~MAXS POV~
Is it bad that I wanted to leave my own party?
Caleb and the others were sweet enough to throw me this huge 18th birthday party, and here I was trying to find a way to escape.
Isn't that kind of ungrateful?
But I don't know anyone here, and the only places I've ever seen them is on magazine covers or in pepsi ads.
Maybe I could quietly sneak out through a window or something and no one would see me.
I went upstairs to look for an open window. Instead, I found a few couples making out and some people doing things that probably shouldn't be mentioned.
I walked through one more door and recognized the person this time. It was my best friend, Conan. Crying.
"Oh my god, Conan! What happened?" I ran over to him. He was sitting on the floor next to the bed, hugging his knees.
"It's Daniel! He said he loves me!"
"What?! That's awesome! That's-"
"No, it's not awesome!"
I was confused. Daniel is Conan's boyfriend (that he's completely obsessed with). A few days ago, Conan told Daniel he loved him but Daniel didn't say it back.
"Why isn't it awesome? Isn't that what you wanted?"
"Yes! I did want it! But then he told me he loves me and then kissed his ex!" he said and sobbed harder.
"Okay, well why don't I get you something to drink and then you can tell me everything else." I offered and he nodded.
I made my way down the stairs when I got stopped by Priah who looked as excited as a chipmunk on cocaine.
"Guess who I just saw literally two seconds ago!" she sort of squealed, grabbing my hands.
"Who?"
"Louis! He's here!" Priah thinks just because I talked to Louis little at the hotel, it means we were meant to be.
"What? Why would he be in the city?"
She glanced over my shoulder. "You're about to find out."
Suddenly, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around to see the one and only, Louis Partridge.
"Hey Louis. What are you doing here? I thought you were at-"
"Something happened at the wedding, I'll explain later. Right now, I'm trying to get away from someone."
I looked over his shoulder to see if I could find who he was talking about. My eye caught a blonde girl with blue eyes. She looked popular, rich and...a little spoiled.
When she noticed me staring at her, her face changed to a slightly disgusted one before she quickly brightened it up and acted natural.
She walked over to us. "Hey again, Louis and..." her eyes scanned my body, her faced masked with annoyance "...friend."
I already hate her. "My name is Max" I said with my fakest smile and an outstretched hand. She looked at my hand and left me hanging. Oh this bitch-
"So, Max," her little high pitched prissy voice said. "how do you know Louis?"
Before I could open my mouth to answer, Louis said, "She's my girlfriend."
The blonde girl's jaw basically dropped to the ground. I'm pretty sure mine did too for a second.
When she realised she looked pale as a ghost, she straightened her back and rolled her shoulders to make herself seem taller. "That's nice." she said and walked away.
I win, bitch.
As soon as she was out of sight, I elbowed Louis in the ribs. "What the hell, Partridge?"
"That's one of my little sisters friends, Audrey. She's had a crush on me for as long as I can remember. She's super annoying. I just didn't want to talk to her." he said with a small shrug.
"Cool." I said, then changed my sentance. "No, not cool actually. She's going to tell everyone we're together."'
"So? Let her."
I don't think he thought over his statement before saying it because his eyes widened and he scratched the back of his head. "What I mean is, she can tell who ever she wants. It's not like anyone will listen. She's a little bit insane. Plus, no one really likes her."
"That much was obvious." I scoffed.
I felt my phone vibrate in my back pocket. I pulled it out to check who was calling me. I panicked when I realised the picture on the screen was my face. Then I remembered that I actually snuck out to this party and I forgot my twin sister was covering for me.
Then another thought crossed my mind.
Conan.
I stuffed my phone back into my pocket and decided I'd send Conan a huge apology speech later. Right now, I needed to get home.
"Alrighty, I'm leaving now. See you next time, Partridge." I said and ran upstairs, praying there was an open window.
"Wait, where are you going?" Louis called after me. I kept moving through the crowd, which was thinner upstairs, and pushing past people. I stopped by a window. Louis was still following me.
"Gotta bounce. Strict curfew..." I started, climbing out the window. "...my mom's kind of a psychopath..." I'm not wrong. She thinks she still has power over me until I leave the house. I'm 18 now and I'm old enough to live on my own. "...my mom doesn't really let me got to parties..." my foot almost slipped on the railing. I was on the second floor. "...I don't know why, its just a rule of hers..." my whole body was out of the building and hanging over the side. "...anyway, bye."
I climbed all the way down. I needed a car. Oh wait, I came with Priah.
I glanced back at the thick crowd of people and wondered if I could get through there and talk to Priah and still manage to leave undetected.
Probably not.
My house is only like, three blocks away. I could make it.
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I really couldn't make it.
Am I seriously that out of shape?
