Just Fine (RE-EDITING)

Chapter Fourteen

Things didn't actually go back to normal after that incident. Alvin hoped that Max would act like himself again, all goofy and not knowing what personal space was with his bro-hugs, but he didn't. In fact, things got slightly awkward. Alvin found Max was trying to keep a distance from him. Sure, he still had that annoying sowboarder attitude that Alvin secretly liked, but there was something else entirely different about Max.

One of them was the lack of bro-hugs.

Alvin would have heaved out a sigh in relief if it weren't for the fact that it was also disturbing Alvin. The youngest Ackerman couldn't push away the slight nagging in his voice that told him that Max didn't want to touch him anymore.

True to his suspicion, Max avoided everything touchy with Alvin. It bothered Alvin more than it should. His smiles were also strained, as if the snowboarder didn't want to smile at Alvin. He didn't know what to make of Max's attitude. He was fine when they were doing the experiment, but now? It was as if they never got along in the first place.

The smooth chemistry between them ceased to exist anymore.

It had been a week since this weirdness happened and was still happening to their friendship. Alvin was putting his books back into the locker, subconsciously looking around him wondering when Max was going to stop by. This changed as well. Usually before school started, Max would stop by Alvin's locker, just to talk to him a bit more before heading off to class. Now, it was as if he couldn't be bothered with Alvin anymore.

That actually hurt Alvin inside. He sighed to himself when he didn't see any signs of Max and closed his locker door. "Hey, Alvin," Wendy's voice rung out as he turned around to face her.

"What do you want, Wendy?" he asked as she smiled at him evilly.

"Ready for another day of losing?"

Alvin just stared at her, suddenly not even feeling up to spite with her. Wendy noticed the lack of enthusiastic reply and frowned. "I don't think so," Alvin said but his words didn't ring any interest.

"Alvin?" she questioned but Alvin simply raised his eyebrows. She then finally huffed out her breath and shook her head. "Whatever." With that, she stormed off. Alvin shook her weirdness off. He had enough of weirdness for now from Max alone.

Looking around once more, he finally concluded that Max wasn't going to come around when the bell rang. With that, he started to walk to class, his heart feeling slightly heavy and a tad empty.

After school, Alvin went home feeling exhausted for the first time in a while. He hadn't seen Max around the whole day and he didn't even come by for recess like he usually did. Alvin shrugged of the annoying worry at the back of his mind as he made way to the kitchen. He didn't see Max around either. Rolling his eyes, he decided to get ready for work. Maybe that would keep his mind out of things.

By the time he reached Yogurt Yeti, Max was already there, talking to a girl. Alvin shook his head as he made his way to report his arriving to Ms. Carpenter and get on with his post. Max saw him before he grinned and waved. Alvin simply smiled before he went back to filling up the containers with toppings.

He glanced back at Max's table, frowning slightly when he realised that this girl was alone with Max. She was giggling and blushing as Max talked to her and her alone. This was weird. Max never really paid attention to one girl before. It was always with a group to even out his interest. But then Max reached out and brushed her hair and Alvin knew what this was.

He felt his heart panging with hurt as he looked away. He was on a date with that girl. Alvin looked at the topping containers, clutching tight on the gummy bear container. So, it looks like Max decided to straight out and date a girl already.