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Everything has happened quick; way too quickly for Max’s liking, yet she had dealed with it.
First was an argument between Billy and Neil as soon as she had gotten home from school. It was a Friday, which meant she had homework, but she would be able to hang out with her friends later, or more likely the weekend.
She had just wanted to brush past Neil, the only presence of her being there was her skin against his own arm, yet that hadn’t happened.
Neil had grabbed her arm, lowering his face to hers, and said in a low tone that sent chills throughout her entire body, “Where do you think you’re going?”
She had frozen up, eyes trailing down to his hand on her arm, which was a hard grip, hard enough to bruise, even.
She swallowed, looking up at him, before answering, “To my room.” She sees the look on his face, before quickly adding, “I have homework and a project to work on. May I go do them, please?”
Max knew to speak to Neil with a tone full of respect, so she wouldn’t get hurt. That was the first rule her mother had told her as soon as she had started dating Neil, and while the two went to the beach back in California on her mom’s off day from work.
“Neil?” It’s a voice from behind her, and Max looks over to the direction of the voice; it’s her mother, who’s red hair is pulled into a low bun, wearing a dress. She seemed as if she was going somewhere(she mostly likely was, but Max didn’t want to press), her hands in front of her. “Neil, what’s wrong?”
Neil looks up at her mom, a fake smile plastered across his face(Max could see right through it, he’d put one on a lot of the time), before releasing his grip on her arm.
“Susan!” Neil greets in a happy tone. “Susan, can you please go to the store to get some more milk? I’ve started to notice that we’re running low on it.”
“I can go get it.” Billy starts from behind him. “I don’t have anything tonight.”
“No.” Susan replies. “No, no, I can go get it. Come on, Maxine.”
Max knew why her mother wanted to take her; so she wouldn’t see what was happening to Billy. The bruises and black eyes and split lips left on her brother.
“Maxine can’t go.” Neil interjects. “She has homework and a project to work on. Best to let her work on them.”
Shit, Shit, Fuck-
“Okay.” Susan replies. The woman walks over to her daughter, kissing her on the head. “I’ll be back, baby.”
Max lets out a quick nod, before watching her mother scurry out the door, running towards her car.
”Now,” Neil starts, turning to her, making her flinch, before he turns to Billy, who swallows. “where were we?”
_______________
Second, her step-father had almost instantly grabbed Billy by his shirt collar, pushing him up against the wall.
And Max can just stare.
She hears all the words he says, about how he’s a piece of shit, a mistake, and even more hurtful shit.
Then, in an instant, Billy was on the ground, Neil on top of him as he slapped him.
And she hates Billy; she truly hates him for hurting Lucas and her friends, almost running them over, and talking shit about them but this? Nobody deserved this.
She had run over to them, as fast as she could, trying to rip Neil off of Billy, as sweat poured down her head, making her scream, “Get off of him! Get off, please!”
God, she hated begging, but she did it, even though her efforts were a fail.
Max couldn’t let this happen; MadMax, as she was called, wouldn’t let this happen.
She had punched Neil; it was a hook, and she could’ve sworn she saw blood come out of his mouth when he spit out his..well, spit.
”You little shit…” He trails in a low tone, before grabbing her. “You think this is funny?! Do you?!”
She shakes her head, her eyes over at Billy who scurries away, just like her mother had just a little earlier, heading to the same direction; his car.
A hard hand hits her face, before she feels herself be hit in the gut, forcing her down onto the wooden floors of the kitchen.
“Fighting battles you can’t win…How’d I raise such a bitch? Oh, I didn’t. Your priss of a mother did.” He father seethes, before crouching down to her height on the ground. “You never speak of this, got it? Your mother doesn’t know nor do your pathetic friends.”
Max can smell the alcohol off of his breath, and it disgusts her but she can’t show him. So, she just nods, not saying anything.
“Good.”
And then her father walks away, leaving Max on the ground, as she runs her hands through her disheveled hair, before standing up.
She had to leave; she couldn’t stay here. She couldn’t.
So, she races back to her bedroom, locking the door behind her in an instant, before grabbing her skateboard and opening her window, stepping out onto the wood holder thing.
She doesn’t know when’s she’s going to be coming back; Billy would probably be at a party, trying to drink everything away, while her mother was probably driving around, trying to ignore what was most likely happening to her daughter and step-son. Either way, only Neil was home, and she didn’t want to come home to see him
So she just rides around on her skateboard, not seeming to go anywhere yet she wanted to go somewhere.
The sum was shining when she got home, yet now rain poured down, dark clouds filling the sky and hiding any source of light that would come in. At one point she’d started to cry; maybe a lot, maybe not, but it blended in with the rain so Max didn’t know which was which.
She was still wearing her clothes from school; a light jacket, t-shirt, and a pair of jeans, as well as her sneakers.
She wasn’t in the right state of mind to change yet; and she was cold. Goosebumps lined her skin ever-so elegantly, and she just lets out hard breaths as she skates over the Sinclair’s home.
The Sinclair’s!
