Hey, are you guys flippin' serious? Over 100 reviews after my NINTH chapter? That's so awesome! I've never gotten this kind of response on my stories before. I probably shouldn't be getting this excited but you are the best readers/reviewers ever!
Enough of me getting excited... Next chapter, enjoy!
I stepped back in shock, unable to believe what had just happened. I held my hand to my cheek as a sharp stinging erupted from the strike. Fang's face seemed to soften as his eyes became less angry and more... apologetic. I stumbled backwards, tears welling up in my eyes.
He reached out to me, his expression genuinely worried but I tore my hand back. I just kept stepping backwards, trying not to cry even more but that plan failed once I felt the tears roll down my cheeks.
I turned around, getting ready to sprint out of the room but stumbled, thanks to my lack of coordination and high heels. I grabbed the door frame and pulled myself up, flinging myself out of the room, not caring that I was crying uncontrollably. I sped through all of the people and tried to avoid them but was unable. I walked into them, stepped on their feet, and knocked glasses out of their hands but all I cared about was leaving.
One thing ran through my mind and that was the two words Fang had shouted after me. Actually, I wasn't even sure he had said anything. It could have just been my imagination but I prayed that he had indeed said them. What are those two words, you may ask? I'm sorry.
I ran through the groups of people standing around and talking and manger together past most of them without getting asked any questions. I felt a large hand catch my upper arm and I spun around, seeing a very confused Iggy trying to get around a group of people in the process of leaving. I snatched my arm away from him and slowed down, making it easier for me to get around the people without any aggravation.
I burst through the glass doors and walked around the church, holding my hand at my cheek the whole time. Tears ran down my face as I listened to the soft footsteps. I sat down on the bench in front of the small garden and absentmindedly stared at a rose bush, eyeing the thorns curiously.
The footsteps came to a slower pace and I glanced at the corner. I saw Iggy jogging over, out of breath slightly. He caught sight of me and turned to me immediately. He looked down at my pathetic figure before sitting down next to me.
"What's wrong?" he asked softly, running his fingers through his short blonde hair. I looked up at him, letting my hand fall from my cheek. He hesitantly reached over and touched it lightly, his eyes widening significantly. His fingers felt icy cold on my skin but it was good. He flattened his whole palm against it and enveloped me into a hug.
I sat there in his arms, shaking from the sobs running through me. I wasn't crying because of pain or sadness, but because of the lingering feeling of betrayal in my heart. I let my mind push aside any feeling of physical pain I had and let it be repressed as I focused on the mental and emotional pain.
I sobbed into Iggy's shirt as he muttered encouraging words to me under his breath. He didn't ask what happened. He didn't dig into things. He didn't assume anything. He just sat there, holding a broken-hearted girl in his arms without a second thought.
"Maxie," he whispered once my sobs were reduced to shudders. He pulled back from me and wiped away my tears gently with his fingers. "What happened? Did he- did he do that?" he asked, sensing my uncharacteristic inability to speak. I just looked into his pale blue eyes and nodded slightly, feeling lightheaded the more and more I did so. He put his hand gently on the back of my head and brought me to his chest once again. I let him without any complaints.
His hands rubbed my back briskly as a slowly hugged him back. I didn't need to talk. All I needed was someone to hold me and never let go but, regretfully, my number one choice for whom to do that was currently unavailable. I just let Iggy stroke my hair down and rub a soothing circle on my bare upper back. It gave me chills but I disregarded them. That was the price you pay for wearing an open- backed dress to a formal event.
Again, Iggy broke away from me and I immediately wished he hadn't. I missed his warmth and comfort as soon as his body unlatched from mine.
"I'm going to take you home," he said, standing up stiffly. I nodded, not moving from my spot. "I'll be right back. Don't move." he added in, holding his hands out.
I watched him walk away, probably going inside to get our jackets and his car keys. I shivered slightly as I waited for him but I knew it would take him longer than a couple of seconds to find everything he needed. I sat there on that bench until I was sure that the November air was freezing my toes. I stood up slowly and stretched out my arms, feeling the cold really settle in. My teeth started to chatter as I walked around the bend and to the front doors of the church. I tried to ignore the little things that would usually bother me like the frigid air, my inability to walk in a straight line with high heels on, and the annoying headache I had circling my mind. I walked over to the front, not bothering going inside since I saw Iggy walking to the door, two jackets slung over his arm and keys jingling in his fist, and an annoyed expression on his soft face. Then, I saw Fang walking close behind.
