Baby I wasn't there

Maxine (3)

A/N: Shortest chapter so far but I felt like i needed to make it this short to really focus on Maxine and her crazy. Honestly, I love her and her character, but I have another idea I wanna shift in here and this is the easiest way to get that done 😝, so for now Maxine is getting her chapter before we get on our emotional rollercoaster.

Maxine was never one with extravagant things.

But when your a white girl with money growing up in the 1920's, you know nothing else but the life you're born into.

"Maxine, when you get older, you'll need to take care of us." Her mother alway said. Maxine would nod as her mother brushed through her curls. "You'll need a good white man, one with money." Her mother said. Maxine was always told this. That was her purpose. Marry a white man. Bear children. Secure the money.

Maxine was thirteen when she had her first crush. A boy named Nicholas. His father was vice chairman of a wealthy cigarette company. His father and Maxine's father were close, so she always saw him at gatherings.

"Hello Ms.Davis. Our fathers would like us to be acquainted with one another." He said, kissing her hand. He was the first boy to kiss her hand. The first one to look her way. The first one to see her.

He courted her for a while before they became an item. Nicholas was nice, nice enough. He was kind, but did the bare minimum. Maxine longed for more. She needed more.

After Nicholas guys stopped approaching her. Maxine had broken up with him, a woman never does that. It's improper, unladylike. You're supposed to be grateful for the man you have. Not toss him to the side like some piece of trash. That was what everyone told her.

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"He's an amazing guy Angela, truly. I can feel it. He's the one." Maxine says happily as she and Angela sit in her room.

"Maxine, please. For your own safety, leave that man alone." Angela says painting the last coat of blue on her nails. Maxine rolls her eyes.

"Angela he's a nice young man. You would like him. He's from the north, nothing like the folks from 'round here." Maxine says giddily.

"You talk about him like he's the bees knees." Angela says rolling her eyes with a scoff. Maxine smiles her face heating up.

" Well he is. To me at least. But you cant tell anyone, not till i'm ready." She says, and Angela nods, sticking pins in her hair as she reaches for the bottle of hairspray.

"Relax I won't. Lord knows what kind of trouble you'll get into. You need to leave him alone." Angela says finally, before shifting over in the vanity stool to look at Maxine. "Seriously. A colored man? Why on Earth would you think that's okay? You're parents will kill you, hell they might even linch you both." Angela says, and Maxine just frowns.

"Angela please, enough. I know it's wrong but, I just can't help it." She says with a fond smile. "His name is Alastor. I haven't been courted since Nicholas, and we were in grade school." Maxine says, going back to apply her silver nail polish.

"True, but at least he was white. That's more acceptable than that man, Al- Alastor? I believe." Angela said standing up. She fixed and smoothed her dress, before moving back to spray her hair.

"Angela your supposed to support me." Maxine whines and Angela nods waving her off.

"Only when I can reason with it. This I cannot. It's wrong."

"But why? Why is it so wrong for me to love someone?" Maxine asked, and finally, Angela stood silent. She sprayed her hair one final time before moving to her door. Maxine stood from the bed and slipped her shoes one, before following Angela out the door.

"All I'm saying is, don't be so desperate you go looking in the wrong places."

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Maybe Angela was right. Maybe Maxine was desperate. Maybe sending Alastor that letter was wrong. She shouldn't be sitting here trying to put a spell on him either. What would Y/n say right now?

What does she know anyway? She's just stupid. A stupid woman and a horrible friend. She acted like she hated him. So what changed?

The red wax drips over his name, time and time again. She stares, almost as if waiting for it to finally take effect.

What if it doesn't work? What if I did all this for nothing? I should be happy for her, support her. Right?

Wrong. Y/n always laughed at you Maxine, she made you feel stupid. Too happy, like you were a child. She didn't see you. Now she does, and she's scared of that. Maxine you need her gone. Out of the picture. She's in your way Maxine. Get. Her. Out.

"Who is that?" Maxine asks before her mirror cracks. She stands up, walking to the far side of the room to stare at herself. In the mirror, is her, but different. Her skin is grey, her eyes are wider and her ears are almost floppy. Like a rabbit.

"Maxine. This is who you are. Accept it." It's her reflection speaking, and her eyes are red. Almost a crazed look in them. She's nervous.

"I-I can't. She's my friend. I cant do that to her." Maxine stammers, her eyes welling with tears.

"Maxine he saw you for who you were, until she came along and took him. Get. Her. Out."

Silence. No one spoke. Not her or her reflection. Just, pure, utter, silence.

"She needs to go."

Word Count: 951