Well, this is it... the last part. Thank you all for reading, I’ve really enjoyed writing this fic, but I’m glad that this one is over. I have some other fics I’ve been seriously neglecting. I hope you like the new part!
Leila
Keepsmiling7
Natalie36
Novy- Hope you’ve enjoyed it Novy and thought it was worth the money you spent.
NotYourChick
Destiny
Behr_able
Ms_BuffyAnneSummers
Emz
Neve
Eve
BehrlyLiz– I knew I’d forgotten something.
The song’s name is I’m On A Boat by The Lonely Island. Check it out, it’s fairly silly. Glad you’re liking it!
BB
AlysLuv
Steph
Abs007
Nitpick23
Crazedearthgirl
Tamashii
Caro
Chapter Five: Sluts, Pornos and ET
“He kissed you?” Tess asks, looking both perturbed and confused.
I let out a sigh of relief that Tess is feeling something similar to what I’m feeling. That feeling quickly gives way to the anxiety I’d been feeling before and I begin to pace across her bedroom floor again.
“I am not kidding. Max kissed me. My best friend wanted to kiss me. How fucking nuts is that?”
Tess shakes her head. “No, I just can’t believe he actually had the balls to go through with it. Way to go, Max.”
That stops me dead in my tracks. “What?”
She shrugs nonchalantly. “Well... he’s liked you for ages. I never actually thought he’d make a move.”
“He has not,” I object, though now questioning that claim. How much do I really know about my supposed best friend if I didn’t know that he was harbouring desires to kiss me? Or was it just a spur of the moment thing, an impulsive gesture?
Tess laughs condescendingly at me and I wonder why I bothered coming over. “Yeah, whatever you reckon, Liz.”
“I would know if he had any sort of non-friendly feelings for me,” I rebut.
“Yeah, how would you know?”
I pause again, not quite knowing how to answer that. “I just would, ok?”
“Ooh, you make such a strong argument Liz,” Tess mocks, a smug smile on her face.
“Whatever,” I huff. “This isn’t helping me. I need to figure out what to do.”
“Well, I’d suggest going to talk to him,” Tess replies offhandedly, taking a sip of coke from a nearby can on her desk.
“But what would I even say?” I cry, shuddering at the prospect.
“How about, ‘you sexy motherfucker, take me on the desk. Make me your bride and we’ll live happily ever after’?”
“What? You know, you’re really unhelpful.”
She takes another mouthful and then smiles at me. “That’s because you think I’m joking. I’m being serious. You and Max equals true love forevs.”
“What? No! I... no!” I protest. “He’s my best friend. He’s not somebody I could ever be with.”
“What if he wanted to be with you? Would you at least think about it?”
“He’s my best friend, Tess,” I protest feebly. “I’ve never thought about him that way.”
Tess exhales in frustration, her eyes narrowed at me. “You’re being a snotty little brat, Liz. You care about him. You at least owe it to him to see if you do feel that way about him.”
“I don’t feel that way about him!” I protest, unable to understand why she’s not helping me figure out what to say to Max.
“You haven’t even entertained the idea! Before you go storming over there, how about you stop and have a think?”
“I don’t need to think, I know already! He’s my best friend. That’s it. Besides, he probably regrets it now. Think about it, I’m the girl he’s closest to and he’s not interested in the girls that he knows. Of course he’s going to think he’s got feelings for me. It probably took kissing me to make him realise that he doesn’t feel that way about me.”
Tess stares at me blankly. “That is some fucked up logic right there.”
“It’s the truth.”
Tess sends me a look that tells me that she adamantly disagrees with me before we both lapse into silence, both stewing on what the other has said.
“So...”
I look at her blankly. “So... what?”
She rolls her eyes at me. “How was it? Did you enjoy it? How did you feel when he kissed you?”
I go to reply, then pause sharply. I haven’t even processed it yet. “I haven’t thought of it, Tess.”
Tess sighs in exasperation. “Well, you may as well now. Take your time.”
I sigh and let my mind drift back to the kiss, the one event I’d been pleasantly avoiding thinking of. I think back to that precise moment his lips met mine. I recall them being surprisingly soft. And smooth. Definitely soft and smooth. His lips pressed insistently upon mine. His firm lips that weren’t too forceful or too passive.
I blink rapidly as the realisation hits me. “Upon reflection, I’m disturbed to find that I actually enjoyed it.”
She raises one eyebrow and smiles suggestively at me. “So it was good?”
I shrug. “Yeah, I mean, not that I’ve got much to compare it to. Sean sucked balls at kissing.”
“At least he didn’t suck balls
while kissing you.”
I laugh, relieved at the semi-normalcy of this conversation. “Thanks Tess.”
She smiles brightly at me. “Meh, it’s what I’m here for. I’m the comic relief.”
I smile at her, but the smile quickly slides off my face
“But it’s too weird. He’s my best friend.”
Tess groans in frustration and slaps her hand against her head. “He’s the best guy you know! How are you ever going to find someone that knows you better, loves and worships you more and who you share a deeper bond with? Max is... he’s the one for you, Liz. Open your eyes.”
