- 𝗍𝗈 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗆𝗈𝗈𝗇 -

-5-

"Hi." The perky brunette said. Max glanced quickly towards the girl, one ginger eyebrow lifted. "My name is Elle. What's your name?" Ah, the classic i-wanna-be-your-friend-move. But nothing about this girl looked popular or preppy. She wore denim jeans and a black button-up designed with swirls and funky pattern in all the different colours of the rainbow.

She didn't look threatening. She looked like a kitten actually. And with the way she was looking at Max hopefully, like she really wanted to get to know her and be her friend, unsettled her and made a part of her heart ache at the same time.

"I'm Max." She said. Her voice was soft, but Elle's eyes lit up when she heard her speak. "Cool. So, you're new to Hawkins, right?" Max tried her best not to grimace, "Yeah. Just moved yesterday."

"That must be hard, huh. Moving so suddenly." Elle commented, a tinge of genuine concern laced in her sweet voice. Max, who wasn't used to someone who was so concerned over her, smiled robotically again and nodded her head. "Kind of. I mean, i miss California, but this town doesn't seem...too bad."

"Trust me, this town might seem boring, but the people in it are the best once you get to know them. Trust me, they're amazing." Max eyed Mike who was just a few tables away, watching them interact. He looked away quickly, but she could feel his eyes on her again the moment she looked away too. "That's nice to know."

"Hey, so Halloween is coming up", Understatement of the year, it was in two days, "And i was wondering if you would like to join me and my friends for Halloween tomorrow?" Elle finished her cheery question with a bright smile and another one of her hopeful looks. Max could feel herself softening, Elle was so nice to her. So kind and happy, she wished that she could be like that too, so content with her reality.

Elle reminded Max of her mom, which was weird to think about when she was talking with someone who seemed like the exact opposite. But she was nice and wanted to make friends with her. Maybe in a little way, Elle was like Susan, soft and anxious. Letting people have their way and always kept away in the background. But something, something deep down inside her told Max that Elle was different. Not a bad different like Neil, a good kind, a new start.

"I-I'll think about it." Max replied, staring awkwardly down at her rough palms, no longer as soft as they once had been from years of change the wheels on her skateboard and falling onto the gritty roads. The paleness of her skin so thin that you could see her veins clearly on her wrist. It used to be a tan golden shade, her skin. But it seemed like that too faded away. Green and purple veins blurred beneath her paper thin freckled skin, streaking together like a watercolour. God Max, how are you so fucking awkward. Its just one invite to hang out with some new people. You can handle that.

She gulped, besides, you've handled worse.

"Really? that would be great! Wanna give me your number? that way, i can call you and tell you the address." Max stared blankly at her fortune teller lines before replying softly, "I don't have a phone." And it was true, no matter how embarrassing it was to admit. Her house didn't have a house phone yet, their old one broke, and Neil had insisted on the family being non-dependent on electronics anyway (which was a load of bullshit). She could feel her face redden, feel that familiar burn of tears at the back of her eyes.

She willed herself not to cry. At least, not now. Not when she was so close to making a friend here in town and finally socialising again. After Neil came, she had stopped everything. Everything was put on hold, her life as she once knew was gone, replaced with the misery and fear of Neil and Billy.

"Oh. Well, i'll meet you after school and pass you the address on paper! Meet me at the back of the gym!" Elle suggested enthusiastically, her face mellow and soft, round and gay.

Max could only nod as the bell rang and declared the end of lunch. She watched Elle disappear amongst the crowd and watched quietly as a tall curly-haired boy wrapped one arm around her. Elle smiled up at him adoringly before the two (probably a couple) walked out of the cafeteria side-by-side.

Max swallowed and shoved her way out of the suffocating room. God, why did she feel like all the oxygen was punched out of her lungs? They probably are a couple, it's normal for them to be a little affectionate in public. But the beating of her heart and her flushed face told her a different story.

God, how could she stop.

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