A/N I'm only one day later than I said I would be, but it's ok because I didn't nearly get as many reviews for this last chapter than I did for the chapter before that. Thank you to the people who did review. Here's chapter 7, wow.
"Hey sweetie," My mom said sweetly as she put some Poptarts in front of me. "Try and get home earlier tonight. We didn't see you until midnight last night and I was beginning to worry. I don't want to have to set a curfew, but I will if I have to."
"Sorry Mom, I was with Max," I told her. I knew as soon as I said it I would be off the hook. My mom has become rather fond of Max through the things I've told her. Of course I've left out a lot of stuff, but I told her some meaningless stuff as she asked.
"Ok, just watch the time tonight." I nodded at her. I would be home early today. I would wait for Max's practice to be over today and then when my dad got home we were going to go get my car from the shop and I would be back in business for tomorrow.
"What are your plans for today?" I asked her. I knew she was busy because if she didn't have plans later she would have let me barrow her car for the day.
"Oh, I'm just going to yoga this morning and then I'll probably go get some coffee with the girls," she said dismissively, but I knew it meant something to her to finally have some friends. My mom was slowly turning into your traditional stay at home mom, but my dad and I let her because we all knew it was a faze. In a couple months mom will be back to normal, out doing more productive things than yoga.
I heard a car horn from outside the house. Max was early.
"That's Max," I said standing and grabbing my uneaten Poptart to go. I kissed my mom on the cheek and grabbed my backpack before rushing out the door.
When I got close to the car I could see that Max was in the passenger's seat and her brother was driving so I hopped in the back.
The car was crazy but I got an empty seat in the first row of back seats next to Ella. Gazzy kept burping Angel's face and each time she would scream and hit him which would cause him to just do it again. There was another girl I recognized as the girl walking into the school with Max the other morning when I was waiting for her, Nudge it think. Well Nudge and Ella were talking passionately about something that must've been very important to them. Max and Ari were in a fledged out screaming match in the front seat but no one was paying attention to them.
"I can do whatever the fuck I want asshole!" Max screamed. "If I want to turn the radio up I can!" she reached forward and turned the volume up to an unbearable level for this early in the morning. Every one paused and covered their ears until Ari reached forward and turned it back down and then everyone continued on with their conversations.
"Yeah, you can do whatever you want but you have to deal with the consequences!" Ari screamed back at her.
"What makes you think you can tell me what to do?" Max screamed.
"I'm the oldest!" Ari screamed at her. "I'm in charge!"
"Who put you in charge?" Max retorted viciously.
"Dad!" Ari said smugly.
"No, dad put us both in charge dumbass!"
"Guys stop!" Ella yelled from next to me. Max whirled to look at her and Ari glanced at her in the rearview mirror. "The kids." She said under her breath but loud enough that Max and Ari heard. Both of their faces fell. I hadn't noticed but Angel and Gazzy had stopped arguing. I didn't have to turn to know that they were probably watching Max and Ari nervously. They both shut up. Max slumped in her seat and Ari leaned away from her.
When Ari pulled into Angel's school, Angel climbed over the seat only managing to step on Ella, Nudge, and I enough to leave bruises and ran towards the school. Max rushed after her telling her to slow down. Max quickly returned and let out a huff as she sat down in her seat. Ari took off again flying towards Gazzy's school.
When we pulled into the school Gazzy climbed over the seat but I was prepared this time so I only got stepped on once. He left a sloppy kiss on Ella's check and leaned forward to give Ari and Max a fist bump.
"Have a good day bud," Max told him as he jumped out of the car and ran towards the school. A teacher told him to walk so he slowed down until he was past her and then took off running again. We all chuckled.
"You used to do that too, Max," Ari mumbled quietly. It was the only civil thing I had heard him say to Max all morning. Max didn't reply, she was obviously still mad and didn't except the peace offering he just sent out. Once Gazzy was safely inside the school Ari left towards the high school.
No one talked the whole way to school. It was something I wasn't used to when in the company of Max, her friends, and her family. I wanted to talk about last night with Max a little, but had no intentions of doing so in front of everyone.
When we got to the high school, on time, Ari paused before turning off the car. Everyone was getting there stuff together when he cleared his throat. We all paused.
"We're, um, we're going to have a family dinner tonight at six thirty. It's mandatory," Ari said looking directly at Max to make sure she understood what he was saying. "Max and I will cook."
