Can't Get Use to Losing You- Max Mayfield

The Sauna Test

A crash of thunder is heard overhead as TJ reaches Max's house, he does the secret knock she told him to on her bedroom window.
She opens it and he climbs through.
"I'm sorry... I'm soaking wet." TJ says.
"It's okay! I got you a towel and some of Billy's old clothes he doesn't wear. There in the bathroom." Max tells him with a soft smile, he smiles gratefully at her and waves at El walking into the bathroom to change.

He walks out to see Max reading a Wonder Woman comic as El has nodded off.
"Hi. You okay?" TJ asks Max softly.
"I am now I know Billy's not a murderer. What about you? Did you find Riley?" Max replies.
TJ sits down on the end of her bed putting his hands in his head, as she scoots over to join him.
"Hey what's wrong what happened?" She whispers to him, trying not to wake El.
"Somethings not right Max. Me and Riley, even since he's been dating Cassie have never been to her house, let alone stayed there." TJ whispers back, looking up at the girl.
"Do you want to ring her? Ease your mind?" Max asks.

TJ hangs up the phone in Max's bedroom, as she watches him intently.
"Still no answer." Max asks.
He runs a hand through his hair before sitting back down next to her, "Nothing. Just kept ringing through."
TJ feels a wave of warmth wash over him, as Max takes his hand in hers.
"He'll be okay TJ. He's probably with Cassie their making out and don't want to be interrupted by a phone." Max tries her best to reassure the boy. "Yeah they're probably making out. It's all they seem to do. I've had to start referring to myself as the third Wheeler." TJ smiles at the girl, before asking "Are you sure it's okay that I sleep here?"
"TJ. I wouldn't have made you a bed on the floor if it was an issue." Max smiles at the boy.
He gets up and lays on the floor, waiting for sleep to overtake him.
"Mayfield?"
"Yes Wheeler?"
"Has Sinclair won you back?" There's a moment of silence, after what feels like a lifetime Max finally answers.
"No. Not after he lied for Mike. Right to El's face." TJ let's out a breathe he didn't know he was holding. He sees Max's arm dangle over the side with her pinky outstretched, TJ interlocks his with hers falling asleep like that with a smile on his face.

TJ left before Max and El woke, he left a note asking them to ring him when they were up.
TJ is currently on his way down to the trailer park knowing that Axel lives there, once he arrives he sees Axel sat on the steps smoking a cigarette.
"Hey TJ. What's up man? What brings you here?" Axel shouts at the boy riding towards him.
"You seen Riley since my house?" TJ breathes out. Axel shakes his head no, looking at TJ and saying "Everything good man? You look all frazzled? Need a smoke?"
"Im all good and no thanks gotta keep these lungs good for soccer." TJ replies, peddling away.
He arrives at the general store knowing that Lori sometimes does shifts there,  luckily she's working today.
"Lori you seen Riley?" TJ questions.
"Good morning to you too Wheeler." Lori replies sarcastically.
"This is important have you seen Riley?"
"No...not since yours the other night." Lori looks at the boy confused. TJ sprints out the door screaming thanks.

One last stop. TJ pulls up on his bike to the house that he hasn't visited since that fateful July 4th many years ago. He knocks frantically on the door but no one answers.
Finally, he stops and turns to leave.
"TJ why are you at my house?" He hears the voice of Cassie.
"Cassie! Have you seen Riley?" TJ asks Cassie.
"Yeah he's working his shift at the pool... he's there all day today." Cassie tells him, looking at the state he's in she's continues, "Is everything okay? I mean I'm leaving tonight to go to my mums for couple of days but if somethings wrong I can stay."
"No-no everything's fine Cassie. I just hadn't seen him and his dad said he was here and I was worried cause you know it's Riley." TJ says trying his best to not worry the girl, "Right I'm going to head off but I'll see you soon okay?" TJ says, hugging the girl tightly and gets on his bike as she waves at him.

