Coffee & Nerves (boyxboy)

[16] Don't Like Coffee

My eyes widen and I slowly exclaim, "Oh," because now I realize where I recognized Max's last name from. His infamous older brothers. I never connected them as being family members because Max looks so different than them.

"That makes more sense," Jack states, the look of confusion disappearing from his face.

"The Thorton twins, as in Luke and Sam Thorton?" I ask, hoping to (while also hoping not to) confirm my suspicion.

"Yep, and don't forget the older ones who also managed to terrorize half their grade and the one below them before they left for who knows where this year after barely graduating," Max says, the resentment in his voice obvious.

"Luke once stole all of my gym clothes while I was showering," I reflect on the memory with distaste.

"They haven't done anything to me personally, but I've heard some things around," Jack comments.

I re-adjust myself in my seat. "So are they bullying you at home?" I ask seriously.

Max eyes widen, "No!" he protests forcefully, then gets quieter, "No, I mean, not really."

"What does 'not really' mean?" Jack inquires.

"That's not the main problem," Max stresses dismissively.

I immediately push him to confess, "Then what is?"

Max looks hesitant but admits, "The main problem is that everyone, everyone, has somehow been affected by my brother's cruelty. They see my last name and..."

He shuffles in his seat and looks down at the table.

"No one wants to be friends with me."

Oh.

I was not expecting that.

"They are scared of me," Max reflects with sadness, then adds, "which actually hurts more than when they get angry."

I want to push him and ask what they do when they get angry, but he soon answers my question for me, adding, "They're angry about what my brothers did and see me as a way to get revenge."

Jack seems taken aback by Max's sudden confession and this only continues as Max continues, "I'm socially ostracized! The reason that it's so hard is that it's not just one group of people, it's the whole school. The students, the teachers, the janitors, the principal, the coaches- they all avoid me like the plague."

"Wow," is all I can manage to say. Jack looks just as shocked.

I'm about to let Max know how sorry I am that this is happening to him when his phone buzzes, shaking violently on the table. He grabs it and takes a glance at it, his eyes scanning over the contents displayed on the screen.

Max sends us an apologetic look and stands, stating, "I've got to go."

"W-well okay, we'll talk more about this later," I say before he walks away. He turns his head and nods to show that he heard me. I slump back in my seat, stunned by how hurried everything has been today.

I don't stay in this state for long as I'm jarred by the grating noise Jack makes by standing up from his chair. I don't know what the etiquette is for situations like this so I choose to just stay sitting. Jack stands there for a moment as I avoid looking at him.

Apparently, this is an offensive choice somehow because Jack pulls me out of my seat and drags me down the hallway and up the stairs to my bedroom. Am I really that impolite? Maybe I should work on my hosting skills.

He turns around to slam the door and push me up against it so that our bodies are making contact in places that I don't think they should. For my personal sanity, at least.

I can't read the expression on his face but it doesn't look happy. He has one hand secured around my forearm and the other holding a tight grip on the collar of my tee shirt.

His hot breath hits my cheek as he lets out a huff and tightens his hold on me. He shifts his weight on his feet slightly and leans into me.

The muscles in his jaw clench as he grits his teeth.

"About earlier..."

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AN: Hello!

Thank you so much for reading and staying with me as I do my best to have a plot that works with the characters.

What do you think Jack is going to say (or do *wink wink) about earlier? They did kind of get oh so rudely interrupted by Max...

Please comment (I respond to most) and vote! It really means a lot and inspires/encourages me to keep writing and more importantly improve my writing!

I'll edit this chapter later btw

Love,

Leah