Maxoline: And the Bar Fight

Caroline walked in to see glass shattered all over the bar, chairs thrown willy nilly and liqour spilled all over the tables.

"What the hell happened in here?!"

Max looks up from her phone. "Oh, there was a huge bar fight a couple minutes ago," she laughs, turing her phone to Caroline. "Got the whole thing on video."

"Only you could make this funny," she grins. "I'll call Bobby."

"It's cool we have a contractor on call."

"Sure is and he'll appreciate the job. He hasn't been getting a lot of work lately."

"Huh, I wonder why."

Caroline shrugs. She puts the phone to her ear. It rings a few times. She briefly explains what happened and scheduled a date. She peers over at Max still laughing at the video.

"He's coming over tomorrow night. Put that away!"

"Fine!" Max whines.

"Well now I can cross this off my bucket list," Max laughs walking into the apartment.

"You're crazy."

Caroline latches the door behind them and flings herself onto the couch. Max sits on top of her.

"How much do you think he's gonna charge us?"

"I don't know." Caroline wraps her arms around her body and pulls her in closer to snuggle. Caroline sighs.

Max faces her. "Is everything ok?"

"Yeah," she smiles. "I was just wondering, do you think it's weird Bobby and I are still friends?

"Why would it be weird?"

"I mean, are you ok with it?"

"Of course I'm ok with it. Don't worry. I think it's sweet."

They kiss lightly.

"Why are you so beautiful?"

"Oh stop."

"Seriously. Don't forget it."

"Ok, Channing." Max blushes.

Caroline starts tickling her as Max shrieks from the sudden contact. It was little moments like this that meant the most.

Bobby got to work right away after Max showed him the video. She still found it amusing even if everyone else was over it. Caroline shook her head at her childish antics.

"Well, judging by the damage, it's gonna be at least a week of work."

"Yikes," Caroline winces. "Did you hear that Max? A week without income."

"No biggie. We'll just wing it."

"I'm not comfortable with "winging it" and neither should you."

"Babe, relax." Max puts her phone down and maneuvers to her. She rests her hands on Caroline's shoulders. "It could be way worse."

"I guess you're right."

Bobby sighs as he watches their sweet moment. He cuts in a little too soon. "Hey, Caroline, I'd hate to interrupt, but can I talk to you outside for a moment?"

She looks to Max for approval. Max nods.

The two move outside of the bar. Caroline leans her back against the brick wall.

"What's up?"

"To start, I know you're happy with Max," he pauses. "You are happy with Max, right?"

"What's this about?"

"I just…I'm not great at holding in my feelings."

Caroline's eyes soften. "You still like me, don't you?"

"Yes, I wanted to be honest."

They linger for a second. More seconds go by and she didn't know what to say.

Bobby clears his throat. "So, um, how are you?"

"We better get back in there."

She turns to leave but Bobby grabs her arm.

"Sorry, that was weird," he realizes, letting go.

"Are you okay?"

He exhales. "I know we had a rocky relationship, but I can't pretend I'm thrilled just being friends."

"I don't really know how to respond, Bobby."

"I want to get back together."

"I'm going to go…"

Before Caroline can walk away, though, Bobby walks closer and bashes his lips on hers. Instead of pulling away, she lets it go, feeling guilty, but not wanting to upset him.

"So, what did Bobby want to talk about?"

"Nothing important. Just some number nerd stuff."

"Thanks for sparing me from that," she laughs.

Caroline hated lying to her. It only made her more paranoid that she'd lose her. What Max didn't know wouldn't kill her. It would eventually kill Caroline, though.

"Caroline!"

She snaps back to reality clearly unaware she even drifted to outter space in the first place.

"I love you so fucking much."

Caroline leaps over the table and attacks Max's lips without warning. Her body flings back as she fights to speak, but can't get any words out. Caroline's outburst was too strong.

"Damn. Where did that come from?"

"I don't know. I guess I'm just crazy about you."

"I'll say. Give me a heads up next time."

