✓ cold blooded, mike wheeler ¹

viii. WILD SLUG CHASE

WILD SLUG CHASE
(the pollywog part 3)

When the group all got to the AV room, Mike ushered everyone in, except for Max and Ben, since Mike was stood blocking the doorway. Mike looked to Max with a stern expression, "Party members only." He said, causing Max to throw her hands up in annoyance and sit down against the wall on her skateboard. Mike then locked eyes with Ben, "I'm sorry, you can't come in either."

Ben tried not to let the hurt show on his face, but he guessed it showed anyway, judging by Mike's guilty expression. "Why?" Ben asked, Mike didn't like the tone of Ben's voice. It made him feel even more guilty. Ben then shook his head. "Don'y worry. I get it. I'm not a party member, right?" He said, annoyance lacing his tone. He then backed away from Mike as Mike shook his head, "No, that's not–"

"Forget it, Mike. I don't care anyways." Ben cut him off and sat next to Max against the wall. Mike stood in his place in the doorway, staring at Ben. "But–" Mike started before Ben cut him off again. "Dude, seriously, just go have your little meeting with your actual friends. I'm fine out here." Ben muttered, his tone dripping with sarcasm and his face painted in betrayal.

The raven-haired boy sighed, his shoulders sagging as he entered the AV room and closed the door, leaving Ben and Max in the hallway alone.

A few moments after Mike locked them out, Max got angrier and got up to start banging on the door. "Hello? Hello? Guys, come on. Can we come in yet?" Max pleaded, not liking the feeling of being left out. Ben felt the same, but was all too used to the feeling. He did, however, feel betrayed. Ben thought he and Mike were connecting, that they were becoming friends. But no, they weren't. Mike lied. He doesn't care about you, idiot. Ben shook the thought from his head, not wanting to think about those things at the moment. "No!" Mike's muffled shout was heard from behind the door in response to Max's pleading. Max then pounded a fist on the door in anger and returned to her seat on her skateboard by Ben.

"God, he's such a douche-bag." Max seethed through gritted teeth. Ben had been lost in thought, so he didn't hear what she said. "Ben? You okay?" Max asked softly, nudging him out of his head. Ben snapped his head up from where it had been previously ducked down as he stared at the floor. "Huh? Yeah, I'm... jolly." Ben mumbled, turning his head to look at her and give her a thumbs up. Max rolled her pretty blue eyes, not buying it. "What's wrong? Is it because of Mike?" She questioned, rocking back and forth on her skateboard which caused her to gently run into Ben every now and then.

Ben shrugged, "Sorta, I guess. I just... I thought we were connecting, you know? We hung out last night and shared things with each other, I told him things I haven't even told my dad," he sighed, "I guess I feel betrayed. I was starting to consider him my friend, or whatever." He admitted, rubbing his thumb against the palm of his hand, an anxious habit he picked up from his mother. Max nodded in understanding, "I get it. I'd feel shitty if someone did that to me, too. Even though I know Mike doesn't like me, I still feel betrayed. I guess I was hoping Lucas or Dustin would try to fight Mike to let me go in there. Maybe I feel betrayed by them too, since I'm pretty sure they both like me." Max admitted, chuckling towards the end with a shake of her head.