Leaf

He finds himself enjoying the scenery and buildings, occasionally peeking into a store or small restaurant if it catches his fancy. This is how he finds himself entering a small book store. The plain walls and ceiling along with the long, bright, rectangular lights make the store look like a warehouse, but Grace continues on. He’s briefly greeted by an employee who he exchanged pleasantries with—not perfectly, as Grace has never been too good with small talk—before he goes off to explore himself. He looks through the books on the shelf, none catching his fancy, before his gaze is torn away by a young man sitting by himself in a back corner of the store. He’s reading a book and Grace can swear he recognizes the man, though he can’t put his finger on where from.

The man glances up and meets Grace’s gaze.

“Can I help you?” The young man asks, not wholly in an antagonistic tone, but Grace can hear the irritation in his words.

“Oh, no, sorry. I just thought I recognized you from somewhere. Did you ever happen to live in San Francisco?” Grace asks. He immediately worries that he’s making things weird, he should have probably just apologized and left. His worries are exacerbated when the man doesn’t reply for a few seconds and instead gives Grace an odd look.

Finally he replies, “Yeah, when I was a kid.”

Oh! He must have been one of Grace’s students.

“If you don’t mind me asking, what’s your name?”

“Henry.”

The memories immediately flood back from Grace’s first official class. Henry was a fairly quiet but kind kid, Grace remembered Henry opening up to him around halfway through the semester after a short lesson on marine life. He, for some reason, remembers Henry’s love for walruses.

“Did you go to Grover Cleveland Middle? I think you were in one of my classes. I taught—well, I still teach—science.”

Henry nods. “Yeah, Mr. Grace, right?”

Grace immediately perks up. He remembers all his students, but it makes him happy when they remember him.

“Yes! Wow, you’re so grown up!”

Henry lets out a quiet snort, his lips forming into a slight smile, not obvious but present.

“Wow,” Grace repeats, laughing to himself. “It’s crazy running into you here. You must be in college now, right?”

Henry nods again.

“What’s your major?”

“Uh, art.”

“Art, wow. That suits you, you were always very creative.”

Henry looks down at the floor almost shyly, smiling slightly again.

“Well, it was great seeing you again Henry. I’ll be in New York for a bit longer so who knows, maybe we’ll run into each other again. And if not, I’ll expect to see some of your art in museums soon!” Grace smiles over at Henry, who replies with his own smile and nod, quietly thanking Grace and saying goodbye.

Grace steps away from Henry, back into the maze of bookshelves, and Henry stays smiling. His art, in museums? He can only laugh at the concept. Even if he did live long enough to do that, he doubts it would happen. Shame he’ll never run into Mr. Grace again, though. It would have been nice to talk a bit more with him. He was Henry’s favorite teacher in middle school, it devastated Henry when he had to move away in 8th grade.

Grace steps out of the bookstore—oblivious to the thoughts he left Henry with—and continues his aimless walk down the street. He’s starting to feel a little hungry, maybe he could find somewhere to eat. Come to think of it, he saw a fairly good looking pizza place a few blocks back. Maybe he should eat there.

The streets of Brooklyn are illuminated by a myriad of lights, casting it in an orange glow. After going back to his small hotel room for a few hours, Grace has decided to venture back out into the streets of New York. It’s almost midnight, but Grace finds himself jittery for whatever reason. It’s past the school year so he has no grades to worry about, and he hasn’t finished preparing for the next year yet but he has time left to get everything done. There's nothing for him to be worried about, but he can't help this sinking feeling in his gut. So he decided to go for a walk, to do something productive with all this anxious energy.

Grace has been wanting to visit the Brooklyn bridge–he’s passed by and beneath it a few times with Colt but never been on it properly–and what better time than the present. He’s glad he came now, the bridge looks even more beautiful now, illuminated in the night.

As he walks onto the bridge, Grace notices a lone figure nearer to the center looking off the side. The occasional car drives by but the night is left in almost complete silence. Grace continues his walk, and as he nears the figure he recognizes it. It’s Henry. Not only is it Henry standing there, looking off the side of the bridge, but he’s holding a gun.

Grace’s heart drops.

His leisurely walk breaked into a sprint as he calls out for the boy. Henry’s head snaps over to the voice.

“Henry! Oh god,” Grace yells out, jogging to a stop a few feet away from Henry.

