OOM: Max Caulfield, Blackwell Ninja
May. 28th, 2020 02:16 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
little_pieces_of_time(From here.)
Max was thankfully past the side-hall to the dorm bathrooms by the time Taylor and Courtney rushed out again, carrying paper towels for the paint-spattered Victoria they had left outside. She didn't need to hear their voiced worries to know that Victoria would likely be pissed at them however long it took for them to bring towels. Max felt a small pang of guilt for that. None of what happened had been their doing, but they would be... easy targets for Victoria's ire.
Her stomach twisted when she saw that someone - again, probably Victoria or one of her minions - had written "Will Bang of Jesus!" on the little dry-erase board outside of poor Kate's door. That was so cruel, and Kate was already so picked on and sad lately. Hurriedly, Max wiped away the message. But what to replace it with? Max had trouble thinking of anything to draw on her own board, much less figure out what to draw on someone else's. Something... anything that wouldn't cause Kate any more upset. She settled on drawing a simple peace sign; it was what she wished for Kate, in any case. Some peace.
Max slipped into her room, feeling some of the tension of this very long, very strange day release from her shoulders as the door clicked shut behind her.
Home, sweet home. My favorite cocoon...
But where was Warren's flash drive? She'd left it on her desk... and she hadn't left that sticky note. Looks like Dana had borrowed the flash drive. So... Dana's room. Max took a breath and looked around her dorm room, her still-new home away from home, her little corner of condensed Max. She would've loved to just stay, maybe browse through that new vintage camera site she'd found, or practice her guitar, maybe just space out on her bed under her wall of photos... but Warren was probably already waiting on her.
Max could hear the commotion in the hall even before she ventured forth. Dana's door was closed - which it rarely was during the day - and Juliet was yelling through it over the sounds of pounding on the inside of it.
"You can't get out now, Dana! So tell me the truth, or rot in there!" Juliet demanded over Dana's protests to unlock the door, that Juliet was being stupid and ridiculous and petty.
Max winced. Welcome to "The Real Drama Queens of Blackwell... but she'd need to get into Dana's room if she wanted that flash drive..
Max approached Juliet carefully, who was texting angrily into her phone and muttering "Answer me, you wuss..." with quiet venom. Behind the door, Dana was threatening to scream if Juliet didn't let her out.
"H-hey, Juliet," Max said hesitantly, giving a little wave. "Is everything cool?"
Juliet looked up from her phone with dry scorn, "Oh, yes, Max. I've locked Dana in the room because we're 'cool.'"
That stung. "What did she do?" Weren't they friends?
Juliet scoffs, bitter, going back to angrily texting someone who - from her reactions - wasn't texting back. "What didn't she do? Dana's been sexting with my boyfriend."
That didn't sound like Dana at all. At least... as far as Max knew Dana, which admittedly wasn't terribly far. "Ouch. How did you find out?"
Juliet looked up from her phone again, confusion mixed with anger twisting her face, and stood up from her lean against the wall. She didn't move very far, but to Max it felt like suddenly the much-taller Juliet was entirely too close. "Uh, why do you care? Why are you even asking me? You never talk, just zone out with your camera."
Max gripped the strap of her messenger bag, seeking to keep both her hands and voice from shaking. "...That's why I'm talking to you now."
"Like you know me? Anything about me? What's my last name, Max?"
Well, fuck. Juliet wasn't wrong. They had hardly ever talked. Juliet was always so cool and confident and Max... wasn't. She enjoyed listening to Juliet's comments in class, though, and Max always got the impression that Juliet thought deeply about things. It seemed she also felt deeply about things, as well. But... her last name? Max remembers seeing it on the map of the dorm, but...
"Juliet Mason," she tried, thinking it sounded about right.
Juliet's lip curled. "That was just sad. Thanks ever so much for your concern, 'Max Caulfield.'"
Max winced, gripping the strap of her messenger bag hard. Yowch.
"By the way?" she added dismissively, leaning back against the wall to continue her angry texting of her cheating boyfriend. "It's Juliet Watson."
Max shook herself, wanting to retreat to her room, freak out in private. But... no, she needed to get into Dana's room. Focusing her attention, she put out her hand, and pulled herself back against the flow of time.
"...you know me? Anything about me? What's my last name, Max?"
"Juliet Watson, duh," Max replied quietly.
Juliet's anger faltered. "I'm... flattered. I didn't even think you knew my name at all."
