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Chapter 22 "The Best Gifts Are Always Unexpected"

It was a cool day in late September as Aiden walked into his office, ready for another day and week of work. Marcus was already in, as usual, relaxing at his desk and going over some paperwork before classes began. "Morning Aiden." He greeted in his usual manner. "Looks like someone's got a secret admirer."

"I do?" Looking at his desk, Aiden found a large bag of pistachios waiting for him, a rather expensive brand, too. "Who would have sent me...?"

Walking around his desk, Aiden found a small note attached to the bag, answering his question with growing dismay. "Aidem, I'm sorry about how things turned out the other day. I hope you can accept this gift as an apology for the way I acted. I hope that silly argument doesn't have to come between us, and I look forward to hearing from you. Love, Layla."

"God dammit." Aiden groaned, tossing the note aside as he fell into his chair. "She seriously can not take no for an answer."

"Having some women troubles over there?" Marcus smirked. "Personally, I'd never complain about a free gift from a lovely lady. If I was single, I mean."

"They're from Layla." Aiden clarified, grabbing the note and tossing it in the garbage. "She showed up at my apartment a few days ago, wanting to take me back. I told her to get lost. I guess this is her attempting to butter me up with nice gifts." With a shrug he grabbed the bag and tore it open, grabbing a handful of the small nuts he liked so much.

"So much for a gift from a lovely lady." Marcus shrugged. "Are you still gonna keep them?"

"Of course." Aiden smirked, already munching away. "She says they're just an apology for the way she acted the other day, which I accept. That doesn't mean I accept her back, just her apology. Besides, these are expensive. I could never in good conscience throw away perfectly good, expensive, pistachios." With a grin, he tossed one over to Marcus, figuring he might as well share.

"Makes sense." Marcus agreed with a smirk. "Not sure I've ever seen you stand up for yourself like that. I think it suits you. You've needed to tell her off for years now."

"Thanks, I think." Aiden assumed it was meant as a compliment, given how Marcus was grinning at him. Still, it did feel good to take control and tell that woman off, even if he knew it might cause him a bit of trouble in the short run.

"We should have a small party to celebrate." Marcus was quick to suggest. "Nothing too fancy, just a couple of us, some beers and snacks, and many hours of video games."

"Always an excuse to party with you." Aiden shook his head with a smirk. "But yeah, why not? We can meet up at my place after work, invite Jacob along and make a night of it. Hopefully Max won't be too wiped out to handle our shenanigans."

"Oh yeah, today's her first day of classes, right?" Marcus said with a wry grin, catching another nut that Aiden tossed across the room. "Is she all excited and ready to be back at school?"

"She seemed as ready as she could be." Aiden replied with a laugh, grabbing for his phone as his text message alert went off. "I don't know about excited though, but she was definitely nervous. I'm sure she'll be fine, though. I've noticed, when Max really sets her mind to doing something, she won't give up until it's done. What does Cheryl want?" Aiden was rather surprised to find himself receiving a message from Cheryl, but as he read the message, he couldn't help but smile.

Nervous didn't even begin to explain Max's feelings as she walked to class later that morning. She had managed to get a class starting at eleven as her earliest, giving her a chance to sleep after a late night work shift. Though she was rested, she felt anything but relaxed. It was odd and uncomfortable being back in a school setting, and it was by some miracle that she managed to find the classroom without getting lost.

It didn't help her nerves that she was coming into this as a new student roughly two weeks into the semester. Just starting out and she was already behind. Not exactly a great start, but she was determined to try and make the best of things. Of course, she had no idea where to even sit, not knowing whether seats were assigned or not. Taking a risk she filled the first available desk she found, trying to settle her nerves and ready her mind for the return to academia.

"Just transferred in?" A young stallion, who happened to be in the adjacent seat, asked with a friendly smile. "Or did you just sleep in for the first few classes?"

"No, I just enrolled actually." Max replied, returning the smile. "I guess I am a little late to get started though."

"Don't worry, you haven't really missed anything." He assured her. "This professor tends to get sidetracked a lot, so we haven't really covered any material yet. Besides, no one taking this class is really interested in world history. We're all here because we have to be, and we all know it. Name's Cole, by the way." He finished his greeting with an outstretched hand and a shrug. "Probably should have said that sooner."

