CHAPTER TWO:
I MISS YOU, I'M SORRY

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THE ONLY THING on Liz's mind as she stood in the gym, waiting for the game to start, was Max Mayfield. Liz kept looking toward the doors, waiting for the redhead to walk in.  All Liz could focus on was the doors. She drowned out the sound of the marching band playing their usual pump-up song as the crowd cheered and waited for the game to start. Both basketball teams ran out onto the court and both cheerleading squads started to cheer as the crowd got louder. Liz was cheering but her eyes stayed locked on the door, her heart rate elevating each time it opened only for it to calm down when it wasn't Max.

Liz knew that Max never came to any of the games that Liz had cheered at, even before Max had broken up with her, but she still hoped that Max would show up. Liz could stare at the doors all she wanted but it wouldn't make Max show up. She spotted her brother walk in with his date, Brenda, and Liz smiled at him as he nodded at her. Even just by looking at Brenda, she could see that she was a blonde airhead with no personality. Liz sighed and shook her head at her brother before looking back at the doors. Liz was so focused on the doors that she didn't even see everyone rise for the National Anthem that Hawkins alumni, Tammy Thompson was performing.

Chrissy nudged Liz and gestured to Tammy who stood in the middle of the gym in front of a microphone. Liz quickly adjusted herself and placed her right hand over her heart. Liz had heard of Tammy Thompson but she had never seen her before. Tammy Thompson was a bright-eyed, blonde girl who had gone all the way to Nashville, Tennesee to pursue her dream of being a music artist. As she started to sing, Liz thought that Tammy should've kept her dream in her head. Tammy was extremely off-key and pitchy. She wasn't good enough to be a singer but Tammy seemed to think otherwise.

Liz glanced toward the door once more, still not seeing any sign of Max Mayfield. Liz sighed and frowned before glancing over at Lucas who was frowning as well. He looked over his shoulder and Liz followed his gaze. Not only had Max not come to the game but Mike and Dustin had ditched as well, choosing Hellfire Club and Eddie Munson over Liz and Lucas. Their friendship group was falling apart and splitting up, and Liz wanted desperately to prevent that from happening but it was difficult to do when they were all going down different paths.

As the game started, it became increasingly difficult to focus. Liz cheered for their team as Jason got the ball and passed it to another teammate who passed it to another and got a basket, earning them a point. As Jason ran by the cheerleaders, he stopped and winked at Chrissy who smiled back at him. Liz looked over at Chrissy who still looked exhausted. Liz furrowed her brows, wondering if Chrissy was okay or not. In the past week, she seemed to grow increasingly anxious and exhausted. Liz wondered if something was going on at home with her or if she was just stressed about school.

The game went on and Hawkins High was getting their asses beat by the opposing team. Liz couldn't help but wince anytime one of Hawkins' players got struck down by the opposing team. Eventually, one of Hawkins' players got injured and hobbled off the court. When he did, the coach turned to Lucas and called out, "Sinclair, you're in!"

Lucas looked around in shock, not expecting his name to be called at the championship game after being on the bench all year. Lucas looked at Liz, his eyes wide as Liz cheered for him and gestured for him to go out onto the court. Liz immediately took off his jacket and his pants that he wore over his uniform before rushing onto the court. Liz cheered as loud as she could as Lucas got onto the court. Liz watched in excitement, forgetting that Max hadn't shown up as she cheered for one of her best friends.

Lucas helped gain the team more points. They caught up fast to the opposing team but they were still down by several points. Each time the opposite team got a point, the other was close behind. It went back and forth with every basket making Liz white knuckle her pom poms. Finally, Jason called a time-out. Liz watched as the team huddled together, making a plan for the last few seconds of the game.

When the team went back to the game, Jason got the ball and attempted to make the last basket. Liz gasped as he missed and the ball fell to the ground. As Lucas left the crowd around the basket, Liz's eyes widened. Lucas turned around and jumped, tossing the ball back toward the net. Liz held her breath just like everyone else in the gym. The clock counted down. Three. Two. One. The buzzer sounded and the ball bounced on the rim a few times before falling through the basket. Liz screamed and jumped up and down, shaking the pom poms in her hands.

Liz rushed out onto the court along with the rest of the cheerleaders, the team, and the crowd. Liz sprinted toward Lucas and jumped into his arms, giving him the tightest hug she could muster. Lucas hugged her back before Liz let go. She placed her hands on Lucas's face and yelled among the cheering, "You fucking did it! I'm so proud of you!"

Lucas smiled wide at Liz before Jason pushed her away. Liz took a step back as Jason grabbed Lucas and hoisted him up on his shoulders, "Lucas! Lucas! Lucas! Lucas!"

Liz cheered along with everybody else. Lucas looked around at everyone until his eyes rested on Liz. Liz continued to cheer as she smiled at him. Liz was proud of Lucas but she felt awful that none of their friends had shown up for him. Liz kept a smile on her face but her heart felt heavy. She looked around at the crowd, wishing she could see a redhead even if she was frowning. Liz started to grow angry and irritated at how Max kept shutting her out.

