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(Sorry for so much Max POV)

The whole drive Billy doesn't say a word.

He stops the car at our house. I quickly open the door and try to rush to our door, hoping that Billy won't do anything, but of course he stops me as soon as I climb out of the car. He grabs me by my shirt and drags me to him. His breath smells like cigarettes; it's disgusting.

"That was the last time you came too late Mayfield. Understood?", Billy tells.

I don't say anything.

"HAVE YOU UNDERSTOOD?!", he yells into my face. He pulls my collar tight, so I can barely breath. "Yes", I bring out.

Finally he lets go of me. I gasp for air.

When I get my breath again, I mumble "You're insane" and go to our front door. But I can't even take one step; Billy punches my back and I fall onto the road.

I pull my arms infront of myself, so I don't fall on my face.

It still hurts like hell, but I just stand up, rush to the house, unlock the door and storm up to my room.

I quickly pull off my backpack and jog to the bathroom.

I look in the mirror and regard my arms. They are full of little scratches and one big graze on my left arm. Fuck. I can't tell anyone the truth if someone sees this.

I decide to take a cold shower. After that, I'll check up on El; I can't stand to be here anyway.

Good plan.

After the shower I pull on a white t-shirt and a pair of shorts, that reach to my knees.

I don't look so bad anymore; the only thing that bothers me is the wound on my arm. It still burns, but I try to ignore it.

I take my longboard and run downstairs through the door.

"I'm going to El!", I shout, slamming the door behind me.

While I was skating, my hair dried. It looks a bit tousled, but it's fine.

I arrive at the Hopper's. I pick up my board and ring the door bell. Eleven opens the door.

"Hi", I tell her. She blushes.

"Uh hi Max?"

"Can I hang with you?"

"Of.. of course.. c-come in"

We go upstairs. I sit beside El on the floor, leaning my back against the bed.

Silence.

"What should we do?", I break it. "I don't know", she responds. "Wanna get ice cream?", I ask. She nods intensively, "Yeah".

Max stands up. She has an abrasion on her left arm. It looks very bad. Only now I notice the many little scratches all over her. I was so focused on her face and my behavior, that I didn't look at her gorgeous rest. Still I'm quite shocked.

"Eleven?", Max asks, confusion written across her face. I still look intensively at her arm. "Oh..", she chuckles, "I fell off my skateboard..", she says.

I stand up and scrutinize her whole body. There are so many little bruises and even little scars... serious concern is streaming through my body. "Max?"

"Yeah?"

"Friends don't lie.*"

— Nothing. Max looks ashamed on the floor.

"Who hurts you?", I ask. She still doesn't say anything. My eyes get watery.

"Maxine, who hurts you?", I say shakily, tears running down my eyes. She finally looks up to me and her eyes wide, but she still doesn't say anything.

"Please...", I beg.

"My step-brother okay?! There you have it!", she shouts.

This makes me even more cry. I can't believe, that I didn't notice...

Max buries her face in her palms.

"I'm sorry", she mumbles.

"First, it's not your fault and second I am sorry.", I answer and hug her tightly.

I never want to let go, but eventually I have to. Max wipes her tears away. "Please just don't tell anyone and don't-, just don't try to help me, okay?", she asks, begging. "But-" "No buts El", she cuts me off and stares at me with her ocean blue eyes.

"Fine", I say. Max gives me a smile. "I'm fine El, really.", she adds, after I still don't look convinced. I force a smile onto my face.

"Come on, let's go get ice cream", Max suddenly tells and drags me down the stairs, until we're outside. We decide to just walk to the mall.

We stroll next to eachother on the grey stone pavement, watching our surrounding. I don't notice, that we move closer. I just walk casually along Max, but then suddenly, our hands touch.

I immediately turn hot.

I really want to hold her hand... Oh my gosh focus Eleven. I clear my head a bit and want to take a deep breath, but then Max just grabs my hand and holds it. My deep breath turned into a cough. OH MY GOD. I look up to Max, because she's like 7 centimeters taller than me. Her cheeks are flaming red, but she just smiles.

So we walk about 25 minutes, -hand holding- to the mall. The whole walk we didn't say anything, but I still enjoyed it a lot.

Max pushes the entrance open and we enter the huge building. Once again I see the bright signs and the many different shops. It's really bitchin', the mall.

Max suddenly starts to run and drags me with her, of course. She doesn't stop running, until we're at the Scoops Ahoy counter.

"Hello ladies", Steve greets us. "Hey Steve", we greet back.

After we decide what flavor to pick, we get our order: Chocolate Peppermint for Max and Cotton Candy for myself. Both in cones. We get our ice cream and I taste it. "Mhhh that's so good", I comment. Steve winks and me and Max walk giggling out of Scoops.

"You need somethin' else from the mall?", Max asks. "No, I'm good", I reply.

They walk talking and giggling home.

We enter the house, pull off out shoes and go upstairs. On the way there, we meet Jonathan.

"Oh hey Jonathan", I say.

"Hey El... and Max", he smiles. "You having a sleepover again?", he adds. I look at Max, but she's already looking at me.

"Yes, we do" I say confidently and me and Max walk to my room, giggling again.

"You're so fun I can't believe this", Max says, as we throw ourselves on my bed. My cheeks start to burn and I smile widely.

And I even get, why it makes me so happy, when Max compliments me: I love her. And it doesn't seem to change.

We stay a while in silence.

"Max?"

"Hm?"

"I missed you."

I look at her. She's all red in her freckled face. Another smile escapes my mouth.

"Really?", she answers.

"Yes."

"But I hung with Angie"

"Angie?!"

We burst into laughter.

After we finish, we start to talk about the past week and explain everything what is there to explain.

We talked for atleast 3 hours. That is a whole lot. I've never talked so long with somebody; not even with Mike.

It's already dark and my clock shows 21:58 pm.

Like always we put on some music. I lay on the bed, looking at some magazines that Max brought with her. Max is dancing and singing to the music.

We enjoy ourselves a lot.

"Isn't this Kate Bush's new song?", Max suddenly says. "Who's Kate.. Bush?", I ask. I don't know this woman.

"You don't know her?!", Max shouts surprised.

"Come on, dance with me. It really is 'Running Up That Hill', her new song", Max smiles and takes my hand.

So we dance, and again I get this flattering in my stomach. But it's getting even more, as me and Max start to slow dance to the rhythm. I look deep into Max's perfect ocean blue eyes and get lost in them.

Oh my god. Me and El are slow dancing. My hands are on her waist and her hands are on my shoulders. We are less than 5 centimeters away from eachother. My face is burning and I look into Eleven's chocolatey brown eyes.

It's you and me, won't be unhappy...

Let me steal this moment from you now...

Oh come on angel, c'mon come on darling...

Let's exchange the experience, oh...

It's like automatic. We both lean in and our lips touch once again. It's magical. Many butterflies flatter around my stomach and it's like we're magnets or something. We're attracted to eachother...

El's lips are soft and we share many kisses. It's perfect and it feels absolutely right. All my worries just float away and I never want this scene to end.....