She wanted to go knock on their door so badly; to see Lucas and tell him what’s wrong but-
“I think you’re on the wrong street, MadMax!” A voice calls out behind her, and she snaps her head to the direction of the voice.
Mike.
His hair has fallen into his face, and he’s wearing a blue raincoat, which looks new.
“What’re you doing here, Max?” He asks, walking towards her.
She looks at him, running a hand through her hair. “Why are you here? It’s late.” She replies, ignoring his question completely.
“Taking out the trash for the week. You know, because some of us have chores?” He replies, sass on his tone.
She scoffs and rolls her eyes, arms crossed over her chest. “Whatever.”
Her tone is still sarcastic; even when she’s hurt.
Silence takes over the two, as if a blanket was silencing them.
He’s closer now, is something Max notes mentally.
“What happened to your lip? And why is your nose bleeding?” He asks, hands on his hips, staring at her.
Her nose was bleeding? She hadn’t even noticed. She lifts her hand up to it, and as she pulls away, there’s blood there, just like Mike had said.
“And you’re soaking wet, holy shit,” He curses, wrapping her and around his shoulders, his other arm going to her waist. She doesn’t even seem to notice. “Come on, lets get you inside.”
He hugs her body close to his, the garbage abandoned close to where it should’ve been.
“I’m fine.” She slurs softly, hair covering her face. “I can walk just fine.”
“You looked like you were going to fall over, especially on your skateboard.” He replies. “You couldn’t.”
She sighs as they enter the house, obviously annoyed that he was right.
They’re in the basement(she’s lost track of time), and now she’s on the soft cushions of the couch, hugging herself.
She hasn’t even noticed the sweatshirt that was on her body, covering her own jacket, and it’s obviously big on her.
”I’ll go get you something to treat your injuries. Just-stay here, I’ll be right back.” Mike says, and Max just nods.
She was obviously going to stay there; there was no point in leaving. He wanted to help her.
So, she just rubs her hands over the sweatshirt, wanting to soak up all its warmth, before it’d be taken away from her.
“Max?” Mike asks, and she looks up, seeing him holding a few different products in his hands.
“Right here.” She replies, a smirk lacing her features. Under her breath, she adds, “Not dead yet.”
“You’re not going to die.” Mike states, sitting down next to her.
She doesn’t say anything, as he presses a wet blanket to her nose, trying to stop the bleeding.
“Keep it there.” He states, before grabbing a different product. He puts it on her lip, and she doesn’t care enough to as what it is.
She doesn’t want to talk, and he probably doesn’t want to either, because of how quiet it is.
“Are your parents home?” She asks, pulling away the towel to check on her nose, but he pushes it back. “I didn’t see your parent’s cars in the driveway.”
“They’re at a game.” Mike replies. “I don’t know what type, but I do know that Nancy is over at a friends house or hanging out with Jonathan. More likely the latter.”
She nods, before he pulls away, and she takes the towel off from her nose.
She should leave. She’s about to leave, but Mike grabs her shoulder, staring at her. She just sits back down.
His grip isn’t as tight as Neils, nor is it more painful than his. Billy’s was definitely tighter and rougher.
“Now.” He starts, taking her hand in his, looking at her. “You don’t have to tell me what happened. But I just have one question: Are you safe?”
And that’s what broke the barrier, making her sob loudly, not being able to control her emotions. Because it hurts; it hurts so fucking bad, and someone actually cares, and actually wants to help her.
It’s more than she’s done for Billy, and definitely more than her mother has ever done for her step-brother.
And then she’s in Mikes arms, as he holds her tightly.
She can’t even make a snarky comeback to this; she can’t be the strong MadMax they all know. Because it’s all a fucking facade; she’s a fake.
“I hate him! I hate him so much! He hurts Billy, he-he slapped me and punched me! I hate him! He lies to my mom!” She sobs, hands covering her eyes, and Mike doesn’t even say anything; he just listens.
“We need to tell someone.” He murmurs under his breath, and she shakes her head.
”You can’t!” Max cries, not looking up at him. “He’ll hurt you! I’ll be taken away-“
“We won’t let that happen.” Mike interrupts, before making his voice a bit louder. “Do you want to stay here until everything cools over? I can give you some of Nancy’s old clothes.”
Max isn’t okay; and she knows that. She can’t go back. Cant see her step-father or mother or Billy, who’d be drunk just like Neil, and who knows what would happen.
So, she nods. “Okay.” She swallows.
And she knows, deep down, she’s going to be okay. She has her friends. She might even have El to protect her, if the girl would help.
Either way, Max was safe. She was safe in the Wheeler’s house, the Byer’s house, the Sinclair’s house, hell, even Dustin’s house. She was okay.
“Won’t your parents be mad, though?” She asks, right before he goes to bed.
He shakes his head. “I hid El down here for a week. Plus, they know you. I’ll just say I invited you over to hang out and I fell asleep or something.”
Max nods. “Okay.”
“Good night.”
“Good night.”
And Max falls asleep that night, knowing she’s safe.