Your Favorite Enemy
Chapter 14: The Reckless and The Brave
I woke up the next morning confused, but once I rolled over and saw Alex’s sleeping face, his arm still draped over me, memories from the previous night flooding back. I sighed, content before a thought crossed my mind and I burst into a fit of giggles. I tried to quiet down so Alex could continue sleeping, but the laughter eventually won over.
Alex looked at me bewildered, shifting positions to look me in the eye. “What is so damn funny?” he asked with a smile.
“I was just thinking,” I remarked, gaining a breath finally. “If I weren’t on the pill, we’d be so screwed.”
He froze. “Oh my god, I didn’t even think-but wait, you’re on the pill?”
“Yeah. It’s just to uh...regulate stuff, but it’s sort of a back up plan too I guess,” I explained.
He breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank god. I mean, I’m sure it would be a badass child, especially since it was such a fantastic fuck, but I do not want to be a father yet.”
I rolled my eyes playfully. “Really? That’s your logic?”
“Well, yeah,” He grinned. “I mean, last night was great.”
“Glad to know my inexperience didn’t ruin anything for you,” I replied. “Come on, it’s about time for us to get up.”
“No,” he groaned, pulling me closer. “Let’s just stay here all day.”
“You know Matt’s not going to let that happen. Besides, you have a show tonight,” I mentioned.
He pulled me on top of him and held me tight. “But that’s not for hours.”
“Alex-” I began, but I was cut off due to his lips colliding with mine. I tried to protest, but ultimately gave in and kissed him back eagerly. We were interrupted by a loud pounding noise on the door.
“Get up! We don’t have all day,” Matt shouted.
“Whoa, he sounds pissed,” Alex commented.
I sighed, taking the opportunity to jump up from the bed while Alex was distracted, pulling the sheet with me. I grabbed the clothes that were pooled on the floor and began heading toward the bathroom for a quick shower.
“Oh come on,” Alex joked. “I’ve seen you naked. No need for modesty.”
I ignored him and took my shower, hurriedly dressing and using the small hotel hair dryer, emerging to find Alex already dressed. “No shower?” I asked. “You’re gonna smell like sex.”
He smirked. “That’s a problem?”
The two of us made our way downstairs where everyone was eating breakfast like the morning before. It was oddly quiet, but I paid no attention to it and reached for a plate, only to be stopped.
“Maxine,” Matt called. “I need your help on the bus real quick.”
“Can’t I eat breakfast first?” I wondered.
“No,” he replied, shaking his head. “It’s important.”
With a sigh, I put my plate back and followed Matt out to the bus, watching as the boys stared back concerned. My stomach felt uneasy, but I proceeded anyway. The bus was silent without the boys, and as Matt turned to face me with his hands on his hips, I could figure out why.
“What the hell are you doing, Maxine?” he suddenly demanded, ripping the silence apart like a piece of paper. “Going out to bars and drinking underage and sleeping with a guy you barely know just doesn’t seem like normal behavior.”
I gaped at him for a moment. “How did you know I slept with Alex?!”
“That doesn’t matter,” he said. “Just please explain why you’re acting like such an idiot when I know you aren’t one.”
“I’m not stupid,” I retorted. “I’m just trying to live my life a little.”
“Your life is studying, getting good grades, and reading. The way you’ve been acting is far from that,” he mentioned.
“Who are you to tell me what my life is? You barely know me. Besides, you do everything I’ve done lately, and you’re only like 8 years older,” I shouted.
“I’m trying to protect you,” he replied.
“From what? Getting knocked up at 21 and being stuck with a kid, like my mom?” I questioned.
“Look, Maxine. Whether you like it or not, I’m always going to see you as a little kid,” he commented. “I shouldn’t have brought you on this tour. You belong at home with your mom.”
I felt like I had been slapped in the face. “I’m going to be 20 in a couple weeks, Matt. I can make my own decisions just fine.”
“Yeah? Well you sure as hell aren’t making the right ones,” he stated.
That was the final straw. I turned on my heels and stormed out of the tour bus, making sure to slam the door behind me. I considered going back into the hotel, but ended up taking off running down the street until I felt I was a good enough distance away. I wandered around town, attempting to choke back tears, until I found a local book store.
I browsed the various shelves for awhile until I finally picked up a copy of Alice in Wonderland and found a nice corner with a plush armchair to sit in. With my knees close to my chest, I finally cried, the words in the book too blurry for me to read. When I finally composed myself, I got lost in the fictional world.