Max shook her head. "Of course I do," she protested, as though the previous conversation hadn't happened (which, she supposed, hadn't happened). "Just because I don't talk a lot doesn't mean I don't care. So, how did you find out about them?"
"According to Victoria, Dana would do anything to date a quarterback," Juliet replied with a hard sigh.
"According to Victoria?" Max echoed, doubt in her tone.
Juliet shook her head and gave a slight shrug. "She saw the sext. And now Zachary won't answer his phone." Her lips thin into a flat line. "Once Dana admits to it, she can go. Straight to hell."
It seems the explanation was loud enough for Dana to hear, because from behind the door Max could hear Dana's protest. "Max, I swear I didn't do ANYTHING! But I bet Victoria did! I know the proof is likely in her room!"
That's really where Max's mind had been going, too, the moment she'd heard Victoria was involved. Victoria had real talent behind a camera, but she didn't make it easy not to hate her. Max wasn't sure she was really brave enough to enter Victoria's room... but she knew that if she wants that flash drive - and to uncover the truth about Dana and Juliet's predicament, of course - she'd have to.
Thank goodness for the Blackwell queen's tendency to leave her door not only unlocked but open. Max couldn't imagine doing the same, herself, but she supposed Victoria couldn't resist the opportunity to show off. Victoria's room was... somehow exactly as Max had imagined it. Victoria had been blessed with both money and taste, and her room absolutely reflected that. Max let herself covet the large, plasma-screen tv and (just a little bit) Victoria's wardrobe of expensive clothes from designers even a hipster like Max had heard of. The shy photog took minor pleasure in seeing Victoria's own wall-o'-photos; some things photo nerds just can't resist doing, though Max managed to resist the urge to mess it up somehow. She didn't want Victoria knowing she had been there, after all.
One photo was of Victoria and her parents (ah, only child, that explained a lot) outside of their gallery in Seattle. Max hadn't known Victoria's parents owned the Chase Space - no wonder they had money. She continued looking. Victoria had one of the ever-present Missing Person's posters for Rachel Amber, but Victoria had crossed out Rachel's eyes and written BITCH across the poster in red, which was... minorly disturbing.
Max's stomach twisted in knots, seeing Victoria's books of Mr. Jefferson's photos - she was a real Jefferson groupie, not that Max could judge anyone for that - and Victoria's tickets to the upcoming limited gallery showing of his recent works lying on her jewelry stand. For that matter, Max was sure that if she owned so much expensive jewelry, she'd not leave it on display in her room with the door open.
Resist the urge to be nosy and hurry up, Max. If I get caught here, I'm dead meat.
...Though, I suppose if I linger too long, I could just rewind. What am I worried about?
Recognizing the gallery logo at the top of an open letter left on the coffee table (who but Victoria would have a coffee table in their dorm room??), Max couldn't resist reading it. Victoria had had her work rejected! Wowsers, as much as Max didn't like Victoria, that must've been mortifying, though part of Max's mind reflected that at least Victoria was brave enough to try and get her work out there for people to see.
...Max felt her mind needed to shut up, sometimes. Back to business. Luckily (and inexplicably - Victoria, what are you thinking?) Victoria's computer was left unlocked, and the first thing Max saw was the incriminating email of Victoria crowing over the discord she had sown between Dana and Juliet, simply by suggesting she'd seen a sext from Dana on Zach's phone.
"Ugh," Max grimaced, reading. "...so expect to see a dorm rampage soon. Juliet deserves this for slutting Zach away from me. As for Dana - who gives a shit?" Victoria was the woooorst. Now to print this out and get the hell out of here.
Victoria's wireless printer (Max ignores the additional stab of jealousy) was left on, and it only takes a moment to print the email and get back to Juliet in the hall.
"Juliet, read this."
Juliet took the paper, looking over it. Max watched her face fall, and watch her turn to unlock and open Dana's door. "....I'm such an asshole. I'm sorry, Dana."
"You are," Dana agreed with her friend, looking tired, "and I hope so. You really think I'd mess around with Zachary?"
"No," Juliet admits, "But I get stupid jealous. I owe you dinner. Still love me?"
"And you do my laundry," Dana adds.
Juliet nodded, still obviously feeling horrible about the whole thing. "Thanks, Max. You're like the Blackwell Ninja." Max smiled, glad to have helped, but Juliet's ire, not fully gone, has a new target. "Now let's see what Zach has to say about Victoria..."
