Max and Josh - 12. Unexpected

Disclaimer: This story includes sexual and romantic situations between consenting individuals. Any allusion to illicit or illegal activity, sexual or otherwise, is used only for enhancement of the story line and not promotion thereof. Remember AIDS, HIV and other STDs are a very real threat, please always practice safe sex.

I can prove copyright on this story so please don't copy or remove this story for personal use without my permission.
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Max and Josh 12: Unexpected.

Max's week was uneventful other than Tuesday night. Tuesday was his first evening working on the Peer Counseling Hotline (PCH) with his fellow students. It was made clear to anyone who called that they were not speaking to licensed professionals and that any advice they may receive was applied at their own choice.

At the start of their first night Mrs. Reeves informed them all that their primary duty was to provide a sympathetic ear and some general advice, and that if at all possible they were to advise their callers to seek out professional help from a licensed counselor or therapist; especially for those with a more serious problem or concern.

Max was nervous as hell as he sat down and waited for a call to be routed to the little phone on the table before him.

When the phone rang it took him a second to answer it, but he managed to master his nerves and get in on the third ring.

"Hello, this is the PCH. My name is Xander, anything I can help you with tonight?" The Operators were cautioned against using their real names in case a fellow student with a possible unsteady nature found out who they were; but at the same time were encouraged to use a name that was familiar so that they remembered it in case they were requested by a caller.

As his middle name was Alexander and only family and friends knew this he reasoned that Xander would be an appropriate cover.

Max's first call was a guy, he didn't sound older then sixteen.

"Yea, I was wondering about sex. I mean, I know all about the act but I was wondering when the right time to do so is. I mean, it seems like all the guys I know have had sex the way they go on about it......"

Most of Max's calls were along the lines of regular every day problems you would expect from insecure teenagers. Sex, parents, and school were the top three reasons most people called.

More than once though someone called that really got to Max. One girl called in who had just moved to town the previous year and she still felt like an outsider, having not been able to make any friends before the school year ended for the summer break, and now that it had started up again she felt invisible and was so depressed that she didn't know what to do.

He and the others had been encouraged to draw on personal experience when applicable and try to tailor it to fit the callers’ problem.

Max had known what it felt like to be an outsider when he first moved to town. Josh's quick friendship with him had helped but it was joining the school weightlifting team that went a long way to help him feel in place.

During their conversation she had mentioned an interest in writing and Max was quick to point out the fact that while the Creative Writing class was still suspended that once it started again that she might want to consider transferring to the class. Personally assuring her that the teacher was a friendly and laid back person and the class typically drew friendly students; he also mentioned that he knew three students in the class who were very friendly.

After that, his callers became much easier to handle, the majority of the people he spoke to were like his first caller; seeking some sort of sexual advice. It was his last call of the night that really got to Max.

"Hello, this is the PCH my name is Xander. Is there anything I can help you with tonight?" Max asked for what felt like the hundredth time.

"Yea....yea my name is Danny.....something is wrong with me, I don't know what to do..." Danny was older then the rest of Max's callers had been. He could tell by the tone and deepness of his voice.

His voice also spoke of fear, unease, and pain; Max sat up and for the first time that night became genuinely concerned.

"Just try to calm down and talk with me Danny, maybe I can help you or point you to someone who can." Max said trying to school his voice into reassuring tones.

"I just don't know what to do.....I can't be a..... My parents would freak out; my dad would kill me if he knew." Danny was frantic but he wasn't giving Max any clues to help him.

“I’m sure there is nothing about that would cause your parents to want to kill you.” Max replied although by how Danny acted he wasn't entirely sure he was right.

"You don't know my parents.....my dad is partner in one of the big law firms in town, he doesn't tolerate weakness or difference; heavy handed and hard headed and my mom..... She does whatever he tells her. She'd follow his lead. There’s no one I can talk to or that can help me. I should just end it...." And before Max could say another word Danny hung up.

Max sat stunned until another student came up and asked for his chair. As he looked around he found that he was the only one of the original Operators left. He relinquished his seat to the student he didn't recognize and went to find Mrs. Reeves.