"That's alright." Max chuckled, gladly shaking his hand. "Maxine, but most call me Max, or Maxi. So, you don't think this class will be too difficult then?"

"No way." Cole said without hesitation. "This is one of those Freshman required, easy A classes. It'll probably be boring but we should get out of it without too much damage. Not like this stuff is really going to help me as a graphic designer. That's my major, graphic design. I'd like to get into some real creative stuff once I graduate. People don't realise it but there's a lot you can do with graphic design knowledge."

Max had to chuckle, and even feel inspired by his enthusiasm. She wondered if Aiden was this excited as a freshman, looking forward to a bright future in literature. It also made her feel rather excited as well, helping to calm her nerves with thoughts of success, of completing this program and moving on to a real career in the theater.

As the class began, Max was concerned the professor would make special note of her, force her to be the center of attention as the new student before getting on with his lecture. However, aside for an offhanded comment about having some assignments to catch up on, he paid little extra attention to her, instead getting right into his lecture. As Cole had warned, that lecture went off track quite often, the middle aged instructor going off on tangents that clearly had nothing to do with the course material, but made for interesting conversations none-the-less. This was nothing like high school.

After the class, Max met up with Cole and a few of the other students for lunch. "The food here can be kinda rough." Cole joked as they perused the limited food selections available. "But it's not really too bad. Just try to stay away from the stuff that's been sitting in the heating trays. The fresher the better."

"I'll keep that in mind." Max smirked, choosing to stick to safer looking foods. "So, are you enjoying this whole college thing so far? Or is it basically just high school all over again?" By the way she asked the question, she was expecting the later choice.

"Actually, it's been pretty interesting." The young man replied, which surprised her a bit. "The professors are all pretty cool, and they treat us as equals instead of talking down at us. There's more work, and of course the material is harder than what I had in high school at least. But, I also feel like a have more choices and independence, like I'm really getting started on living my life as an adult." Cole offered her a sincere smile as they sat to eat, truly seeming excited about the prospects his future held. "Don't you feel the same way? Getting out to live on your own and all?"

"I've actually been living on my own for a few months now." Max admitted with a shrug. "I rent an apartment with someone, do all my own stuff, and have a job. All that boring adult stuff we all have to do." She glanced around the cafeteria, noticing all the other students as they ate and chatted together. It had a calmer, more social feel to it than her high school cafeteria did; a room full of civil adults engaged in conversation instead of a bunch of pubescent teens all trying to hide in their own social cliques. It was refreshing in a way.

"Well, I know I'm excited." Cole continued, though his enthusiasm was evident. "I mean, the classes we have to take this first semester are kind of lame, but soon we'll be taking classes related to our majors, and that's when things will get really interesting. Plus there's so many new people to meet and new things to learn. How can you not be excited."

"I suppose you're right." Max had to concede. She was more interested in the classes, but perhaps this could be a second chance to make some more friends. Or at the very least some casual acquaintances. She was only one class in but Max was already starting to feel less nervous and more excited about what her near future might hold.

She was certainly feeling more confident as they parted ways for their next classes with the promise of seeing each other again. Apparently Freshmen often had a lot of classes in common, so Cole guaranteed that they'd likely run into each other again, even before the day was done.

As she set out on her own, Max took in a deep breath of fresh air, feeling pleasantly revitalized. And she doubted it had anything to do with the food. No, instead she was finding herself eager to go to class and to learn new skills. Skills related to a field she actually had an interest in. Perhaps Aiden was right, and going to college wasn't as bad as she always thought it would be.

---

Both Aiden and Marcus had been rather looking forward to a bit of fun that night, the thought of some video game mayhem helping them get through their day even faster. Unfortunately the learned that Max did indeed have a bit of a problem with their spontaneous plans.

"My teachers are making me catch up on the work I've missed." She argued, not too surprised by this fact but somewhat annoyed all the same. "I want to get it done as soon as I can, and you guys making all that noise won't help anything. Besides, there's no way I'm missing the game."

"What game?" Marcus dared to ask, finding it hard to believe that the skunk was interested in any form of sports.

