The weekend was busy. Several girls on the floor stopped by to check in on her, but all of them inevitably wanted to talk about the accident. Whenever it was brought up, Max felt only anxiety. She kept telling them that she wasn't ready yet to talk on it. Taylor had been cruel enough to tell her what everyone else seemed to be thinking, "You didn't even get hit. And Mr. Jefferson saved you. So why not just tell us what that was like because that's all we want to know anyway."
Max told her to leave right after.
However, there was a silver lining. Victoria left Max alone for the most part. It seemed that even she drew a line when it came to bullying, and near death crossed it. Max appreciated the fact that she could actually get some sleep before 3AM for once. Even though she knew it wouldn't last.
Unfortunately, the silence didn't particularly help. Max's nights were instead plagued by nightmares. Or, truthfully, just one nightmare. She would be walking down a deserted road. Sometimes, it was a highway. Other times, it was a small, country road. No matter what, though, she would heard a car's engine and turn just in time to see it hit her. She jolted awake with a cry every time, sweaty and shaking.
All too quickly, Monday rolled back around. Max rose at her unusually early time and stretched before grabbing her shower bag and towel and wandering down the hall. Reaching outside the girls' showers, she heard voices seeping through the door. Max paused, surprised anyone else would be up this early. Carefully, she pressed an ear to the door.
"Are you sure about this, Victoria? I mean, she's so... well, you know."
Max pressed her lips together, wondering if they were talking about her. She wouldn't be surprised if Victoria left her alone only to lull her into a sense of security. Frankly, a prank could be just around the corner.
"Of course I'm sure about this, Courtney. She's so stuck up that she needs to know what a little fun is. What's the harm anyway? She'll finally get to experience what it's like to be a real teenager," Victoria answered.
"Yeah, but a Vortex Club party can get pretty hardcore. Especially for newbies," Courtney said, her worry permeating throughout her tone. "Maybe we should just invite her to a girls' night in."
Okay, they're definitely not talking about me. Victoria would never invite me to a Vortex Club party.
"No way," Victoria retorted. "Besides, she's already accepted the invitation. And Nathan volunteered to watch out for her. He'll make sure she's fine."
Footsteps approached the door, and Max dashed back and around the corner. The last thing they needed to know was that she had been eavesdropping. As soon as the door opened, Max rounded the corner and acted surprised to see them there. "Oh, hey," she managed lamely.
"Hey," Courtney replied before Victoria elbowed her in the side. She grimaced and rubbed her ribs.
Facing Max, Victoria asked, "What do you want, attention whore?"
"A-attention whore?" Max echoed, surprised by the new insult.
"Please, you think people are blind? Everyone saw how you threw yourself into harm's way to get Mr. Jefferson's attention. Pathetic, really."
Max hugged herself with one arm, frowning. "That's so not cool, Victoria. I didn't know the car was there."
"Sure. And I'm sure the longing stares you give him in classroom are just your admiration for your idol," Victoria sneered back. "Nice try, Maxine, but I see right through your game. And it's not going to work. Mark's already coming around to my advances. It won't be long before you have no hope at all of getting his attention. Sad face."
Who actually says 'sad face'?
Max hardened her expression into a scowl. "You're wrong, Victoria. He's never going to be with someone as desperate as you. He's just being nice to you because he doesn't want to hurt your feelings. But if you think that it's going to go any further than that, you totally wrong."
"Shut the fuck up," Victoria snapped. Max had clearly hit a button - or perhaps five - with her commentary. "Ugh, let's go, Courtney. I can stand to look at this selfie-absorbed bitch any longer."
Victoria knocked into Max as she passed her. Not trailing far behind, Courtney caught up with her, looking like a lost puppy. Max was just glad she had enough backbone to not be trailing behind someone like Victoria during her year at Blackwell. Still mad, Max stalked into the bathroom and snagged the shower furthest from the door. It was the least temperamental one, and the only one that didn't suddenly fluctuate the water temperature whenever someone else used the toilet or sink.
Max wondered who the Vortex Club was considering initiating into its ranks. Clearly, it was a girl, but no one really stood out in Max's mind as Vortex material who wasn't already in the club. She shrugged the thought away as she scrubbed. No point in wasting any more time on them. Victoria probably wanted for everyone to be always thinking of her anyway. And that clearly included Mr. Jefferson. Max didn't believe her, though, when she bragged about her advances being effective. Mr. Jefferson was way too classy to date someone like her. Taking a dab of shampoo, Max began to scrub her hair.
How do you even thank someone for saving your life?
