2

The following morning I received an email. One that has taken six months. Happily, I printed off the confirmation and headed over to Elle's house. Without knocking, I enter. "Elle? I have good news."

"She's out back," Max says from the kitchen. I find him kneeling in the fridge. He looks up at me and smiles, showing a new gap from a missing tooth that probably rotted out of his skull or was beat out of him. He's also sporting a fresh black eye and split lip.

"Hey…ah…how's it goin'?" I ask while avoiding eye contact. Seeing him in this condition breaks my heart and pisses me off at the same time. It's exhausting to think about who he could've become. It's also hard to believe I once had a crush on him back in the day. Maximus Gains was once good-looking with long blonde hair, clear blue eyes, and the prettiest smile I've ever seen on a guy. Now, everything about him that was remotely attractive has diminished with substance abuse. The moment I walked in on him shooting up, all respect I once had for him floated away into the void. The disgust I felt in that second still lingers inside me, making my stomach turn.

"Good. I found a job. I start tomorrow."

I force a smile, "Awesome. Doing what?"

"It's waste management. Decent pay," he shrugs and then focuses on the paper I have in hand. "What's that?"

I quickly fold it in half and scoff, brushing it off with a shrug. "Nothing." The last thing I wanted was for him to know our plans. " Just a proof of the sale of one of Elle's items. Just bringing it over to her," I lie.

"Oh, cool. A good amount earned; I'm sure."

"Yeah, I guess. Hey, you said she's out back?"

"Yeah, playing in her death garden," He chuckles.

I nod and force a smile, "Thanks." I leave him to scavenge her kitchen and exit out the back. I spot her through the glass of the greenhouse. Not wanting to accidentally poison someone's pet or nosy child, it's the only door she keeps secured. I knock softly, gaining her attention.

"Be right there," she calls, slightly muffled. After a moment, she exits wearing latex gloves, a gas mask, and safety glasses. She shoves the mask to the top of her head, pushing back her hair, and pulls off her gloves. "Hey, what's up?"

"Dude, Max is here."

She pulls off a set of heavy ruby kitchen gloves and sighs, "Yeah, he showed up this morning to do some laundry."

"He has a washer and a dryer, doesn't he?"

She glances at the house, "His power got shut off and I think he might've sold them."

Annoyed, I pinch the bridge of my nose and push the need to strangle him from my mind. "We received a reply."

Her expression pinches with confusion, "Huh?"

"Sturgis," I whisper as if Max could hear us. "The application for the booth space was accepted."

Her expression brightens and she grabs the paper from me, scanning it. "Oh my god!" She quickly wraps her arms around my neck, hugging me. Happy for her, I reciprocate the hug while she jumps with excitement, jostling me and making me laugh. This was something she had been thriving toward for the past three years. This is her first acceptance to the event. "I can't believe this," she states in awe after I settle her down. "We're finally going."

"Where are you going?" Max questions while chowing down on a massive bowl of cereal, and speaking through his current bit. Droplets of milk cling to his dark shabby beard. I can appreciate a tamed bearded man but Max, he looks like a transient mountain man in my opinion. He resembles someone who would smell like hot garbage juice and cat piss.

Elle attempts to hide the paper behind her back. "Ummm, what?"

Max nods his chin toward it, "Ummm, what?" he says, mocking her. "What are you hiding?"

I didn't want to be the one to tell our secret but we had been discovered. The last thing I wanted was to involve Max, as his issues are baggage we don't need. Unfortunately, his issues become Elle's problems. "I told you. It's a receipt." I'm technically not lying. The space payment was accepted.

"Why hide it then?" He takes another bite. Slurping the milk and not wiping the remnants away, making me almost gag. "Where are you going?"

Defeated, Elle shows him the receipt. "My application for a craft booth was finally accepted."

With a pinched brow, Max snatches the paper to read it closer. I wanted to punch him in the throat for being rude. Then his eyes brighten, "Fuckin' Sturgis? Elle, this is awesome!"

Elle smiles and tries to take the paper but he pulls away, still reading it. "Cool! I'm free. When do we leave?"

"What about your new job?" I ask, feeling annoyed.

He shrugs, "Who cares? I can find another one."

This is the exact reason why I didn't want Max to know our intentions. He always invites himself. If it were up to me, I would tell him no but Elle's soft spot for him would win out in the end. I stand there silent as she struggles with the reply.

Elle chuckles nervously, "I uh. Well…I've been denied before and didn't want to get your hopes up, ya know?"

"I get it but now you're for sure going." He smiles and raises his right hand into the air for a high-five. Elle reciprocates but I do not. Keeping my hands in my pockets, I nod. Knowing he was joining us irritated me. "Party time!"

"Yeah," Elle says with hesitation and awkwardness in her tone. "Party…woo."

