Chapter 2-
The next day after work, Maxie packed up all of her things. Maxie feared the unknown, it wasn't something that she liked. At the same time, she knew that if she stayed she would ruin her relationship with both Johnny and Lulu. They had made so much progress, she didn't want to go back to being enemy number one. As Maxie packed the rest of her clothes, there was a slight knock on her already open bedroom door. Maxie's Tiffany box blue eyes found Spinelli standing there, his face unreadable. Crap, she'd forgotten to tell him.
"Am I not enough?" The words left Spinelli 's mouth, sounding bitter.
"Spinelli, what I'm feeling is no reflection on you. I know that someday you will make some woman very happy, that woman just isn't me. I love you, but I'm not in love with you. This is my chance to have a fresh start, I'm starting a new chapter in my life! That means that I have to leave you behind, I'm sorry Spinelli. I hope that one day we can be friends again." Maxie presses her lips into a line, this was hard for her…but she needed to get away from Port Charles.
"You're just going to…throw everything away?" Spinelli looked into her eyes, hoping to change her mind.
"I have to. I won't let myself grow to hate you, that's what's going to happen if I stay. This isn't easy for me Spinelli, I love you. Things are better this way. I know it doesn't seem like that right now but, things will be okay. Eventually. You'll find someone who will fall in love with the amazing man you are, it's just not me." Maxie felt tears gathering in the corner of her eyes but she didn't dare let them fall.
"If you loved me, you wouldn't go." Were his parting words, before he walked away and out of the apartment. Maxie wiped away a few tears that had escaped, before zipping her suitcase shut. Maxie had made sure that she was alone in the apartment when she was packing. Gathering all of her bags and walking out of her bedroom, she took one last long look at the apartment.
"It was nice while it lasted." Maxie says before leaving her key on the table and exiting the apartment. Maxie drove to her cousin's house, she would be spending one last night in Port Charles before making her journey to Paris at two in the afternoon tomorrow.
"Aunt Maxie!" Emma Drake rushed into Maxie's arms as she entered Robin and Patrick's house, Maxie laughed, lowering herself to the ground and wrapping Emma in a hug.
"Hey Max." Patrick gave her a hug.
"Hey." Maxie knew that Robin was still working.
"I know that Robin doesn't think that I should do this, but it's what I need." Maxie looked at Patrick.
"I know, that's what I told her. Robin just cares about you, that's all. You're going to a foreign country, she's just worried about you." Patrick assures her.
"I know, but it's time to move on. For now." Maxie still had strong feelings for Johnny, that's why she'd waited to pack up her things.
"I understand. I'm glad that you're here. What are your plans for tomorrow?" Patrick gave her a smile.
"Before I leave I want to say goodbye to Lulu. I don't want to just duck out on her." Maxie sighed, she would really miss her friends and family.
"I think that's a good idea, you two have become pretty close." Patrick noted, remembering a time where Maxie and Lulu could barely stand to be in the same room.
"We have, that's one of the hardest parts of moving on. I can't stay…I'll ruin our friendship over a stupid crush on Johnny. This is just something I have to do. I need to make a life for myself away from here." Maxie says with finality, nothing could stop her from her destination. That night when Robin came home from work, Maxie glanced up from the couch.
"I guess there isn't anything I can do to make you stay?" Robin frowned, glancing over her cousin's features.
"No." Maxie promptly answered, as she shut the magazine she had been reading.
"I get it, I really do. After Jason chose Carly over me…I found out that I got accepted to this medical school in Paris. I knew there wasn't anything left for me in Port Charles, not at that point. I understand, I'm just going to miss you is all." Robin sighed, maybe it wouldn't sting so much if Georgie were still alive.
"I need to do this. Maybe Johnny and I weren't in a relationship but I still have strong feelings for him. I need a fresh start." Maxie maintained her position.
"I understand."
Lulu Spencer was still thrown for a loop at Maxie's admission, it made Lulu want to question their friendship but…Maxie had made the grown up decision. It still rubbed her the wrong way, truma was the only thing she could amount it to. Lulu scurried around Crimson trying to get the last few tasks of her work finished, she was beyond tired. Since Maxie was going to the Paris branch of Crimson, Lulu had been taking on double the work.
