finding permanence

18: Max

"What's your middle name?"

We just finished and episode of Avatar the Last Airbender. Sam said she needed some animated inspiration to calm her down. And who doesn't like ATLA?

Honestly though, I'm just glad that she took a break in the first place. I hate seeing her kill herself over her designs.

And I wasn't lying when I told her that I liked the designs. That girl is so talented, and everyone can see it but her. Which is why I will make it my personal mission to help her realize it.

"Why do you ask?" She replies.

"Just curious I guess." I'm curious about everything when it comes to her. I feel like I know her well and she's quickly become one of my closet friends, but there's also so much I don't know.

"Maria. My full name used to be Samantha Maria Aguilera, but obviously changed when I was adopted. My birth mom must've really liked Christian Aguilera, because her middle name is also Maria."

"Sammy Maria Drawings," I let her name roll off my tongue. "I like it." I smile at her and watch as her face mirrors mine. I continue, "Imagine if your middle name started with a T. Like Sam Tate Drawings or something. Then your initials would be STD."

She breaks out in laughter, and I smile wider at the thought of making her feel less stressed. "That would be very unfortunate," she responds when she pulls herself together. "What's your middle name?" Right before I can answer, she blurts out, "Wait, let me guess!"

"Ok, go on then. You only get one though, so you better make sure it's good," I nod at her to take her guess.

She puts her hand on her chin and fully stares at me like she's thinking hard. "Mmmmm, David?"

"Oh my god, yes," I exclaim with shock.

"Really?!" The look of excitement on her face is almost enough to make me legally change my middle name so that she's right. Almost.

"No." I watch her smile wipe of her face as she lightly punches my shoulder.

"Dick," she grumbles.

"Close, my middle name is Richard," I chuckle.

"Maximillian Richard Rudderford." I love the way she says my name. "That's a lot of letters," she comments.

"I suppose it is," I agree. "I like learning things about you Sammy," I admit.

I swear I see her cheeks glow the faintest shade of pink, but it's gone in the blink of an eye. "I like learning things about you too Max." There's a moment where we sit on her couch staring at each other and I think I'm about to kiss her.

And then there's a ding of her phone, causing her focus to redirect itself. "Del says that they are headed to Boots for a celebratory drink of our possible contract. Do you just want to carpool?" She looks up from her phone.

I curse Del for interrupting our moment but play it off like nothing. "Yeah, I think Del drove Scott so he can get a ride home with me and you can get a ride home from her."

~

Good god, that girl does not know how to hold her liquor.

I watch Sam practically scream the lyrics to Sweet Child of Mine on the stage while all the men in the bar look at her with googly eyes.

Tonight happened to be open karaoke at the bar and two shots in, Sam signed up to sing a song. But before she went on, she downed two more shots for confidence, not that she even needs it.

As the song comes to an end, she stumbles off the stage and walks back to our table. I think about 5 guys tried to talk to her on her way back to us, but she just held up her hand to say she was uninterested, and they seemed to leave her alone.

As she approaches, the table cheers for her and she does a bow, "Thank you, thank you. I do accept compensation in the form of alcohol."

"I think water for now." I hand her a glass as she sits down next to me.

"I'll buy you a drink Sammy, what do you want?" As soon as Hinders asks I focus my gaze to glare at him.

"Something with cherries." Her words are slightly slurred.

"Coming right up." I knew it was a mistake to combine tables. As soon as we walked in, Scott and I spotted some of the guys from the team and we joined them at the usual hockey table.

"Are good to drink more Sam?" Rydell questions from her other side.

"Cut me off when I start dancing," she tells Rydell.

That seems to satisfy Rydell enough and she goes back to her whispered conversation with Scott, whose arm is wrapped around her shoulder.

"You sure you're good?" I ask.

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" Her voice is slightly raised. "I'm fucking fine. I'm an adult woman, I'm allowed to have a couple of drinks."

"Just don't want you waking up with a bad hangover tomorrow. You're even grumpier then," I joke.

"Well, I appreciate the concern, but you don't need to worry." She leans her head to rest on my shoulder, drinking the water I handed her through the straw. "Water is so much better when you're drunk."

I laugh at her state, making note to keep my eyes on her for the rest of the night.

"For the lady." Sam's head shoots up and she takes the fruity looking drink from Hinder's hands. Sure enough, it has cherries in it.

"Thank you. Did you know I can tie a cherry with my tongue?" She asks him.

"I think you'll have to prove it before I believe you." He smirks at her, sitting down in the chair across from her.

"If I do it, you have to." She taps her finger to her chin, "you have to sing Best Song Ever by One Direction on the karaoke stage."

"Sure, but if you can't, you have to dance with me. From what I remember, you've got quite the moves." I think back to Sam grinding on Hinders at a few parties back.

"Deal." She puts out her hand and he shakes it.

As she puts the cherry stem in her mouth, I find myself silently hoping that she can tie it. Because, as much as I hate to admit it, I do not want to see her dance with Hinders.

If she dances with anyone, it'll be me.

After about 30 seconds, Sam sticks out her tongue, showcasing the tied cherry stem.

"Never a good idea to bet against me," she claims, taking the stem out of her mouth.

I smile at her side profile before looking over at Hinders who is now sporting a frown.

"So, which band member are you channeling for your performance Hinders? I'm getting major Niall vibes from you." The whole table laughs as I say it.

"I'm definitely more of a Harry." He winks at Sam, making his way to the stage. 

a/n: Happy Thanksgiving! I am thankful for every single one of you <3 Thank you for reading!!!! If you celebrate Thanksgiving, what are you up to? If not, what are you up to anyways?