Page 17 of Headstrong Like Us

Xander shakes his head. “I threw them all away in January.”

It’s April.If they’re not doing arts and crafts, then this is more serious.

Maximoff is now officially in full-on take-charge mode that I won’t stop or steamroll. He’s texting, and I can only guess that he’s asking Kinney if they’re her tabloids. She’s at school right now.

Xander grabs a Hot Pocket and shuts the freezer. “You punched the wall?” He’s staring at his older brother.

I smile into a bite of apple.

Maximoff looks thoroughly irritated. Job well done. “It was Farrow.”

“It was my elbow,” I clarify. “And an accident.”

“We were wrestling,” Maximoff explains further and motions to his brother’s frozen hockey puck. “We already have all this food out if you want a sandwich, Summers.”

“Thanks, but this is ten times better.” He pops the Hot Pocket in the microwave, punches the cook time, then leans against the counter and picks at his thumbnail. “So…can I ask you two something?”

I’m a little bit surprised he’s not just speaking to Maximoff.

Sure, I’ve been teaching Xander how to box and some basic MMA technique, but he hasn’t exactly sought me out for “advice” before.

Whatever’s on his mind could revolve around the wedding. That’d make more sense. Especially since we haven’t formally picked groomsmen and groomswomen yet. But most have a good idea they’re in the wedding party.

If Xander backs out of the ceremony, it’ll really hurt Maximoff. I’m hoping that’s not what this is about.

“Yeah, of course, Summers.” Maximoff abandons the bread. “You can ask us anything.”

He tucks his longish brown hair behind his ears. “So like, if I’ve been watching porn for an hour every week is that too much?”

I tryreallyhard not to smile in amusement. This is not the road I thought he was driving down.

“I don’t think so.” Maximoff glances to me, tagging me in because he didn’t recreationally watch porn growing up.

“Thank God for my normal adolescent behavior,” I tell him before telling his brother. “You’re not over-killing the porn game. An hour a week is basically tame.”

“What’s too much?” he asks me, not his brother.

Maximoff is smiling this soft smile at the wall. I’m guessing he’s happy his teenage brother is seeking me out for this shit, and I am too.

“You don’t need to worry about the amount right now,” I tell Xander. “Just ask yourself a set of questions.” I motion to him with my apple. “Is watching porn an hour a week impeding your life?”

“No.”

“Why are you watching it?”

He shrugs. “I was curious, and I liked how it…you know. Made me feel.” His neck reddens.

“Are you using porn to avoid something?” I ask one last question.

“No.”

“There you go. Your porn usage is healthy.” I bite into my apple.

He nods in thanks, the microwave beeps, but he waits to collect his Hot Pocket. “Also, I can’t go to that thing tomorrow.”

I chew slowly. “You mean my birthday party?” I invited Maximoff’s siblings and some other people to Superheroes & Scones tomorrow. I just wanted something low-key. No hassle or big deal.

“Yeah, that. I can’t go.”