"I need the information for the last called routed to my phone." He said once he found her sitting at the desk in the secondary office.

"Mr. Calvin you know I can't give you that information. The callers’ privacy is confidential." Mrs. Reeves answered with a reproving look.

"Mrs. Reeves this is serious, not some teenage angst over parents or school. The guy I talked to was in serious distress." Max said anxiously before launching into a quick explanation of things that Danny had said to him.

"Max, I know you're taking this very seriously, you were the first name on my sign up sheet. But you're not a shrink and it sounds like this guy is in need of one. I sympathize with you but I can't give you the information. What I can do is make sure he gets routed to you if he calls back; if he does maybe you can persuade him to seek professional help." Mrs. Reeves said as she patted his shoulder.

Max left that night with very little hope that he would ever hear from Danny again.

                                               *           *          *

"Max babe, just because he didn't call back this week doesn't mean he offed himself. Maybe he found some pro help on his own." Josh said empathetically as he and Max changed.

It was Friday evening and he and Josh had plans to double with Kylie and Frank, catching a movie and dinner. Max had called Mrs. Reeves every evening after the lines closed to see if Danny had called back.

Other then their disturbing conversation, something else had created a pull on Max's mind. He couldn't shake the things Danny had said out of his mind, couldn't forget the cryptic warnings or the plain fear in his voice.

Lost in his thoughts Max jumped as Josh's arms snaked around him as he pressed his chest against Max's back.

"Max, I know you’re concerned about this guy, I think it’s sweet and amazingly caring of you to get all worked over this but you got to face facts. You did the best you could, and whatever choices he made he made on his own. I know it’s hard but you just need to push it out of your mind and get on with it." Josh said quietly against his neck and Max knew he meant what he said.

Max sighed deeply and turned in Josh's arm to rest his forehead against his chest.

"You're right Josh, I'm sorry I've been harping on all week. I promise I'll try to let it drop and have a good time tonight, and from now on. Unless he calls back of course, then expect me to be right back like this again." Max smiled as he looked up into Josh's face.

"OK, I think I can handle that. But we're going to be late if we don't get going." Josh said with a smile.

He knew that he would never be able to keep Max from getting worked up when it came to helping people, he was just a passionate person and he'd have to accept it; not that he would have him any other way.

"Yea, your right lets go. You want to take my truck or your car?" Max asked as he plucked at the tight cuffs of the burgundy long sleeve he chose for the evening. Though it was only early September a cold front had moved in that week bringing with it unseasonably autumn feeling weather.

"Would you stop fidgeting, you look fine.”Josh helped him fasten the three remaining buttons, which strained dangerously due to Max's muscled chest.

"You know, your shirts wouldn't be so tight if you weren't such a muscle stud." He said with a sexy smile as he let his hands trail down his chest.

"If I weren't a muscle stud I couldn't do this." Max replied before reaching down and grabbing Josh behind the knees. Josh had just enough time to wrap his arms around Max's neck before he was hoisted up. Max turned around and pressed him up against the wall as Josh wrapped his legs around his waist.

"Whoa OK, that’s fucking hot." Josh said before he attacked Max's lips with his own.

Max pulled away and with a sly smile let Josh's legs slide away from his waist.

"What are you doing?" Josh asked looking completely dumbfounded.

"What did you think we were going to do? Strip down and do it right here on floor? We've got a double date to get to." Max said as he picked his jacket.

"You're evil you know that, pure evil." Josh said he as picked up his own jacket and followed Max from the room and down the stairs.

"Don't think of it as me being evil, think of it as a down payment on a night full of pleasure." Max said as they reached the door.

"I'll hold you to that too." Josh said with a smile as he picked up his keys from the table and stepped outside past Max.

"I hope so." Max said as he smacked Josh on the ass as he passed.

Max kept his hand on Josh's leg the whole time on the short trip to the theatre, often letting his hand drift up toward Josh's groin; each time getting his hand smacked away before he reached his goal.

By the time they reached the Park Theatre Josh was thoroughly flushed and Max, well, Max was just enjoying the blush creeping up around Josh's ears and the way he walked slightly hunched over.