Henry doesn’t reply, but now being closer Grace notices the shake of his hands, the gun held out to the side. Henry’s eyes are glossed over, almost dead looking, and in them is a thinly veiled look of fear.

“Henry please, just think about what you’re doing,” Grace pleads, his panic growing by the second.

“I have,” Henry mumbles in reply. “I planned it, it’s my time to go.”

He sounds as if he’s accepted his fate, like a person dying of some chronic illness. That scares Grace the most. Henry’s already seemingly given up on life, even though he has the ability not to die. But in his mind, it’s inevitable.

“No, it’s not. You’re so young, you have so much more life to live, you have so much to live for.”

Henry shakes his head, almost pleadingly.

“I don’t, I… I don’t,” Henry chokes up, promptly wiping his tears away with the back of his hand. “Not anymore, not after what I did.”

“What did you do?” Grace asks, partially due to morbid curiosity but also to just keep the young man talking, in hopes that he can prolong it for long enough that Henry will rethink his decision, or so that Grace will be able to call someone to help.

“I killed them. My parents. Athena. It’s my fault.” Henry stares off into the distance, at the lights of New York City.

Grace freezes up. He can’t imagine Henry doing anything like that. Images of Henry’s parents at parent-teacher night flash through his brain. He couldn’t have. Grace doesn’t believe Henry to be capable of that. He pries further.

“How.. how did you… kill them,” the words fall unsteadily out of Grace’s mouth.

“The car…” Henry goes quiet for a few seconds before quickly and quietly finishing his thought. “Car crash.”

“Henry… it wasn’t your fault,” Grace doesn’t know that for certain, but he’s willing to hedge his bets on saying it if it gives Henry even the slightest bit more will to live. While saying this, Grace gets nearer to Henry in hopes of possibly getting the gun away from him.

“It was,” Henry says. He chokes up on his words, tears beginning to stream down his face. He raises the gun up to his head.

“Henry please, listen to me. I can get you help,” Grace pleads, tears springing up to his eyes.

Henry simply shakes his head again. The gun is pointed towards the side of his head, right on the front of his forehead.

“I’m sorry,” Henry mutters.

For a few seconds afterwards all Grace can hear is ringing in his ears. His vision is red and blurry. Soon enough it clears and the sound of the wind comes rushing back along with loud honking and frantic yells. Grace looks down and sees Henry’s body on the ground, a pool of blood surrounding his body. Grace tentatively reaches out but he’s unable to get himself to move very far. His glasses are smudged with blood, as he looks down he sees that same red flecked across his casual clothing. His favorite shirt and cardigan.

A hand comes crashing down on his shoulder, a concerned bystander asking if he’s okay. He can make out a person seemingly on the phone with the police along with two others crowding around Henry’s motionless body. Grace can’t find it in himself to respond, simply letting out a grunt.

The next few days are a blur of waiting rooms and ERs, Colt having to drag Grace away from Henry’s side so that he can shower and sleep. Grace spends as much time as possible in an uncomfortable hospital chair by Henry’s hospital bed. He’s the only one who shows up, Henry’s family and girlfriend–Athena–are dead, as he learned from Henry in his last moments. Grace doesn’t logically fault himself, he knows there isn’t much more he could have done Henry was set on dying. But he still can’t help the guilt that floods his senses.

Henry’s still hanging on, barely. He’s hooked up to a million tubes and wires, bandages are practically covering his whole face, but Grace can’t find it in himself to look away.

It’s been a week since Kyle started tutoring Max, and it’s been going surprisingly well. Max seems to actually want to learn and he’s been improving — very very slowly but it’s improving either way.

The second-to-last class of the day has just ended and Kyle, Max, and Jason are walking together to their last period class, the only one that the three of them share. Kyle isn’t looking where he’s walking and bumps into someone, they stumble but catch themselves on the lockers before they’re able to fall. Kyle looks over and sees that the person he knocked over is Richie.

Kyle glances back at Max and takes a breath, he doesn’t particularly enjoy doing this but he doesn’t want Max to be mad at him.

“Watch where you’re going shitlips.” He barks out, making Richie cower back, “seeing your looser face just ruined my day.”

“Hey, leave him alone dumbass.”

Kyle freezes up and looks back, he couldn’t have heard that right. Max stands right beside him, he elbows Kyle in the arm.

