the bat runs in the family

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mentions of rape

"JESUS CHRIST WHY DO YOU HAVE A BAT!?!"

"WHY WHERE YOU SLAMMING AGAINST THE DOOR!?!"

"WHY DO YOU HAVE A BAT?!?"

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

"WHY DO YOU HAVE A BAT!??"

"YOU SCARED THE SHIT OUT OF JANE, YOU ASSHOLES!"

"WHY DO YOU HAVE A BAT!?!"

Max finally dropped the bat as I slowly walked over to her. Nancy and Robin where still staring at us with horror, Nancy's eyes glued to Max's cheek.

But something was majorly off about Nancy. She was mad at something or someone, I just didn't know who. Her eyes kept darting over to me at random moments as the practically leaked with pity.

"We leave you alone for two days, what the hell did you do?" Robin asked, snowflakes in her brunette hair.

Nancy pointed at the coffee table. "And why is there dried blood?"

A beat of silence passed as Max looked at me, seemingly at a loss for words.

That was a first.

The pair stepped inside and Nancy quietly shut the door. Robin tossed there bags down and grabbed Max, pulling her into a tight hug.

Max's eyes squeezed shut and she clenched her fists closed. Nancy studied Max's face intensely. I quickly grabbed Robin and guided her away as Max recovered.

Robin let a horrified gasp when she finally saw Max's back. She grabbed the girls shoulders harshly, spinning her so her back was facing them.

Nancy's face fell at the sight of the tape and gauze. "Holy shit Max!" She hissed, stepping beside Robin. She tentatively started tracing against her scars, like I had.

"What happened?" Robin whispered and Max trained her eyes to the ground. "And don't say nothing."

She swallowed hard, turning around. Robins hand fell back to her side and Max bit the inside of her cheek. "Stuff." She said curtly, her voice having a bit of an attitude to it.

Nancy snorted as Max went and sat down at the counter. "Clearly." She mumbled underneath her breath. I watched her eyes snap back over to the coffee table and then back to Max. "Did you fall?"

Max tilted her head to the side. She pursed her lips. "Maybe."

Robin crossed her arms across her chest assertively. "Was it an accident?" Her eyes scanned Max's body, avoiding her sports bra.

A twinge of guilt spiked in my chest but Max nodded before I could say anything. "Yeah I fell backward on the edge of the couch and my back hit the coffee table."

She lied with such grace it was alarming. Robin believed it, I could tell from the way she relaxed. But Nancy was another story.

"Really? What's with the blood on your cheek?" She pointed to the smear on her face.

Max narrowed her eyes. "I didn't realize it was bleeding at first and I wiped my face."

Nancy raised her brows. "You fell you say?" Max nodded. "Then why do you have two sets of bandages?"

My gaze shot to Max as my girlfriends eyes raked over Nancy. "What exactly are you suggesting, Wheeler?" Her tone was tense and I swallowed hard.

I didn't like that name.

Nancy matched her energy instantly. "I'm not sure, Hargrove, you tell me."

"I think you're saying that something else happened."

          

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

"What possibly could've happened?"

"You tell me."

A beat of silence. I made eye contact with Robin looking for support, but her attitude and manor matched Nancy's. Arms crossed, temper rising and mind blaring a million thoughts. A shiver shot down my spine.

Max poked her tongue against her cheek. She tilted her head upwards slightly, flexing her sharp jawline. "We went camping."

The smaller statement evoked and even smaller reaction out of the two girls. They glance at each other before looking back to Max.

Robin spoke up. "Elaborate."

Max glanced at me quickly and I immediately knew what she was thinking about.

Because I was thinking the same thing.

My face flushed a dark red as Nancy pointed to us. "What, what was that?"

Max smirked. "The same thing you where just doing." I snorted and Robin hid a laugh.

Nancy shook her head, her curls flying around. "No, don't try and change the subject. Something happened that night that you're not telling us. Someone hurt you." She said, eyes flying between the two of us.

I sighed heavily as Max seemingly gave up trying to hide anything. "Fine. Fine, you're right. Someone hurt me and I hurt them. We went camping at the junkyard-"

Robin cut in, her face a mask of disgust. "Why?"

Max faltered for a second. "Not sure. But we did and we where having fun." She stopped, clearing not wanting to explain any further.

"Until we started drinking." I finished for her. Nancy groaned, running her hand down her face. Robin didn't say anything, just pursed her lips and glanced at Nancy.

"Are you serious right now?" Robin asked, hands on her hips like Steve did. "Max you, of all people, should not be drinking."

A pit filled my stomach. Her glare intensified as she zoned in on Robin. Even Nancy shot the girl a look.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" She asked harshly and Robin held her hands up.

"I'm just saying!"

"How do you know?"

"What?"

"How do you know?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Who told you?"

A beat of silence. "Billy."

Max threw her one good arm up in the air in frustration. "God damn it! He really needs to learn to keep his mouth shut. It only gets me in trouble."

Nancy frowned and I went and sat by Max. "He's just trying to look out for you." Max scoffed and rolled her eyes. "He is!"

"He doesn't need to." She mumbled.

"Someone should." Robin said. "And you shouldn't have been drinking! Neither of you should!" She asserted, pointing at us both.

I jumped in. "Max wasn't drinking."

Not totally true. But she only took a sip... kind of.

I mean I nearly finished a whole one so I was more in the wrong anyways.

How the hell did I get hungover over one thing of beer?

Robin faltered, glancing at Nancy for support. "Either way, you should've called us."

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