Dana shook her head as Juliet left the dorm, glad the trial seemed to be over. "You set me free, Max! Thank you. Come on in. Warren's flash drive is on my desk."
Dana re-entered her room and settled on the bed. Max followed after; she had seen the inside of Dana's room, of course - Dana always liked to keep her door open - but this was the first time she'd gotten to really look around. She had her Facebook page open on her laptop - it made total sense that Dana would have a million friends on social media. She seemed to be doing better at least, calming down now that she was no longer a prisoner in her own room.
"Seriously, thanks again, Max," Dana remarked, shaking her head. "I can't believe Juliet locked me in my own room. Real mature."
It wasn't great that Juliet had reacted like that, but Max didn't really feel it was her fault. She was tricked. "Victoria is not nice," Max replied, grimacing slightly. "I don't get it. She has everything. And to pull that prank on a friend?"
Dana shook her head, dry. "Just because they're in the Vortex Club doesn't mean they're BFFs. I'm in it and Victoria creeps me out."
Good to hear it isn't just me, Max thought to herself.
"Max, you're smart to be a loner here. Though Warren obviously likes hanging with you..." Dana said, a little smile on her face.
"What do you mean?"
"Oh, nothing," Dana answered with a look that said otherwise. "When you opened the flash drive, didn't you see the special folder called "Max"?"
Max, who had seen that folder, looked away. "Yeah, okay. I gotcha."
"Are you blushing? Ha!" Dana looked delighted to have caught her. "Go ahead and grab the flash drive whenever."
The flash drive was right on Dana's desk, so the Precious found its way into Max's pocketses, so she wouldn't have to worry about chasing it down again before getting it to Warren. As she steps back from the desk, Max's foot knocked into the low, mostly empty trash can nearby. And that... what was that? Max found herself crouching, picking up -
Dana was in front of Max the next moment, all easy friendliness gone as she snatched the pregnancy test from her hand. "That's mine, thank you! Ugh, you're not helpful, Max, you just like being nosy. You'd better go."
Max cringed back, wincing. Nice, Max. You hurt her feelings by being so damn nosy again.
But... I could rewind and make it up to her...
It's almost easy, the moment of concentration, the feeling of being dragged backwards against the flow of time, like an anchor against the current. Then, the feeling of the flash drive slipping into her pocket again.
Max stepped forward, her left hand gripping her right elbow as she hesitated. "Uh, Dana, I'm not trying to be nosy, but I heard a rumor about you."
Dana startled, "What? Who told you I was pregnant?"
"N-Nobody important. They just acted like it was bullshit. I just thought you to know about it."
Dana's hand brushed back through her hair, distracted but resigned. "It's like a goddamn reality show around here, seriously... Can you keep a secret, Max?"
"Of course," Max replied, immediately.
"I...was pregnant," Dana explained, with a weighty pause. "Was."
No wonder she was upset. "O-Oh," Max couldn't think of what to say. "What about the other...?"
Dana snorted, dry. "Deadbeat Dad? You can catch him on the 40 yard line this Friday. And it's not Zachary."
"Who then?" Max asked before she could stop herself, and heard her nosiness getting the better of her. She shook her head, gesturing. "And you don't have to tell me. In fact, you better not. It's not my business."
Dana smiled a little, appreciating the self-control. "I like your spirit, Max."
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Max was feeling much better by the time she exited the dorms, heading towards the parking lot. She'd done good! A minor good, if by somewhat underhanded means and for the purpose of getting Warren's flashdrive from Dana's room. Her intentions had been good, though. And she had also kept her own nosiness from hurting a friend. Even if it had gotten her the information she'd been curious about, too. It still counted, right?
She even mustered up the courage to rewind and warn Alyssa to duck so that she didn't get beaned by the jocks' stray football. Alyssa's appreciation - "Max, that was awesome! We should hang out more." - carried her in a bubble of good mood all the way to...
... the edge of the walk towards the parking lot. There was Kate, and the Security guard from earlier - Mr. Madsen, Principal Wells had called him. And... Max didn't like the way he was getting up into Kate's personal space. There were no good intentions there.
"...So don't think I'm blind!" he snarled, stepping forward and continuing to force Kate to back up, "I see everything here at Blackwell - do you understand what I'm saying??"
"No, and leave me alone!" Kate protested, voice breaking. The fear in her voice made Max's stomach twist in knots.
