Chapter 1

It was a hot June night, the air was bitter with the smell of alcohol, cigarettes, and cheap perfume. It was Max’s and my first night out since the “ incident ” On our way to the mall  We were bombarded by Shayla ( Max’s ex-girlfriend with... issues ) “ Who is this? ” she asked Max with a bitchy tone, “ I am Haley and you know that you cheating twat. ” I replied with a snarky tone hanging on my words like an apple hanging on a tree. She sneered, and then looked at me like I had seven heads.“ Ugh” she rolled her eyes, “ Whatever ” 

 After she left, we walked through the mall, finding a boba shop in the food court, seating ourselves at a small table by the large glass windows that made up the entire south wall. “ Hey, I wonder if she went in to go rant to Liam,” I said feeling iffy because I didn’t know how he would react. He laughed. Safe.  “ It’s either that or Her brother’s best friend,” Max said. We laughed. I feel proud, I feel proud that he’s over her. “ You know what? ” Max said, “ What? ” I return, he puts on his serious but still happy looking face that just makes me turn as pink as a scoop of strawberry ice cream, the face that makes me want to scream into a pillow and re-read the text messages that could have made me the girlfriend and not her. He started to talk, " She was a bitch, wasn't she." I laughed out loud. He look at me confused and dazed.

We finished our boba and headed towards the south wall lounging area. It was night time by now, and it had been a long day seeing that it was the last day of school. The two of us sat down on an orange couch with bright blue throw pillows in the corner so we could see the stars. I rested my head on his shoulder.  He rubbed my arm and played with my hair like he always did, except this time it was different.