teenage tragedy (Max Mayfield)

3. one

Cammie sat on the bike rack outside Starcourt Mall, legs swinging over the metal bars. Max was stood beside her, her arm wrapped around Cammie's waist as they waited for Mike to arrive.

Lucas and Will were stood across from them, watching the road for any sign of Mike.

"There," Cammie pointed at Mike riding his bike towards them.

Mike jumped off his bike and put it in the bike rack, trying to ignore the glare Lucas was giving him.

"You're late," Lucas scowled at Mike.

"Sorry!" Mike said.

"Again," Lucas said.

"We're gonna miss the opening," Will said.

"Yeah, if you keeping whining about it. Let's go!" Mike said, turning to jog inside the mall.

Lucas and Will took off after him, while Cammie jumped off the bike rack and grabbed Max's hand, tugging her after them.

"If you guys keep whining about it. Nyeh-nyeh-nyeh," Lucas rolled his eyes.

"Just please stop talking, dude," Mike said.

"Let me guess. You were busy," Lucas made a face like he was pretending to kiss someone.

Cammie giggled to herself, which made Max start laughing, which made Will and Lucas start laughing.

"Oh, yeah, real mature, Lucas," Mike scoffed.

"Oh, El, I wish we could make out forever, and never hang out with any of our friends," Lucas said.

"Lucas, stop," Mike said.

"The others think it's funny," Lucas said.

"Because it is," Will said.

The girls nodded.

"Yeah, it is," they chorused.

"Yeah, it's so funny that I want to spend romantic time with my girlfriend," Mike rolled his eyes.

"I'm spending romantic time with my girlfriend," Max said.

"Romantic? Max, we're stuck with boys in a sweaty mall going to spend this lovely summers afternoon in a sweaty movie theatre. There is nothing romantic about this," Cammie said.

"No, I suppose not," Max rolled her eyes. "But I'm with you and you're with me, so it still counts," Max said.

Cammie grinned, swinging hers and Max's conjoined hands as they walked through the mall.

"Hey!" a girl pushed Lucas after he shoved through them.

"Excuse us! Sorry! Sorry!" Mike said.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry!"

"Excuse me, I'm sorry."

"Sorry."

"Hey!" someone shouted.

"Watch it!" another girl shouted.

"Yeah! Watch it, nerd!" Erica Sinclair shouted from near the fountain.

"Isn't it past your bedtime?" Lucas said.

"Isn't it time you died?" Erica scoffed.

Cammie laughed and Erica winked at her.

"Psycho!"

"Butthead!"

"Mall rat!"

"Fart face!" Erica shouted.

Lucas blew a raspberry at her and Max scoffed.

"Oh, now that was mature," she said.

They walked inside Scoops Ahoy and Cammie skipped to the counter. She smiled widely at Robin and Robin smiled back.