Beauty where there's pain

Chapter 6

Halloween was in a few days, and it's the one time a year that the town of Wellsbury was truly united. Everyone decorated at the same time and everyone came to the annual fall festival. Marcus considered it to be the most upsetting event of the year. He used to celebrate Halloween with his best friend, until his best friend went through his long battle of cancer.

Everything was just a painful reminder of what he had lost. He used to celebrate Halloween with his best friend, but now his best friend wasn't here. Halloween became one of those painfully depressing things that he couldn't stop from happening.

Instead of going out to go to fall fest, he and his dad started cleaning out the small bedroom that was beside his. He desperately needed the distraction. He was going to paint the walls and turn it into a nursery for his daughter.

The good thing about the whole co-parenting thing that Marcus discovered was there weren't any arguments about nursery themes. He got to do what he wanted and she got to do what she wanted. The only issue that Marcus faced was the fact he had to make the nursery for a little girl and he had no idea what little girls were interested in. He only knew that they typically liked playing with dolls. He was surprised that he was so stunned about the nursery because he used to consider himself pretty knowledgeable about girl things, considering he grew up with a twin sister who didn't understand the concept of personal space.

He ended up having to rely on his mom for ideas. "Honey I think you're overthinking this a little bit. The baby isn't going to be here until March." Ellen told him as she washed the sink of dishes in front of her. "Ok I get that but I'm not going to drop this topic without an answer." He told her, she sighed. "Flowers are always a good way to go." Ellen told him while putting the wet plate in her hand on the drying rack. "Thanks mom!" He said before going back to the soon to be nursery.

Jade went to Brodie's Halloween party with Kenzie. She couldn't drink or anything but she could still wear a cute costume. Jade wore a white and gold two piece goddess dress and Kenzie wore a short pirate costume. "I don't think Mrs. Torres would approve of your costume choice McKenzie." Jade told her friend. "Luckily for me, she's in Salem for a conference. I can wear whatever I want for the next two days!" Kenzie told her. They laughed together before going to the couch where Press was getting a lap dance from Abby.

"Samantha, let's see if you can do a better job than Abby." Press said while pushing Abby off of his lap. Abby's face fell and Jade saw how upset she was. "Asshole." She muttered before reaching out to hug Abby. Press looked in Jade's direction, "Aren't you literally pregnant? At 15? By the stoner who couldn't read in 5th grade?" Press asked her. Kenzie was quick to jump up, "Didn't you literally fail English last semester? Please stay in your lane sir." Kenzie told him before turning to grab Jade and Abby's hands and pulling them away from the couch to the middle of the room where everyone was dancing.

Max was drunk. Jades known the girl long enough to see her in multiple states, but she's never seen her like this before. "Oh my gosh! Jadeyyyy!!" She said before wrapping Jade in a hug. "You look gorgeous girl!" She told her, "And how's my niece?" She asked while gesturing to Jades 19 weeks pregnant bump. "She's doing great, she's been keeping me up all night with all her moving." Jade told her. "Aw! I can't wait to see her!" Max said before turning around and grabbing a cup from the drink table.

Everyone gathered in a dance circle and people were being pulled into the middle the entire time. Kenzie was tipsy and dancing in a way that was surprising to everyone in the room except for Jade. They all knew Kenzie as the girl who wore head gear and glasses all through middle school, but Jade knew how her best friend wasn't as innocent as everyone thought.

After dragging Kenzie out of the dance circle, Jade saw Max sitting against the wall and crying to Ginny. She quickly went over to them and tried to find out what was wrong.  Ginny glared at her, "I've got her. Have a good night." Ginny told Jade before trying to pull Max to her feet. "Let me drive you and her home. It's no issue." Jade told her while helping Kenzie stand up as straight as possible.

In the end, Ginny did accept the offer because there was no way she could walk two blocks home with Max and she didn't want to order an Uber. Jade drove through the neighborhood and her radio  played Tyler, The Creator. They made it to the Bakers house within 5 minutes. She put her car in park and got out, "Stay here, I'll be back in a minute." Jade told Kenzie while she helped get Max out of the car.

Getting Max up to her room quietly was hard because she kept stumbling and talking loudly. The eventually got to her room and helped her to her bed. The noise must've gotten Marcus's attention because he bursted into her room shortly after they entered. "Max, what the" He said before noticing her drunken state. "Shit." He said. "Marcus! Max! What's going on?" Ellen asked her kids after hearing the commotion. "Sorry mom." Marcus called out, "my mom!" Max said while sitting up, only to be pushed back down by Ginny. "I was just..." Marcus hesitated while trying to come up with an excuse. "I love her!" Max screamed. "I was just trying to scare Max!" He told her. "Don't scare your sister!" Ellen called back. "Yeah. Goodnight!" He said before shutting her door. "Jesus, how much did she have to drink?" Marcus asked while taking her boot off. "She didn't like me Marcus." Max told him. "Who?" He asked. "Sophie.." Max told him. "I blew it." She finished. "Nah, you'll be fine. If anyone can bounce back it's you." Marcus told her, making her roll her eyes at him. "Loser, sleep on your side. Come on." Marcus told Max while helping her onto her side. "Thank you, ok now there's a bucket here just in case you need to be sick ok?" Marcus told her. "Ok." Max responded. He kissed her forehead gently and stood up. "Come on." He whispered to Ginny and Jade.

"Thanks for bringing her home." Marcus told them. "It was no problem really, just looking out for my bestie." Ginny told him in an overly preppy voice. He pushed his lips together in a flat line before nodding, "see you around neighbor." He told her. She smiled and went down the stairs to the door. Jade remained upstairs with him. "She's so damn annoying." Marcus told Jade once he was sure that Ginny was gone. Jade laughed, "And she's kind of mean, almost bit my head off when I offered Max a ride home." She laughed out. They laughed together until Jade suddenly stopped and touched her stomach. "I think she's kicking." Jade told Marcus. "Holy shit? Really?" He asked, she took his hand and placed it on the spot where she felt the kicking. He chuckled, "She's kicking!" He exclaimed happily. As soon as the kicking calmed down, Jade looked up to him, "I better get going. Kenzie's waiting for me outside." She told him. He nodded, "I gotta take care of Lindsay Lohan here." He told her, making both of them laugh.

"Marcus? Marcus!" Max yelled from her bed, Marcus rolled his eyes at her and went to see what she wanted. "Marky Mark." She said as she saw him walking to her. "What? What do you want?" He asked her quietly. "I don't feel so-" Max said before she started flopping around and fake blood poured from her lips. Marcus freaked out until she stopped and smiled, "Gotcha!" She said while laughing. "What's wrong with you?" He asked her, "It's a little joke!" She said, "What's wrong with you?" He repeated, "It's a little jokey joke!" She said. "You cared about me! My little.." she said while gently hitting his face. "You're the worst." He told her, "You.. you're the worst." She told him  at the same time he said, "You are the worst! The actual worst." "You know what? How about this?" She said before signing something to him, which he signed right back to her before leaving her room.

"I feel like I'm going to throw up." Kenzie groaned. "Awe poor thing, don't do it in my car." Jade told her. Kenzie groaned deeper and stared out of the car window. "Text your brothers and tell them you're staying at my house. They'd kill you if they knew you were drunk." Jade told Kenzie. "You're such a good friend Jadey, I love you bitch." Kenzie told her, "Love you too whore." Jade said as she turned into her neighborhood.