Kyle looks around to see if he’s going crazy but everyone seems just as confused as him. Even Richie is standing up straighter, not looking as scared anymore.

“Are you fucking deaf or something? Back off bro.”

“Y..yeah, sorry Max” Kyle backs away towards Jason.

Max looks over at Richie, who immediately goes back to cowering. “The fuck are you staring at? Fuck off Lipschitz.”

“Yep!” Richie squeaks out, scurrying away. Kyle can barely hear the boy muttering to himself, “You don’t have to say that again…”

Max turns back to Kyle, who stands a bit straighter under the scrutiny of his gaze.

“C’mon, let’s get some food”

“But… we have class?” Kyle replies confused and honestly scared.

What does Max want to do with him outside of school?

“Did I stutter, bitch?”

“No!”

“Then let’s go.”

Max turns around and starts walking back in the direction he, Kyle, and Jason just came from. The latter two follow.

Max stops, so do the other boys. He turns back and looks at Jason.

“Not you, just Kyle. Get your ass back to class.”

Kyle’s heart drops, he’s so utterly fucked.

“Okay, Max.” Jason sat, giving Kyle a look of pity.

Max turns back around — Jason mouths ‘sorry’ to Kyle — and starts walking off, Kyle dutifully follows.

Max drives the two of them to a local fast food shop, burger zone, where the two of them get food to go, eating it in Max’s cars

Neither of the boys talk very much throughout the trip, giving Kyle more time to spiral.

Max is mad, that much is obvious, but why? Max bullies Richie all the time, and Kyle only does because of Max. Kyle doesn’t derive any enjoyment from it, he hates doing it.

So why did Max defend Richie this time? The only nerd Max has ever defended before was Grace Chasity but that was only because he had a crush on her. Max isn't gay so that definitely isn't the reason here.

It doesn't really matter why Max defended Richie, either way he did it and now he's mad at Kyle.

Kyle feels sick as he chokes down the burger he bought. The car is completely silent, the only noises being the cars driving by outside and the sounds of the two boys eating. Kyle looks over at Max who immediately looks back over at Kyle. Kyle averts his gaze back to the burger in his hands.

“Why’re you so tense?” Max asks out of nowhere.

Kyle cannot for the life of him tell if this is a trick question. It sounds sincere but this is Max Jägerman who's talking.

Kyle, being too busy thinking about every possible way Max could have meant that sentence, takes too long to answer. Max sighs and Kyle is immediately brought back to reality. He scrambles to find something, anything, to say but he doesn't have time before Max starts to talk.

“I don't wanna be a complete dick anymore.”

Kyle’s brain stops. He looks over at Max.

“And i know, thats fuckin rich coming from me cause i just yelled at you back at school,” Max continues, “But I wanna stop fucking with those nerds.”

“But… why?” Kyle asks.

“It’s fucking stupid,” Max grumbles, “I know that people hate me, i’m not fucking stupid, but I thought that all that really mattered was that everyone respected me. And I mean I wasn’t wrong, but also seeing everyone joking around with each other, even those nerds, shoving each other around without worrying about pissing each other off. And then seeing how people act around me, walking on… shit whats the word… fuckin… eggshells! Seeing everyone, even you and Jason, walking on eggshells around me, too scared about pissing me off to joke around… I dunno. I wanna have friends like how the nerds have friends, not minions who follow me around. I just dont fucking know how to actually make friends, its easier to boss people around.” Max goes quiet after finishing his monologue.

Kyle is left speechless.

“Huh…” He's finally able to get out.

“What?” Max replies harshly, immediately on the defensive.

“No, no, not like that! I'm not judging, it's just… why are you telling this to me?”

“Cause you already saw me acting all weird that other night. And you’re also way too fucking nice. You offered to drive me home for no reason, you didn't have to do any of that shit but you did… I guess that's what started making me think of this in the first place. If you weren't friends with me people would actually like you. You’d be popular, but not because you forced your way to the top, but because people would think you're funny or some shit.”

Kyle has absolutely no clue what to say. He doesnt wanna deny any of that shit at the end cause Max isn't exactly wrong. Before Max moved to Hatchetfield in the 4th grade Kyle was fairly popular – that’s the reason Max latched on to being friends with him in the first place.

He doesn't know if he'd still be popular now, but there is a good chance of it.

