Chapter Six: (Not) Date Night

Maxs Pov

(Friday)

"Sit still, I'm almost done," Nudge demands, plucking another piece of stray hair from my eyebrow.

Caden called Ella up yesterday and asked her on a date tonight. She said yes of course but she's afraid to go out with him alone, which I don't blame her, so she begged me to invite Riley and go on a double date with them. After hours of denying her and informing that Riley and I are just friends, I finally gave in because I'm a good friend and indeed was the one who told her to be careful, so I called Riley, asking him on an (un)date. He instantly said yes but once Nudge found out, she burst into my room with new clothes and demanded to make me over.

For my outfit, she chose a long, fitted red dress with a high neck, long sleeves and a pair of black sandals. I'm glad she at least tried to stay within my comfort this time with an ankle length dress and no heels but apparently the cut out back means it isn't suppose to be worn with a bra and though you can't tell, it makes me feel uncomfortable not wearing one.

"Where's Ella?"

"Ugh. Hiding in the bathroom." Nudge yells, "Ella get your butt out here!"

"Do I have to?" She calls back.

"Yes! This was all your idea." I inform.

Ella comes slowly walking out of the bathroom, in a sleeveless white dress, that looks more like a shirt than a dress -It barely covers any of her legs. Now I know why she didn't want to come out.

She looks gorgeous as always but not like herself.

"Any Idea where we're going?" I whisper to Ella, as we make our way out to the boys, standing next to cadens grey sports car.

"Not a clue." She whispers back.

I can see the look on Cadens face as he watches Ella walk towards him; like she's the most beautiful girl on earth and he's proud to be (kinda) with her. He does seem like he really likes her. And I know she really likes him… God, I hope he's not using her.

When I look over at Riley, he smiles at me. He has the same look on his face that Caden does to Ella and it makes me feel slightly bad. Maybe this wasn't the best idea -I don't want him thinking that we're going to end up as more than just friends when we're not.

"We should get going if we're going to make that reservation." Caden smiles, opening his passengers door for Ella.

"Reservation? So we're going to a restaurant." I ask.

That would explain why they're both dressed up so nicely.

Riley nor Caden answer my question though. I huff as I follow Riley over to his car -a red bmw- a few parking spots away and climb in. We follow behind Caden and Ella and it takes about thirty or so minutes before we arrive at our destination; a large, fancy looking restaurant with the name 'Chono' on it, in cursive golden letters.

So, I was rights about dinner.

Immediately as we enter the restaurant, I feel out of place. Everything's white and expensive looking -from the diamond encrusted chandelier hanging from the very high ceiling to the leather sofa chairs at each individual seat, that appear to have been imported from some really expensive place. All the women are wearing dresses and all the men are in suits but everyone wearing the same simple colors -black and white.

And here I am with my bold red dress. Thanks Nudge.

"Reservation for Wright." Caden says to the lady at the podium.

She's a tall blonde woman, no more than nineteen. She has on a white pencil dress and her hair is up in an elegant bun.

She scans the packet of papers in front of her. "Ah, here you. Reservation for Caden Wright, party of four… sir." She looks up at us. Her eyes scan all of our faces, but linger on Caden's a few seconds longer and then completely looks him up and down.

Am I the only one who noticed that?

She speaks a few seconds later, "Please follow me, and I'll show you to your table."

We follow her to a four-seater table at the back of the restaurant, by a large window onlooking the sunset. I take a seat next to Riley and Ella takes a seat across from me, next to Caden. Once were seated the waiter hands us menu's and gives a simple, "I'll be back in a minute to take orders," before she leaves.

I look over the menu and try to find a dish that I actually recognize but I can't pronounce half of them.

Why can't they serve like pizza or pasta? Or tacos, I really want tacos right now.

"What's good here?" I ask Riley.

"Um, the Chicken Scaloppine with Sugar Snap Pea, Asparagus, and Lemon salad is pretty good." He shrugs.

"I've never heard of most of those words in my entire life." I don't fit in here. "What the hell is it?"