"Ok, I'll order the pizzas for seven then," Ella said and then she and Nudge giggled together. Even Max laughed a little.
"No seriously, we're going to cook something good," Ari defended.
"Am I invited?" Nudge asked jokingly.
"It's mandatory," Ari said seriously. He looked back at us. "That means you have to come. You can come too…" He said looking at me but he obviously didn't know my name. I'm guessing this was a family and close friends and me party then.
"Nick," I told him.
"Nick," He repeated. "And someone tell Iggy he has to come too and he should bring James and the dog. And Dylan can come and bring Omega. No boyfriends," Ari looked at Max as he spoke. "It's a family dinner." Ari said sternly before he got out of the car leaving us in silence for a minute before we all got out too.
We all followed Ari through the parking lot. I walked next to Max but we didn't talk.
"Ig!" I heard Ari yell and turned to see he was yelling at Iggy across the parking lot. Iggy waved at him. "Family dinner tonight at six thirty! Bring the mini and the dog!"
"Want me to bring pizza?" Iggy yelled back.
"Na, my loving sister and I are going to cook," Ari yelled back.
"Who, Ella?" Iggy yelled back smiling.
"Go to hell!" Max yelled at him but I saw the faint smile on her lips.
..
"Hey Mr. Crosby!" Ari shouted when he busted through the door of our last period math class.
"Hey Mr. Ride," our teacher replied calmly.
"I've just got to ask my sister something," he explained and then looked at Max. "What're we cooking tonight?" He asked Max who still looked mad at him.
"Sandwiches," She said annoyed.
"I was thinking something fancy, like something hot," he told her seriously. Since when did hot food mean fancy food?
"I guess we could pull of mac and cheese, if we really tried," Max said a little unsure.
"Eh, that seems like a lot of work. Plus you have to measure out the butter and stuff," Ari said. Was mac and cheese seriously out of their range?
"Plain pasta?" Max offered a little unsure.
"Could we pull off sauce?" Ari asked. He pulled out a small pad and pen. At least he came prepared.
"Maybe the jar kind, if we just put it in the microwave," Max told him.
"Can it go in the microwave?" Ari asked.
"Probably," Max said unsure of herself. How many Rides does it take to cook a dinner?
"Should I get bread?" He asked.
"Yeah, get bread and pasta and sauce," She told him.
"And Poptarts?" He asked. "In case things go wrong."
"Yeah, good plan. You should get a vegetable. Dad said we have to give the kids vegetables with dinner," Max told him.
"So like carrots?" Ari asked. "Doesn't the sauce count as a vegetable?"
"No 'cause a tomato is a fruit," Max told him.
"Oh yeah, I knew that, it was a Snapple fact. So carrots it is!" Ari said enthusiastically.
"Get the rabbit kind, those are fun," Max told him smiling. Ari saluted her and wrote down the carrots.
"Ok, be home right after practice, we're going to need all the time we can get," Ari told her before leaving the room. Then he came back in quickly. "Sorry, Nick do you want anything?" I shook my head smirking. Ari nodded and then left again.
"Anyone else want to talk about their grocery lists?" Mr. Crosby asked smiling.
"Sorry," Max told him sincerely. He waved her off. He obviously didn't care. He quickly went back to teaching.
"Can you cook sauce in the microwave?" Max asked me.
"I think so," I told her. She nodded and then went back to texting under her desk.
…
"Everyone get down!" a voice yelled. I jumped up from my spot on the couch. My mom froze in her spot where she was walking towards me. My dad sat on the other couch as we watched the game.
Iggy came running in with a serious expression on his face and a Nerf gun. Behind him a blond boy stood with a similar facial expression and equally as big Nerf gun. They both had bandanas tied around their heads and they scanned the room until their eyes landed on me.
"Nick!" Iggy yelled and they rushed towards me. I was still in shock. Iggy ran and shoved me down on the couch. Iggy then grabbed my feet and the boy with him grabbed my arms. They heaved me up grunting and then started to carry me towards the door.
"Don't struggle or we'll shoot your parents!" Iggy threatened as he pointed his Nerf gun at my mom.
"Nick, do you know these boys?" My mom asked.
"Yeah," I said exasperatedly. Iggy and the other boy ran towards the door.