“Wow,” is what Kyle finally comes out with, “That’s, uh, a lot. Well, I mean, I think that you can change if you want to. My grandma taught me that anyone can change if they put their mind to it. But that doesn't mean that everyone would immediately forgive you.”

“I know, I’ve been an asshole since I moved here.”

“With enough time, and by actually showing that you’re gonna change – Not snapping at people, making fun of the nerds, all that stuff – I'm sure some people will come around to you. And you’ll have actual friends.”

Max nods a few times, processing the information. “Yeah. I can do that,” He looks back over at Kyle, “You're really good at this pep talk shit.”

Kyle preens at the compliment. “Uh, thanks man.”

“Oh shit, it's almost time for practice.” Max curses, looking back at the clock.

Kyle walks through the hallways of Hatchetfield High to his next class, chemistry. He’s still reeling from the fact that Max stayed over at his house last night.

He’s had people stay over before, actually his house has been a fairly common hang-out spot for some close friends since his grandma loves having people over, but it’s never been Max. And even weirder, Max acted like a complete angel around his grandma.

Kyle knows that Max acts differently around adults, but he’s never expected him to act that different. It was a very odd experience overall.

Especially being in that close proximity to Max while sleeping. Well, they didn’t sleep in the same bed — Which Kyle will admit, he was a bit disappointed about, but he didn’t dare suggest it — Max slept in Kyle’s bed since he was a guest, and his grandma insisted on it, and Kyle slept on a blanket on the floor.

It was possibly the worst sleep he’s ever had since the hardwood floors of his grandma’s house aren’t very comfortable but it was worth it, in his mind. Overall, the experience really cemented what Kyle has been thinking for a while.

He has a crush on Max Jägerman.

But really, who wouldn’t?

Sure, Max can be a complete dick but god damn is he attractive. Kyle is man enough to admit he’s found Max hot probably since the beginning of high school. But for the longest time he tried to explain it away to himself as him just admiring Max, like two guys do. Not because Max is a guy — Kyle’s known he’s bi for a few years now and he’s perfectly fine with it (so is his grandma for that matter) — but because it’s Max, and there’s no way Max would like him back.

Kyle may be bi but there’s no way in hell Max is, he’s the embodiment of a picture-perfect straight jock. And Kyle doesn’t want to bother getting his hopes up and feeding into his crush just to be disappointed. But he can’t help himself anymore.

Kyle steps into the classroom and is immediately pulled out of his thoughts by Max waving him over.

“Sit next to me”

“Uh, why?”

“Don’t fucking question me, just do it.”

Kyle sits down at the desk beside Max, cause no one disobeys Max Jägerman.

The teacher soon walks in, immediately reminding the class that they have a test that day. Everyone collectively groans and the teachers tells them to pipe down and quit complaining.

She begins passing out tests and for once, Kyle isn’t completely unprepared. Sure, he didn’t study last night or this morning since he was preoccupied with… other things, but he’d studied the days before so he feels fairly confident.

The test starts and immediately Max leans over and whispers. “Let me cheat off of you, bro.”

Ah, so this is why Max wanted to sit next to him.

“Okay” Kyle whispers back.

He’d never dare say no to Max, and he’s fairly sure at this point he’s not gonna score Max a bad grade. Maybe Max will like him more if he gets them an A.

What the fuck is he thinking. Kyle bites the inside of his cheek and starts his test.

Throughout the whole class period Max is practically breathing down Kyle’s neck. He surprised that the teacher hasn’t realized they’re cheating, or maybe she has and just doesn’t care enough to do anything about it.

But by the end of it, Kyle is very confident that he — and Max by extension — will get a good grade. He turns in the test and a minute or so later, strategically, Max gets up and hands his in.

On the way back to his seat Max grins at Kyle and gives him a thumbs up. Kyle smiles back, his smile probably looks stupid with how giddy he feels, and gives Max a thumbs up. It isn’t much in way of praise, but from Max? This is more than he could ever dream of.

There’s a few minutes left of class so Kyle puts his head down on the table, and if he ends up using that time to day-dream about Max? That’s nobody’s business but his own.

The bell rings and everyone files out of the room, loudly talking and complaining to each other. Kyle follows Max out.

“I can help you out with chem shit if you want.”

Max looks over at him, residing an eyebrow. “You mean tutoring me?”

“Well, yeah I guess so”

“Haven’t you heard the horror stories about my past tutors” Max grins.