The edges of him lips slightly tip up and a look of amusement dances across his eyes. "All you need to know is it has chicken in it."

"Then I'm getting it." I declare.

The blonde girl comes back, but this time her hair has been let loose of her bun and she has on bold lipstick. She turns to Caden first.

"So what can I get you handsome?" She smiles.

Her voice is now flirty, instead of professional, like it was when we walked in. I can tell Ella noticed her flirty tone, too, because scoots her chair closer to Caden's and entwined her fingers in his on the table.

"I'll take the grilled lemon-herb chicken and a water." Caden says.

"Ok. And for you?" She asks Riley.

"I'll have the Chicken Enchiladas with Salsa Verde and a Fresh Citrus Daiquiri."

"Gotcha and you?" She asks me.

"The Chicken Scal-l-l-"

"Scaloppine with Sugar Snap Pea, Asparagus and Lemon Salad," Riley finishes for me.

"Okay, and to drink?"

"Do you have coke products?" I ask.

The waitress giggles and puts her hand over her mouth... Did I say something funny?

"Just get her a Fresh Citrus Daiquiri, too."

"Okay, let me just change that-" she begins to say but I cut her off.

"Don't write that. I'll just take a water."

I hate just plain water but I refuse to let him decide for me and make me look even more stupid and helpless.

I don't drink and I sure as hell don't need him ordering for me, embarrassing me more than I already have. I can order for myself.

"Okay then…" she looks at me nastily. "And for you miss?"

Ella glances over the menu quickly but I can tell she can't understand it any better than I can.

"Um, I'll just have what she's having." She smiles.

"And to drink?"

"Water please."

"Can you add a glass of red wine to that too, please?" Caden asks her.

She writes it down without hesitation. "I'll be right back with your drinks." and walks off.

Ella looks at him, confused. "You're drinking?"

"Of course not," he assures her. "It's for you."

"Caden… I can't afford-"

He interrupts "Don't worry about it, beautiful. It's on me. Everyone's stuff is on me."

I knew the guy was rich, but I didn't think he had two hundred plus dollars just to throw out on a girl he just met, her friend and a guy he doesn't even like.

"That's something you can do when your daddy owns the place," Riley scuffs.

Caden's parents Own this restaurant? That makes so much more sense; Why he's covering everyone's things and how he's getting alcohol at seventeen, without any questions asked.

His parent's own the place so he gets anything he wants here for free.

They continue on their conversation, while I turn to Riley and ask. "What was so funny?"

"What do you mean?"

"When I asked about the coke, she laughed…"

That bitch.

"It's Nothing. They just don't offer pop here. They only have water, lemonaids, wine, and alcoholic smoothies." He replies.

"I still don't see how that was funny."

"That's because it wasn't." he assures me.

"I'm going to go to the bathroom," Ella stands quickly, almost knocking her chair over. "Max will you join me?"

"Yes," I stand.

Anything to get me away from this table.

"Be right back."

I follow Ella to the bathroom at the complete other side of the restaurant.

Ella turns to me once were in the door. "Is it just because Caden and I are seeing each other that I'm over thinking or did you see that blonde waitress flirting with him, too?" Ella shouts.

"No… I saw it too."

"Good so I'm not just jealous," Ella paces. "And the lipstick and hair thingy? I wanted to go off on her."

I hold back a laugh. "That seems reasonable."

"I mean I know he's hot and all and were not officially dating but that bitch clearly sees he's on a date with me and still flirts."

I've never seen Ella this worked up over a guy before. Matter of fact I've never seen her this worked up about anything before.

"It's okay, Els, " I insist. "Just remember, you always have me if you need help kicking her ass."

She smiles. "Thanks max."

"Oh and just a tip, It's probably not the best idea to leave him out there.. alone.. with her."

"Fuck, you're probably right."

Ella collects herself and we head back to the table to find Riley and Caden sitting in awkward silence, refusing to even look at each other. A look of relief washes over Riley's face when he sees me. He reaches over to rest his hand on my leg when I sit but I quickly move it away.

