Reintegration program - Elmax

Chapter 40 : I love you

The return at the school would be complicated. Max didn't see Jane since the kiss, and didn't know how she was going to react about this, and the slap. She entered the building, walked in the halls and went in direction of her locker. Jane was there. She took a deep breathe, and walked to it like if everything was normal. She opened her locker, and began to take her book. She could feel a tension between them, she should say something to make it less awkward.

- I'm sorry, for the slap, I...I panicked I guess, told Max.

Jane closed her locker and turned her head to her. She had a light red mark on her cheek.

- It's fine, I understand. Just, don't do it again, said calmly Jane.

- Yeah, of course. Um...about the...the kiss...

- It was, just like that, I was a bit, drunk, don't worry about it.

- Ok, cool, uh, we're still friends, right?

- Yes.

Jane nodded, hardly smiling before looking away. Beverly and Melissa arrived together near their best friends.

- Wassup Jane! greeted the black girl. What the hell happened to your cheek!?

- Nothing, just Cat playing too much.

- Damn, what a bully!

Melissa put her arm around Jane's neck and brought her away to talk to her, letting the two redheads together.

- So? smiled Bev.

- So what? frowned Max.

- Lesbian or not?

- God, no! I was...tipsy, I just felt weird because of alcohol, that's all! I'm with Dan, he is a boy, I like boys, that's all!

- Ok, sighed Beverly.

- What again!?

- Nothing! You can like boys or girls, or both, I don't care!

- But..?

- Dan, pouted Bev. I don't think he is good for you.

- Yeah, well, when you'll have experience with a boy, I'll ask your opinion about my relationship! told sharply Max.

- God! Jane was right!

- What!? Why Jane was right!? What did she tell you!? asked quickly the redhead.

- That, you're sexually frustrated! I think she is right!

- I'm not! That's bullshit!

- Yeah, whatever, chuckled Bev. Just, don't talk to me like that ever again, I would appreciate.

- Yeah, sorry, I'm tired and I can't stop thinking of this kiss...

- It's normal, you're changing, smiled Beverly.

- I'm not! I'm just...disturbed, that's all! It's gonna pass!

Beverly gently rubbed her back, knowing it wouldn't pass, it would even become worse, but it was normal, she needed time to understand what was happening, it was a big change!

Even if Jane said it was just a kiss and it was ok, Max was sure that she didn't really appreciate the slap, and couldn't blame her for that. She was a bit distant all the morning, talking to her only when it was Max who was making the first step, and it was always short answers, to avoid the conversation. At lunch, she sat alone, at a table a bit far from them.

- What's wrong with Jane? asked Dustin.

- I don't know, maybe she wants to be alone, answered Lucas.