My New Neighbour

Chapter forty-one

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This chapter is dedicated to asiah_2602 as she was the first one who commented her answer on the previous chapter...

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I got out and pushed Max out of my way when he tried to block me from leaving. What the hell is his problem? I'm feeling really frustrated right now. With Max bringing his bullshit about gangs, racers and whatever nonsense it's all about and to top it all, for pulling me into all these mess along with him, is really annoying me right now. All this is just confusing as hell. 

And I think I should have acted a little bit more quickly and asked Alex to stop the car on the road itself but I think fate has really chosen this time to play because Alex, my so called brother stopped the car just in front of St-Xavier high school's gate with people sashaying around to get in their respective classes before the bell goes. And the bell goes in like about two minutes. Ugh What a wonderful beginning of my second day back at school. Note the sarcasm!

"Wait, Shelly", Max whispered and grabbed my right arm to pull me back in front of him. I rolled my eyes at him and crossed my arms over my chest. I looked behind at Alex who was making all types of smiley faces at me. Probably to make me smile or whatever which was not really working right now. I glared at him and he pouted before grimacing and looking away quickly. Soon, he drove off to park his car in the parking lot and I followed his moving car, completely avoiding Max who's jaw was clenched at the moment. I flipped him the bird and walked in but not before muttering. 

"The feeling is mutual.", I hoisted my bag onto my right shoulder and shrugged his approaching hand off my arm at the same time.

"Shelly, I'm sorry", he sighed and tilted his head to one side, an inscrutable glimmer in his eyes. Wait a second. Is he crying?

I gasped and involuntarily  leaned toward him but he retreated a few steps back and glanced past my shoulders, avoiding me like a plague.

"Max", I moved towards him and cupped his face to make him look at me.

He finally looked at me but his eyebrows were knotted together, as if trying his level best to control his tears.

"What's wrong, Max?", I asked him and gulped hard to prevent myself from tearing up. I really can't handle it when someone cry in front of me. And seeing Max Jackson, the bad boy and player of St-Xavier high school's, breaking down in front of me was entertaining yet shocking enough to make me wonder about the cause of this. I mean what could have caused him to tear up? 

He exhaled through his mouth slowly and opened his mouth to say something but closed it quickly to wipe his tears with his sleeves.

"Max!", I mumbled and cupped his chin to make him look at me.

I almost cried out in surprise when he suddenly pulled me into his arms and squeezed the hell out of me. His grasp around me was a little bit too tight but I suppressed myself from crying out in pain. I wounded my arms around the back of his neck and hugged him back when his body started shaking slightly with uncontrollable sobs. Why is he crying? He hid his face in the crook of my neck when I patted his back. It was quite awkward to comfort him. I mean I have never seen him like this. 

"It's okay", I ran my fingers in his hair and he let out a sigh of relief. He breathed on my neck giving me a tinkling sensation which made me almost collapse on the ground. Thank god, he was holding me to him. I closed my eyes and concentrated in controlling my beating heart. I really hope he can't feel my uneven heartbeats. 

"Are you gonna leave me too?", he asked quietly after a while and my eyes flew opened. Too?

"Max, what are you talking about?", I tried to pull away but he pulled me more into his arms.

"My father.... H- h left me when I needed him the most.", he answered and snuggled deeper into the crook of my neck, hiding his face from the people walking around, looking at us. That's when I noticed all the curious eyes looking at us from afar. I may have always felt self-conscious when Max hugged me in front of people but now was a different matter.

What does he mean? What happened to his father? Don't tell me his father is no longer alive? I mean, I never saw a man at his place but this does not mean that his father is dead. His parents might have been divorced for a while now.

"Max, why -

"Are you gonna leave me t -

"Stop it, Max! I'm -

"Please, Shelly. Please don't leave me.", he almost begged and if we weren't at school right now, I bet he would have knelt down. He sounded so torn up from inside. 

"Max", I pulled away slightly and stared at him.

His eyes were bloodshot red and I bet he was still trying to hold in his tears. From the way he was avoiding my eyes, I realized that he wasn't ready to tell me everything. He didn't want to talk about it. Not yet.

"Shelly, I'm really sorry about what I did in the car and about everything that I did to you ever since we met.", he chuckled and shook his head from side to side.

"You know, you're the first person I've ever apologized to. I find it weird but at the same time, comforting. It's as if I could get rid of something heavy off my chest!", he shrugged and sniffed slowly.

I smiled at him and chuckled at his attempt. He's really really too cute for his own good. Really, cuteness overloaded. But don't tell him I said that or I swear he'll kill me for sure. 

"You know, since my f -father left us, I had to start working to look after my mom and Ashley. She was yet to be born back then. It was just really hard, you know, school, work and family. It was hard to manage. I had to work when it was my time to hang out with my friends. I was only thirteen at that time. And I grew up into a cold and hypocrite person because I had to discover the world before my actual time. I had to look up for a job to take care of my family. I agree that I'm a really bad person, Shelly but I have never wished to become a heartless person. Circumstances made me into what I am today. And I don't blame anyone else but myself for that. I - I ..... ", he trailed off and wiped my tears with his thumbs.

I touched my left cheek with my index finger and sure enough, I was crying. I did not know that Max went through all this in his life. It's so devastating to even think about. I can't even start imagining life without one of my parents. I know that they are rarely here but I know that they are both present in my life and they are like here when I need them but for Max, not having a father figure at that age is painful to even think about. 

He suddenly withdrew himself from my arms and pulled away all at once like he was allergic to me.

"Max, what's wrong?", I freaked out at his sudden coldness and reached out for him but he pushed me away.

"You are leaving me, too. Go, just go away! I know you wouldn't want to be with someone so pathetic and heartless. Leave then!", he coldly ordained and turned around to walk away. His back stiff and rigid. I knew that he was back to his cold demeanor again but if that's not really the way he is then I won't give up and I won't let him give up too. 

I'm willing to change my perception of him if he's willing to at least try and be himself for once in his life and not be some heartless playboy. 

With that thought in my mind, I ran after him. 

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