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Max and Nikki had been living next to each other for a month when the fight happened. His family had just moved to the shitty apartment on the bottom floor of the building next to her’s, and though they didn’t talk often, as they were both busy often, they found that a lot had changed since camp so long ago.
Nikki had seen Max at school often, but she didn’t realize what the last 6 years had done to him. His foster parents — an older couple that looked almost as mean as they were — had taken in another kid, a little girl with dark brown coils and warm brown skin named Isabella, but Nikki and Max had always called her Izzy. And according to Max, this apartment was only temporary. Every apartment was temporary. He hadn’t lived in the same one for longer than a year since before he’d been put into the foster care system.
Nikki’s house was less of a hangout place for him and more of a safehouse. Though she never saw the fights, she could hear them, and it was never long before Max would show up with Izzy and ask if they could stay there for a while, just an hour to let his parents cool off. Nikki’s mom didn’t care, so they would stay in the living room and talk while watching movies. Anything to get his mind off of what happened, because like Hell was he going to talk about it.
Like Hell am I going to make this her problem, too.
“You know what happened to Neil?” Max would ask.
“He lives right downtown now. Stays with his mom during the weekends, then gets dropped off at his dad’s. He skipped a grade.”
And Max would nod, staying quiet for a while more before deciding that his parents had probably calmed down.
But this fight was different. This time, Nikki heard someone yelling, and then the outside door opening. This time when Nikki opened the door to a knock, it wasn’t Max standing there.
Izzy was standing there, small and red faced and brown eyes wide with tears. She grabbed Nikki, hugging her legs — she’d grown a lot in 6 years, and now was even taller than Max.
“You-you have to help,” Izzy sobbed, and Nikki nodded.
“Stay here, I’ll be right back.”
The girl nodded and pulled away shakily, ducking into the house as Nikki ran nextdoor.
She hadn’t seen Max’s father before, only heard him. He was just about as tall as her, had a tight set jaw and white and gray hair. He looked like a bull, huffing as he stomped towards Max, who was standing in the middle of the yard with his fists clenched tight. As if he was ready to fight back. As if he had before, and it had gone horribly wrong.
His father was yelling something about Isabella, asking, where the hell is she? Nikki was still a fair distance away, but she could smell the alcohol on his breath from where he stood. Max shrunk down with a glare as he leaned over him, but before he could even raise a hand to defend himself, Nikki had stepped in.
All it took was a push, and he drunkenly stumbled and fell onto the grass. For a moment he seemed disoriented, trying to stand up while cursing, but when he slipped again he looked up at Nikki. It was clear that he wasn’t expecting to see her there from his expression.
Nikki could feel a growl in her throat, her fingers flexed and ready to lash out like claws if he stood back up. For a long moment they stood like that, both of them waiting for the other to move first.
“Nikki,” Max said, at first a stunned sigh, and then trying to grab her attention, “Nikki.”
Her gaze flickered over him briefly, quickly returning to watch his father. Max had stood up straight, putting his hands in his pockets and trying to look like he was fine. Though he stood like nothing at all had happened, his gaze was set on his father, watchful and noting every movement he made.
“Let’s go.”
Nikki stood up straight, her gaze not moving from the man on the ground as she took a step back. Max walked out of the yard, and she followed slowly, moving backwards until she was sure she could turn around.
Izzy latched onto Max as soon as he walked through the door, still crying. He quickly picked her up, patting her back and shushing her, sitting down on the couch.
“Are you okay?” Nikki asked them both.
Max nodded, and Izzy didn’t respond, only sniffling and trying to stifle her sobs.
“Did he hurt her?”
Max shook his head.
“Did he hurt you?”
Max didn’t respond.
Nikki didn’t say anything either, sitting next to the two of them and pulling Max into her arms. He didn’t react, only continuing to calm down Izzy. Before long, she was asleep, and having decided that he wouldn’t come home tonight, Max wasn’t far behind.
“What are we gonna do?”
Nikki shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m not really good at these things.” Her voice was low and somber, but then she spoke again, just a bit more bubbly. “We could go visit Neil tomorrow! He’s smart, he can figure this out!”
Max wanted to object, but he had to admit that their options were limited, and he really missed his friend.
“I’ll be with you the whole way. No matter what happens. Neil’ll figure out what to do, where to go, and then you and Izzy can go somewhere safe. And I’ll follow you guys.”
“Seriously?” Max asked, voice low. “You’d just up and leave? Just fuck away from your mom and come with me?”
“In any direction.” Nikki confirmed, and Max laughed.
“Alright. Yeah.” Max muttered. “I’m gonna sleep on the couch.”
“Well, duh, I’m not gonna make you sleep on the floor!” Nikki chided. “I’ll take the recliner, Izzy can take my bed.”
Max nodded. Nikki took only a moment to put Izzy in bed, but Max was already asleep when she walked out again.
She looked at him, brushing his curls out of his face for a moment, just to look at him. “Sweet dreams,” she imparted, before sitting down in the recliner to go to sleep.