"Damn, it’s about time you two got here. Kylie already got the tickets; she's waiting over by the concession." Frank said once they reached the theatre's small lobby.

The Park Theatre was small, even for a town their size. It had only two screens; one of which could be raised to reveal a stage for plays and concerts.

Given that it was September the Theatre was doing a run of old Westerns. Friday night feature was one of Max's favorites, Rio Bravo. Other than John Wayne it featured other stars of the day including Ricky Nelson, Dean Martin and Angie Dickinson; among others.

They carefully pushed through the small crowd of people over to the concession stand, where Kylie was already a quarter of the way through the popcorn she had ordered.

"Hurry up you guys, I don't want to miss the beginning." Kylie called from the front of the small hallway leading down to the screening room.

Max couldn't really blame Josh and Frank for dragging their feet a little, the only reason they had for being there was the fact that both Kylie and Max loved John Wayne movies.

Max had grown up watching old John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, and Sean Connery films with his mom.

Kylie, well, Kylie would only blush a little and change the subject when asked.

Josh knew that Max wanted to enjoy the movie but he couldn't help getting a little revenge for Max's teasing in the car. He would wait until Max was engrossed in the movie and rest his hand against the inside of his thigh and slowly creep upwards, unlike Max though he managed several times to reach his target.

By the end of the movie though he and Frank had to admit that they had enjoyed themselves; though admittedly Josh had enjoyed messing with Max more than he had the movie.

"You are such an ass you know that?" Max asked as the foursome made their way to the little diner just down the street from the theatre.

"Hey I just figured turnabout was fair play." Josh said as Max slipped his hand around his.

"What part of the movie did you like Frank; you seemed to get really into it after a bit." Kylie asked, interrupting Max and Josh.

"I liked the whole movie really but my favorite parts were with the old dude Stumpy, he reminds me of my Grandpa. He even laughed the way my Grandpa did." Frank said with a reminiscent look in his eyes.

Once they were seated and had their food ordered they continued talking about the movie and others that would be playing that month. As was usual when the four of them were together the conversation was dominated by Max and Kylie with Frank and Josh jumping in when something they were familiar with came up and falling out again when the subject changed to less familiar waters.

Since he was feeling the old prickle of unease and jealousy, Josh was sorta glad when the night was over and he and Max were back to Max's house.

                                                         *         *         *

"Are you OK babe, you were really quiet during dinner and the ride home?" Max asked once he and Josh were shut tightly in his bed room.

For a fraction of a second Josh considered telling Max what was on his mind, he knew it would be the best thing to do but he didn't want to ruin the evening when the only time they had had together that week had been a few short hours after school.

"No there's nothing wrong. I just haven't been able to keep thoughts of you out of my head." Josh said, telling a half truth.

"I know your not a big fan of old movies so I know you didn't have too great of a time tonight. If you don't want to go to any more that’s fine. I’m sure we could find other ways to use the time." Max said with his trademark sly smile.

"But Max babe, you do like the Old Westerns, and I want to be involved in some way with the stuff you enjoy." Josh said as he wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled him close.

It was true; he knew it was good and healthy for them both to have their own interests instead of doing everything together but he still wanted to keep close to Max and at least have a working knowledge of the things that interested him.

"OK, I understand. But I'll try to limit the old movies to just the really good ones." Max said and let his hands slide up under Josh's shirt.

"Deal." Josh said before attacking Max's neck with his lips.

Max smiled at the feel of Josh's lips and slid his hands from under his shirt and started to slide it up at the side; revealing Josh's tight, muscled torso. He let his hands drop as Josh pulled away and pulled it off the rest of the way.

He reached out for Josh's rippling abs but Josh pushed his hands away and grasped the hem of Max's long sleeve shirt, working the tight garment up above Max's muscled chest. He wrapped his arms around Max's waist and began to devour his chest; licking and nipping at the muscled pectorals as Max finished removing his shirt, letting it fall to the floor on top of Josh's.

