New Days [Completed]

New Days: Eleven (II)

Max

Whoa. Poor John. I got why he blamed himself, but not why everyone else did. They had no right to judge! I mean, it’s not like John had intended for her to die, right? And even if they did hold him responsible, they didn’t have to be so mean! I’d heard a few nasty comments and – why couldn’t they just ignore him instead? And then the image of Angry-John flashed through my head. There had been so much rage…such deep fury, in his eyes. Maybe the school was onto something…I shook my head internally. If you’d had everyone turn against you and lost all your friends for no good reason, you’d be pretty messed up too.

But, it dawned upon me, I had been through something like that too! I wasn’t messed up…much. Different people respond in different ways. That was true. I wondered what had happened to Nick. I was pretty sure he hadn’t lost all his friends – I’d have been there for him had the need arisen. I knew I would. Sure, we’d drifted apart, but both of us still held each other with the best-friend regard. Yeah, and you’re such a great friend – you hadn’t even realized he’d left Letterman.

That hit me, hard. Strange thing was that I was the one who had delivered the blow. Huh.

“And where are you coming from, young man?” I’d just parked and arrived inside the house. Mum had been waiting for me, apparently.

“Oh, nothing. Just came from school – we had basketball training.” I told her. I wasn’t too sure as to whether I wanted to let her in on the whole John thing, so I didn’t mention that episode.

“Basketball?” Why did she sound so surprised?

“Uh, yeah. I’m on the Maxim team…didn’t I tell you?”

“No, no you didn’t. But congratulations! Finally, some sense of normalcy is back, isn’t it?” I could tell that she was also asking me if everything was okay. Yeah Mum, it’s great. Just great. I have made a total of two friends – one of whose brother hates me, the other who has some serious issues. Nick’s there too…you remember him? My best friend? Well, he hates me too, and…

I realized Mum’s lips were moving. Oops.

“Sorry, I got a little distracted. Everything is fine, really. What were you saying?”

“I asked whether there was anything you wanted to tell me, or ask me. Or Dad.” She looked pretty concerned – I don’t blame her. When your son who just switched schools because he’s gay doesn’t respond to your asking him whether everything is alright and he doesn’t respond, your being concerned is justified.

“Nah, don’t worry. It’s all good.” Thinking of the way things were going with John, things were better than good. I smiled to myself.

“What was that you just said?” Mum was suddenly smiling as well. Wait, what?

“Uh, nothing?”

“It’s better than good?” she emphasized on ‘better’. “What’s going on?” Holy- I had NOT just said that out loud! I always wondered how people could be so idiotic as to not be aware of what they were saying – well, they’re no longer idiots. Just…distracted.

“It’s nothing.” My cheeks were starting to warm up, and the playful tone in Mum’s voice wasn’t helping, either.

“Have you met someone?”

“No!” That was out even before she could complete her question. Well done, Max. Now it’s obvious that there’s someone who’s caught your interest.

Mum realized this too – she was smiling in the ‘ooh-I-know-who-you-like’ way, which doesn’t even make sense, because she doesn’t even know who ‘him’ is.