Kyle laughs. “I can handle it”

“We’ll see about that. Meet me in the lockers at lunch” Max walks off to his next class and Kyle is left alone in the hallway.

He smiles to himself before quickly wiping it away — literally, he wipes at his mouth with his arm .

He walks off to his next class which passes by quickly with the promise of meeting up with Max during lunch.

Now this isn’t anything out of the ordinary, Kyle usually sits with Max during lunch and he’s been alone with Max a good few times before so he has no idea why this feels so different.

The bell rings and Kyle eagerly makes his way over to the locker room. When he enters it’s empty so he picks a bench near the door and lays out what he deems necessary for studying.

Max walks in as Kyle finishes putting everything down.

“Damn, you really came.”

“Yeah, why wouldn’t I?”

Max shrugs.

“So, uh, what point are you at? Like what specifically do you need help with?”

Max throws his bag down onto the floor and straddles the bench.

“Dude, I don’t get shit. Nothing, Nada”

“Alright then… we’ll start from the beginning.”

Kyle flips the text book open to the front and grabs a few worksheets that he still has from the beginning of the semester.

As lunch goes on Kyle realizes how little Max truly knows and understands this. He knew that Max was bad at chemistry but god damn, this is bad.

He stops at a certain point — just having asked Max to shorten the number with significant figures, some of the most basic shit in chem.

“Dude, I think you have dyslexia.”

“What?” Max look up from the worksheet and at Kyle.

“It’s not a bad thing,” Kyle flails to explain himself, “It’s just, you’re kinda… slow? With numbers and words and shit.”

Max nods a few times.

“Yeah,” He finally says, “Maybe, but my dad doesn’t believe in that shit.”

“what shit?” Kyle asks, genuinely confused cause that might be one of the dumbest things he’s ever heard.

“Like doctors and brain people. I haven’t been to the doctor in years, the last time I went was cause I broke my arm.”

“Oh, uh well you’re 18 now, can’t you just go check it out on your own? A diagnosis would probably help, teaches wouldn’t bash you as much for being behind.”

Max seems to think about it for a second. “I could, but my dad would beat my ass if he found out.”

“But why? That’s stupid as hell”

“I don’t fucking know, bro,” Max snaps out of nowhere, “You’re not here to fucking grill me about this shit, just help me study.”

“Alright, sorry” Kyle raises his hands in surrender.

The next few minutes of studying are fairly awkward after that conversation but they quickly get back into the flow of things and soon enough the bell rings signaling the end of lunch.

Kyle packs up his things and Max makes his way out of the locker room without so much as a ‘good bye’.

Kyle steps out of Hatchetfield High, ready to go home, have dinner with his grandma, play a board game — it’s family game night, he always looks forward to spending more time with his grandma, especially with his busy schedule — and go to bed. It’s dark already, practice went on a bit longer today.

As he’s walking to his car he spots Max alone, pacing back-and-forth and overall looking very un-Max-like.

Kyle stops walking, considering if he should go up to Max. They are friends… to an extent. But Kyle doesn’t want Max to get the wrong idea and beat his ass.

Fuck it, he thinks, and walks towards Max who immediately whips his head around when he hears the heavy footsteps coming towards him.

“Uh, Max! You alright?”

Kyle immediately regrets the words as they come out of his mouth. Max will definitely kick his ass for asking that, he doesn’t do feelings and shit.

But to his surprise, Max just responds with a gruff, “I’m fine”

The energy immediately goes awkward as neither boy speaks. Kyle averts his eyes and looks off to the parking lot. He notices that Max’s white pickup truck isn't anywhere to be seen.

“Do you need a ride?” He asks, looking back towards Max.

After a few seconds, Max nods and Kyle walks off to his – well technically his grandma’s – car. Max follows behind, weirdly subdued. It’s odd seeing the school’s ‘Monster’ acting like this but Kyle doesn't dare bring it up.

*beep beep*

Kyle unlocks the car as they step closer. He walks over to the driver’s side door as Max opens the passenger’s side door and gets in, buckling up his seatbelt. Kyle gets into his seat a second later and after buckling himself in, he sets off. He knows the way to Max’s house despite only having gone there once, he can be very observant sometimes, so he doesn’t have to ask Max for the address.

The drive is quiet but surprisingly comfortable as Kyle hums along to the song which is softly playing on the radio and Max stares out the window.