Max caressed every inch of Josh's body he could reach as Josh and his wandering tongue worked even further down his torso.

Josh stepped slowly backward till his legs caught on the side of the bed and he fell, sitting down on the bed. He grasped Max behind the hips and pulled him forward till he could bury his face against his stomach as his hands worked to undo the button and zip of Max's jeans.

He worked very slowly to keep Max from feeling what we he was doing. He slipped his tongue into Max's shallow navel and as Max's head tilted back a bit and a low groan escaped his lips he grasped the waist band of not only Max's jeans but the boxer briefs as well and he quickly and careful pulled the garments down to Max's knees.

Max's head snapped up and even through the strong sexual desire he was feeling Josh had to laugh a little at the completely surprised look on his lovers' face.

Josh reached out and his warm, long fingered hand wrapped around Max's hot thick cock.

Max's look of surprise was instantly replaced by one of mingled desire and contentment. The small contact of Josh's skin against his was intoxicating. All week they had lay naked for a few hours just touching, caressing; and exploring each others bodies. There was nothing now strange or unknown about each others. They knew every line, every curve, and every mole, dimple or blemish.

As Josh's sweat and spit slicked hand glided along his cock, his lips and tongue busied themselves with Max's heavy balls. His mouth encased one then the other as his tongue rolled across the smooth skin, gently tugging and teasing Max into a fit of ecstasy.

Max's hoarse voice broke through Josh's concentration. He stopped his attack on Max's now glistening orbs and looked up at him, confused.

"You gotta stop babe, please I'm too close and don't want it over yet." Max's voice begged him to stop but his eyes pleaded with him to continue. Josh decided to listen to the first.

Josh relinquished his hold on Max's cock and stood up and Max pulled him close. His slick cock slid against Josh's lower abdomen as he locked his lips to Josh's.

It was Josh's turn to let his hands roam Max's body as Max moved his lips and tongue and teeth across his body.

Josh groaned loudly as Max grasped Josh's firm ass and his teeth found his left nipple. Josh ran one hand down Max's back and the other through his short chestnut brown hair as he managed to slide and step out of his clothes.

Max worked his way further down, finally falling to his knees before Josh's tall frame. His hands snaked up the back of Josh's long, denim covered legs and across his thighs to rest against the tent created by Josh's hard cock.

Max smiled up seductively as he undid Josh's jeans and pulled them to the floor. His finger tips raked up and down the cloth enclosed rod. He realized as he teased Josh that the boxer briefs Josh wore were his, not the blue pair he had lent him but a different, dark gray pair that he had been missing since Tuesday.

"You little thief." Max's said in a falsely accusing tone.

"What are you going to do about it?" Josh's voice was barely more then a whisper, while Max's finger tips hadn't stopped their incessant stroking.

"Take what’s mine." He said as he pulled the garment away from Josh's long pre-cum coated cock.

He slipped the underwear into the top of Josh's jeans then leaned forward to take the bright pink head of Josh's cock between his lips.

"That’s right Max, its yours babe, all yours." Josh's voice was heavy with desire.

Max took Josh's cock all the way over and over again and Josh loved ever second, bucking his hips forward every time Max fully devoured his dick; but he wanted more.

Josh looked down at Max, his eyes closed, his glasses reflecting the light over head. He ran his hand through Max's hair down to the back of his neck and gently pulled up, the sign for Max to stand up.

"Make love to me babe. I've been thinking bout it all week. I want you so bad." Josh's voice held an undercurrent of a whimper as Max's hands wandered his body, his lips tasting his neck.

"Anything you want Josh, anything at all." Max whispered and he pulled away and went to shut off the light, plunging the room into a mixture of orange light from the street lamps outside to and bluish purple from a lava lamp on one of Max's book cases.

He came back to Josh, his eyes pleading with him to take him.

Max grasped Josh behind his knees as he did earlier and lifted him up. Josh groaned as he wrapped his legs around Max's waist, his hard cock sliding against Max's stomach.

Still keeping Josh tight against him, Max somehow managed to kneel on to bed, slowly crawling up to the head board till Josh's back rested against the cool wood.

