Chapter 7: Uncomfortable Truths

As Abie continued to squirm in Max's tight embrace, she couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt for her reaction. It wasn't that she didn't enjoy being close to Max, because she did. It was just that she wasn't used to being this close to anyone. But with Max, it felt different. It felt... right. As she looked up at him, she saw that he was watching her with a knowing glint in his eye. He seemed to sense her unease, and he loosened his grip on her just enough for her to breathe easily again. "Hey, you okay?" he whispered, his voice low and gentle. Abie nodded, feeling a little silly for overreacting. "Yeah, I'm fine," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. Max smiled and pulled her back into his side, but this time, it felt more like a gentle nudge than a tight squeeze. Abie felt a sense of relief wash over her, and she relaxed into his touch. As they sat there, surrounded by Shauneen and Coraline's chatter and the warm glow of the living room, Abie realized that she was actually starting to enjoy herself. She liked being close to Max, and she liked the way he made her feel. But as she glanced over at his mom and her mom, who were still cooing and oohing over them, Abie felt a pang of discomfort. She wasn't used to being the center of attention, and she wasn't sure she was ready for it. Max seemed to sense her unease again, and he leaned in close. "Hey, don't worry about them," he whispered. "They're just happy to see us happy." Abie smiled, feeling a little better. She knew that Max was right. His mom and her mom were just trying to be supportive, and they didn't mean to make her feel uncomfortable. As they sat there, munching on cookies and chatting with Shauneen and Coraline, Abie started to feel more at ease. She realized that she was actually starting to like this whole "being in a relationship" thing, and she was grateful to have Max by her side. But just as things were starting to feel normal, Max's phone rang, shrill and loud in the quiet room. He glanced at the screen, his expression changing from relaxed to serious in an instant. "I'm sorry, I have to take this," he said, pulling away from Abie to answer the call. Abie nodded, feeling a little left out. She watched as Max got up and walked out of the room, his phone pressed to his ear. As she sat there, surrounded by the warm glow of the living room and the gentle hum of conversation, Abie couldn't help but wonder who was on the other end of that call, and what they wanted.