The Bartender

Chapter 34

There was silence again, we both got lost in our train of thought. For the first time, I realised that the silence between Max and I  was comfortable and not awkward.

"You're quiet..." Max voiced after some time.

"Umm, yeah, I'm just wondering how old you are..."

"I'm twenty-five years old." He answered my thoughts smoothly. Just three years gap between us, is not bad at all.

Okay, why am I thinking about that again? April get a grip. 

"You look twenty-one." He said, as we finally found a bench to relax a bit.

"Hmmm, I see what you're trying to do... asking me my age indirectly."

"Errh, well I didn't think you'd figure that out but anyways, I hope you don't mind telling me...I mean I did tell you mine so,"

"Only because you told me yours...and you guessed wrong, I'm twenty-three."

"Same thing if you ask me..."
I rolled my eyes once he started sounding like my mom.

"It's not the same thing; So what if I said twenty-five and twenty-four are the same age?" I smirked.

"Basically, it is...considering I just turned twenty-five two months ago."

"You celebrated your birthday last December? Come on Max and you didn't tell me..." I gave him a pointed look.

"On the contrary, you hated my guts back then...bad idea if you ask me." Chuckling slightly, I turned my face away from him in embarrassment.

"You know you really messed up when we first met right," I stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Well, I apologised didn't I... it's not like I crossed a limit or something."

"Max you crossed the limit when you brought a cop to arrest me at my house..."

"Yeah, God, can I tell you a little secrete?"

"Hmmm, go on..."

"When I saw you that night, I won't lie I was pissed that someone had messed with my million-dollar brand-new car. But when you apologised, I forgave you that very instant. The only reason I was playing mean is I couldn't get enough of your pretty eyes. I hadn't seen anyone as beautiful as you April, I'm sorry about that but I don't regret any of it. Look at us now, I think it was God's way of bringing us together."

I rolled my eyes at him not knowing how to respond to that. I mean, it is the only reason why he kept coming back. And to even think that he wanted my reaction for his manuscript! This man is whipped no doubt about that. I should definitely read that book once he's done with it.

"If you keep doing that your eyes are gonna get stuck one day." I laughed at his lane joke about me rolling my eyes all the time.

I was having a good time but since all good things must come to an end, Max said he had to attend to some business.

"So, think about our plan and let me know alright? "

"Alright, that's a deal," I said.

"Have a nice day April." He said as soon as I got down from the car.

"You too Max." After I closed the door, he sped off down the streets. Then I started walking towards our porch, thinking of a way to get off work Saturday night to hang out with Maxwell Wilders.

Max and I are getting so close by the day, and honestly, I don't know how to react to that. Liam is still on my mind. I can't just magically forget the scandal and jump into something else. It's been only a few months.

When I got inside, I saw mom seated on the couch in a very awkward position.

"Hey mom," I greeted as I sat across from her.

"Hey, how is Maxwell doing?" She asked and that is how I immediately knew she had been spying on Max and I when he dropped me off.

"Mom, were you spying on us?" I asked slightly annoyed.

"What? of course not." Judging from how quickly she answered, she was definitely spying.

"Mom..."

"Okay, fine maybe I was..."

"We're just friends mom, it's nothing," I said, but it sounded like I was trying to convince myself.

"I believe you, sweetheart..." I could see a slight smirk forming on her lips after her sentence.

"Oh, Mom I can definitely play the teasing game with you...I'm not the one that has been going on romantic dinners left and right...Speak of which, the boys haven't been around lately..."

"Yeah, they took some days to visit their grandparents in Texas."

"Ooh, okay."

"You know what I remembered."

"What?" I asked.

"When you were younger, you'd always beg your father and I to take you to visit your grandparents...your dad was always giving excuses until they passed on." She spoke, and the playfulness in her voice suddenly disappeared.

"Why didn't Dad want me to visit his parents?" I asked. Thinking back, I can only remember Grandpa from Mom's side when I was growing up.

"It's not that April, you see, your Dad had a very complicated relationship with his parents, I never quite understood them myself." She said looking into the distance. A sign that she's lost in thoughts.

"I barely remember Grandpa's funeral..."

"Yeah, you were only 5 years old when he died...my mother passed away when you were a baby."

"I wish they were still alive," I said quietly.

"Me too, sweetheart,"

"I'm gonna call Miley, she's been out of school for two days now," I spoke trying to give Mom space. She always gets like this when we're talking about my childhood... Weird.

"Alright, tell her I said hello." I nodded and climbed upstairs.

I quickly took a warm bath when I got to my room.

Kim has been giving me the silent treatment ever since our last conversation at BOTS. She has made it a habit to sneak out very early to go to school and return very late.

Mom obviously noticed this and questioned her but, she lied about it. 

When I came out of the shower, I struggled with drying my hair. I've always hated using the blow dryer because no matter how careful I am, I always end up with heat damage.

After my hustle with the dryer, I called Miley since I haven't been able to check on her. That's his busy my life is, my best friend is absent for two whole days and I barely even noticed.

"Hey Miles," I spoke once she answered her phone. I was expecting a snarky comeback since she hates this particular nickname, instead, she answered rather calmly.

"Hello, April." Her voice sounded hoarse.

"Hey, are you okay...you weren't in school for two days... don't tell me you are off on a honeymoon with the basketball player." I tried with the joke again but still didn't get an appropriate comeback.

"Oh no, Mom asked me to prepare um...a business website for her, I'm actually still on it."

"Oh okay, but what happened to your voice? Miley, are you sick?"

"I__I Just woke up, April I'll talk to you later alright."

"__hey wait, you're coming tomorrow right?"

"Yeah, bye." The line went dead before I could say anything else, typical of Miley, always in a rush.

A/N
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Peace~