"You hot, sexy fucking brute.” Josh whimpered as Max kissed his throat and the top of his chest.

"Looks like you’re enjoying my display of strength." Max whispered pressing his stomach against Josh's hard dripping cock.

Josh's only response was a low groan as Max continued to massage his cock between their stomachs.

Max could have kept this up all night, keeping Josh just on the edge; but he didn't want to. He wanted to give Josh exactly what he wanted.

With Josh's legs still wrapped around his waist he gently laid them both down on the bed.

Sliding his hand under the pillow Josh rested on Max brought out a small bottle of lube.

Max looked directly into Josh's eyes as he spread the cool glistening gel on his thick cock.

The hungry look in Josh's eyes only got stronger as Max slipped inside him. Pushing through the familiar momentary resistance of Josh's tight ring Max buried himself inside Josh.
Josh's legs tightened around his waist and his arms came up to wrap around his neck pulling him down so their lips could meet.

The taught skin of Max's stomach continued to rub the underside of Josh's shaft as they made love.

Max was lost in the tight warmth of Josh's body, as lost as Josh was with Max's thick hard cock filling him up.

Max broke their kiss and attacked Josh's neck, kissing and licking away the sweat that beaded up there as Josh’s hands roamed his broad shoulders and muscled back.

"God Max, you're body is fucking hot." Josh moaned and Max picked up speed, pressing into Josh harder and faster; bringing louder groans from Josh.

"Yea Max, yea, harder babe, harder please." Josh's voice was barely more then a whisper as Max raised back on to his knees and moved Josh's legs from around his waist and up over his shoulders.

In an instant Max's thrusts became longer and harder and Josh's loud groans became a constant roar or pleasure.

He grasped his aching cock, no longer stimulated by Max's taut stomach, and started to stroke it furiously, just in rhythm to Max's furious movements.

Max could feel the tingling heat of orgasm building through his entire body. He let his hand slip down to Josh's cock, pushing Josh's hand away he grasped the long hot rod and stroked faster, wanting to bring Josh with him.

His wish was easily granted, he felt Josh's cock quiver and swell as four long ropes of cum erupted from the now bright red head of Josh's cock.

The contraction of Josh's muscles pulled Max dick deeper inside him, letting Max's seed fill him up.

Josh reached out for Max and pulled his muscled form to him. Max rolled them on their sides slowly allowing his cock to slip out of Josh while pulling him close, their chests and stomachs gluing together with Josh's load, whilst holding together tight until their breathing became steady. All the while, their hands were roaming and lips never parted, kissing each other in the most sensual way. They lay close together while Max suggested they could clean up in the morning.

Hands roaming and lips never parting they lay close together. Josh slipped Max's glasses off and after placing them on the table behind him he nestled back against Max's chest.

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It was Tuesday again and Max was nearing the end of his shift on the PCH. They hadn't been nearly as busy as they had been the week before and Max was grateful for it, though thoughts of Danny kept plaguing him.

With only five more minutes of his shift left Max answered what was to be his last call of the night.

"You've reached the PCH, my name is Xander; can I help you this evening." Max said a little dully as he thought of different ways to greet callers, one that sounded a little less hokey.

"Xander, I, I talked to you last week...."Max recognized the voice on the other end as Danny's.

"Are you Danny?" Max asked though he was already sure it was.

"Y, yea, you remember me?" Danny asked the level of anxiety in his voice rose a bit more.

"Well you're kind of hard to forget, you were the most serious caller I took last week." Max asked trying to inject humor into the situation in hopes of calming Danny down.

"Yea, well I guess I'm the only real nut job who calls then." Danny replied with heavy sarcasm.

"You're not a nut job, I'm sure whatever you think is wrong with you is a lot more manageable than you give it credit for." Max tired to be logical as Danny seemed quite the opposite.

"You don't know man, you don't know the shit that goes through my mind, don't know what I dream about doing sometimes...." Danny's voice rose a bit then cracked into silence.

Max was doing his best to stay composed but that last sentence had thrown him a bit.

