2010
A couple of years later, she entered the local high school. And that's when she found out that Physical Education was taken more seriously
Max was still wearing the dresses her parents made her put on. Back in junior high, the gym class was mostly a joke; she went through the entire period reading her schoolwork on the sidelines, the teacher uncaring. But in high school, she was expected to participate.
Which meant she had to change into athletic clothing in the locker rooms.
Her parents were completely against it, but a phone call from the assistant principal made it very clear; Max would take part in PE, or she would fail the class. As such, she needed appropriate clothing, and her dresses would not suffice. Additionally, the principal had received notes from her new Chemistry and Home Economics teachers as well. In both classes, Max would be working with fire, as she utilized stoves and Bunsen burners. Max would not be allowed to wear her dresses to those classes, either.
Max's parents weren't happy, but at the end of the day her safety was on the line. And for all of their faults, they did love their daughter. So they took her to Target, and brought new outfits. Max tried on denim jeans for the first time, and found that she actually liked them. T-shirts were a no-go; the ones the store had showed off way too much arm. So long-sleeves were her new norm.
As for athletic clothes, her parents brought her long pants and long sleeves as well. But Max quickly learned that they weren't exactly ideal, especially when they went running around the track in the beginning of the year. By the time Max finished her mile of laps, she was drowning in sweat.
"Why do you wear those pants? They're stupid."
Max froze in the locker room, caught as she was changing back into her regular clothes; she'd thought she was alone. She quickly pulled her shirt back on.
"Hello? Did you hear me?"
Max turned and blinked. One of the other girls was standing on front of her, in her black running shorts and a grey sports bra. Max tried to avert her eyes. She's almost naked!
"You're going to die if you wear those pants again tomorrow," the girl commented, her hands on her hips. "You need to get some shorts."
Max's face turned red as the girl refused to go away, and she forced herself to meet her gaze, looking at her bright green eyes and short blonde hair. "My, uh..." she swallowed. "My parents won't let me wear shorts."
"What?" The blonde girl frowned. "That's stupid, why... oh, wait a second." Her eyes narrowed. "You're that religious weirdo. I heard about you from the other kids."
Max sighed. "Yea. I, uh, get that a lot."
The blonde crossed her arms and sighed. "Why aren't you allowed to wear shorts? Do you think they'll turn you into a slut or something?"
Max's face turned even redder. "It's... look, can I please get changed?"
"I'm not stopping you." The girl didn't break eye contact. "Look... here, stand up."
"Why?"
"Oh, just do it."
Max stood, and watched the girl place her hands back on her hips, judging. Then she reached out and grabbed Max's hips, her fingers grazing bare skin. Max gasped. "What are you doing?"
"We're the same size." The girl nodded. "Listen, you need to wear shorts when you run. I'll bring you in one of my old pairs, okay? You don't need to pass out on the track. Then they'll have to call an ambulance, you'll go to the ER, and you'll never live it down."
"I can't-"
"Do your parents work here?"
Max frowned. "No."
"Then you'll be fine to wear them for thirty minutes a day."
Max started to argue, but stopped. She was still sweating from the run, and couldn't bear the thought of doing it over again tomorrow.
"... thank you."
"Don't mention it."
True to her word, when Max saw her the next day, the girl pressed a pair of light blue running shorts into Max's hands, as well as a red t-shirt. Neither were incredibly revealing; the shorts came to about mid-thigh, and the shirt had real sleeves. Max was still incredibly nervous, but she found herself quickly not caring after she started running; it was SO much better, having the air on her skin.
"Told you," the girl said smugly after Max finished.
"Yea." Max clutched her arms and looked around, still nervous that someone would see her.
Back in the locker room, she changed as quickly as she could and tried to give the clothes back. "You can keep them, they're yours," the blonde girl said simply when Max met her at her locker. "They're all sweaty from you, anyway. I don't want them back."
"But-"
The girl grabbed the bottom of her shirt and pulled it up over her head, and Max's face turned red again. "I have more clothes than I know what to do with," the blonde said, ignoring Max as she threw her shirt into her locker. "Besides, you need them more than me. Keep them."
"Oh. Well-" Max's voice failed as the blonde girl stripped her shorts off, throwing them after her shirt. Then the girl grabbed her sports bra, and pulled it off as well. Max spun around, her face practically on fire.
"What are you doing?"
"Giving you some privacy," Max squeaked.
"Uh, we're both girls. But, whatever. Like I said, you need a pair of running shorts, and I don't. You can have them."
Max stammered out a thank you and hustled out of the locker room.
When she went to bed that night, she tried very hard to think of anything else. Anything that wasn't the brief glimpse she'd gotten of the blonde girl.
She only wore the shorts for the next couple of weeks, before the fall got too cold and she switched back to her long pants. The blonde girl didn't stop wearing her shorts. Every so often, Max found herself staring at the blonde girl's legs as she ran down the track. Or played basketball. Or when she wore shorts to class, and sat in front of her in History.
She found the girl's name out a week or so after her initial encounter; Victoria Chase. A Junior who was on the track team, debate team, and the vice-president of the Vortex Club. Max was too shy to ever approach her again, after the second encounter in the locker room; it seemed like every time she thought about it, her face got hot, and she thought about her legs again.
What is WRONG with me?!
Max laid in bed awake at night a lot, even after her parents had gone to sleep. Trying to come to terms with her thoughts.
Why can't I stop thinking about it?
Am I-
No. I don't like girls. I do NOT like girls.
The very thought terrified Max. Pastor Rogers had spoken dozens of times about the dangers of the gays, and their agenda to infect the minds of others with evil thoughts. Max had never met one herself, of course, since they weren't allowed in the church.
I wonder if Victoria is-
No. Nope. Quash that thought. Max rolled over and closed her eyes, trying to will her thoughts away.
She tried to ignore Victoria when she saw her. She focused more on her schoolwork. Her November report card showed a remarkable improvement in her grades, which her parents were very proud of her for.
Max found herself in early December, sitting in the cafeteria alone while she ate her lunch and read her history book.
"Is anyone sitting here?"
Max looked up at Victoria, and froze. The blonde girl blinked as she stared at Max. "Is. Anyone. Sitting. Here?" she repeated after a few seconds, pointing to the seat in front of Max.
"Uh... no?" Max replied.
"Cool." Victoria dropped her backpack and sat down, placing her salad on the table in front of her. "So, what's up?"
"What are you doing?" Max asked warily.
"I'm talking to you." Victoria speared some of her salad and bit into it. "You're kind of ignoring everybody."
"I've been studying," Max replied nervously.
Victoria glanced at her book. "I see that. You're the only one in here reading their textbook, you know."
Max glanced around and saw that Victoria was right. "I'm, uh, just making sure I'm ahead."
"Right on." Victoria shrugged. "Well, you wanna put it to good use?"
"Huh?"
"I had an ulterior motive for coming over." Victoria took another bite of her salad. "One of the girls just dropped out of our Quiz Bowl team, and we need a replacement. And you've always got your nose in your books. You wanna take her place?"
Max furrowed her brow. "Quiz Bowl? What's that?"
"Our school's trivia team." Victoria shrugged. "We do competitions and shit around the county. Looks good on a college resume. You want in? Because we can't really find anyone else."
Max bit her lip, unsure of what to answer.
"Ugh. Look, if you-"
"Okay."
Victoria blinked. "You're in?"
"Yea. Sure."
"Sweet." Victoria nodded. "We meet tomorrow after school in Mr. North's classroom to practice. See you there?"
"Uh, yea. Definitely."
"Cool." Victoria grinned.
And Max could've sworn her heart felt light for a second.