Now, her "thank you" just seemed pitiable. It wasn't as though he had paid for her lunch. He had risked himself and pulled her out of the way of the speeding vehicle. Max's arm had bruised where he had grabbed her, his fingers defined on her otherwise alabaster skin.
She thought about baking him something, although her skills in the kitchen were unrefined to say the least. Honestly, she would probably sooner burn the kitchen down before making something properly edible. She had also considered writing him a personalized 'Thank You' card, but it seemed to fall just as short as her verbal thanks had. In the end, the only thought that kept returning to her was giving him a photograph. But of what?
Max had already become renown for her selfies in class. Mr. Jefferson didn't seem to mind, but Victoria made sure to mock Max nearly every day for her 'imposing narcissism.' Lately, Victoria had been taking more shots in class, but Mr. Jefferson never stepped in. Max didn't know if it was because he wanted the students to work it out for themselves or if Victoria's remarks weren't as bad as Max was making them out to be. But Max couldn't help her passion for selfies, just as she couldn't stop her love of photography.
Even so, she wanted to give Mr. Jefferson something special. She just couldn't decide on what was good enough. Her head spun in circles, twisting around the same three thoughts. The door to the bathroom opened. Coming out of her reverie, Max washed the shampoo out before quickly conditioning her hair. She must have lost track of time if other girls were starting to wake and wander in for their own morning routines. Rinsing her hair again, Max turned off the shower and quickly snagged her towel.
"Max?" Kate called out.
"Morning, Kate," Max greeted politely.
"Morning. Are you always up this early?"
As she dried her arms, Max said, "Yes. I'm normally out by now, but I've had a lot on my mind lately."
"I understand," Kate murmured. Her voice was almost too quiet for Max to hear. "If you ever need to talk, just text."
"Thanks," Max replied. Then she paused before poking her head out of the shower. Kate stood at one of the sinks with a toothbrush ready to go. "Hey, Kate? I - well - I was wondering. If somebody saved your life, how would you try to thank them?"
Kate considered it a moment, staring at her feet as she did so. Max appreciated the fact that she was willing to give it so much depth of thought. Finally, she replied, "I would try to live every day as exemplary as I can. To show them that their efforts have made a difference in the world."
That won't do at all.
Max pretended to nod thoughtfully. "Thanks, Kate." With that, she popped her head back in and kept drying herself. So a photograph - or perhaps several - really was her only answer to the question. She would have to take a weekend and go around Arcadia Bay. After all, Max had always had a knack in catching moments that Mr. Jefferson seemed to enjoy. Perhaps she could give him a new perspective of this tiny town that she had called home.
"I don't think he expects for you to do or give him anything," Kate mentioned after a long pause.
Hesitating herself, Max considered the thought. "I know. But I want to do something . Just saying 'thank you' just doesn't seem anywhere close to enough."
"Yeah, I can see that," Kate remarked. "It was..."
Max carefully wrapped her towel around her and poked her head out of the shower again. With anyone else, she would have just stepped out, but Kate was always super self-conscious, even around other girls. Max tried to be respectful of that. "It was what?"
"I won't lie; it was really hard to process everything happening. By the time I realized you were in danger, Mr. Jefferson was halfway to you," Kate replied quietly. "Nobody else was moving, though. It was like we were all watching some terrible movie that we knew we couldn't be a part of. That we couldn't alter."
"But it wasn't a movie," Max objected, her voice thick with pain. She hadn't realized he was the only person trying to save her.
Kate quickly said, "I know, Max. I know . But in the moment… It's hard to explain. But you should understand. You didn't move from in front of the car either."
Max set her jaw, her defenses rising. "There was a car driving at me , not anyone else," she replied, barely keeping the bite from her voice.
Clearly flustered, Kate replied, "I didn't mean it like that. I just meant that we were in a similar situation. None of us were thinking clearly. Well, none of us besides Mr. Jefferson."
"Right." Max's tone was harder than she had intended. It was difficult to process the thought that, if Mr. Jefferson hadn't been there, she would have been struck. No one else would have acted. A shudder zipped down her spine.
"You know how I'm Mr. Jefferson's class assistant?" Kate started, looking Max dead in the eyes.
Max nodded. Of course she did. Kate probably had one of the most coveted positions in all of Blackwell. It suited her, though. Kate was too proper to try anything with Mr. Jefferson. If anything, she might be the only girl in the school who only looked at him in admiration without a touch of lust. And he probably needed that after dealing with the Stellas and Victorias of the world all day.
