YOU 1 [Charli D'Amelio]

Chapter 34.

"What?" I try to take a step back from her but her grip is too strong. I must have heard her wrong.

"You heard me."

"No, I am sure I misunderstood."

"You didn't, you make me feel things that are unfamiliar to me. I don't know how to handle these type of feelings Charli. So I do the only thing I know how to do, which is be an asshole." Once again I find myself in a trance.

"This could never work, we are so different. I already have a boyfriend and you don't date, remember?"

"We aren't that different, we are very similar. We like the same things, we both love books for example." She says. I can't wrap my mind around the idea of Max trying to convince me that we could be good together.

"You don't date." I remind her again.

"I know, but we could.. be friends?" There it is. We are back to square one.

"I thought you said we couldn't be friends? I won't just be friends with you, I know what you mean by that. You want all the benefits of being my girlfriend without actually having to commit to me." Her body sways and she leans on the table and loosens her grip of me.

"Why is that so bad? Why do you need the label?"

"Because Maxxy, I have self respect. I will not be your play thing, especially when it involves being treated like dirt. I am already taken."

"And yet look where you are right now." She points out. I can't deny that she is right but I can't and won't agree to be friends with benefits with her.

"I love him and he loves me." I say and watch Max's expression change. She lets go of me and stumbles over the chair.

"Don't say that to me." She slurs.

I almost forgot how drunk she was. Her words are coming out faster than ever before.

"You're only saying this because you're drunk, tomorrow you will go back to hating me."

"I don't hate you.

I wish she didn't have this effect on me.
"If you can look my in the eyes and tell me that you want me to leave you alone and never speak to you again, I will listen. I swear, from this point on I will never come near you again, just say the words."

I open my mouth to tell her just that. To tell her to stay far away from me, to tell her I never want to lay eyes on her again.

"Tell me Charli, tell me that you never want to see me again." She steps closer yet again.

She runs her hands along my arms and goose bumps immediately raise on my skin.

"Tell me you never want to feel my touch again." she whispers and brings her hand to my neck.

Her index finger traces along my collarbone and back up and down my neck. I hear my breathing increase as she brings her lips less than an inch from mine.

"That you never want me to kiss you again." She says and I can smell the scotch and feel the heat off her breath.

"Tell me Charli" he coos and I whimper.

"Max." I whisper.

"You can't resist me Charli, just as I can't resist you." Her lips are close to mine, they are almost touching.

"Stay with me tonight?" She asks and I want to do whatever she says.

A movement by the door catches my eye and I jerk away from Max. Liam's face is twisted with confusion as he turns away and disappears from the doorway.

I am snapped back into reality.

"I have to go." I say and Max curses under her breath.

"Please, please stay. Just stay with me tonight and if you decide in the morning to tell me you don't want to see me anymore... just please stay. I am begging you and I don't beg Charli." I find myself nodding before I can stop myself.

"What will I tell Chase? He is waiting for me and I have his car." I can't believe I am actually considering doing this.

"Just tell him that you have to stay because.. I don't know. Don't tell him anything, what's the worst thing he can do?" Max asks and I shudder.

He will tell my mom. Irritation towards Chase fills me, I should not have to worry about my boyfriend telling my mother on me.

"He is probably asleep anyway." Max says.

"No, he has no way to get back to his hotel."

"Hotel? Wait.. he doesn't stay with you?"

"No, he has a hotel room close by."

"And you stay at the hotel with him?"

"No, he stays there and I stay in my room."

"What is wrong with him? Is he straight?" Max asks, her bloodshot eyes dance in amusement.

"Of course he is!"

"Sorry but something is not right there. If you were mine I would not be able to stay away from you. I would fuck you every chance I had."

My mouth falls open. Max's dirty words have the strangest effect on me. I flush and look away from her.

"Let's go inside, the tree is swaying back and forth. I think that is my cue to go inside. I have had way too much to drink."

"You're staying here?" I ask her, I had assumed she would go back to her frat house.

"Yea, so are you. Let's go." She grabs my hand and we walk towards the back door.

I will have to find Liam and try to explain what he saw through the door. I don't know what is happening myself so I am not sure how I will explain it but I have to make him understand somehow. As we walk through the kitchen, I notice the mess is almost completely cleaned.

"You need to clean the rest of this tomorrow." I tell her and she nods.

"I will." She promises, I hope she keeps it.

She keeps my hand in her as she leads me up the grand staircase. I pray that we don't run into Liam in the hallway and I am relieved when we don't.

Max opens the door to a pitch black room and gently pulls me inside.