"Sorry Nick's parents, he'll be back later!" Iggy called as he and the other boy carried me out of the door.
"Seriously guys? I can walk," I told them. I decided not to fight them, although I would probably win, but I didn't want to get shot at with Nerf guns since I would probably end up having to clean up the bullets.
They didn't respond to me they just ran to a car. I was thrown in the trunk of the SUV which I guess wasn't really a trunk since I could climb over the back seat. Iggy and the other boy ran to the front and started to drive.
"You didn't show up for the party. Ari said it was mandatory," Iggy announced as he sped into the driveway of Max's house. I didn't really feel like going. I thought it might be awkward since I didn't really know anyone.
"Can I walk in by myself?" I asked.
"Yeah, we've had our fun," Iggy said dismissively. Iggy and the other boy got out of the car and opened the trunk for me. I got out and straightened my clothes.
"Dylan, by the way," the blond kid said sticking his hand out to me.
"Nick," I told him shaking his hand.
The three of us walked towards the house. It was clear that I was about to walk into a mad house. The blasting music was a tip off. Family dinners here are a lot different than my family dinners.
As soon as we walked in I knew my suspicions were confirmed. Max's house was big with an open floor plan. To my right I saw a huge kitchen and to my left there was a large table. In front there was a huge living room with blankets and pillows set up in a fort. If you kept going there was a hallway that led to the stairs. I vaguely recognized it but I looked a lot different now that it wasn't dark and I wasn't walking a drunken girl up to her room.
In the kitchen Ari was frantically trying to keep up with the numerous pots he had on the stove. Things were steaming and it looked like a mess but he was smiling as he watched his sisters out of the corner of his eye. Max was dancing around the kitchen with Angel and singing into a spoon covered in sauce. Max spun Angel and the girls giggled. In the living room Nudge and Ella sat talking despite the mess.
Three little boys came running from the hallway all of them were armed with Nerf guns and were decked out in all the Nerf armor. One of the boys I recognized as Gazzy. Two dogs chased them in barking as they cackled.
They sprinted into the kitchen where Max and Angel were still dancing.
"C'mon Angel you've got to be the princess!" A boy with red hair like Iggy's demanded impatiently over the music.
"No, I want to dance with Max!" Angel yelled back at them stubbornly.
"Ok you can dance with her for another thirty hours," One little kid said, he looked like he was the youngest. He had tasseled blond hair and blue eyes.
"Ok deal,." Angel said satisfied with his offer. I heard Dylan chuckle from behind me.
"Kid still doesn't get time," He mumbled amused.
"We could play knights and princess here," Gazzy offered. "It could be the ball!"
"Oh yeah!" The red haired boy said enthusiastically.
"Max, will you be my princess?" The little blond kid asked.
"I would be honored, Omega," Max replied smiling. Omega, Omega, Omega, I've got to remember that.
"Who's my princess then?" Gazzy asked disappointed.
"Well Ella could be mine since you can't marry your sister and Nudge could be yours," The red headed boy offered happily.
"You better ask nicely or else they might say no," Max told them smiling. The blond boy was putting down all his guns and bullets and vests while the other two ran into the living room.
"I'll pick a ball song," Angel said as she grabbed a phone from where it was plugged into the speakers making the music stop. The three of us still stood in the doorway all content to watch this unfold until we were noticed.
"Nudge, will you be my princess at the ball?" Gazzy asked Nudge as the other boy asked Ella.
"I would love to be," Nudge said standing up as Gazzy took her hand in his smaller one. They both lead Ella and Nudge towards the open area of the kitchen.
"Nick could you be my prince?" I heard Angel call. Oh god! I looked over at her as she watched me expectantly.
"Uh, sure Angel," I said nervously walking over towards her. Dylan and Iggy cackled as I left them.
Once everyone was ready Ari pushed the button to start the music and we all shuffled around. The kids were happy and I could see the girls smiling at their 'dates'. It was actually pretty cute. Well, it was cute until the boys, because they're boys, decided that it wasn't violent enough.
"Dragon!" Gazzy screamed as he and the other boys dove for their Nerf guns. There was shooting at the 'dragon' and they grabbed Angel as they ran for the hallway.
"We're saving you princess!" the red haired child screamed as Angel was pulled along. Max stopped the music as the girls all giggled. Iggy and Dylan came into the kitchen and sat on an empty spot of counter.
