𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐇 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓 || 𝐒. 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐓𝐎𝐍 ||

32. Reconciliation

MADDISON HARGROVE

"Staring at the trailer isn't going to solve anything. You do know that, right?"

"Of course I know that." I respond to Steve, still staring at the trailer where Max and her mother now reside.

I'm able to see that the lights in one of the rooms are still on, meaning someone's awake. Hopefully it's Max and not her mom.

I swallow my pride and muster up enough courage to undo my seatbelt and exit Steve's car, looking back at him one last time.

He mouths, "You got this." and I give him a smile in return, one of my hands on the hood of his car.

As I step out of Steve's car, his encouraging words linger in my mind, urging me to make things right with Max. The weight of our recent argument sits heavy on my chest, the harsh words we exchanged replaying in my mind like a broken record.

The phone call crackles to life, and Max's voice fills my ear. "Hey, Maddie," she says cautiously.

"Hey, Max," I respond, trying to sound pleasant but feeling a touch annoyed because I'm busy. Max caught me at the absolute worst time. "What's up? I'm kinda in the middle of something."

There's a pause on the other end, and then Max's tone grows sharper. "I just wanted to talk to my sister," she says, her annoyance clear.

I feel a surge of frustration rising within me. "Well, you've got me," I retort, my patience wearing thin. "But make it quick. I've got things to do."

Max's voice grows sharper, her words biting. "I'm tired of your attitude, Maddie," she snaps. "Ever since you went off to college, you've been nothing but rude and dismissive."

My temper flares, my irritation boiling over. "Oh, please," I scoff, my annoyance evident in my voice. "Like you're one to talk. You've always been a little brat."

Max's voice grows icy, her words dripping with venom. "At least I'm not a spoiled princess who can't handle a little criticism," she retorts, her anger simmering just beneath the surface.

I feel my blood begin to boil at the insult, my voice rising in indignation. "You want to talk about criticism?" I snap, my tone cutting. "Fine. Let's talk about how everyone in Hawkins thinks you're just like your alcoholic mother. Maybe if you weren't such a mess, people would actually like you."

There's a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the line, and for a moment, I almost regret my words. But then Max delivers her own low blow, and any sense of remorse evaporates.

"At least my mother didn't abandon me and my dead twin brother when we were kids," she says, her words like a dagger to the heart.

The line goes silent, the weight of Max's words hanging heavy in the air. And as the reality of our painful exchange sinks in, I feel a pang of guilt wash over me. I know I've gone too far, said things I can never take back.

But as I hang up the phone, I can't shake the feeling of resentment toward my sister. After all we've been through, I wonder if our bond can ever be repaired. And as I sit alone in my dorm room, I can't help but feel a sense of sadness wash over me, knowing that things will never be the same between us again.

I shake my head, trying to get the awful phone call out of my head and focus on making things right. Lucky for me though, I don't have to go up to the front door and knock, since Max comes out of her trailer all on her own with a plate of food in her hands.