"Sorry."

Max was too good for Caroline. Hell, Max was too good for RICH Caroline and she knew that. There were days she stayed up at night calculating their relationship (being the business woman that she was) and it just didn't add up. She'd get slapped for thinking those things.

"I love you too."

"Yeah, but I love you way more," Caroline insists. She lays on top of Max and buries her face in her chest. "I wanna die here."

Max rolls her eyes. "You are so dramatic."

"Am not," Caroline mumbles.

"Seriously," Max lifts her head up. She offers a small chuckle and Caroline sighs. "What is up with you? You are being way too sweet."

It was now or never. Caroline took in a big breath. "I kissed Bobby."

Caroline got up off of her awaiting to be yelled at. Max sat up slowly. "You kissed Bobby?" There it was. The hurt in Max's eyes that shot Caroline in the heart. It was that of a kicked puppy. Max didn't deserve that. "Do you still love him?"

"No. Not at all." She knew it was time for some major damage control. She had to say the right thing and mean it. "I swear. I only love you. It was like a friendly kiss."

"So, when you said you were talking about 'number nerd' stuff…"

"I lied," she kicked herself. "This is bad. I know. What can I do to make it up to you?"

"I-I don't know."

"There has to be something, Max. I feel horrible."

Max was finding it extremely hard not to cry in front of her. She hated feeling weak. She had a deep history of people lying to her, but this time was the icing on the cake.

"It's just hard to process this."

"At least she told me," Max sighed to herself.

"She also lied first though."

"But she loves me."

"She also kissed Bobby."

"It was supposed to be a friendly kiss."

"But was it really?"

"I still love her."

"But does she really love you?"

Max was driving herself crazy arguing with herself. She wanted to trust Caroline, but how could she trust Caroline when she couldn't even trust herself?

Max fell asleep not long after.

She opened her eyes and she was laying on the floor of a church. The doors suddenly flew open to reveal a bright light followed by Caroline being led down the aisle with her father Martin by her side. The two stepped right over Max and up to the alter where Bobby stood in a fresh tux.

"…speak now or forever hold your peace."

Max stood up and dusted herself off. "Wait!" She ran up to the almost married couple. "Caroline, you can't marry Bobby. I still love you."

She waited for a reaction. She stood their awkwardly as the whole church laughed at her. Caroline joined in.

"Oh, you silly peasant. I never loved you."

A small tear escaped Max's eye. More laughter came and she ran out embarrassed.

Max awoke covered in sweat. She let the tears come one by one while silently debating on going in the living room to see Caroline. She was probably still up, but Max couldn't seem to get her legs to work. She felt weak and fragile like she would break if she stepped off the bed.

Caroline was too good for her. Even if Max was RICH, she would still be too good for her. It was definitely a 180 from all the losers and cons she dated before, but that's what she thought she deserved. She would get slapped for thinking those things.

Max walked in to see a newly refinished desert bar. As much as she hated to admit it, Bobby did an amazing job fixing the place up. Bobby and Caroline, who were talking behind the bar, turned around to meet Max. She offered a small smile.

Caroline glided over. "I was waiting for you." She took her hands. Max was ready to be broken up with. She had prepared herself the whole way over. "Max, the moment I met you, I fell in love. Five years ago, I was a homeless, clueless, spoiled rich girl and you took me in and I am forever grateful. So, to fully apologize for hurting you, I have a surprise for you."

"What is it?"

"Close your eyes." Max did just that. Bobby then struggled for a bit to push the mechanical bull into the double doors. "Ok…and…open!"

Caroline was brought back to life watching her girlfriend beam at the surprise. She wasn't expecting her to just forget the lie, but she hoped it slowly made up for it.

"This is the best surprise ever! Thank you so much!"

Max gave her a loving, sloppy kiss.

"No need to thank me, Max. You deserve it. You deserve everything."

"I don't think everything is going to fit into the apartment, Caroline," she jokes.

Caroline smiles.

"Now stop feeling bad. You're not allowed