"You're dripping like a saturated sunrise
You're spilling like an overflowing sink
You're ripped at every edge but you're a masterpiece
And now you're tearing through the pages and the ink"
where the zoomer falls in love with the thief.
(max mayfiel...
"We were a mistake. We should have never been together."
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DECEMBER 1985
Max and Joe were together, in theory, but not really. Max had been pulling away ever since the summer months came to a close. Each day that passed, Max became more and more distant it seemed. They hadn't broken up, but it was rare for the two to hang out just the two of them, and when they did, Joe was ecstatic. She would take whatever crumbs she could get at this point.
Joe understood Max. While they never talked about what happened that summer, Joe tried to be there for her as much as Max would let her. Max never returned the favor though. It was always Joe comforting the redhead, never the other way around. Summer had been just as traumatic for Joe, if not more. Joe had died, killed several people, and had been a puppet all within a single month. Joe had problems, serious ones, but she pushed them aside to try to be a good girlfriend to Max.
Max had decided to actually hangout with Joe on a random chilly Friday in December. Joe was just happy that Max wanted to be in her presence, even if it was just for a little while.
Joe worked at Camelot Music, which was a chain record store that had decided to set up shop in Hawkins. Max had come by to get a new cassette one afternoon after school had let out for the weekend. Joe wasn't sure where she got the money to afford it, knowing the situation the redhead was in, but she didn't question it. Max didn't like when Joe asked too many questions or she punished the dark haired girl by becoming stand-offish for a week.
"Kate Bush? I've never heard her stuff before," Joe said as she rang up the cassette for Max.
"You work at a music store and you've never heard of Kate Bush?" Max asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I guess I listen to too much pop," Joe said, looking down in embarrassment.
I'm such an idiot, Joe thought to herself.
"I could show you her stuff," Max suggested, which took Joe by surprise, "If you want."
Max reminded Joe of a cat. She wanted nothing to do with people until it was on her terms, and Joe felt lucky for even getting a simple invitation.
"Yeah, that would be nice," Joe smiled, "I get off at 8. Just meet me at my house. You can let yourself in, nobody else will be there."
Max nodded, grabbing her cassette, then leaving just as fast as she arrived. Joe's eyes followed her. She couldn't deny how beautiful her girlfriend was.
Maybe tonight it will change. Maybe she will open up and we can move on and be normal again, Joe hoped.
