AN: Slightly fast paced.
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Max and Caroline spent most of the afternoon wandering through shops, sipping overpriced boba, and trying on sunglasses they had no intention of buying. Caroline dragged her into a pop-up vintage boutique that smelled like incense and regret, while Max got distracted by a bookstore window featuring a "Guide to Mindful Masturbation" that she definitely took a photo of to send to Alex later.
They split a giant plate of loaded nachos at a small diner that looked like it hadn't been cleaned since 1994, but the food was good. Max poked at a jalapeño, lips curled in thought.
"I kinda miss him," she admitted, half to herself.
Caroline looked up from her chocolate milkshake. "Alex?"
"Yeah."
"That's fair. He did rearrange your spine last night."
Max threw a napkin at her. "Shut up. I'm being sentimental, not horny."
Caroline nodded, mock serious. "Same muscles. Different mood."
They laughed, finished off the last greasy crumbs, and wandered a little longer, killing time. Around five, Max's phone buzzed. She glanced at it, thumb already poised to respond out of habit.
Alex: Meet me at the corner of Bedford and 9th. Inside the laundromat.
No other details. Just that.
Max blinked. She showed the text to Caroline.
"Is this code for sex stuff?"
"Not everything is sex stuff," Max replied, standing.
Caroline raised her hands. "Could've fooled me. Let's go, then."
They walked over, pushing through the early evening crowd, until they found the laundromat... small, unassuming, with neon lights in the windows and the familiar hum of spinning washers inside.
Max opened the door.
Confetti. Music. Shouts.
"SURPRISE!"
She stopped cold.
The laundromat had been completely transformed. Streamers hung from the ceiling, someone had dragged in a disco ball, and balloons were taped to every surface. Even the detergent shelf had a party hat on it.
A massive banner over the dryers read: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MAX.
Alex stepped forward, grinning. "Hey."
Max stared. "You threw me a party… in a laundromat."
"Yup. Welcome to the spin cycle of celebration."
Then came the rest.
Then Han stepped out, arms wide. "Welcome! You thought we forgot? Never! You two leave, and I have to hire three new waitresses, and they're mediocre at best. You are irreplaceable. Also, I needed an excuse to cater food."
Behind him stood the three new waitresses. They waved awkwardly. One of them was already holding a tray of spring rolls.
Sophie strolled over in a skintight red dress, carrying a glittery bag. "I got you something you definitely can't open in public. Unless you're into felonies."
Oleg appeared behind her holding a piñata shaped like a butt.
"Guess which part explodes first!" he shouted.
Max blinked. "Please tell me that thing doesn't have actual lube in it."
Then Earl came around the corner, sunglasses on indoors, bass guitar in hand. "Band's set up. We start with Pony. You're welcome."
Caroline clapped her hands. "This is already the best party I've ever been to."
A table had been dragged in from somewhere, stacked with dumplings, fries, cupcakes, and fried food. Then Max's eyes fell on the washing machines. She narrowed her eyes and saw the liquid swirling inside them, which looked like mocktails.
Max took it all in. The chaos. The faces. The music testing its volume limit through borrowed speakers.
Then she spotted them... two familiar girls standing near the machines, chatting like they'd been part of the group forever. Scarlett and Lilly. One had brought cupcakes, the other was carrying two cups of fruit punch, and looked way too calm about being surrounded by this circus.
Alex leaned in. "I texted a couple of people I know. Figured you'd appreciate a few unexpected faces."
Max looked at him, then back at the party.
"You're a lunatic," she said.
"You say that like it's a bad thing."
She smirked. "It's absolutely not."
"You like it?" He asked.
"Like it? I love it!" Max quickly hugged him in a bear hug.
Then she pulled apart and kissed him.
"Thanks for everything, moneybags," She smiled.
Caroline passed her a drink. "Happy birthday, Max. You've officially peaked."
Max raised the cup. "To parties in laundromats, strange friends, and cake that probably tastes like detergent."
Everyone cheered.
After a bit of wish and gift...
Max went straight to one of the washing machines, eyebrows furrowed in suspicion. She opened the lid and leaned in, sniffing like a detective on a case. The sweet, fruity scent hit her nose instantly.
"This is... mojito?" she said, incredulous.
Alex nodded. "That one's mint and lime. The one next to it is piña colada. Third one's just soda, for the teetotalers."
Max pointed to the machine bubbling with bright red fizz. "That one's definitely trying to give someone diabetes."
"That's the Shirley Temple. Caroline's idea. Said you love it."
Max turned toward Caroline, who was at the table building a cupcake tower. She held up a gummy worm like a trophy.
"Balance," she shouted. "Health and happiness!"
