Interrupt
I want to say I don�t hesitate when I reach Maxis� door. I want to say I walk up, confident, knock like I mean it. I want to say I haven�t stood for the past three minutes, memorizing the chipped paint that coats the entrance to his apartment, because I�m still trying to figure out the right way to tell him. About Rob. About me. But I�m not going to lie to myself. Lying to yourself just wastes time. You always know the truth underneath.
Someone jostles my arm. I turn. Look down. An old woman, with fuzzy white hair and kind blue eyes smiles and says, �That Maxis, so busy. No need to knock all day, you can just leave a message on the board.�
She points at the grey message board, hanging on the door at my chest level. There�s an electronic pen dangling off the side, connected by a green plastic string.
I feel the blush rising to my cheeks. I couldn�t get more embarrassed if I tried. Then again, I haven�t actually gotten into the room yet. Maybe if I just left a note? It�s tempting but I push the thought aside. I only run away from the problems that try to kill me. This doesn�t count. �Thank you, ma�am.� I say, �I think I�ll just try again first.�
�Ahh�for the urgency of youth.� The woman nods and starts walking back down the hall. �You might want to go at it a little harder then.� She says as she rounds the corner.
I grit my teeth, raise my hand to the door and pound. The door shakes on its frame a little. I soften it my banging. I don�t want to knock his door in. I did that accidentally once, when my dance teacher refused to see me after he denied me the advanced course. I�ve never been good at controlling my strength when I�m upset
The door opens a little. I see Maxis on the other side, standing in a slight crouch with one hand behind his back. �Oh, hi Lyssra.� He says. He sounds a little surprised. I guess he wasn�t expecting me.
�Umm�hi.� I respond eloquently. �Can I�if you�re not busy��
�Sure, come in.� He cuts me off, opening the door a little wider. I see he�s holding a blast ball in his other hand. If it was anyone else, I�d think that was a strange way to greet someone. But like the goggles, these things are just normal for Maxis.
�So, you�re off today?� I ask, as I walk over to the couch.
�Yeah. They didn�t need me at work. I was going to order a pizza and watch the new samurai holovid I just got from the Empire.�
�Really? What�s this one about?� I ask, glad for the distraction. �I really liked the one about the assassin that gave up killing.�
�I�m not sure yet.� He roots around the couch for a second, brushing my leg a little. I feel a little shiver in my chest. I glance at him, hoping he doesn�t notice. Or maybe I want him to notice. It doesn�t matter. He reaches between two cushions, pulls out a vid-disk, flips it over and starts to read, �A failed monk takes up the blade again to avenge his son�s death. That�s it really.� He shrugs. �These Empire disks don�t say much.�
�That sounds good. Lots of action.�
�Yeah, there�s supposed to be a fight on top of the Emperor�s castle. Some of it is even shot live in Hiei.� He says, excited.
�Great.� I�m kind of fiddling with my fingers, but Maxis doesn�t acknowledge that either.
�I was thinking maybe sausage and Chaka bird meat for the pizza.� He says.
I give a brief nod. I�m not really listening. I have to tell Maxis before Blitz gets back. I want to tell him anyway. Blitz seemed pretty confident he liked me. So it should be easy. I�ll just tell him, get this over with. Even if it doesn�t work out, I won�t have this stupid hope nibbling at my stomach lining.
�Did you want anything else?� Maxis asks.
�There�s been this rumor going around, that I have a boyfriend.� I blurt out. �It isn�t true. The last boyfriend I had was Rob, and we broke up months ago. I just wanted you to know that.�
�That�s great! I mean, I�m sorry it didn�t work out for you. I mean, I�m not sorry but�� Maxis looks like he�s been hit in the forehead with a board.
My body grows light, like I�ve just taken a steel block from my shoulders. I shift a little closer to him on the couch. He puts an arm around me. He smells slightly of mechanical grease and sweat. Underneath is a scent that�s purely Maxis. The shiver is back, stronger now that I�m not fighting to push it down.
Maxis is actually a couple of centimeters taller than me, which is rare since I�m pretty tall for a girl. But that means that even standing we�d fit perfectly. Sitting it doesn�t matter either way. So I lean in, and bring my lips to his. His mouth parts after a couple of seconds.