MadMax

Loved.

I wake up in my bed at Robins apartment. My head is throbbing and I can't remember anything that has happened past waking up on the bathroom floor of Family Video Store. I turn over and see Nancy asleep on the floor. I have really fucked up this time. I slowly slip off the bed and once my feet hit the floor, I fall over. Nancy jumps up out of a dead sleep.

"I'm sorry." I whisper.

"Hey, what are you doing up? You need to get some rest." She replies.

"I've got to pee." I say, getting back on my feet.

"I'll take you." She gets up and puts her arm around me and helps me to the bathroom.

We get to the bathroom door and I attempt to get her off of me to walk in.

"You are not allowed to be in the bathroom by yourself due to what happened." She sterns, walking me in.

"Can you at-least turn around?" I whine. She stands by the door with her back facing me. It is very hard to pee with someone present. I eventually give up.

"Never mind, I don't have to go." I say, pulling up my pants.

She comes back to my side and helps me back into bed. Once I'm laying down, she walks out of the room leaving the door wide open.

She returns a moment later with a plate of breakfast and some orange juice. She sets it on a tray and puts it on my lap.

"Eat up." Nancy says, clapping her hands together.

"I'm not hungry." I answer, setting the tray on the bedside table.

"When's the last time you ate Max?"

"Uhhh, at school yesterday." I stutter, my stomach twists upside down.

"Eleven told me that you didn't. Don't lie to me, I know more than you think."

Shit, I think.

"I'm not eating this. That's the end of it." I answer, turning my back to her and closing my eyes fighting back tears.

"Alright Max, then don't."

It's been two days in this bed and I think I'm going insane. I have no privacy, Nancy, Robin, and Steve take turns sitting here with me. I have to wait for Nancy or Robin to be home for me to use the bathroom because I refuse to let a boy take me. I haven't seen El or any of the boys since I left school. Today is Robin's turn to stay home with me. She's sitting on the floor watching a movie while I lie in the bed.

"Why do you all sit on the floor? I'm not contagious or anything." I finally ask.

She pauses the tv and looks up at me. "We just didn't want you to feel uncomfortable, that's all. Hey, does this mean I can lay with you now? I'm getting real sick of the floor."

I laugh at her, "Of course."

She hops up into the bed and slides under the covers, she lays on her side turning to face me with her hands folded under her head.

"What happened the other night kid? It's just you and me, you can tell me." Robin half whispers.

"It's a long story." I reply.

"Well, we got all night."

I sigh and then tell her everything.

It's the next day and Steve is barging into my room carrying a bag of fast food.

"Red, I got you your favorite of all time. Chicken nuggets and fries!" He yells.

"Definitely not my favorite but I love your enthusiasm." I laugh.

He sits on the bed crisscrossed in front of me and tears open the bag and takes out the food.

"Here's the deal, you eat some of this and I will sneak you outside and you can skateboard." He says.

I pick up a fry and take a bite. I put the rest of the fry on a napkin. "Alright lets go." I say.

"Very funny. You have to eat most of it." He says, handing me my food. A 6 piece nugget and a small fry. Okay, I can do this. That's what? Like 500 calories. I can easily burn that off skateboarding if I do it right.

"Fine. You got yourself a deal." I say. He smiles at me and starts chowing down his burger.

About half an hour later and I'm finished. He finished his like 25 minutes ago but he didn't say anything. He cleans up our mess and then walks me outside.

"Okay, we've got about an hour until Nancy should be home. Just ride around the block, but don't go any further." Steve says, sitting on the steps to the apartment.

I grab my skateboard and zip down the lane. God how I've missed this, I go to turn the corner but I trip on something and the board flies right out from under me. "Shit." I mumble, wiping the dirt off my hands. I retrieve my skateboard and am about to get back on when I notice a familiar car coming down the road. I squint my eyes to try to see who it is. Oh shit, It's Nancy. I grab my skateboard and run back to Steve.

"Nancy's here." I shout.

He jumps up looking at the time on his watch and then runs over to help me. We're in the elevator in no time and then into my bed. I am practically panting when I finally lay down, a second later the lock clicks and the front door opens.

"Steve?" Nancy yells out.

"In here." He shouts, trying to cover his heavy breathing.

She comes in and then stops in the doorway when she notices us.

"Were you out of bed Max?" She narrows her eyes at me.

I look at Steve pleading for help.

"She ate lunch today and I just wanted her to get some fresh air. We were only outside for like five minutes, tops." Steve interrupts.

"You ate lunch?" Nancy says, her tone changing from mad to sympathy.

I nod my head. She climbs beside me on the bed and embraces me in a hug.

"Good job Max." She whispers, kissing me on the head.

I've never in my life felt more loved.

"El's been asking about you everyday. Do you want to see her?" Nancy asks me.

I nod my head excitedly.

"Okay." She hugs me one more time and then walks out to make a phone call.

Steve starts packing up his stuff to go to work.

"Thank you Steve." I whisper to him.

"Anything for you, Red. I'll see you later." He replies, walking out of the room.