"Ok Princess Max, get back to stirring," Ari said smirking and pointing to a pot on the stove. Max hurried over to it and started to stir with the spoon she was singing into earlier.
"Is this cooked?" She asked Ari. They both turned their focus onto the pot. I heard them mumble a conversation back and forth. I guess they made up.
"I like family dinners," Iggy said. "Even if their cooked by Ari and Max."
"You better shut up Iggy or I'll spit in your food," Max said distractedly because her attention was on her stirring not Iggy, but the threat still sounded serious.
"Max c'mon, you and Ari used to mess up cooking from the Easy Bake oven," Iggy said smiling. Dylan, Nudge, and Ella all laughed. I felt a little left out since I clearly didn't know Max and Ari when they were kids. Although I wish I had known Max when she was a kid, maybe then I'd understand her better.
"Easy for you to say, you used to make five course meals with that stupid thing," Max said defensively.
"Some of us are skilled and others aren't," Iggy said with a cocky shrug. Max just looked at him and rolled her eyes before going back to stirring.
"Ok start pouring this stuff in this," Ari said to Max. Only god knows what they were doing but I decided not to ask. "And we should put the sauce into the microwave now so that it ready at the same time as everything else." Ari and Max started to load jars of sauce into the microwave.
"Guys, what are you doing?" Ella yelled. Max and Ari froze and looked nervous. "You have to take the tops off idiots! Do you want our house to explode? And you should pour it into a bowl so that it gets cooked evenly."
Max and Ari started to take tops off and then put the five or so jars back into the microwave.
"I'm not pouring it into a bowl, we'll be here all day," Max groaned. Ari just nodded and they were on the same page. I didn't really care to be honest. It wouldn't make that big of a difference if it was cooked in a bowl or a jar.
After a couple more minutes of talking and Ari and Max clumsily cooking, they announced that dinner was ready. I helped them carry the huge pots onto the table and set them down.
"Kids food!" Max screamed. The four kids came stomping in followed by the dogs. This was actually kind of nice. My family dinners always just included my mom and dad. Occasionally we would have some close family friends over, but this was great.
We all sat down at the large table. With no words shared everyone dug in. I looked around to see everyone piling their plates high without hesitation so I felt that it would be fine if I did the same thing. However, I became nervous when I saw everyone paused with their forks over their plates like they were questioning whether or not they should eat it.
"You go first," Dylan said looking at where Max and Ari sat next to each other. Max shrugged and took a big bite of her pasta.
"It's fine," She said after swallowing. Ari took a large bite too.
"Yeah it's good guys. It's no five star meal but pretty good for Max and me," Ari admitted. I decided to take a bite. The pasta was cooked way too much and the sauce was cold and not that great but it was edible. Everyone else began to eat too. No one was thrilled but everyone ate.
"Ok, I apologize," Dylan said breaking the silence at the table. "You guys did a decent job and we should have given you more credit."
"Thanks Dylan," Max said smiling.
"He's just kissing up to you because he wants-" Iggy stopped himself as he looked over at the kids.
"'Cause he wants to what?" Max asked forebodingly.
"Earmuffs!" Iggy yelled over at the kids. The kids instantly dropped their forks and covered their ears. I let out a chuckle I guess this is what it's like to be a younger sibling.
"'Cause he wants to get in your pants," Iggy said smirking. Max just rolled her eyes and Dylan laughed it off.
"Thank you for that Iggy. Now I feel really uncomfortable," Ari said angrily. Ari waved at the kids and they uncovered their ears.
"What did they say?" The red haired kid sitting next to me whispered. I'd come to the conclusion that he was Iggy's little brother since they looked so much alike. Which meant the other kid was Dylan's little brother.
"They talked about big kid stuff," I whispered back.
"James, if you were supposed to hear it you wouldn't have had to put earmuffs on," Nudge scolded. The boy, James, looked down at his plate sadly. I looked at Nudge to see her wink at me smiling.
Then the phone rang. All the kids jumped up from their seats and ran for the phone that was hanging on the wall by the kitchen. They fought over who would get it and in a minute Max sighed and got up. She grabbed the small blond boy and lifted him up. The boy had the phone and he pressed it against Max's ear without a word shared.
