𝓒𝓱𝓲𝓵𝓭𝓱𝓸𝓸𝓭 𝓟𝓻𝓸𝓶𝓲𝓼𝓮𝓼 || 𝑀𝒶𝓍 𝓍 𝑀𝒶𝓁𝑒 𝑅𝑒𝒶𝒹𝑒𝓇

Between You and Me

The campers disagreed and left the Mess Hall. I sighed but saw Max and the rest; Harrison walked up to me and held my hand.

"Well, as much I hate this idea. I ain't losing to some Wood scouts!"

"Harrison..."

"Well, cous. Count me in. I think this is the best kind of fun since Russia."

"I thought the best kind of fun is immigrating to Russia and messing with the stewardess."

Everyone huddles up except Max. As I stare at him, a voice rings into my head.

"I thought the best kind of fun is immigrating to Russia and messing with the stewardess."

I approached him and grabbed his wrist, bringing him outside and into the forest. He was surprised but this sudden action.

"Why did you bring me here?"

"Do you still have it?"

"Have what? Mr. Honeynuts? Yeah, I have him."

"I was wondering...If you still own the necklace before I moved to Russia."

˜"*°•.𝟝 𝕐𝔼𝔸ℝ𝕊 𝔸𝔾𝕆.•°*"˜

It was a cloudy afternoon when Winnie and I planned to tell Max about our move to Russia. Max was waiting for us in the swings, smiling brightly.

"Max...we can't play."

"Oh, that's alright, we can play tomorrow."

"No, what (Y/n)'s trying to say...we won't be here anymore."

All of us talked in our hidden spot. I knew his fear of abandonment, so it won't be easy to explain to 9-year-old Max. I told everything from moving to Russia to my parents signing me to music camps there. He began tearing up.

"Don't leave me...You promise you will be my best friend and not leave me."

"I am still your best friend. I'm just going to be away for a while. I can convince my parents to fly me here for the summer."

"Liar! You're saying that cause you are a liar!"

I hug him in my arms as he tries to push me away. My eyes began brimming with tears when I heard him cry in my arms. I pat his hair, saying everything to comfort him. He calms down in a matter of minutes. I bring out a necklace from my bag and show him.

"This is for you."

"A necklace?"

"Yes, it's nothing special."

"It is to me..."

Max smiles as he stares at the locket with awe. I thought he knew nothing about jewelry, but he opened it. I quickly clasp his hand together, closing the locket. Feeling his hands on mine, I put them away. It was a new feeling when I felt those butterflies. I was a 10-year-old boy, so I knew nothing about love.

"What gives?!"

"Don't open it yet!"

"Why?"

"Because...I want to make a promise to you."

"A promise, but Winnie's not here?"

"A promise between you and me. Okay?"

"So I can't tell Winnie about it?"

"Mhm."

"One day, when I finally get to see you again. I want you and I to look into it together."

"Then...See me soon, okay?"

"Yes, Max. I will."

˜"*°•.ℙℝ𝔼𝕊𝔼ℕ𝕋.•°*"˜

"So, Max. Ready to see what's inside?"

"I don't know..."

"I mean, I knew what I wrote. The older we get, it gives a different message..."

Max and I take a deep breath before opening the locket. Shown in the locket was 5-year-old Max and 6-year-old me. My mom took this picture because Max's my first friend. Next to it was a phrase engraved.

"I love you?"

"Hehehe...Trust me, it was embarrassing. My dad thought I'm giving a locket to a girl, so he told me to have the salesman engraved 'I love you.'"

"So...are you honest?"

"Honest with that?"

"What's engraved here?"

The slight confusion hits me. Chris appeared and told us to get back to the Mess Hall, or Winnie will have my head. Walking together, I haven't fully understood Max's question. After the meeting regarding the talent show. Max never brought up his question earlier.