Chapter 4 - Maxwell's Silver Hammer

I couldn't believe I had made a male friend outside of school. He very much could become a boyfriend. His name was Max. MAX. Max and Sadie fit perfectly! Maxwell's Silver Hammer meets Sexy Sadie! It was something I could see happening in the future, but I shouldn't get my hopes up - I had only met him last weekend. Even though I barely knew him, I knew we were meant to be friends. It was his big droopy green puppy dog eyes… oh, what am I kidding? It's his love and knowledge of The Beatles! I lived and breathed The Beatles, and anyone who wanted to be around me for a while had to like them! It was a sure prerequisite for me, not for a friend (as, clearly, my friends were not fans), but for something more. That would be in the wayfuture, though.
"Sadie," Mum interrupted my daydream, "I noticed you were being friendly with Max at the party last week."
"Yeah, he's pretty cool," I affirmed.
"Oh?"
"Mum, stop being so embarrassing! It's not like that! Who else was I supposed to talk to there? You didn't invite anyone else my age along."
"I know, darling, it's good that you two got along. I was kinda hoping you would."
"So you invited his family so that I would have someone to hang out with?"
"Partly. Joan is one of my best friends at work, so of course I would invite her. I thought it would be rude not to invite her husband and son too."
"You know he likes The Beatles," I beamed, "Do you know how rare that is?"
"Well, would you look at that!" she put her hands up, "A perfect match!"
"There's no match, Mum. We're just friends. We've only seen each other once."
"But you've already added him on Facebook, haven't you?"
"Actually, he added me."
"So you think you know everything about him then?"
"Yep."
"Did you know he plays the drums, guitar, piano and bass?"
"Yes, because I remember commenting how he was George, John, Ringo and Paul all in one."
"His mum also said that he is a very nice boy with good morals and has stability in the future in mind. It also seems like you fit the description of his dream girl."
"Uh, how would you know, and isn't it a bit early for that?"
"You really would be perfect for each other."
"Mum! We're just friends! I don't have that on my mind right now, and I'm sure he doesn't either!"
"So you know all about the internal workings of a teenage boy's mind, do you?"

"You should try catching up again," Mum continued to scheme, "I know! I'll throw a party and invite Joan, Bob and Max! Then you can exchange numbers!"
"What numbers? Tax file numbers, school I.D. numbers, house numbers…?"
"I'm talking about phone numbers and you know it."
"I thought we established that we're already Facebook friends. Mum, I really don't fancy relationship advice from you. Max is only a friend at the moment."
"At the moment. Well, I have to have this conversation with you. I knew you'd be getting into boys sooner or later."
"Mum, seriously. You don't have a clue about anything."
"Like I keep telling you, your mother knows everything."
I ventured to my room then, unable to listen to her 'advice' any longer. She was so obviously up to something, trying to get Max and I together - I had no doubts that Joan might be in on this too. They needn't worry - Max as a boyfriend was far from my mind at the moment.

The next morning I woke up in a socialising mood. I wanted to hang out with some friends. I went downstairs groggily to eat something. Mum was sitting on the lounge drinking a cup of tea.
"Good morning darling," she greeted me chirpily.
"Good Morning Good Morning," I replied automatically.
"Isn't it a lovely day?"
She was acting weirdly. I just wanted her to act normally, not like how she was acting now. I was wary of this.
"What's going on?" I asked in a suspicious tone, opening the fridge.
"Oh, nothing."
It was only then that I realised that she was wearing a skirt and dressy shirt with her bling-adorned sandals.
"Alright, what's happening?" I put my hands on my hips and closed the fridge.
"We're having some guests over. You might want to go and get dressed."
"Who?"
"You'll see."
"Well how about telling me!"
"I thought I shouldn't interrupt your beauty sleep. Now go and get ready please. They'll be here soon."
I didn't know for certain who it could be, but I had some ideas. Just as I was doing my hair, I heard the front door open. I could hear voices chatting and laughing loudly in the hallway.
"It was so nice of you to invite us over for lunch," a woman's voice said. I knew who that woman was. She's a woman who has a son. How typical of Mum to do this! Actually, I had no idea why I was so angry. All week I had been thinking about Max, even fantasising about a relationship with him, and now I was pissed off at Mum trying to make it true. Maybe it was the fact that it was her doing it, and not me on my own. I hesitantly and slowly went downstairs with an angry look on my face and my arms crossed. The group of four were standing in the hallway and turned to look at me when I came down the stairs.
"Hello Sadie," Joan greeted me.
"Hello Joan," I replied.

There was no sign of her son. I breathed a sigh of relief and went down the stairs quicker and in a happier mood. Just as I reached the bottom, guess who emerged from the lounge room.
"Hey Sadie."
I stopped dead in my tracks. There was no going back now.
"Hello Maxwell," I replied, trying to act professionally.
"Uh, Joan, Bob, would you like some coffee?" my Mum offered. So, she was playing matchmaker was she? We'll see about that. Soon all four parents had gone and it was just Max and I standing there in an awkward silence. He had his hands in his pockets and was smiling shyly at me. I was just glaring.
"Is something the matter?" he asked.
"What do you see happening here?" I asked in return.
"What do you mean?"
"What does our relationship mean to you?"
"Well, we're friends... we only met a few days ago."
"I think our mothers have something else in mind."
"Oh, yeah... I've kinda noticed that. Would you be opposed to the idea?"
My breathing got uneven and my heart was racing faster. Now he was suggesting it? This was too much for me to handle! I knew I should be open to the idea. I was going to get a boyfriend sooner or later and I always wanted to get married. I had to accept someone as my boyfriend if I wanted that to happen, no matter how nervous or awkward I was. Max seemed like a perfect choice - it's hard to find someone like him in this day and age.
"I-I-I think you're really cool, Sadie," he breathed unevenly, obviously very nervous.

The world stopped. I know my heart certainly did. This guy I barely knew was already planting an idea of a relationship into my head. He told me he was attracted to me! This was wrong. I really liked him, but our relationship hadn't developed enough yet! I didn't know how to reply to what he just said. We stood in silence for a moment, me still in shock and looking at him with my mouth agape. His breathing was slowing as if he had just run and his eyes were searching my face for a reaction. They flickered everywhere, it was so cute!
"What, no reply?" he asked.
"I… I just don't know what to say," I honestly replied, "Was that you asking me out?"
"I'll confess, I was attracted to you as soon as I saw you. I had more than friendship on my mind."
He stepped closer and tried to grab my hands.
"Whoa, seriously, stop, Max! This is a bit too much for me to handle!"
"Don't you like me?"
"Of course I do! I really like you!"
"Then what's the problem?"
"It's happening too quickly!"
I practically screamed it. The house went silent. He backed away. He decided to then go out the door. I don't know where he was planning on going. He didn't have a driver's licence and he didn't know his way around our neighbourhood. Now he was sulking. Either that or he was trying to escape the awkward tension, just like I was going to.

He was gone then. I knew I had hurt his feelings, but I couldn't understand why he would like me. Apart from being Beatleholics, we had nothing much else in common. I wasn't exactly the prettiest girl, either. I guess I wasn't used to the idea of someone liking me as more than a friend.
"Sadie?" Mum poked her head around the corner.
"What?" I snapped.
"Where's Max?"
"I don't know, he went out the door!"
"Where did he go?"
"I don't know, just stop trying to meddle with things Mum!"
I stormed off out the door, hurting another person's feelings.