||Pretenders||☄️

(125).

"Lives Start"

       Lives start after graduation. Maxwell's life had ended even before the graduation and he wanted it to stay that way. He was once excited about graduation because he had plans of starting a life with someone away from everyone. All these plans crumbled down. Graduation was days away and he couldn't step out of his comfort zone to see her one last time. He tried but he just could not do it. He knew he will hold onto her and beg her not to leave. As much as he hated it, the only place he crawled into was his old home where his parents and Luna were. It was Luna's idea to keep him there till he gets his sanity back.

       For days, Maxwell refused to walk out of his room or get up from that bed he had crumbled on. He had his door locked and he always heard his family making an effort to get him to come out. He wanted to bore himself to death. Every breath he took, made his heart ached and thoughts of her always ran through his head. He knew his friends had started new lives, working and partying because that was what life after graduation was. Ryan had been able to let go off Dawn and Dawn was miles and miles away, making a new life. Kiera was probably on a lifelong vacation and Cole must be visiting clubs every day to mend his broken heart.

       Alicia... she would be with Theodore, planning a wedding with him because why not? And after years or a year, she would be giving him kids and start a new family. When they coincidentally meet, Theodore would rub it on his face for how good he was treating what was supposed to be his. And that will hurt him all over again for days.

        Maxwell was sure he had no hand in Piper's death. Whoever shot her, had clear goals and they won the game. His life was thrown in a trash can. They said heartbreaks do heal and his was only getting sore. He knew he should've told Alicia he had a daughter a long time ago before the party. He should've told her he was behind those texts she was getting. His regrets burned his heart and he screamed into the pillow, letting his tears fall out. He whimpered on the bed and sobbed loudly. He should've done better. He hated that her leaving him, was his fault. His guilts were eating his heart up.

       "Maxwell," he heard his mom call for him and that didn't stop his sobs from coming out. They were uncontrollably tears. He turned himself on the bed, held his aching chest and cried heavily. "Baby,"

       "Max, can you... open up?" Luna asked from the door. "Max please." He paid no heed to them and cried. That was what his days were. Crying till he passed out and waking up with blurry thoughts of her.

•_•_•

         Same routine continued for days and when Maxwell finally decided to come out of his room, everyone stopped and stared at him. He had grown hair on his face and he looked very unkempt. He joined them for breakfast and they all stared at him. "Can you please stop staring?" His voice had gotten thin and hoarse. Luna served him breakfast and sat next to him. He looked at his dad and wore off the frown on his face. "I want the hotel back." Maxwell said to him.

       "Your brother is already taking care of it and he is doing a good job..." his dad spoke.

     "He. Is. Not. My. Fucking. Brother!" Maxwell said every word, gritting his teeth. "He never was and it's either you give me back what is mine or watch me take it forcefully."

      "Maxwell," his dad called and his mom put her hand on his. "What is going on between you two?"

      "What do you think is going on? You've been giving him everything that was supposed to be mine. Angeles and now uphill. What else are you going to hand over to him?" Maxwell asked angrily. Theodore even got his girl for fuck's sake! "What? You don't want to hand it over to me because I am not a responsible person or are you giving him everything because you don't want him to find out what you did to his mom?"