When Good Girls Drink

Chapter 10|That Depends

•‘Mg, you've been staring at me for ten minutes straight. If you have something on your mind, just spit it out.’ ‘Coco–’ ‘I told you not to call me that. Do I look like a Disney character to you?’ ‘Will you go to prom with me?’ ‘Wait, what?’ ‘Will you go to–’ ‘At your school? With you? I am going to faint.’•

Courtney Richards & Maxwell Hart.

Maxwell Hart {Mg} POV

Sienna was the best little sister a guy could ever ask for.

Scratch that.

Is the best little sister a guy could ever ask for.

I never had to watch her go through the teen girl drama phase or the boy obsession phase.

But lately, it seemed like my baby sister who would rather stay in her room and read than head to some hot new club with a fake ID was slowly coming out of her shell.

Sisi wasn't shy.

She's never actually been shy because she's had no problem at all with voicing her thoughts when asked to but she kept them to herself anyway.

Lately, I felt like she was changing a bit.

Notice my use of the adverb there.

Sisi was more oral with her thoughts. She said them with much more comfort and confidence than before.

Now, I was starting to see that she had always had that spark in her but it was now that she finally lit it.

As Sisi walked by me, I was surprised to see Matt exiting too behind her.

I hated that dude.

Si never told me that he pulled all sorts of stupid pranks on her but I knew.

Of course I knew.

I wasn't blind, if I was I wouldn't have made the basketball team back in freshman year or have a scholarship from them now.

I didn't say anything because I was sure that if my sister wanted me to know about it, she would tell me about it.

But this; he being in her room was something entirely different.

Only three males were allowed into my baby sister's room and I was a 100% sure that Matt wasn't on that list.

I had learned that there was a ‘Jason’ in there but that was just a one time thing.

I stopped Matt from going any further by standing in his way.

“What were you doing in there?”I asked as I crossed my arms over my chest, towering him with my height, keeping my face void of any cheerful emotion and letting him know that I meant business.

“She let me in,”Matt said not answering my questions and I wanted to smack him across the head.

“She doesn't even like you,”I said, letting him know I wasn't stupid.

“We were just talking, dude, chill.” he said trying to brush past me but I made sure he didn't get very far.

He didn't get far at all.

I grasped him hard by the forearm and looked down at him.

“Don't you ever call me ‘dude’.”

“I thought you were chill, man.”

“Oh, I am,” I said, “but when it comes to my baby sister, that's an entirely different story. Listen here, Matthew. I know I'm not always home but if it ever crosses my ears that you made her feel hurt in anyway, I will permanently ruin that face your mom adores so much.”

I loosened my hold on the kid and headed downstairs, leaving no room for him to speak to me.

I was leaving tomorrow but at least that should keep him away from my sister till I got back to protect her.

That was something I would always do.

Protect her, that is.

She was fragile and though she didn't admit it herself, it didn't even bother me because she would never need to admit it.

I would always protect her.

Always.

✪

After the obnoxious dinner with the Davidsons, I let Si and Mom clear the table and do the dishes and then I headed up to my room to pack my things.

I had returned home with just one luggage so I could take more stuff to the frat house for Jacob and I.

I lifted the luggage and placed it on my bed before I zipped it open.

Inside, only one thing laid in it.

I blame my Mom for it's existence.

It was a photograph of Coco and I when she was my date to senior prom.

She had her shoulder length golden blonde hair curled delicately.

She went to a different highschool than mine and so she was determined to look as beautiful as she could.

She had the red coloured corsage I had gotten her around her wrist as she did the ‘peace’ sign with her two first fingers in the air.

She was in a short red dress and black strappy heels.

I had my arm around her waist.

I remember she had just cut her hair recently.

It used to be long and pin straight but she decided to try something different.

I loved it anyway, short or long.

Mildly frustrated, I raked my fingers through my hair as I collapsed on my bed.

“Max?”I heard my mom call out from the other side of my room's door as she knocked.

At the frat house, I was used to the guys there just barging in.

Especially when they were drunk so I kept my door locked most of the time and when I was given privacy, I knew I was home.

I got up from my bed and sat up.

“Yeah?” I answered and she peeked her head inside.

“Are you busy?”she asked as her eyes scanned the room,“can I come in?”

“No,”I shook my head replying her first question, “Sure.”

She came in and settled beside me on my bed.

“So what's the plan for tomorrow?” she asked as she stared at our family picture which I placed on my bedside.

Beside it stood a small framed portrait of herself.

Not that I was a Mama's boy or anything, I just felt that as my birth giver, she deserved to be up there.

“Umm, drive up to school and get back into my daily routine.”

“A daily routine? that's nice,” my mom said,“wake up, pray exercise, eat, head for classes, hang with friends, eat and sleep. Is it not?”

“Yup, that's it,” I chuckled as I laid my back down on the bed.

