Therapeutic Love (BxB)

Chapter 32: Max

Max halted to a stop, the entrance to the motor shop standing before him. He sighed into his hands, gathering his strength before pushing on.

"Your late." The guy started as soon as they spotted one another.

"Yeah. Car trouble." He lied, blatantly. Karie glared but knew he wouldn't be getting any sort of truth from him. He shrugged it off like he didn't care.

"Spanish family, go translate."

"Dude, you speak sp-"

"Bro fucking do as I tell you, seriously." Max tsked, pulling himself up from where Tasha was instructing him on something.

He was either jealous or looking to put Max on customer service.

Fuck him either way.

"That's not where that goes."

"Bite me bitch."

Max flinched ever so slightly when the hand jerked forward, snatching the tools from his hands. He leaned back in his seat nonchalantly even as Karie stared.

.."you good?" DaKarie asked, more pointed then concerned.

"Great." He said easily, rubbing his fingers on a cloth. He couldn't meet the man's eyes.

"Hurry so I can get back to work."

DaKarie stood there, not moving to fix a thing. He just kept staring. Anger seeped into his face slowly. He rubbed at his stubble, almost scoffing.

"Fucking pussy," he muttered, unable to help himself. Max didn't look, not revealing a thing. He went back to fiddling as the man left.

It was only then that he broke a little, blinking away the tears. He had always been able to handle a punch, it wasn't a big deal.

Why the hell was he acting like this?

"Hey."

Max continued on, rubbing at his sore shoulder under his letterman jacket as he made way for the bus stop. He had in fact gotten his drivers license yet his mother decided to borrow his car for a couple of days.

He had no clue where either were nor in what condition but what could he do?

"Max."

"What, man?" He replied, not giving him so much as a glance.

Karie jogged up, keys jingling in his shorts. DaKarie gripped his shoulder, pulling him back. He stood there for a moment, neither saying a word.

Karie sighed, gesturing back to his car with a thumb.

"Hop in."

"Nah, Ima take the bus."

"Come on man. Just get in." Karie glared not giving up. Max sighed, following along cause why not.

They didn't talk at all, Max staring numbly out the window as the man drove. This was not at all like their night drives.

They would laugh and talk shit, like they were good friends even without the wanting to jump each other.

This wasn't like that though. They were divided and Max had no clue how to fix it. And as much as he wanted to, as optimistic as he tried to be..sometimes, well shit just wasn't worth it.

"Y'all just can't let it go can you?"

"Well you didn't exactly keep your word, Karie."

They went silent again, neither speaking until they arrived at DaKarie's. They sat quietly, eyes on the houses lining the street.