Max returns the paper to her and chuckles as he walks back to the house and enters. I look at Elle and her happy bubble has burst and is now dripping down her unsmiling face. She glances at the paper again and releases a deep sigh before folding it and placing it into her pocket.

"El."

She shakes her head, "I don't wanna talk about it." She does what she usually does when she's attempting to disconnect, she kneels next to a plant and begins pulling weeds.

I insist in a whisper, "El, he can't go."

"I know," she snaps while snatching the annoying growth.

"He'll ruin everything. You know this."

"I know," she snaps again but louder. She then takes in a deep breath and smiles at me. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine."

"No, it's not. But it's not fair for us to exclude him."

"It is. Especially, when we both know he makes everything about himself. He'll steal your spotlight. He'll do something to fuck this all up for you. It's a pattern."

She snickers. "If I don't take him, there's no telling what might happen while I'm gone. He could get into some deep shit or get arrested."

"And you think he won't fuck up at the event…with all that temptation around?"

She's evidentially frustrated and feeling stuck. "Look, I know this wasn't the plan but there's no taking it back now. I'm not missing this. It's too important. If he goes, he goes."

I look back at the house and sigh, "I don't know." I ponder for a moment. "Maybe he could be a help. He could at least carry some of the heavy shit."

Elle stands and smiles, "Everything will work out."

I left my friend to tend to her death plants and cut through the house. Max stopped me before I could exit. "Hey."

I turn to face him. His expression is tight, "Yeah?"

"Look, I don't appreciate you hiding this shit from me and attempting to turn my sister against me."

I smirk, "I'm not trying to do either of those but if we're airing shit out, let me inform you of a few things." I step closer to him, "Your sister has worked her ass off to make something out of herself. She doesn't need anyone making things more difficult for her."

His brow pinches as he tries to intimidate me, which is an utter failure. I stand my ground, prepared for him to try and swing on me. Some people may overpower me but I won't go down without a fight. I give him props for the effort but when he realizes this, his deminer changes. "You're saying I would cause issues for my sister?"

"I can't stop you from coming on this trip but I swear if you do anything to fuck it up for her…" I pause. "This is too important for her."

"I would never do anything to jeopardize her career."

"Good. Keep it that way and everything will be fine." I step away and exit the house.

Two weeks later, the three of us are busy sweating our asses off by packing the final items into Silver Bullet, an old airstream camper my dad left for me. It's big enough to house the three of us and to carry all of Elle's items. Even the large items had room. Max is on the top of it and strapping down the booth tent and display tables.

"Make sure that's extra tight, Maxie," Elle calls while carrying out a box of plants.

"I go this," he insists while tightening the z-straps even more.

"Thank you," she says while I exit the camper and wipe sweat from my brow. Elle is a nervous wreck and rightfully so. She had put everything she had into this event. Not only is she a creepy death plant farmer but she also has a knack for wielding old bike parts into odd sculptures. Some were over five feet high and we had to wrap them in heavy blankets and tape. She's also stressing over the grow lights inside the camper for the poisonous plants she planned to sell. Nothing too dangerous, unless you consider hives and diarrhea a hazard. "Everything good?"

"It's hot as fuck in there but we're golden. You about ready to head out?"

"Let me do one final check inside," she rushes into her home.

Max descends the metal ladder on the camper and joins me. For the weeks leading up to this trip, he certainly seems different. I'm not sure if it was because of my warning or if he was wanting to try to not be a fuck up, but it is nice to see him not high off his ass for once. I still don't trust him but I'm trying to see the silver lining here.

"Are you not taking a bike up there?"

"Nah. We're already taking so much." I light a much-needed cigarette.

"Can I borrow a bike?"

I nearly choke on the smoke as I blow it out, "You have your own. Ride that."

"It needs a new carb and tires."

"Not a chance," I chuckle and watch as Elle emerges from her home. My house has already been locked up and secured.

"Do y'all have everything?"

"Other than a bike to ride," Max replies and glares at me. I couldn't care less if he's upset with me. I'm not risking my dad's bike just so Maxie doesn't have a breakdown.

"You don't need a damn bike, Max," she insistent while chucking her bag into the cab of the truck. "If you want to take a bike, ride your own." She climbs into the cab and looks back at us. "Let's get a fuckin' move on." She closes the door.

After a double check on our items and checking the doors of our homes, I was finally comfortable enough to start the engine. Elle connects her music to the radio. I glance at Max in the back seat. The way he's practically cradling his backpack makes me slightly nervous. Though he seemed better in a way, my gut told me differently. Maybe he's more coherent or sober. I want to trust him but I can't shake the feeling that he has something illegal inside that bag.

I slowly pull out of the driveway, careful not to allow the airstream to tip too much. Elle keeps her eyes on her rearview mirror for a second before smiling at me and relaxing into her seat as heavy metal blares over the speakers.