Coming Home

Saying Goodbye: Part 2

Max had left Warren's dorm and escaped to the salvation of her room. There, she grabbed a change of clothes and went to take a shower. She also plugged in her phone, but left it off. She tried to hurry through the hallway, the sense of eeriness from the empty dormitories still disturbed her.

She felt refreshed after the hot shower. The one good thing about Blackwell being empty was no one was using the sinks. She could have the hot water all to herself. After some time, she stepped out. The air felt chilly to her naked body, but, she slowly changed, savoring a few moments alone.

She knew eventually she would have to face the music. Her parents were picking her up later, although they didn't express a time. Max still wanted to say goodbye to Kate, which meant she had to go back to her room and turn on her phone.

And, she thought with a grin, somehow avoid the thousands of texts Warren is certain to send me.

She still felt a little guilty about leaving things the way she did with him. Although, she felt she did the right thing, even if it were painful. As she changed, she thought about what she was going to say to Kate. She learned a long time ago that rehearsing dramatic speeches to say goodbye to best friends doesn't work out that well.

Just ask Chloe how well that worked out. She thought bitterly.

As she got dressed, she wishes she were different. Not completely, she still likes some things about herself. She wishes that she didn't always feel an overwhelming desire to run away every time life got hard. At this moment, now more than ever, life was… tough.

She dressed. Since this would be her last day in Blackwell, perhaps ever, she just wanted to dress in comfortable clothes. She dressed in a long-sleeved black shirt with a photo of the San Diego skyline on the front. She put on her usual grey hoodie and a pair of black leggings.

She finished dressing and reached for her phone on her night stand. As the phone powered on, she observed her room. She supposed she could start packing now, but she knows herself. She knows the second she starts trying to put off saying goodbye to Kate, she'll never want to do it. She had to text her now and make a plan, or else she'll never get to it.

Besides, Kate deserved more than a phone call goodbye. She had been more than just an angel for Max.

Max sat on her bed, Indian style, and gave a deep sigh. Her phone showed absolutely zero notifications. Deep down, she wanted to see that she had a message from Warren. Although, she wasn't sure why.

Maybe Warren is just asleep? It seems logical. He doesn't usually get a ton of hours.

Her heart nearly leapt out of her chest when her phone chimed with a new notification. She scrambled to open her messaging app and was disappointed when it was just a message from her mother.

Mom: Sorry honey. Looks like there's been a slight delay in our flight. We'll be there in the morning though! XOXO

Max strangely wasn't disappointed by this news. It gave her time to pack, after all. She decided though, it was now or never to text Kate. But after some thought, she considered it better to call Kate, rather than text. She did favor calling anyway.

Her phone rang only twice before her friend picked up.

"Hey, Max! What's up? I'm surprised you're up this early!" Kate's bubbly voice rang through the speaker of her phone.