"Hello, Monday Night Football." Max scoffed with a roll of her eyes, surprising the men. "The Patriots are playing tonight and I refuse to miss it. I'm sorry but you'll just have to have your party somewhere else."

That was how they all ended up at Jacob's place, enjoying some take out Chinese food while they played a couple rounds of some of their personal favorite games as they celebrated Aiden's victory in finally telling off Layla. Jacob was certainly impressed and pleased by this news, more than glad to hear that Aiden had told that bitch to get lost. "Way past time, too." The coon smirked, patting Aiden on the back. "I always knew you had it in you. You just needed the confidence to get it out."

"I don't know if it has anything to do with confidence." Aiden admitted with a small chuckle. "It's more like, I needed someone to hit me over the head with some common sense to see what was really going on."

"Well, I think it's great either way." Jacob said with a grin, patting Aiden on the thigh. "And honestly, the thought of you standing up to her like that is rather... attractive."

That comment made Aiden blush just a bit, though he smiled through it, a part of him enjoying his friend's praise.

As the night wore on, Jacob made no secrets of his continued attempts at physical contact with Aiden. He no longer felt like he had to be subtle about it, and so would often sit right next to the fox, placing an arm on his thigh or knee from time to time, or just leaning into him. After a few rounds of rather intense gaming, Aiden stretched his arms out across the back of the couch, just to work out a kink. Jacob didn't even hesitate to lean into the opportunity, getting comfortable while he set up the next match.

"So... what's going on with you two?" Marcus asked during the lull between matches. He had seen most of the little gestures all night, and while he was used to Jacob occasionally making a small pass at Aiden, this was too blatant to not be something more. "Are you guys, like, suddenly together or something?"

"No." They both replied in unison, which brought out a bit of chuckling.

"We're not officially together," Jacob tried to explain. "We're just kind of experimenting."

"Experimenting? Woah hold on, wait just a second." Marcus was already waving his hands in the air at this sudden news, which he felt was bigger than they were making it out to be. "Alright, you two need to tell me exactly what's going on. Cause if you don't, and Terra finds out from someone else, she'll be all over my ass about what I know and why I didn't tell her sooner." The feline put his controller down and squared off with his friends, stubborn to a fault. "So spill. What exactly are you experimenting with?"

Aiden had to roll his eyes at Marcus' logic, though it was hard to argue with it. "It's not really that big of a deal. I'm just trying to find out more about myself. And well, Jacob wanted to help me experiment with... gay stuff."

"You make it sound so romantic." Jacob teased with a laugh. "Basically, after his sleeping with Cheryl, Aiden wants to know more about his sexuality. Since, and I admit it, I've had a crush on him for a while, I wanted to help him out while seeing if the two of us could be compatible. So, we're still just friends like always right now, just with some added benefits."

"So, you two are fuck buddies now." Marcus reasoned. "Fair enough."

"I don't know if I'd use those exact words." Jacob chuckled with a glance at Aiden. "But yeah, I suppose that pretty much sums it up."

"This way, if it doesn't work out we can still just be friends." Aiden added in. "And if it does, then we just go from there."

"Makes sense to me. I'm kinda glad, too. I never really knew what to say everytime I saw Jacob make a pass at you, and you miss it completely. Don't have to worry about that now." Marcus couldn't help but laugh as he grabbed his controller. "Alright, now that that's out of the way, start the next match."

They played for a few more hours, but eventually Marcus decided it was time for him to go. "We do have to get up for work in the morning after all. Plus Terra will have my ass if I stay out too late."

"You have a good point there." Aiden agreed, standing up to stretch out his legs. "Oh, and remember to tell her about the twenty sixth."

"Don't worry, Terra's gonna love the idea. We wouldn't dream of missing it. I'll catch you guys later."

"I should probably head out, too." Aiden pondered aloud. "I don't want to be exhausted during my classes tomorrow." A pit stop was in order though, so before he left Aiden made his way to Jacob's bathroom.

He made it about as far as undoing his pants when a pair of hands found their way around his waist, Jacob sneaking up behind him. "I've been waiting for him to leave for about an hour now." He growled huskily into Aiden's ear. "I was hoping to get the chance for some more private time with you."