My hands soon located my basketball that was on the bed too.

We both stayed in silence as I began to throw the ball against the wall and catch it.

In my room, the bed was pushed against the wall so I would have space for other things, ie: exercise, playing video games and studying.

“Honey, are you okay?”my mom asked me as she placed her hand on my knee.

I stopped throwing the ball and stared at her,“Yeah, why?”

“Okay, you just seem a bit distant that's all,” my mom said and I let out a small laugh.

“Are you sure your not confusing me with Sienna?”My mom didn't laugh and so I said,“I'm fine, mom.”

I could tell she was unconvinced but still she said,“alright if you say so” before she threw the million dollar question.

“How are things with Courtney? You both seemed to bond a lot during Si’s birthday.”

“I asked her out and she said she needed space,”I told my mom trying to keep my face blank of any emotion.

“To think about it?”my mom asked and I nodded. “Define ‘fine’, Max.”

“Umm, being satisfactory or being in a condition relating to that emotion,”I said before I slowly added,“I guess that's not what I feel.”

“You know, your dad and I had you during my sixth year at med school,”my mom began.

I had heard this story before. How I was unexpected but they decided to keep me because they loved each other but I let her go on.

“Your dad and I weren't married yet so when we found out I was pregnant,” my mom went on, “it was a shock. At that moment, though we were in a relationship, we both wanted different things so we thought it would be a hindrance to both our dreams. I told your dad I needed space to think about if I ready to have the baby with him because aborting you wasn't even an option. My parents would have disowned and Jesus would have hated me.

“Your dad and I didn't talk for two months but he made sure to let me know he was thinking about the baby and I. Years later now, we're happily married with two amazingly brilliant kids and I can't be happier. Don't take this space that she needs from you as a defeat but don't stress over it, Max. If you and Courtney are meant to be, it'll happen one way or another.”

✷

“Are you sure you've got everything, honey?”my mom asked me the next morning as she navigated her way through the kitchen trying to pack lunches for Dad and Si.

“Yeah, I've got everything,”I said as I ate my beef sandwich.

Before mom could reply we both heard Si coming down the stairs. She had Sky in her arms as usual.

Her hair was plaited into a single edge and she wore a black pullover hoodie and light blue jeans and black & white Converses.

“Morning,” she greeted as she set Sky on the ground and searched the cupboards for his dry food.

“Morning, sweetie,”my mom answered, “did you sleep well?”

“Yeah,”Si nodded as she poured Sky's food into his bowl. “I was so full that my body just hit the snooze button.”

Her eyes settled on me after she placed Sky's water bowl beside his food bowl.

“You ready?”

“Yup,”I nodded,“once I'm done eating, I'll hit the road.”

Just then Dad came into the kitchen from the sitting room.

I take it the morning news had ended.

“I'm heading to work,” my dad said as he placed a quick kiss on mom's lips after he thanked her for the lunch she packed and picked it up.

I watched as he kissed Sisi’s forehead saying the usual,“I'll see you after school.”

Then he stopped in front of me and I got out of my seat.

Between both my parents whom I loved equally, I was closer to my dad.

Growing up, dad had been around more often but my mom was and though my mom and I still pretty close, Dad and I were closer.

Sienna came a year after our parents had gotten married and decided on the idea of having another child.

Mom had taken a year off work to nurse her after she arrived and so it was during that period I got to bond more with my mom.

I loved all of them equally.

My dad, mom and sister, I mean but between both parents, I had more of a connection with Dad and so when Dad gave me the quick bro hug and told me to be safe and responsible, I felt this over whelming gratitude for the family I was blessed with.

Soon after Dad left the house, mom followed peppering my cheeks with kisses and Sienna's cheeks too.

I waited for Si to be done eating before we both headed out the door.

“Till Christmas then?”she asked as she locked the front doors.

“Yeah, maybe,”I shrugged as I lifted my luggage. “I was playing with the idea of spending Christmas with Jay's family. Either we spend Christmas at his home or at his girlfriend's.”

“But Jay always comes here for Christmas, ”Si complained,“and you're always home for Christmas. It's going to be weird without you.”

“Yeah, I know but think about Jay,”I said,“he never spends Christmas with his own family.”

“Because Uncle Scott and Aunt Jocelyn are never home then.”

I stared down at my sister.

Her eyebrows squeezed and her lips pursed in a small pout.

She was upset that I was saying I wasn’t going to be home for Christmas.

“Goodbye hug?”I asked and she wrapped her arms me. “We'll spend Christmas together one way or another, I promise.”

Before Si could reply, we heard a loud screech of car down the street.

A small vintage yellow car was speeding right towards our direction.

It came to a halt in front of our driveway and Courtney hopped out.

She hurriedly made her way towards Si and I but then she stopped.

“Coco?”I questioned,“what are you doing here?”

“Is the offer still on the table?” she asked staring at me.

