She deliberately eyed Max's crotch before returning to his face. "What kind of car do you drive again?"
Max looked chagrined and Liz burst into laughter. "Now that you've battered my ego beyond repair, you at least have to have coffee with me."
"Just one cup." She finally agreed.
"Just one cup," he promised.
It took less than five minutes to reach Campus Coffee. Ten minutes after that, they were seated in a corner booth and Max wondered where to begin. He took a slow sip from his cappuccino, and watched Liz make swirls inside a cup of latte. After a few seconds, she raised the mug to her lips and took a sip. Max assumed the coffee was to her liking judging by the way she licked her lips afterwards in appreciation. Max was feeling a little appreciative to, which had him shifting in his seat.
Liz suddenly looked up and caught him staring. She blushed at the attention. "I thought you wanted to talk,' she blurted.
"I did. I do," Max stammered, feeling like an ass. Clearing his throat he said, "I guess I don't know where to start. Having someone I can actually talk to is kinda new to me."
Liz shrugged. "You could start with your little breakdown at the book store. I may not know you that well, but even you have to admit that your behavior bordered on…emo boy angst."
"Wow, tell me what you really think." Max said derisively, while avoiding Liz's stare. The concern on her face was too real. "Like I said earlier, I was having a bad day," Max shrugged casually. "But I'm fine now."
"See, I don't think you are," Liz spoke quietly. "People who are fine don't have death wish moments."
"Now you're just being dramatic. I'm hardly suicidal." At least he didn't think he was.
Liz stared at him in skepticism.
"Ok, ok, so sometimes I get a little moody. Not emo, just moody. I'm sorry but it gets old sometimes, having to live up to or down to as the case may be, to other people's expectations. My parent's in particular."
Liz eyed him questioningly and Max continued. "Not clear enough for you?" He mocked. "Fine, let me enlighten you. But you have to answer a question first." Liz merely nodded. "What was your first impression of me?"
Liz's complete silence was answer enough.
"I rest my case," Max smiled wryly. "You see a me as a spoiled little rich boy, and a player. The student body views me as someone to look up to, some sort of hero. And my father, well… other than as an extension of his own ambitions, he doesn't see me at all."
"Max." Liz murmured feeling heartsick at the bitterness in his voice. Had her biased opinion added more salt to an already festering wound? "I don't think you're a player. Um, just really, really popular. And as for being rich, well—I'm sure it has its advantages."
"Story of my life," Max deadpanned.
Ok, so she wasn't exactly helping the situation. Then, with a sudden flash of insight, she asked, "Did something happen? I mean today, with your father?"
"Give the girl a prize. Beauty and brains." Max clapped mockingly. He knew he was being an ass, but he couldn't seem to help himself. He was just so tired of people only seeing what they wanted to see, what they expected to see.
Liz ignored his mockery. "So you and your father had an argument."
Max grimaced. "Argument is too kind a word. It was more like we continued our futile but never ending war. Sort of like Iraq, only with less casualties."
"Why do you have to be so facetious all the time?" Liz chided. "I thought we were having a real conversation here."
Max shrugged, "Sorry habit. I guess you could call it a coping mechanism. Not unlike your version of keeping people at a distance." Ok, so that might not have been his brightest moment Max acknowledged, as he watched Liz climb slowly to her feet. She calmly counted out enough money for her drink and laid it on the table. Then she glanced over to him and said:
"You know Max, I was really trying here. But you make it hard for someone to be your friend, too hard. So I'm gonna go."
"Don't go Liz. Please."
Liz sighed tiredly. "Give me one good reason why I should stay?"
Max stared into her eyes and bared his soul. "Because I don't have anyone else," he said, "And I could really use somebody, someone like you."
"Yeah, well you probably say that to all the girls," Liz quipped before sitting back down.
"Nope, just you." Max said in all seriousness before launching into his tale of woe.
-Flashback-
Max arrived at the yacht club with not a minute to spare, and he quickly headed in the direction of his parent's table. Kissing his mother on the cheek, he granted the other participants of the table a slight nod before taking a seat.
"You're late," Phillip's said. His voice rang with disapproval, and it instantly put Max on the defensive.
Deciding to be the bigger man, he shrugged it off. "Traffic. You know what DuPont Circle is like this time of day."
Phillip frowned. "That's no excuse. A real man is always on time."
"Oh Phillip, leave the boy alone. It was only a few minutes," Diane said.
Max loved his mother, but he hated how she always placed herself dead in the middle of any dispute between him and his father.