"Dude, I don't mind but... I'm trying to take a piss here." It wasn't exactly easy to do with Jacob grinding on his ass like that, especially after he had been holding it for so long. Curse the addiction of video games.

"Don't let me stop you." Jacob smirked, pressing his body right against Aiden's. "Infact, let me help you with that." Feeling devious and daring, Jacob let his hands roam around Aiden's torso, sliding under the fox's to take a hold of his dick. "I bet I can aim it from back here." The coon snickered, watching over Aiden's shoulder.

"Dammit Jacob..." Aiden blew out a sigh, already blushing at the embarrassing scenario. But the need for relief was too great, easily overcoming and awkwardness he felt. His member pulsed once as the golden stream gushed forth, Jacob's aim proving true as it arced through the air.

"This is the first time you've gone since you got here, isn't it?" Jacob practically growled, his fingers sliding along Aiden's length. "You've got good stamina. I like that." Keeping his grip, the coon knelt down, bringing his muzzle in for a closer inspection. "Nice, strong smell, too. You held it in for quite a while."

"What the hell are you doing?" Was all Aiden could think to ask, rolling his eyes at Jacob's shenanigans. "You didn't slip any rum in your drink, did you?"

"Not a drop." Jacob replied with an innocent smile. "This just happens to me my secret little kink, alright? Everyone has one."

As the stream started to die down, Jacob ran with impulse, latching his lips around Aiden's dick and drinking down the last few drops rather greedily. He didn't stop there, suckling at the tip as if trying to get out every last bit while working Aiden to a full erection. He pulled free with a wet pop, smirking at Aiden as he slowly stroked his shaft. "So, think you can stay for just a little longer?"

"I suppose." Aiden smirked with a roll of his eyes. "But only because you're being such an insistent host."

"Glad I could be so persuasive." Jacob grinned before giving the tip of Aiden's dick a small lick. "I was thinking perhaps we could experiment with a few more things, hopefully some activities you've never done yet."

Aiden arched an eyebrow for just a moment, his curiosity peaked, before giving the coon a shrug. "Sure, why not? Just, nothing too crazy, alright?"

"I make no promises. Just let me know if things get too weird for you." With that Jacob shifted back behind Aiden, using one hand to lift his tail up and the other to drop his pants. "I've been waiting to get a piece of this." He moaned softly, taking a firm grip of the fox's asscheeks and spreading them wide. With a hungry growl he pressed in, running his tongue along the valley made by those tight cheeks. He didn't hesitate to run that tongue over Aiden's tailhole, moaning lewdly, deeply, as he engaged in the taboo act and enjoyed every second of it.

The unfamiliar feeling sent a shiver up Aiden's spine, and he unconsciously bent over a bit to give his friend even easier access. It felt so strange, getting eaten out this way, not quite sure if he was enjoying it or not. But he didn't tell Jacob to stop, wanting to give the act a fair chance. It wasn't long before the fox was moaning softly, his dick at full attention from the pleasure he was feeling, quickly growing used to the feel of that tongue.

Jacob was going all out, too. rimming Aiden with all the skills he had learned over the years. His tongue worked in neat little circles around that flexing pucker, getting it nice and moist before slowly pushing in, testing the depths of Aiden's limits. The raccoon reached a hand around to slowly stroke Aiden's dick, adding to the pleasure he seemed to be experiencing, working to build Aiden up and prepare him for what lay ahead.

After a few minutes of rimming, Jacob pulled away with a satisfied smirk, licking his lips as he rose to his paws. "Perhaps we should move to the bed for the next part." He growled in Aiden's ear, pressing up against the fox to reveal the bulge that had now formed in his own pants.

"That might be a good idea." Aiden agreed in a husky voice of his own, and his raccoon friend didn't hesitate to take him by the hand and lead him to the bed. Clothes were removed with no pretense of charm or romance, the two men more interested in the final act than anything else.

"Think you're up for getting a little adventurous?" Jacob asked as he went for his lube, not wasting any time in spreading the slick fluid along the length of his own dick. "You could consider this the ultimate test of your sexuality."

