Tw - abusive household
Just get some shoes on, grab your stuffed animal and blanket.
And please, Viola, be quiet.
MAX GAVE VIOLA A huge smile as they stomped around in the creek that was hidden in the woods behind Max's house.
Their shoes and socks were thrown to the side on the leaf covered floor next to Max's skateboard and Viola's purple bike.
They did this every Sunday afternoon. The day before school. But this Sunday was way more important than any other Sunday. This Sunday would be the last time they would do this. The last time they would do anything together.
The last time they would play in the creek. The last time they would ride home together. The last time they would hold hands, hug, watch movies, have sleepovers.
The last time they would be together.
That's what they thought at least.
Viola knew it was because of her mom marrying someone new. Max had told her all about Neil and his son Billy. Viola didn't like Billy, he scared her.
Max revealed this at the start of the week that she would be leaving California the Monday morning of next week. Viola was devastated to say the least. Max had been the only thing keeping her sane throughout the year, because of things happening at home.
She hated that she was mad. The brunette couldn't do anything about it though. She was powerless.
Viola had no other friends. Besides from Max all she had was her brother, Oliver, and her older sister, Savannah. That was it.
"It's almost time for me to go.." Max mumbled as they sat on a large rock next to the creek, the bottom of their jeans dampened as their feet dangled into the running water. Viola's smile turned into a frown. "It's okay. I know we'll see each other again." She said, trying to lighten the mood. "Besides, we can always call, and if you visit your dad we can see each other."
Max limply nodded, tears pooling in her eyes. "Oh, Red." Viola pulled her into a hug, trying to hold back her own tears. Max broke down in the girls arms. "I'm gonna miss you so much." Max hiccuped, keeping her eyes shut tight, trying not to let more tears out. "I'm gonna miss you too." Viola whispered.
The best friends sat there for a while longer. Until it got darker and they had to go to their homes. Viola biked Max back home. They walked up to the red-heads front door, hand-in-hand. "Here, I have this for you." Viola suddenly said, remembering her small present.
She stuffed a hand into her pocket, pulling out a pretty red and purple bracelet. The two's favorite colors.
"I have a matching one." Viola put her arm out showcasing the pretty bracelet. Max took hers with a smile, tying it around her wrist with the help of Viola. "I love it." She whispered with a small smile, her cheeks burning. "I'm glad."
They stood there quietly for a moment.
"I should get going. It's almost pitch black." Viola muttered sadly, dropping Max's hand. "Bye." Max said quietly. Viola sadly smiled. "Bye.."
The brunette turned, going to walk away from the house. Max turned as well, putting her hand out to open her door but stopping herself. "Viola?" She called, turning back around.
Viola turned around, "What-" She was cut off by a pair of lips connecting to hers. The brunette relaxed, realizing it was Max, putting her hands to Max's neck. But as soon as the kiss started it ended due to a scared Max pulling away and spewing out 'sorry's' while running back towards her home in a hurry.
Max quickly opened the door, slamming it behind her and sliding down it. "Fuck." She mumbled as her skateboard hit the floor.
Meanwhile, Viola stood there shocked. Absolutely baffled. Eyes wide, mouth dropped open.
•••
OLIVER PLACED A BOWL filled with cereal in front of Viola who just stared at the wall with a blank face. "Viola?" He asked waving a hand in front of her face. "Hello." He dragged out the 'o'.
Viola snapped back into reality and looked up at her brother. "You okay?" He asked, raising a brow. She shrugged. "Missing Max. That's all." She stirred her Cheerio's around with her spoon. Oliver sighed, taking a seat next you her. "Maybe you'll make new friends, besides you guys can talk on the phone."
The brunette shook her head. "I know. I know." She sighed, dropping her spoon. "I know."
Savannah came out from her room with a straight face. "Morning kiddos." She let a small smile slip, surprisingly. Savannah was like their mother, sure they had one, but she wasn't the best. Nor was their father.
"Morning, Sav." Viola muttered, pushing her cereal away from her. "Gloomy cause your girlfriend left?" Savannah teased, taking Viola's cereal and beginning to eat it seeing as the younger girl wasn't. "She's not my girlfriend." Viola said.
The older sibling shrugged. "Whatever you say." Viola rolled her eyes and slouched into her seat.
The siblings didn't care about same sex relationships much like their parents did. It was funny because they all liked their own gender. But that was their little secret.
•••
A YEAR HAD GONE by and Max failed to reach out to Viola as much as Viola had hopped. Maybe it was because of what she did the last Sunday she was here, but Viola wasn't sure.
She hated the fact that she would probably never see the red-head again. Viola missed her so much but Max probably thought she hated her.
Ever since Max left Viola sat by herself at lunch, or with her brother. She wasn't fond of her brothers friends though.
The worst part about Max moving was that Viola never asked where she was going. All she got was: "I'm moving next Monday." and that was that.
So she couldn't visit if she even wanted to for spring breaks or anything like that, which sucked.
Viola was stuck in this tiny bubble. Alone.
And her parents fighting everyday didn't help that. She couldn't wait till Savannah was at the age were she could become Viola and Oliver's legal guardian. Their home life wasn't a good one at all and it was obvious the kids hated it as well.
If their parents were home they didn't dare to come out of their rooms, that's why they were all happy when they had work from the earliest hours of the day to the latest hours of the night.
And when their parents had full fist fights they would all go into Savannah's room to stay with the older girl. Savannah was their real parent from the day they were born. There was no questioning it.
The Lockeheart children desperately needed to get away. And soon enough they would.
And it wasn't until nineteen-eighty-five that they did.
•••
"VIOLA, WAKE UP." SAVANNAH shook the brunette. "Sav?" She said in sleepy tone. Dragging out the 'V'. "Come on, we gotta go." The older girl helped Viola get up. "Just get some shoes on, grab your stuffed animal and blanket." She turned to go out of the room but stopped herself. "And please, Viola, be quiet."
Viola nodded, her eyes now open. The brunette slowly stood and put on her old beat up lace-ups, grabbing her stuffed cat behind her and her puffy light-purple blanket.
Once in the living room she saw the front door open. Savannah coming inside. Thats when Viola noticed the purple mark around her cheek and the purplish bruises around her neck. "Savannah.. what's going on?" Oliver asked from the couch, half asleep.
Savannah grabbed the younger kids hands and led them to her car outside, not saying a word. She opened the back door for them where they both got in, taking seats on ether side of the car, laying their blankets over their legs. "Stay here, go back to sleep." The older girl whispered in a soft, comforting tone before closing the door and locking it.
Oliver went straight to sleep but Viola watched her sister walk back towards the house. "What's happening?" She mumbled to herself.
A couple minutes later Savannah came back outside with a box filled with what looked like stuff from Viola's room. She placed the box in the trunk and went back inside.
This happened a couple more times. Savannah going back inside and came out with boxes filled with items from different rooms, all except mother and fathers room.
That's when Viola realized what was happening. They were leaving.
Leaving their parents.
Leaving their childhood home.
Leaving California.
And she couldn't be any more happier.
A/N
if you couldn't tell i love max mayfield