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A big and skeletal ghost bird flied next to him, but he didn't noticed. His mind was somewhere else.
---
Max's first kiss was with a train. He wouldn't admit it on public and Isabel would never let him forget it.
Isabel's first kiss was with Isaac. She regrets admit that to Max.
"It was for a mission! I had to woke him up like he were the sleepy beauty!!", she defended herself but Max was already laughing.
"No gonna lie to you. I was expecting Ed were your first kiss"
"No, Isaac was his first kiss too".
Max shut up for a second and exploded in a contagious laugh.
"We couldn't wake him up!" screamed Isabel and started laughing with his friend.
She would totally regret it later, but that day they laughed, joked and enjoyed each other company.
But today was different...
"She likes you", said Isaac. "That's why she is acting weird".
"Yeah, right", replied Max. He took his books and his bags and walked to home.
--
A fungus spirit started walking next to him but when the little creature noticed Max wasn't paying attention to him, walked away.
--
Her hand was badly hurt and even when she had a happy smile, he could see the pain. Ed was helping her, Isaac was standing next to him and Spender was... somewhere. He didn't stay. Isabel said she was ok so he continued with his personal mission.
"It was obvious you weren't ok", muttered Isaac. "And he go away anyway"
Everybody hear him but they decided ignore him, even when they knew he was right. It was a second, but Max could see Isabel's smile deteriorate. In that moment, he realized her pain wasn't only physical.
"Spender is a jerk" said Max, "We all know that".
"Hey, don't call him like that!", answered angrily Isabel.
The air was tense...
--
"Isabel and I?" Max's head was confused. But every time he tried to think in something else, Isabel's smile appeared on his mind. "Isabel and I", he liked how it sounded, but he wouldn't admit it loud.
--
"Have you ever think in the future?" Isabel's voice was distant.
"Considering my luck... I probably would end marrying Suzy and we will have a dog called Kevin". Max answered deadpan.
"I'm serious"
"I'm serious", replied Max. "She will blackmail me until the altar". He come closer to her. "But you... you will have millions of fans, you probably will date a cheerleader, a basketball player and a chest champion but, at the end of the day, you will marry a friend."
Ed walked in the Activity Club room.
"Hey, Ed! Will you marry me?" asked Isabel.
"Only if we invite ostriches to the celebration", declared Ed with a huge grin.
--
Damn it, Isaac!! There was no need to tell him that! Sure, Isabel was avoiding him but there could be millions of reasons why. She was a thought girl, thoughts girls don't fall for cold guys like him, pretty, popular and cool girls would never fall for a snarky dude like him.
--
"You are actually good at this!" admitted Isabel.
"It's a family thing, I guess", said Max adding some last details to the sculpture.
"I didn't know your dad was an artist"
"No, he is not. My mom was an artist"
There was an awkward silence. Isabel could see Max's muscles got tense.
"It's the first time you mentioned your mom..."
Max didn't answer. He put his emotional shell again. And there was nothing to do.
---
Isabel couldn't remember the moment she fell in love with Max. Could be any moment. It could be his awful talk after she lost Eightfold or the more awful talk after her grandfather told her she was weak and arrogant. Max was definitely awful for make people feel better, and she found that incredible charming.
One day, she was thinking about him when he crossed the door.
"Have you ever think in the future? she asked.
In a few words he said: "I will marry Suzy". And, even when she knew he was joking, she couldn't avoid feel upset. So, she started to avoiding him.
--
On the one hand, Isaac was a stupid teen but on the other hand he read a lot of shōjo so he knew about romance. Max was debating with himself when he saw Isabel. She turned around and they saw each other. It was a long time since they talked.
--
They walk next to each other in silence for a while. Finally, Max spoke:
"Sooo, you are avoiding me because I insulted Spender?"
Isabel was really confused. "No?"
"But you are avoiding me" sentenced Max. "Is there a reason?"
"I... just have a lot of my mind this days. It's not you. It's...complicated."
Max knew Isabel had her walls up so he didn't insisted. He was very closed too.
"Well, Isaac told me-" he stopped talking suddenly. What the hell was he doing?
Isabel stared at him confused. Max continued.
"That... since I'm the new kid I need to be kissed for you and Ed", he nervously giggled.
The girl seemed shocked and her cheeks were flushed.
"I-Isabel?"
She snorted. "Oh yeah! Totally!", she put her arm around his shoulder. "We are going to kiss you, the three of us. I hope you don't matter we aren't a car".
Max could feel his cheeks burning but gave her a genuine smile.
There were plenty unsaid words... but they weren't ready to put their walls down.