"I suppose I have to give it a try sooner or later." Aiden was looking at his friend's dick with a bit of trepidation now. Sure, it wasn't as long as his own, but it was rather thick. And while those piercings looked potentially pleasurable, they were also a bit intimidating. "We can give it a shot, but I make no promises."

"Don't worry, I'll take it slow." Jacob was being serious now. He remembered his first time, and had been a first for a few others, and knew how difficult it could be. A slick finger pressed up against Aiden's tailhole, rubbing some of the lubricant around the outside before pressing in with ease. Aiden inhaled sharply at the sudden penetration, feeling little more than a slight pinch and some pressure. It wasn't as bad as he thought it might be, but of course a finger was nothing compared to a thick cock.

"That should do it." Jacob decided as he pulled his finger free with a wet pop. He eagerly pressed in, kneeling between Aiden's knees as he pressed the head of his dick against the tight pucker. "Now, just try to relax and take slow, deep breaths. And, let me know if it hurts at all." With that tender warning out there, Jacob started to press in. His head slipped in rather easily, and he could already feel Aiden's tight muscles clamping down as they instinctively tried to push him back out. The first time was always the roughest.

Aiden tried to follow Jacob's advice, taking deep breaths while focusing his mind on relaxing thoughts. It seemed to be working at first, but as Jacob pressed in deeper, and his own body worked to keep him out, the building pressure quickly turned into a sharp pain. "Ah! Stop, stop. Shit, that hurt."

"Sorry." Jacob was already pulling out, a sympathetic look in his eyes. "The first time usually sucks." He took a moment to give Aiden's rear a sympathetic rub, giving him some time to recover from the first attempt. "You okay to try again?"

Aiden pondered the idea for a moment, the pain in his rear still throbbing. "No. Sorry but that really hurt. I don't think I can try again just yet."

"That's alright." Jacob sighed, offering a smile all the same. "I kind of expected it. It will take a few tries before we can get it right. In the mean time..." He was already grabbing for the lube, applying a liberal coating to Aiden's shaft. "I don't care who it is but one of us is getting fucked tonight." He was soon straddling the fox, positioning the tip of his dick against his own tailhole. "I don't usually like to receive, but for you I will definitely make an exception." With a loud moan he descended, Aiden's cock easily sliding into his rear.

"Oh god." Aiden gasped, surprised by how tight it felt, and how assuredly different it was from the usual orifices he found himself penetrating. Jacob's sphincter gripped his shaft in a tight ring, yet there seemed to be no end as he kept pressing on, taking the whole of Aiden's length without much of a struggle.

Jacob had to take a few breath's as he sat on Aiden's waist, taking a moment to get used to the tight pressure inside him. It felt as good as he had imagined it would, the sensation already making him moan and pant with lust. "God damn. I keep forgetting how big you are." With a moan he started rocking his hips, riding Aiden with practice ease. The pressure against his prostate sent waves of pleasure through his body, causing the coon to shiver and growl with lust as he found his rhythm.

Aiden quickly fell into pace as well, his own hips rocking up in time with Jacob, grunting with each thrust as the coon's tight muscles worked to milk his cock. This was so unlike the feel of a woman's pussy, tight and thick with no noticable end for him to hit against. It was incredibly unique, and he was loving every second of it.

The two men were soon lost in the throes of love making, words lost to lustfully moans and gasps of pleasure. Aiden wasn't holding back, one hand gripping tightly to Jacob's waist as he thrust in hard and deep. His other hand was busy stroking Jacob's dick, wanting to increase the coon's pleasure and loving the fact that Jacob tightened up with every stroke. The feel was bringing him to the edge of climax faster than he had expected, his hips bucking faster with each passing second.

"Fuck... I'm gonna cum." He managed to growl out as Jacob bent over, no longer able to keep himself upright under the assault. "You're just... too tight."

"Do it." Jacob growled, feeling his own orgasm coming on strong. "Don't hold back Aiden. Give me all you've got."

Aiden didn't need to be told twice. With a low growl he thrust in with all his might, slapping loudly against Jacob's ass as he held on for as long as he could. His body tightened up, and with one last cry of pleasure Aiden buried himself balls deep in Jacob's ass, unleashing his load deep in his friend's bowels.

