where do I go from here

continued from xx

Maxine eyed her briefly and then shrugged it off, deciding to act unfazed. “Yeah. Right. I suppose I could use a caffeine hit.”

Rochelle could feel herself smiling, though it only appeared after she saw Max smile. “I’m good… Sorry, guess this was awkward of me, huh. How about you, how are you?”

Max shrugged. “I’m good, too. Yep. Great, even.” Really, she hadn’t been sleeping and felt a bit off but she felt like she couldn’t tell anyone.

She laughed and squeezed her tight. “Anything else probably but this is actually one thing I’m better at than you.” she said leaning over and kissing her cheek without a thought before moving to the dance floor.

Max laughed, giving Bethany a teasing nudge, her gaze lingering on her for a moment before she turned. “Come on, let’s dance!”

She blushed smiling. She didn’t know why she  didn’t expect people to know her birthday but it was always nice to know her friend did. She grabbed her hand. “You ready for me to show you up.” she teased.

“Uh, excuse me!” She teased, pretending like she was shocked. “I reckon I could kick your ass at this, y’know.” Max joked.

She couldn’t help the smile on her face as she hugged the other girl. “Thank you so much Max  it’s going to be great being out together.”

She knew that she’d hear it. Honestly she’d thought it herself and it made her nervous. “Maybe it is. I just…it’s dumb but I like being with her and I just think living with her would be comfortable and it would be nice to not be under my parent’s eyes.” she admitted shyly rethinking again. If Max saw it it had to be right. That’s how she had always lived her life.

Maxine shrugged. “Kind of always thought we would get a place together before all that...” Before relationships tore all her friends away but she supposed college and school was a long way back now. “I don’t know... sorry. Ignore me... it’s your life.”

“Thanks Max.” she said so happy to hear her best friend sound happy for her. She was nervous about this more than she tried to let on. She was scared even now she was making everything up to feel loved and she shoved that all down but she knew if Max told her that she’d probably not be able to. She’d spiral for sure and doubt herself and Maggie. “It really is. We’re even thinking of looking for a place together.” she said a bit shyly.

Maxine tilted her head slightly. “Oh, really? Huh.” She smiled at her, pausing, not going to say anything but did anyway since she was never really blunt, was she? “Isn’t that a bit quick?”

“There you go. Beautiful...” Maxine chuckled, standing back just a little after doing Carly’s eye makeup. Max loved a good makeover and even if it wasn’t someone else’s thing she could usually talk them into it. “Not that you’re not always beautiful...” She found herself saying, though she ducked her head slightly and blushed, just hoping that Carly didn’t notice. “So. Are we going out or staying in?”

Carly: Hey..

Carly: Nothin' much you?

Carly: That I do. Be over in 15?

Max: Same, I’m bored.

“I just wanted to be the first to tell you before I update everywhere….Maggie asked me to be her girlfriend.” she said feeling nervous telling her best friend even if she did trust her

She looked over at her and smiled. “Really? That’s great!” She knew how long Bethany had been kind of feeling lonely due to all her crushes so Max was happy for her... but she was also jealous how easy it all seemed to be. How comfortably Bethany just slipped into this. Why hadn’t Max been able to be that way? With Rachel... or for Imogen, maybe if she had been quicker... she shoved those feelings away. “Sounds like it’s all been going really well for you two then.”

“This is true. The only thing that sucks is that they are still in your mind.”

“I dunno, sometimes the physical act has a mental effect so it’s less there too.”

Maxine: Hey..

Maxine: What are you up to?