Rose was, naturally, terrified of answering any unprovoked questions.
Rose: S... sure.
Max: How did it feel to... y'know?
Rose: Hmm?
His voice sounded oddly unsure. That was not something she was used to.
Max: To be a part of the team?
His face was turned away from her, and so she had no idea as to what was going on with him. She couldn't see his facial expression, after all.
In reality, he wasn't crying, just... sad looking.
Rose: Oh... well... it's.....
Her eyes turned to the side. It was something that she didn't think too much about previously.
Rose: It feels great.
Max: Really?
Rose: Uh huh. I really appreciate Tiff for letting me be a part of it.
Max: Huh... You don't say....
A smile formed on his face. He was glad.
Rose: Before that... well....
Even she got a tad bit emotional about the subject. As she spoke more, her tone became progressively sadder.
Rose: .... I .... didn't really have any friends.
No friends. Those words struck a cord with Max far too brutally.
Rose: (cheering up) But then Tiff showed up, and then....
She sighed in glee.
Rose: ... I finally got friends, you know?
If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
Max turned to look at her.
Rose: And Tiff was sooooooo nice. She helped me figure all sorts of things out, and got me some new friends, like Ken and Luke and....
She turned to look at Max.
Rose: ... you.
Max: Me.
They both spoke at the same time, and both chuckled right after.
Max: Yeah...
Being an alien on a planet was hard enough as an ordeal, but living without people who, even partially, understood your predicament was utterly aggravating.
They were both glad that they'd found someone who could understand. Both themselves and the others.
At that point, Max was finally done with the dishes.
After all he'd gone through that day, he figured he was too tired to watch TV or game.
Max: (huge yawn) Well, I'm spent. I'm headed to bed.
Rose: Oh, sure.
Max: You going too?
Rose: Umm... yeah..
Her unsure answer was very much to Max's surprise.
Max: Huh?
She winced once she realised what she'd just done. In her head, she looked like a huge weirdo in Max's eyes. She'd been weird since she'd seen him. In fact, she'd probably been weird before that.
As more intrusive thoughts clouded her mind, Max walked towards her and bent his head to take a look at Rose's face.
Max: Rose?
Rose: Eeep!
She jolted again. How could she not? How did he get there? How did she not hear him?
Max: Rose?
She shuddered.
Rose: Y.... yeah....
Max: You ok?
Rose: Y.... yeah.... I'm fine.
She slowly started to calm down before....
Max: Man, you're such a weirdo.
Those words cut through Roses heart like a blade.
In any ordinary sense, Rose would apologise for her insufficiencies and promise to be better.
But in this case, how could she?
It was like Max had cut a fundamental piece of her own soul up. She couldn't see herself recovering.
Not because of her personality, but because of him.
It was almost as if he held a piece of her in his hands, and he'd just crushed it. And, as a result, Rose was too crushed to say, "Sorry, I'll try to be less weird."
Max turned to head to his bedroom, leaving Rose downtrodden and crushed.
And what he said next completely shook Rose.
Max: But y'know what...
He turned and smiled at her.
Max: ... I think your weirdness is pretty cool.
She looked up to see him face to face, all the while in disbelief.
Rose: (thinking: Did he just.. say......?)
Max: Anyway, good night, Rose.
He headed off to bed, and a previously downtrodden Rose had completely transformed into an entirely new creature.
Now, her heart was filled with joy. He didn't crush her. He breathed life into her. He didn't destroy her. He built her up.
All his words simply said one thing to her. In his eyes, she was acceptable. No, better. She was admirable. That was enough to keep her mind so occupied that she'd almost failed to hear him say good night.
And when she heard it, she calmed herself.
Rose: Yeah.... good night, Max.
She smiled to herself, alone in the kitchen for a while, before leaving to the guest room, her heart all the while dancing.