Page 68 of In The Dark
“What? Why?”
“I left the bag of food over there.” She gestures vaguely to the other side of my room. “Everything is going to be cold.”
“I’ll order us something new as soon as my heart stops feeling like I’m going to go into cardiac arrest.”
“It must suck to grow up.”
“The absolute worst.” I yawn and stroke her hair, careful with the knots I find. “Stay the night?”
“Sure. But only if you do something for me.”
“Whatever it is, the answer is yes.”
“You don’t know what I’m going to say!”
“Don’t have to. I’d do anything for you.”
“Such a sap.” Max pushes up on her elbow and taps my nose. “I want you to meet Skyler. I’ve met Leo, and I don’t like lying to my best friend about where I’ve been. Plus, you’re… you’re starting to be important to me. And for as much as I like being your slut in the bedroom, I think I’d like to be more than that. Outside the bedroom. If… if that’s something you want too.”
“Maxine Walters.” I roll on top of her, my hips pressing into hers. “Are you asking me to be your boyfriend?”
“No.”
“Should I get a little piece of paper that sayscheck yes or no?”
“You’re exhausting.” She touches my cheek, but she can’t stop smiling. “But, hypothetically, how would you answer?”
Baby, I’d put a ring on your finger tomorrow if it wouldn’t scare you off.What cake flavor should we go with? Do you want two kids or four?
“I’d say fuck, yes. I can’t wait to meet your best friend. If she’s important to you, she’s important to me.”
“I’m going to tell her about the serial killer part.”
“When you do, will you remember to mention thegoodserial killer part? I don’t want to be confused with the people that slash throats for shits and giggles.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Max kisses me, and I smirk. “Whatever you say.”
I hold her tight to my chest, not sure how anything gets better than this.
TWENTY-FOUR
MAX
“Is it November yet?”Skyler groans and rests her head on the arm of the couch. “I feel like I’m a zombie six seconds away from death.”
“Oddly specific.” I sit next to her and drape a blanket over our legs. “I’m glad you got the night off. You needed it.”
“My manager forced me to sit out of the shows tonight. She said if I get everyone sick the last week of performances, she’s going to be pissed at me.”
“I bet Dominic is missing you,” I tease, and she snorts.
“Fuck him. He texted me and said he heard I was under the weather. He followed it up by letting me know he was going to put laxatives in my water bottle if I got him ill.”
“What a gem.” I rest my hand on her forehead and hum. “You don’t feel too warm. Do you want me to get you anything? Some water? Hot soup? A milkshake?”
“I’m fine. Thank you for being such a good friend, Max.” She smiles. “And since I’ve been such a shitty friend, I need you to catch me up on what’s going on in your life. I feel like I haven’t seen you in days. Do you have a secret boyfriend I don’t know about? Shit. Did you join one of those MLM groups? I swear togod if you try and sell me hair care products or makeup, I’m going to be pissed.”
“I’m successfully avoided another round of messages from Jessica, the former high school prom queen, trying to recruit me for some girl boss group I don’t want to be a part of.”