What should she do? Bullies always made her feel sick and helpless, unable to fight them off or intimidate them (who would be scared of her?), and it's Kate. She's already going through so much, and already so upset. What can Max do? She could... try taking a picture, documenting the bullying, giving Principal Wells evidence of misconduct? But Max still had no proof Principal Wells would do anything about Nathan Prescott bringing a gun and shooting... almost shooting a girl in the restrooms, either. And she could just imagine the betrayal in Kate's face if she found out Max was there, could have done something but chose to take a photo instead of helping her.
So... So she had to. Max swallowed hard against the lump in her throat, feeling herself shake.
("Be bold, Max!")
("I know you will do the right thing.")
Mr Madsen wasn't letting up, despite Kate's pleas. "...you can't fool me! I know everything about this school. I cover the waterfront. So you better figure out what side you're on...
"Please, just leave me alone!"
The audible tears in Kate's voice spurred Max to step forward, anger in her heart despite the shake in her voice. "HEY! Why don't you leave her alone?"
The security guard turned on Max as Kate continued to back up, giving herself space. "Excuse us, this is official campus business-"
Greatly daring, Max interrupted, "Excuse me. You shouldn't be yelling at students. Or bullying them."
A visible thread of wariness entered the security guard's demeanor. This wasn't the first time this accusation had been aimed at him, was it? "Hey, hey, nobody is bullying anybody. I'm doing my job," he protested, defensive.
Max ignored the sick anxiety twisting her stomach, shaking her voice, letting herself only listen to the anger for her hurt friend's sake. "No, you're not," she replied, with an edge that indicated that Mr. Madsen was obviously aware he'd crossed a line.
That was when Max knew it had worked; she saw him hesitate, and decide to retreat. "You're part of the problem, missy. I will remember this conversation."
The warning did nothing to help the knots in Max's stomach or the shaking in her hands, but the sight of him stalking off was worth it, especially as Kate reached her and grasped her hands, effusive. "Oh, Max, that was great," she breathed, voice rough from tears but with true gratitude, "I think you scared him for once... I have to go, but thank you. It means a lot."
"Anytime, Kate. You know it," Max replied, feeling her words come as though from far away, still caught up in the heady rush of what she'd just done.
Now that was being an Everyday Hero.
Max was thankfully past the side-hall to the dorm bathrooms by the time Taylor and Courtney rushed out again, carrying paper towels for the paint-spattered Victoria they had left outside. She didn't need to hear their voiced worries to know that Victoria would likely be pissed at them however long it took for them to bring towels. Max felt a small pang of guilt for that. None of what happened had been their doing, but they would be... easy targets for Victoria's ire.
Her stomach twisted when she saw that someone - again, probably Victoria or one of her minions - had written "Will Bang of Jesus!" on the little dry-erase board outside of poor Kate's door. That was so cruel, and Kate was already so picked on and sad lately. Hurriedly, Max wiped away the message. But what to replace it with? Max had trouble thinking of anything to draw on her own board, much less figure out what to draw on someone else's. Something... anything that wouldn't cause Kate any more upset. She settled on drawing a simple peace sign; it was what she wished for Kate, in any case. Some peace.
Max slipped into her room, feeling some of the tension of this very long, very strange day release from her shoulders as the door clicked shut behind her.
Home, sweet home. My favorite cocoon...
But where was Warren's flash drive? She'd left it on her desk... and she hadn't left that sticky note. Looks like Dana had borrowed the flash drive. So... Dana's room. Max took a breath and looked around her dorm room, her still-new home away from home, her little corner of condensed Max. She would've loved to just stay, maybe browse through that new vintage camera site she'd found, or practice her guitar, maybe just space out on her bed under her wall of photos... but Warren was probably already waiting on her.
Max could hear the commotion in the hall even before she ventured forth. Dana's door was closed - which it rarely was during the day - and Juliet was yelling through it over the sounds of pounding on the inside of it.
"You can't get out now, Dana! So tell me the truth, or rot in there!" Juliet demanded over Dana's protests to unlock the door, that Juliet was being stupid and ridiculous and petty.
Max winced. Welcome to "The Real Drama Queens of Blackwell... but she'd need to get into Dana's room if she wanted that flash drive..
Max approached Juliet carefully, who was texting angrily into her phone and muttering "Answer me, you wuss..." with quiet venom. Behind the door, Dana was threatening to scream if Juliet didn't let her out.