Max laughed and spun back to the detergent shelves. Where there should have been powder and pods, there were boxes of Nerds, Sour Patch Kids, and full-sized chocolate bars labeled with sticky notes: For Emotional Support Only. Bottles of liquid detergent had been emptied and filled with colorful cocktails, each one labeled with cheeky names: Spin Me Daddy, Soft Cycle Sangria, Load Me Up Lemonade.
She grabbed one labeled Rinse & Repeat Raspberry and took a sip straight from the cap.
"Dangerously good," she muttered. Then, louder: "Caroline, we need to install one of these in the apartment."
Caroline raised a lollipop in agreement. "Only if we can rotate it seasonally. Margaritas in summer, hot toddies in winter."
Max turned to the candy corner. A plastic folding table had been overloaded with jars of jelly beans, sour belts, chocolate-covered pretzels, and every gummy variation known to man. There was even a cotton candy machine spinning pink sugar clouds that looked like unicorn hair.
She snagged a handful of sour strips and a marshmallow pop, shoving a gummy frog into her mouth as she walked.
Sophie sidled up beside her, holding a cupcake in one hand and what looked suspiciously like a vibrator gift-wrapped in gold foil in the other.
"Want to know what's in the bag?" she whispered, eyes gleaming.
"No. And also yes. But mostly no."
"It's waterproof."
"Oh my God."
Max darted away before Sophie could elaborate. She passed Oleg, who was attempting to duct-tape the butt piñata to the ceiling fan.
"This feels dangerous."
"Only if you fear joy," Oleg said solemnly.
She spotted Han near the food table, pulling the foil off an enormous tray of dumplings like he was unveiling a priceless work of art.
"Homemade," he announced. "Steamed, fried, and some experimental."
Max raised a brow. "Define experimental."
Han grinned. "We'll know when someone cries."
Earl struck up the first chord of Pony, bass vibrating through the floor, and the crowd whooped. Caroline dragged Max into the makeshift dance floor between the dryers, swinging her around with wild abandon. Someone turned off the overheads and plugged in colored party lights. The disco ball spun like it was getting paid.
Max lost track of time, arms in the air, drink in one hand, candy bracelet half-eaten on her wrist. People danced, yelled, and laughed. The floor got sticky. The air smelled like sugar and sweat. Her cheeks ached from smiling.
Then Alex came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist.
"Having fun yet?"
Max leaned back into him, still swaying to the music.
"This might be the best birthday I've ever had."
Scarlett slid onto the dance floor with a twirl, glitter from her jacket catching the light like a disco ball exploded on her. Lilly followed close behind, all cool smirks and precise footwork, sipping a mocktail from a Solo cup like she was at Coachella, not a laundromat with piña colada soap suds in the air.
Max clocked them both immediately.
Scarlett grabbed her hand. "C'mon, birthday girl, show me what you're working with."
Lilly chimed in, "Yeah, Max. Thought you said you were the fun one."
Max raised an eyebrow. "Please. You think I'm gonna let you two out-dance me at my own party? Not a chance."
Caroline backed off with a grin. "Oh, this is gonna be good."
The music switched to something thumpier, Earl's band flexing with a funked-out remix of their old originals. Oleg and Sophie were already deep in their own world nearby. He was grinding like he thought he was in a music video, and Sophie looked like she was genuinely enjoying it, waving her cupcake in time with the beat.
Scarlett spun. Lilly did a little body roll that made someone in the corner drop a drink. Max wasn't about to let either of them steal the spotlight.
She tossed her candy bracelet to the side, took a shot from a detergent bottle marked "Spin Me Daddy," and jumped right in.
It became a showdown. Max popped, dropped, and shimmied harder than she had since that one karaoke night they were banned from in Williamsburg. Scarlett and Lilly matched her move for move, laughing, clearly not taking it seriously, but Max was.
This was her turf. Her people. Her guy.
Alex watched with folded arms and a big, stupid smile. At one point, Lilly blew him a kiss mid-spin. Scarlett did a cheeky wink. Max rolled her eyes, then flipped them both off playfully before breaking into a shimmy that got the whole room chanting her name.
Han, holding a plate of mystery dumplings, tried to jump in. He flailed with full enthusiasm but zero coordination, nearly knocking over a jar of jelly beans.
"Someone dance with me! I have snacks!" he shouted, spinning with a potsticker in one hand.
Earl and the band dropped into a full-blown Prince cover, and the energy skyrocketed. Lights strobed. The confetti machine sputtered more glitter into the air. The butt piñata finally gave out, raining condoms and travel-sized bottles of lube onto the floor while Oleg screamed, "YES! BIRTH CONTROL FOR EVERYONE!"