"Hello," Max answered calmly. We all silently ate and listened. The kids stood under Max looking up at her. She actually looked like a mom. She looked like she might be responsible. The little blond boy put his ear pressed against the phone so he could hear.
"No-," Max said defensively. "No dad I didn't-" She stopped again. "I swear I didn't-" She paused again and looked ready to kill someone. "Hang on one second." She put the kid down and shooed the rest of the kids away before she slipped into the kitchen.
The kids all came running back to the table.
"Max is in big trouble," The blond kid said as he shoveled food into his mouth. "Jeb is mad."
"Why, what did he say?" Ella asked nervously. Iggy just sighed and rubbed his eyes tiredly.
"He said that the coach called from the soccer team and said that Max was doing…" He paused, "bad stuff." He whispered.
"Iggy?" Dylan asked clearly trying to get a real answer.
"She got in a screaming match with the coach yesterday and said some bad stuff so I guess he called Jeb. I don't really know what happened I wasn't there," He said.
"I was there," I said and every head turned to me.
"What happened?" Ari asked.
"He told her she couldn't play 'cause she skipped school," I explained. "I guess she was already having a bad day." I looked over at Ella who shrunk in her seat. "So she called him some names and told him she was done and that she was going to go get drunk and smoke, cigarettes and pot, and then she left."
"She smokes pot now?" Ella screeched.
"Well she didn't after that, I can't speak for the future or the past," I replied.
"Only a couple times, but that's not important," Iggy said dismissively. "What's important is that she must've talked her way back in because she was at practice today. I know she talked to the coach and apologized and then she had to apologize to the team. I guess the coach called Jeb anyway."
"Dad's going to kill her." Ari breathed.
"Dad's gonna kill us all!" Ella screeched back at him.
"Just relax Ella," Ari replied clearly trying to keep his cool too.
"What do you think he'll do?" Dylan asked.
"He won't send her out with Valencia, will he?" Nudge asked nervously.
"No, I don't think he'd do that," Iggy replied. "Jeb has bigger fish to fry, this'll blow over in a week."
"Not this time it won't," Ari said. "He's already worried and trigger happy after my mom. I don't think he'll send her out but she's going to get shit on for sure."
Max came in with an air of fury. She walked towards Ari.
"He wants to talk to you," She said her voice cold and gruff. Once Ari took the phone he walked into the kitchen and Max turned to Iggy. "Got smokes?" He stood up and pulled a box from his pocket and threw it at her. Max shook the box and listened. I guess she liked what she heard because she walked outside.
We all sat in silence until Ari walked back in and slammed the phone down on its spot on the wall. He walked over to the table and took a long drink of water.
"What's the deal?" Iggy asked.
"He's coming home," Ari said grumpily. "Max is grounded until he gets home. He's pissed and he's doing some investigation or something." He stabbed some pasta angrily. "The thing is I don't even know why I'm mad. She deserves it, but I'm mad. Where is she anyway?"
"Guess," Dylan said equally as angry.
"I don't know why she even started in the first place," Ari said as he slammed his fork down.
"It's not what it seems like," Iggy said quietly.
"Sorry Ig, I forgot," Ari said. "But you should quit too. I hate that you guys do that."
"It's not a choice anymore, Ari. That's what you guys don't get," Iggy said a little forcefully.
"I think everyone just needs to take a deep breath," Nudge said. "This isn't about us, this is about Max and if we're all pissed too then there's no one left to calm Max down. So let's all just calm down. Maybe this'll be just what Max needs."
"She needs to go through withdraw during school and during soccer season?" Iggy question angrily. He clearly offered a different perspective. "Knowing Max she won't quit."
"So she'll smoke in the house, 'cause she's grounded." Ari said.
"Yeah, but she goes to school all day and has practice after school. She'll find a way. She's hid it for this long," Iggy said. "Plus I don't think your dad even has proof she does it yet. He's just going off of some threat that she gave to the coach."
"Yeah, you're right Ig, it'll probably blow over. Max could talk herself out of murder," Ari said obviously trying to reassure himself.
To my right Gazzy leaned over and whispered something in James' ear.
"Iggy, did you ever do sex?" James asked his older brother who started to choke on his food. The girls choked too and Dylan and Ari just started chuckling.
"That's not dinner talk James. Where did you learn that?" Iggy said still a little stunned. I couldn't help but chuckle a little myself.