“You’ll totally feel stupid later when I text you that Max regrets his impulsive act and wants us to go back to the way things were before.”
“Oh, that is one bet you are going to lose,” Tess mutters darkly. “You are so on.”
“I know Max way better than you,” I remind her snootily. “You are so going down.”
“We’ll see,” she says lightly, convinced that she’s right.
She takes another sip before a thought pops up into her mind that has her practically bouncing of the walls with excitement.
“You know, I don’t think anyone’s ever come to me for love life advice before,” muses Tess, before emitting a squeal. “This is so awesome! I’m like... a love guru now.”
Before I can stop myself, a snort escapes. Tess frowns and stares me down.
“What? Why’d you snort at that?”
“Tess, one successful relationship does not make you any sort of an expert, especially considering you have a long history of truly terrible relationships behind you.”
She pouts at me and I instantly feel bad. She’s so good at doing that wounded puppy look. Too good.
“But I’ve learnt from them and now look at me. For the first time in forever I think I’m actually dating someone without sociopathic tendencies.”
I clasp her hands in mine and smile sadly at her. “Darling, I say this with the most affectionate of hearts... you lucked out. You went digging for shit and accidentally struck gold.”
She shoves my hands away from her and narrows her eyes at me crossly. “You’re such a bitch.”
“I better be your favourite bitch,” I warn her, pointing my finger at her accusingly.
“You’re my only bitch,” she tells me as she hugs me tightly before releasing me and spinning me towards the door. “Now go out there and make whoopee with Max. Go forth, be free. Seriously, get out. I have a test to study for.”
I laugh incredulously as she marches me out her bedroom door. “And you called me a bitch! Ok, ok, I get the message! I’ll go.”
“I’m only doing this for your own good,” she replies, patting my head condescendingly as I pause on her front door step. “Now go talk to Max. I’m sure he’s just about killing himself or... kicking himself... or touching himself. I dunno, but he’s definitely doing something to himself over that kiss. Go put a stop to it. Ease his mind. Fuck his brains out. Do whatever. But make sure you clear the air, ok?”
My mind is still stuck on Tess’s disturbing suggestion that he might be touching himself over the kiss we shared. “If I catch him mid-wank you are so going to die for suggesting this...”
She seems unperturbed by my casual death threat. “Text me the details tonight, ok?”
I promise to give her the details and walk slowly back to my car, knowing that I’ll be pretty much going ten miles under the speed limit the entire way there. I really don’t want to do this. I don’t even know what I want... I guess if I had my choice I’d want everything to go back the way it was before the kiss but it’s far too late for that. It happened. I will forever have the feel of my best friend’s lips imprinted in my memory.
***
I make my way through Max’s house, having opened the house with my spare key. Apparently I’m here so much that Diane thought it was only fair that I have a key so that she doesn’t have to open the door whenever I knock. Usually it’s fine, but right now I’m considering going back outside and knocking. I feel like an intruder after what’s happened.
Max looks up, clearly startled and surprised to see me as I slowly make my way into his room.
“Hey,” he says, clearing his throat a little.
I look anywhere but at him. “Hey.”
There is a moment of excruciating silence that kills me. Max and I weren’t ever supposed to be like this together. We’re Max and Liz, we’ve always had something to talk about. I suppose part of the problem is that there’s too much to talk about and I don’t know that either of us want to go there.
“Where are your parents?” I ask, not being able to broach the subject that I really need to.
“They’re out, they’ll be home late.”
“Ok.” I wander over to his book shelf and idly pick up a book and pretend to read the blurb. I’m so nervous and I have no idea where to start. I place the book back down and take deep, calming breath in an effort to relax. It doesn’t work.
I decide to just lay my cards out on the table, let him know what I’m hoping and praying for. “Max, I’m willing to just forget that that ever happened. I’ll put it all behind me and we can be just like we were before. Just tell that you didn’t mean it and we’ll forget it. You and I can-”
“Liz,” Max cuts in abruptly. “I meant it.”
“Oh...” I breathe, not being prepared for that answer. I knew it was possible that Max could have meant it, but I’d always dismissed the idea as improbable.
Max sighs at the stricken look on my face. “Look, I know that this is weird for you. But if you’d just stop and consider the possibility for a second, you might see what I see. That we’d be really great together.”
My heart is thumping so loudly in my chest that it’s nearly drowning out the thoughts in my head. This enormous fear washes over me and I’m not sure where it’s coming from. I’m pretty sure I’m close to having an anxiety attack.
Max waits for me to speak, the hope in his eyes killing me as I know that I’m going to dash them with what I’m about to say next. “I don’t want to do anything that’ll jeopardise our friendship, Max.”
Max winces and closes his eyes slowly, the look of pain etched on his face is like a dagger to my heart. I’ve never felt as guilty as I do right in this moment. “Our friendship’s never going to be the same ever again, Liz. If you don’t want me, then I...” He pauses and sucks in a shaky breath. “I’ll need a lot of time to get over you. A lot of time... and a lot of space.”
