Delinquent For Christmas

Chapter Seven

       I was half way to the shelter when a car pulls over, stopping me in my path. It was Max. "Where you headed?" His voice sounded strange. He wouldn't look at me.

       "To see you."

       His eyes bugged, like he was shocked, but he only nods. "Hop in." He doesn't even look at me...

        The ride was quiet, the silence awkward and stressed. We were heading in the direction to my house.

      "Wanna stop for hot chocolates on the way?"

        I shake my head, staring out the window.

        "Come on, Hope. I thought you wanted to talk."

        "I decided it's a waste of breath to apologize."

        "Why? Because you're afraid I won't accept it?"

        "No, because you will. I know you will, Max, and I'm not worth forgiving."

        "Yeah, because what you did was so awful." He exaggerated with an eye roll.

        "I'm a waste of life, Max. I hurt everyone I care about. What good does that do? What good is forgiving me now, just to get hurt by me again, later?"

        He was actually laughing..."Are you planning on hurting me?"

        "Well, no, but---"

        "Then I don't believe you will. If you do, it'll be an accident, and oh well."

        We pull in into my driveway. I turned, speaking to him dead on. "Hurting you in not oh well, Max." I got out, slamming the door.

        He got out, too. "What's so special about me?" He stood facing me, smiling, quoting me from before.

        I walked up to him, standing face to face. "You're you, Max. You mean everything to me."

       "I thought no guy could ever replace Molly?" He opens the door to my house, holding it open for me.

       I shove him. "Smart Ass," I laugh. "I realized that I never would have met Molly, if it weren't for you. Therefor, you are more important."

        He pretends to think for a minute. "I'll take it."

        "You're so weird."

         "And you two are so annoying."

        "Ugh, I almost forgot I'm rooming with an egotistical pig."

        "Play nice," Max whispers in my ear. It makes me shiver.

        I take his hand and pull him to a seat on my window loft. "Anyway..." I give Zachary a glare. "Today had me thinking a lot about---"

       "I know," he smiles, taking my hand in his, "the day we met."

       "Ugh, why don't you two just date already!?"

        I keep glaring at him until Max starts to speak again. "So, the Christmas party is now two nights away..."

        I jump up, remembering. "That's right! Shoot, Moll and I still need to go dress shopping!"

        "Like you don't have enough clothes already..." the boy across the room muttered.

         "You've already said you were coming, and obviously you would, because you're my sister's best friend, but I still wanted to ask you anyway...if, maybe...you'd come for me? You know, like...never mi---"

        "Don't you dare say "never mind."  I know what you're trying to ask, I just wish you'd ask it."

        "I don't want to make you feel like you have to. You really don't have to date me, Hope. In fact, I don't blame you. I really don't see why you'd want to..."

        I take his face in my hands, making him look at me. "I have a better idea. The party's two nights away. Everything with that is already stressful enough. Instead, why don't me and you try having a redo date? To see if things could...work out?"

        "Really?" I nod. "Wow, um...sure? I mean, yes. That sounds fine."

        " I knew what you were asking, before. I just couldn't make myself understand. I've never really thought about it before, you know? Never thought beyond our friendship. Never realized for a second that you...felt the way you did. Or that I could...possibly...feel something...more? I don't have a crush on you, Max. I don't. But I see now, that there's... something there."

        "That's good enough for me. Well, I should probably go...don't want to leave Molly in charge for too long."

        "Yeah, remember what happened last time?" We both cracked up laughing. "Where are your parents, anyway?" His mom and step-dad owned the place, and their kids work there, and basically run it without heir parents. They have the workers' help, though. And volunteers, like me!

        "They called last week to make sure I was coming home for the break, because they didn't want to leave Molly alone for that long. Some business trip they forgot about and couldn't get out of...?" He shrugged, "So, you know, the usual."

      "Well, I'm really glad Molly has you. You know my mother would love to have her here, though. So, if you ever need anything..."

        "Yeah, your mother really loves Molly."

        "It's like she adopted Molly, instead of me. But I guess the same could be said about you guys. That day really changed my life, you know that? I don't even want to think about where I could have ended up---"

        "Then don't think about it. Cause that's not gonna happen. Not a chance. You have us to keep you line."

        "You, definitely. But are we really going to trust your sister?"

        "Good point. Stick with me,and you'll be fine."

        "I know that. I learned that like five yeas ago. All because of that poor dog. How's today's doing?"

         "I hate how similar the two patients are. He's doing well, physically, but mentally..." He trails off, shaking his head.

       "What? Is he going to be okay?"

        "I'm sure he'll be fine, Zachary. Right Max?"

        Max's head shoots up, and he jumps to his feet, snapping his fingers in an "ah-ha!" motion toward Zachary. "You were close to the dog, right? Touched it and stuff?"

        "Yeah...? Hope and I both had."

        "He understood that we were only trying to help him, but besides that, nobody can get near him. Backs up, dead ending itself in the cage, gnashing teeth and growling..."

        "Doesn't sound like the same dog at all."

        "Well, I was thinking...Hope, you always come by, but...maybe it'll come around, if he tried." Pointing at Zachary.

        I turn to him. "What do you say? Wanna visit the shelter? I'll try with him, before you do. Just in case---"

        "Yeah, I'll try. For him."

          Why did I care so much what he thought and said?

        I guess, because I had no clue what he had against me...

        "So, we'll come by later on tomorrow morning. I need to talk with Molly, anyway. Tell her to give me a call when you see her, yeah?"

        "Sure thing." He smiles, then kissed my cheek goodbye. "So, I'll see you tomorrow?"

        "Yeah," I smile, giving him a small wave and listening to the click of my bedroom door, followed by his retreating footsteps.