"You're right I don't know what you’re feeling or what’s going on with you. Why don't you tell me, help me to understand? Maybe I can help you or point you to someone who can. There’s a number of good counselors and therapists associated with the PCH that I could put you in contact with, if you want me to." Max said reaching for the list of Therapists that had volunteered to work along side the PCH that year.

"I...I...there’s something wrong with me. I hurt people like.....like me because I can't be that but I can't stand to look in the mirror knowing what I am and how I'm hurting other people; but it’s the only thing that helps. I use...I use to hurt myself but then my parents almost found out and I couldn't anymore, that’s when I started beating them up, all the ones I could...I tortured one poor guy so badly....He just stopped coming one day...I dunno what happened to him...." Danny’s voice was becoming a low and painful murmur that Max had to strain to hear.

This had gone beyond Max and the PCH helping. The rules were clear, if the caller routinely hurts themselves or others they were to immediately try and persuade them to seek counseling.

"Danny what your going through is pretty heavy. Let me give you the name and number of a therapist or counselor, someone who is better equipped to help you." Max said doing his best to sound calm and reassuring.

"NO! no. I can't go to a shrink, they'll tell my parents and they can't find out....They just can't...”

And that was all he said, he hung up before Max could say another word.

Max sat stunned; the phone still held up to his ear till the cut off buzzer started to go off. Numbed he sat the phone back on the receiver and made his way out of the small office. He passed by Mrs. Reeve’s office with no more then a plastered on smile and a small wave of the hand as he left; there was nothing she could do so he left without a word.

Once he was out to his truck he stood against the door looking up at the sky. His thoughts consumed with ideas of how to help Danny. It was clear that he was going to get no where on the phone, if only he could talk to him in person he was sure he could get through to him.

Sadly, that was impossible. Resigning himself to the fact that his hands were tied he got into his truck and drove home, wishing more than ever he was going to get home to be wrapped up in Josh's arms, which was again impossible as he was out to dinner with his family.

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Josh was listening to the rain outside his bedroom window. It was Friday and he was planning on spending the whole weekend with Max. To say he was looking forward to it was an understatement.

Max had been a bit sulky since his second conversation with Danny during his most recent PCH shift but he was sure that he would be able to lift his spirits.

His parents were both out so he scribbled a note to them letting them know where he was going, (though they already knew), and opened the door to find Frank with his hand raised to knock.

"Hey dude you mind if I catch a ride to Max's with you? I was going to go with my dad and his buddy down to the factory for his interview but I forgot I needed to get a book from Max." Frank asked as he stepped aside to let Josh open an umbrella to deflect the now pounding rain.

"Sure bud, come on." Josh said and used the umbrella to shield them both till they were in the car.

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Kylie's luck had been shitty all day. Somehow she had forgotten to bring her History homework and incurred extra that day from Fleet, she had dropped her new cell in a puddle outside the school to where it didn't work and now her car had just died for no reason. She managed to coast it to the side of the road then ran up to a few of the houses in the rain, (having also forgotten her umbrella), looking for help.

No one on the street seemed to be home or they were just ignoring her. Giving up and going back to her car she puzzled over what to do. Her phone didn't work and she had no idea where to find a pay phone, not that she had any cash or change on her anyway.

She looked at the street sign at the end of the road, she wasn't too far from Max's and if she hurried she could make it within ten or fifteen minutes. Her back pack was high dollar and water proof so she double checked that it was zipped and slipped her now useless phone in it, squared her shoulders and hoped out into the cold September rain toward Max's.

                                                                 *        *        *

Max had just sat down at his desk and opened his journal to fill in about the happy events in his life over the past few weeks when someone started pounding on the front door.

Without closing out the just opened journal he rushed down stairs, yelling he'd be there in a second ahead of him.

When he opened the door he was surprised to find Kylie standing there, soaked and shaking.

Not even asking what happened he stepped aside and let her come in; he grabbed a throw from the couch and tossed it around her before speaking.

"Kylie what in the hell happened?" He asked rubbing her across the shoulders through the throw in a futile attempt to warm her up.