Our eyes connect and from that one glance I know that this is going to be our last conversation for a very long time. The knowledge hits me in the chest like an anvil, knocking my breath out of me and very nearly knocking me to the ground. I grab the doorway as my knees nearly buckle under me.
“You can’t be serious,” I demand, my eyes stinging as I try to hold back the tears welling in them. “Max, we haven’t spent a full day apart since we met that day in kindergarten. I can’t imagine my life without you. What am I going to do?”
“I don’t know,” he whispers, his voice sounding rough and hoarse as if he’s fighting back tears as well.
My breath comes in short pants as I desperately try to talk over the lump in my throat. “So... that’s it? That’s your ultimatum? Be with me or get out of my life?”
“You know it’s not like that,” he replies forcefully. “Liz, you have no idea what it’s like to...” Max stops and looks up, his eyes red with unshed tears as he reigns himself in. After a moment he clears his throat and tries again. “You have no idea what it’s like to love someone as much as I love you and to watch them date fucking jackasses and suffer through them treating you like you’re just another one of their girlfriends. You never saw me the way I wanted you to see me. The way I needed you to.”
“Can’t you just... I don’t know... get over it?” I ask desperately, the mere thought of my life minus Max subjecting me to the most intense desperation I’ve ever felt. The idea of not having Max in my life is heartbreaking to me. I need him. He’s my Max.
He snaps his head up and looks at me with fury in his eyes. “I’m so sorry if my annoying feelings are an inconvenience to you.”
“No, Max, I’m sorry. I just... I can’t...” the tears that I’ve been holding back finally break free and a few teardrops tumble down my cheek while my throat closes over, rendering me completely unable to speak. Not that I would have been able to verbalise my feelings at that point anyway. It’s all too raw. Too painful.
“I know,” he whispers, staring at the floor.
“Is this seriously it?” I whisper, the tears now rolling unchecked down my cheeks. A sob wrenches itself from my throat when I see Max wipe his eyes, his breathing laboured as he fights back more tears. I take a moment to try and compose myself. “Is this the last time we...”
I can’t even finish the question. I cover my mouth with my hand and try not to look at him. I begin to shake with silent sobs and Max sighs and holds out his arms in an open invitation for a hug. I take the opportunity greedily and selfishly, not knowing when we’ll ever be this close again.
As I put my arms around Max for what may be the last time, I feel the pain intensify till it’s so much I can barely breathe. I need Max. I need him to be here. I need him more than I’d ever thought possible. I bury my face into his chest and inhale, needing to remember everything about him. I never thought there would ever come a day when I’d run out of time with him. We were supposed to be friends for life and losing him is like losing a limb.
I feel his hot breath hit my hair as I cling to him and I shudder when he kisses the top of my head. This can’t be the end of us. It just can’t be.
Before I know what I’m doing, I raise my head from my chest to look at him, hoping to maybe change his mind on his decision. I have no idea what I want to say, but I know that it has to be now. I open my mouth say something when our eyes connect. A deep heat unfurls inside my abdomen as our gazes lock onto each other. This strange sensation coupled with the intense desperation I’m feeling has me doing the unthinkable.
Without knowing why or what for, I raise up on the balls of my feet and swiftly press my lips to his. After a stunned moment from Max, he kisses me back, like he’s a suffocating man and I’m oxygen. He cups the back of my head with his hand and kisses me deeply, his fingers entangling in my hair and anchoring me to him while his other arm wraps around me and tries to hold me even closer. I don’t know if it’s from the emotional jumble I’ve just been drowning in or if it’s something else entirely, but the wave of pure electricity washing over me feels so unbelievable. It’s like I can’t get close enough to him. I need to feel all of him.
I jump up and wrap my legs around him, groaning at the feeling of pure lust that runs through me when I feel his hands cup my ass and hold me there. I feel my back connect with the wall of Max’s bedroom as he begins to bite and kiss his way down my neck. I try to relieve the throbbing ache by rolling my hips against the rapidly growing bulge in his pants. He buries his head into my neck with a groan as I do so and then cups one of my breasts with his hands, gently massaging it. The only thing that I know right now is that we can’t stop. Nothing has ever felt this right before in my entire life.
Max somehow manages to stumble over to the bed, laying me down as I attempt to rid him of his shirt. I manage to tug it over his head and marvel at the sculpted abdomen the action reveals. Lust washes over me and I clasp the back of his neck and pull him back down to me, my hands exploring the new smooth flesh that’s been exposed and delighting in the shudder that runs through him when I splay my fingers over his pecs and run them down his ridged stomach all the way to his belt buckle. His tongue flicks over mine and I feel his large, cool hands place themselves on my abdomen, slowly sliding my shirt up. Just the mental image of Max’s hands on my bare skin creates a sharp spike of arousal and I wrap my legs even tighter around his waist trying to ease the ache in the junction between my thighs. He pushes the shirt up higher and then curses when he realises that he has to undo the buttons. He starts at the top and begins to undo them with shaking hands. I love the look of intense concentration on his face, it’d be comical under any other circumstance.