After a short drive – Hatchetfield is a very small town so it doesn't take long to get anywhere – they pull up to Max’s house. It’s not what one would expect, a fairly quaint, quiet looking house, on the outskirts of Hatchetfield. But anyone who heard the rumours about Max’s dad would know that it isn't as nice as it might seem. Just seeing the house gives Kyle a weird feeling of dread.

Max steps out of Kyle’s car without a word and walks off towards his house. Kyle doesn’t leave yet, he learned from his grandma to not drive off until the person is safely inside their house. At 18, the rule is probably not necessary anymore but he can’t help but continue the habit.

And he’s glad he did when Max walks up to the door and turns the knob to no avail. He tries a bit harder, roughly shoving the door, but it doesn’t open.

Kyle rolls the passenger side door’s window down and can hear Max cussing under his breath. The boy sucks in a breath, mentally preparing himself, before pressing the doorbell. He waits a few seconds but no noise comes from inside the house. Max tries again but still nothing happens.

Kyle decides it’s time to speak up. “You can stay over at my house if you want.”

Max turns around sharply. “What?” He asks, but it doesn’t sound as mad as Kyle had expected, instead he just sounds confused.

“Uh, I asked if you wanted to stay over at mine for the night? I’m sure my grandma would be fine with it.” Kyle gets more nervous as he repeats himself.

“I heard you the first time dumbass, it’s just… why the fuck would you ask?”

Kyle immediately starts sweating bullets. He didn’t know how what he said was wrong but around Max he can never be too careful, the wrong thing at the wrong time can set him off, and no one wants that.

But before Kyle can say anything Max continues, “I’ve been a total asshole to you, why the hell would you want me to stay at your house?”

Kyle blinks. That’s not what he expected.

“Well… fuck, I don’t know.”

“… you don’t know.”

Kyle laughs nervously. “I mean, I don’t want you to sleep outside or something. It would be shitty of me to just leave you.”

“I’d do it”

Kyle doesn’t know how to respond to that, but luckily he doesn’t have to as Max starts walking back towards his car.

He stops infront of the door. “You really want me to stay over?”

“Yeah”

Max nods and opens the door, sitting back down on the seat.

Kyle starts the engine up again and begins the drive to his house. It’s awkward for the first few minutes before Kyle decides to break the silence.

“Uh, me and my grandma are gonna have a family game night tonight, it’s kinda a tradition for us each Friday. I’m sure she’d love for you to join in.”

Max looks over at Kyle, and he continues.

“Do you do that? Uh, game night.” He mentally facepalms, of course Max doesn’t.

“No.”

Kyle nods awkwardly, eyes on the road.

“I used to, when my mom was around…”

That causes Kyle to look over at Max before quickly looking back at the road. Even from the split-second of him looking over, Kyle can tell Max regrets saying that with how he grips his knees and stares down at the dashboard.

“Well, uh.. you could always start doing it with us. If you want, obviously. Ya know, the more the merrier and all that stuff and it’s hard playing some games with just 2 people.”

Max nods just as they pass by the High school.

“Wait, why’re we going by the high school?”

“Oh, my grandma’s house is close to the school.”

“Then why’d you offer to take me home if it’s out of the way?”

“I… fuck man I already told you, I don’t know. I guess you just looked kinda sad? Well, I don’t mean that but like you looked just not yourself. And I noticed your car wasn’t there-“ Kyle rambles on, his words getting faster, before Max cuts him off.

“Alright man I get it, you don’t need to keep going, you’re just making yourself sound stupider.”

Kyle bits his lip and nods.

After a minute more he pulls up to the house, a fairly small one in the center of Hatchetfield. Just big enough for Kyle and his grandma to live comfortably, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. He loves this house, he has had so many good memories here, and he’d like to eventually inherit the house and continue living here in the future.

But now’s not the time to think about that, now he’s bringing Max to his house for the first time and he’s extremely nervous. He doesn’t know why, it’s not like he’s bringing a date home — as much as he might secretly wish that — Max is his friend, but also it’s Max. It would be different if he were bringing, say, Jason back. Or even Stacy.

Kyle turns the car off and steps out, walking over to the curb where Max is already stood outside, looking over at the house. Max looks almost nervous, which is not something Kyle would ever think he’d say but Max has been acting weird the whole evening.

Kyle walks over to the door and takes a breath before unlocking it and pushing it open.