All She Ever Wanted Was Him.

Chapter Three : Courage

Friday afternoon, two weeks later.

Max headed down the crowded corridor. Last class had just ended and students were either at their lockers, rushing off to after school activities, heading to the parking lot or to catch the school's bus. Max checked his watch to know how much time he had left before his chaffeur came to pick him up.

The chaffeur- who also happened to be Max's family butler-hated it when Max kept him waiting. As he rounded a corner, he spotted Jade at her locker. Her best friend, Kristen, was with her. Kristen saw him almost immediately and waved him over.

"Hi, Kristen! Hi, Jade! Kris, off to catch the bus?" He called out as he approached them.

"Hey, Max. What's up?" Kristen asked , totally ignoring his question.

"Hi, Max, how's your day going?" Jade asked, looking into her pink coloured locker.

"It's cool. Thanks for asking." Max said.

Jade just smiled but Kristen clapped enthusiastically and said. "Nice, good for you."

"Uh-huh." Max replied, checking his wristwatch.

"Oh! Gat to go, Kris, you don't want to miss the bus." Jade said, stuffing her things into her locker hurriedly.

"Right. That's true." Kristen replied, arching a brow at Jade.

"Ok, bye." Max said, smiling at Jade.

"See you." Kristen replied.

"Bye." Jade said to Max, almost in a whisper as she hurried off. Kristen caught up around the next corner.

"Hey, what's the rush?" Kristen asked." The bus doesn't leave until another fifteen minutes."

She grabbed Jade by the arm and her eyes widened. "Hold on a sec," she said. "This means...."

"What?" Jade hid a smile. She could tell that Kristen was goofing off.

Kristen put her hand to her forehead, pretending to faint. Her bag slipped out of her hand and fell on the floor.

"It has finally happened!" She exclaimed. " You're finally over Edward."

Jade shook her head and grinned. "Yes, I'm over Edward. But sorry, wrong answer." Her smile faded and she glanced over her shoulder to make sure that Max was nowhere in sight. "But now that you mentioned it, I'm sort of over Max."

"Max?" Kristen asked, kind of surprised. "What's your problem with him? He seems pretty cool."

"You like anyone who thinks you're pretty." Jade said.

"Well, ain't I?" Kristen asked again, with a smug look on her face.

"Come on. Let me see you off to the bus."

"Yeah! Let's go." Kristen replied, picking up her bag.

* * * *

Max watched as the two girls rounded the corner, supposedly headed for the bus station. He saw something fall from Jade's bag. Moving towards the place where the object lay, he discovered it was a bracelet.

Smiling to himself, he now had the perfect reason to call Jade. Walking towards the school's lobby, he found his chaffeur, Elvis, who had been waiting for him.

He felt guilty, knowing it was wrong of him to have kept Elvis waiting.

"Sorry, Elv, I had to take care of something." Max murmured as he drew near.

Ignoring him, Elvis walked out of the school, towards where he parked the silver Rolls Royce and opened the door. Max got in and adjusted, then relaxed while Elvis went around to the side of the car and went in.

"Are you ready, Master Tigers?"

"Yeah."

"Ok."

Elvis threw the car in reverse and almost gave Max a whiplash as he turned into the road and stomped on the accelerator.

Max looked out the window as Elvis drove, the car slid into the traffic and then he settled back against the seat and allowed himself to be loose, freeing himself of the tension.

Soft music flowed around him, making him think about Jade. She was so easy to talk to, he thought, with her teasing sense of humour and ready wits, but there was so much more to her, such depths a wonderful human warmth that drew him like a moth to a flame.

Every moment he had spent in her company, he felt himself draw closer to her and by the time , he finally arrived at his house he realized that he was in deep trouble.

For the first time in his life, he realized he was in serious danger of falling in love. Not lust, nor affectionate love for a sister or a close friend but love; deep and strong, surging like the raging sea.

