My Heavenly Friend

Chapter 15 - Don't call me sweetheart

The best day classes went by fairly quickly, that was until I had ten minutes felt till my last period. I had English lit and that was the class I had with Leo. I haven't seen him since our confrontation yesterday nor had I told any body about it. Saying I was nervous was an understanding. So as I walked out of advanced drawing I focused on my graphite covered hands. I had no idea how this happened every single time, my left hand was obviously covered in it but how did I get it all over my right hand. I mean I didn't mind hadn't it all over my hands but it confused me to how it even got there. Rubbing my thumb against my left palm I fell into step with someone who slung there arm around my shoulders.
"Good afternoon cupcake." Max said with that smirk of his.
"Gilbert." Was all I said as I continued to walk unfazed. Okay so maybe saying unfazed isn't completely true, it did made my insides feel weird. But in the outside nothing had changed, well nothing except for the song playing through my headphone.
"Cold as always." He commented with an exasperated sigh.
"You're one to talk." I shot back as I reach for my phone skipping a bunch of songs before placing it back into my back pocket. Without another word Max detached his arm from around me only to grab the dangling headphone and place it in his ear.
"Nice." He nodded his head once before continuing to listen to Paramore with me in silence. I had to admit I didn't mind, the opposite in fact. I mean I liked walking with someone while listening to music that we both apparently liked, it was...soothing, I guess you could say. When he walked in through the front door of our English lit class he pulled the headphone from his ear handing it back to me and said, "Thanks for the music."
"Anytime." I replied with a small smile.
"Ashton!" A voice called out to me from the back of the class. Looking in that direction I noticed Leo waving at me with a mix between a smile and a smirk. I waved back at him about to head in his direction, seeing as he probably wanted to talk with me, when Max asked,
"Who's that?" His tone was anything but friendly and the ghost of a smile that had previously been on his face was gone, not a trace of it left.
"That is Leo." I answered vaguely, not thinking any more detail was required. Clearly Max thought different as he made a questioning face that asked something on the line of "who the hell is Leo." "He asked me out yesterday." I added.
"What, no you're not." Max instantly said once he understood what I was telling him.
"And why not?" I demand suddenly angry. Like where did Max come off randomly telling me I couldn't go out on a date, and with someone who seems nice nonetheless.
"He looked like a tool. C'mon you could do better." Max said his face blank except for the scowl that seemed to be the only other emotion than smirking he showed on a regular basis to everyone.
"And what's better." I spit out, irritation dripping from my words. Max was left with his mouth open but he didn't say anything, for one reason or another, and the fact that he couldn't say anything made me crazy pissed. I mean he can't just say I'm not going and than not have a valid reason. He barely even had a reason. When he still didn't say anything I stomped away and sat down next to Leo at the back of the class.
"Hey is everything alright?" He asked noticing that I was fuming. Not that I was hiding it very well.
"Just peachy." I replied before composing myself. "Sorry." I mumbled before reaching into my bag for my note book and pencil.
"No, it's fine. Do you need me to beat someone up." I laughed at his suggesting before settling with a small smile and telling him,
"No, Gilbert is harmless. But thanks." When I said Max was harmless I didn't actually know if that was true. I mean being harmful could mean quite a few different things. We shared a smile before class started, but instead of paying full attention to the lesson I couldn't help but mull over Max's words. He says I could do better but c'mon, it was Leo that could do better. I was a mess with an even more messed up past, I was beyond broken even if I'd never admit it out loud, if either one of us could do better it was definitely Leo. After class I said goodbye to Leo and left in a hurry. Through out the class I could feel a pair of eyes glancing at me every now and than and I knew that it was Max. So I definitely did not plan on sticking around and just when I thought I was in the clearing Max appeared at my side. I guess I did speak to soon, because I thought that right as I left the room, but hey I didn't think he'd hurried after me.
"Why are you so pissed?" He asked in a gruff voice.
"I'm not pissed, I'm just pissed at you." I told him without a glance in his direction.
"Oh really, now why is that sweetheart." He questioned like he couldn't believe anyone could be mad at him, which kind of shocked me. I mean when a person didn't show emotion it often got people worked up so of course I can imagine people being mad at him every now and then.
"Don't call me sweetheart." I grunted out, the displeasure in clear in my voice. Normally I just brushed off the nicknames but not right now, when I was mad and confused.
"Why would I do that when I know neither of us really want that." I didn't have to look at him to know he was smirking. "Especially you." He added, boiling my blood.
"You know if you're going to go back to being an ass maybe you should just go hang out with Blase." I spit, he knew he was getting on my nerves and he seemed to be enjoying it. He suddenly stopped but I hadn't even noticed until his fingers twisted behind me near the bottom of my shirt, automatically bringing me to a halt.
"Are you really that mad at me?" He questioned in a much softer tone that almost made me feel guilty. Almost.
"Maybe I am. I mean Max you can't just tell me I can't go out with someone and not even have a valid reason. It's not fair and you don't have that right." I told him, not bothering to turn to look at him and push his hand away.
"I'm just trying to protect you." He said in the same weak voice.
"Ya, well I don't need it and you don't need to." I said with a final tone before walking away. The guilt began to eat away at me. I might have been being cold towards Max but I was still mad. He had no right to ruin something that might turn out to be good for me, especially after years of him standing by and ruining any other happiness I could have had. And yes I know I don't blame him for that, I never have and never will but still. I still felt guilty when I entered my room and just stood in the doorway.
"Ashton, what's wrong?" James instantly asked with worry.
"Nothing."
"It doesn't seem like nothing. Did something happen?" I sighed at his worried tone, it made me feel worst. Not only was I already feeling guilty but I felt bad for letting that make James worry about me when it was such a petty thing.
"Nothing is wrong I'm just got mad at Max and now I feel bad." I confessed finally shutting the door and climbing on James bed beside him as my bag fell to the floor.
"Hey, don't feel bad. I'm sure he isn't holding it against you, besides if you're angry with him there's probably a reason for it." James told me in a soothing tone, most likely to help me feel less guilty.
"Ya, there was a reasons but still." I sighed in irritation. James asked me with his eyes what the reason was and I knew I had to tell him. It was now or never. "I have a date, on Friday with a guy in my lit class." I braced myself for what was to come next but was left surprised when the only thing that came out of this mouth was,
"Oh." He quickly shook his head after a moment and said, "so you have date." His strained voice told me that he didn't really like the idea before he caved and said, "tell me. More about this I mean."
"His name is Leo and we're going out Friday. So far he's really nice." I told him seeing as I didn't know that much about Leo.
"And does it make you... happy, that you guys are going out." He asked only making me wonder where this was going.
"I think I am." I replied honestly.
"Alright then. If Max is trying to stop you don't let him." I raised a brow at him, wondering why that was all he had to say.
"What no trying to stop me or worrying or freaking out?" I questioned in disbelief.
"You know I'm worrying, and I'm going to keep worry but I want you to be happy. Trust me when I say if he hurts you, I'll hurt him, but for now. I only want to see you happy, not only am I your guardian angel but you're my little sister now." I slowly took in his words before pointing out,
"I'm actually older than you." He only glared at me. I mean ya I was just a few months older but still, I was older. "But thanks, for being encouraging and stuff."
"That's what I'm here for." He said with a grin while shrugging his shoulders up and down playfully.
"Whatever I'm gonna go take a shower." I stood from his bed, grabbing a set of clean clothes before heading to the bathroom. After that I just hung out with James on his bed. We ended up having this massive argument over ice cream flavors.
"I know that you think that but triple chocolate will always be better than vanilla." James fought back like it was inevitable.
"I can't even believe you. I mean I love chocolate but triple? That's way to rich. It's impossible to handle little lone enjoy. Vanilla will always be better." I tried to reason for the hundredth time.
"C'mon Ashton, that's the same reason you've been using since we started this conversation. Please find a better one." He scoffed making me roll my eyes.
"Well at least I have an excuse. You just keep saying that it better in a tone that suggests there's no way on earth you could be wrong. And this isn't a conversation is tan argument." I said leaning forward.
"Minor details. And there is no way i could be wrong."
"Whatever, I'm so done with this." I huffed leaving his bed, only to crawl into my own. It was getting late and I was no longer in the mood to prove that vanilla ice cream was better. I would do it tomorrow.
"You just know that you're losing." He called before we both fell into the silence and the lights were turned off. I fell asleep with a faint smile that I had been trying to fight off for a while. We were so weird, was my last thought before peacefully drifting off to sleep.