TJ heads straight for the pool wanting to see for his own eyes, if Riley was there.
"Psst TJ over here!" He hears someone whisper shout. He looks around confused.
"This way idiot!" He would recognise that voice anywhere.
"Max! I get that you guys can see me but I can't see you." He huffs out in frustration.
Suddenly, he feels his arm grabbed by someone and he stumbles but balances himself and the person against a car.
"Hi." He says shyly, looking into a pair of blue eyes.
"Where did you go this morning? You weren't there when we woke up?" Max replies, still in TJ's grip.
"I went to Cassie's she's said Riley was here so I needed to find out and see him with my own eyes." TJ tells her. All of a sudden someone coughs and the two jump apart, turning around to see Mike, Lucas and Will.

"Wait so you think Riley's flayed as well?" Mike asks his brother. TJ nods looking through the binoculars, they were yet to see Riley but Billy was sat there in broad daylight. Mike tells his older brother the plan to lure Billy into the sauna to see if he's the host.
"What about Riley? What if he's apart of this?" TJ asks worried about his best friend.
"I don't know TJ, one step at a time okay?" Mike says to his brother.
"Okay." TJ nods his head at his brother. The group splits up and heads in different directions putting the plan into action.

TJ is sat down while Max is at the car looking through the binoculars,
"I really hope it's not you." He hears her say.
TJ stands next to her and grabs her hand.
"Max if it is him we're gonna get that thing out of him... just like we did Will." TJ tells her.
She goes to reply but something catches her eye,
"You've got tomato ketchup round your mouth TJ." She laughs at the boy.
"Where here? Here?" The boy responds, pointing at different places around his mouth.
"No it's right here." Max says, kissing the corner of his mouth. TJ stands in shock, watching as the girl walks over to the group who are heading back.

The plan is currently working perfectly they have Billy locked in the sauna, as the heat is rising.
"You little shits think this is funny!" Billy shouts and spits at the window.
"Open the door!" He shouts this time banging against the door repeating the action multiple times, making everyone jump.
The temperature hits its highest point and Billy drops to the floor.
"Max it wasn't my fault. I promise you it's not my fault." The whimpering sounds of Billy echoing inside the room.
"What's not you fault Billy?" Max says walking towards the door. TJ watches her nervous about her being so close to him.
"I've done things Max really bad things and I didn't mean to. He made me do it." Billy sobs out.
"Who made you do it Billy?" Max asks her older brother.
"I don't know it was like a shadow. It was like a giant shadow." Billy responds, everyone looks at each other as their worse fear is confirmed. Billy continues pleading with Max, as the girl begins to cry seeing her brother in such a state, "We want to help you Billy. We want to help you."

Mike looks at Will,  "Max get away from the door." He says calmly, TJ runs forward and grabs the girl round the waist as Mike screams, "GET AWAY FROM THE DOOR!"
Billy smashes through the window screaming at Max who is sobbing, gripping onto TJ who is stood behind her. Lucas uses his slingshot and knocks Billy down for a moment. Suddenly the lights start flickering, TJ and  Max join the rest of the group as they look round petrified of what's to come.

Within seconds Billy has burst out of the sauna room black veins cover his entire body, him and El are staring each other down. El makes the first move, using her powers to pin Billy against the wall with weights.
El has the upper hand but without a second to spare Billy is somehow free, TJ looks around confused as to how this has happened. He is shocked to see that El is pinned to the floor by... Riley.

"Shit! No! No, not you Riley please not you!" TJ yells. Billy stands looking at the group before picking El up by her throat, TJ tries to run at him but is stopped by Riley who takes him down to the floor.
"Riles it me. It's TJ. Stop please stop." TJ looks at the boys in the eyes, but just like Billy he's covered in black veins. This only seems to anger Riley as he grabs TJ by the throat, picking him up and slamming him against the wall. TJ is screaming for help trying to claw his way out of Riley's grip. Luckily El is released as Mike slams a pole against Billy's head. As Billy goes to attack Mike, El lifts him up and throws him through a wall.
She quickly turns and sees Riley still with TJ pinned against the wall, trying his best to escape. She musters up all the energy she has left, throwing Riley through the hole in the wall she created. The group look outside as Billy slowly rises and begins to run away.
TJ slides down the wall giving El a grateful nod, Max runs over and kneels in front of him assessing the damage done.
"I'm okay. I'm okay." TJ says his voice cracking, betraying the words he's trying to convince himself and the others with.
Mike and Lucas run over to help the boy up, as he stands he sees Riley running into the forest without looking back.