Shopping

"CRAP!" belted Anna. "CRAAPPPP!"

When Max woke up and stepped into the living room, Anna was pacing and shaking her hands.

"Ey!" a tired Max said in her raspy morning voice. "We're sleeping here, coo coo! You lost your marbles finally?" She was trying to get Anna to stop, but Anna's face told Max she wasn't looking for comedy.

"No!!" Anna yelled in a whiny voice. "It's tomorrow, you guys!!"

Chris opened his bedroom door looking half asleep. "What day is it?" He rubbed his eyes hard like he was trying to gain consciousness.

Max did the same as she attempted to answer, "It's Tues—"

"IT'S TUESDAY! TOMORROW IS WEDNESDAY!"

Max shook her head up and down. "Yes, that is typically how it happens each week." She bit her lip trying not to smile.

Anna stared at her, nostrils flared, eyes like daggers. "This isn't FUNNY! AGHH!" She screamed as she put her hands to her forehead and leaned back.

"Anna! Oh my god," Max laughed. "Come sit down."

Chris jumped in. "Yeah, come here, we've got you. Everything is going to be okay."

Anna looked like she might scream again, but instead walked over to the couch. She didn't sit down, she just stood facing them, taking a few deep breaths.

"What's going on, Anna?" Chris asked.

Max spoke softly. "You can talk to us. What's happening in that brilliant mind?" She smiled kindly and reached out to hold Anna's hand.

Anna let out a deep breath. "I don't know what I'm going to wear!!" Her voice raised again. "What am I supposed to wear?!" She looked desperately at them both, eyes darting from one to the other.

Max sat looking at her with an awkward face. She didn't want to offend Anna, but she also wasn't sure if this particular problem was worth the melt down.

"Um . . ." Max hesitated. "Well. What are your thoughts? Do you have any ideas?"

"NO!" Anna put her hands to her face.

"Okay, okay. That's alright." Max shook her head with reassurance. "Chris?"

"Don't look at me! I wear the same shit everyday in different colors!"

Max stared at him, deadpan. "Helpful. Thank you." She turned her focus back to Anna. "Would you like to hear what I think?"

Anna nodded her head at rapid speed.

"You need to look cool, but professional."

"But what does that even mea—"

Max put her hand up. "No more talking."

Anna nodded again, but slower and less frantically.

"I'm imagining you wearing something like black business pants, but they go up past your belly button, you know what I mean? Like hot-mom jean style. Then a flattering white button-down, but sleeveless and tucked in. You're a babe, so you should dress like one. Straighten your hair, red lip, soft eyes."

Chris and Anna looked at Max, appearing confused by her sudden ability to discuss fashion.

"What? God, I'm not completely useless. I've been in the outside world!"

Anna and Chris broke down laughing.

"I'm sorry! I just wasn't expecting it!"

"Sorry Max, neither did I," Chris said as the laughter died down. "BUT! I think it's perfect. She will look perfec—"

"OH! And red heels. Sorry." Max nodded her head once, signaling the end of her thought.

Anna jumped up and down. "I'm obsessed, babe! One issue. I don't have any of these things. Do you know what that means?"

"Please no."

"It'll be so fun!"

"NO!"

"Shopping!!" Anna squealed.

Max did a fake cry and looked at Chris. "Why can't you do this?"

He put his hands up. "Hey, it was your idea to dress her. Gotta follow through! Right, honey?"

"YES!"

"Damn it."

"Oh stop it, you baby!" Anna exclaimed. "Go get dressed!"

Max looked at her, defeated and annoyed. "This is like one of two shirts I own, why can't I wear this?"

Anna looked at her, not amused. "Because you look like a dumpster. Wear the shirt I was wearing when I moved i—"

"When you barged in."

"Whatever! Go, lady!"

Max got up slowly, irritated.

Anna reached down to touch Chris's face as she planted a sweet kiss on his lips. "We'll be back soon."

He smiled at Anna as Max emerged from her room.

"You look hot, BFF!"

Max rolled her eyes at Anna. "Let's get this over with."

The two girls walked out the door and set off on their journey to a less frightening section of Brooklyn, and to Max's horror, it was to go shopping.

"Well? What do you think?" Anna spun gleefully, awaiting her friend's response.

Max was sitting on a bench, miserably watching Anna's fashion show. "Do you know what I think?" She lifted her head out of her hands. "I think you could've gotten all of this at one store."

