Back at max’s house 8:00pm Max’s pov

I’m laying in bed half asleep when something tapping on my window startles me awake. My heart is in my stomach, and then it starts tapping again a little harder this time. I’m shaking like a leaf, then a i hear a familiar voice. “Max. It’s ok. It’s me” i jump up and whip around to see carters face sitting outside my window. I should probably make it clear that I’m on the second floor. I have a tree outside my window but that’s all. How the hell did he get up here?!

“What the hell- what are you doing?” I say as i open my window to let him in.

“Sorry i didn’t mean to scare you, i just didn’t have anywhere else to go and i cant stay home.”

I’m looking at him and i realize he has a red mark on his cheek. I hesitate to ask but i do anyways.

“Hey uh- what happened?”

“Huh?”

I point to my own cheek to show him what i mean.

“Oh. Uhh....”

He puts his hand over his cheek, as if to hide it. He hesitates to answer. He moves to floor and sits with his back to me, leaning against my bed. He keeps looking over his shoulder at me then away again. I can tell he’s scared, so i lean over as much as i can without falling over off my bed,trying to get a look at his face. Then i break the silence by being the first to speak.

“Hey... you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. I don’t want you to feel like you have to tell me if it-“

“No, no...it’s ok, i wanna tell you, its just-“

He huffs out a breath and runs his hand through his hair. Then turns just enough that i could see his face.

“M-my...mom...”

“Y-your mom did that??”

He nods and looks away before speaking again. His voice kinda shaky.

“She got mad because I wasn’t home in time for her to leave. I forgot to set an alarm, and then she said that i was grounded and wasn’t allowed to see you or leave the house at all and i got mad and said that it was bullshit, that it was an accident and then she hit me. She just- she puts me under so much stress i just couldn’t stay there to when she left i cleaned up my room and packed a bag and left.”

I feel so bad for him. I can understand discipline like grounding or something but that was uncalled for. I’m upset but more pissed than anything. I look at him and that’s when I realize he has scratches all over him. A bit on his face too. I run my finger over one on his arm and he looks at what I’m doing.

“Oh. My mom got home while i was sneaking out and i panicked, lost my footing and fell into the bush under my window.”

“Ok. How is it that I’m not even clumsy and I’m the one in a wheelchair and your the clumsy one and you’ve never even broken a bone before? How does THAT work?”

He chuckles turns to me a hopeful look on his face.

“So is it ok if i stay here for a bit?”

“Uh no i planned to send you home after you told me all that.”

He chuckles again and my heart flutters. I love that i can makes him happy at a time like this.

“Oh course you can stay. You can sleep on the futon. You know where the pillows and blankets are.”

“Haha yeah. Especially after a few years ago during winter and me and will had to wrap you up in like 12 blankets AND put you in front of a heater.”

“Hey its not my fault it was so cold!”

“It was NOT cold me and will and your mom were all in like sweat pants and t-shirts. Your just crazy”

“ well lucky you for being a human heater.”

He chuckles again as he fixes the futon for him to sleep. He goes to take of his shirt and i freeze. My face is surely red as he put a tank top on to sleep. I turn away so it looks like I wasn’t watching.

I hear rustling and i know i can turn my head back cause he’s laying down now. I lay down too all of a sudden feeling a bit tired.

I’m almost asleep when I’m startled awake by him talking.

“Oh! I almost forgot. I have baseball practice tomorrow. Your mom will have to come pick you up from school since i wont be able to walk you home.”

“What time?”

“Uhhh... 4-6:30pm I think. Why?”

“Would it be ok if I were to... come and watch? I haven’t been able to come to any of your games and i love watching you guys play.”

He sits up and looks at me with a shocked look on his face. Is he upset?

To be continued