"We learned about it at school. Did you do puberty?" James asked innocently. We all laughed again. God, you've got to love kids.
"Yes, James," Iggy answered honestly.
"Did it hurt?" James asked curiously.
"No," Iggy said tiredly. Just then Max walked back in looking a little tired.
"Max did you ever do sex?" James asked her as he and the other kids turned in their chairs to look at her. The boys all tried to stifle their laugher so various snorting sounds were coming from them. Ella and Nudge were smirking and shaking their heads. Max was just frozen in her spot looking at James obviously trying to decide what was going on.
"Is this a joke guys?" She asked the older boys angrily.
"I swear on my life he did that all by himself," Iggy said holding his hands up and laughing.
"Well what do I say?" She asked them impatiently.
"James, that's not the type of question you should ask people, especially girls," Dylan told him finally saving Max.
"Why not?" Gazzy asked.
"Because it's something personal," Max told him regaining her cool and her patience, with the kids at least.
"Max, what's sex?" the blond kid, Omega, asked. Max froze again.
"Yeah Max, what's sex?" Iggy asked smirking. "Inquiring minds want to know."
"That's a question your daddy should answer," She told him as she glared at Iggy.
"Yeah, Omega leave it alone," Ari said becoming the father figure again.
"Can I leave?" Max asked Ari. She looked straight at him but she wasn't seeing anything.
"Where to?" Ari asked.
"Do you really want to know?" Max shot back. Ari rubbed his eyes.
"Yes, actually," He said definitively. I wanted to know too. Maybe she would let me come, not that I would ask. Maybe she would let me kiss her again.
"The tracks probably," She said leaning over the back of Angel's chair and playing with her hair as she ate away barely acknowledged Max or the drama going on at the table.
"Nowhere else?" Ari asked raising his eyebrows.
"Maybe to a party," Max told him honestly.
"Will there be sex, drugs, and alcohol?" Ari asked.
"Probably," Max told him.
"Will you be involved in the probable be sex, drugs, and alcohol?" He asked her.
"Definitely," Max told him smirking slightly.
"Not by yourself then," Ari said as he looked over at Iggy who was stuffing his face and watching him. When he realized what Ari was implying he shook his head.
"No can do sweetheart, 'rents want me in by nine, plus I've got the kid," Iggy said nodding his head at where James was making a pasta tower with the other two boys.
"I'll go by myself then," Max told him narrowing her eyes.
"Look, dad said I'm in charge of you. If you're going to get drunk you're not going alone. Dylan?" Ari said and then turned to Dylan with question.
"Max, babe, you know I want nothing more than to spend the night partying with your drunk ass but it's a school night," Dylan said.
"Since when are you responsible, asshole?" Max snapped at him. I could go. Should I volunteer to go? Would I get in trouble for going?
"Since I decided I don't want to flunk out of high school. We can't all slip by with barely a c average and get a full ride to college on sports," Dylan replied but he wasn't mad like she was, he was calm.
"Fine I'll take Nick," Max said as she looked at me. I felt everyone's head turn to look at me.
"Nick?" Ari asked me. He was secretly hoping I would say no, he didn't want her out any more than her dad did.
"Maybe, I'd have to check with my parents," I told them. Max smirked smugly at Ari. I pulled out my phone and sent my mom a text asking if I could hang out with Max. I didn't tell her I would be going to party.
Be safe and remember you have to be up early for school tomorrow,she answered. My parents always said that I could do what I wanted, within reason, but I would have to deal with the consequences. If I wanted to stay up all night that was fine, but I'm going to school even if I didn't sleep at all because I should have been sleeping.
"I can go," I told them.
"Sweet let's rock," Max said. She walked around the table and gave each of the kids a kiss on the top of their heads.
"Don't stay out all night," Ari said tiredly.
"No promises!" Max called over her shoulder as she ran out the door. I sighed and got up to follow her.
"Nick," Ari said as I was about to walk out the door. "Just…"
"I'll keep her safe," I told him and nodded my head at him before slipping out the door. I knew what we were all thinking, we were all worried about Max. She knew this would be her last real free night, at least until her dad left and she was off the hook, and she was going to give it her all. We were all worried Max would finally take it too far.
A/N I have nothing else to say except to ask you guys to review! I love reviews!