Anna rolled her eyes and dropped her arms. "Max! Oh my GOD. You will live, I promise." She smiled smugly and crossed her arms. "You know this really is your fault, and the longer you compla—"

Max groaned, "I KNOW." She sighed. "I love the outfit. Seriously. You look stunning."

"I know right?! This is so it." Anna did another spin and squeaked, "You're the best, Max!"

Anna bounced back into the dressing room looking confident in her outfit choice as Max sat silently, mindlessly staring at the floor.

Max was happy for Anna, but she couldn't find the energy to even smile. In a few days, they would hear back from her father. Anna had asked him for regular updates and Max was horrified to find out that he and Ms. Delia had been working day in and day out to finish the house. She had hoped she would have a couple of weeks at least to let it sink in, or plan an escape route, but this was happening and there seemed to be nothing she could do to stop it.

"Okay babe, what's wrong?"

Max looked up from the ground to find Anna, eyebrow up, waiting for answers.

Max shot her a fake smile. "What do you mean? I'm good."

"Do you think I'm an idiot? You're off in your head again." Anna knelt down and looked Max straight in the eye. "Tell me."

Max shut her eyes and shook her head. "I'm just . . . I'm still scared." She threw up her hands, frustrated. "I sound like a broken record! I hate this. I think I've talked more in the last few days than I have the last seven years!"

She stood up and took a few steps past Anna. Turning around, she lowered her voice. "I'm not used to having all of this. The talking, the hugging, the help . . ."

Anna looked at her with sad eyes, which only upset Max more.

"See! That right there, Anna!" She did her best not to start crying. "That is how everyone is going to look at me!"

"That's not tru—"

"It is, Anna. It is."

Anna remained quiet. Max could tell that for once Anna was unsure of what to say.

"I think I miss being ignored." Max took a breath and let out a weak laugh.

Anna smiled and took a seat on the bench. "Max, if you aren't ready for any of this, no one is going to force you."

Max tried to interrupt, "Ann—"

"Nope! My turn!" Anna smiled obnoxiously. "No one will make you do anything. You live in a world now where there is always a choice." She pursed her lips for a few seconds. "Except leaving. I'll chase you down until the day I die, and trust me, you don't want to live THAT life."

Max couldn't hide her laugh. "You got that right, crazy."

Walking to Max, Anna grabbed her shoulders. "You want some space? Tell us all to screw off. But! I'll still be guarding the door."

Max looked at Anna as if for the first time, thinking, She actually cares about me.

It finally clicked. Max realized that she had lost this type of love in the midst of her abuse.

Shaking her head, she said sincerely, "Thank you, Anna."

Anna looked taken aback by Max's kind sincerity. Which was not surprising since Max had just called her an asshole not too long ago.

"Thank you for what?"

Max felt her face brighten. "For bringing me back to life."

Anna forced her lips together, looking as though she was fighting tears. "You did that yourself," she smiled. "I just had to annoy you for a few days to make it happen."

A few seconds later Anna looked at Max with a strange face.

"What? What's wrong?"

Anna shot her signature evil grin at Max.

"Oh hell."

Max thought about running as Anna spat out, "YOUR TURN!"

Max gulped and shook her head. "No. Not a chance."

"Well, you can't look like that at my interview. Sorry, but you just look like a classier dumpster than before."

"What the hell? This is YOUR shirt."

"Exactly! That crap is so last week."

Max tried to take a step back as Anna lunged for her hand. "Come on! Please?"

Max shut her eyes, unfortunately already aware that she wasn't getting out of this. "Fine."

Anna squeaked and jumped up. "However!"

Max raised her voice and put her hands up. "What do you mean? I can't go to your interview with you."

"Why not?"

"Because that's your thing. I figured I wouldn't be allowed to go?"

Anna jumped again. "Noooo! I NEED you! Who else is going to tell me how amazing I am?!"

Max sucked in a breath, her eyes squinted. "I don't know? The makeup people?"

"NO!" Anna slapped a fake angry face on and crossed her arms.

Max rolled her eyes again. "Whatever. I'm there."

Max heard a noise out of Anna that sounded like a hyena. "Yes! Okay! Let's get you dressed up!"

No response from Max usually meant "yes" to Anna and she took off through the store with Max still standing by the dressing rooms.

A muffled voice from further away, clearly yelling, sounded off, "Oh my god! Come ON!"

Max hurriedly walked toward the voice and put her reservations aside to let Anna "work her magic."