She was in pyjama pants, a white crop top with a leather jacket over it.

I noticed she had slippers on and her blonde hair in two cornrows.

Evidence that she had just gotten out of bed.

“What offer?”I asked as Sienna slowly backed away from the scene.

“The offer to be with you,”Coco said as she moved closer.

“That depends.”

“On what?”

“On if you feel the same way for me as I feel about you.”

“I do,”Courtney said.

Now she was just a few feet away.

“What’s with the sudden change of mind and surety?”

“I realised that I was just scared, Mg,” Courtney said.

I could reach out and touch her if I wanted to now.

“Scared of what?”I asked,“Scared to get hurt?”

“No, not that,” she shook her head,“I trust you enough to know you wouldn't hurt me. I was scared to take this huge step. I mean look at you. You've got yourself in the path to success. You go to this amazing University and you've got a basketball scholarship. You even get paid for just doing what you love. But then look at me,” she paused as she gestured to herself as she let out a humourless laugh, “I'm just some girl from a broken family with a job where I can't even be nice to the costumers. I don't even know what you even see in me. You could easily be with other girls like Lisa or wasn't it Leni who got everything together. I have no idea why you want me Mg but if you still do I'm ready now. To take the huge step and actually do this. Whatever it is.”

“Well that depends,”I said and Coco’s face fell.

“On what?” she asked, schooling her features.

“On this,”I said before I pulled her close to me and secured her lips in mine.

Coco was a bit surprised but then her lips began to move slowly against mine.

It felt right.

The first kiss I had shared with Coco was yesterday at the store so I guess it was safe to say I had imagined this a lot of times.

Not in a way that's creepy or perverted but in a totally cool and acceptable way.

Whatever way that is.

I tightened my hold on her waist and pulled her even closer to me. Coco stood on her tiptoes, her lips still intertwined with mine and wrapped her arms around my neck.

I felt her hands in my hair and I was filled with the sudden urge to lift her so her legs were wrapped around me.

As I was about to give into that urge, I heard Sky barking and Coco and I broke the kiss.

I was perplexed at first because Dad had gone to with Sky but then I realized it was Si’s phone.

Sky's bark was her ringing tone.

This had also happened at the store.

“Sorry,” she mumbled as she searched her because bag for the device.

She pressed it to her ear after she found it and answered it.

“Hey, Liz... Yeah, I'm on my way... I'm saying goodbye to Mg... Will do, see you in a few.”

I reverted my attention back to Coco and found her staring up at me.

Her greyish-green eyes bore into mine as she asked the question,“so what now?”

“I have head to school but I've got something ask,”I said,“this wasn't how I thought this day would be but we've wasted so much time together that I think it's stupid to delay this anymore. Coco, I love you. Be my girlfriend?”

“Yes,”Coco squealed as she jumped into my arms.

“Finally,”Sienna said as she made her way over to us. “Liz and I have waited years for this. Now, as much as I'm happy to see this happen Court, Mg has to head back to school.”

I didn't want to leave.

I finally had the girl of my dreams and I don't want to leave two minutes after we got together.

“Maybe I could stay for a hour or two,”I quickly suggested but Coco shook her head.

“I have to head back home, return my dad’s rickety car and get ready for my morning shift at your dad's store. I'm already late.”

“I'll call you when I get there, then?”I asked.

“Yeah, I'd really like that,” she said before she reached up and placed a soft kiss on my cheek.

What?

I wasn't going to see her in a month or so if i didn't come home for Thanksgiving and that was my goodbye kiss?

I didn't think so.

I bent and gave her a real kiss.

Like the one we had before.

One I was sure that she wasn't going to forget anytime soon.

We hugged one last time before she headed back into her car and drove off.

I turned to Sienna and she gave me a smirk.

“You'll be spending Christmas with us,” she said slyly,“won't you.”

I shook my head at her as I shut my car's trunk after I dumped my luggage inside.

I pulled her close to me.

“I'll see you in a few days, baby sister.”

I felt her smile against my chest.

“I love you too, big brother.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Oh and Liz says bye,”she said,“and I'm pretty sure she's going to love hearing about how Courtwell happened.”

I didn't mind this one bit.

The fact that she narrated my love life to her bestfriend.

I'd pick that over teen girl drama anytime, anyday.

After Si had headed off to school, I got in my car and that's when I texted Jay.

MAXW€Π

Guess what? 8:56am

J@COB

What? u're on a ur

way back as a new person

who's not pinning over some

chick? 8:57am

MAXW€Π

Not even close 8:57am

She's my girlfriend now

8:57am

J@COB

Nice job but dude chillax

she's just ur gf not ur

fiancee 8:58am

MAXW€Π

Just 4warded that 2 Olivia

8:59am

J@COB

If u put some crazy thought

into her head, cousins or not,

I am going to KILL u 8:59am