𝙴𝚕𝚢𝚜𝚒𝚊𝚗 ~ 𝙴𝚕𝚖𝚊𝚡

《𝟸𝟾》

August 26, 1985
4:15 PM

El always wondered whether people around her really cared about her, as a human, or not. She used to hear all kinds of different praises coming from the person who turned out to be evil itself in disguise. She remembered forced smiles that she could recognise to be fake even back then when she had no idea what fake was. She could remember the furious glint in his cold eyes that still haunts her in her sleep to this day. Despite that, Papa was the only person she felt somehow close to in her first twelve years of life. He was the only being that could give her solace when her world turned dark and scary. It was this that made her fall right into his preplanned trap. He wasn't good. It was her who wanted him to be good. She wanted him to be good so much that for a while, she made herself believe he really was. But once she finally got out of his prison, she made herself a promise. She never wanted to fall into the same trap again. Now she knew that eyes are the only clear windows to one's soul.

Now she was confused though. Mike's eyes were always so kind and honest when he looked at her. So true. He still somehow managed to lie despite it all. What if it's the same case with Max? What if everyone is trying to persuade her into an endless loop of lies? By this point, she was scared of being lied to. Her entire life had been a lie. It's strange to think about this when you're supposed to read a comic book with your best friend or...the brunette wasn't even sure what it was between her and Max. Earlier in the day, El tried to get Max to tell her what it was. The redhead seemed uncomfortable, leaving El completely and utterly confused. She felt like they were drifting apart a little and noticed that Max had been skittish around her lately. Maybe...just maybe, Samantha was telling the truth. And El wanted to find out because...Max was the person she now felt the closest to. She showed her friendship she'd never thought she could have despite El not being the nicest in the beginning. And now that the girls were sprawled out on El's bed with a Wonder Woman comic in front of them, El wanted to take advantage of it a little. She was not reading the comic at all anyway, mostly just staring at the pictures and the bed sheets around.

~ "You kept it." Max suddenly spoke up herself, smiling up at the wall where El had taped the redhead's painting from the art class. The girls painted each other and when the class finished, they gave it to the other. El now had Max's painting of her up on the wall as a reminder of her first day of school experience.

~ "Of course. It's from you. I wouldn't throw a gift away. Plus, you're a great painter. I had no idea." El answered with a smile, looking up at the wall too. Max had to try and stop herself from beaming, giving El a tight smile instead.

~ "I'm...really not that great. Painting you is just...easier. For me..." The redhead added, noticing that El's lips and eyes in the painting were way more detailed than the rest. She was hoping nobody else would notice if they saw.

~ "How come?" El asked, her eyebrows moving closer together. Max just realised she maybe shouldn't have said that.

~ "Um...you see? I- kinda know how your face looks like since I see you often, so...it may be harder for someone else who doesn't to- capture it like this?" Max tried to explain without sounding creepy. Luckily, it seemed like El's got it.

~ "Oh. That makes sense. But also, I don't think I know your face well enough then. My painting looked like a blob." El stated, making them both chuckle.

~ "...Not gonna lie. It kinda did." Max said with a serious face but El could see in her eyes that she wanted to laugh. The brunette narrowed her eyes at the other girl.

~ "Oh yeah?" She raised an eyebrow, inching closer. Max noticed and a strange feeling awoke in the pit of her stomach, making her gulp a bit. El never responded to her like this before. She suddenly seemed more confident than the El she thought she knew. She kept playing along though.

~ "...Yeah- I mean, you could use some practice, Ellie...you painted my hair red instead of orange I'm just saying that-" Max tried not to, but she started to ramble anyway, her eyes glued to El's brown orbs so much that she didn't even notice the brunette's arms moving towards her and cutting her off in the middle of her sentence. Max burst out laughing, feeling El's fingers tickle her sides. El couldn't help but laugh with her because her laugh was just too contagious. She still kept her evil smirk on though.

~ "Take it back! I was joking I think my painting is awesome. It was my first painting, just so you know!" El tried to sound angry but failed, stopping with the tickles while she reached out for a pillow and hit Max with it after, making the redhead shield her head with her arms instinctively.

~ "-Ellie! I didn't know it was your first painting, I-" Max tried to save herself but then got cut off again, this time by a pillow that flew right into her face, making her yelp in surprise. She was amazed by the girl's reaction. She was usually very calm and quiet. Max didn't mind though. She liked the bold and loud El just as much. The redhead's eyes then widened to the most of their ability when El moved so she was straddling her legs to keep her in place. She didn't expect this at all and her words got stuck in her throat as she stared at the brunette. This was doing things to her. Her stomach was doing backflips and her heart was beating against her ribcage so hard she swore she could actually hear it. She just kept gazing up at El, completely unable to move. She didn't even have the time to blush as she usually would.

~ "...Max? Are you okay? Did I hurt you?" El said, noticing her weird expression and began to grow worried, moving back to where she was sitting before guiltily and making Max quickly snap out of her little trance.

~ "Wha- No! Nono not at all! I just...didn't expect...that. I'm sorry." She answered truthfully, trying to calm her still racing heart. Her eyes were still on the other girl who was now sitting on the bed with her legs crossed and the pillow in her lap.

~ "Expect what?" She asked, still studying the redhead's expression. Max propped herself up on her elbows, forcing a death glare on her face.

~ "You trying to kill me with your pillow! That was such a traumatic experience Ellie! How could you!? I thought we're friends." She tried to change the topic, shaking her head with her eyes narrowed at the girl.

~ "But...we are!" El whined, looking down at the pillow and then back at Max. The redhead smirked a bit.

~ "Oh yeah? Are you sure? This definitely didn't seem like a friendly gesture." Max couldn't help but let a bit of her Mayfield sassiness escape along with a little chuckle. El raised an eyebrow again as if she was accepting a challenge.

~ "A friendly gesture? So you want a friendly gesture? Okay." The brunette asked, trying to contain the urge to smile. Max wasn't sure what El wanted to do for a while but suddenly, she laid next to the redhead and hugged her torso closer to her, almost crushing it with a little laugh.

~ "Wha- ahahah Ellie....What are you doinggg?" Max laughed with her but in reality was just trying to cover her nervousness and another flip of her stomach.

~ "Showing a friendly gesture." El smirked, looking up at her for a moment before pressing her cheek to Max's side with a light sigh. She was tired and noticed that somehow, the nightmares didn't show up when she was sleeping next to Max. At least not too often. She closed her eyes, her breathing slowly steadying while the other girl was in a crush panic mode, her eyes staring down at El. She came to the conclusion that her mind is playing tricks on her...certainly. That had to be it. If she wasn't blushing before, she definitely was now. Her heart was fluttering in her chest and she was afraid El could hear it.

~ "Uh, El- Ellie?" Max said, stammering a little but not really wanting the brunette to move away. This was frankly quite comfortable...

~ "Hmm?" El mumbled quietly, barely awake by now. Max could see that she was tired from her first day and decided to just let her have as much sleep as she needed.

~ "...Uh, nothing. You can sleep if you want." Max finally managed to talk without a stutter and continued looking down at the girl with a smile tugging at the corners of her lips lightly. Her cheeks were still painted over with red blush and she could feel goosebumps rising on her arms every time El moved a bit. But she was still enjoying this moment immensely. So much that her own eyes soon started closing.