Chapter 12

CHAPTER TWELVE

Eighteen years old

Senior year was going by so fast. I dreaded graduation day. I hadn’t told Freya yet, but I had already received acceptance letters from all the schools I had applied. Every letter felt like a chain around my neck, suffocating me. It made it hard as hell to look into Freya’s big, brown eyes and see worry every time we talked about the future. I got the feeling she didn’t want to talk about it. I was more worried about my departure than she was. She acted like she didn’t care. What if she dumped me once the year ended? Freya was mine, and the thought of her with someone else made me ill.

Now thatI knew how she felt like, how she tasted, the way she fell apart with my fingers, my tongue, every kiss I gave her, I knew I wanted no one else to see her in a way only I had.

“Maximilian, honey, can I come in?” My mother pushed the door open without waiting for my permission. Quickly, I grabbed a pillow and put it on my lap, covering my arousal. It happened whenever I thought of Freya. My mother walked in with a smile on her face, meaning she needed something, or Dad needed something. My parents were complicated. I loved them, but it was hard for others to do the same. That was the reason I hadn’t brought Freya around.

“Yes, Mother?”

“Why do I have to hear from the Newtons you have a girlfriend?”

Fucking shit, this would not go well. Homecoming was good, if I didn’t take into account Prescott trying to ask Freya to dance. I almost punched my brother but refrained.

“I have a girlfriend, Mother.”

“Max, don’t mock me. We are having a barbecue on Saturday; bring her over. I want to meet her.” Mom kissed me on the cheek and walked out. I wondered if I should have told her I’m dating Freya Pratt. What would she have said then? But then I realized I didn’t care what my parents thought of her. Freya was my girl, and no one was taking her away from me.

“Are you sure I look okay?” Freya stopped before I could open the door to my backyard. I already told her she looked beautiful, but she didn’t believe me. The weather was getting chilly, and I loved her sweater; it fell past a shoulder, revealing a hint of skin, and those jeans… don’t even get me started on the way they cupped her ass. I was already thinking of ways I could get her to myself, so I could make her moan my name. It was my new favorite hobby, watching he r fall apart. I knew what I felt for her even if I had yet to tell her. I loved her, and I knew once they got to know her, my parents would love heras well.

“You are the most beautiful girl in this town.”

“Max, now you’re just talking crap. Come on, let’s get this over with. Let’s go meet your mom and dad.” She tried to give me an easy smile, but I saw through it. She was nervous as hell.

Like always, my parents’ parties were more for politics than just to have fun and kick it.

My father was at the grill with some of his friends, and my mother was sitting with Mrs. Newton having a drink. Holding on to Freya’s hand, I gave her a reassuring squeeze.

“Mom, I would like you to meet Freya Pratt, my girlfriend.” My mother turned around and smiled at Freya and me. Maybe I had judged my mother too harshly, I knew deep down she always wanted what was best for us.

“Lovely to meet you, Freya.”

“You too, Mrs. Dunnett. You have a lovely home.”

“Of course, she does. Did you expect anything less?” Mrs. Newton said, making me hold on to Freya’s hand a little tighter.

“No, that’s not what I meant at all. It’s just that—"

“Excuse us. We’re getting food.” I pulled Freya with me. I would not let her be subjected to Mrs. Newton’s nasty comments.

Freya’s lower lip wobbled. “I made a mess of things, didn’t I?”

At that moment, I wanted to punch Mrs. Newton for taking the light that usually shone in Freya’s bright eyes.

“Nah, Mrs. Newton is a bitch to everyone. You did good, and besides, introducing you to the Newton’s was only a formality. Now let’s go. I’m suddenly famished.” At that, she finally smiled at me. God, I wanted to tell her I loved her; it had been nagging at me for some weeks now, but what if she thought it was too soon?

“Max!” She pushed me, but not before I caught her blushing.

“Close, but the way you say it is softer, almost like a gasp,” I taunted her, trying to get her to relax, even though my aching dick was not finding the humor in it.

“Max!” She punched my arm but laughed.

It was always about her. She was my priority. If she was happy, then I was too.

FREYA

Maybe I had worried for nothing. I mean, his mom was polite, but then again, weren’t all rich people polite? Max was on me like gum stuck on a shoe, and I was grateful. I was waaay out of my element. As I looked around, I couldn’t help but compare the difference between Max and me. It must be nice to have grown up as he did. Two loving parents, being fortunate to have everything, and not wanting for anything. His parents couldn’t be all bad if they raised him. Max was kind, thoughtful, and caring, and that was just the tip of the iceberg of all the things I… I loved about him.

God, I had no idea what I would do without him when he left. Sunny Pines had always been my home, but I had a feeling, once he left, it would not be home without him. I was scared. I didn’t want to let it show. Max had enough on his plate. I didn’t need to add to it. I would sound childish. My biggest fear was that he would forget me. He would go to his fancy college and meet girls his age.

Girls who were nothing like me.

Girls with big dreams, while the memory of me faded.

“Freya, baby, are you okay?” Max pinched my cheek to get my attention. Shoot, I had spaced out on him.

“Yeah, I’m fine. I really need to pee though.” I smiled through my lie. I needed to get over my little freak-out. Graduation was coming, and fast. I needed to enjoy my time with him without creating drama. When I was in the bathroom, I splashed water on my face, took deep breaths, and calmed down. When I came out, Max was not waiting for me in the hallway like he had promised.

“It’s so cute watching you and Max together.” Abigail was leaning at the end of the hall with a coke in her hand. “Enjoy the time you have with him while you can. You don’t honestly think he’ll stay with you after he leaves for college, do you?”

My face must have given me away, my feelings out in the open for her to pick apart. Abigail laughed.

“Oh God, this is so sad. You actuallybelieve he will stay with you. Tell me, skank, what do you have tooffer him? You have a ratty, old trailer to your name—sorry, your grandfather’s name. You still have two years left before you graduate. And two years is a long time. The only thing you give him is sex, and in college, that won’t be hard to come by. So, tell me why he would stay with you when he has the world at his feet? You come from different worlds. You’ll never fit.”

Each word was like a kick to my stomach. It was one thing for me to think about it but another for Abigail to point it out. She looked me up and down, and with her perfectly manicured nails, she flipped her blonde hair. Then she walked away like she hadn’t just blown away my perfect, little fairy tale.

Max and I weren’t even having sex. She was right; I had nothing to offer him. He would go out there to see the world, and I would be that girl he dated in high school.

Was I going to become the girl who was a mistake?

Trailer trash girl?

Those three words haven’t been said, but I knew deep in my bones Max felt the same way about me as I did about him, but my insecurities weren’t letting me see past it.

When Max finally found me, I smiled at him and pretended like nothing was wrong.

Max wanted me, and that had to count for something, right?