Chapter Ten
My first day of senior year is surprisingly anticlimactic.
Same building, same people in my classes, same basic schedule.
If nothing else, I’d anticipated it feeling somewhat different because of Max.
I wasn’t looking forward to sparring with him in my classes or when we passed in the hallway, but as the day goes by without a single sighting of him, I almost feel annoyed.
How was he avoiding me so completely? He wasn’t in any of my classes or lunch period, not in the parking lot at the beginning of the day or in the halls between classes.
Our high school isn’t that big. What if he somehow got ahold of my schedule ahead of time so that he could be sure to avoid me all day? That seems overboard even for him.
“It’s weird, right?” I say to Nova under my breath as we walk to the band room for the last period of the day.
“Maybe he’s sick?”
“Maybe.” Though he hadn’t seemed sick last night.
“I’m surprised you aren’t jumping for joy. It sounds like you had a horrible time together.”
I’d texted Nova when Max left to tell her how my Sunday had taken a turn.
Watching LOTR for the rest of the evening hadn’t been horrible, exactly.
It gave us a way to be in each other’s presence without fighting, and I do love those movies, but it wasn’t relaxing either.
I was on edge the whole evening, wondering how long I had until our truce vanished and he snapped at me for breathing too loudly or made another rude comment about my mom or color guard.
“I’m not sad he’s not around.” I shove my hands into the pockets of my rolled-up jean shorts. “More like…suspicious.”
“Girls! Come take a look!”
Nova and I walk into the band room to find my mom standing next to a folding table covered in bags of chips, cookies, and bottles of juice.
Kicking off the school year with special snacks is a band tradition she started my freshman year when she and Dad got involved with the band boosters.
She and the other parents try to do things throughout the season to make it special—like providing the water balloons for band camp, or snacks on our first day, or our special celebratory Balloon Day right before we perform at state.
Of course, it’s not a guarantee that we’ll make it to state.
The band needs to earn a Superior rating at one of the local high school contests in order for us to qualify.
We have three competitions scheduled for this season, which means three opportunities to qualify, but we shouldn’t need more than one.
We’ve qualified every year for the last eighteen years, so it’s a given at this point.
My focus is on having the color guard earn our Superior rating and get our best in show award so we can finally put the percussion section in their place.
“This looks great, Mrs. Buchanan,” Nova says and grabs a bottle of apple juice.
“Good, I’m glad. I hope everyone enjoys it.”
More people gather around the free food like moths to a flame, and I’m grateful when Mom announces she’s heading out. As I walk with her to the parking lot, another car comes speeding past us. Max climbs out a second later and strides toward the building with no acknowledgment.
“He’s just now getting to school?” I mutter. Who does that, especially on the first day?
“I hope he’s doing okay,” Mom replies. “It was good to see Melanie last night. It’s been too long.”
“Did you know that Max’s parents are getting a divorce?”
She furrows her brow. “Yes. I know it’s hard on her. And Max, I’m sure.”
I swallow down a wave of irritation. “If you and Dad knew, then why didn’t you tell me? That’s a pretty important piece of information to keep to yourselves.”
“Melanie told me in confidence. It’s still very new.” She shrugs. “And I figured Max would want to tell you himself in his own time. You two have always been so close. It was cute seeing you watching LOTR again like in the old days.”
“Mom, no. Max and I aren’t friends like that anymore.”
“What about starting your D&D game now that he’s back? It’d be a great way to spend your Sunday evenings together.”
Alarm bells ring in my mind. “What do you mean, evenings?”
“Well, Melanie is joining the game again, so she’ll be coming over every Sunday now. And she mentioned that Max will be coming too so—”
“Why is Max coming?” I interrupt. “It was different when he was younger, but he’s practically an adult now.”
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I wouldn’t exactly call either of you adults yet.
And don’t look at me like that, it wasn’t my idea.
But I think it’s a good thing.” She bounces eagerly on her toes.
“This can finally be the push you need to start your game. I know you’ll have fun if you try.
Look at the color guard dinner! You all had a great time building characters. ”
I squeeze my eyes shut. Max is going to be coming over every Sunday? I don’t want to run my first game with him around. But there are only so many LOTR movies we can watch in tense silence, no matter how many extended cuts and BTS footage we add on.
Mom kisses my head. “You should get back inside or there won’t be any snacks left for you. Enjoy the first day of your winning season!”
I wait for her to get into the car before walking back. I expected Max to be inside by now, but he’s still loitering by the door to the band room, looking at his phone. Part of me wants to stride right past him like he did in the parking lot, but my curiosity gets the better of me.
“Did you blow off the first day of school? Or did you forget to set an alarm?”
He gives me an incredulous look. “It’s two in the afternoon. I like to sleep in, but that’s extreme even for me.”
“So why weren’t you at school today?”
“Because I’m not taking classes at Glen Vale.”
“What?”
“I’m taking college classes at the local campus in Newark. We figured it was a good way for me to get free college credits this year.”
I step back in surprise. I was aware of the concept of going to college during senior year, and had even debated it myself until I learned it would mean missing so much of senior year with Nova, but I hadn’t imagined Max would ever do that. He wasn’t very studious when he was younger.
“Why was your mom here?” he asks. “Is she at school a lot, bringing you snacks and checking on you?”
I wince, knowing that Mom was literally here to bring me snacks. But that doesn’t mean he’s allowed to make fun of me over it. “Mom was setting up a first day surprise for the band. She brought in food and drinks for everyone. It’s something my parents started years ago.”
Rather than look shamed, his face screws up even more. “You really do have a perfect life, don’t you?”
I huff in annoyance. “Not in the least. Although it sounds like you have the great life, getting to skip all the worst parts of school and only coming in for band.”
“My schedule does have some big benefits. Like giving me extra time to rehearse.” He smiles, but it has an edge to it. “I’m going to need the daily practice to win the MVM award this year.”
My eyes bulge. “You’re trying for senior MVM?”
“Of course. I’m a senior and I like to win—you already know that about me. I intend to make that award mine, Hazel.”
Resentment rises up in me. Is this because he saw my freshman award at the house last night and knows I’m trying to repeat? Or is it just his intense competitiveness coming out? It’s impossible to know with Max.
“Well, get in line,” I snap back as heat rushes to my cheeks. I hate that he can affect me like this so easily. “I’ve been working toward that award for the last two years.”
“It’s not about who wants it the most, it’s about who’s earned it. And you better believe I’m going to put the work in.”
His eyes linger on my face for a moment. Then he tips a nonexistent hat to me and walks away.