"Laura?! Laura?!" Max calls anxiously as he stumbles back into the station, an insecure Dylan following shortly with his head hanging and his tail between his legs as he drags his feet towards Kaitlyn and Ryan. The others watch in a mixture of confusion and worry.
"Yeah?" Laura answers nonchalantly as she leans against the wall in the back of the waiting area, struggling to make eye contact with the desperate man hurrying towards her.
"Look, I uh- back there..." He struggles leaning over to rest his hands on his thighs as he pants like a dog for air.
"Look, Max. I really don't care." She states preemptively crossing her arms as she sighs.
"No, I just wanted to say like, it wasn't anything weird, I just, I don't know." He struggles worriedly, stepping closer to her with a frown.
"I know what I saw, Max. I know others would be shocked... feel betrayed, feel like they were cheated on. I don't." She admits with honesty as she turns to look him in the eyes, feeling small under her gaze.
"I-I don't understand. I feel like I fucked up really bad, I don't know what came over me, it's just... he's so... so charming, caring... sweet." He explains with a faint blush as he recalls his encounters with Dylan through the night with a mixture of fondness and shame circling within him.
"I'm not mad, Max. We're better than that. Look loyalty is important to me, sure, but I'm not possessive. I don't control you and you don't control me." She insists after a deep breath, taking his shaky hind in hers and holding it tightly.
"Why do I feel so shitty then? I feel like I let you down. I love you more than anything, Laura... Why did I let myself fall into this... this trap?!" He questions in outrage as he holds his head with his free hand.
"Calm down, Max." She insists pulling him in for a hug. "People catch feelings, there's no controlling that. I'm sure Dylan and Ryan have talked about it. It's no trap, it's just reality." She assures as she strokes his back soothingly, tears slipping down his cheeks.
"Laura, I don't know what to say." He sobs into her shoulder to which she frowns sympathetically as she pats him.
"Look, I know you're probably exaggerating everything right now in your head and think I'm gonna dump you and leave but I'm telling you, Max, it was nothing more than a bit of a shock. I really don't care. If I'm being honest, I caught a thing for Ryan last month... It was nothing serious but I felt it. What I'm tryna say is, what would a relationship be if we weren't able to live freely, Max?" She expresses passionately with hopes of changing his perspective as he cries harder into her shoulder from her profound approach.
"Thank you, Laura. I'm sorry again." He replies wholeheartedly with a shaky tone, voice hoarse from the tears
"Don't apologise. All I ask is that you'll love me unconditionally and be honest and I will do the same, our bond is too fucking strong to be broken by petty ass things like this, as cheesy and gross as that sounds." She requests genuinely with a soft chuckle as she cringes at her unusual self.
"Of course, Laura. You big sap." He retorts with a weak giggle as she slaps his arm playfully.
"You're the one calling me the sap? Please." She counters in amusement rolling her eyes.
•••
Some time has passed and daylight is nearing by the minute. Their rides approaching within the next hour, they feel a sense of relief and hope amongst them, despite the unfolding events of the night; a true transpiring of love, hate and insecurity. One need common between them: a nap.
"How are they looking?" Emma asks worriedly as she approaches Kaitlyn and Abigail who are finishing up treating Jacob and Nick's cuts and bruises.
"We patched up most that we could with what we had from the first aid kid. It's mostly grazes and flesh wounds." Kaitlyn replies confidently as she stretches a bandaid across Jacob's thigh, kneeling before him.
"This shit's gonna sting like a bitch later." Jacob seethes as he presses sections of his torn flesh whilst wincing.
"You're lucky it wasn't any deep wounds. Did those guys hurt you at all in the woods?" She questions worriedly as she tosses an antiseptic wipe to the side.
"Not that we know of, we woke up tied to that cage thing. I think these cuts are only from them dragging us, must've caught ourselves on some pretty sharp twigs though." Nick explains with a weak unfortunate chuckle as he examines his arms carefully.
"Oh how lucky you boys are, you should do the lottery when you get home." Emma jokes as she rests a hand in Jacob's shoulder and gazes into his eyes for a moment.
"Hey guys, uh, I hear an engine outside!" Dylan alerts hurriedly as he rushes to his feet. The counsellor heads perk up in a mix of surprise and excitement as they rush towards the front door.
Slamming it open, they begin to spill out one by one eager to see the owner of the vehicle. As they stand in anticipation holding onto one another, a short woman seemingly in her fifties wearing a full white suit paired with a pair of luxurious sunglasses resting upon her neatly styled up-do hurries out of her stylish black sports car, shocking the teens as they stare in awe.
"Mommy!" Emma yells excitedly as she squeezes past the small gathering with her arms in the air.
"Oh my Emma! Come here, honey!" She calls overwhelmed with joy in response as her red high heels tap against the concrete. The others watch in amusement with relieved smiles on their faces.
"It's so good to see you, I have so much to tell you!" Emma announces dramatically accentuating her muffled words with her hands across her mouth as her mother embraces her in a tight hug.
