The Book Thief Sequel- The Past's Bridge

Chapter Two- New Beginnings

"Max! Max!"

I cried out to him and lurched myself towards him. He turned and grinned, reaching out his arms to embrace me. We collided, holding on to each other tightly. It felt like coming home.

Max. My Max is here! Oh God I've missed him.

He was definitely him, but somehow different.

Something had changed in him. He was sturdier and built with more muscle than the boney little child I once knew.

"Liesel, my little saumench! What took you so long!?"

Saumench. I hadn't heard that one since...

"Well I suppose you're not so little now," he laughed, "Look at you, you're a woman now."

"You just realised that!" I joked back. "I'm a smart and sophisticated 18 year old now I'll have you know!"

"Well you've always been smart, I'm not so sure about sophisticated yet."

I hated when he would tease me like this.

I didn't think about how much I had in fact changed. I was no longer a short and weedy child, but now a taller and slightly curvier adult version. I suppose I also wore make up and attempted to slay the wild beast which was my hair, but I don't think you would really notice the changes unless you were in someone like Max's position.

"Follow me, you can drop your bags off at my apartment and then we can really catch up."

We took a short walking from the train station to a busy five story apartment just outside the centre of Munich.

I had suspected the worst from Max's apartment. I'm not saying it was five star material, but it wasn't as bad as I had originally anticipated. The apartment was clean. A kitchen, living room and dining room all in one room, and then the bedroom with an bathroom attached on the side. Perfect for any 22 year old bachelor.

"It's not much, but it's home. You can have my bedroom for now, I don't mind sleeping on the sofa."

Quietly thankful I threw my suitcase on the bed and rushed back into the main room, wanting to steal as much time with Max as possible.

Max with two mismatched mugs in his hands gestured for me to sit down on his large brown sofa.

It was surprisingly comfortable, allowing me to slink back into its soft feather cushions.

"Liesel Memminger."

"Max Vanderberg."

I smirked slightly as I sipped my tea.

"How long do you think you'll be staying in Munich for?"

Oh God, why did he have to bring this up so soon?

I straightened myself up and explained.

Mr Steiner had closed his shop on account of slow business. He hadn't been right since his family was killed in the bombings, and so decided to move to Berlin with his brother, leaving me with no job and no future in Molching. That is when I got Max's letter. I had thought Munich might be a fresh start for me, a new beginning.

"Why didn't you say something Liesel? You must stay with me, at least until you get enough money to support yourself. I know it's not the nicest place to live, but at least it's not a basement." He chuckled lightly to himself, "This is a good thing, a new start for the both of us."

An overwhelming sense of relief came over me, and I couldn't control my pouncing on Max, wrapping my arms around him into a child-like hug.

I had missed him.