Falling Together

Wait For Me

Maisie.

I stormed to my room and slammed the door. How dare Noah! He was my brother! He was supposed to love and support me no matter what. And then I find him talking to the one person who is treating me normal since New York, and he's telling him how broken and unfixable I am.

"Ughhh!!!" I scream as I go to my dresser and rummage for one of the bathing suits I bought at the mall.

"Maisie" I hear as a knock sounds just as the door opens.

"Out." I say slamming the drawer shut.

"Maisie, I'm sorry , ok. I didn't mean it the way it came out... I just. I just wanted him to back off."

"If you wanted him to not be here then you should have been! You PROMISED me Noah!" I scream at him letting my tears fall.

"I.. " he started looking around the room.

"No! Forget it! I don't want your bullshit excuses Noah! You don't get to abandon me and then get mad at my other friend for actually being here for me!" I say fuming.

"I'm sorry. I just got so caught up with Amy I completely forgot. And then I fell asleep. I woke up this morning and realized what happened and rushed right over. I swear Maisie I never meant to. I would never do that on purpose." he said leaning towards me and pleading with not just his words, but his eyes.

I don't even bother giving him a response. I push past him and close myself in the bathroom. It's sunny outside which is perfect because there's no way I'm staying here with Noah. I pull on my bathing suit shorts and surf shirt and drag my sandals over my feet.

My phone vibrates next to me and I'm not sure if I want to answer. But I see Dax's name so I open it up.

Dax: R U gonna stay here? If not I'm going to surf... you could come if you need to.

Maisie: WAIT FOR ME!

Dax: I'll grab your board. I'm in my truck. It's the white one out front.

I don't bother answering. I'll be in the truck soon enough. I open the bathroom door and walk across to my room to throw my clothes in the hamper. Noah is sitting on my bed and staring at me.

"Maisie.. look I'm sorry. I swear I didn't mean it."

"You know Noah.. you've been saying a lot of things you don't mean lately." I say and leave the room.

He doesn't follow me and I don't stop. I walk out of the house and stop at the white truck. Dax walks out of the garage with my yellow surfboard and puts it in the bed.

"You ok?" He asks looking at me over the truck as he goes to get in the driver's side.

"Ask me later." I say jumping into the passenger side.

We don't talk as we drive away. It's a comfortable silence given what just happened. I feel a bit guilty making Noah and Dax fight. I look over at Dax and he glances at me for a moment as he drives. Frowning he looks back to the road.

"Stop it."

I make a face. "Stop what?"

"Feeling bad for Noah yelling at me."

My mouth falls open. "How did you know that's what I was thinking?!"

He shrugs. "It's what we do now. People like us I mean. We always feel like things are our fault when they aren't. I blame myself for a battery not holding a charge in a car at least once a week." He snorts.

"That's different. That really is something you couldn't control. This is something I did. I'm the one that told you to stay with me."

"It's not just you, you know." He says glancing at me again. "I sleep better when I'm with you too. I usually need sleeping pills to get some shut eye. That first night we fell asleep on the couch? We slept a full 6 hours, and it was the first time I'd gotten a good sleep in months even with the pills. Last night? Same thing."

I look at him and just stare. I never really thought of how Dax would sleep without me. If he needed the sleeping pills it probably meant he was worse off. I didn't like that idea one bit.

"Stop it." He says again annoyed. "Don't pity me."

"I'm not pitying you." I say with a sigh. "I just never really thought about how me being selfish and wanting to keep you, may also have been helping you."

He smiles and reaches over to tangle our fingers. "You can keep me anytime you want. Noah will just have to get over it."

"I think that would put us in the same predicament we are now." I roll my eyes. Dax just smiles and shrugs as if he didn't care either way. Looking at him I don't think he does care.. which sends butterflies through me. We pull to a stop in front of Dax's apartment and he jumps out. "I gotta get my board. I'll be right back."

I take a few really deep breaths. Both my butterflies and anxiety needed to chill out. My phone vibrates.

Noah is trying to call me. I hit ignore. I know if I try to talk to him right now it will just go in circles. I need time to think.

I text my dad to at least let him know I'm ok and just need some time to myself. Then I power off my phone and put it in the glove compartment.

A moment later Dax is back carrying his board and laying down beside mine.

"Wanna surf by Sami Atua? Then we can get food after?"

"That sounds amazing."