||Pretenders||☄️

(41).

"This Hurts"

Alone in a car with Max, heading to their homes, was like torture. He was only focused on the road and had a big frown on. Alicia was looking at the bruises on his knuckles and he wasn't concerned if she cared or not. He said she bruised his trust before they left Luna's house. "Max I didn't..." he scowled and she paused. "I thought we were done when he came over. I was scared being alone in there."

"You could've called for me."

"You never answer my calls." He didn't say anything. He should feel at fault too. "Jake and I are nothing like that. We never had sex and I don't feel anything at all for him. I'm sorry for doing that with him. I love you and I'm not playing with you. I'm not like everyone else." He got silent again.

They approached her hostel and she wished he had asked her to let him stay for the weekend or go to his apartment with him. She pulled her bags out of the car and he sat in, silently. "Do you want to come inside?" He shook his head. "We can catch up on what we missed for the week together."

"I'm fine. Take care." He drove away and she watched him leave. She packed her bags into the room and received a call from her dad.

"Hey dad." She said excitedly.

"Baby girl, how are you doing?"

"I'm fine dad," she sat on the bed. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes honey. I was going to make payment for your tuition and pay half the bills of our mom's and guess what I heard?" He laughed. Oh shit! "I wasn't much surprised about the hospital bills. What I want to know, young lady, is who the Maxwell Ross is to pay for my daughter's tuition."

"He what?" She gathered her thoughts together. "Uh dad. Let me call you back."

"You're not going anywhere young lady. What have you been doing and how did you manage to pay for your mom's bills. Alicia, is everything okay with you?"

"Yes dad. I got a better job and uh I spoke to the manager about the bills so she paid me in advance. I told her it's urgent..."

"Cut the lies. I know you're lying Alicia. You're changing and it makes me feel bad for not doing enough. You're grown enough to make your own decisions but please, don't do anything that you will regret later on. I'll pay back the money to whoever lent it to you. Don't make yourself so little. I know you can do better than this."

"Dad," tears pricked her eyes and he sighed on the phone.

"I got a better job. We're okay now Alicia. Be good for me, alright?"

"Okay dad."

"I love you and take care of yourself. Study hard. You've exams coming up." He ended the call with a laughter.

Max paid for her tuition? Why will he do such a thing without informing her? Like her dad said, she had an exam coming up and she gotta learn. Max would be back to his Kiera and friends. They do wild things on the weekend and he was mad at her. She was just praying he doesn't fuck her or anyone else to ease his anger.

Alicia spent the day studying and decided to grab dinner at Rosie's Inn. Dawn would be excited to see her. She put on a shorts and a big t-shirt and stepped out of the house, scrolling through her phone. The week had been perfect with Max and his adorable sister. She had to ruin it all, talking about Jake's touches with Dawn.

Someone bumped into her and she held onto the phone, groaning. She took her head up and couldn't yell at this person. She blinked her eyes at him and he smiled. "Sorry." He apologized. She had a thing for tanned skinned guys. Maybe she was cursed with it. This guy was really hot. She had to fan her face with a hand and clear her throat. "Are you okay?" His voice was euphonic.

"Yeah... I'm good."

"You should keep that phone away. You don't want to bruise your pretty face." He winked at her and walked away. She stared at his butt in the jean and face palmed herself.

"You're a whore Alicia." She mumbled.

At Rosie's Inn, she boldly walked in like she always have and caught up with the face of Max and Kiera. They were alone here and he was talking and laughing with her. He noticed her presence. He just did not care about what she thought of this. Dawn waved at her to come over to the counter. She was taking an order for a lady with a kid. Alicia went over to the counter and leaned her back to it. She stole glances at Max. He looked at her for a second and looked away. Did he break up with her because of Jake? Was this over? Her stares were infuriating him. He stood up with Kiera and walked away with her.

Dawn assisted her into gossiping about her mysterious guy. Alicia told her the fuckery that happened because of Jake's kisses. Dawn advised her to talk to Max and let him know she wasn't cool being kept a secret from everyone although Ryan was doing the same to her. If he wasn't cool with it, they can end it. Alicia had to know who he meets, who he talks to and call him anytime she wants. This wasn't a relationship. If he was embarrassed with her, they shouldn't keep this going. Just as she was talking to Dawn, a message reflected on her phone. Someone sent money into her account and then Max's message reflected as well.

•💯❣️•
Thanks for the weekend.

"I feel like a whore for him Dawn. This isn't right." She sighed.

Alicia gave herself another week to analyze what he will do or say. Everything was just the same. He walked away when he was with his friends and he texts her good mornings and good nights. She fucking hated it! Was that a breakup?!He didn't let them talk about Jake's issue anymore. They weren't okay. It was eating her up. She couldn't take how Kiera was being all over him in school. It broke her heart every time.