Words in bold are from the book, everything else I added.

I do not own the story, or characters.

Chapter 1

Max POV

"You're always welcome at home." She said and took my hand.

I shook my head. "I wouldn't do that to you – at least not to often. Anyone who helps us winds up getting hurt. Like tonight, for example."

"Still never forget you have a refuge."

"Okay." I said with a smile. "I wish we could hang out like this more often."

"Me too. There's so much I want to talk to you about, so much I don't know." She hesitated. "Is there something going on between you and Fang.

My eyes widened and I could feel my face blushing, "No. Yes. Maybe. I don't know. I'm just... so confused." I put my face on my knees trying not to cry.

Mom looked at me with understanding, "I understand how your feeling Max. Your still so young and love is never easy to understand."

I looked at her, "I don't know what to do. On one hand, he's my best friend. But I also feel like he mean more to me and I kissed him that time when I thought he was dying, then there was that girl at school, and then he kissed me in the cave, I just don't know how I feel. About any of it."

Mom looked thoughtful, "Well, how do you feel when he's with other girls or looking at other girls?"

I thought about that, how it felt when he kissed Lissa, or when we were at that football game and he watched those cheerleaders. "I don't like it. I felt angry when he kissed that one girl, and I didn't like how he looked at those cheerleaders at the football game." I told mom.

Mom nodded, "Okay, so you kissed him, he kissed you, and you don't like him with other girls, right?" I nodded. "Well, it seems like you have some kind of feelings for him, and it sounds like he's the same."

I thought about this, "I see what you mean," I told her, "But even if it's true, I don't know what to do." I felt despair over the situation wash over me.

Mom hugged me closer, "I don't know what you should do exactly Max, but my advice is to follow your heart. See where it takes you, you never know."

I nodded. "Okay Mom." I agreed.