The Usual... A Max Schneider Fan Fiction

Chapter Eighteen: Spoiled

I felt my awestruck mind reeling, but I nodded honestly. "Y-Yes ma'am," I managed. "I got it."

She smiled, squeezing my hand. "You seem like a very sweet girl, Symphony," she told me. "We look forward to getting to know you. We have a favor to ask of you, though."

I squeezed her hand back. "Anything," I told her. Charlotte and Dan glanced at each other, before Dan opened his mouth.

"Have patience with our son," he whispered. "He's not going to be easy to handle all the time with all the scars Adeline and her death left, and we don't want something like that to ruin his chances of being happy."

I smiled honestly, reaching over and taking Dan's hand as well. "No one is easy to handle all the time," I whispered. "But Max?" I paused, flicking my chin in the direction of my boyfriend's bedroom. "That man's love is worth all the patience it takes to move a mountain."

Dan and Charlotte smiled, both of them squeezing my hand before letting go. "Thank you," Charlotte whispered, kissing my forehead in a motherly way. I nodded a little, looking over at his room as I heard the water shut off. "Go," she said, chuckling.

I laughed a little, standing and waving as I made my way to Max's bedroom. I tapped lightly on the door, before pushing it open, looking over at my boyfriend where he stood with his back towards me, facing a shelf with rows of picture frames all along it. I bit my lip as I closed the door after myself, walking over to him where he stood in nothing but a loosely hanging towel, wrapping my arms around his waist and burying my face in his warm back. He let out a long breath as he felt me press myself against his body, one of his hands coming down and running along my arm.

"Hi, baby," I whispered, kissing his shoulder blade. Max didn't look at me, still focused on a frame he was holding in his other hand.

"Hey, little dove," he spoke, still not looking at me. I glanced at the picture in the frame, noticing the dust that caked the wood and glass. It was a picture of Max in a dark blue t-shirt, grinning at the camera. He was carrying a girl on his back, one about his age, with long, flowing black locks and creamy white skin. She was stunning, and seemed to glow against the sun in contrast with her magenta blouse. Her blue eyes were chillingly clear, and her smile was flawless, her long legs wrapped tightly around Max's waist.

I looked up at my boyfriend's concentrated expression as he swallowed. "Adeline," I stated. Max gave a curt nod, biting his lip.

"Back before she started cheating on me," he said, shaking his head at himself. "Man. I forgot this was in here."

There was a pause, before I looked up at him. "She's beautiful," I told him simply, kissing his shoulder. Max gave a tiny smile, looking down at me and nodding.

"She was," he said. "Almost as beautiful as the girl I'm with now."

I blushed a little, but didn't say anything. Max slowly took the frame apart, extracting the photo from between the glass and the wood, before setting the empty frame back on the shelf. He folded the picture in half, walking across the room and sliding it underneath a chair in the corner.

"I don't want to get rid of it," he said quietly. I shook my head, smiling comfortingly.

"I'd think you were crazy if you did," I assured him. Max smiled slowly as he let himself relax. "You loved her; I get that," I stated. "I understand, Max."

My boyfriend looked about on the verge of tears as he smiled again, walking over and enveloping me in his arms. I chuckled, letting him press me against his chest.

"I love you beyond imagine, Symphony," he whispered, nuzzling his face into my hair. I grinned, kissing his shoulder again.

"I love you too, Max."