"H-hey, Juliet," Max said hesitantly, giving a little wave. "Is everything cool?"
Juliet looked up from her phone with dry scorn, "Oh, yes, Max. I've locked Dana in the room because we're 'cool.'"
That stung. "What did she do?" Weren't they friends?
Juliet scoffs, bitter, going back to angrily texting someone who - from her reactions - wasn't texting back. "What didn't she do? Dana's been sexting with my boyfriend."
That didn't sound like Dana at all. At least... as far as Max knew Dana, which admittedly wasn't terribly far. "Ouch. How did you find out?"
Juliet looked up from her phone again, confusion mixed with anger twisting her face, and stood up from her lean against the wall. She didn't move very far, but to Max it felt like suddenly the much-taller Juliet was entirely too close. "Uh, why do you care? Why are you even asking me? You never talk, just zone out with your camera."
Max gripped the strap of her messenger bag, seeking to keep both her hands and voice from shaking. "...That's why I'm talking to you now."
"Like you know me? Anything about me? What's my last name, Max?"
Well, fuck. Juliet wasn't wrong. They had hardly ever talked. Juliet was always so cool and confident and Max... wasn't. She enjoyed listening to Juliet's comments in class, though, and Max always got the impression that Juliet thought deeply about things. It seemed she also felt deeply about things, as well. But... her last name? Max remembers seeing it on the map of the dorm, but...
"Juliet Mason," she tried, thinking it sounded about right.
Juliet's lip curled. "That was just sad. Thanks ever so much for your concern, 'Max Caulfield.'"
Max winced, gripping the strap of her messenger bag hard. Yowch.
"By the way?" she added dismissively, leaning back against the wall to continue her angry texting of her cheating boyfriend. "It's Juliet Watson."
Max shook herself, wanting to retreat to her room, freak out in private. But... no, she needed to get into Dana's room. Focusing her attention, she put out her hand, and pulled herself back against the flow of time.
"...you know me? Anything about me? What's my last name, Max?"
"Juliet Watson, duh," Max replied quietly.
Juliet's anger faltered. "I'm... flattered. I didn't even think you knew my name at all."
Max shook her head. "Of course I do," she protested, as though the previous conversation hadn't happened (which, she supposed, hadn't happened). "Just because I don't talk a lot doesn't mean I don't care. So, how did you find out about them?"
"According to Victoria, Dana would do anything to date a quarterback," Juliet replied with a hard sigh.
"According to Victoria?" Max echoed, doubt in her tone.
Juliet shook her head and gave a slight shrug. "She saw the sext. And now Zachary won't answer his phone." Her lips thin into a flat line. "Once Dana admits to it, she can go. Straight to hell."
It seems the explanation was loud enough for Dana to hear, because from behind the door Max could hear Dana's protest. "Max, I swear I didn't do ANYTHING! But I bet Victoria did! I know the proof is likely in her room!"
That's really where Max's mind had been going, too, the moment she'd heard Victoria was involved. Victoria had real talent behind a camera, but she didn't make it easy not to hate her. Max wasn't sure she was really brave enough to enter Victoria's room... but she knew that if she wants that flash drive - and to uncover the truth about Dana and Juliet's predicament, of course - she'd have to.
Thank goodness for the Blackwell queen's tendency to leave her door not only unlocked but open. Max couldn't imagine doing the same, herself, but she supposed Victoria couldn't resist the opportunity to show off. Victoria's room was... somehow exactly as Max had imagined it. Victoria had been blessed with both money and taste, and her room absolutely reflected that. Max let herself covet the large, plasma-screen tv and (just a little bit) Victoria's wardrobe of expensive clothes from designers even a hipster like Max had heard of. The shy photog took minor pleasure in seeing Victoria's own wall-o'-photos; some things photo nerds just can't resist doing, though Max managed to resist the urge to mess it up somehow. She didn't want Victoria knowing she had been there, after all.
One photo was of Victoria and her parents (ah, only child, that explained a lot) outside of their gallery in Seattle. Max hadn't known Victoria's parents owned the Chase Space - no wonder they had money. She continued looking. Victoria had one of the ever-present Missing Person's posters for Rachel Amber, but Victoria had crossed out Rachel's eyes and written BITCH across the poster in red, which was... minorly disturbing.
