The Writer | #4✓

Chapter 19

The next day Maxwell texted me a good morning text like he usually did. I replied to it, and we talked before he met up with me in the lobby on the ground floor, and we walked to our classes together. It was like yesterday didn't happen, and he was back to the bubbly social Maxwell everyone knew. I was also starting to wonder if I should bring up yesterday so that we could talk about it, but did I really want to do that when it looked like he had gotten over it?

A sigh left my lips as the pencil lead of my mechanical pencil snapped from the pressure I was applying to the paper without thinking. I brushed the broken piece away before clicking the eraser end to get more lead. I was in one of my English lectures, but instead of taking notes I was busy worrying about Maxwell.

I bit my bottom lip as I tried to concentrate on what my lecturer was saying, but I just couldn't. I sighed again, looking at my laptop screen before an idea came into my mind. I then opened up a word document and started typing. I probably wouldn't be able to get Maxwell to talk to me, but I could cheer him up with a little short story. I was able to chug out two thousand words at the end of the class, and I left for the next one just like everyone else. I worked on it for a bit in my linguistics class, and I revised it during my short ten-minute break between lectures.

When I was done with my classes for the day, I headed to one of the many study halls in the humanities building. I sat at the back before taking out my phone to text Maxwell.

Message to: Maxwell.

Hey, are you out of class yet?

THURS, 2:28 PM.

I asked him, watching as the three blue dots that showed he was typing came up.

Message from: Maxwell.

Yeah, I just got out. Do you want to eat lunch together?

THURS, 2:29 PM.

Message to: Maxwell.

Yeah.

THURS, 2:30 PM.

Message from: Maxwell.

Okay. I'll meet up with you in the cafeteria in the student union building. How's that?

THURS, 2:31 PM.

Message to: Maxwell.

Sounds like a plan! I'll be there in like ten minutes.

THURS, 2:32 PM.

I pressed send, smiling down at my phone a bit before I got up from the seat in the study hall and headed out of the humanities building. The student union building wasn't too far away, and soon I was in it and heading to the cafeteria inside.

He's acting too calm. I thought, thinking about the texts I exchanged with Maxwell a few minutes ago. He seemed to be banking on me not bringing up the conversation about his break down, but I didn't want it to slide under the table as if nothing happened.

A smile made its way to my face when I found Maxwell sitting but the window at the corner. He waved at me, and I waved back before heading to join one of the food court lines. When I had gotten something to eat I headed over to sit at the table with him. I sat across from him so that I could look at him right in the face.

"How were your classes today?" I asked, watching him smile a bit.

"They were fine," he said, his smile widening. I didn't smile back, but rather I frowned. He's trying really hard to ignore what happened. I thought to myself, noticing that the smile he was wearing was forced and it wasn't reaching his eyes. Maxwell could pretend around other people, but since I had started being around him more I could spot when he was happy and when he was not.