"You gotta be kidding me," Alex sighed.
Max dropped into a low squat, nailed the beat, and pointed at Lilly and Scarlett like she was claiming victory in a dance battle war.
The crowd lost it.
Alex came up behind her again, laughing, breath warm on her neck. "Okay, okay, you win."
"I always do," she said, hair sticking to her cheeks, mascara slightly smudged, glowing like the chaos itself powered her.
He leaned in. "You really love this mess, huh?"
Max kissed him again, short and sharp, then turned to face the dance floor with her arms wide like a queen surveying her disco kingdom.
"Best birthday ever," she said.
"Well then, I hope you are ready for the next surprise," Alex whispered near her ear.
"There's more?" Max's eyes widened.
He pointed toward the two guys, who were bringing a giant cake... Four stacks.
Max blinked. "That better not be what I think it is."
Alex grinned like a man proud of a crime. "Four layers. All your favourites."
The cake was absurd. Bright purple frosting, glittery piping, little plastic washing machines as decoration. On top sat a fondant figure of Max holding a shot glass, middle finger raised, riding a cartoon cat. It said Bite Me, I'm Fabulous in edible gold.
Caroline walked over, clapping slowly. "I'm not saying it's over the top, but I think it just applied for a zip code."
Max stared at the cake, then at Alex. "You realize this is going to be on Instagram within five seconds."
"That's the idea."
"Good. I want my enemies to know joy."
Someone handed her a knife with a bow on it. The crowd started chanting, offbeat but enthusiastic.
"Cut that cake! Cut that cake!"
Max blew the candle and raised the knife like a sword. "Time to slice and dice."
Alex took out his phone and began to capture pictures. While everyone was wishing her birthday.
After cutting the cake...
Max held a thick slice of cake up to Alex's face, purple frosting already melting slightly around the edges.
"Say ah," she said, grinning.
Alex obliged, taking a messy bite. He nodded, mouth full. "Ridiculous. I love it."
Before she could react, he reached over, scooped a bit of frosting off the slice, and dabbed it onto her lips. Max blinked, then licked it off slowly, dramatically, just to make him laugh.
"Oh, we're doing this now?" she said, cocking an eyebrow.
He shrugged, then leaned in and kissed the frosting off the corner of her mouth. "Just wanted a taste of both."
Max rolled her eyes. "Corny. But fine. You're lucky I'm in a sugar coma."
The cake cutting quickly spiraled into a full-blown feeding frenzy. Caroline passed out slices with the speed of a woman used to brunch rushes. Sophie stuffed two in her purse "for emergencies," and Oleg tried to lick the frosting off the plastic cat. Earl was having a chat with Max as he gave her a wrapped gift, and Max hugged him with a happy smile.
Meanwhile, Alex stepped back, brushing crumbs off his hands. He found himself between Scarlett and Lilly, both leaning against a dryer, drinks in hand, watching Max laugh with her mouth full of cake and a smear of gold frosting across her cheek.
Scarlett nodded toward Max. "You really pulled this off."
Alex smiled. "She deserves it."
Lilly took a sip of her mocktail. "Kind of wild how into this she is."
"She acts like she hates this stuff," Scarlett added. "But I think you cracked her."
Alex chuckled. "Max doesn't hate joy. She just likes pretending she's above it. Keeps people from getting too close."
Scarlett glanced at him. "You're close."
"I try to be. She still doesn't let people in easily. But tonight? I think she forgot to guard the door."
Lilly watched Max as she tried to balance two plates, a drink, and a cupcake tower in her arms while yelling at Caroline for stealing the biggest piece of cake.
"She looks… happy," Lilly said, almost surprised.
"She is," Alex replied. "For once, she actually is."
Scarlett nudged him with her elbow. "You thinking long-term with her?"
Alex looked toward Max, who was now trying to chase Oleg around the candy table with a frosting-covered spoon. Her laugh rang out loud and unfiltered, hair wild, cheeks flushed.
"Yeah," he said. "I am."
Lilly smiled. "Good. She deserves someone who gets her kind of chaos."
Scarlett lifted her cup. "To chaos, then."
Alex clinked his glass against theirs. "To Max."
From across the room, Max caught his eye. She stuck her tongue out at him, then immediately tripped over a gummy worm someone had dropped on the floor.
He smiled. "Yeah. That one's mine."
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[POWERSTONES AND REVIEWS PLS]-
Support link: www.patr eon.com/UnknownMaster
[7 advance chs] + [16 chs of Two and a Half Men: Waking up as Charlie Harper] [All chs available for all tiers]
....
Vol-1 will end with Ch: 100
Vol-2: Rookie series and Lucifer will be added