"Dad's right mom," Isabel added. "Time waits for no man. Especially in the world of politics."
And see, Max would respect his sister more if she had an original thought. But she was bound and determined to be their father's second-hand mouth piece.
"Way to go Izzy." He clapped his hands. "Maybe if you practice saying that a few more times, with just the right pitch, and intonation, someone will hire you to do PSA commercials."
Max watched as his sister's eyes grew icy with anger and he knew he'd scored a direct hit. Not only did Isabel hate being called Izzy, but she was also extremely jealous of their father's political aspirations for Max. She was the sibling interested in politics, but with little encouragement from their father, she was stuck doing public relations.
"Your sister is right Max. You may not be a politician yet, but you should already be thinking like one."
Max saw Isabel's smirk and he was saddened that she'd chosen to continue this one-sided sibling rivalry. Her fiancé Alex Whitman eyed him sympathetically, and Max nearly spat, dude feel sorry for yourself. Because never in a million years, would Max understand what a nice guy like Whitman saw in his bitch of a sister.
"Can we just order?" Max asked with a weary sigh.
"We've already ordered," Phillip said. "Since you were running late I ordered for you."
"Thanks dad. But I really don't appreciate you ordering for me. But hey, I guess that's par for the course. Or as we say here in Washington, business as usual."
"There's certainly no need for that tone of voice," Phillip said. "Besides, I've known you all your life. I certainly know what you like."
Max had had enough. More than enough. "You really, really, don't!"
"Now Max," Diane placed a calming hand on his shoulder.
"No. Don't baby him Diane, let the boy speak." Phillip said with a dispassionate little smile. "I'm sure we are all very interested to hear what he has to say."
"First of all, I'm twenty years old, so you can stop calling me a boy. Secondly, you haven't the first clue about me or what I want," Max said without hesitation, reservation, or even remorse.
"The floors all yours," Phillip said satirically.
"Politics has never been my dream. It's yours Dad. So, I'm quitting debate after this semester." Max stopped to take a deep breath. "I'll be focusing all my attention on getting published. My plan is to become a writer."
There was a moment of complete silence at the Evans' table. It didn't last long.
"Have you lost your mind?" Phillip asked in quiet anger. "Of all the asinine things I've heard in my life this has to be the worst!"
"And why is that dad? Cause you didn't choose it? Or because you can't control it?"
Phillip scoffed. "Because it's unrealistic"
"Yeah, like your dream of me being President someday is rooted in reality."
"I refuse to continue this discussion. This is neither the time nor the place."
"It never is dad." Max said resignedly. "And as pleasant as all this has been, I think I'll skip brunch. I seem to have lost my appetite." Max climbed to his feet ignoring his mother's concerned look. His father and sister he ignored period as he exited the club.
When Max finished his story he glanced over at Liz. Her eyes were full of compassion.
"Has it always been that way between the two of you?" she asked.
"See, that's the thing. This bullshit didn't even start until I was in high school. It was there that I became the debating legend you know today." Max smiled in self deprecation. "I think it was around that time that my father realized he would never be President. He simply doesn't have the charisma."
"Unlike some people we know," Liz gently mocked.
"Yeah, well it's a curse," Max joked in return. But it really was. "So what about you?"
"What about me?" Liz became guarded.
"What's the relationship like between you and your parents?"
"Oh," Liz breathed in relief. "We get along pretty good. They were disappointed about me attending Kenmont. I got accepted to Harvard," Liz said, as if it were no big deal. Then, "Wow! Look at the time? I really need to be getting back to the dorms. I have an eight o'clock class tomorrow."
Max eyed her for several seconds before simply nodding. If she wasn't ready to open up to him, who was he to complain? He tossed money on the table, leaving the waitress a tip, and the two of them exited Coffee House. Liz was such an enigma, Max thought as they made their way back to the dorms. Incredibly open one minute, and then closed the next. But that was ok, he loved a good mystery.
"Thanks for tonight," he said when they reached her building.
"No thanks necessary." Liz smiled softly. "It's been an illuminating evening."
"I bet." Max smiled wishing he could say the same.
"Well…I guess I'll see you tomorrow," Liz said awkwardly when Max continued to stand there. The look of shock that flashed across her face was comical when Max stuck out his hand for her to shake.
"Friends," he said quietly.
"Friends," she agreed reaching out to grasp his hand, only to be caught off guard when he used this action to pull her forward.
Max felt Liz stiffen and he smiled. Leaning forward, he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "See you around Parker," he gave mocking salute before striding away.
Long after he was gone, Liz stood there with a thoughtful look on her face.
