As usual, Anton was abrupt with Max about his daydreaming and flitting and his blue hair, which was his friend Chloe’s term project for cosmetology school. She told him it had been quite a success, but Anton didn’t seem to think so.
“I can’t tell sometimes if you’re a boy or a girl,” Anton said.
Max bridled every time Anton said that. The tone implied there was something wrong with girls, and Max perfectly well knew there wasn’t. Most of his friends were girls: Erika and Chloe at school, and then Lelia from the bookstore who was a grownup but talked to him as if he were a real person, unlike Anton who talked to him as if he were a somewhat dim child.
E. P. Beaumont 
And he’s friends with Anton why?
Oh Anton, so judgemental! But then, teenagers are. Poor Max.
Nice portrayal of teenagers, but watch the use of “his” in the first sentence. Technically they should refer to the subject of the sentence (Anton), but I think all three uses refer to Max. Result–I had to read the first sentence twice.
Oh…wow. This says so much about Max, but Anton as well. Wonderful insight into their characters. Enjoyed this six!
It’s so strange the things we put up with from people we call friends. It’s clear to me that Anton has something going on beneath those words. Very interesting snippet.
Oh dear, context I forgot to include: Anton is Max’s older brother. To the question, “And Max puts up with this why?” the answer is “Family.”
Makes this read completely differently; good either way.
Ah yes, context helps. Thank you for so clearly stating: There’s nothing wrong with girls. So little of literature does that; in fact it usually says (openly or not) the opposite.