----- Wow you guys are awesome! You wanted more Max, so I hope this satisfies you. :-D ------
I'm kind of hoping to just slink by unnoticed by Max. But just as I pass his house, he looks up and notices me. "Niomi!" he waves, but I keep walking hastily by.
Max jumps up and runs down to me, "Hey, Niomi." He greets. I ignore him and he continues to walk beside me, his feet falling in step with mine. I sigh irritably. "Go. Away. Max!" I huff. I half-expect Max to accuse me of ditching him in Geography the other day. He'd be right, of course, to accuse me. Most guys would bring it up immediately. They don't take well to schoolwork in my past experience. But Max just asks, "Where're you heading?"
"To Kennedy's," I snap, "Why didn't you tell me she lived on your street?" "Would it have made a difference?" he inquires calmly. "Yes!" I hiss. "How?" he raises an eyebrow.
I look around Kennedy's street. To live here, you have to be rich. Rich with a capital 'R'. The exact opposite of my family – we're well-off, you could say, but…not this well-off. It's never really made a difference to Kennedy and I, other than our quality and quantity of possessions. But I've never pictured Max, in the week or two that I've known him, as someone so…spoiled.
"I can't explain." I glower. "Well then, it can't be that important." Max concludes. "Whatever! I gotta get to Kennedy's. I'm meeting her." I say, trying to make him leave. "I thought she and Jayden were working on a project." He asks.
How did he know that?
I just frown, "You know nothing, Max." I say. "I know what our Geography project is on. Do you?" at this point we're almost nose to nose. I bite my lip, my mind spinning for a second, and then I pull away from him. "Czechoslovakia?" I guess. "Czech Republic." Max corrects.
"Same thing!" I huff. "Not really." He smirks.
We arrive in front of Kennedy's house just as she looks outside and sees us both. Kennedys makes a big show of herself, yelling my name extra loud and waving her arms dramatically. It's obvious she's showing off in front of Max.
Then Kennedy heads to the door, and when she does, I just see Jayden standing in the window, wearing the same smirk on her face that Max does. I glare at her and then she heads to the door, too.
"You'd better beat it or else you'll never escape Kennedy." I warn him begrudgingly. "Guess that means I don't get a kiss for walking you to her house?" he chuckles. I roll my eyes, "Go to hell Max." But I'm secretly wondering if he meant it.
He's gone before Kennedy appears, and she looks rather saddened by that fact. "Too bad he left." She sighs, "Riiight. 'Cause it's not like your best friend showed up." I grin. Kennedy smiles, "Aren't I so lucky he lives on my street?!" she squeals. I just nod mutely.
When we go in, Jayden finds time to whisper to me, "You totally shoulda kissed him."