#abbymax

From what we see of there dynamic is that max is always the centre of everything her problems are big and dramatic and full every inch of the room. While Abby has trouble even expressing her feelings and wants so badly for someone to notice but it has to be on her terms.

But Abby is mean and internalizes things a lot so somethings that internal resentment directs at some people (season one Ginny and season two kinda Norah). She feels abandons because the divorce of her parents and directs that into mang, then she is abandoned by max and Norah so that just makes it worse. She makes the comment about max being a brat because she’s in a similar situation to Marcus (she probably also wants someone to point out her drinking and stuff), she so used to max making things about herself that she doesn’t take it seriously anymore.

Now max is trying to be a good friend so bad but she’s dealing with Marcus and then mang being weird and being alone for the first time that she is rightfully upset but I also think because she’s so focused on Marcus she doesn’t take a closer look at mang and just sees the surface level problems. Max can be ignorant to things going on around her, so when Abby’s being distant and bitchy this is just normal kinda she knows something up but she’s distracted by other things that keep piling on.

Back to Abby every time she makes a mean comment or has a mood swing she’s either drunk, relapsed (with her Ed), or dealing with her parents. Especially at the beginning I don’t think she meant to leave max out and just feels she has a safer place to talk with Ginny. The party comments she is very drunk (some say drunk words are sober thoughts) but Abby internalizes things a lot hates herself so she hates on other people. There friendship has been probably like this for a long time so dramatic shifts like these create rifts and anger and resentment.

Abby and Maxine have been friends since they were little and up until recently Maxine did not always treat Abby the best.

Abby shows major growth this season in that she:

— admits feelings are okay to experience

— recognizes her attraction to women

— seeks out a person, and a woman who so far has displayed that she will be treated well.

— sticks up for herself with her mom

— starts trying in school and improves.

This indicates to me a couple of things. That Maxine has been Abby’s point of reference for a long time. She compares herself to Maxine’s grades, her confidence around her sexuality, her openness to discuss her feelings, etc. Abby also picks a guy who embodies a lot of the ways she isn’t heard by Maxine, but dialed up to 1000. Once Abby moves away from Max in the friend group, she’s able to make some major headway on these parts of herself. I would say it also indicates that this point of reference needed to be broken in its current form (their not ideal friendship) in order to potentially move forward on even ground.

Max meanwhile has relied on Abby in a vulnerable way that she hasn’t been able to (at least since puberty) with Marcus or her parents. This trust and codependence is the major reason Maxine ices out Abby for knowing about Ginny and Marcus. It’s possessiveness, but it’s also that she had unmatched belief in Abby’s trust and loyalty (without doing everything she could do maintain that so that Abby would know she could count on Maxine in turn.)

How Abby was treated by Maxine (and vice versa) might be too much of a barrier for them to be as close friends as they were, much less lovers, but I think there’s potential. Because while Abby has been working on herself, Maxine has been working on herself too. She is doing her best not to accuse people of things, to not overpower, berate, and make everything about her. She genuinely is trying to be there for her friends. It’s why I’m hopeful for them.

I also think there’s something critical about Abby not wanting to talk about her romantic life with Maxine especially. She doesn’t include Maxine in the egging, sure, and makes mean little comments throughout S3 about Maxine. But that to me shows Maxine is still very much on her mind. When it comes to romance though, it’s Maxine who she doesn’t want to know. Now this could be because of friend judgment, but Maxine at the end of the day has been very self involved until recently - and Abby is still viewing her that way - which makes me wonder: is it because Abby has feelings for Maxine that she herself doesn’t recognize?

The major reason I think they could be endgame is because of the people who they are becoming. Max wants to hear people. Even as Abby cuts people off for their feelings, especially Maxine, she is getting much better at feeling them and in wanting to feel them. They also have the ability and potential to balance each other emotionally.The next step would be to recognize that each of them has grown and that they can be there for each other. Whether it’s endgame as best friends, or as partners.