He picked his bag and came out of the car as Elvis opened the door of the car. Crossing the lawn, he walked in, hoping that his father was not around. As he entered the living area, it seemed as always that it was larger than what it actually was. He walked through the sitting room into the central dining room. He took a left turn, headed for his father's study.

Entering the study, he found it empty and discovered that his wish had been granted.

Thank you, Mother Universe, Max thought.

On the second floor, a small and charming balcony jutted out from glass doors, made accessible by two sweeping spiral staircases made with gleaming steel.

It was a fascinating mix of modern and ancient - sort of country meets high tech.

He raced up one of the stairs, shouting out a 'hi' to his older brother, Dave, who appeared to be the only one left in the gigantic house except the domestic staff.

"Hi." Dave replied, walking into Max's room through the open door.

"Where's Pearl and Ashley?" Max asked, pulling off his leather jacket.

"They said that they were going shopping."

Why? Max thought, if there were girls who had more clothes, shoes, bags and other girly accessories than his elder sisters, he had yet to meet such girls.

"Hey, what's going on your mind?" Dave asked, snapping his fingers.

"Oh! What did you say?"

"I asked, what were you thinking about?"

"That I was thinking about why Pearl and Ashley would want to go shopping and about something else."

"What's the ' something else ' ?" Dave asked, using air quotes.

"Don't worry. It's nothing."

"Nothing?" Dave asked again, this time arching a brow.

"Well, I was thinking about the girl I met two weeks ago."

"A girl? Interesting." Dave replied, his interest piqued.

"What's interesting?"

"Nothing. Don't mind me, continue."

"Well, do you remember Jade Morgan?"

"Who?"

"Jade Morgan, my former best friend."

"Wait, do you mean that girl who used to come over at our house back in San Diego who always had her hair done in two ponytails?"

"Yes, that one."

"I remember her. She's cute."

"Not just cute, but beautiful, charming, well fun to be with."

"Huh! Uh!"

"What?" Max asked, curious.

"You still like her, don't you?"

"No......Yes."

"Which one?"

"Well, maybe. Okay, yes, I still like her very much."

"Hmmm.....ok."

"Hmmm....Away. I want to freshen up and clean my room."

"Why don't you ask Rissa or Alice too do it for you?"

"Nah, I rather do it myself. Mum always said 'never let others do what you can do yourself'. She even made us make our beds when we were little or have you forgotten?"

"How could I? I still remember how excited you would become at the thought of the candy you would receive from Mum while she coaxed you to make your bed."

"I really hate you, you know?"

"Like I care."

"Well, besides, Alice always keeps moving my stuff around and Rissa never seems to do it to my satisfaction."

"Suit yourself. Guess I'll stay and watch you do it."

"Shoo! You'll only be in the way."

"Ok, see you downstairs."

Max slumped on his four poster bed staring at the top. He smiled to himself for someone who hadn't felt more than the occasional twinge for a girl in too long to remember, he was certainly feeling a barrage of them now. He decided to call Jade after he had showered.

"Ok! That's what I'll do." He said aloud before realizing he was the only one in the room.

Quickly, he made his bed, arranged his books into his shelf, put his sneakers and other shoes in the shoe rack, then vacuumed as fast as lightning.

Dumping his dirty clothes (including the ones he had on) into the laundry basket, he hopped into the bathroom. In the bathroom, he opened the glass shower doors and turned on the tap, with the criss crossing sprays raining down on him, he was immediately drenched.

Rubbing the wet bar of soap, he shivered as the water ran down his body despite its heat. The hot water was invigorating. After rubbing his body with soap, he then went back under the six powerful shower heads, giving himself up to the cascade of water breathing down on him, letting the water fall on his slick smooth skin. Soon he was out and dry.

Searching through his wardrobe, he pulled out a pair of khaki shorts and a blue Ralph Lauren polo shirt. Quickly, he put on his clothes, then dragged a comb through his damp hair and fell on his bed. He pulled out his phone from his previously worn jeans and called Jade. He laid on his bed as he waited for her to pick up.