17Warnings: Child abuse and drug use
A/N: Wow. It's been a long time since I updated. I figure I've let you guys hang long enough. So here it goes. . .
And Life Goes On
By: weeping silver
Max wiped the wet bangs from his eyes, pushing the library doors open. He stepped in to the warmth, ignoring the looks of distaste coming from the old hag behind the front desk. Max headed towards the table in the back occupied by the blond bitch, as she now was fondly know as in Max's head.
"About time you got here. You know I have things to do today." Diamond snapped with out looking up from the note card she was writing.
Max set his wet backpack down on the floor, then walked behind Diamond and wrung out the sleeve of his hoddie over her head.
Squealing out in surprise from the sudden wetness, Diamond looked up to find a very pissed and very wet Max O'Conner. She tried to suppress her laugh at his drowned dog look. "What happen to you?"
"It's raining. And why it's a two block walk from the bus station to the library has yet to be determined. Now if you don't mind." He sat down in the seat opposite of her, making a squishing noise. "I'd like to get to work so I can go home and change before I go to work."
"You took the bus bus?" Diamond asked handing him a few books she had pulled off the shelves. "Like the city bus?"
Max rolled his eyes. "No I took the imaginary bus." He snatched the books from her hands. "What are we working on?" He flipped through the first few pages of the book. It was about the French Inquisitions.
"We got assigned to write a five page essay, on the French Inquisitions. We also have to prepare a 40 minute presentation, including visual aid, work sheet and quiz. But you already knew that because Mr. Mutch explained that in class, and you being such an attentive student hung on his every word." She sneered.
Max snapped the book close. "Lay off."
"Aww, poor Maxie poo has is wet undies in a bunch." Diamond laughed.
Max slammed the book on the table and leaned towards Diamond. "Let's get a few things straight." He hissed. "I hate history. I've never been good at it. I'm more of a math and science kind of a guy. I hate this stupid project. I hate Mr. Mutch's class because he never actually teaches a thing and if I fail this stupid class I get kicked out of you're stupid school. And at the moment I hate you. I'm wet and tiered and I have to be at work in three hours and I'll be lucky if I can make it home in time to change. It's been a bad day and you're only making it worse. So why don't you shut up and get some work done."
Diamond raised an eyebrow. "I know how you feel." Diamond also hated Winchester Academy. It was nice to meet another student that didn't like the snob academy. "My parents make me go there to. It's either the Academy or boarding school in Switzerland."
"Yah, that's exactly what I mean." Max muttered darkly. The only reason he was going to the Academy was because he wanted to go to college, and not just any college, but a good university. Unfortunately his hopes could not be seen through in the public school system where he lived. They scored the lowest on just about everything in the country. So his counselor arranged for him to go to the Academy on a scholarship. Supposedly he was really smart. Max never really thought about that to much. Math and science just made sense. English took some time, but he managed to make heads and tails of it. History on the other hand was hog-wash in his opinion. Not that it actually mattered.
Max and Diamond spent the next two hours in silence as the two of them collected data for their report. Diamond mulled over Max's little out burst. The fact that he kept referring to the school as 'her' school didn't go unnoticed. She looked Max over and noticed what he was wearing. He still had on his school uniform which wasn't strange because they did come straight from school. But he was wearing a rather ragged hoddie. There were holes in the sleeves that he stuck his thumbs through and a large rip on the right sleeve. Diamond wondered why he owned such a ragged piece of clothing. Beside his clothing, he was actually pretty good looking.
Max caught her staring. "See som'thin' interesting?" He sneered.
Diamond ignored him and glanced at her watch. "I've got to get home."
Max looked at the clock on the wall. "Ya, I've gotta get goin' to." He stood up and handed Diamond the books. "I don't have a card."
Diamond gave him a strange look. "Why?"
"Because this is a private library, and I don't live around here." Max grabbed his backpack. "If you check it out I'll take it home and finish up research. Plus I'll go to the library by my house over the weekend and see if they have anything. I have to make a phone call be right back."