Max's stomach twisted in knots, seeing Victoria's books of Mr. Jefferson's photos - she was a real Jefferson groupie, not that Max could judge anyone for that - and Victoria's tickets to the upcoming limited gallery showing of his recent works lying on her jewelry stand. For that matter, Max was sure that if she owned so much expensive jewelry, she'd not leave it on display in her room with the door open.
Resist the urge to be nosy and hurry up, Max. If I get caught here, I'm dead meat.
...Though, I suppose if I linger too long, I could just rewind. What am I worried about?
Recognizing the gallery logo at the top of an open letter left on the coffee table (who but Victoria would have a coffee table in their dorm room??), Max couldn't resist reading it. Victoria had had her work rejected! Wowsers, as much as Max didn't like Victoria, that must've been mortifying, though part of Max's mind reflected that at least Victoria was brave enough to try and get her work out there for people to see.
...Max felt her mind needed to shut up, sometimes. Back to business. Luckily (and inexplicably - Victoria, what are you thinking?) Victoria's computer was left unlocked, and the first thing Max saw was the incriminating email of Victoria crowing over the discord she had sown between Dana and Juliet, simply by suggesting she'd seen a sext from Dana on Zach's phone.
"Ugh," Max grimaced, reading. "...so expect to see a dorm rampage soon. Juliet deserves this for slutting Zach away from me. As for Dana - who gives a shit?" Victoria was the woooorst. Now to print this out and get the hell out of here.
Victoria's wireless printer (Max ignores the additional stab of jealousy) was left on, and it only takes a moment to print the email and get back to Juliet in the hall.
"Juliet, read this."
Juliet took the paper, looking over it. Max watched her face fall, and watch her turn to unlock and open Dana's door. "....I'm such an asshole. I'm sorry, Dana."
"You are," Dana agreed with her friend, looking tired, "and I hope so. You really think I'd mess around with Zachary?"
"No," Juliet admits, "But I get stupid jealous. I owe you dinner. Still love me?"
"And you do my laundry," Dana adds.
Juliet nodded, still obviously feeling horrible about the whole thing. "Thanks, Max. You're like the Blackwell Ninja." Max smiled, glad to have helped, but Juliet's ire, not fully gone, has a new target. "Now let's see what Zach has to say about Victoria..."
Dana shook her head as Juliet left the dorm, glad the trial seemed to be over. "You set me free, Max! Thank you. Come on in. Warren's flash drive is on my desk."
Dana re-entered her room and settled on the bed. Max followed after; she had seen the inside of Dana's room, of course - Dana always liked to keep her door open - but this was the first time she'd gotten to really look around. She had her Facebook page open on her laptop - it made total sense that Dana would have a million friends on social media. She seemed to be doing better at least, calming down now that she was no longer a prisoner in her own room.
"Seriously, thanks again, Max," Dana remarked, shaking her head. "I can't believe Juliet locked me in my own room. Real mature."
It wasn't great that Juliet had reacted like that, but Max didn't really feel it was her fault. She was tricked. "Victoria is not nice," Max replied, grimacing slightly. "I don't get it. She has everything. And to pull that prank on a friend?"
Dana shook her head, dry. "Just because they're in the Vortex Club doesn't mean they're BFFs. I'm in it and Victoria creeps me out."
Good to hear it isn't just me, Max thought to herself.
"Max, you're smart to be a loner here. Though Warren obviously likes hanging with you..." Dana said, a little smile on her face.
"What do you mean?"
"Oh, nothing," Dana answered with a look that said otherwise. "When you opened the flash drive, didn't you see the special folder called "Max"?"
Max, who had seen that folder, looked away. "Yeah, okay. I gotcha."
"Are you blushing? Ha!" Dana looked delighted to have caught her. "Go ahead and grab the flash drive whenever."
The flash drive was right on Dana's desk, so the Precious found its way into Max's pocketses, so she wouldn't have to worry about chasing it down again before getting it to Warren. As she steps back from the desk, Max's foot knocked into the low, mostly empty trash can nearby. And that... what was that? Max found herself crouching, picking up -
Dana was in front of Max the next moment, all easy friendliness gone as she snatched the pregnancy test from her hand. "That's mine, thank you! Ugh, you're not helpful, Max, you just like being nosy. You'd better go."
Max cringed back, wincing. Nice, Max. You hurt her feelings by being so damn nosy again.
But... I could rewind and make it up to her...
It's almost easy, the moment of concentration, the feeling of being dragged backwards against the flow of time, like an anchor against the current. Then, the feeling of the flash drive slipping into her pocket again.
