⚠️Self hate warning. If you don't like this, I recommend you skip. Reader discretion is advised. Also, If any of you guys feel like this: Anxious, self hateful, even suicidal, Please Talk to someone. You can even talk to me if you want. Stay safe out there!⚠️

//Your POV//

The next morning was basically hell on earth, at least for me.

I woke up, yet again with Max refusing to let go of me in his sleep.

This time, everyone saw us.

They either laughed, 'awwww'd or just ignored us.

Max told everyone to fuck off when he woke up.

While everyone was eating breakfast, Max sat next to me.

I didn't even eat my breakfast.

Not even the hash brown was salvageable this time.

"Really Author-Chan? This gag again?" I sighed as I threw away the trash.

"Who are you talking to?" Max asked.

"Nobody."

We soon left the Mess Hall and sat under a tree outside.

"Thanks for last night, I really needed that."

"No problem."

"It meant a lot to me," I brushed some hair away from my face.

I felt a blush emerge on my face.

"Anytime, kitty," Max used that pet name.

"I swear if you call me that one more time."

"Okay,Okay....kitty," He gave me a sly smirk.

"I hate you!" I playfully punched his chest.

He pretended to be hurt.

"OH GOD! WHY DID YOU DO THIS TO ME?! OH THE PAIN! IT'S UNBEARABLE!"

He rolled around on the grass while laughed uncontrollably.

"TELL MY CHILDREN I LOVED THEM!" He yelled and played dead by closing his eyes and sticking out his tongue, "blarg."

I sat next to his "corpse" and leaned over him.

"You're so weird!" I laughed hysterically, "Get up!"

"Dead people can't talk, N/n."

"But you're not dead!" I was still laughing.

He sat up.

"Well you know what? I think you just don't know how to have fun!"

I did a fake gasp.

"How daaaaare you!!" I emphasized on "dare".

I started tickling him and he laughed a lot.

"Hey! Stop!"

He managed to grab my wrists.

"I should've told you this before. I'm the one who tickles!"

He started tickling me, making me laugh even more.

"Max stop!! No!"

"Who's the one that tickles?"

"You!"

"What was that?"

"You!!!" I laughed.

He finally stopped and I could catch my breath.

"Boop," Max poked my nose.

"You're so annoying," I scoffed.

"You're so cute."

I felt my face go red.

"I-I'm c-c-cute..?" I stuttered as I played with a stand of hair.

Max also started blushing and he turned away from me.

"Dammit," I heard him whisper.

"I'm sorry Y/n..I just..I-I thought-" He stammered.

"It's okay. I think you're cute too," I pecked him on the cheek.

He didn't speak or make a move at that.

I don't even think I saw him blink in 1 minute.

He just sat there wide eyed, holding his cheek where I kissed him.

It was like when your computer crashes.

Max.exe has stopped working.

'Maybe it was too much,' I thought.

"Are you alright-"

"I'm okay!" Max finally spoke.

We sat there in silence, just staring at the sky.

"Do you want to start planning when we can go to your town?" Max asked.

"Sure. Let's go to my tent just in case," I told him.

We walked together.

We decided that we'd avoid the camps today, hoping David wouldn't notice we weren't there.

Once we were inside Max flopped on my cot.

"Do you mind?" I chuckled.

"Nah."

I sat cross legged on the floor.

"Why do you have so much room?" Max looked around.

"You've been in here before."

"I haven't really looked around though," He then snapped his fingers, "you don't have a roommate!"

I clapped my hands, "and the Nobel Peace Prize goes to Max."

Max stuck his tongue at me.

"Why isn't Jaiden your partner?"

"She has a wheelchair, ding dong. She wouldn't be able to fit in here."

"Oh, right," He paused, "You know what would be cool?"

"What?"

"What if we were roommates?"

"No way man."

"Aw come on. Neil is way too boring with his science shit. You're cooler than him."

"Nope," I refused.

"Why not?" He asked.

"Dude. You snore," I clapped my hands together and pointed at him.

He put his hand on his chest, "I am offended."

"And Max."

"What?"

"You're laying on my bra."

He yelped a little bit and jumped back so fast he fell on the floor next to me.

I couldn't help but laugh at his goofiness.

"Anyways. I think I have enough money to pay for two bus tickets to my town," I told him.

"That's good."

"Yeah. I think if we go to my dad's and avoid my mom's side of the neighborhood, since they live in the same area, we'd be safe. Oh! And you could meet my friends."

"You're really excited for this trip, aren't you?"

"Totally. We'll finally be away from this hell hole!"

"Yeah, and I wouldn't have to go..home," I heard Max mumble.

"Are you okay?" I asked him.

Max stared at the floor a bit.

He looked like he was about to cry.

"Hey..how about one of these?" I opened up my arms.

He slowly nestled himself in the hug.

"I'm scared Y/n. I don't want to go home. Not to my parents. I don't want to be away from you either," Max sobbed.

"It's really bad, isn't it?" I asked.

"Yeah...I hate it there. I can't tell anyone there."

"Tell anyone what?"

"How I really feel."

"You can tell me now," I released him from the hug.

"I don't think... I feel like I don't matter. I don't think my parents wanted me," Max wiped his eyes, "I don't matter to my parents. I don't matter to anyone."

I felt my heart break.

"Max..You matter."

I put my hands on his shoulders.

"You matter to me, you matter to Nikki, to Neil, to Jaiden, even David and Gwen. We all care about you Max. We respect you and we want you to be happy and safe with us."

"But how do you-"

"Because, you can tell by people's faces that they love you. We all care about you, Max. Even as weird as we all are."

Max still had tears running down his face.

Max cried on my shoulder, and I wrapped my arms around him.

"Y/n.."

"Yeah?"

"I want to run away."

"Aren't we-"

"Only with you. I want to run with you. I don't care if it's you're town or the end of the Earth, as long as I'm running with you."

Max pressed my hand between both of his.

"I'd like that," I nodded.

"We should go tonight," Max suggested, wiping his eye again.

"Sure, If you want," I got up and grabbed a spare backpack I had.

"I should start packing, see you later," Max left my tent.

"Bye."

I started putting everything I needed in my bag.

I can't believe we're doing this but..

I wouldn't do it with anyone else.