"Well, I sometimes help after school, and when I was leaving, I heard him in Principal Wells' office. I've never heard him angry before, but he... he was beyond angry." Kate's voice was starting to quieten, as though she was worried someone might overhear. "He was shouting. He said that the school should have had speed bumps installed to prevent such occurrences. That students' lives were worth whatever that cost."
Considering the words, Max murmured, "Well, he isn't wrong. Speed bumps would have prevented all that from happening. I can see why he'd be upset."
"Yeah, and Principal Wells agreed to bring it up at the next staff meeting. But then Mr. Jefferson asked if charges were going to be pressed against the driver, and - well…" Kate considered her words once more. Apparently, this was the part that she wasn't sure she should tell Max. "Principal Wells said that the administration is considering it at the current moment but that no charges had been pressed yet. They wanted to talk to you first."
Max felt dread ice her blood. She didn't want to talk or think about the accident anymore, but she should have suspected that Principal Wells would want to have a word. On the day of the accident, he had been too busy dealing with the driver and police. She had gotten back to her dorm after giving a small statement to an officer who found her in the nurse's office. She had hoped that would be enough. "I see."
"Max," she called out, forcing Max to look back up, "Mr. Jefferson has your back. If Principal Wells ever tries to force you to do something you don't want to, you should head straight for him. Okay?"
"Yeah," Max agreed numbly. "I will. We're lucky to have him for a teacher."
"Definitely," Kate agreed. However, her eyes slid out of focus.
Max recognized the look. She was sure she wore it whenever thinking about Chloe. "Everything alright, Kate?"
Coming back to the present, Kate blinked and looked up. "Hm? Oh, yes. Everything's fine. Sorry. I think I forgot to do some homework. I should go." She scurried out of the room without pause, not even caring to rinse of her toothbrush before going. Kate was a lot of things, but a good liar, she certainly was not.
Max stepped out of the shower now, towel carefully tucked in. She headed back to her room, able to hear the stirrings of her classmates beginning to rise as well. At least Victoria was nowhere to be seen. Opening her door, Max quickly changed into a white tee with a doe on it. She pulled her tawny jacket on over it before slinging her bag over her shoulders. Her hair was nearly dry, a true blessing of having short hair. It only took a few minutes for her to brush her hair and put on her makeup before she was back out the door.
Alyssa was pounding on Stella's door. "You have to get up. Class is starting."
Max smiled as she heard Stella shout back, "I'll get up in five. Just go without me."
She's not much of a morning person.
"You always say that, and you're always late. Come on, Stella!" Alyssa whined before pounding on the door again.
"You're a good friend, Alyssa," Max said once she got close enough.
Alyssa scoffed. "Too bad she doesn't think so."
Dana stepped out of her room just as Max passed by. "Hey, Max, wanna walk together?"
"Sure," Max answered.
Despite being in the Vortex Club, Dana had always been super nice to Max. She had been one of the girls who checked in on her over the weekend, too. She had brought with her some pictures from her last vacation to the Grand Canyon and Yellowstone National Park. She had mostly taken selfies, but Max loved pooling over them. Honestly, it was nice to see the photos from someone not studying photography. Dana just took pictures of whatever she wanted without concern for what others would think. Max envied that.
Dana opened the door to the stairwell, and they descended together. "Did you go to the football game on Saturday?"
"No. I wasn't really feeling up to it," Max replied honestly. But Dana was a passionate cheerleader, and Bigfoot spirit was always on her mind. "How was it?"s
"It was a good game. We were losing for the first half. It's so hard to try to get energy going in the crowd when you're losing. But then our guys got back out there, and they won it for us," she answered. A smile lit her features. "Comebacks really do make the best games."
Max giggled. "Only if you're on the winning side."
"True, true."
The conversation tapered off the moment they stepped outside. Dana's boyfriend, whose name Max couldn't remember to save herself, was waiting for her. Dana hesitated. It was sweet, Max, thought, that she wasn't going to forget her offer to Max just because her boyfriend popped up. But Max wasn't interested in being third wheel. Therefore, she bid Dana and her boyfriend goodbye before hurrying up the stairs towards the academic building.
Although there were several doors into Blackwell, they served only as emergency exits. Every student had to traipse through the front door in the morning, which went right past Principal Wells' office. Kate's warning rang in her head. Max waited a moment before seeing a cluster of students enter together. She went in right behind them, hoping to get lost in the mix.
"Miss Caulfield!"
Well, shit. That didn't work.
Max sheepishly turned towards Principal Wells. Some of the delinquent students remarked that the only reason he was the principal was because he was black and his surname was "Wells." However, Max knew better. Principal Wells was in the position he was in because he knew how to be an authority figure. Mrs. Grant told her once about how he had saved Blackwell from financial ruin. Clearly, he knew how to do his job. Unfortunately, she also found that rather intimidating.
