F.F. 10 years *Max’s P.O.V.*
“Mom, please stop!” I begged as I curled up in the corner of my room. She continued to beat me and throw anything within reach.
“Don’t talk to me like that, you ungrateful bitch!” she slurred as she beat me some more.
This became routine ever since my father’s death. She would go out every night and get completely wasted, then come home and beat me. The only times I wouldn’t get beat was when she would bring home a random stranger and fuck him in her room. Then when he left, she’d return to routine. It was too much to handle.
“You’re the reason Kevin’s dead! If you hadn’t ran into the street like a dumbass that day, he would’ve still been here! It’s your fault he’s dead! It should’ve been you! I wish it was you!” she yelled before bursting into tears. She slapped me one more time before leaving my room, probably to get another shot of heroin or another one of her vices.
In a spur of the moment, I packed a small back pack with a few necessities and ran out of the house. I ran as far as I could, not even knowing where I was going. I just couldn’t stand to be anywhere near that woman anymore. I saw a small diner across the street from where I was and it had a pay phone inside. I quickly dialed the first number I thought of.
“Hello?” it was a voice I didn’t recognize, but I kinda guessed it was Brian, I mean, I hadn’t seen him in about 9 years so it makes sense that his voice would change from the little 10 year old I remembered.
“Hey, Brian. I just ran away from home and I’m at a diner, somewhere in Los Angeles. Can you please pick me up?” I said, crying into the phone.
“Max?” he asked.
“Yeah, please come.”
“What’s the diner called?” he asked.
“Umm… it’s called Joe’s Diner.”
“Alright, I’ll be there in 10 minutes. In the mean time, get something to eat, I’ll pay when I get there.”
I agreed and hung up. I sat at an empty table and used a tissue to clean my face.
“Hi, honey, what can I get you?” the waitress asked me.
“I’ll just take a coffee.” I told her and forced a smile.
She smiled back and went to get my coffee.
I was halfway done with my drink, when I saw a car pull up to the diner and a really tall guy get out in a hurry. I looked back at my drink and continued to wait for Brian.
“Excuse me,” I looked at the voice and saw the man that just got here. “Are you Max?”
“Yeah, that’s me, who are you?” I asked suspiciously. He didn’t look scary or anything, but I was still cautious.
“I’m Jimmy, Brian’s friend. We met when we were younger, remember?” He asked me.
I smiled as I remembered him. “Yeah! What are you doing here? Where’s Brian?”
“When you called, I had his phone. I decided that it’d be quicker if I just came for you then if I found Syn and explained to him where you were and why I had his phone.” He said sheepishly.
“Syn?” I subconsciously tilted my head.
“Oh yeah, that’s his nickname. It’s a long story, I’ll explain on the way to his house.”
F.F.
“Max! What’re you doing here?” Brian asked me as he pulled me into a tight hug.
“My…m-mom.” I started crying into his chest. I couldn’t help all these emotions just flood out of me.