Diamond watched Max turn the corner by the bathrooms. Packing up her books she headed up to the counter. There was something strange about Max; he wasn't like the others at her school. She was curious about him. Maybe she would have to befriend after all, just to find out what is going on with him. After all Diamond Sies always got what she is after.
After checking the books out Diamond went to find Max. He was standing in front of a pay phone searching through his pockets.
"What are you doing?"
Max turned to see Diamond standing behind him. "I'm trying to find a quarter to make a phone call what does it look like?"
Diamond smirked. "Truthfully? Looks like you. . ."
"You're sick." Max interrupted her. He tried to look disgusted but a smile was peeking through.
Diamond rummaged through her bag and produced a small pink cell phone. "Here you can use mine."
Max took it from her. "Thanks, nice color by the way."
Diamond rolled her eyes, as Max dialed the number. "I didn't pick it out it was a birthday present."
"Hey Joey." Max said into the phone. "Pick up will ya? It's pouring and I gotta be at work in an hour. Come on Joey, pick up the phone! Joey? Fine you're not home. See ya." Max hung up looking irritated. "You mind if I try another number?"
Diamond shook her head. "Make as many as you need."
Max gave her a side glance. He hated borrowing from preps, but he really didn't want to go back in the rain. So desperation beat pride as Max dialed the number to Will's work. If Joey wasn't home she was probably with Will.
"Pizza Plaza? How can I help you?" A voice droned from the other end.
"Hey Kent. It's Max is Will there?" Max recognized Kent's voice as the designated phone answer, and one of Will, and Max's good friend.
"No, he left about 20 minutes ago. He seemed in a hurry. Don't know what's goin' on though. Sorry." Kent said, popping his gum.
"Thanks." He hung up the phone and tried on last number. Hoping that Will and Joey went back to Will's apartment to have a little fun, though that wouldn't explain why Will had been in such a hurry. As the phone rang Max hoped that every thing was okay. None of them had cell phones so if they weren't at Will's he would just have to wait to hear from them.
The phone kept ringing, and Max figured that no one was home. "Will you have got to get an answering machine." He muttered handing the phone back to Diamond. "Thanks." He took the books that Diamond held out to him the started to head out of the library.
"Who were you trying to call?" Diamond asked following him on his heels.
Man was she annoying. "A ride. But I don't know where she is, so I'm taking the bus home again."
"I can give you a ride if you want." Diamond jumped in front of him stopping him from walking away.
Max laughed "No you can't." He tried to get around her but she just kept blocking his way.
"Why can't I?" She folded her arms and stared him down.
"Because I live 45 minutes away and if I remember correctly you have somewhere to be."
"You live 45 minutes away? Where do you live?"
"Far away from here," Max finally pushed past her." Trust me you don't want to take me home."
"Well at lest let me give you a ride to the bus station." Diamond grabbed his arm. She was going to get to know this boy whether he liked it or not.
Max sighed, and glanced at the clock on the wall. If she drove him he could catch the 5:15 bus, meaning he could stop home before he had to go to work at 6:30. "Sure, why not."
Will ran through the hall of the hospital. He had gotten a call from Joey's mother saying that Joe had collapsed and was on in the hospital, room 395. Will rounded the corner and burst into the room.
"William." Mrs. Garcia stood up from the chair next to her daughter's bed. "I'm so glad that you came."
Will took the fragile lady in his arms. "Do they know what happened."
Mrs. Garcia shook her head wiping the tears from her eyes. "No, but their running all sorts of test." She sniffed. "Will they're taking about her having cancer. We can't afford that kind of treatment."
Will just hugged the mother tighter. "Don't worry. Every thing will be fine." He whispered. Will looked at Joey lying in the bed. She looked so pale and helpless. He truly hoped that he was right.
A/N: There a nice long third chapter to make up for the time. Hoped you enjoy. And as always review please and thank you.
Hanukah Matta,
Silver