dark red- max mayfield

vi. and nothing but the truth

☆★☆★→ ←☆★☆★

JOSH DESPERATELY wanted to hold his grudge against Max. It wouldn't be the worst thing in the world if he did. It wouldn't hurt him to the let the redheaded girl go, she wanted to go on her own anyway. Josh didn't push her away— or, at least, that's what he tried to convince himself.

Of course, he knew the truth. He had taken a large role in her trying to abandon the boys, and she had every right to hate him for it. Josh should've wanted her to hate him. That's what he had been trying to assure himself for so long. That he hated her.

But the fight snapped it. The fight between them, where Max said she only wanted to be friends with Josh for ten bucks, was when he realized he didn't actually hate her. How could he? She had done nothing to him but accuse him of stalking her. And while Josh didn't necessarily want to be her best friend, or her friend at all, he didn't want her to hate him.

So, Josh lied like a bitch to Keith and told him he could make his dreams with Nancy come true. Keith, ecstatic by the news, did what Josh asked him to do.

Josh wasn't even sure if Max would come to the arcade that day. He wasn't sure if she'd play the game that had the "OUT OF ORDER" sign on it. He wasn't sure if she'd follow Keith to the back. He wasn't sure if she'd stay when she'd see Josh.

Then the door opened, revealing Keith and Max, with her skateboard under her arm. When she saw Carter, her expression turned furious. He attempted to smile at her. She walked inside, glaring at him.

"You'd better get me that date, Newby." said Keith dryly from the door.

"How many times today have I told you I would?" snapped Josh, sighing as he rolled his eyes towards the older boy.

Keith made a noise to shut him up. "And keep things PG in here, alright?"

Josh shook his head at Keith in disgust. Once he closed the door, Max rounded on Josh, making him back up a step. "What is this shit, stalker?"

He quickly stood up. "Sorry. You said you wanted to know... and I couldn't think of any way to make you talk to me, so I had to find a safe place."

"A safe place to what? Act creepy? I thought you said you weren't stalking me, but here we-"

Josh covered her mouth with his hand. "Listen, like I said, you wanted to know what really happened last year, so I'm gonna tell you the truth. The whole truth, and nothing but the truth."

Max rolled her eyes. She was not impressed by Josh, and that was evident in everything she did. Josh almost felt disappointed, but he straightened up instead, clearing his throat to speak again.

"But... just don't let anyone find out, okay? You can't tell anyone... because we'll both be in serious trouble if anyone else finds out. Like... dead serious. Literally."