Breathe || Max X Reader - Camp Camp

Ⅱ

NOTICE: This chapter will actually include Max. Last chapter was really just covering the exposition as quick as I could (because nobody likes the beginning, let's get real).
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Y/N's POV
Word Count: 1,685

Where's that darn mug? I know I packed it somewhere! Despite my best efforts, it seemed as if I was going to spend my summer without my favorite mug. I've looked everywhere, and it's gone.
"Nikki!", I heard a boy shout. I turned around to see Max. "Hey, you little shit! Why are you stealing Nikki's stuff?"
I stopped dead in my tracks and froze. Max balled his fists and marched right up to me until we were inches away. "No, I was-"
"Can it!", Max demanded. "And why do you have a bed in here?"
Max took a few steps back. "T-That's what I was trying to explain," I tried. "I'm sharing this tent with Nikki. I'm looking everywhere because I lost my mug. I swear, I wasn't stealing!"
Max groaned. "You sound like a puppy.", he claimed. I raised an eyebrow. "With your 'Oh no, no, I wasn't stealing! It wasn't me! I'm so innocent!' sort of deal," Max mocked. I put my head down, not really sure what to say. "But, I mean, it's kind of funny I guess. Who are you, anyway?"
I put my hands in my pockets. Does this kid want to beat me up or something? He's just so off. "I'm Y/N, and I thought we already introduced me.", I retorted. "Unless you left."
Max burst out a laugh. "Oh, so she's feisty now?", he teased. My cheeks heated. "So, what is it then? A princess or an ass?" I shrugged. "Oh, don't be shy, you were starting to amuse me. In this shit hole, it's kind of nice to be distracted."
     I can't tell if he's nice or mean. It's like this sort of charm. I just can't figure this boy out. "So are we friends or what?", I asked. Oh god. That sounded so corny. As expected, Max laughed. "Well?"
Max stroked his chin. He shoved me out of his way and walked over to my coffee maker. From behind the coffee maker, he pulled out my supposedly lost mug. "You have got to be shitting me. It was here the entire time. Maybe if you opened up your eyes up a little you could see it.", said Max. Without permission, he used one of my precious K-Cups to make himself a cup of coffee. "I guess you could say we're friends then. You don't seem terrible." Thanks. That means a lot coming from you.

Max's POV

I'm going to Hell for this, but maybe I could pick on her a little more. "You know what?", I asked her. "You could come to the dock with me. We could talk over some coffee," Shit. That's too kind, it's obvious. "or some shit, I don't know." A little better I guess. I can't help but keep my eyes on her. There's just something different about her. She's hiding something. I could pressure it out of her.
I sat down on the bed with my coffee and looked at Y/N for an answer. "I guess?", she replied. It sounded a lot like a question.
I forced a smirk. "Whatever," I commented. "Meet me there."
To my surprise, the girl stomped her foot down and groaned. "What about my coffee? You said we would have coffee!", Y/N fumed. That's funny, when she's mad. It's kind of...I don't have a word. Maybe not shitty, like, unshitty?
I rolled my eyes. "Don't worry about it," I told her. "I'll have some for you. Just be there whenever. Maybe in an hour or so as long as David doesn't have some shitty activity planned." I left her with that. Without looking back, I exited the tent.
I assumed that if I left her to think about it all day, she wouldn't refuse. With what I have planned, I'll need her there. Unless Neil or Nikki want to go for a swim in some nasty ass water, that is. If they do, then they can be my guests.

