say, shaking my head at her failed attempt.
Just as I’m about to leave the room, something catches my attention.
I stop to turn around, pointing to the desk on the far side of the room. “What is that?”
She places both of her hands over her face. A muffled nothing comes out from beneath them.
I walk over to the desk, picking up the empty carton of ice cream. “ You ate my Häagen-Dazs? ”
THIRTEEN
Char
“So where are we going?” I ask Max as we get inside his pickup truck. Batman jumps inside first, taking his place in the middle seat. The old truck surprises me. It’s kept nice, but I assumed Max would own something a little more shiny and new. I like that he doesn’t care that much about material things, especially since I know he could afford a newer car if he wanted one.
“Hospital,” he grunts, shutting the door behind me. I can’t blame him. Today I’ve broken just about every one of his rules, even though I swore I’d replace the ice cream. I get the feeling he’s not happy about me breaking down the barrier he tried to put up between us.
Once he gets in on the driver’s side, I say, “I really don’t need to see a doctor. I’m fine.”
“We’re not going for you.” Max nods to Batman. “He has to work.”
I blink a few times. “Excuse me, did you say the dog has to work?”
“Yep.”
I strap myself into my seatbelt. Batman is panting happily and sitting calmly in his seat. All kinds of questions pop into my head about the job we’re on our way to, but I keep them to myself, deciding to find out firsthand.
Before Max starts the engine, he hands me a brown paper bag. “What’s this?” I ask, opening it. Inside there’s a toasted egg sandwich wrapped in a napkin, a banana, and a juice box.
“I made it while you were getting ready. You need to get something in your stomach.”
He’s right. As soon as he puts the car in drive I feel dizzy, but I keep my discomfort to myself. Tagging along probably wasn’t the greatest idea, but I couldn’t stand the thought of being left alone in that house for one more minute. I’m okay with feeling like crap if it means I can be near Max. It’s not just having someone to hang out with either. It’s him—Max. Just being near him calms me in a way I’m not sure I fully understand. Everything about his presence is reassuring. The way he looks at me, the way he speaks, the way he smells—God I love the way he smells. It reminds me of the beach combined with his body wash.
I eat the food he packed for me, stealing glances at him when he’s too focused on driving to notice.
Oh God, I’m latching onto him, aren’t I?
The thought scares me. Probably because it’s true. He’s the only guy around. Except Trevor, but he doesn’t count. It makes so much sense. It’s like some pathetic kind of Stockholm syndrome.
No, that can’t be true. I was attracted to him from the moment I saw him. There has to be a better reason why I feel this way.
Batman licks my cheek. I scratch him under his chin, silently thanking him for getting me out of my own head. After everything I’ve been through over the last few days, I need to get out of my head for a while.
“Hey, is that the place you bought the elixir?” Max asks me.
I look ahead, seeing the familiar strip mall. “Yep, why?”
He puts on his blinker, then quickly swings into the turning lane.
I grip my seatbelt, tightening my hands around the thick band of cloth. “What are you doing?”
“Just want a quick word with the owner.”
“Max, you don’t have to do this.”
He doesn’t say anything in response to that, just keeps driving until he finds a parking spot near the storefront. “Stay here,” he says, and I’m not sure if he’s talking to the dog or me. His face is unreadable; I can’t figure out what he’s thinking. I stay where I am either way, preferring to watch what happens from a distance.
He walks inside, and I see him approach the clerk through
Just as I’m about to leave the room, something catches my attention.
I stop to turn around, pointing to the desk on the far side of the room. “What is that?”
She places both of her hands over her face. A muffled nothing comes out from beneath them.
I walk over to the desk, picking up the empty carton of ice cream. “ You ate my Häagen-Dazs? ”
THIRTEEN
Char
“So where are we going?” I ask Max as we get inside his pickup truck. Batman jumps inside first, taking his place in the middle seat. The old truck surprises me. It’s kept nice, but I assumed Max would own something a little more shiny and new. I like that he doesn’t care that much about material things, especially since I know he could afford a newer car if he wanted one.
“Hospital,” he grunts, shutting the door behind me. I can’t blame him. Today I’ve broken just about every one of his rules, even though I swore I’d replace the ice cream. I get the feeling he’s not happy about me breaking down the barrier he tried to put up between us.
Once he gets in on the driver’s side, I say, “I really don’t need to see a doctor. I’m fine.”
“We’re not going for you.” Max nods to Batman. “He has to work.”
I blink a few times. “Excuse me, did you say the dog has to work?”
“Yep.”
I strap myself into my seatbelt. Batman is panting happily and sitting calmly in his seat. All kinds of questions pop into my head about the job we’re on our way to, but I keep them to myself, deciding to find out firsthand.
Before Max starts the engine, he hands me a brown paper bag. “What’s this?” I ask, opening it. Inside there’s a toasted egg sandwich wrapped in a napkin, a banana, and a juice box.
“I made it while you were getting ready. You need to get something in your stomach.”
He’s right. As soon as he puts the car in drive I feel dizzy, but I keep my discomfort to myself. Tagging along probably wasn’t the greatest idea, but I couldn’t stand the thought of being left alone in that house for one more minute. I’m okay with feeling like crap if it means I can be near Max. It’s not just having someone to hang out with either. It’s him—Max. Just being near him calms me in a way I’m not sure I fully understand. Everything about his presence is reassuring. The way he looks at me, the way he speaks, the way he smells—God I love the way he smells. It reminds me of the beach combined with his body wash.
I eat the food he packed for me, stealing glances at him when he’s too focused on driving to notice.
Oh God, I’m latching onto him, aren’t I?
The thought scares me. Probably because it’s true. He’s the only guy around. Except Trevor, but he doesn’t count. It makes so much sense. It’s like some pathetic kind of Stockholm syndrome.
No, that can’t be true. I was attracted to him from the moment I saw him. There has to be a better reason why I feel this way.
Batman licks my cheek. I scratch him under his chin, silently thanking him for getting me out of my own head. After everything I’ve been through over the last few days, I need to get out of my head for a while.
“Hey, is that the place you bought the elixir?” Max asks me.
I look ahead, seeing the familiar strip mall. “Yep, why?”
He puts on his blinker, then quickly swings into the turning lane.
I grip my seatbelt, tightening my hands around the thick band of cloth. “What are you doing?”
“Just want a quick word with the owner.”
“Max, you don’t have to do this.”
He doesn’t say anything in response to that, just keeps driving until he finds a parking spot near the storefront. “Stay here,” he says, and I’m not sure if he’s talking to the dog or me. His face is unreadable; I can’t figure out what he’s thinking. I stay where I am either way, preferring to watch what happens from a distance.
He walks inside, and I see him approach the clerk through
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