She explained about her car dieing and dropping her cell in a puddle and about not being able to get any help from the houses on the street leaving her no choice but to walk to his house.

"Damn, you have had some bad luck today. Come on up to my room, I've got some heavy fall clothes in my closet you can toss on and I'll get your stuff into the wash." Max said soothingly as he escorted her upstairs.

Once they were in his room he went through his closet and found an old long sleeved thermal shirt and a pair of sweats that had become way to snug on him. He handed them over to her and directed her to his bathroom, instructing her as a father would his daughter to dry off thoroughly, change and bring him her wet clothes.

While she changed Max tidied up his room a bit; it wasn't a mess but his sense of modesty prevented him from leaving the small pile of dirty clothes, a pair of boxer briefs at the top, in plain sight. Giving his hamper was in the bathroom he deftly tossed the entire load into his closet.

He never once even looked at what was still up on the computer screen.

"I am so glad you were home. I have no idea what I'm going to do. I mean I can call a tow truck and everything but I don't know any mechanics around here or anything." Kylie said as she came out of the bathroom, still damp and shaking in Max's clothes.

"That’s ok; I've got the number of a good guy that my mom uses when our cars need service.

I'll take this stuff down stairs and run it through the dryer then you can call a tow truck and I'll drive you over to meet it at your car." Max said as he took the pile of wet clothes out of Kylie's arms and left the room.

Kylie had never been in Max's room before and looked around in interest. With his dragon obsession most would consider his decor a little juvenile and his fascinations with blade weapons such as swords, daggers and axes would scare some people but considering what she knew of Max it actually worked really well.

She also scanned his bookcases. Many of the books Max owned on Wicca she herself owned but his tastes weren't limited to just that. In addition to Wicca he had books on folk magic, crystals, gems and herbs, animal and spirit guides, as well general Pagan topics. He also had a decent collection of paranormal and ghost topics as well as a decent fiction section including Tolkien, Rowling, Jules Verne, and several others.

Eventually she looked for a place to sit and opted for his computer chair, thinking that sitting on the bed might be a bit impolite.

Kylie wasn't the snooping type but sometimes curiosity just got the better of you and she couldn't help notice the heading of the file that was open on Max's computer. Journal.

Kylie couldn't help herself and as her eyes sped across the screen tears began to flow steadily down her cheeks and she tried harder and harder to swallow past the lump in her throat.

Max hadn't even got the chance to scroll through the file before Kylie showed up and the first entry in his Journal was a painfully detailed account of what had happened in Chicago.

It spoke about his parents divorce and him and his mother living in a small apartment in such a bad part of town that Max feared he would come home one afternoon to find the apartment ransacked. About how he found solace and comfort in Tim, his first boyfriend, and how for a while things seemed OK.

And then it told about how things got worse. How when Tim's dad found out about that his son was gay, or at least was dating a gay guy, how he had wrote him out of his will and threatened to throw him out on the streets and the constant mistreatment he suffered on a daily basis.

Kylie then came to the part she would remember forever. The part that detailed how the people that had once been his friends cornered him one night in the alley behind his apartment building as he took the trash down to the dumpster, and how the long scar that's on his back that reached from shoulder to shoulder got there.

When she finally finished she broke down and sobbed quietly, she never heard Max come back up the stairs.

"I'm sorry I took so long, I thought I would make you a cup of tea to...." Followed by the soft thud of a mug hitting the carpeted floor brought her attention to the door.

                                                                 *       *       *

Max stood in the doorway shaking from head to toe as his eyes darted to Kylie's tear streaked face then to the computer screen and back again.

Kylie moved quickly as Max came over and clicked the file closed then turned to look at her.

"H...how much did you read?" he asked and Kylie was shocked to not hear anger in his voice, but fear.

"All. All of it. Oh Max I'm sorry I didn't mean to read it. I just sat down and looked at it and I couldn't help it." She said and stepped closer to Max.

Max, unseeing,walked past her and sat shakily down on his bed, his head resting in his hands.