By the time I got to my house, I was completely out of breath. I looked up at my bedroom window which was one story up. Usually, I'd climb a tree to get there. In that moment I was sure my knees would give way and I'd fall out, alerting the neighbor's dog that I was home which would evidently wake my mom up.
I took a deep breath and tried anyway. Luckily, there was a ladder right by my room. How convenient.
I made it up to my room and collapsed on the floor with a deep breath. I kept my eyes closed and then slowly opened them. I sat up with a jumpscare when I saw that my twin sister, Lyra was standing in the corner, staring me down like a criminal mastermind.
"You're late." she spat.
"Yeah. I know." I panted. I was still out of breath from the walk.
"Get changed. I'll be downstairs. We need to talk." she said and walked out.
I ran a hand through my hair and sighed. I collapsed on the floor. I could've stayed there forever.
I actually might have stayed there if it weren't for the little tapping noise on my window. I looked at my closed curtain, wondering what it was.
I walked over and opened the curtain. That's when I saw a certain idiot sitting by my window. He smiled and waved like this was a natural planned meeting. I opened the window immediately and he tumbled in, crashing into Lyras dressing table.
"Louis, what the fuck are you doing here?!" I whisper-shouted.
"Sacrificing baby goats to please lord satan, what do you think?" he said sarcastically.
I picked up a teddy bear and threw it at his head.
"Ow! I came to check on you, alright? You seemed kind of tense when you left your own birthday party." he said and crossed his arms.
He cares about me?
The thought of that was kind of sweet.
Then I made a realisation. I have a boy in my room.
My mom will personally murder me with her own two hands.
"Well, bad idea! Remember my sociopathic mom?"
"You said psychopathic-"
"That's not the point! I will die if anyone finds you here! And if Lyra finds out!-" I hadn't even thought about how Lyra literally lives in the same bedroom as me. "You have to get out of here."
"That's it? You're not going to offer tea and sandwiches? How rude-"
"Leave." I said sternly.
"Okay, fine." he held his hands up and dropped them.
Before he could get to the window, I heard a knock on the door. It wasn't any knock. The only person who knocks on my door before coming in is my mom.
"Honey, are you alright? I heard a loud noise coming from your room. I didn't think it was a big deal until I heard voices. Is everything okay?"
I had to think quick. Luckily, that's my specialty. "Yeah, I'm fine I was just..." I looked at Louis, who was jumping into me and Lyras walk in closet. "...I was watching Pistol."
"Oh, that's nice. Mind if I come in?" she asked, opening the door. I was fine with it until I realised I'm still in my party clothes. I ran into the closet after Louis.
"Uh...I'm actually ch-ch-changing." I said. Lamest excuse ever.
"Um, okay?" she said. More like asked. "I just wanted to sit and talk with you. We never do that anymore and, well, I miss my daughter. I feel like I barely know you these days..."
No no no no no. Mom can't give me this emotional speech while Louis fucking Partridge is here.
"Yeah, sure mom. I'll be downstairs in a second." I called to her.
"...you know," she said, ignoring me "growing up, I didn't have a dad either."
Louis looked at me questioningly. I rolled my eyes. Great. She just had to mention that in front of Louis.
"I know that there's a difference because my dad involuntarily passed away and your dad simply doesn't want to see you right now..." I wanted to slap her. How could she say that about me?
"That's kind of mean to say, ma" I shouted.
"...and I know that can do a lot to a child's mental health..." Now she's calling me crazy. In front of LOUIS FUCKING PARTRIDGE-
"Yep, mental health. Got it." I said. Louis looked like he kind of wanted to laugh at how embarassing my mom is, but he felt he needed permission first because this was a sensitive topic.
"...but I want you to know that I'm here for you, even if your dad loves your older sister more than you."
"Oh, the older sister who got pregnant when she was a teenager?" I whispered so she couldn't hear me. What I said must've hit Louis with a jumpscare because his eyes widened and he looked like he was trying everything in his power not to laugh a little. This must've all looked like an ironic scene in a tv show.
"...and I know you may not think it sometimes..." she was crying now. God, I hate it when she cries. It makes me tear up too. I swallowed the lump in my throat. "...but I truly do love you. All of you. I love my children and would do anything for them."
Louis had stopped (almost) laughing now. He looked like he simply didn't know what to do with himself and wanted to disappear. I definitely found that his awkwardness funny.
My mom sniffed and left. "Goodnight, pumpkin." she said and closed the door behind her.
I let out a breath I didn't realise I was holding. Louis scratched the back of his neck again. He does that when he's nervous.
"So, you're 18 years old and your mom calls you 'pumpkin'?" he asked. I couldn't help but laugh at him. He smiled back at me.
Once he'd left, I collapsed on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. Louis is kind of cute...
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A/N
Can you hear that...?
It sounds like....
...Wedding bells...
.Nope, not wedding bells. It's the sound of inspiration to write a new book.