"I love a woman on a mission." She heard those words drawled from behind her, biting back a smile she turned to see her boyfriend.
"Well, this woman loves you." Lulu smirked, her black stilettos clicking against the floor as she stride towards Johnny, dropping a kiss onto his lips when she arrived at her destination.
"I thought I'd stop by before my shift at Jake's, I didn't get to see you this morning." Johnny pressed a kiss to Lulu's lips.
"I literally hate this place." Lulu groaned into Johnny's chest, laying her head on him.
"Well, I've got a job now. I'm one hundred percent sure that Coleman won't fire me. If you want to look for something else, you should. I don't want you to be unhappy." Johnny rubbed her back.
"I'll be okay, I just have to complain about it first. I'm almost done here, when do you get off?" Lulu brushed his concerns off, this was where she had to stay. For now.
"Midnight." Johnny deeply sighed, knowing that they would probably be on different schedules now.
"Good luck catching me awake." Lulu chuckled, pressing another kiss to his cheek.
"I'll find a way to get you up, trust me." Johnny whispers in her ear.
"You better." Lulu chuckled, turning the lights off.
"Didn't you say that you had more to do?" Johnny arched an eyebrow at his girlfriend.
"Kate can chew me out tomorrow, I might look for another job. I'll see what's out there. I am not going back to Kelly's, I am the worst waitress in the world." Lulu walked out of the hotel with Johnny, her feet really hurt.
"I know this isn't what you want to do with your life, Lu. You'll figure it out, you always do." Johnny gave her a reassuring smile.
"I know you're going to roll your eyes at this but, you're the perfect boyfriend." Lulu smiled at her boyfriend.
"I am one of the most flawed people to ever exist, Lulu." Johnny playfully pushed her.
"That's why you're so perfect, Mr. Zacchara." Lulu cheesily smirked, interlocking her hand with his as they approached his mustang.
"One day you're going to be Mrs. Zacchara. You know that. Right?" Johnny took on a serious tone.
"You want to marry me? One day?" Lulu's eyes shone with emotion.
"Of course I do, I want it all." Johnny kissed her forehead, holding the passenger door open for her.
"Always such a gentleman." Lulu flitted her eyelashes at him, sliding into the passenger seat.
"Do you need to go anywhere before we go back to the apartment?" Johnny asked, he knew that she could drive if she needed to go anywhere…but still.
"I'm okay, I'm probably going to eat and pass out. Today's been a long day." Lulu gave her boyfriend a tired smile.
"You can relax, have some time to yourself. You deserve some downtime." Johnny pulled into their apartment complex, parking in front of the building.
"I'll miss you." Lulu pecked him on the lips.
"You too, I'll see you soon baby." Lulu got out of the car after another quick kiss, Johnny stayed until he saw that Lulu was safely inside of the apartment. Johnny drove to Jake's and walked inside of the bar, walking up to Coleman.
"Alright, you showed up man. I can't tell you how many people just don't show up after being hired." Coleman says in relief, shaking Johnny's hand.
"Well, I'm kind of desperate." Johnny was only half joking.
"You'll fit right into Jake's." Coleman smirked and they walked behind the bar, Coleman showed Johnny the basics and went back to the kitchen. The night rolled by without incident, before he knew it it was closing time. After cleaning the bar and saying goodbye to Coleman, Johnny drove home to Lulu. Johnny opened the apartment door and saw Lulu on the couch, blanket spread across her lap and sleeping soundly.
"Poor thing." Johnny chuckled, reaching over to turn the lamp off. Johnny lifted Lulu into his arms, carrying her to the bedroom. Johnny settled into bed with his sleeping girlfriend, wrapping his arms around her middle.
"How was it?" Lulu sleepily stirred.
"It was okay, it's not bad. I don't hate it." Johnny murmured.
"Good." Lulu says, letting herself fall asleep.
Maxie couldn't sleep that night, all she did was toss and turn. Going on her phone she looked to see if there were any earlier flights, thankfully there was one at five in the morning. Maxie quietly packed her things and drove to the airport.
"Sorry Port Charles, Paris is calling my name."