As he opens back the sides of the shirt to reveal my fairly basic blue bra his eyes widen. I hear him swallow loudly before his hands reach out greedily, trying to touch as much of my skin as possible. I take the opportunity sit up and undo his belt buckle, pushing his pants down, smiling as he dutifully steps out of them and then goes to work on my bra. It only takes a few fumbling moments for him to achieve success and the bra soon disappears onto his messy floor. We soon become a messy jumble of limbs and bare flesh as Max rids me of my skirt and panties. I don’t even stop to think as I slide my hand down his chest and stroke his erection through his boxers. I can’t think right now. I can only feel.
I mange to push the last remaining barrier between us off of him, leaving him completely naked. He positions himself between my legs, the head of his cock brushing against my entrance. He brushes some wayward hair back from my face and looks at me intently, waiting for a sign to continue. I nod. It’s all he needs.
Max pushes into me and my back arches wildly in response. He’s big. And he feels
so good. He withdraws after a moment, only to plunge back in causing me to cry out from the intense pleasure. The emotional turmoil I just experienced coupled with the close connection I have with Max has me so wound up that it only takes a few more thrusts for me to go over the edge. My fingers claw into his back, but he doesn’t seem to notice as he lets out a long moan and collapses on me, his hot, short breaths hitting my neck.
After the last throb of my orgasm dissipates, my mind slowly returns and the realisation sinks in. I just had sex with Max. I made love with my best friend. I just had Max’s penis inside me. Max and I just did it.
And I liked it.
The terrified part inside of me tells me that it was just the fear of losing Max as a friend that caused me to react like that, but my heart is telling me differently. I didn’t have sex with Max because I needed him as a friend. I need him for so much more than that. Friends do not feel the intense sexual desire for each other that I just felt for Max.
I’ve had sex before. After a drunken party with an equally drunk Sean, I had the most unfulfilling sex anyone could possibly imagine. Not exactly the first time dreams are made of, but I thought that the sex would improve so I just brushed it off. Sean’s stamina certainly improved, but the only thing that improved for me was my acting ability. So after about the fifth trial I decided that Sean and I weren’t meant to be. Plus he was acting like possessive douche and getting really jealous of Max. I suppose that after what Max and I just shared his suspicions did have some basis, but I didn’t know that at the time.
I had no idea that Max and I would have such explosive chemistry. I had no idea that all those times when I hated the thought of Max with a girlfriend that the feelings I had were jealousy. I had no idea that when we were hanging out and getting close that we were building so much more than a close friendship.
“Max,” I whisper, not wanting to break the silence, but feeling the need to.
Max holds up one hand as he buries his face into my collar bone. “If the words “this was a mistake,” come out of your mouth while I’m still inside you, I will throw myself off of a bridge.”
I slap the side of his head just above his ear and scowl at him. “Don’t joke about that. I wasn’t going to say that. I just thought that we should talk about what this means.”
Max brings his head up to stare at me, a flicker of cautious hope in his eyes. “You know what this means, Liz. It means that you feel something for me. Something more than friendship.” Max stops being serious for a moment and smiles lightly. “Unless Alex and Michael are on your to do list today.”
“I know that. I just meant...” I sigh, not quite knowing how to say what I feel. “What are we? Are we together? Are we boyfriend and girlfriend now?”
Max smiles at me. “Liz, I’m in love with you. I’ll be whatever you want me to be. I’m fine with being together so long as we can work towards something more. I’d love to be your boyfriend as well. Whatever you need, just so long as I can have you.”
“So greedy, you already had me once today,” I reprimand him lightly.
“Not what I meant, but I wouldn’t object to that either.”
“I bet you wouldn’t.” I stiffen as a horrifying realisation hits me. “Max, we didn’t use a condom.”
Max immediately freezes, a look of horror on his face as he lifts himself off me so that he can lay on his side and face me. “Oh shit... wait, aren’t you on the pill?”
I shrug uneasily. “Well... yeah, but it doesn’t work for some people. I really don’t want to rely on it.”
“Sooo... condoms from now on and for the next month we wait anxiously?”
“Sounds about right. Actually, my period’s in about a week and a half so we won’t have to wait that long. Well, it should be a week and a half. I’m making a doctor’s appointment anyway.”
“That’s my girl. Always has to have a plan.”
We lapse into silence, this new area in our relationship so new and so completely unchartered that neither of us really know what to say.
“Am I a slut?” I ask him quietly, needing to know that his opinion of me hasn’t changed.
“If you’re a slut, I’m a slut,” Max replies, dismissing my fears. “Actually I was pretty easy, wasn’t I? Next time I’m going to have to make you work for it.”
I snort and raise a sceptical eyebrow, grateful for the lighter subject matter. “You really think you can resist me?”
Max looks amused by my question. “Cocky much?”
“Ok, so at school I come up you and say, “Hey Max, I think the eraser room’s free and I brought condoms.” And you look at me, the girl you’ve apparently been secretly pining for ages and thought you would never have and say, “No, you have to work for it. See you in trig!” Is that seriously what you’re telling me?”
Max purses his lips and then sighs, admitting defeat. “Ok, so it was a bit ambitious to think that I would turn down sex.”
