max.

happy birthday, max. // tape 1.0 (edited)

11:22

dec 4th

P L A Y ►

the camera focuses on a girl that was nodding off, her head resting on her knees and her arms wrapped loosely around her legs.

"hey," a hand reaches out from behind the camera and lightly shakes the girl's arm. "hey max, wake up. you're gonna miss it."

max raises her head slightly. she stares directly in front of her, her eyes still heavy with sleep.

it takes a minute for the sudden realization to hit her.

"oh." she says mutely.

her face gets warm and she buries her head in her arms. the girl behind the camera giggles at max's reaction.

"hey," she hums and squeezes max's arm. "are you okay?"

"i don't like it!" max yells out. the girl behind the camera moves back slightly.

max covers her face for a moment before putting them down. she looks away from the camera and twirls a strand of her hair.

"hey, i won't-"

the camera tilts to the far right, then everything goes black.

"vi, please don't record me." max begs.

"hey, hey, max. calm down," she whispers slowly. calmly. "i won't share it, it's a video just for you and me to look at."

max mumbles, "are you sure?"

"i promise." she chuckles.

the camera goes from pitch black to bright yellow lights. it's out of focus on max's figure for a few seconds, then focus' on her chewing on her bottom lip. she looks distant as she stares at the camera dead center.

"i just want to remember today max, it's okay. you don't have to worry."

max slowly nods.

"have i ever lied to you? look i even got you over your fear of basements a little bit, you're less scared."

wooden walls and a wooden ceiling that looks to be falling apart is quickly shown on the camera before focusing on max's face again.

max shyly smiles into the camera and holds out her hand, holding up her pinky finger. "pinkie promise?"

the camera tilts down to focus on max's hand.

violet laughs. she sticks out her pinky and intertwines her finger with max's. "i pinky promise."

max looks up at the camera and waves at it. "hello future vi i just want to let you know, you're awesome! you're such a good best friend!" she sticks her tongue out and holds up two peace signs with her fingers.

"future vi thinks the same about you!" violet squeals and hugs her friend.

both girls are almost in frame. max adjusts' herself to be in the frame again because of how small she is compared to violet.

max's nose crinkles.

"i don't look nice."

violet tilts her head at max. "what do you mean you don't look nice? you look like max."

"i just..don't look nice. i look bad" max pouts.

"hey max, that's okay if you don't think you look nice; " violet gently presses her lips against max's rosy cheeks. "because you always look pretty to me and sometimes people need a break from being pretty."

"are you sure?" max looks up at violet. "pretty people never look like me. you don't even look like me."

and she was right, most people didn't look like max. max had squinted eyes, vi had big circle eyes. max had straight jet black hair while vi had wave-like brown hair. vi was a girl with glowing tan skin while max- well max had pale skin and rosy cheeks, always.

"yeah, you're right. you don't look pretty. you look, uh, what's the word-" violet pauses. "unique! yeah, you look unique." she nods to herself.

"unique?" max whispers.

"being unique is way cooler than being pretty."

max gaped at violet. her eyes get wide as a big grin appears on her face.

the camera shakes, tilting to the side then goes black.

there's a thump before a quiet "eek!" is heard.

the camera turns upright, out of focus for a second before it focuses on the two girls, in frame. max's arms wrapped around violets neck and her head resting on vi's chest. they're both collapsed on the floor.

violet stares at max. she looks like she's in disbelief about the moment and wraps her arms around max's waist. they're hugging now.

"i think you're unique too." she whispers.

violet quietly laughs. it sounds like music.

max's breathing starts to slow down and her arms loosen from around vi's neck.

the camera tilts up slightly to show a clock hanging up above the stairway. 11:59.

the second's tick by. time goes by slower as vi watches the clock. time always seems to go slower when you wait for something.

12:00.

"happy birthday, birthday girl." she hums.

max stirs in place, managing to give a small smile at vi.

she mumbles, "thank you vi." and hides her face in the crook of vi's neck.

violet stretches her arm out of view of the camera.

the camera gets turned to face a dark blue jacket that was falling off the edge of a sofa.

violet sticks her hand in one of the pockets of the jacket and takes out a tiny box that's wrapped with red wrapping paper.

the camera faces max and violet again.

she lays the box next to her and max's bodies.

"happy eleventh birthday, max." she whispers in max's ear.

but max was already nodding off.

R E C O R D I N G  E N D E D .