Jacob gasped at the final penetration, his eyes rolling up in his head as his own climax coursed through his body. He twitched as he his own seed shot forth, streams of raccoon cum coating Aiden's chest. The two men remained locked in orgasm for a few moments, both of them unloading their cum and sharing the wonderful bliss of orgasm.

Panting heavily, Jacob gave in to weakness and collapsed into Aiden's arms, the high of afterglow washing over him. His hummed with contentment, listening to the rapid beating of his friend's heart, inhaling the rich scent of his sweat and musk. This is where he had wanted to be for so long, held tightly in Aiden's arms as they enjoyed the warmth of their lovemaking. Perhaps it had only been a bit of experimenting, but to Jacob it felt like it could potentially be more.

Aiden was just enjoying the bliss of sweet release and the warmth of the afterglow. He had very much enjoyed the act of having sex with a man, or at least, with Jacob. He held the raccoon close, also noticing the musky scent the coon had after the rigorous sex. It was a rich, thick scent that the fox found somewhat intoxicating and relaxing all at the same time.

As they relaxed in each other's arms, Aiden eventually falling free of Jacob's rear, the two men sighed in concert, their minds returning from the blissful high of afterglow. "I love you." Jacob murmured, unable to contain his feelings for the fox. He didn't wait for a response, almost afraid of what Aiden might say, so instead silencing him with a kiss. He meant what he said, but was afraid that Aiden didn't feel the same way. Not yet at least. Perhaps, in time, that would change.

Aiden wasn't really sure how to respond to that, and was glad he didn't have to. Despite how comfortable he was though, Aiden knew he couldn't stay the night. He did have to go to work the next day, and he had left all his papers and supplies at home. Begrudgingly he left Jacob's arms, but they did share a hug and soft kiss as he left. It was strange, to think and possibly even feel like Jacob could be more than just a friend. But it wasn't such a terrible thought. In fact, Aiden found himself smiling warmly on his way home that night. Perhaps experimenting a bit would have an even greater outcome than he had originally thought.

---

It didn't take Max long to work her new classes into her usual routine. She had to deal with a little less sleep, and a lot less free time than she was used to, but it was a sacrifice she was willing to make for a worthwhile goal. After just a week and a half the skunk was finding college life to be more fun than she expected. Sure, only one of her classes was actually in a topic she found interesting, but most of the professors actually treated the students as adults, and while the work was challenging the grading system was certainly more lenient than she remembered high school being.

She had been so caught up in the added work, as well as keeping up with her actual job, that Max had almost forgotten what day it was. Luckily her mother was on top of things, reminding her with an early morning text message that had left her feeling a bit cranky all day. Now, with her classes out of the way and a free night from work, Max was on her way to her parents house, already preparing to force a smile through the early part of the evening. After all, her mother would kill her if she didn't come home for dinner on her own birthday.

With a deep, calming breath she knocked on the door, and was not the least bit surprised when her mother pulled her into a warm hug. The usual greetings and birthday wishes were exchanged, her mother going through the usual rant of not being able to believe how old her baby girl was getting, along with the usual pampering and kind words. Max was fine with all of this, her mother's doting had always been able to bring a smile to her face. This was how she was supposed to feel when coming home; welcomed and loved in her own childhood home. A feeling only her mother could give her.

Those warm feelings lasted until it was time for dinner, when her father finally left his study to join them. If it weren't for the fact that her mother had made one of her favorite dishes, fish of course, Max would have likely made an excuse to skip the meal. But she knew it would make her mother happy, so with a smile she sat and ate, doing her best to simply ignore her quiet and grouchy father.

"Oh, I mustn't forget." Her mother cut in midway through the rather quiet meal. "Happy Birthday, Maxine. It isn't too much, but we both thought you might enjoy this little gift." She handed over a simple looking envelope with a warm smile on her face. "It's from the both of us."

"Thanks Mom, Dad." Given her father's look of curiosity at the envelope, she was certain he hadn't had any dealings in choosing her present this year. Sadly, this was not a surprise to her. The envelope itself contained the usual, generic birthday greeting card and a gift certificate for a deluxe, all-day pass at a local spa. It was a gift Max was genuinely surprise, and rather pleased, to receive. "Oh Mom, wow. This must have been expensive."

