Partners in Crime - Max Mayfield

The Middle School Experience

Monday came faster than Chris would have liked but he woke up early as per his father's request seeing as he was going to now be in school at Hawkins Middle. He packed up everything he had been told he needed and grabbed his skateboard. 

"Alright, since I'll be gone most of the day, looking for a job, are you sure you can get home on your own?" James asks and Chris nods "It's pretty easy to get a sense of this place, I won't have a problem." James nods and the two arrive at the building noticing a variety of kids. "Welp this is your stop." Chris nods and James places his hand on Chris' shoulder "Hey," Chris turns his head "Good luck." Chris lets out a small smile and nods "Right back at ya." Chris steps out of the car and closes the door before James drives away. 

Chris' attention is then fixated toward a loud noise as a car enters into the school parking lot. A large teenage boy opens up the driver's side of the car and he steps out of the car, looking out at the sea of people.

The passenger side opened and Chris noticed Max who quickly left the car, skating toward the middle school. Chris takes another look at the male as he flicks his cigarette away and walks toward the high-school. Chris begins moving toward the middle school, following the red head.

"Hello there, MadMax" Max turns her head and notices Chris standing behind her. Chris gives her a soft smile and Max returns the smile. "Hey Pac-Star" Max chuckles "Didn't know we'd be at the same school." Chris nods "Yeah, but hey" Chris throws out his hand, letting it collide against his side. "It's a nice coincidence right?" Max nods "Yeah" The two smile before heading into the school.

Chris and Max step inside and look around. "Well first thing to do would be to find the principal's office." "Andddd where would we find that?" Max asks and Chris shrugs. Max rolls her eyes "Well that was helpful genius." Chris rolls his eyes with a small smile. Max goes to grab his hand but Chris quickly retracts "Uh sorry, but uh personal reasons." Max nods "No problem, I understand really. I knew people in California you were afraid of hand contact due to abusive parents or- Chris shakes his head "Uh no, it's uh..something else." Max nods, deciding not to pry as they searched for the Principal's office

After moments of searching, they finally arrived at the office. "Hello you two, welcome to Hawkins Middle." Chris nods along with Max and the two sit in front of his desk. "I'm sure both of your trips were stressful and hopefully you have both been acclimating well to the change in scenery." 

Chris nods along with Max and the Principal nods "Good well, I thought we should go over some basics. If we finish this in a timely manner, I should be able to get you into Mr. Clarke's science class." One again, the two of them nod and the principal sits down behind his desk. "First of all, no bullying any of the students, and this includes fighting." "If a teacher catches you fighting another student, you shall be sent to me, understood?" 

Chris and Max both nod "Oh and Mr. Orlando?" "Yes sir?" The principal motions to the gloves that cover his hands. "During school hours, those will have to come off." Chris' eyes widen "No can do sir, I wear these gloves as a medical emergency." The principal sighs "Do you have a note?" "No sir" "Then it must not be a serious issue, take the gloves off Mr. Orlando." Chris glares at the principal and the principal glares back but there stare down is broken by Max who grasps Chris' shoulder "Sir, I can convince Chris to remove them as we go to class?" The principal stares at Chris for a little longer before nodding "Alright, let's get you to science with Mr. Clarke."  

"I'm not taking these gloves off for the entire day MadMax." Chris tells her in a hushed office as the principal leads them toward Mr. Clarke's class room. "And you won't have to Pac-Star, just take them off before we enter Mr. Clarke's so that the principal sees that you did it and then put them back on when he leaves, simple as that." Max gives Chris a smile and Chris sighs before nodding "Alright" 

The principal opens the door for the two and they enter the class. "Ah I see these are the new students?" "Indeed they are, all yours" The principal closes the door and the two attempt to take a seat but Mr. Clarke stops them "Woah there, you can't get away that easily, Dustin, if you please." Chris looks and notices one of the boys in the class starting to drum roll. "Class, please welcome all the way from Sunny California and the Rock Halls of Tennessee: Maxine and Chris!" "It's Max" Mr. Clarke gives her a confused look "No one calls me Maxine, it's Max." "MadMax" a boy whispers and Chris turns his attention toward the boy. The boy held a dark complexion and he sat next to a few other boys who all watched Max with a weird interest, disturbing Chris.

 "Well why don't you two sit in the back." Chris nods and sat next to Max who took the seat at the window. "You know those weirdos at the front are staring at you right?" "Yeah, they seem like creepy stalkers." Chris softly chuckles and Mr.Clarke resumes his talk on the human brain.

Class had ended and Chris and Max hung out outside, very aware of Max's stalkers. "You would think they would just come over but" Chris shrugs laughing along with Max as she skates around him. "You're really good at that, by the way." Max perks up "You think?" "Yeah, much better then I could ever be." Max gets off her board "Well then, why don't I teach you?"

Chris chuckles "Uh no, it would be a waste of your time, I'm hopeless." "Come on" Max says with a smile "Just try" Chris shakes his head "Just one attempt, come on." Chris sighs "Fine, but I'm warning you." 

Chris, with Max's help, gets on the board and steadies himself. "See? You're a natural, now you just keep that balance and-

Dustin,Mike,Lucas, and Will watch as Max teaches Chris how to skateboard "Who is he?" Dustin wonders "Maybe he's MadMax" Lucas wonders and Dustin smacks him upside the head. "Of course not! Maybe they are related in some way or- "Or maybe they're just friends since they are the new people here." Mike says with annoyance in his voice. "Yeah, they'd both want to be friends since they know no one else here." Will says and the the group turns and the sound of a shout.

Chris fell off the skateboard. He had been doing well before hand, all he needed to do was stay focused but he quickly lost it, resulting in him falling and Max quickly catching him. "Need a hand?" Chris slightly blushes and stands up, noticing the group of four in his peripheral. "Your stalkers are at it again." Max notices and sighs before grabbing a piece of paper and began to wrote on the paper before crumpling it up and tossing it in the trash.

 "You have Ms. Dione's next right?" Chris nods "Yeah why?" Max grabs his wrist and drags him inside, before Max looks out the window. "What are you- "Oh my god" Max mumbles in disgust and surprise and she moves so Chris can see the four standing in front of the trash fishing out Max's note. "Wow..really creepy." Max nods "You said it." The bell rings out and the two turn toward each other, heading toward class.