The Peace Offering

TWENTY-SEVEN

River

When I arrived at Maxine's apartment that night, Britt and Gabby were still getting ready so we didn't really get the chance to get acquainted yet. It appeared to be quite a relief to me as I was provided more time to prep myself for the questions I thought Maxine's best friends would ask.

"So, River. Max would like to know if you are her girlfriend," Sitting in the front passenger seat, Gabby wiggled her eyebrows at me from over her shoulder. Everybody thought it was a bad idea to drive to Club Monet since we were most likely going to get wasted somehow at the party and nobody in the group would be able to drive us all home, so we decided to get an Uber ride.

"What?! No! I did not say that! Riv, please do not listen to a word she says," Maxine glared at her best friend then at me. It was adorable that she was blushing and it was a rare sight that I enjoyed considering I was the one who blushed at things most of the time.

Britt shifted beside me, adjusting her sitting angle so she would be able to see me better. I was sandwiched in between Maxine and her in the backseat. The blonde smirked. "No but really, Maxine is curious about it. We're only helping her by asking you directly."

"Oh my god, why do I have best friends like these," Maxine groaned on my right. She leaned towards the car window and lightly knocked her head repeatedly against it.

"So?" Britt nudged me, her smirk growing wider. "Are you two girlfriends or not?"

"Yeah, Riv. What's it going to be?" Gabby squinted her eyes at me playfully.

A smile slowly crept across my lips and it led to a little laugh. I reached out for Maxine's hand and locked my fingers in between hers, raising our clasped hands so the other two girls could see. "Yes, Max is my girlfriend."

Britt and Gabby cheered, even the Uber driver did. Then we all broke into laughter, except for Maxine. When I turned back to her, she was staring at me in disbelief with her eyebrows raised and her mouth hanging open. I felt her hand in mine tremble a little. I lowered both of our hands and kissed the back of hers. Maxine shut her mouth and her cheeks grew redder.

"Why so quiet, Hoffman?" Britt teased.

"Yeah, Hoffman," Gabby emphasised on Maxine's surname. "You just got yourself a girlfriend. Say something."

Maxine smiled and rolled her eyes. "I would like to thank my two best friends, Britt and Gabby for this magical moment in my life. Most importantly I would like to thank them for embarrassing me in front of my new girlfriend, a kind gesture I am proud of for I would still be a miserable single lesbian now if not for their immature behaviour."

The whole car roared in laughter, including Maxine now. Britt and Gabby cheered again, and our driver lifted his hands from the steering wheel to clap. Maxine shook her head lightly and turned to look out the window, obviously with the intention of hiding her flushed face. When the excitement died down, Britt and Gabby began interrogating me about myself and less of anything related to Maxine and I.

"When you come over again Britt and I will let you see old photos of the three of us back in high school," Gabby said. We had jumped to the topic of how Maxine and her best friends met.

"Yeah, man. Our dear Max here was a total ladykiller back then," Britt chuckled.

"Still is," Maxine snapped her head at her best friend and asserted. She shifted in her seat to adjust her black leather jacket with her free hand. The girl was dressed in an all-black attire that night, making her look too hot to handle. I had to admit she was a ladykiller.

The four of us gradually steered into another topic. My heart warmed a little when Maxine traced circles on the back of my hand with her thumb as we chatted. When we occasionally made eye contact, she would smile and blush again. I was liking this minor control I had over the girl. It was endearing to witness this side of the girl I was so much in love with.