60 pages later, I was snapped out of my trance by the sound of a bell hitting the front door as someone entered. Whoever it was seemed to be in a hurry, their sneakered feet squeaking against the floors incessantly. I heard them turn the corner to where I was, but I didn’t bother to look up. The person took out their phone and soon uttered an “I found her” before shoving it back in their pocket.
“Maxine,” I heard Jack’s voice say. “There you are.”
This time I looked up. “What are you doing here, Jack?”
“Everyone was looking for you. Matt sent out a search party once he realized you didn’t go back to the hotel,” he replied, sitting on the arm of the chair.
I rolled my eyes at the mention of my uncle. “Yeah, because he’s so fond of me right now.”
Jack sighed. “Don’t blame Matt. It’s my fault he’s mad.”
“How is it your fault?” I questioned.
“I told him everything, from when we took you out for drinks, and Alex told me that you guys were going to sleep together, so I passed the info on. I was just getting worried, Maxine. You didn’t seem like yourself,” he confessed.
“I know,” I replied. “It’s just, I’m so tired of everyone trying to tell me who I am. I’m trying to rebel a little because I feel like my life isn’t going anywhere. This summer was about changing things up a bit, so I could experience things. Matt told me I was making the wrong decisions, but I don’t think so. They were mine to make, not his, so I think that’s really up to me.”
“Oh,” he said, looking down. “I didn’t know all of that.”
“It’s okay, Jack,” I sighed.
“Come on, let’s get back to the others,” he suggested.
We stood up and I threw my arms around Jack in a brotherly hug, which he gladly returned, before we headed back to the hotel. Once there, Alex ran to me and picked me up in a hug. “I was worried sick,” he whispered. Jack of course joined in on this hug, making me laugh.
Matt and I avoided each other, even at the show. He didn’t even make me help with the show at all. I slept in Alex’s room that night, but I couldn’t sleep very well. There was only one thought in my head: Maybe I should go home.
Alex looked at me bewildered, shifting positions to look me in the eye. “What is so damn funny?” he asked with a smile.
“I was just thinking,” I remarked, gaining a breath finally. “If I weren’t on the pill, we’d be so screwed.”
He froze. “Oh my god, I didn’t even think-but wait, you’re on the pill?”
“Yeah. It’s just to uh...regulate stuff, but it’s sort of a back up plan too I guess,” I explained.
He breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank god. I mean, I’m sure it would be a badass child, especially since it was such a fantastic fuck, but I do not want to be a father yet.”
I rolled my eyes playfully. “Really? That’s your logic?”
“Well, yeah,” He grinned. “I mean, last night was great.”
“Glad to know my inexperience didn’t ruin anything for you,” I replied. “Come on, it’s about time for us to get up.”
“No,” he groaned, pulling me closer. “Let’s just stay here all day.”
“You know Matt’s not going to let that happen. Besides, you have a show tonight,” I mentioned.
He pulled me on top of him and held me tight. “But that’s not for hours.”
“Alex-” I began, but I was cut off due to his lips colliding with mine. I tried to protest, but ultimately gave in and kissed him back eagerly. We were interrupted by a loud pounding noise on the door.
“Get up! We don’t have all day,” Matt shouted.
“Whoa, he sounds pissed,” Alex commented.
I sighed, taking the opportunity to jump up from the bed while Alex was distracted, pulling the sheet with me. I grabbed the clothes that were pooled on the floor and began heading toward the bathroom for a quick shower.
“Oh come on,” Alex joked. “I’ve seen you naked. No need for modesty.”
I ignored him and took my shower, hurriedly dressing and using the small hotel hair dryer, emerging to find Alex already dressed. “No shower?” I asked. “You’re gonna smell like sex.”
He smirked. “That’s a problem?”
The two of us made our way downstairs where everyone was eating breakfast like the morning before. It was oddly quiet, but I paid no attention to it and reached for a plate, only to be stopped.
“Maxine,” Matt called. “I need your help on the bus real quick.”
“Can’t I eat breakfast first?” I wondered.
“No,” he replied, shaking his head. “It’s important.”
With a sigh, I put my plate back and followed Matt out to the bus, watching as the boys stared back concerned. My stomach felt uneasy, but I proceeded anyway. The bus was silent without the boys, and as Matt turned to face me with his hands on his hips, I could figure out why.
