𝐭𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐬, 𝐦𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫. ►

CHAPTER TWO: THE MALL RATS

"So- he just like left?" Max looked up from her board, as River nodded slowly.

"Ya know, I honestly do not think he had to leave so early. But he did." She shrugged, watching as Max frowned.

Andy really left so early because he was dodging Wheeler, like he'd been trying to since summer started. Because, when he did hang out with them all, Mike would spend the whole time hating on the boy.

"Oh, well he'll be back soon and you two can continue your thing." Max teased as River shook her head in response.

"Oh no. If Andy wanted to make a move I think he would've made it a while back." River giggled, shaking her head.

She really wasn't that fond of her situation though, she was confused on lots of things, though one of the main things being what was going on with between them.

Rivers own thoughts were very much interrupted when Max had tripped, causing her skateboard to roll away, the two looked up as someone stopped it, to see El staring at them before walking over with it in hand.

"Hi." She simply spoke, causing them both to furrow their eyebrows.

Firstly, it was weird to see El when she wasn't clinging onto Mike. She didn't really hang out with the girls, at all. And secondly, she didn't like Max.

"Hi?" They both responded in unison.

"Can - we talk?" El questioned, glancing at the both of them.

A few minutes later, River sat against Max's bed, listening to El's major problems as Max paced.

"Then he said he couldn't see me today.." El stammered as she shrugged helplessly, then glancing to River who messed with her shoelaces.

"And then he said your name." El added, quietly, her tone changing from confusion to slight jealousy, causing Max to pause in her step as she looked up.

River dropped her shoelaces, looking up to see El staring at her, before she had turned completely red and looked away again, exchanging a look of shock and worry with Max who shrugged in response.

"Uh, i'm sorry what?" River nervously laughed, sitting up with an awkward cough.

"When he was saying he missed me. He said your name." El continued, causing the girl to shake her head, looking forward awkwardly.

"Oh, Y-yeah. Tha-that's a- like a mistake- Mike's bad with names, one time he called me.." River stuttered awkwardly, before glancing at Max, obviously begging for help.

"Uh- Jamie!" Max added in, pointing to River who pointed back with an eager nod, and the two turned back to El.

The young girl seated on the bed only gave a look of confusion before nodding slowly.

River furrowed her eyebrows as Max sat down, changing the subject quickly.

The whole situation was weird. Maybe Mike was bad with names but anyone knows it's a huge mistake to call your girlfriend..another girls name. Especially if it's River in this case, or any girl in the party. She stiffly sat there, still looking forward with a confused expression clearly across her face. Maybe El had just heard wrong, but that wasn't likely.

"And if he doesn't fix this, if he doesn't explain himself, dump his ass." Max confidently spoke with a nod causing River to look up from her spot quickly, shooting Max a look that read, 'What are you doing?'

"What? He's mistreating her."

"Come on." Max urged, pulling El up as River stood up as well, brushing off her clothes quickly.