"Yes, Principal Wells?"
Principal Wells relaxed his figure, an obvious attempt to reassure Max that this conversation was a friendly one. She wasn't buying it. "I wondered if I could have a minute of your time to discuss what happened Friday."
"Uh… I'm not sure. I really have to get to class," Max responded, glancing down the hall nervously. She had never been so eager to get to class before, but today, she would never complain about school again if it meant she could go.
"Your teachers have already been informed of your circumstances. They will understand if you are tardy today," Principal Wells informed her.
So much for the importance of academic pursuits.
Max frowned. Apparently, his request was more of a demand. Then perhaps she should make one of her own. "Would it be alright if Mr. Jefferson joined us?" Max tried not to grimace. That came out nothing like the condition it was supposed to be.
"I've already spoken to Mr. Jefferson separately about the matter," Principal Wells said, dismissing her idea in an instant. "Besides, I don't want you to feel pressured to say something specifically to please him."
Still uncomfortable, Max answered, "I understand. It's just…" There had to be something she could say that would help him comprehend how difficult this was for her. Everyone wanted her to talk to them about it. And in they end, they all had wanted something from her: gossip, material for an article, or to live vicariously through the rescue, it didn't matter. Yes, she had nearly died. On school property, no less. Shouldn't she have more than 48 hours to come to terms with it? And shouldn't she not feel pressured by anyone to do what they wanted of her?
"Justice never sleeps." Or something like that, I guess.
Principal Wells sighed in a defeated manner. "If Mr. Jefferson's presence would make this conversation easier on you, I would be happy to ask him to join us. But he has class, Miss Caulfield, same as you. There's no guarantee he will be able to step out."
"Thank you, Principal Wells," Max responded, relaxing. At least with Mr. Jefferson, she knew someone would be concerned for her interests first. Principal Wells, despite his caring persona, had a tendency to place the academy's needs over everything else.
Nodding, Principal Wells motioned to his office. "You head on into my office. I'm going to see if Mr. Jefferson can afford to lend us some of his time."
Max slipped past the secretary and stepped in, closing the door behind her. For a principal's office, it was remarkably posh. His chair looked as though it had fallen out of an IKEA store whilst the two chairs across from it were the same as those in the library. The far wall contained cabinets and shelves, stockpiled with books. Given the color coding, there was clearly some organization in their positions. Looking at the desk, Max saw a bronze bird sitting upon it.
Strange. Blackwell has the Bigfoot and Otters as mascots. Wonder why he has a bird.
Curious, Max picked it up. It was heavy. Her nearly nonexistent arm muscles flexed involuntarily as she lifted it higher. If this was thrown at someone, it would do some serious damage. She set it back down with a thud .
The door opened as if in response. Jolting, Max spun on her heels to see Principal Wells walking back in. Max felt anxious for a moment. She hadn't considered that maybe Mr. Jefferson wouldn't be able to come. Swallowing hard, she sat down in her seat. He walked in just then, just as scruffy and trendy as he always was.
"Hey, Max. You look worried. Is everything okay?" he asked, his brow pulling up in concern.
Nodding, Max felt relief finally allow her to relax in the chair. "I thought maybe you wouldn't be able to come."
"I thought something like this might come up, so I planned ahead. Although I doubt my students are particularly thrilled about their pop quiz," he responded.
"Well, now that you both are here, I am going to state for the record that this conversation isn't going to be pleasant for any of us. Miss Caulfield was nearly killed in a traffic accident that occurred right outside this establishment. I have seen the video, and there is no doubt in my mind that you saved her, Mr. Jefferson. You're quite the hero."
Mr. Jefferson stood beside Max, one hand on the back of her chair. "I only did what anyone at this school would have done, given the chance."
"But not just anyone did. Your quick thinking saved a young girl's life. You truly represent Blackwell. And because of that, I want you to be the chauffeur to the winner of the 'Everyday Heroes' contest. You'll get to fly, all expenses paid, to San Francisco."
"Thank you, Principal Wells. I'm honored. But there is a more important conversation to be had here. A young girl's life was at stake. Are you or are you not going to file charges?" Mr. Jefferson pressed.
Principal Wells sucked in a deep breath. "Well, that depends on Miss Caulfield here."
"What about me?" Max asked, confused.