I don't like being touched.

"So Caden, you and Ella are dating?" I ask. I know they aren't but I want to see how he reacted to the question and also just to say something before Riley could question me about moving his hand away.

"Um, no.. Ella wanted to take things slow," He answers. "But I hope to be soon."

"And how's that going?"

"Great." He assures me.

"Really?"

"Um, yes." He says less confidently this time.

"Max what are you doing?" Ella asks.

"Nothing. Just getting to know Caden." I shrug. "So how long have you and Riley known each other?"

"Freshman year." They say at the same time. Neither of them seem happy about it though.

"Long time." Ella says giving me a look.

"Yeag. We were friends until Caden stole my girlfriend." Riley scuffs.

Caden's about to say something, but Ella beats him to it. "Well that was a long long time ago." She says trying to ease the tension.

Whoops.

Caden's Pov

"Here's your check." The waitress says, holding the check out to me with a very flirtatious smile.

I think it's pretty obvious to everyone here that I am on a date with Ella but she continues to flirt anyways despite that. She's attractive and young, she could get plenty of good guys without having to look pathetic for one already pretty much taken.

Or maybe it's because of who my parents are. She's new but it's not that hard to connect last names.

"Thanks." I say, taking the paper.

The first thing that catches my eye is the pink pen written at the top of the check that reads;

Call me ;D

583-9203

-Britney

Ella let's go of my hand and leans as far in the opposite direction as she can from me. A frown takes over her plump lips and I can tell she's pissed but I don't see why. Yes some girl wrote her number for me but can't she see how badly I want only her and how hard I'm trying to prove to her that I'm not the guy people make me out to be anymore a nd how much I feel for her.

I reach over and pull her towards me, wrapping my arm around her shoulder before kissing the top of her head. She stiffens at first, still upset but eventually relaxes and melts into me, resting her head on my shoulder.

She's different than all of the other girls that I've been with; certainly way cooler and she doesn't constantly worry about what she eats or hide her natural beauty behind loads of makeup because she doesn't need to. I love her body and the beautiful glow of her naturally tanned skinned. I like Ella just the way she is and I'd never want her to change who she is.

Maxs Pov

"Well that was delicious, but a tiny piece of chicken, and some vegetables is not worth sixty dollars." I comment, as we head to the cars.

Riley laughs."You just may be right, Martinez."

"We can get something else to eat at stop number two if you guys are still hungry." Caden calls back.

Stop number two? There's more?

"What's stop number two?" I ask.

"That would be a surprise as well ma'am."

I begin to slow down, leaving a large gap between Caden and Ella and Riley and I so that they're out of hearing rage.

"Hey Riley…"

"Yea?" he turns to me.

"Would you mind if I drove this time instead?"

Riley furrows his brows. "Why?"

"You were drinking in there and I think it'd be a better idea if I drove.""... Max I had like two and there's not a lot of alcohol in those. I wouldn't purposely put you in danger by drinking those if they affected me a lot."

"No, I know that," I say. "It would just make me feel more comfortable if I drove instead.."

He seems hesitant but seeing that I wasn't gonna give up, he reluctantly hands me the keys. I'm glad he did though, because if he didn't I would of ended up riding with Ella and Caden and it would've just made things weird for the rest of the night.

We get into Riley's car and I follow behind Caden for about fifteen minutes and on our last turn down a rocky little street, I finally see where we've arrived to. The beach.

"Do you wanna swim?." Riley asks, as we get out of the car.

"didn't bring a swim suite."

"Skinny dip?"

"I'm actually not really in the mood for swimming," I shrug.

"Oh, well then we don't have to go swimming. We can just walk around."

"Thanks."

We walk down to the shoreline quietly, watching Ella and Caden splash around in the water happily, jumping on each other.

Even I have to admit they'd be a cute couple.

"Did you have fun tonight?" Riley looks over at me, hope in his eyes.

"I did." I smile. "So this feud between you and Caden is all because of Lisa?"

"I mean, I figured she might do something like cheat on me but him being my best friend I thought he'd tell her to fuck off."

