Old Author's Note:

So let's not dwell on the AN as I want to write! so thanks so much for the niceness (is that a word?) that you guys are showing etc. I really do appreciate it. You have no idea how much this all means to me. Anyways let's get on with the story. Trivia down below.

Your appreciative author

Uniquent

Samson's breath felt hot on my cheeks as he breathed heavily. A drop of nervous sweat traced it's way down my neck.

"How cute." He said huskily in a tone that meant it wasn't cute at all.

"Hi," My voice trembled as I moved slightly to the right to shake off his arm. It didn't move.

"Hello, beauty." His words started to slur, blending together. He was drunk.

"You're drunk." I wiggled my shoulder but he held me closer. I could see the sharp blue eyes and the ruffled red, brown hair that girls went crazy over. But I could also smell the alcohol that wafted off him in strong waves and that disgusted me. He took my head in his hands and came in ever so closer. If I leaned forwards a centimetre, my lips would touch his. I resisted as he pushed my head in towards his.

"You're pretty." He responded. We were so close now that the tip of our noses were touching. I flinched but he didn't seem to notice.

"Can you...can you please stop that?" I piped up meekly, trying to turn my head to the side. Why, in times like this can't I talk at all?

"Yeah, she's pretty, I agree on that man but you're just pulling a stupid move. Go fuck off," I craned my neck to see Logan standing a bit behind me, fists clenched and hair messed up. Samson jerked my head back.

"Don't hurt her." Logan's words were slurred as well. He was drunk, just less drunk than Samson. Great, two drunk boys fighting over me. Who would've imagined it? I squirmed under Samson's hands and closed my eyes. I didn't want to move. If I did...well, I didn't want to think about it.

Suddenly, I heard a sharp crack from in front of me and Samson's hands released off of me, going to clutch his jaw instead.

"Get away, Clara!" Logan shouted as Samson clenched his hand up into a fist and sent it barrelling at Logan's face. Logan ducked and punched him in the stomach. Amazing skills for a drunk man. Huh. I shook my head at them, seriously did they think I'm a damsel in distress? I stepped in between them all the while getting a sense of deja vu. This time I held up my hands and screamed at the top of my voice. I saw Samon's fist come towards me and ducked out of the way in time before he stopped and heaved heavily, turning to face me.

"Stop it! Are you kids or something? Now just turn around and hitch a ride home, you both are drunk and mad. Not a good idea I tell you. Now go." I push both of them in different directions and watch their friends pull them out of the party. I feel like I should've told Samson off or something but I just couldn't let myself be bullied again. I knew I was weak but I was also tired. I sigh and turn to leave.

A hand grasps my arm as I walk towards the door and I am met with dark blue eyes. I jerk my arm out of this person's grasp and look up. What is wrong with everyone today? My body isn't up for grabs. The boy has ruffled dark hair and a sturdy build and looks vaguely familiar.

"Sorry for my brother." The guy smiles apologetically.

"Yeah, whatever. He's drunk." This guy must be Samson's younger brother. He's in my year, which is how I recognize him. I turn to leave again, starting to walk towards the door before he calls after me.

"What?" I snap, already quite irritated by the events of tonight.

"I'm just going to say sorry for whatever he did to you..." His eyes look serious. I realize what he means and raise an eyebrow.

"Thank god, nothing like that happened. He just got really close to me, Logan jumped in before..." I trail off before continuing to ask "Has it happened before or what?" I look at the guy curiously. I don't have any classes with him so he's unknown in my small handful of acquaintances.

"No it's just other stuff, you don't want to know."

"What, he makes out with girls 24/7? Yeah that I know. What's the big surprise?" I lean against the wall, trying to shake off the fact that Samson maybe almost took advantage of me. I just didn't need to think about it.

"But it's just wrong, don't you think? Playing with people's feelings and stuff? He doesn't get hurt in the end, it's his targets that do. Hey, what's your name again?" He rambles on before he stops, much like I do. I find familiarity in this and give him a small smile.

"I never mentioned it but my name's Clara. Official, licensed nerd." I held out a hand for him to shake.

"Name's Max. Max Greene." He shook my hand with a strong grip and started to look at me curiously.

"What is it?" I brush a stray lock of hair behind my ear and frown.

"What's what?"

"Why are you looking at me all curious?"

"Oh. You just seem so familiar." He scrunches up his eyebrows.

"I'm in your year, Max." I say this drily and glancing at my watch, open the door.

"Hey! Wait!" I hear him shout after me and I pause.

"You need a ride home?" Max offers this shyly, almost like he was asking me out.

"Yeah, I actually do. I came here in - " I stopped my blabbing and just about finished the sentence so it looked natural "My brother's car. He's gone now I think." I winced at my excuse but smile widely anyway.

"Okay, hop on in." He gestures to a green convertible as I follow him out. I know. Getting into a car with a random guy, wasn't I just the smartest? But I really did need the ride and it was better him than a random Uber. Plus, I had already dialled 911 on my phone, finger poised over the call button.

I settled myself in the cushy shotgun seat and opened my phone, trying hard not to look at the boy sitting besides me and hearing the car start up I tensed slightly as I felt the vehicle start rolling forwards. Surveying around me, I never thought that a car could be this clean but Max's vehicle totally disapproved that.

"Clean car." I complimented and checked my email, another hand reaching to undo my braid so I had a curtain of hair to hide behind.

"Thanks." After some fiddling a radio station was turned on. We lapsed into silence (like we were having an entirely enigmatic conversation before, which in this case, did not happen) as classical music filled the car. I quickly looked over at Max's face, judging him by his sense of music. For some reason he didn't reach over to change the channel to some rap song but just stopped at the red light and turned to face me.

"So..." He raised his eyebrows.

"You like classical music don't you? There's a CD wedged between my seat and the controls and you didn't change the station yet." I blurted out. Oh damn me for saying such weird things at silent and awkward moments like this.

"Yeah, I do. Tell me...do you always notice stuff like this?" Max smiles at me as the red light turns to green and we start moving again.

"Yup, stuff about a person is especially interesting. You see the real them, no matter how trivial the information may seem. Questions such as: do you have a girlfriend?"

Shoot, my mind just decided to command me to say that. I really just wanted to know, I mean he was cute and nerdy in a kind of way and handsome and athletic and- okay off point but still. If I didn't know myself better I would've thought I'd just thrown a pick up line his way. I blushed.

"No. I leave the flirting to Samson." He grins at me and just winks before cocking his head.

"Where do you live?" I tell him the address and after some more driving he stops outside my house. To think that we were driving so long and I didn't tell him my address. I let out a soft groan, man, was I a total idiot.

As I step out of the car he delivers me to my front door.  I give him a wave and a quick thank you before slipping in, seeing my dad sitting on the couch in the living room. So he and my mom are back. Best to send Max off before they think that I have a boyfriend.

"Pleasure meeting you, Max." I smile.

"You too, Clara. See you at school." and with that parting sentence and a cheeky grin he disappears into his car and roars off into the night.

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TRIVIA:

Okay so FOLLOW, HATE, COMMENT, VOTE! all that good stuff. Here's the questions:

-Whatcha think of Max? Yay or nay?

-Do you think Samson is going to be making future appearances?

And that's it, feel free to comment and stuff. Sorry that Logan was not in much of this chapter but you know...I 'll include him in the next. Okay so please spread the word and yeah bye! :)