Max soon forgot about Roxanne again though. The first week of their vacation flew by and he took every opportunity to be with PJ and Bobby. It felt like old summers when they spent most of the time at the old skateboarding ramp behind Max house. They had been young and have had no problems what so ever, Team99 against the world. Max could miss those summers sometimes.
However, the ramp was nothing compared to X-games, after al it was he and Goofy who had built it, but it was something. The boys practiced as much as they could and tried to figuring out how Bradley Uppercrust and his companions could cheat next year. Theories like rocket ships and submarines was the most normal method they discussed. The thing with Team Gamma was that you could never understand how they worked or their next move. You could just think of the most impossible or bizarre way to cheat and they would do an even MORE bizarre thing.
"What about aliens?", Bobby asked and unfastened his white ufo-like helmet.
They sat on the grass in the shadow from the ramp just to take a break from the warm sun. Both Max and PJ laughed. The thing was if Bradley could he would force aliens to abduct his rivals. Max laid down in the grass and shut his eyes. Summer break was so underestimated sometimes, it was so nice to not have any lectures or exams to think about.
"Hi boys, do you want some refreshments?"
Max opened his eyes and Goofy walked towards them with a tray of lemonade. It sparkled in the sun and the ice cubes clinked against the carafe. Both PJ and Bobby eagerly grabbed a glass and filled them to the top.
"Thanks", Max said and Goofy reached him a glass.
"No problem Maxie", Goofy said and chuckled. "When you boys have finish your practice maybe we can eat dinner at House of Mouse, just you and me?"
And all other of Goofy's friends. Max exhaled and looked down at the yellow liquid. It was enough to work at House of Mouse during the summers. He didn't want to be there more than necessary. Everyone there drove him a little nuts sometimes, except Huey, Dewye and Louie. But in the same time… he wanted to do Goofy happy.
"Yeah… of course"
"But Max don't you remember, we have a date with the cinema tonight" Bobby tilted his head a little.
"Yeah, but…", Max began and scratched his neck. "I mean…"
"Max it's alright", said Goofy and smiled a little. "Gawsh me and Sylvia can go together"
Goofy said it was alright but Max could see he got hurt. One week had passed and al Max had done was work or hanged out with his friends. He and Goofy hadn't talked so much after al and well, it was not fair towards him. Guilt hit Max and he began to pick grass from the yard. Tomorrow, he would do something with his dad tomorrow.
"Well if you want, we can take it tomorrow?", said Max and looked up at his dad who brighten up like the sun itself.
"Ahyuck! It's a deal", Goofy laughed and ruffled Max's hair. "Have fun tonight boys"
Max sighed and shook his head when Goofy had closed the door behind him. When would Goofy just stop treating him like a toddler? When would his dad understand that his son needed space? A LOT of space. They have had so many conversations about this but it was like his dad forgot everything about it right after. To feel equal quilt and irritation was so annoying as well. Max grunted and rose up from the ground. He let the grass fall from his open palms before he kicked up his skateboard and caught it with his right hand. He was ready to do some tricks on the ramp.
"You go Max!", PJ said and gave his friend a thumb up.
Max climbed up the ramp and the warm breeze played with his t-shirt and hair. This was something he could do in his sleep. He slammed the skateboard down and placed a foot on it. He looked at his friends who had encouraging smiles. He was just about to leap out and do his thing when he heard a very familiar voice.
"Max?"
The chock made him stumble on his own feet. The only thing he recognized before he lost control and tumbled down was read hair and a brown nose. The blank surface on the ramp burned his knees when he slide down and his skateboard hit his head so hard that Max yelped. He didn't even have time to recover before someone grabbed his arm and helped him up on his feet. Max opened his eyes and he flung back a little when he saw who it was. There she stood, right in front of him, kind of blurry but there she was. Fluffy wavy hair and big concerned eyes. Max heart began to thump harder, this felt like a dream.
"Roxanne?" Max said confused.
"I'm so sorry, are you alright?", she asked and eyed him.
"Yeah, I am", Max said and shook his head a little to shake of the pain in his head. "I was clumsy…"
"I bet it hadn't happen if it was X-games", she smiled a little and began to fiddle with her hair, as always when she got nervous.
She had watched the X-games? That warmed Max and he couldn't resist smiling. He scratched his neck and had a hard time to understand how beautiful she had become. But before he could feel any more joy everything from yesterday came back to him and his smile faded.
"I'm sorry about yesterday, hope you are okay?",
"Yeah, no need to worry Max nothing happened, I just got chocked", she shrugged and smiled.
"Good", he said and nodded.
An awkward silence grew thick between them. So much had happened during these years and so many questions needed to be answered. But instead of asking all questions that throbbed inside Max's head the two of them just stood there and looked at one another.
"Well, just wanted to say hi, see you around", she said and was ready to turn and go.
"Roxanne, wait!", Max said and grabbed her wrist. "Can we see each other tomorrow?"
She looked down on Max's hand and he let her go immediately. Instead he began do way back and forward on his heels and he bit his lip.
"I mean if you want to… and… and I understand if you don't and it's totally okay and…"
He recognized how much of his old goofy-self peeked through, he judged himself hard about that. He was better than old Max. He was not as unsure of himself like last time they had seen each other, why didn't he just show it to her?
"Max, I think it would be really fun", she said and smiled.
"It's a date", but as soon as those words had left his lips he understood how wrong they sounded. "Oh I meant, not a date, date, more like…"
Roxanne laughed. "See you tomorrow, Max"
When she turned around she accidently bumped into Bobby. With a nervous giggle she looked up at him with blushing cheeks. "Hi, Bobby"
Before Bobby could greet her she walked away across the lawn with hurried steps . Max followed her with his eyes until she turned left on the road and to soon she disappeared behind a green house. A warm bubbly feeling flickered around in his stomach and he smiled widely. Roxanne was back, after two years abroad… how come? It was so many questions that needed to be answered. He hoped they would be tomorrow, he could not wait until then.
"Max?"
"Ahyuck!"
"MAX?"
"What?", Max shook his head again and looked at his friends puzzled faces.
"You must have hit your head hard, a date with Roxanne?" PJ said with a big smile. "I mean, you said you where over her?"
"Well… it's not a date", said Max and scratched his neck. "Not really"
"Okay, sure", Bobby said and his friends exchanged looks and smiled.
Max glanced at the green house yet again, hoping to see her coming back in her midnight blue dress. But then he began to think of something else. He smirked and turned around to look at Bobby. His friend was just about to climb up on the ramp when Max laughed.
"You know, if Roxanne are home, that means Stacey waiting for you", both Max and PJ laughed when Bobby lost his grip and fell down right on his butt.
Bobby and Stacey had been dating during same three years, but she had traveled together with Roxanne. They had broken up after a while when they felt how much distance relationships teared at one another. Bobby had got over her pretty fast tough and begun dating soon after. Max didn't date so much, of course girls wanted to date him and he had been out on dates, but nothing more. It always felt like he cheated on Roxanne, beside he needed to focus on X-games and school.
However, the day crept on by and Max had hard time focusing on anything besides tomorrow. He didn't even remember what the movie they watched was about. His thoughts belonged to Roxanne until he fell asleep that night.