"What do you mean you figured she'd do something like that?"

"Well for our first date, she led me to an abandoned barn and tried to get me to sleep with her with her and when I told her no, she started being really flirty with other guys and always being all over them."

"Wait you told her no?" I didn't mean to come of sounding rude but I'd never heard of anyone turning down Lisa.

"Yeah… Why's that so hard to believe? I'm not a Fuckboy max!"

"That's not what I was implying." Okay maybe just a little. "I just meant.. Why did you?"

"Because I barely knew her and I was a scared, little virgin who barely knew what sex was."

"I'm not anymore though! You know…. Just saying… for the record…" He adds.

I try to hold laugh but fail miserably, "Thank you for sharing."

Riley smiles down at me. "I just wanted to be clear about that."

I continue to kick mushy sand around with my feet, as we walk, loving the way it feels between my toes.

"So you got into a fight over a girl?"

Ironic to think two guys would fight over one, temporary girl that they both knew wasn't gonna last long. I guess Lisa does really hold that power over people, player or not.

"Pretty much," he confirms.

"Well if she left you for him then then she obviously wasn't right for you."

"Exactly," He agrees. "But you know things happen for a reason and I may have found -watch out!"

I barely have time to comprehend what he's saying, before I feel the pressure of two thin yet very strong arms wrap around my waist and pick me up.

"Ella put me down, now!" I yell.

"Nope, you're coming swimming with us."

I begin thrashing around, managing to slip between her wet arms but she still manages grabs my wrist before I can run. "Ella let go of me! I'm not swimming."

"Why not maxie? Come on, have a little fun!" she laughs. "Caden help me pick her up!"

Ella I can fight off pretty easy when prepared but with Caden -a six foot five, weight lifter who probably has more muscle mass then my entire body weight- helping her, I'm pretty much screwed so I just go limp and let them throw my pissed, fully clothed self into the water.

God I hate them

I sit on my bedroom floor in pain, my whole body drenched in blood. Soo much blood. I try to apply pressure with rags but the blood just keeps pouring out. Like a waterfall flowing from my body. I tried to clean it up, but there's no use.

There's just so much.

I quickly give up on the pointless effort of stopping the bleeding; it takes too much energy and it's no use. The room around me spins and I unwillingly lay my head down on the cold bathroom floor. I'm too weak to stand, too weak to scream, too weak to do anything but just lay here silently, and wait as death approaches me.

I guess this is it.

This is how I will die -laying on a dirty, bathroom floor I've been meaning to clean for weeks but never got around to. No last words, no hugs and kisses or good-bye speeches. Just... this.

I guess I expected this to be easier -quick and instant. No one ever told be how painful and seemingly endless this would feel.

Everything begins to collide -the white of the light, swirling with the blue of the walls- and turning into one big, blurry mess.

I can practically feel my life slipping away and there's nothing I can do about it. It's too late.

My fate is sealed.

I guess I'ce never really thought about what happens after death, where you go to. If heaven is real or if it's just made up place -meant to mend the hearts of the deceased's loved ones and give hope to those in their last moments. But that's all I can seem to think about right now.

I close my eyes and listen to the water from the leaking sink drink for a thousand years; or so it seemed before hear my door open.

"Max -oh my god!"

I don't have the strength to sit up or even open my eyes but I don't need to see who it is to know who owner of the voice is.

Who the person who saved my life is.

And then everything goes black.

I wake gasping for air, cold sweat consuming my entire body. It takes me a while to catch my breath and take in my surroundings.

You're okay Max.

You're in your bedroom.

It was just a dream.

You're alive.

I sit up, throwing the comforter off my bed and peeling my damn shirt from my body. My heart pounds against my chest. My head spinning.

Not this again.

I know I can't stop memories from lodging their way into the back of brain but they finally just stopped recurring in my nightmares this past year with the help of therapy and now they're back again.

I guess this is goodbye to the last few months of normal sleep I've had and welcome back Insomnia.

Long time no see my old friend.

And no, I did not miss you.