“You can’t resist me,” I tell him sweetly, reaching for my clothes which are all over the floor.
As I manage to wrestle my panties over my hips, my phone vibrates, informing me that I have a message. Max passes it to me and I open it warily wondering if it’ll be one from my parents wondering where the hell I am.
I sit on the bed to read it and nearly die laughing when I read it. I can’t help it, sitting here in nothing but my panties searching for my skirt, Tess’s message is too fitting.
“What?” Max asks, smiling as I just about bust a gut.
I hand him the phone and lie down on the bed, nursing my aching stomach muscles as my laughter builds.
“Hey slut,” Max reads aloud from the screen, amusement lacing his voice. “What’s up with you and Max, did you fuck his brains out?”
“She has no idea how right she is,” I gasp over the top of my laughter.
***
I walk into school, looking around for Max nervously. I’m so engrossed in looking for Max that I nearly collide with Alex who suddenly appears right in front of me.
“Ok, so I kissed Isabel last night,” begins Alex, completely forgoing any sort of greeting.
Yeah?” I ask excitedly, forgetting my worries about Max for a moment. “How was it?”
“Fucking fireworks, baby. We’re going out on a date on Friday and I have you to thank for that.”
“Me?” I enquire.
“Yeah, if you hadn’t steered me in the right direction I might still be pining over a certain someone, so thank you. You’re such a love guru.”
I laugh weakly as we arrive at our groups usual hangout spot before school starts. For some reason its always been Maria’s locker. We just gravitate towards it.
I decide not to let Alex know that his love guru is completely blind and a fraud. All my success must have been luck if I couldn’t even see my own situation that was staring me right in the face.
“Who are you looking for, Liz?” enquires Maria as we wait for school to start.
“No one.”
“Bull,” whispers Tess into my ear. “You’re looking for Max. What happened with you guys last night?”
I go to respond, but the words stick in my throat as I catch sight of Max making his way towards me.
Butterflies. Butterflies in my stomach, just from looking at him. I swear, I am never going to get used to these new feelings I have for Max. How did I not notice how hot he was before this? Maybe I had to see him naked to fully appreciate what was there.
“Hey,” he breathes as he comes to a halt in front of me.
“Hey,” I reply, my nerves getting the better of my voice box, making my delivery a little squeakier than usual.
“Hey guys,” says Isabel as she joins the group, almost unnoticed by me. The rest of the group greet her, but I‘m barely aware of anything beyond Max.
Max takes the opportunity to cup the back of my head and tilt my face up before bringing his lips down to mine. It’s then that I completely forget the issues and worries I’d been obsessing about the night before and this morning. His kisses feel incredible. So much so that they manage to knock all the bad thoughts out of my head with the force of a battering ram. If only we could stay this way forever. I’d never have to think and Max would never have to worry about the fact that his girlfriend is still completely unsure about whether or not she’s doing the right thing by being with him.
We eventually come up for air, only to find ourselves under the amazed stares of our friends.
“What?” I demand, hoping that they’ll get over their bewilderment quickly.
“Since when do you two dudes make out?” asks Alex looking at us both as if we’ve gone insane.
“Since last night,” blushes Max adorably.
“How did that happen?” laughs Maria, clearly enjoying our discomfort. Frigging bitch. I’m so never helping her out with Michael again.
“Had to be something pretty monumental to inspire that sort of tongue action. What gives?”
“Alex, would you let it go?” Max pleads, understandably not wanting to go into the details of our sordid little hook up.
“No way. You’re so hiding something. So you dudes just talked and then started making out? What’s the chain of events that lead to this monumental occurrence?”
“Yeah,” chimes in Michael, clearly needing a distraction from Maria who he’s been watching with a look of besotted confusion for the entire time we’ve been standing here, like he can’t quite believe that he feels this way about someone. “Fill us in. You were over at Max’s house and then what?”
“And then stuff happened,” I tell him, really not liking where this is going.
“Stuff happened?” probes Tess, who didn’t get a response from me the night before when she sent me her text message. “Come on, Liz. You can do better than that.”
“Well it’s personal,” objects Max weakly, not liking the scrutiny that we’re under any more than I do.
Maria scoffs, clearly not giving up either. “Too personal for us? We’re your friends, we’re meant to know the personal stuff. So spill.”
We’re subjected to a chorus of agreement and prodding until I can’t take it anymore.
“Max and I had sex last night,” I blurt out to the entire gang, effectively silencing them as they all stare, their eyes sliding from me to Max and then back again. After a moment, I can’t take the silence anymore. “We’re uh... we’re together now. So yeah.... how was your night, Alex?”
Alex doesn’t answer. His eyes are still bugging out of his head. This is so uncomfortable. I relax a little as I feel Max’s hand clasp mine. I huddle in closer to him, needing the feeling of safety he’s bringing me.
“Joey’s nickname progressed from Pikachu, to pikapoo, to dickapoo. Man, I love high school,” chuckles Kyle as he reaches our now silent group. He looks around at us, his eyes lingering on Max and I as we seem to be the main focus of attention.
