✓ | 𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐂𝐇𝐑𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐌𝐀𝐒 ➳ max mills

𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕣𝕝𝕚𝕖

The clip of their trip to Winter Wonderland flashed across the screen. It was their day there along with the other X Factor finalists and they performed at the Bavarian Village. They enjoyed the place so much that it was the whole reason we went there together a few days after.

"Let's freaking go." Max said as he kicked the lens of the camera. I chuckled at the sight of him. My best friend being his usual goofy self on screen and seeming so unfiltered.

The voice overhead announced their name and everything happened even faster: the crowd we were with cheering even louder, my nervousness getting even worse, my heartbeat beating too fast, and the split second before they let out the first note of the song being the last second I felt the blood rushing through me.

Time seemed to stretch out when they started singing. I felt like I was being sucked into a whirlpool of emotions because I didn't see where I was headed. It came as a shock to most of us, especially to me, when we heard the first note of their rendition to Last Christmas. It was Max and I's least favourite song and it was the song we tried so hard to avoid for almost a year now.

The wave of emotions caused me to freeze. I was unable to move yet my eyes remained fixated on the screen. Harvey sang so effortlessly and so coolly. It was just another song for him, the only thing that made it special for him was that it was their Final song. I held my breath, not knowing when it would be Max's turn to sing. But when it was his turn, I wanted to melt away and for the ground to eat me whole.

"'Merry Christmas' I wrapped it up and sent it with a note saying I love you I meant it," He sang with so much emotion that it was too heavy. His eyes and his expression were unreadable but anyone could see that he was singing from the heart. The words sunk into my veins like the venom of a snake.

"Last Christmas I gave you my heart but the very next day you gave it away," It was like I was being aimed and fired at right on the spot. It was absolute torture with the words seeping with emotion and pain. Most especially from Max.

He meant it. He meant every fucking word in the song and there was only one person it was directed to and it was me. He had such a different vibe on stage that I didn't know if it was Finals jitters or the song or both. I didn't pity him, I didn't want to run to him and tell him it'll all be alright, I didn't know how to comfort him. In fact, I didn't even want to be anywhere near his radius.

I didn't even realise the song had ended until the loud cheers of the crowd around me snapped me out of my thoughts. I zoned out of the whole performance and missed it. Or maybe I was staring blankly at Max, too dumbfounded to even process my thoughts.

"Charlie, are you alright?" Dobby said loudly to me over the crowd.

"I-"

"Charlie..."

"Excuse me for a moment." I squeezed my way out of the crowd and mapped my way towards the exit.

My heart was pounding and my breath was hitching. There was sweat dripping on the sides of my face and I felt my eyes starting to swell for no reason whatsoever. I felt like I was going to pass out.

When I got out, I immediately took in the fresh air and took lots of deep breaths. Max and Harvey sang Last Christmas and Max sung it with too much emotions. I can't even begin to imagine how hard it was for him to practice that song.

But I'm seeing him later. There's no escape. I had to face him one way or the other. What the hell am I gonna do? Slap him? Attack him? Hug him? Tell him how I'm sorry he had to go through that?

"Charlie?"

I looked around to see a worried Aunt Tessa and Dobby catching their breath after tiring themselves in search of me.