<Max Green> Ever After <Original Character> oo1

Jayden

I stared down at the results of my mid-terms. Trembling, I opened the door. My father came into the room, snatching the paper away from my hands, looking angrier and angrier as he kept reading. His face was red as he started to yell. The first couple sentences were so loud you couldn't understand what he was trying to say.

"You think this is what we came to America for? So you could slack off? You cannot be like this in America! We came here so you could be successful and look how you repay your mother and I!"

His thick Irish accent echoed throughout the room as I cringed, repeatedly saying sorry. He continued yelling, hitting the dining room table so hard it shook, just for effect.

My mum came in the room, taking the results from my father and reading them over.

"I'm disappointed, Jayden," she said, grimly, "and I don't know what to even say about this. No video games or computer for a month. You need to study more often. Those tests were twenty-five percent of your final grade per class and you come out with all Ds and an F? It's unacceptable!"

"There's two As on there..." I whimpered.

"In art and drama, Jayd! Art and drama! They do not count! Art and drama do not pay the bills! Hard work pays the bills and an education gets you hard work! You'll never get into a good American college if you fail everything!"

"But the work here is so different, mum. The teachers--"

"I don't care what the teachers do!" interrupted my father, "This American school is no harder than your school back home!"

"The English is different and the methods they teach for math are just preposterous--"

"Enough!" he yelled, "That is it! Go to your room!"

I sighed, making my way into my small bedroom. I found a bouncy ball and began throwing it at the wall, waiting for it to bounce back so I could catch it.

"STOP THAT GODDAMNED NOISE!"

I let the bouncy ball bounce onto my bed and I lay down, staring at the ceiling as I wasn't allowed on the computer or to play video games.

"He should be sent to boarding school with the way he's acting," I heard my father say to my mum, "or at least someplace that uses a cane."

"I couldn't send him to boarding school. He simply won't listen to us, dear. He's a normal teenager."

"Normal teenager, my arse! When I was his age I worked full time picking potatoes at the farm! I didn't even get to go to school!"

I sighed as they began to fight. Quietly, I walked to my window and opened it, taking out the screen, crawling out the window.

I began to walk. I wasn't sure where I was walking to, but I was walking. I didn't plan on stopping for anything.


After walking for God-knows-how-long, I came to the side of a large, silver building. I didn't know what it was, but it caught my eye and it was in a nice part of town. I sat on the stoop out front of it, looking at the abstract art within the columns. I ran my hand over it and looked at the art-covered sidewalks. It would appear as graffiti from a distance, but it was obvious it was tiled into the very design of the building.

I frowned at my reflection looking back at me from a glossy glaze. If only I were better.


Max

I put my hand in my thick black hair, popping my hip sideways and setting my other hand on it. The photographer, Lee, smiled and clicked the picture.

"Great, perfect, beautiful!" he kept saying, over and over after I posed for the camera.

I changed from the pinstripe outfit into tight, hip-hugger jeans, and a black dress shirt with white splotches. The Noir line was bringing black back by giving Gothic, yet elegant and fashionable, looks within the highest quality design and fabric. Of course, they wanted The Prince of Darkness, as I was known in the modeling world.

"Take five, Max. Great work, today. We're making excellent progress."

I walked off-set to get a bottled water from the refrigerator and a few carrot sticks. I started eating one, feeling a bit fat as I heard the crunching noise drumming into my brain like a hellish tattoo.

"You're not always as great as you think you are, Max."

I took the last four carrot sticks in my hand and put them back, pushing away the poisonous words.

"Break's up, Max," Lee said, "and we have to do some couple shots."

I furrowed my brow, setting my bottled water on the table, "With who? I thought the entire collection was for men."

"Well, it is, but I just want you both in the same shot and you can't freak--"

"Max, darling, it's been awhile."

I turned to see the smiling face of Ronnie Radke.

I backed away, "No. I won't do this."

"Oh just a few shots, it's no big deal."

I narrowed my eyes and pushed past Lee and Ronnie to find Jorgina. I found her examining the outfits I and Ronnie were to wear near the set. I pulled her by the arm into her office, rather roughly, I may add. The blonde woman looked up at me in shock. I narrowed my eyes and her own spectacled ones widened.

"Either he leaves, or I do."

"It's only a few shots, and you're on a contract--"

"Jorgina, I mean it. Get rid of him or I'm going to Broken Ballroom with Gahamali."

I knew I would never go to Hector Gahamali for the reason he paid me next to nothing and made me work over ten hours. However, I would rather work with Hector Gahamali than Ronnie Radke.

Jorgina sighed, "Okay, okay. We'll work something out. Just give me a few minutes to make some calls to get me another model."

I exhaled in relief and walked out of her office, walking past Lee and Ronnie, Ronnie whistling at me, and grabbed my jacket from the coat-rack. I walked out the front doors, relieved I didn't have to deal with Ronnie.

I inhaled the crisp air before taking my cigerettes out of my jacket pocket. I lit one, inhaling the sweet nicotine, looking behind me into the windows of the doors. Ronnie was making hand gesticulations and Lee was laughing wildly.

Merely a month ago, Ronnie Radke broke my heart. After we'd been dating for six months, I walked in on him kissing this tramp of a woman. I started crying and asking him why. All he said was, "You're not always as great as you think you are, Max."

As I thought this, I realize I'd chain-smoked three cigarettes already. I looked down to stomp them out only to come face-to-face with a boy with bright blue-green eyes and dark hair. His eyes widened and I smiled a little at him.

"I'm Max," I said, reaching out to shake his hand. His eyes got even wider as he took my hand to shake it. I smiled.

"I-I'm Jayden. Y-you might not want to stomp your cigerettes on that...it'll stick on the glaze and look funny," the boy said, looking almost disgusted.

A little offended, I picked up my cigerette butts and threw them into the sidewalk. I sat next to him, about to ask him his age when my cell phone rang.

I took the Blackberry out of my pocket, answering it. Jorgina started telling me how she couldn't find a model on such short notice and I sighed. I was on a contract and I would ruin my career if I left the Noir shoot.

"I have to go. I'll catch you later though," I said, smiling as I patted the teen on the back.

"B-bye."

I walked into the building and looked back at him, smiling as he blushed since I caught him watching me.

Suddenly, I felt an arm go around me and I jumped.

"Maxxie, dearest. I'm glad you decided to stay."

But for some reason, not even Ronnie could wipe the grin off my face.
And that's when I saw your face. ♥
Mood: Sad/Confused

Listening To: Niki FM by Hawthorne Heights

Can't Wait For: Three Days Grace, Seether, && Breaking Benjamin in Detroit on March 21st!