“What? What I miss?” he asks.
“Max and Liz had sex last night,” Tess says quietly, still staring in amazement at Max and I.
“Don’t they usually?” Kyle asks, looking completely nonplussed.
Tess shakes her head vigorously. “No, they were best friends, they weren’t together.”
“Oh.” Kyle looks shocked by this piece of news. “I’d just always assumed they were together.”
I clear my throat, reminding them both that we’re both still standing here. “Alex, once more, how was your night?”
“Not as eventful as yours,” he croaks out, finally breaking the stupor of the rest of the group who begin to crack up laughing.
“TMI, Liz,” Isabel tells me, looking positively disgusted.
I wince. “Sorry, I only meant to tell you guys that we were seeing each other and I just kinda... blurted it out.”
Maria beams at us both beatifically. “Well I think it’s great. Congratulations you two, it’s about time.”
“You guys seriously did it?” Michael asks incredulously. “But... how?”
“You seriously want me to give a blow by blow description, Michael?” I ask him sharply, embarrassed and stressed by my stupid decision to tell them that we had sex. I should have just told them that we were together.
Michael pauses for a moment, musing over the question then shakes his head. “No, it’s cool. I’ll just wait for it to come out on dvd.”
“What?” I ask, demanding to know what he’s talking about.
Michael shrugs nonchalantly. “You know... the porno you’re in. Lizzy does Roswell.”
“More like Lizzy does
Maxwell,” Alex quips.
“Sexy science sluts,” jests Michael, clearly making fun of the fact that Max and I are both on the honour role.
“Dorks gone wild,” giggles Maria, getting in on the fun as well.
“Anal probing in Roswell,” suggest Tess wickedly, causing me to gasp in horror.
“Nothing goes near my butt, I’ll have you know,” I huff indignantly.
My mouth hangs open as even Isabel decides to get in on the action. “Close encounters of the naked kind.”
“The curious case of Benjamin’s butthole,” Kyle suggests, causing us all to laugh uproariously for a moment.
“What?” Michael asks one he calms down. “That has nothing to do with anything.”
“Well, Liz was getting all embarrassed. I owe her one so I thought I’d change the subject.”
I smile gratefully at him. “You’re too good for these Neanderthals, Kyle.”
“I still can’t grasp it,” says Michael, shaking his head. “You went from friends to popping Max’s cherry. Seriously, that’s too bizarre. Where’s the dating in between?”
My eyes widen with realisation and my heart just about stops in my chest at Michael’s words. “Oh my god...” I mutter, nearly hyperventilating. “Oh my god.”
“Liz,” Max says, trying to get me to look at him. “Liz, it’s ok. I promise.”
“No, it’s not ok!” I screech, wondering how I hadn’t come to this conclusion before. “I took your virginity! I didn’t even think! Oh my god, I’m an awful person. I’m an awful, awful person. Your first time is meant to be special with like... candlelight and... and satin sheets and... soft music and shit.”
“Liz, my first time was with you, the girl that I loved, I really don’t care about soft music, satin sheets and candlelight. That’s girl shit. All I needed was you.”
“WHAT?” hisses a furious voice from the other behind me. I groan at the sudden interruption. This is so not what I needed.
“Sean, could you please-”
I’m cut off as Sean gives a murderous yell then charges Max, his fist smashing into Max’s face sending Max reeling back into the lockers and onto the floor.
There’s this moment of absolute stillness after Sean’s completely insane attack, as if no one can really quite believe what they’ve just witnessed. Least of all me.
Then all of a sudden, like a switch, everybody races into action. From down the hall I can hear the principal yelling at Sean that he needs to see him in his office and that he’s in huge trouble, while Kyle, Alex and Michael move in and restrain a struggling Sean who looks like he wants to have another crack at Max’s face.
I squeal with horror and drop to my knees next to Max, Isabel copying my move on the other side of him. “Oh my god... are you ok? I’m so sorry. Oh god... tell me you’re ok.”
Max nods dazedly and wipes at his lip which is now split and bleeding. He grimaces at the red blood staining his fingers. “Yeah I think so. My head fucking kills though. Who knew your ex had such a vicious swing in him?”
“He’s a psychopath, that’s pretty much all they’re good for,” I remark, sending the most scathing, furious look over my shoulder at my ex boyfriend who looks pretty repentant now that the principal has reached him. He’s hauled away and I can’t help but be thrilled about the huge amount of trouble Sean’s going to be in for attacking someone without any provocation. Sucks to be him.
“Stay down,” I order when Max tries to get up. “You hit your head pretty hard against the lockers.”
“Where does he even come from?” asks Alex, perplexed at how he didn’t even see Sean coming. “He just pops up randomly, all like, “Hello! I’m here to ruin your day!” The dude’s like herpes.”
Max laughs and then pushes himself up into standing position, despite both mine and Isabel’s protestations.
“I’m fine. A bit embarrassed about being knocked down with one punch, but otherwise, I’m fine. Now let’s talk about something else. Alex, tell us something completely disgusting that’ll make us forget about Sean.”
