- 𝗍𝗈 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗆𝗈𝗈𝗇 -

-25-

Being a girl was fun, she supposed. You could be underestimated by thousands and have the satisfaction of seeing their disbelief at seeing something deemed impossible accomplished by a woman. You could dress up for a night and flirt with everyone in a room before going back to the way you always were and pretend it never happened.

But friendship, friendship between two girls, was the best thing Max ever supposed was great about being born a girl. Everything was intimate and there wasn't discomfort or awkwardness between the two of them. There was a mutual understanding and almost whimsical serenity to the gaps in their friendship. They didn't have to second-Guess each other, and trusted each other with their lives.

Despite making friends with Erica Sinclair and Maureen Quinfrey later on in her life, she was still sure that Elle would always hold the title of knowing her heart better than Max ever did. Elle knew her inside-out and, even though Max didn't want to admit it, wished she could know her Best Friend as well she knew her.

Elle, Max supposed, was one of those girls. Her Best Friend Forever. Her genuine soulmate.

Which was why she called the fashionable brunette over to her home when she couldn't find a good outfit for her date with Mike. Snowflakes fluttered gently down the surface of her window, mounds of soft white powder clustered in her backyard and front, the roadsides alight with cheery Christmas lights and houses all decorated with the primary Christmas tree and presents glimmering beneath its green shining branches.

Fussing with her auburn hair, she worried that calling Elle over was a bad idea, not wanting her to get stuck in a traffic jam. But surprisingly, barely even a minute had gone by and Elle was already situated in her bedroom, nose as pink as a berry and lips as red as a rose. She wasn't shivering, thank god.

"Do you think this will be too over the top? I don't want to mess up my whole green only scheme. Dark green, hunter green, and camo green are way to dark. I can't find a good colour and the rest are all bright and red." The stressed redhead ranted, her voice growing increasingly shrill the more she spoke. Elle set down her Mug filled with warm cocoa and walked over towards the open closet, clothing and Jewelry in all colours strewn everywhere. Normally the brunette didn't have that much trouble with her wardrobe, Lucas not really minding what she wore as Long as she liked it ( they were the least likely to become a couple but Max wasn't complaining as Long as Elle and Lucas were happy).

"Oh Max, why are you so worried over a simple dress? Why don't you wear your grey stone bell-bottom jeans, that lovely off-the-shoulders sweater-blouse, and your little reindeer earrings with the ruby noses? Oh, you'll look so cute in a get-up like that!" Elle squealed, Brown enthusiastic eyes glancing over towards a sheepish Max.

"Um well, you see..."

"Max?" Elle asked, narrowing her eyes at the girl and placing her hands on her hips bossily.

"Is this your first date with Mike after two months of dating?!" Max winced at her tone and shook her head in response. "Oh Max, really? How Long were you going to just not go on a date with Mike?"

"I've never exactly been on a date before Mike."

"Well then you could have come to me and Joyce! Joyce would love to give you makeup tips and I could always go on a double-date with you." Elle insisted, annoyance seeping into her tone and Brown eyes filled with amusement and exasperation.

"Joyce hates me!" Max exclaimed, blue eyes wide for emphasis. "She hated me after Mike broke up with you months ago and you went into your daze." The ginger girl sighed, falling back onto her bed, arms flailed out and wavy dark orange locks spread over her pillows. Elle frowned from above her. "No she doesn't hate you. I've already told her a million times that it's not your fault."