When the next day rolled around, lunch came quickly and I knew I had to tell my friends about Leo. It's be mean if I didn't. But before I could even sit down beside Jack, across from Crystal and Sage, Crystal was already exclaiming loudly,
"When in the the hell were you going to tell us you got a date!" I was so thrown off by her words that all I could say was,
"What?"
"Don't what me. When were you planing on clueing us in?" She demanded only to have Sage say,
"Calm down. You're going to have the whole room starring at us." But Crystal ignored her, her eyes intensely set on me.
"How did you even find out?" I asked confused.
"Oh, well I'm not actually supposed to tell you that." She replied, her tone instantly changing to another.
"What do you mean you aren't supposed to tell me that. Who told you?" I asked, now the one demanding.
"ItwasMax." She said so quickly I nearly didn't catch it. My face burned with anger as I asked,
"What the hell is Max doing telling you guys about my personal life." Of course they didn't have an answer cause it was really more of a rhetorical question but still, they had to know why he'd tell them that. Surely one of them would have asked if he had not already said.
"Calm down," Jack said repeating Sage's words, only they were directed at me this time, "he was only worried. He came to us asking if we'd watch out for you but when we didn't know what he was talking about he told us. So chill okay?" I took a deep breath before mumbling an apology.
"I didn't mean to snap, I'm just mad with Max."
"Well you shouldn't be. Mad at him I mean. He's clearly just trying to look out for his friend of many years. I'd do the same thing for Crystal, not that I wouldn't do it for all of you, it's just I've known Crystal all my life like you have Max so it just worked out better-" I cut off Jack's rambling with the raise of my hand before saying.
"Okay Jack, I get it." After that we I just told them what I told James about my date would Leo. Sage seemed a little weary, that some guy in my class randomly asks me out saying he likes me even though we've never talked before but then she just brushed it off saying she was over thinking it to much.

I didn't talk to Max once the rest of the week.