“What the hell are you doing, Maxine?” he suddenly demanded, ripping the silence apart like a piece of paper. “Going out to bars and drinking underage and sleeping with a guy you barely know just doesn’t seem like normal behavior.”
I gaped at him for a moment. “How did you know I slept with Alex?!”
“That doesn’t matter,” he said. “Just please explain why you’re acting like such an idiot when I know you aren’t one.”
“I’m not stupid,” I retorted. “I’m just trying to live my life a little.”
“Your life is studying, getting good grades, and reading. The way you’ve been acting is far from that,” he mentioned.
“Who are you to tell me what my life is? You barely know me. Besides, you do everything I’ve done lately, and you’re only like 8 years older,” I shouted.
“I’m trying to protect you,” he replied.
“From what? Getting knocked up at 21 and being stuck with a kid, like my mom?” I questioned.
“Look, Maxine. Whether you like it or not, I’m always going to see you as a little kid,” he commented. “I shouldn’t have brought you on this tour. You belong at home with your mom.”
I felt like I had been slapped in the face. “I’m going to be 20 in a couple weeks, Matt. I can make my own decisions just fine.”
“Yeah? Well you sure as hell aren’t making the right ones,” he stated.
That was the final straw. I turned on my heels and stormed out of the tour bus, making sure to slam the door behind me. I considered going back into the hotel, but ended up taking off running down the street until I felt I was a good enough distance away. I wandered around town, attempting to choke back tears, until I found a local book store.
I browsed the various shelves for awhile until I finally picked up a copy of Alice in Wonderland and found a nice corner with a plush armchair to sit in. With my knees close to my chest, I finally cried, the words in the book too blurry for me to read. When I finally composed myself, I got lost in the fictional world.
60 pages later, I was snapped out of my trance by the sound of a bell hitting the front door as someone entered. Whoever it was seemed to be in a hurry, their sneakered feet squeaking against the floors incessantly. I heard them turn the corner to where I was, but I didn’t bother to look up. The person took out their phone and soon uttered an “I found her” before shoving it back in their pocket.
“Maxine,” I heard Jack’s voice say. “There you are.”
This time I looked up. “What are you doing here, Jack?”
“Everyone was looking for you. Matt sent out a search party once he realized you didn’t go back to the hotel,” he replied, sitting on the arm of the chair.
I rolled my eyes at the mention of my uncle. “Yeah, because he’s so fond of me right now.”
Jack sighed. “Don’t blame Matt. It’s my fault he’s mad.”
“How is it your fault?” I questioned.
“I told him everything, from when we took you out for drinks, and Alex told me that you guys were going to sleep together, so I passed the info on. I was just getting worried, Maxine. You didn’t seem like yourself,” he confessed.
“I know,” I replied. “It’s just, I’m so tired of everyone trying to tell me who I am. I’m trying to rebel a little because I feel like my life isn’t going anywhere. This summer was about changing things up a bit, so I could experience things. Matt told me I was making the wrong decisions, but I don’t think so. They were mine to make, not his, so I think that’s really up to me.”
“Oh,” he said, looking down. “I didn’t know all of that.”
“It’s okay, Jack,” I sighed.
“Come on, let’s get back to the others,” he suggested.
We stood up and I threw my arms around Jack in a brotherly hug, which he gladly returned, before we headed back to the hotel. Once there, Alex ran to me and picked me up in a hug. “I was worried sick,” he whispered. Jack of course joined in on this hug, making me laugh.
Matt and I avoided each other, even at the show. He didn’t even make me help with the show at all. I slept in Alex’s room that night, but I couldn’t sleep very well. There was only one thought in my head: Maybe I should go home.
So I just read this story, all in one sitting, and seriously loved it. You're a really great writer. :)
Alex and Max's relationship was so sincere, and even though the end was kind of surprising, I found it perfect in a way. Like one of my favorite endings I've ever read to a fic, actually. Instead of very cliche it more so fit the pieces together, if that makes sense.
I really loved it. If you ever choose to maybe rewrite this story, or perhaps do a sequel to it, I will definitely read. I looked on your profile and unfortunately you don't seem to have anymore Alex/OC centered stories. But if you ever write a new one of those, feel free to let me know as well.
One of the better stories I've read in a while, great job with it. :)
3/6/17