The Blind Date

Chapter 6: Insecure

Robbie's POV

I couldn't believe that Maxine didn't think her art was good. It really is amazing.

Jared: Rob, come check these out.

I walked towards him. He was standing in front of a table that had papers scattered all over it. Most of them were drawings, some were paintings, and some were pictures of things she had drawn. All of them looked perfect. I saw a drawing of London, near the area where Big Ben is. In fact, the biggest part of the drawing was Big Ben. Everything was so realistic. Max sighed.

Max: Ugg. Jared.

Jared: Hang on. We're looking at old drawings.

Max: Why? Those are my scratch drawings.

Jared: They don't look like scratch drawings.

She came over and started grabbing a few sheets of paper. One of them was the drawing of London. She started crumpling them up, but me and Jared stopped her.

Jared: Why would you get rid of these? Maxi, you have serious talent.

Max: No, I don't. If you like them so much, you can keep them. I don't care what you do with them.

Jared: I have an idea. Come on, Robbie.

Jared grabbed the drawings from her, but I snatched the picture of London.

Me: London. This is really amazing. Almost makes me want to go back.

Max: To London? I thought you were from Lymington.

Me: I am. I meant just go back to the UK.

Max: That drawing does not do it justice.

Me: Actually, I think it does.

Max: You can keep it. I don't want it.

She turned away from me and went back to her other drawing. I finally went downstairs, where Jared was waiting in his room. I walked in and he closed the door.

Me: I can't believe she doesn't think these are good.

Jared: Yeah. She's really insecure.

Me: Why?

Jared: I think it has something to do with her biological parents. She doesn't talk much about them, but I know enough. Both her parents were alcoholics. Her father was abusive and her mom would watch him beat Max everyday. If he abused her physically, I'm sure he abused her verbally too. She lived with them until she was 14. That's a long time for them to make an influence on her opinions of herself. I really think she should show that poster to the designers.

Me: Me too.

Jared: I know it's impossible to forget your family, but I wish she would. I wish she would forget everything about her biological parents. She adjusted to being in a family that cares about her, but she's still...careful.

Jared started putting the drawings in a folder.

Me: What are you doing?

Jared: I'm going to show these to my parents. I'll tell them that one of our co-stars drew them. They'll tell us what they think of the drawings and Max will know they mean it, because they don't know they're really by here.

Me: She'll know they're not just saying it to make her feel good.

Jared: Exactly. I'll go get Max. You take these to the kitchen.