talk too much | max mayfield

*43. road tripping

ROAD TRIPPING

✧･ﾟ: * "You really had to change again?" Mike criticizes Nora as she comes out of the gas station bathroom with neatly folded clothes in her hands that she puts into her backpack as she settles down in the back of the van with Will and Max too, just waiting for Argyle and Jonathan to come back with snacks.

"You and your jean shorts,"Max takes a different approach to point out Nora's change in outfit, so she doesn't punch Mike in the face.

"Each one is different," Nora assures, ready to go into the spiel she had rehearsed for Steve too to justify why she was packing so many.

Before she can get into it, though, Argyle and Jonathan come back, and Nora finds herself lost in the packet of Oreos they brought for her and Max to share.

They're back on the road after that, Nora and Max sitting facing each other against the sides of the van, Will and Mike in front of them facing the driver and passenger seats.

"What are you thinking about?" Max nudges Nora's foot with her own as the two girls go awhile without talking, but both wordlessly agreed not to get sucked into Mike's monologue as he starts a conversation with Will.

"Nothing," Nora replies, but it's not really true. She's thinking about everything. I mean, how do they know El is in Nevada? What if they just find another clue in this huge scavenger hunt there? What if Nora can never say "I love you" to Max?

"Liar," Max says.

"What are you thinking about?" Nora changes the perspective so she doesn't have to drown in her own brain for a bit. "Babe."

"How much I hate that nickname."

"It's a sign of endearment."

"It's a sign of you being a little shit."

Nora grins in response and Max just shakes her head and looks away before starting the conversation back up again.

"You're sitting right where the security hero dude died."

"Why would you say something like that?" Nora stands up quickly to push herself onto Max's side, getting as far away from the spot as possible.

"I just wanted you next to me," Max then interlocks their fingers and Nora smiles at her.

"You're so cheesy, Mayfield."

"Oh, sorry, I'll stop," Max pulls her hand away easily, and Nora just glares.

"You're so annoying," she crosses her arms and turns her head away, so her cheek is leaning on the window.

"I know," Max wraps her arms around Nora's waist from the side, and Nora's first thought is how are Will and Mike not noticing.

Actually, her first thought was how she never wants Max to let go, but the obliviousness of her friends was a close second.

"Oh my God, he's pulling out the painting," Nora whispers hurriedly, watching Mike unroll the painting that Will made for him.

She tries subtly looking through their shoulders to see the drawing, but her vision's obscured by Mike's big head, and she decides she'll just pester him about it later.

"What are you thinking about?" Nora asks Max as she gets a bit more comfortable, both girls just holding hands again, as Nora realizes how quiet Max has been.

"You," the redhead replies predictably.

"What about me?" Nora tries.

Max smiles a bit to herself, and Nora does too as she starts thinking about her own thoughts for a second.

"I'll tell you later," Max assures, tucking her head onto Nora's shoulder.

"Fine," Nora sighs, resting her own head on top of Max's, placing a quick kiss to her forehead too. "Babe." I love you.

—

✧･ﾟ: * "Hey, when did we decide Nina was a building and not a small woman?"

"I think it was back there where we left my sanity," Nora offers, literally dying of heatstroke as she splays out in the backseat.

"Sounds like a small woman to me," Argyle continues, somehow still high as fuck.

"Maybe."

"Are you high too?" Max looks down at Nora's head that's a few inches from resting on her lap.

"Second hand smoke is real," Nora nods knowingly.

Mike pours the last of their water onto her face.

"Can you be normal now?" He stares.

Nora rubs the water out of her eyes, so she can properly glare at Mike.

"Why the hell-"

"I thought it would be funny-"

Nora sits up slightly. "You are so annoyin-"

"Why are you literally acting insane-"

"It's ten million degrees outside, I haven't eaten a real meal in three da-"

"Neither have I! I'm still pulling my weight around here-"

"Pulling your weight?! Is that what you call worrying your girlfriend is gonna break up with you when the fate of the world is literally on the line right n-"

"Name one thing you've done for the group!"

"Name one thing you've done!"

"I came up with the idea to find Suzie!"

"Yeah, and now you're the one getting us lost in the middle of nowhere-"

Nora's interrupted, not by Mike this time, but instead the way Jonathan slams on the breaks suddenly, sending the entire group rocking forward slightly.

"Dude," Argyle stares, seemingly oblivious to the argument going on in the backseat.

"I'm stopping us before we get more lost," Jonathan explains, Will and Max looking like they took a huge breath of relief at the fact that Nora and Mike aren't fighting anymore.

Verbally, at least - but if looks could kill. . .

a/n:
the fighting has a purpose I swear also next chapter = 👍👍👍 what's stopping me from publishing it rn