The Writer | #4✓

Chapter 22

I was standing in front of the stage they'd set up in the main quad for the music festival. It was noisy and crowded. People were in their fall jackets since the weather was pretty cold today and the wind chill was on the high side. I smiled when I spotted Maxwell at the back of the wooden stage with his friends, smiling as they disappeared into the back.

"Hey, have you seen Advik?" I heard Oliver ask, making me turn to him. He had come along with me, hoping to catch Advik playing his saxophone in the lineup sometime today.

"I haven't yet, isn't he playing later in the afternoon?" I asked him, opening the filer I had been carrying around with me. "Yeah, he's not up until five in the evening," I said, looking back at Ollie who just smiled at me before sighing. He patted himself with his hands, hoping to get warmer. I wasn't sure why everyone was so cold. I mean, it wasn't that bad, or maybe it was the northern Canadian in me that couldn't tell how chilly it was.

"When's Maxwell playing?" Ollie asked me, shaking his leg. He must be really cold.

"In the next few minutes, I think. They're part of the opening," I said, looking back to the stage that hand people walking about it to arrange the seats and microphones.

"Oh, that's neat," Oliver said with a small smile. "As you can see, I'm freezing, so can you give me a text when Advik's up on the stage? I'm heading to take a sit in the cafe at the hub," he said, looking behind him. I followed his gaze to the hub building before nodding when he turned back to look at me.

"Great, thanks!" he said, waving before he jogged away. I turned back to the stage when Oliver had disappeared out of sight. The announcer was now on stage, and a lot more people were standing around the stage now. I could spot Maxwell's head of red hair somewhere at the back. He was at the far end of the stage, talking to his mates as he tinkered with his Cello. I felt my cheeks warm up as I saw him turn my way before smiling and waving. I waved back, and he turned away, returning his attention to his instrument.

The present soon went about the usual, and the sound of clapping filled the main quad as Maxwell, and three of his mate came up front and went about playing the national anthem. I smiled, happy to see that he looked like he was having fun. When they were done playing the crowd started clapping again, but a rose a brow when Maxwell made to ask the coordinator for the microphone. She frowned at him, but after a short while, she handed the mic to him.

"I have something to say," he said into the microphone with a smile. "I love you Xanny," he said before handing the microphone to the confused girl before walking off stage with his cello. Everyone around me had turned my way. some were smiling, and others were chuckling, probably from how shocked I looked with my wide-eyed stare.

Soon after Maxwell met up with me in the crowd, and the people around us started giggling when he took a hold of my hand.

"Why did you say that?" I asked, watching as Maxwell shrugged.

"I don't know. I just wanted to stake my claim I guess," he muttered, moving closer to me so the fabric of our fall coats were rubbing against each other. The sun was out again, so it wasn't as cold as it was half an hour ago. I smiled realizing Maxwell was in a set of clothes I had gotten for him. They suited him, especially the green fall coat. It went well with his ginger hair.

"Stake your claim?"

"You won't get it. Plus, I like seeing your face get red with surprise," he said, making me sigh before rolling my eyes, he chuckled, squeezing my hand.

We walked about the main quad for the rest of the festival. There was a beer garden, a handful of games we could play. Some clubs had even set up tables for late registration. We went back to stand by the stage when Advik and some others came up to perform. I called Ollie, and he was there in a few minutes. His face red, and his lips twisted into a large smile. After Advik's performance, he headed to the back, waiting for Advik to climb down the stairs. I rose a brow, wondering why he seemed so excited.

"Are they going out?" I turned at the sound of Maxwell's question.

"Advik and Ollie, are they going out?" he asked again, and I looked away from him to face the two that were now chatting at the far end. Ollie was far shorter than Advik, standing at 5'8. Advik was tall, probably 6'3. A pretty odd height for most Indians.

Dating? I thought, frowning a bit. For all I knew they played volleyball together, and that was about where all their connection ended, or maybe I'm wrong? Oliver spent less and less time in our room.

"I — I'm not sure," I ended up saying, watching as Maxwell nodded before reaching out to hold my hand.

"They spend a lot of time together," he said, and I could only nod.

"I suppose."

Towards seven in the evening we started heading back to the residence building. I followed Maxwell up to his room, and he played a song for me as I sat on his bed and watched him with a smile.

When he was done he placed his instrument aside, walking over to me before sitting right beside me on the bed. It sunk with his weight, and we just stared at each other with smiles on our faces. His room was dimly lit, and the room was quiet except for the wall clock that filled the void with its ticking.

"My dad called this morning," Maxwell said, looking away. My features twisted in worry, wondering if it was bad news. "He asked if I wanted to talk to my mum."

"Oh," I said, watching as a broad smile took form on his lips as he smiled at me.

"She wants to talk to me. She really wants to talk to me," he said as a little excited chuckle escaping his lips. "A lot of people wouldn't want to talk or reconnect with the people that abandoned themed, but she left, and now she's back. Well, not back in my family, but trying to talk to me. I'm not desperate for being happy about that, right?" he asked.

"You're not," I said, reading out to brush his loose strands of wavy hair back into his brushed back hairstyle. "Not at all, don't worry about that." It was nice to see Maxwell smiling and excited.

"Your performance was great," I said, and he thanked me. I reached out further to pull him into a hug, and he settled into it. I kissed his temple before resting my head on his red curls. "When last did you see your mother?"

"I don't know, like when I was six? I don't really remember what she looks like," he said, and I stayed quiet, not knowing how to reply to that. I just hugged him harder, and after a while, he pulled away from me and we just stared at each other. His brown eyes had a look I couldn't really describe, and I was a little shocked when he moved in to kiss me softly. He pulled away soon after, a small smile playing on his lips.

"Usually, I can't really feel anything unless, well, you know..." he trailed, and my cheeks heated up. "I mean, I enjoy being kinky with you. I love that, but I don't mind just cuddling up to you and giving you vanilla kisses, and I don't mind when I'm on the receiving end of your advances."

"Vanilla?" I asked, watching as he laughed. I mean, I knew what he meant. Like, bland — plain, but it still sounded like a very odd word to me.

"You know what I mean," he chuckled, rolling his eyes before moving in to kiss me again. I sighed into the kiss, moving to hold on to his hair as he moved into a lying position. Right now, just as we were. I loved it.

I loved him.