Alex ponders that request for a moment and I take the opportunity to duck under Max’s arm and wrap my arms around his waist, hating that his injury was my fault. I press my face into his side as he arm swings down to gently rub my back in a reassuring manner. Violence freaks me out and to have it happen to someone I care about is really distressing to me.
“You know I once saw ET porn,” Alex tells us eventually. “This dude and this chick wore like ET masks and wrinkly green rubber suit with holes cut out for their naughty bits and put green paint down there. I don’t think I’ll ever get the image of ET receiving a blow job out of my head, no matter how much therapy I receive.”
I stare at him in absolute horror while Kyle and Michael piss themselves laughing. “Alex, where the FUCK do you find these things?”
“I don’t know...” Alex says, looking very horrified at himself. “I just... do.”
Luckily before Michael can question him further on the matter the bell rings. Hopefully the rest of the day won’t be quite as eventful.
***
“Let’s forgo joining our friends for lunch,” Max suggests, taking my hand and leading me in the opposite direction. “There’s only so many porno titles I can take in a day.”
I laugh nervously and try to squash the ball of nerves in my stomach as we walk through the school. He’s still Max, my best friend. There’s no reason to be nervous around him. I’ve seen him naked for god’s sake.
We park our butts under the bleachers sitting cross legged across from one another.
“You know, when I dreamt of this happening, I really thought it would be less awkward for us,” Max admits, scratching his eyebrow sheepishly.
I send him an apologetic smile. “Sorry. I think it’d be easier for you if I had clued in a little bit earlier.”
“Clued into what, exactly? Your feelings or mine?”
“Both, but more so mine. If I knew how you felt before I knew how I felt... well I probably would have freaked like I did last night. And it really took us...” I wave my hands in the air, trying to come up with something better and less blunt than “fucking” or “doing it”.
“Being intimate?” Max says, relieving me from my stressful task.
I smile at him, grateful for his assistance. “Yes, being intimate. It really took us being intimate for me to really know that I felt more for you than a friend does. I think I was quite happy to live in ignorant bliss.”
“Well,” laughs Max. “I suppose it was a fairly enormous clue.”
“I like to think of it as a clue-by-four to the head.”
Max laughs at my play on words, but then his face becomes serious again. “Why were you so against the idea of us being together?”
I suck in a deep breath and prepare to open myself up to him. “Honestly? I was terrified. I rely on you so much, Max and I felt that our relationship was perfect as is. The idea that you wanted to change it just scared the crap out of me. What if it didn’t work out? Where would I be then? We were – in fact, still are – risking so much by being together. But it’s too late to turn back now, I guess.”
“You guessed right,” Max smiles at me. “No way I’m letting you get away now. You’re stuck with me.”
“How can you be so sure that everything’s going to work out?” I ask, trying not to let myself get seduced into carefree joy by his careless grin.
“Haven’t you heard?” he asks, pulling me forward onto my knees and then drawing me forward so that I’m pulled up against his chest and straddling his thighs. “We’re made for each other.”
“Is that so?” I ask him as his arms snake themselves around my waist and hold me close.
“Oh, it’s definitely so. Tess told me, so it has to be true.”
I laugh, relieved at the sense of ease in this conversation. I’m glad some things are transferring over from our friendship, because I was seriously sick of the awkwardness and uncertainty.
“You know, we’re wasting valuable time,” he informs me.
“We are?” I ask him uncertainly.
“We’re alone right now. Do you know how many opportunities like these are going to present themselves now that we’re dating? Not many, I can assure you. Family, school and friends are all going to interfere with our alone time.”
“Well, how do you suppose we should spend this valuable time?” I ask innocently, feigning ignorance.
Max doesn’t reply, he merely runs his hand up from my shoulder up until he reaches the back of my head and then kisses me softly. I groan and shift in his lap trying to get closer, my hands working their way up from his shoulders into his hair, entwining my fingers into his soft strands. I’m so happy I finally have a boyfriend who shampoos regularly.
“Ow,” he groans as my lips press a little too hard against his split lip.
“I’m sorry,” I say sheepishly, brushing a thumb lightly over the cut.
“S’ok,” he mutters as my fingers gently trace down his face, committing it to memory. It’s like I’m seeing him for the very first time. It’s all so new to me, seeing Max as something more than a friend.
Eventually my questing fingers find their way back to his puffy lip. “I still can’t believe he hit you.”
“I can. He’s a dick.”
I laugh half-heartedly, still saddened by my ex’s actions.
“I think if I’d been in his position I’d probably have punched him in the snout too,” Max admits.
“What? His snout? Wanna stomp on his cloven hooves while you’re at it?”
Max looks entirely unrepentant. “Well, if we were dating and then broke up with me and then hooked up with Sean, I’d probably have punched him in the snout too.”
“Ohhh... so it’s ok that he punched you in the snout because that’s what guys do. Is that right?” I ask, completely unimpressed by his machismo bullshit.
“I don’t have the snout, he does,” Max pouts, putting paid to my irritation. He always did know how to make me laugh, no matter what the situation. Thought it might be highly annoying having a boyfriend who knows me so well. I really don’t want our first fight to end with him winning by default because he said something stupid and made me laugh.
