𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘰𝘱 ~ 𝐦𝐚𝐱 𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝

Chapter Two

Chapter Two:
Can I Sit Here?
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

Addison scratched at her arms nervously as she stood in the lunch line with the boys. Her gaze was focused on Max's bright red hair across the cafeteria.

Max could easily stand out among this crowd. The girls surrounding her had dull colors, but not Max. No, Max was different.

Max's hair reminded Addison of her favorite season of year. Autumn. Her hair reminded her of the brightly colored leaves that had her mesmerized every year.

"I-I really don't know about this, guys. I-I mean, what am I supposed to say to her? She, uh, I think she knows I was watching her, too." Addison rambled, "What-What-What do I even say? I don't know what to say! This was a bad idea. I-I-I can't do this! I change my mind. I'm out!"

Will gently took her hand into his, squeezing it gently, he spoke, "Hey, hey, it"s okay, Addie. Calm down. You got this. Remember our practices?"

Addison looked back at him, her nerves easing by a little bit, though still overwhelming. Pretty faces made her nervous, and it was true that Max had the prettiest face.

"Yeah! Totally! We believe in you." Dustin confirmed, sneaking an extra pudding cup onto his lunch tray. "You're gonna do so good."

"Plus, we'll only be a few tables over. We'll be right there the entire time." Lucas explained, handing the woman at the register his lunch money. "So if you wanna abort, just do it."

"I still don't kno-"

"Jesus, Addison, you'll be fine. It's just a girl. You're a girl, too. Go talk about whatever girls talk about." Mike looked back at her as they walked over to their table. "Makeup or something, like whatever you talked to.. El about."

Mike's voice quieted on her name, pain flashing through his eyes. He missed Eleven. He missed her more than anything, and it was obvious.

After she'd disappeared, Mike had continued being an asshole to Addison. She blamed it on the grief, but deep down she knew it was something else that drove him to treat her like that. After all, the treatment had started after Eleven first showed up.

Mike's treatment of Addison had always been up and down. When they first met, he was cold and mean to her. Shutting her out of the hangouts and party meetings. But after a few months, he began to warm up and invite her over more often.

But when they were ten and she'd confessed to him about the crush she'd developed on him, he once again shut her out. Except this time, he didn't even talk to her. He ignored her entire existence for three months straight. If she happened to be around the group and say something, he pretended not to hear her. In fact, he pretended she wasn't even there at all.

It hurt Addison, of course. But she forgave him. Even if she was angry at him, and even if he never apologized.

"Gee, thanks. It's not like I know what that is! I spend my time with you losers." Addison spoke, her voice teasing.

Mike rolled his eyes as he placed his lunch tray on the table. "Whatever. Off you go."

"Right, yes, okay. Cool, cool, cool, cool, cool, cool, cool, cool. Cool." Addison took a deep breath and turned towards Max. "Cool."