"I'm sorry," Fang said, hugging Max.
"No, you're not!" Max shoved Fang away, startling the eight year old.
Fang watched his best friend gingerly cradle her hurt wrist.
He hadn't mean to push her. He simply fell off his bike and ran into her. "I'm sorry," he repeated, and he meant it. Even if it was an accident.
Fang stared at Max as she stood up. He expected her to start yelling, he'd yell back, there'd be a moment of silence, and they'd hug and say their sorry's. Instead, to Fang's confusion, she stomped away to her house, which was next to his.
Fang watched helplessly as his best friend slammed the door close. After a while, went inside, too. Bored, he started watching TV. His sister wasn't home yet. She never was home before ten o'clock in the night; it was a rule she seemed to followed.
After going through the channels and finding nothing interesting, Fang slipped off the sofa. He changed into nicer clothes and went back outside. He walked to Max's front door and knocked a few times.
Shivering, Fang glanced around. Their car was in the driveway, meaning they were home. Fang repeated this to himself in soft whispers. But inside, he was really thinking, Please be home. If you're not, I'll starve to death. I'm too young to--
The front door swung open, and Dr. Martinez stood there. She saw Fang and smiled down at him. Fang instantly felt warm and fuzzy.
Dr. M knelt down to his level. "Hey," She ruffled his hair. "What's up?"
"I'm hungry," Fang admitted. "Cassie isn't home yet." Cassie was his sister.
"You're always welcome." Dr. M opened the door wider and Fang shuffled in.
Fang followed her into the dining room, where he could smell spaghetti cooking. He resisted drooling and said, "Thanks."
Max wasn't anywhere in sight.
"Max is in her room," Dr. M called from the kitchen. "Did something happen? She seemed upset."
Fang waited until she came back out and sat in the dining chair across beside him.
"I fell on her and she hurt her wrist." Fang hung his head in shame.
"Oh." He felt a hand rub him on the back gently. "It's okay. We'll take a look at it when she decides to come down."
Fang nodded. "Okay."
When the spaghetti was cooked, Fang helped Dr. M set the table and then she called for Max to come down. Max did, and she took one look at Fang and frowned.
"What are you doing here?" She asked.
Fang didn't know how to answer and sat there, studying his fingers.
"Max," Dr. M said. "I thought Fang was your best friend?"
Fang thought he heard Max mumble, "He is," as she took a seat across from him. On better days, they always sat next to each other.
She ate in silence, as did he. Dr. M looked nervously between them, unsure of what was going on.
"Um, Max," She started, "how's your wrist?"
"Fine," Max answered.
"And how was your forest expedition?" Dr. M persisted.
Fang faintly remembered that they were supposed to go into the forest behind their houses. They were about to, until the Incident.
"Good," Max lied.
Fang lost his appetite. "Dr. M, I'm going to go home early," He said, hopping off the chair. He pushed it in and walked to the front door. Dr. M quickly followed suit.
"Fang, are you sure?" She seemed truly concerned.
Fang nodded. "Cassie will be home soon."
Dr. M bit her lip. "Can't you stay for a little while longer?"
"No, sorry." Fang felt bad, but not as bad as knowing that Max hated him. He had no idea why, but she had that effect on him.
He opened the door and walked out. Dr. M waved, and Fang waved back.
The warm atmosphere dissolved when he re-entered his house. He felt small and lonely.
~~~::~~~
"Max," Her mom began sternly.
"I didn't mean to do it," Max mumbled, poking her spaghetti around.
"Max, I know you don't want to move, but--"
"Fang's been my best friend since I was three." Max stood from her chair and went upstairs to her room. She wasn't hungry anymore.
Dr. M took out her cellphone and dialed Jeb's number. After three rings, he picked up.
"Hello?"
"Look, I'm telling you, I'm not doing this to our Max," She said coldly, lowering her voice in case Max was eavesdropping.
"Val, we've been over this," Jeb replied in an even tone. "Without the money, I'm going to have to shut down my lab. I have to take the job."
"You should care more about your children than your job!" Dr. M said in a tone she never used on anyone else. Jeb hung up.
Growling a little, she slammed the phone down onto the counter, running a hand through her hair.
"Mom?" Justin, who everyone called the Gasman, said. His voice was innocent and scared. "Wa' that daddy?" The two year old had tears in his eyes.
Dr. M panicked. "Uh, no, honey," She said softly. "Just one of the people from the animal hospital. Dinner's ready. You can eat."
The Gasman nodded and started eating. He thought everything was fine.
But upstairs, Max was planning to sneak out.