LONELY TOGETHER - max mayfield

16. "Mason's Root Beer."

EVERYONE HAD relocated to Bradley's Big Buy in hopes to find some medical supplies for El's leg. After leaving the car, Nancy tossed a rock through a window, shattering the glass. Thankfully the alarm didn't go off, allowing everyone to enter. Max and Jaxon had El's arms around their shoulders letting her use them for support. She groaned slightly having to go sideways through the window.

Nancy led them to the isle with what they would need. She read labels until she came across rubbing alcohol and some gauze. "Okay, get her down."

Gently, Jaxon and Max set El down against one of the shelves, letting her rest.

"Okay." Nancy rolled up El's pant leg. "Lemme see."

"Oh, fuck no!" Jax covered his eyes. Even though he has gotten into fights, gore was something he couldn't handle looking at. Thats why he always skipped the nights when the party watched scary movies.

"Oh, shit." Said Max, her eyes widening at the cut. Nancy began to open the bottle of alcohol when Max put her hand out. "Woah- what are you doing?"

"I'm cleaning the wound."

"No. First we need to stop the bleeding, then clean, then disinfect, then bandage. I skateboard, trust me." Max explained. She put a gauze pad on the wound.

"Mike, hold this." She took his hand and placed it on the pad. "Keep the pressure on it, nice and firm okay? We're gonna need water, soap."

"Okay."
"Alright." Nancy and Johnathan stood up and left to get soap and water.

Jax was standing next to Will, who tapped his shoulder and pointed to Lucas. Jax unshielded his eyes and looked over as the boy dumped out everything in his backpack onto the floor. Max turned and gave him a look.

"Does any of this help?" Lucas asked innocently. Jax laughed, and Max had to stop a smile from forming. She loved when Jax agreed the boys were being stupid.

"No. Go get me a washcloth and a bowl." Max instructed. "Jax, go with them."

"A bowl?"

"Lucas." Max said sternly. Will slapped his arm. "Go." He whispered.

"O-okay." The three boys set off in their search.

"Where would a bowl be?" Will thought out loud.

"Doesn't your mom work in a store?" Jax asked jokingly.

"Not a big one." Will shrugged.

"They gotta be where the cereal is. A cereal bowl." Lucas smiled proudly to himself.

"What? No! Thats the stupidest thing you've ever said. They gotta be with the glasses and containers and stuff." Jax stopped in his tracks.

"Alright then go look over there. Max will be pretty happy with me when I'm the one that brings her back what she wanted." Lucas challenged.

"Y'know what? Fine! Go that way, you idiot." Jax smiled and rolled his eyes. He turned into a different isle, and celebrated with pumping his fist into the air when he found a bowl. "Ay, Lucas! Hows bowl hunting going!?"

"Shut up!"

Jax laughed to himself, as he walked further down the isle and found a cloth as well. He placed it in the bowl and walked out of the isle, finding Lucas and Will looking at fireworks.

"-an understatement." Lucas was explaining how epic "Satan's Baby" was to Will just in time for Max and Jaxon to show up.

"That doesn't look like a bowl." Max sighed.

"Nope! But I got you one. All by myself." Jax grinned, handing it to her. She smiled back and thanked him.

"This is way better. There is a reason this warning says 18 or older." Will didn't seem too into it, but Lucas was grinning almost ear to ear. "This sucker is filled with 150 grains of black powder. A.K.A gunpowder." He tossed the box at Max, who was forced to catch it. Jax leaned his head on her shoulder to read the packaging.