"I never even thought about it. I brought it up when you knocked and meant to close it later but when I saw you soaked at the door it got pushed out of my mind. I've been so careful to keep it from being read for so long and one distraction screws it all up." He said, silent tears slipping down his face.

"Its, its true then, all of it?" She whispered some steadiness coming back into her voice as her soothing tendencies overrode her grief in the face of Max's distress.

"Every word of it." He looking up at her, his voice pure misery.

"I didn't know any of that had happened....does anyone else know, beside me?" She asked carefully.

"My mom knows it all, as does most of my family. Fay knows some of the details but not everything. Josh and Frank don't know anything about it, only that I lived in Chicago and about the scar. They don't know how I got it. I've been trying to find a way to tell them but I don't know how to do it. They deserve to know though, especially Josh." Max said as he stood up and wiped his face and cleaned his smudged glasses.

"Well now I can help you do it. Josh might resent the fact that I knew first but I think he'll get over it." She said and tried to smile.

Max did smile though, a part of him was glad that someone he was close to finally knew, he walked up to her and gave her a bone crushing hug.

After the initial shock Kylie wrapped her arms around him and squeezed back.

Neither of them heard the front door open or the footsteps coming up the stairs, only the strangled sound of shock from Max's doorway brought their attention.

Max jumped at the sound and, still hugging Kylie, looked at the door to see Josh standing there, white faced and shocked looking.

"Max... Kylie, what’s going on here? Why are you dressed like that?" Josh's voice was heavy with hurt.

Realization hit Max like a ton of bricks and he jumped back from Kylie, one quick look at her clothes and the position they had been in would lead quickly to the wrong conclusions.

"Josh Babe, this is nothing close to what it looks like. Kylie’s car died and she walked here in the rain, so I gave her some clothes to get dry and she found out what happened in Chicago and...” But Josh interrupted before he could finish.

"She found out, so you can tell her but not me? As if you guys don't share enough, now she's more worthy of knowing then I am?" Tears leaked down his face and Max tried to step close to comfort him, to explain what had happened but Josh pushed him away.

"Hey Josh he's not down stairs...Why are you crying, what’s wrong?" Frank had arrived from his search for Max downstairs, "What the fuck is going on here?" He asked but didn't wait for an answer.

The obvious pain on Josh's face and the way Kylie was dressed and the fact that Max was standing with her and not his boyfriend made him jump to the worst possible conclusion.

In a haze of misguided anger and panic he crossed the short space between them and landed a ringing right hook along Max's jaw, a blow that would have knocked most guys to the floor but Max only rocked and staggered back against his desk, one hand cradling his jaw.

"Frank what the hell, let me explain." Max said still cradling his jaw.

"How could you do that? I know what you're thinking and you’re wrong." Kylie said with venom as she rushed to Max's side and pried his hand away to look at the hit.

The fact that Kylie was comforting Max and not Josh, that Josh didn't even protest assured Frank that his assumptions and actions were correct. He turned and left the room without another word.

Max didn't care that Frank hadn't let him explain, that he had hit him. He only cared about making Josh understand what was going on.

But he didn't get the chance. Unnoticed by either him or Kylie as she fussed over the growing red mark, that would later leave a dark bruise, Josh had slipped down stairs and left; leaving the front door open to the pounding rain and wind.

"Gone, both of them." Max said miserably as he came back upstairs.

He collapsed down on to his bed and buried his face in his hands; he was soaked to the skin having run to the end of the driveway in a vain attempt to catch sight of Josh's car.

"I'm so sorry Max, it’s my entire fault." Kylie said she still stood next to his desk, her hands twisting together in anxiousness.

Max wanted to be mad at her, he wanted to yell and rage and let himself blame her; but he knew better. It was his fault, all his. He hadn't been honest with Frank and Josh like he should have been; he should have told them both what had happened when he came out to them.

In one fail swoop he had lost his best friend and the love of his life all at once.

TO BE CONTINUED....
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I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. As always I would love to hear what you think. Please feel free to PM me, leave a review, or email me at allenarcane88@yahoo.com. I answer or respond to everything, good or bad I want to hear about it.

Thanks to Rush for editing this chapter.