Chapter Text
I speed right up the hill to see skateboards, one for me, one for tank, and one for max and his father. Me and Tank go straight to the boards and fly down the ramp with max right behind us. “This is it, we win again.” I parade in my mind. All I have to do is go through the zipper and another win for us and I can brag it in that stupid freshman’s face.
Can’t believe he thought he could win, but the hope in him and his teammates is something that’s just so adorable. “What.” Fuck did I say that out loud. “What wrong ba-“ Tank was saying something to me until Max’s Father hit me and flown me across the final road to the finish line.
I get on my hands and knees and see Tank and Max slide right by me. “ Tank, take him out!” I yell then to a mummer “I will not be ignored, nobody will finish this race but me.” I pull out the button that turns on the Jetpack on Max’s skateboard. I was about to hit it until I feel strike of pain on my neck, I fall to the ground.
Thankfully my chin hit the button as soon as I fell. Blurry but I can still picture Max hitting Tank to the side and crashing into the big X on top of the finish line. I hear Someone steaming and run to the burning big X. “Fuck.” That’s not what I wanted to happen.
I get on my bored and ride right next to the flames. What the fuck do I do, I can’t just leave him there, but the finish line is just right up ahead. I sit in a pause that felt like forever. I’m an idiot, I didn’t want max to get hurt, I could lose him.
I turn and go right into the burning X. I hear around me gasping as I go in. “MAX! fuck..WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU!” I yell hoping for something, anything. I start to shake, panicking, I can’t believe I’d let this happen to him. Deep into the flames I see someone trying to pull up a metal bar, below is Max. I run to help him, Goofy stares at me in confusion, Max stares in anger, he’s in a daze, he looks like he’s about to pass out.
We lift up the bar, and I lift him up in my arms, getting on my broad and ride straight out of there with Goofy behind me. We get out and a stretcher is waiting for us. Someone takes Max and puts him on the bed and puts him in an ambulance and drive off to the hospital. I look at Goofy, I don’t think I have ever seen someone so mad in my entire life, “Never talk to me and my son ever again.” I wanted to say something but I can’t. “Enjoy your dumb trophy.” He says to me as he walks away. I get handed my trophy but at what cost.
•••
I’m at home on my bed, the gammas went to go celebrate our win but I couldn’t. We normally cheat and all the games and some of the players get hurt and I normally don’t care, then why am I so angry with myself.
•••
It’s 2 days after the X games I’m at home when I hear a ring of my door bell I don’t wanna see anyone, but I open it anyways and I see Goofy on my doorstep.
Puzzled I ask, “What are you doing here? I thought you never wanted to see me again.” “Well it’s max, he,” he sighs “wants to talk to you.” He’s not happy about this at all and hell I understand that. “Why would he want to see me?” Maybe to yell at me, file lawsuit, kill me- “I… I don’t know. He asked if I can get you for him.” He puts his hand on his face in disbelief. “Ok, I’ll go see him.” I don’t think it’s a good idea too but the talk will be short, call me an asshole and that he’s filing charges.
Goofy drives me to the hospital where Max is staying at, the most awkward car ride I have ever had. He tells me that he got 2nd degree burns around his arms and legs and broke his left leg, we didn’t talks after that. We get there and he shows me to his room. “I’ll be outside.” Goofy says to me as I walk in and see max on a hospital bed and a blue gown with bands around his arms and a cast on his one leg.
“Hey.” He doesn’t look at me, “Hey, you uh, your dad said you wanted to see me?” I stay where I’m at and try and talk in a calming voice.
“I not gonna sue you, if your so worried about that, but I hope you know you’re paying for the hospital bills.”
“I already planed on doing that.” We sit in silence, until he says something again.
“You know, I thought I would be mad at you, hate you, never wanna see you again.” I bit my thumb, I haven’t done that’s since I was 7, it was a way I would relieve stress.
“I’m just, I don’t know, disappointed. I mean, I know you hate me but I didn’t think you would try and kill me-“
“that’s not what I wanted to do.” I interrupt him.
“Then what were you trying to do?”
“I, I, I don’t know! We’ve done that before, usually they just fly into the audience!” We sit in silence again, I don’t know what to say, no I do, I wanna say sorry but that doesn’t do anything, he could never forgive me and he shouldn’t.
“I really like you Bradley,” I pause, “ you’re so cool, smart, attractive I wanted you to like me. Sad I know but it’s true.”
“I love you.” Fuck. I ran out before I could let him say anything. Why did I say that, I didn’t wanna him to fucking know that.