"Oh don't you worry about that, sweetheart." Her mother quickly dismissed the notion. "You deserve it, given all the work you do. I know you're job may not be considered the most respectable by some," she glanced at her husband only briefly, "but it must be very tiring work. All that moving and dancing, it's a wonder you don't feel exhausted all the time. I thought this might help rejuvenate you a bit. And it works out well now, too! You can get recharged and full of energy for those classes of yours!"

"Classes?" That got her father's attention. "What classes?"

"Oh, it's just such exciting news." Sofia clapped her hands with an eager smile. "Do tell your father, Maxine. I know he'll be just as thrilled as I am."

"I highly doubt it." Max smiled through the thought, turning her attention to her father. "It's not really that big of a deal. I've just decided to enroll in a local college is all, as a student. I'm taking a few classes for now, just trying it out really. If it works out, I'll even be working towards getting a degree in a field I enjoy." She smiled hesitantly, not sure what to expect out of the man. She would have loved for him to show support for her here, but experience made her expect much less.

The man didn't say anything at first, taking his time to chew his food and ponder the information. "What school accepted you?" He finally asked, condescension clear in his tone. "And what major are you attempting to obtain?"

"It's just a small, local school." Max replied hesitantly. "Five Paws Community. My roommate, Aiden, is a teacher there. He recommended I give it a shot. It's not a really big or fancy school, but I think it might be a good fit for me." She had to take a moment before revealing the next bit, knowing full well her father wouldn't approve. "I'm going to try for a degree in performing arts, to get into theater acting. It's what I've always wanted to do."

"Performing arts?" Her father snorted. As expected he seemed less than impressed. "Really Maxine, could you be wasting your time on anything more frivolous? You almost got my hopes up when you said you were attending college, even if it is a little community college. But a performing arts degree? That's about as useless as they come."

Deep down she had expected a response like that, but it didn't make it hurt any less. In the past she would have just quietly taken it, keeping her pain bottled up deep down inside. But there was only so much one person could take, and Max didn't want to take anymore. "I don't care what you think."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me." Max stood, her voice shaking with pent up emotions. "I don't care what you think anymore. I'm not doing this for you. I'm not doing this to please you or make you happy. I spent most of my life trying to do that, and it got me nothing but heartache. Well, I'm tired of trying to earn your approval, Father. For once, I'm doing something for me. Something that makes me happy. I never wanted to be the super smart lawyer or doctor you wanted me to be. I want to sing and dance, to get up on a stage and perform in front of a crowd of cheering people. That's what I want, what I've always wanted. It was just never what you wanted."

Her father was glaring at her now, though his expression remained level. "You know, your brother-"

"Stop comparing me to Danny!" She interrupted, slamming her fist on the table as her rage boiled over. "Ever since he died that's all you've ever done! You just wanted me to be like Danny! You never cared about what I wanted, or what I was interested in. You just wanted me to replace him." The truth, now spoken, quickly silenced both her parents, but not even her own tears could stop her now. "You never once stopped to ask me what I wanted, or if I was even happy. You just kept pushing to try and make me just like Danny was. You spent all this time trying to bring back your only son, that you pushed away your only daughter.

"And the worst part," she continued, "is that despite it all, I don't hate you for it. I hate what you did to me, how you treated me, still treat me, but deep down I still love you. That's the part that hurts me the most. All I've ever wanted was for you to respect me, and to tell me that you were proud of me. But now I realise that you don't even know me. I'm nothing more than the failed backup of your son to you, and that's all I'll ever be."

The words hurt her on a profound level, and left both her parents stunned. Max didn't hesitate, wiping a few tears from her eyes and she turned to her mother. "Thanks for the dinner and the gift, Mom. They're both lovely. I think I should go home now though."

Her mother just nodded, staring at her slackjawed. Her father said nothing, and Max did likewise to him, turning for the front door.

"Maxine, wait a moment." Her mother called as she stepped outside. Max found herself wrapped in her mother's arms as she turned, the woman embracing her in the tightest of hugs. "I'm so sorry, Maxine. I should have done something, anything, I just didn't..."