"Oh, darling. Nice to finally meet you all! Does anyone need a ride home? I'm more than happy to take you!" She offers kindly as she scans them with her crystal blue eyes.
"That's very kind of you but we all managed to to find someone!" Abigail informs with a grateful smile.
"Brilliant, well, hold on just a moment!" She instructs as she releases Emma and hurries to her car. She quickly returns baring a stack of business cards, handing them out one by one with a grin. "If you ever need anything, feel free to contact me!" She offers sweetly as she waves at them before getting back into her car earning an abundance of gratitude.
"I'll talk to you guys soon, okay? Get home safely!" Emma follows, climbing into the car in a hurry as the others wave her off.
Shortly after, one by one their rides arrive and the number of teens taking shelter in the police station decreases to just five. Dylan, Ryan and Kaitlyn sit restlessly in the waiting area growing impatient by the minute.
"Man, my ass is gonna fall off 'cause of these seats." Dylan whines placing a hand beneath his behind as pins and needles nip at his thighs.
"You can say that again." Ryan sighs in agreement with discomfort.
"Do you think we should like tell someone about the officer in the woods?" Kaitlyn asks quietly with concern as she turns to them. They shrug in response with unsure expressions earning an annoyed scoff from her. "Hey, Max! Come here a sec!" She calls across the room as he hurries to his feet and rushes over to them swiftly. Dylan averts his gaze to the ground shyly and plays with his fingers whilst Ryan stares ahead at Laura in an uptight manner.
"What's up?" He asks anxiously as he scratches arm and rocks on his heels.
"Should we let someone know about the officer in the woods?" She repeats ignoring the two acting sheepish beside her.
"Oh, uh, I think the guy with the weird suit has got that covered." He informs with a nervous chuckle as his eyes travel to Dylan who cannot bare to look at him.
"I hope so, I mean he caused all of this, right?" She replies unsurely with a finger pressed to her chin.
"Yeah, I think it's best we just get out of here and never look back. He seemed pretty insistent." He explains reassuringly as he hesitantly steps in front of Dylan who stares at his feet standing before him and gulps. "Dylan, can I talk to you a sec, y'know before we leave and everything?" He asks shakily earning a cautious nod from him as he gets up from his chair with a groan of discomfort from his numb bottom. Ryan watches closely before Max catches him, looking away swiftly with a blank expression. "Ry, don't worry, man." He assures tapping his shoulder. Ryan scoots away slightly brushing him off with a sigh before he turns away with a disappointed frown and tells Dylan to follow.
They exit through the front door and lean against the wall. Max sighs and slides down it landing to the concrete with a thump before tapping the ground beside him for Dylan to sit. He complies and sits down slowly, crossing his legs and scooting closer.
"I talked to Laura and she wasn't mad at me or anything." He reveals as he plays with the fabric of his jeans nervously.
"Th-that's good, I guess?" Dylan mutters shakily as he turns to Max, catching his icy blue eyes with his dark chocolate ones. They linger for a moment before breaking their gaze.
"Yeah, uh... I don't really know like what's in store for all of us. I mean, she told me she caught a thing for Ryan last month." He continues unsurely though his tone laced with hope which Dylan picked up on.
"I mean, that's no surprise, they tension between them was hella thick." He explains chuckling weakly.
"What a crazy outcome of this night, huh?" He responds shaking his head in disbelief.
"It's been quite the rollercoaster... a feelings-coaster you could say." Dylan jokes weakly in agreement with an amused smirk creeping up on his lips.
"You can say that again. I didn't even think I was into guys at all, I mean I've never really felt anything for one before." Max admits honestly as he creeps a hand onto Dylan's knee.
"Am I that stunningly gorgeous?" Dylan retorts with his eyebrows raised, flicking a strand of hair out of his face snappily. Max giggles and shoves him lightly before shaking his head.
"Don't push it." Max replies with a cheeky smile. "What do you think is next for all of us then?" He asks wondrously as he gazes off across the road.
"Honestly, I don't know. I think I owe Ryan some good ol' loving when we get back first of all." He replies truthfully as he chuckles with a blush.
"Shit, can I join?" He jokes suggestively with a smirk and an eyebrow raised, laughing it off soon after.
"Don't know if he'd be too pleased about that." He admits giggling before pressing his lips together.
"Yeah, I think I gathered that." He replies nodding swiftly, recalling Ryan's stone cold gaze with dread. "Seriously though, that stuff aside, I'd love to hang out soon." He admits wholeheartedly rubbing his knee in which he still had a firm grip on.
"Yeah, me too. Who knows, maybe one day all four of us will be hanging out." His mind travels off picturing them enjoying each other's company as he watches the sun slowly rising amongst the trees.
"Shit, we can invite Kaitlyn too!" Max exclaims with toothy grin earning an amused nod from him.
"Hell yeah!" He exclaims excitedly resting his head against his shoulder with a smile.
"How wonderful would life be if jealousy didn't exist, huh?" Max adds rolling his eyes playfully.
"Bliss." Dylan confirms with a deep sigh.