YOU 1 [Charli D'Amelio]

Chapter 62.

"I know you do, we are alike that way." he tells me and turns on the radio. I hear the familiar sound of one of my favorite songs.

"May I turn this up?" I ask and he nods.

"You like The Fray?" He asks in a surprised tone.

"Yes! They are my favorite band, I love them. Do you like them?"

"Yes! Who doesn't?" he laughs. I almost tell him Max doesn't but I decide against it.

When we arrive to the house, Ken greets us at the door with a friendly smile. I hope he wasn't expecting Max to be with me. I see no disappointment on his face so I smile back.

"Karen is in the kitchen, enter at your own risk." He laughs.

He wasn't joking, Karen has the entire large island covered in pans, mixing bowls, and a lot of other things that I have no idea what they are.

"Charli! I am just getting everything ready!" She smiles.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" I ask.

"No, not at the moment. I am almost finished. ..There I'm done."

"I hope it wasn't too late of notice for me to come by." I tell her.

"Oh no dear, you are always welcome here." She assures me and I know she means it. She hands me an apron to wear and I tie my hair up into a bun. Liam sits on the bench and talks to us for a few minutes while Karen shows me all the ingredients to make cupcakes from scratch. I pour them into the mixer and turn it on low speed.

"I already feel like a professional baker." I laugh and Liam leans across, wiping his hand across my cheek.

"Sorry, you have some flour on your face." His cheeks flush and I smile.

"It's okay." I tell him and go back to pouring my cupcakes into the baking pan. Liam leaves the room to finish the football game. Karen and I ice our cupcakes and I am pleased with the way mine turned out. I use the piping bag to make an "L" on the top of one of them and sit it aside for Liam. Karen expertly pipes flowers and grass onto her cupcakes.

"We will make cookies next time." She smiles and places the cupcakes in a serving case.

"Sounds good to me." I tell her and take a bite of my cupcake.

"Where is Max tonight?" Karen asks. I chew my cake slowly before answering.

"She's at her house." I simply answer. She frowns slightly but doesn't push it.

Liam joins us back in the kitchen and Karen leaves the room to take a few cupcakes to Ken.

"Is this cupcake for me?" Liam asks and holds up the cupcake with the squiggly L written in icing.

"Yea, I have to work on my piping skills." I laugh and he takes a big bite.

"Tastes good." he says with a full mouth. I giggle and he wipes his mouth.

I eat another cupcake and Liam talks about the game. My mind travels to Max again and I stare out the window.

"Are you okay?' Liam pulls me out of my thoughts.

"Yea, I'm sorry. I was paying attention.. at first." I smile apologetically.

"It's alright. Is it Max?"

"Yea.. how'd you know?" I tease.

"Where is she?"

"At the frat house, there is a party tonight and she didn't tell me about it. She had her friends meet her and she said see you around Charli, when she said goodbye to me. I feel like an idiot even repeating this, I know how stupid I sound but it's driving me crazy. The Molly girl, she used to mess around with her, all the time and she is with her now, and she didn't tell them we are.. whatever we are." I breathe.

"Aren't you two supposed to be dating?" Liam asks.

"Yea.. well I thought so but I don't know now."

"Why don't you try to talk her? Or go to the party?" He suggests and I laugh.

"I can't just go to the party."

"Why not? You've been to their parties before and you and Max are sort of dating or whatever this is, and your roommate will be there. I would go if I was you."

"Really? Addison did invite me, I don't know." I want to go just to see if Max is with Molly but I feel stupid just showing up there.

"I think you should."

"Will you come with me?" I ask.

"Oh no, no. Sorry Chqrli. We are friends but no." he laughs and I join. I knew he wouldn't but it was worth asking.

"I think I will go. At least to talk to her." I decide.

"Good, I would wipe the flour off your face first." he laughs and I gently push his arm.

I stay a little while longer to hang out with Liam, I don't want him to think I was just using him for a ride to the party, even though I know he doesn't think that.

"Good luck, call me if you need me." He says as I get out of the car. After he drives away I remember that I left my phone in my room to avoid worrying about Max, yet here I am showing up at her house.

A group of scantily clad girls are standing in the yard and I look down at my outfit. I am wearing jeans and a cardigan, I barely have any makeup on and my hair is in a bun on top of my head. What the hell was I thinking coming here? I swallow my anxiety and walk inside. I don't see any familiar faces except Louis who is doing a body shot off of a girl wearing only a bra and panties. I walk through the kitchen and someone hands me a red cup full of alcohol, I put the cup to my lips. If I am going to confront Max I need alcohol. I push my way through the crowded living room to the couch that their group usually hangs out on. Molly's pink hair comes into vision. I feel sick as I notice she isn't sitting on the couch, she is sitting on Max's lap. Her hand is on Max thigh and she leans back agains Her, laughing amongst her circle of friends. How did I get myself in this situation with Max? I should have stayed away from her, I knew it then and I am slapped in the face with it now.

I should just leave, I don't belong here and I don't want to cry in front of these people again. I am sick of crying over Max and I am done trying to make her something she isn't. Every time I think I feel as low as I can, she does something else and I realize I have no idea the real pain that unrequited feelings can cause. I watch as Molly puts her hand over Max's and she moves it away, but then puts her hand on molly hip, giving her a playful squeeze and she giggles. I try to force myself to move, to back up, to run, to crawl, to do anything to get me out of here, but my eyes are locked on the person I was falling for while her eyes are locked on molly.

"Charli!" Someone calls. Max's head snaps up and her eyes meet mine. Her eyes are wide with shock and Molly looks my way and leans further onto Max. Her lips part as if she is going to say something but she doesn't.

Zayn appears at my side and I finally force my eyes from Max's. I try to muster a smile for Zayn but all of my energy is being used to prevent myself from bursting into tears.

"Do you want a drink?" He asks and I look down. I was holding a cup of beer wasn't I? At my feet is my cup, the beer spilled across the carpet. I take a step away from it, I normally would clean it up and apologize but right now I would rather just pretend it wasn't mine.

"Yes please" I say, my voice is strained. I have two options, I can run out of here in tears and let Max know she got the best of me, or I can put on a brave face and act like I don't care about her and the way she is still holding Molly on her lap.

I decide to go with option two.