"It's okay, Mom." Max sighed, returning the hug. "It's not your fault. You were always there for me, helping to get me back up after he pushed me down." She hugged her mother all the tighter, trying her best not to lose it. "I love you, Mom. Thank you, for everything."

"I'm so proud of you." Sofia replied, a few tears running from her own eyes. "I never said it enough, but I really am. Especially now that you've stood up to him. Maxine, that's the bravest thing I've ever seen anyone do." She stepped back, taking a moment to look her daughter in the eyes. "Don't listen to him. What you're doing is a wonderful thing. It takes a lot of courage to follow your dreams, and I won't let him discourage you from doing it any longer. I should have stopped him long ago, and I'm sorry I didn't. It wasn't easy to have to choose between my husband and my daughter. I thought if I stayed out of it, you two would eventually work things out. I guess I was wrong, though I still don't know what to do."

"You don't have to do anything." Max answered for her, a smile crossing her face once again. "Just say you'll support me at least. It may seem brave to you, but I'm honestly scared out of my mind. I... don't know if I can do it alone."

"You've always had my support, Maxine." Her mother insisted with a warm smile of her own. "I know you can do it. Go, follow your dreams and become a great actress. I promise I will go to every one of your shows, front row center."

"Thanks Mom, but that's still a bit away. I love you." They shared a hug, and with the last few tears wiped away Max got in her car and left, feeling a tumultuous mix of emotions. Now that it was over with, she couldn't believe she had finally been honest with her father like that. It felt almost like it had been a different person, and that she had been watching from the sidelines. If it wasn't for her mother she would have likely lost it completely, but she took solace in knowing she had at least one parent willing to help encourage her through the trials to come.

Max was emotionally exhausted by the time she got home, thankful she didn't have to work that night, and that she could get away with putting off her homework at least until tomorrow. Her thoughts were on curling up on the couch with a cup of tea and finishing off her birthday with a relaxing movie. That was her plan anyway. but other plans were already in the works..

"Surprise!" The sudden fanfare as she opened the door nearly made the poor girl jump out of her skin. The apartment was filled with people; Marcus, Terra, Jacob, even Jessica was there. And Aiden and Cheryl were right up front, a cheeky grin on both their faces. The apartment itself was decked out for a party, with balloons and streamers everywhere. A large banner hung along the far wall, reading out "Happy Birthday" in colorful letters. The whole lot of them had clearly been quite busy in the short time she was out.

"What is all this?" Max asked, still a bit stunned from the surprise. "You guys did this... for me?"

"Did you really think I'd let you go through your twenty-first birthday without a big party?" Cheryl answered with a smirk, wrapping her friend in a tight hug. "The answer of course is hell no! I got in touch with Aiden last week, and we set up this little surprise party all for you!"

"It's also kind of a congratulations party." Aiden added to the explanation. "Not only are we celebrating your birthday, but also your enrollment in college as you work to fulfill your dreams."

"You guys..." Max looked around the room, once again feeling a bit misty eyed. Only this time they were tears of joy. She couldn't believe all these people had gotten together to throw her a party like this, and right when she needed one the most. She really did have the best of friends.

"Since the birthday girl is finally here," Marcus announced, making his way across the room, "I would like to be the first to give her her present." With a mischievous grin he lifted up a six pack of hard cider, placing the alcohol in her hands. "Happy twenty-first, Max. Now you can finally legally get drunk off your ass."

"Marcus!" Terra scolded from across the room. "Don't worry honey, we got a real gift, too."

"You guys have already given me the best gift I could ever have." Max said, a few elated tears rolling down her cheeks. "This means so much to me, you have no idea. I love you guys so much."

The happy skunk soon found herself in the center of a massive group hug. Everyone was there for her that night, and they made no secret of it. The party went on for quite a while in fact, with plenty of food, gifts, and wonderful conversation. And plenty of alcohol of course. It ended up being just the kind of therapy Max needed, and she had soon forgotten all about her worries over her father. After all, it was hard to think about the one person who wanted to put you down when there were so many others wanting to help you back up.