Can't Get Use to Losing You- Max Mayfield

August

The first Saturday after July came round faster then TJ anticipated. Cassie has still been staying at The Wheelers, mainly in Nancys room. Today was the day TJ was spending time in person with Max, he wasn't sure what they were going to do, but he didn't care he was finally seeing her away from everyone else.

TJ leaves the house getting on his bike to ride over to Cherry Lane. He walks up to the house and knocks on the door, he can hear arguing from the inside. The door swings open and Max's stepfather is stood there, staring the eldest Wheeler boy down.
"What do you want?" He spits out.
TJ doesn't know what to say, luckily Max rushes past her stepfather her skateboard in one hand and now TJ's hand in the other.
"I'm going out, I'll be back later." Max yells towards the house. The girl stands next to TJ waiting for him to get on the bike.
"Well are we going somewhere?" Max asks TJ.
"Yeah, yes sorry erm let's go. Get on the back of my bike."

TJ takes her to a spot he found a few summers ago, it overlooks Lovers Lake and has a little trail to get down to the water. TJ sits down and pats the spot next to him, putting his jumper down so she doesn't get dusty. The two have been getting use to the comfortable silences that have occurred between them recently, knowing that they don't need to force conversation.
Today though TJ wants to talk, Max breaks the silence first to his surprise, "How did you find this spot? It's amazing."
TJ smiles softly, fondly remembering the summer that he stumbled across this spot.
"Me, Riley and Cassie use to play a lot in the woods surrounding the lake and one day Riley... he stumbled and rolled through the bushes over there. He was always such a cluts, we were searching frantically for him until finally he shouted us over. And here he was sitting just a bit further down." TJ laughs while telling the girl.
"It's..."Max starts.
"Amazing?" TJ finishes her sentence, continuing on, "I know. We stopped coming for a while, but I thought it was time to introduce it to someone just as special as this place is to me."
Max side eyes him before she begins laughing, "You're such a cornball Wheeler."
"Only for you Mayfield." TJ retorts.
Silence falls again between the two.
"Thank you!" Max breaks it.
TJ looks at her bewildered, so she continues, "You know for showing up at Billy's funeral. For showing me this place. It means a lot."

Days fly by and the two have fell into a routine off heading down to their secret spot. It's around 9:30pm on a Wednesday night and TJ just wants to see Max. He sneaks out of his bedroom window unnoticed, as luckily Mikes at the Byers. TJ decides to walk needing the fresh air. He contemplates knocking on the front door, but thinks it's wiser to go to Max's bedroom window. He lightly taps against it, suddenly the curtains fly open and then the window.
"What are you doing here?" Max whisper shouts at the boy.
"I just wanted to see you." TJ replies, giving her a small smile. However, his expression soon changes when he hears her stepfather yelling.
"Help me climb out then idiot." Max tries to distract his attention from what's happening in the house.
"Urm yeah... sorry. Bring your skateboard, I kinda walked." He tells her.

The two are now heading towards the clearing of the woods, Max is on TJ's back as he skateboards the pair. They make the trek up to their spot and sit down, TJ's throwing rocks down into the water, all that can be heard around them is the plop.
"I know you heard." Max mutters.
TJ turns and looks at the girl, scooting closer to her.
"How long? How long has it been happening for?" TJ asks.
"Since Billy died. Neil, he's shouting and screaming at mum... a lot. It's constant and I'm scared that he's going to take it out on her." Max honestly admits, tears threatening to fall.
"Has he ever? To you?" TJ can feel anger bubbling inside of him, but the girl is quick to respond, "No god no. He avoids me as much as possibly can."
TJ sees a tear fall from her eye, he quickly puts his hand up to her face and wipes it away. The two stare at each other, not realising how close they've gotten. Foreheads pressed against one another, TJ hates himself for what's he's about to say but Max surprises him again speaking first, "Can we just... can we stay the way we are just for now?" TJ nods and leans backwards taking her down with him. The two lay there intertwined, until the hours watching as the sun begins to rise.