"If you want to press charges, there are going to be… consequences," Principal Wells explained carefully. Max immediately didn't like the sound of that. "Obviously, there will have to be a more thorough police investigation. Interviews will be conducted. You'll be expected to fully cooperate with authorities. But, what's more, there is going to be quite some publicity around the event before and during the trial. Blackwell isn't some no-name school in the middle of nowhere. We're a prestigious academy."
"You want to make her your martyr," Mr. Jefferson accused, his voice rising.
Principal Wells raised a hand. "Mark, please just listen. We've kept the incident under wraps so far for Miss Caulfield's benefit. But sympathy would help our case."
"Then use me as your public showcase," Mr. Jefferson said, stepping forward. It was almost as though he was trying to shield Max. "Max has already been through enough without being hounded by the media. You don't need to garner sympathy by forcing the victim into the spotlight. Focus on the heroism displayed by your staff during a student's time of need, and there will be plenty of admiration for Blackwell and its administration."
Face hardening, Principal Wells puffed out his chest. "As a principal, I take my duties very seriously. Our first mission will always be to protect our students. We have everything that we need collected to go to the police. All I want is to make sure that this is what Miss Caulfieldwants."
Both men looked down at Max expectantly. Eyes wide, Max glanced between the two of them. Mr. Jefferson wanted to pursue charges. Certainly, Max could understand why. The man had nearly hit her. He might have hit Mr. Jefferson, too, if he hadn't been so quick. But she wasn't particularly interested in going through the difficulties and stresses of a trial. It would only dredge out the bullying and gossip, too. Max wanted to fade back into the background again.
"Will my pressing charges change any other actions Blackwell might take?" Max asked softly. She looked at Principal Wells.
Principal Wells frowned. "Not necessarily. It would help in us pushing our budget towards something like speed bumps, but it certainly wouldn't be required. I should be able to convince the administration and donors without it."
"Max, whatever you choose, you will have the full support of the Blackwell administration and staff. You don't have to be their poster child if you don't want to be," Mr. Jefferson pointed out. "You can seek justice and retain anonymity, despite what Principal Wells likes to imply."
"Mark!" Principal Wells finally barked.
Mr. Jefferson stood up straight, and the two men glared at each other for a long moment.
"I would rather not press charges if it's going to cause more drama," Max confessed, forcing the two of them to look down at her. She flustered under their attention for a moment. "I would just rather put this entire incident behind me."
"Understandably so," Principal Wells said. "But Blackwell Academy is in the spotlight, particularly because we managed to obtain such a famous photographer as a teacher. Keeping this under wraps would take quite a bit of effort. And we might not be successful."
Bet you would be able to do it if the Prescotts asked you to, though.
Instead of voicing her thoughts, Max merely nodded. "I'm sorry, Mr. Jefferson. I know you want me to press charges. But I just would like to go back to being just another Blackwell student."
"On the contrary, Max, you are the only one who has the right to object to this," Mr. Jefferson informed her, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "If that's what you would prefer then that's what we'll do. No questions asked."
Max offered a weak smile. "Thanks for understanding."
"Of course." With that, he pulled back, and Max felt the loss instantly. Perhaps he wasn't as understanding as he claimed. "Unfortunately, I have to get back to my class. I worry that this pop quiz has become a group quiz."
Principal Wells nodded. "Yes. That will be all. Thank you both for coming in."
Max rose to her feet, silent as the weight of her words bogged her mind. Slipping out the door, she noticed Mr. Jefferson was not too far behind. Once they were out of the secretary's office, Max glanced up at him to find he appeared impassive. Anxiety welled up in her mind. "I-I'm sorry. If I disappointed you, I mean."
"I'm not disappointed, Max," Mr. Jefferson reassured her as they turned the corner. "Principal Wells clearly wanted to pursue this in a public manner or not at all. All you could do was choose the route which was best for you."
Comforted, Max felt her tension melt. "I would just really like to put this behind me. It's already caused enough trouble."
"Caused enough trouble?" Mr. Jefferson echoed. He tilted his head and examined her. "What do you mean by that?"
Max quickly covered, "I've been having nightmares. About the… accident."
"I see," Mr. Jefferson murmured. "The pain will fade with time. Remember: life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it."
I don't seem to be reacting very well, though.
"I'll try my best, Mr. Jefferson," Max replied as he reached his classroom.
Mr. Jefferson hesitated. "It might be a good time for you to throw yourself into your photography. Distract yourself a bit. You'd be surprised what a changed perception can do to your work." Without another word, he walked into his classroom.
Max trudged up the stairs. If nothing else, at least it was over. This incident would fade from the spotlight the moment new drama unfolded. And with a school like Blackwell, that drama was certainly just around the corner.