drive (mithzan short story)

chapter eight.

I walked down the hallway, counting the doors on the left-hand side.
one,
two,
three. That should be Max's office. The door was slightly ajar, I walked to it, pushing on it gently and peering into the office. There were two computer set ups, one empty, the other homing Max, of who was editing away. Nickel back's 'photograph' was playing in the background, he seemed occupied. I stood in the open doorway for a minute, watching Max edit before coming to the decision not to bother him. I stepped out of the doorway bumped directly into someone.

"Sorry," I said, turning around to see Tim smiling wide.

"How'd it go?" He asked, I was about to answer when my phone started ringing, I returned the smile,

"How about I swing by later and let you guys know?" I asked,

"Sounds good to me." Tim said, He waved as I left the offices, my phone ringing out of my pocket. As soon as I was outside I pulled it out, and my heart dropped. It was Derrick.

"What." I said, holding my phone up to my ear.

"I'm stopping by your place tonight and we are going to talk this out." He said, right into my ear.

"No you aren't." I said.

"And you're going to stop me? "

"I guess not." I said, and I clicked out of the call. I knew for a fact that Derrick was going to be at my house, so right then, right outside the doors of my new job, I decided I'd take a long overdue trip to California to visit my good friends Cory and Serena. It could be good, get away from Derrick and forget about Max for a couple days, clear my head. Spontaneity was never my strong suit, but on a whim, the decision was final. Hello Cali.

With only the clothes on my back and my purse, I hopped into my car and got myself onto the freeway connecting me to California. Sweet.

Max's POV

Tim, Ross and I got home at six-thirty, almost two-whole hours before we usually do. It was raining yet again so the three of us decided to watch a movie. Ross laid down the rules. No. Scary. Movies, I left he and Tim to pick while I made myself some Mac n' cheese in the kitchen, a minute later, an idea formed in my mind and I called out to my room mates.

"Hey, did Lilah have her interview today?" I poked my head out of the kitchen to see Ross, shrug. His eyes were trained on scrolling through Netflix, and he seemed to be of no use.

"Tim? Do you know?"

"Yeah," He said, looking back towards me. "She did, she told me she was going to stop by later and tell us if she got it."

"Wait- when did you talk to her?" I asked, she never came to talk to me.

"About half-an hour ago. She looked like she was going to talk to you but she moved away from our office door and ran into me, then her phone starting ringing so she left."

I made a noise like 'hm' and spun back into the kitchen, returning my attention to the smell of Macaroni wafting out of the pot on the stove. Once my food was ready I put it in a bowl and walked over to the couch, Slapping Ross on the back of his head while I did so. I sat down next to Tim and began watching the most boring movie of my life.

Half an hour later, I had eaten all my mac n' cheese, and the movie had not progressed at all, however Tim and Ross were very into it, and what else was I supposed to do on a rainy day? Suddenly my phone began to ring, and thank god it did. One more minute of that movie and I might have killed myself. I excused myself from the couch and made my way to my bedroom, where I plopped down on my bed and looked at my phone screen, it was an unknown number.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Max?"

"Lilah?"

"Yeah, um.." She started, "look can I ask you for a favor?" her voice sounded far away, the rain was cutting into my service and the reception was shit.

"Yea, anything."

"I uh, need a ride."

"Sure, where are you?" I asked, I heard her sigh

"An hour out of town." She replied.

"What? Why?"

"I'll just, I'll tell you everything when you get here just-" she sighed again, "My car is broken down and I'm on some sketchy back road and it's really storming here."

"I'll be there as soon as I can, send me where you are." I replied,

"Sure, thanks." click. beep beep beep.

I grabbed my car keys and headed to the front door, where I threw on my jacket and left without so much as a question from either Ross or Tim. I got a text from her number telling me her exact location, I put it into google maps and Siri began talking to me.

"In five kilometers, turn right on Hielock Road.", her robotic voice rang out

   -        -        -

One long and rainy car ride later, I was driving down a dirt road surrounded by trees, this area really was sketchy. The wind was blowing the trees, making them violently sway back and forth and the rain was really not letting up. In the distance, crashes of thunder could be heard, booming over far away towns. I turned a corner, and just up the road I saw Lilah's jeep, pulled over, looking positively broken down. I pulled up behind it and got out, before opening Lilah's door and helping her out.

"Thank you so much Max," She said, but I didn't need to hear it, I knew with all her heart that all she wanted to do was thank me.

"Its no problem" I said, pulling her into an immediate embrace. "So remind me, why are you out here?"

"Derrick is at my house," She said into my chest. "And I didn't want to go back there, and you were working, so I thought I'd drive to California."

"Oh, Lilah." I said, looking down at her, in my arms. "Look you can always come to me okay? I don't care if I'm working or sleeping or eating Mac n' Cheese, you always can." I said, pulling her closer to me.

"It's raining." She said,

"I don't care." I replied. We stood there, and yes I know I know  that I seem to say that every time we embrace, but this time it was something else, it was raining and we were both drenched and we were both not caring how wet we were getting. "I-I just don't want to scare you, Lil." I said, "I think that if we were to be together you'd see me get angry and you're just so calm." She unwrapped her arms from around me and looked me in the eyes. "And we're just, we're just so different you and I, and I don't want to, to ruin how different you are."
"And I'm afraid I'll hurt you."
"And I'm afraid I'll lose you."