“I’m so sorry little piggy, come here,” I laugh, preparing to swoop down and kiss his busted lip better.
Max merely smiles at me enigmatically. “Hope you like swine flu.”
“That’s what I get for sleeping with pigs,” I joke, enjoying the look of outrage on his face.
“I’ll give you sleeping with pigs,” he mutters darkly before kissing me hotly.
I hook one arm around his shoulders to steady myself as the other slides down his chest, allowing me to cop a feel of his pecs.
I gasp into his mouth as one of his hands cups my ass. I pull back and stare at him in mock horror and anger. “You know, for someone who was so prudish before, you’ve really taken to grabbing my ass.”
He grins boyishly at me. “Well I can now, because we’re getting all sexy together.”
I snort. “You could before, I remember giving you permission.”
He simply shrugs and rips up a handful of grass, roots and all, embarrassed by his next admission. “I wasn’t going to do it while you still saw me as a friend. If I was going to grab your ass, I wanted it to make you all hot. I needed you to see me as more than a girl.”
“So you passed on all the wonderful opportunities to cop a feel because you wanted it to mean something? And you call yourself a guy,” I scoff.
“I did what I had to do.” He shrugs carelessly. “And besides, look at the end result. I got what I wanted.”
“True.” I pause as I reassess what he just said and then slap him on the chest. “Hey. I never saw you as a girl.”
“You may as well have,” he mutters in response. “I was about as sexually attractive to you as Tess was.”
“I dunno,” I prevaricate. “Tess is pretty fuckin’ hot...”
Max glares at me before quickly sinking his teeth into my neck.
I clamp a hand to my bite mark and stare at Max in outrage, who is looking rather pleased with himself. “Ow, you leech! You bit my neck! Who do you think you are? Edward Cullen?”
“I’m no sparkly, personality-devoid douche.”
“Hey now! That was uncalled for,” I protest, if only for Tess’s sake. She loves twilight more than she loves her own parents. Me? I’m kind of ambivalent on the subject.
“I’m just saying, you’d have to be a pretty pansy assed vampire to become a walking glitter ball in the sun. LeStat and Angelus? Now they were friggin’ hardcore gangstas. They knew what it was like to be a real vampire; all burning up in the sun and shit.”
I shake my head in dismay. “Max, you should seek therapy, immediately.”
“Meh, I’d rather do this,” he tells me, capturing my lips with his again. Man, I hope this feeling never goes away. Kissing him is incredible.
After we come up for air, I ask him a question that’s been plaguing my mind ever since I found out about his true feelings for me. “Max, how long have you had not-so-friendly feelings for me?”
Max considers the question for a moment. “Umm, since I was 13, so a couple of years now.”
“A couple of years? Aw man! Now I feel bad! I should have switched on years ago, then we both could have had the awful torment of wanting someone you can’t have. I feel like I’ve got on board the train just as it’s leaving the station while you’ve been waiting patiently for ages inside. You know, I hate those people that come just as the train’s taking off. I always want the train to take off without them just to teach them to be early for once. How hard is it to-”
“Liz,” laughs Max, grabbing my chin with his hand to force me to look him in the eyes. “You’re rambling.”
“Yeah, I know. But this is weird you know. You’ve had ages to assimilate to this feeling. I’m all assimilate-less.”
“Would you like to take it slower?” he asks, putting some space between us even though I can see his eyes are begging me not to.
“No, I’m cool. Soon it’ll be less like, “Oh my god, my boyfriend is my best friend. This is too weird,” and it’ll be more like, “Yeah, it’s cool. He’s my boyfriend and my best friend.” It’ll just take some time.”
“You sure you’re ok with this?” he asks, looking at me with uncertainty. “I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable, I mean-”
“Max,” I cut him off, placing my arms around his neck and drawing myself closer. “Shut up and kiss me.”
“Yes ma’am” He complies with alacrity and I begin to forget whatever it was that was freaking me out. Goddamn, he is such a great kisser.
We both groan as the bell to go to class rings. I reluctantly rise up from his lap, where’d I been happily sitting and give him a hand up.
“Man, you’re such a fatass,” I complain as he nearly pulls me over in his attempt to get up.
“That better be with spelt a ‘ph’,” he warns, giving my own derriere a solid pinch.
“Oh man, I’ve turned you into such a perv,” I groan.
He nods, agreeing wholeheartedly with me. “You only have yourself to blame.”
He slings an arm around my shoulder and I wrap my arm around his waist, enjoying the feeling of being tucked protectively under his arm as we stroll into the main building. I feel so content. And that feeling grows as I watch Michael tuck a piece of hair behind Maria’s ear whilst Kyle kisses Tess against her locker and Alex tickles Isabel. I survey my six friends with satisfaction knowing that I had a hand in them looking so happy. Every single one of them deserves happiness and I think they’re well on their way to achieving that.
Max and I, we’re going to be ok. Scratch that, we’re going to be more than ok. We’re going to be epic. And how do I know this?
Because I’m the love guru and I said so, that’s why.
The End
***
