Breathe || Max X Reader - Camp Camp

XXV

Y/N's POV
Word Count: 1,116

     I opened my eyes to see a huge lake. The lake had to've spanned at least a mile, but maybe even more. It was surrounded by a selection of fine pine trees. In the distance, the sounds of crickets and birds chirping created a soulful ambience.
     But I didn't know where I was.
     "Max!", I screamed. "Max! Where are you!" My voice echoed through the trees. If was Max anywhere near me, he would've heard. I stood up and and walked over to the lake. It reminded me of the lake back at camp, the one Max and I liked so much. That might've been why he brought me here.
     I felt a hand land on my shoulder. "Don't freak the Hell out, you're scaring the birds away.", he joked. And, of course, it was Max. He took his hand off me and sat on the ground. The edge of the water licked his sneakers. "We've got to leave soon."
     "Where are we going?", I asked. "And why are we here?"
     Max let out a huff. He reached up for my hand and pulled me down beside him. I sat down with him and buried my hands into the sand. There was very little beach near the lake, but a wee bit of sand surrounded the outer bank. The sand felt hot, but it was a soothing heat. "Y/N," he started. "I'm taking us away from camp." I raised an eyebrow. I went to opened my mouth to argue, but Max covered it with his hand. My eyes grew wider. "I know." He took his hand off my mouth. I quieted and waited for him to explain. "If we don't leave, David is going to separate us. The entire camp was going to change. He was putting my tent half a mile away from everybody else. He was going to constantly patrol my tent, and we weren't going to ever be allowed to be near each other again."
     The palm of hand met my forehead. "Max!", I grumbled. "He was bluffing! David would never do that! A-And even if he did, that's not a reason to just bail!"
     Max averted his eyes and began a slow nod. "I get what you're saying.", he said. "But, I know that we have to go. I know that you don't trust me, and that's fine, but I'm right on this one. I've needed to get away from that camp since the year I first got dumped into it. It's a Hellhole."
     The boy skipped a flat stone across the lake. It sank after gaining a distance of around three feet. "This is wrong.", I argued. I knew that Max wouldn't listen to me, but he was wrong. It was against the rules to just up and leave. There had to've been a better way to deal with the situation.
Max groaned. He began to pace back and forth. "I know you don't want to to do this, but, for me, you're gonna' get your ass up and you're gonna' help me leave this camp.", he demanded.
I walked over to Max and grabbed both of his shoulders. I steadied him and looked into his eyes. My heart started to pound just a tad faster, but I had to set the boy straight. "I-I can't do this.", I told him. Slowly, I released my grip. "I-I know how much you hate this place, but I don't. And, as much as I care about you, I think that..." Max's expression turned somber. He wasn't angry anymore, but he wouldn't speak. "I think...I think that this is where I leave you."
Max looked to the ground and shook his head. For the first time ever, he seemed like he was struggling not to cry. He let in a shallow, shaky breath. Slowly, he released it, closing his eyes and focusing on himself. "Come with me.", he pleaded. He wanted to make it a demand, but he couldn't force himself to be that way. He collapsed to the ground and clasped his hands, resting on his arms and his knees. "Please. I need this so bad."
I was at a loss. I knew that I couldn't leave camp, but I couldn't just up and reject Max either. He had been through too much. His parents. David, Gwen. Everyone in his life, they'd all just kicked him to the dirt. I couldn't live with myself knowing that I added to the mess. I bent down and met the boy's gaze. He was crouched. He wasn't moving. He was defeated. He was at his lowest point. "Max.", I whispered. I raised his chin up, and I couldn't believe what I seen. Tears. Real tears. And they were flowing from his eyes like a waterfall. He was at his breaking point. "I don't want to do this. It's not the right thing to do. B-But I can't just leave you. I don't know what to do."
Max wiped his eyes with his hoodie sleeve. He narrowed his gaze and gritted his teeth. "Fine!", he fumed. "You know what? Leave me! Leave me the fuck alone the same way everyone else did! I'm leaving this shit hole." He stood up and stomped away. My mouth hung agape as I tried my hardest to run after him. Just as I tried to grab his hoodie from behind, he turned around and stuck his hand out at me, pushing me to the ground. "I told you to leave me the fuck alone, bitch."
And he marched away. I watched in disbelief as he disappeared into the woods. He didn't look back, not even once. Why would he do that? What is this?
I didn't even know where I was, let alone where he was off to. I had no clue how to get back to camp. I was so confused, there was so much he hadn't told me.
But I had rejected him. I had just now let this amazing human being walk away from me. What kind of person am I? I wasn't even focused on getting back to camp. I needed to right my wrongs.
I was going to get Max back If was the last thing I did.
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A/N - Woah, okay, things are starting to really take shape. Also, guys, after this last little arc, I was thinking of ending the fic. It's pretty long as is and I have other things that I'd like to write. Would you guys mind if this was the ending arc or do you want more? I can always to bonus chapters or deleted scenes or something. ☁️