Max stepped forward, her left hand gripping her right elbow as she hesitated. "Uh, Dana, I'm not trying to be nosy, but I heard a rumor about you."
Dana startled, "What? Who told you I was pregnant?"
"N-Nobody important. They just acted like it was bullshit. I just thought you to know about it."
Dana's hand brushed back through her hair, distracted but resigned. "It's like a goddamn reality show around here, seriously... Can you keep a secret, Max?"
"Of course," Max replied, immediately.
"I...was pregnant," Dana explained, with a weighty pause. "Was."
No wonder she was upset. "O-Oh," Max couldn't think of what to say. "What about the other...?"
Dana snorted, dry. "Deadbeat Dad? You can catch him on the 40 yard line this Friday. And it's not Zachary."
"Who then?" Max asked before she could stop herself, and heard her nosiness getting the better of her. She shook her head, gesturing. "And you don't have to tell me. In fact, you better not. It's not my business."
Dana smiled a little, appreciating the self-control. "I like your spirit, Max."
~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Max was feeling much better by the time she exited the dorms, heading towards the parking lot. She'd done good! A minor good, if by somewhat underhanded means and for the purpose of getting Warren's flashdrive from Dana's room. Her intentions had been good, though. And she had also kept her own nosiness from hurting a friend. Even if it had gotten her the information she'd been curious about, too. It still counted, right?
She even mustered up the courage to rewind and warn Alyssa to duck so that she didn't get beaned by the jocks' stray football. Alyssa's appreciation - "Max, that was awesome! We should hang out more." - carried her in a bubble of good mood all the way to...
... the edge of the walk towards the parking lot. There was Kate, and the Security guard from earlier - Mr. Madsen, Principal Wells had called him. And... Max didn't like the way he was getting up into Kate's personal space. There were no good intentions there.
"...So don't think I'm blind!" he snarled, stepping forward and continuing to force Kate to back up, "I see everything here at Blackwell - do you understand what I'm saying??"
"No, and leave me alone!" Kate protested, voice breaking. The fear in her voice made Max's stomach twist in knots.
What should she do? Bullies always made her feel sick and helpless, unable to fight them off or intimidate them (who would be scared of her?), and it's Kate. She's already going through so much, and already so upset. What can Max do? She could... try taking a picture, documenting the bullying, giving Principal Wells evidence of misconduct? But Max still had no proof Principal Wells would do anything about Nathan Prescott bringing a gun and shooting... almost shooting a girl in the restrooms, either. And she could just imagine the betrayal in Kate's face if she found out Max was there, could have done something but chose to take a photo instead of helping her.
So... So she had to. Max swallowed hard against the lump in her throat, feeling herself shake.
("Be bold, Max!")
("I know you will do the right thing.")
Mr Madsen wasn't letting up, despite Kate's pleas. "...you can't fool me! I know everything about this school. I cover the waterfront. So you better figure out what side you're on...
"Please, just leave me alone!"
The audible tears in Kate's voice spurred Max to step forward, anger in her heart despite the shake in her voice. "HEY! Why don't you leave her alone?"
The security guard turned on Max as Kate continued to back up, giving herself space. "Excuse us, this is official campus business-"
Greatly daring, Max interrupted, "Excuse me. You shouldn't be yelling at students. Or bullying them."
A visible thread of wariness entered the security guard's demeanor. This wasn't the first time this accusation had been aimed at him, was it? "Hey, hey, nobody is bullying anybody. I'm doing my job," he protested, defensive.
Max ignored the sick anxiety twisting her stomach, shaking her voice, letting herself only listen to the anger for her hurt friend's sake. "No, you're not," she replied, with an edge that indicated that Mr. Madsen was obviously aware he'd crossed a line.
That was when Max knew it had worked; she saw him hesitate, and decide to retreat. "You're part of the problem, missy. I will remember this conversation."
The warning did nothing to help the knots in Max's stomach or the shaking in her hands, but the sight of him stalking off was worth it, especially as Kate reached her and grasped her hands, effusive. "Oh, Max, that was great," she breathed, voice rough from tears but with true gratitude, "I think you scared him for once... I have to go, but thank you. It means a lot."
"Anytime, Kate. You know it," Max replied, feeling her words come as though from far away, still caught up in the heady rush of what she'd just done.
Now that was being an Everyday Hero.