     I'd been so caught up in planning my little scheme that I forgot how late it was getting. I looked to the clock which hung in the mess hall. 5:37. That's gonna' be a problem. I bit my lip and took a minute to strategize. Okay. So, when the little shit is on the deck, you're gonna' push her in. Just give her a big shove, she'll fall right in. But then what? To make things worse, it was late as Hell.
     I decided to bite the bullet and just go to the deck unprepared. One thing I didn't forget, though, was Y/N's coffee. I mean, normally, I could care less, but... I shook my head. Shit.
     The water made little ripples as I skipped stones across it. "Max!", Y/N greeted. I looked behind me to see her walking up to me. I fiddled with the sleeves of my hoodie.
     "Yeah, little shit. Here's your coffee.", I replied. I handed her the coffee. I added an extra scoop of sugar beforehand. I only did it because I overheard Y/N and Nikki talk about Y/N liking her coffee sugary. Well, I look like an ass just standing here. What do I say? "I heard thots like pumpkin spice lattés, too bad we don't have that here." That was fucking lame. Why am I blanking? What the fuck?
     Y/N smiled at me and sipped the coffee. "Wow, you're fantastic at making coffee!", she remarked. Well, I sort of cheated?
     I laughed it off. "Yeah, well, I've made a lot of coffee.", I replied. That was true. I've liked coffee since I was about nine or ten. "Want to see somethin' cool?"

Y/N's POV

     "Sure," I said. Since it was late, it was starting to cool off. It was nice to have a coffee to warm my hands. "And thanks. For, you know, the coffee."
     Max waved for me to follow him. I sheepishly trailed behind him until he sat himself down at the dock. You know, I can't help but like this kid. There's something so likeable about someone so terrible. Instead of sitting beside him, I stayed upright.
     The sunset was unreal. It was magical, the way that the sun reflected off of the water. "Hey, what's that?", Max asked. He quickly waved his fingers down at the water. Nothing's there. What's going on? "How about you get a closer look, little shit!" My eyes widened as Max jolted upright and shoved me forward. I threw the coffee down and tried to fight his grasp as he began to throw me into the lake.
     But...he stopped. "What-"
     Max let go of me. "Forget it," he sighed. "Um, I wasn't, I'm kind of?" Sorry? What are you trying to say? "It was going to be a prank, but...not anymore."
     "Why?", I prompted.
     "No clue why the fuck I wanted to throw you in freezing cold water on a cold-as-shit afternoon."
     I shook my head. "Not that," I started. "Why did you have mercy?" I suspected that with anyone else, he would've pushed them in.
     Max stretched out his arms. "Well, you had coffee.", he spat. "That's all. Don't read into it, hoe."
     I cringed. I didn't like that word very much. Well, it's not like I can ask you for special treatment. If I'm a hoe, then I suppose I'm a hoe. It was about time we just changed the subject. "I got word that David doesn't have anything planned tonight, and Nikki wants you and the Neil kid to meet in our tent for some sleepover party thing, I don't know.", I advised.
     Max rolled his eyes, something I'd seen him do too many times. "Sounds gay, huh?", he asked.
     I don't know, I thought maybe it could've been fun. "I don't suppose I'd call it gay, though I don't particularly feel like it'll be fantastic.", I answered.
     In response, Max spent a few moments giving me an odd sort look. He screwed up his face in a confusing way. What'd I do? "You speak weird," Max noticed. "I don't know why, but you use like a bunch of big words. You sound like an old lady." I looked to the ground.
     To occupy myself, I fiddled with my hair. "O-oh." That was a soft spot for me. I never knew why I spoke like that, I just always did, and people constantly got on my case about it.
     Max walked up to me and looked me in the eyes. "I didn't mean it in a bad way, I just-"
     "Yeah, I get it." The sky was fading from a deep orange to a jet black. "Let's go to Nikki's tent." It was obvious that Max had hit a nerve. I still had an odd throb for this boy, but I wasn't so sure about it. I barely knew him, really. But, for some reason, I wanted to know him more.
     Max nodded. In an effort to make amends, he gave me a raw sugar packet that he found in his hoodie. It was sort of cute. I don't know. Maybe I just like sugar too much.
     I was really looking forward to whatever party games Nikki had planned. I was always recognized as a truth or dare master by my friends. With games like spin the bottle or seven minutes in Heaven, however, I had no clue what I was doing. I prayed we'd get to play a game that I was good at.
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A/N - Hey guys! Like I said, it's off to a slow start, I know, but trust me, the story is going to gain traction soon. It's just going slow because I'm writing this like you'd write a real novel, with an actually developed plot that feels professional. If you have any critiques or kindness, please leave a comment! ☁️