As everyone dispersed and the team and the cheerleaders started to head to the locker room, Liz had one thing on her mind and that was Max Mayfield. Liz changed out of her uniform and threw on jeans and a shirt, knowing there was a party being held at the now-abandoned Benny's Burgers. He had been killed by the same people who had tried to take Eleven when Will first went missing.

When Liz left the gym after informing the rest of the cheerleaders that she would see them at the party, she started to head toward her bike. Due to Steve being on a date, she wasn't going to ask him for a ride to Max's place. Liz made her way toward her bike but stopped in her tracks when she saw Mike, Dustin, and Erica Sinclair leaving the school as well. They left with the rest of the Hellfire Club, cheering because of the end of the campaign. Liz furrowed her brows at them, shaking her head at them skipping Lucas's big game for Eddie Munson, a boy they had just met earlier in the school year. Their friend group was falling apart and Liz wanted desperately to stop it.

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After Billy's death and Max's step-father divorcing Max's mother, Max and her mother were forced to move to a trailer park in East Hawkins. Everybody knew that East Hawkins was the shittiest part of Hawkins. Liz had only been to Max's trailer a few times due to Max being a little bit ashamed of her home and how her mother had gone downhill ever since Billy's death and her divorce. Liz knew that Susan Mayfield had turned to drinking and barely being able to hold a job, and it caused Max a lot of stress.

Liz rode her bike to East Hawkins, her legs feeling like they were on fire by the time she reached the Forest Hills trailer park. Max was kneeling by a fence, feeding a stray dog. Liz smiled softly at Max feeding the dog as she walked up to Max, her bike by her side. When Max saw her, she sighed and looked down at her feet. She didn't seem happy to see Liz and that broke Liz's heart.

"Hey," Liz greeted, resting her bike against the fence to the left of her.

Max continued to feed the dog, not looking at Liz as she replied, "Hey. How was the game?"

"It was good," Liz nodded. "We won, actually. Lucas made the winning shot."

Max nodded at Liz, still not taking her eyes off the dog as she fed him what looked like leftover meat, "I heard on the radio."

Liz furrowed her brows, scoffing at Max, "So, you listened to the game but didn't come?"

Max sighed and gave the dog the rest of the food before standing up and finally looking at Liz. Max looked softly at Liz while Liz was almost glaring at Max. Liz missed her best friend and she was growing tired of being nice about it. Max started to play with her fingers as she explained, "I just didn't want to come but I listened to it. Isn't that enough?"

"I was really hoping you would come to the game, Max," Liz sighed. "I watched the door the entire time hoping you would show up."

Max hesitated, looking up at Liz with a guilty expression, "I'm sorry."

Liz sighed and shook her head, "What's going on, Max? I know it's more than you're letting on."

"Nothing —"

"Please don't lie to me," Liz interrupted, an exasperated tone in her voice. "Please just talk to me. Stop shutting me out."

"I'm not shutting you out," Max argued.

"Yes, you are!" Liz argued back, the exhaustion of missing her best friend and trying to help her, starting to hit her. "You push me away anytime I try to help. Hell, even when I'm just trying to be a friend to you, you push me away. And this isn't because of the breakup. I can live without being your girlfriend but I can't live without being your friend. I can't and I don't want to."

Max didn't say anything in return. Liz stepped forward and gently grabbed Max's hand. Liz could see relief entering Max's body at Liz's touch, "I miss you."

Max hesitated before pulling her hand away. Liz felt her heart break at the small action. Max crossed her arms over her chest, "I'm sorry."

Before Liz could say anything in return, the sound of pumping rock music entered the trailer park. Liz watched as a beat-up van pulled up to the trailer across from Max's. The music stopped as the van turned off and out stepped Eddie Munson with Chrissy Cunningham. Liz furrowed her brows at the two of them together. Chrissy and Eddie were on opposite sides of the social ladder. Liz watched as Eddie held the door open for Chrissy, letting her in his trailer. Liz tried to rack her brain, trying to come up with a reason why Chrissy would be hanging out with Eddie.

"I didn't know Chrissy and Eddie were friends," Max looked back at Liz.

Liz shook her head, "They're not. She's supposed to be at the party with Jason."

"Why aren't you there?" Max asked.

Liz looked back at Max, "I wanted to come here first."

"But you're going?" Max asked, her voice growing increasingly irritated.

Liz sighed, not liking how Max was acting toward her, "Yeah, I'm a cheerleader, I have to. It's mandatory... sort of."

Max nodded, raising her eyebrows, "So, that's your thing now? Parties? Drinking? Popular kid shit?"

"At least I'm doing something with my life," Liz retorted. As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted them. Liz's eyes widened as Max's narrowed. "I didn't — I didn't mean that."

Max nodded, pressing her lips together as she shook her head, "Got it. Got it."

Max turned around, starting to go back to her trailer. Liz rushed after her, "Max, wait! I didn't mean it! I'm sorry!"

Max ignored Liz and continued to make her way toward her trailer. As much walked up the steps, Liz stopped in her tracks. Liz sighed as Max entered the trailer, slamming the door behind her. Liz ran a hand through her hair before turning around and making her way back to her bike. Liz knew she shouldn't but the only thing on her mind was drinking her pain away. She missed Max so much but she couldn't do anything about it if Max wouldn't let her.

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angsty max and liz :((