𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗜 𝗪𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗗 ━━━━ 𝒎𝒂𝒙 𝒎𝒂𝒚𝒇𝒊𝒆𝒍𝒅

𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙧𝙩𝙮 𝙚𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩

[𝗘𝗣𝗜𝗦𝗢𝗗𝗘 𝗙𝗢𝗨𝗥: 𝗗𝗘𝗔𝗥 𝗕𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗬]

THE FIVE TEENAGERS HAVE BEEN ON the road for about almost an hour as max needed to be somewhere else.

sage has her head resting on max's lap, her legs on lucas's lap as the sinclair teen drums his fingers gently on the wheeler teen's calf's. max strokes her girlfriends hair, looking out her own window before speaking up.

"turn here," max says causing sage to snap her eyes open from falling asleep. dustin looks back at the red-head. "here?" he asks.

"just listen to her," sage mumbles, rubbing her eyes as max nods. "gosh i'm tired,"

max lets out a small laugh and continues to stroke sage's hair, seeing as it calms her down and also puts her to sleep.

steve turns into the cemetery before parking his car when max tells him to stop.

the wheeler twin lifts her head off max's lap, moving her legs off lucas's lap. the red-head gets out of the car, closing the door behind her.

sage watches her before getting out of the car as well, following her girlfriend.

"maxine," sage calls out. "sage, please, just wait in the car," max tells her girlfriend. "max, just wait. max, please." sage says and races towards the red-head. "sage, just wait —"

"just listen to me. just, please," sage says, standing in front of max, grabbing her hand gently and holding it. "i know something happened back there with your mother," sage starts as max squeezes her hand. "was it vecna?"

"i told you, i'm fine," max assures her girlfriend with a soft smile. "okay? i mean, as fine as someone who's hurtling towards a gruesome death can be," the red-head jokes before looking down at her and sage's hands.

"max . . . you know you can talk to me. right? you always come to me when something's wrong."

"yeah, i know that," max replies after a moment of silence. "okay, then why are you suddenly beginning to push me away? maxine, i'm only trying to protect you. okay, look," sage takes out the letter, showing it to max. "i don't need a letter. i don't want a letter. just talk to me. to your friends. to lucas. i don't care as long as you talk to someone. we're right here."

max looks over at the car then back at the brunette teen.

"i'm right here. okay? i'm here." sage says softly, bringing max's hand to her chest. "feel that?"

max furrows her eyebrows as she feels sage's heartbeat on the palm of her hand.

"it's beating for you, okay? come on, max. please." sage whispers, moving closer to the red-head, but max pulls away. "just wait in the car. this won't be long." max tells her girlfriend and walks off, away from her lover.