"No, Fang," I heard Iggy saying once he opened the door, "she won't talk to you!" he tried to slam it on his face but he caught it on his toe and flung it open, following Iggy out and over to me. Iggy just picked up his pace.
"Iggy, come on! Please, Max!" Fang said as he stopped walked and stared after us. I took one second to glance back at him and I saw a pleading look on his face.
Iggy draped my jacket over my shoulders and curled his arm around my waist, pushing me forwards towards his car. I mentally thanked Iggy.
The last thing I wanted to do right now was talk to Fang and thanks to him, I didn't have to. He practically threw me over to the passenger side of his truck before taking one last fleeting look at Fang and climbing into the driver's seat.
"I'm sorry, Maxie," he said, looking over at me as I pulled the seatbelt across my body. I gave him a slightly annoyed look but really had no obligation to him calling me Maxie. After all, he was like my big brother. "I didn't think you would want to talk to him after what happened."
I nodded, straightening out the hem of my dress. "I don't" I muttered, not looking up. "And thank you" I added, looking up at him. His hands were gripping the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles were turning white. I reached over and put my hand over his, feeling it stiffen then relax. His hand turned over and left the steering wheel as it gripped mine.
"I told your mom and my parents you felt sick so I was going to take you home." he said, keeping his eyes directly on the road. We only lived about ten minutes away so we were already halfway back to my house. "Your mom told me to stay with you." he said after many moments silence.
I just nodded and adjusted my jacket so I could shove my arms through the sleeves. Iggy sighed and glanced over at me, a curious look on his face but he said nothing.
A few minutes later we arrived at my house. Iggy parked on the street, knowing he'd be leaving after my mom and Ella got home so he left room in the driveway for my mom's truck. He turned off the engine and slid the key out of the ignition as he got out of the car. I looked at him carefully and saw that he was coming around the back of the car and over to my side. I tried to open the door before he did but I wasn't able to. He yanked it open as he rubbed his hands together and blew in them, trying to warm up his fingers.
He held out his hand for me to take and I did, keeping my fingers wrapped up in my jacket. I stepped out, my legs beginning to freeze as soon as they left the warmth of the car. I shivered and stepped onto the road. I took a few steps forward and heard Iggy slam the door to his truck behind me. I started walking down the driveway, trying to avoid falling on the ice. All I wanted to do was get inside and curl up with a steaming mug of hot chocolate, and that was exactly what I did.
When I entered the house, I went straight up to my room and changed into sweatpants and an oversized sweatshirt. I didn't care about how I looked. As long as I was comfortable, it didn't matter. I put my curly hair up into a pony tail but did nothing about the make-up. It would take awhile to take it all off anyway.
I walked down the stairs and into the kitchen to see Iggy standing at the stove, heating up some water for hot chocolate. It was like he read my mind. I walked over to him and gave him a small smile. He had already taken off his jacket and unbuttoned the top few buttons of his dress shirt, letting his pale skin show. He smirked at me as he saw the transformation from clean, chic Max to baggy, comfortable Max.
"Are you okay?" Iggy asked after a couple of minutes. I looked up at him and nodded, sighing irritably.
"I'm fine," I muttered. For some reason I felt fine. I felt normal, although nothing around me was normal at all. "I'm just really tired." I added in, suddenly feeling very lethargic.
"Let's watch a movie," he said, suddenly smiling. He reached over and handed me a mug filled to the brim with hot chocolate and marshmallows. I looked at him curiously as he pushed me slightly into the living room. I put my mug down on the coffee table and plopped down onto the couch, curling up against the back of it.
Iggy knelt down in front of the television and looked through all of the DVD's we had. His brows furrowed and frowned when he didn't find what he was looking for. He went over to the trunk that we kept out old Disney movies in. He grinned and pulled one out, hiding it so I couldn't see what it was. I watched him curiously as he put it in the player and jumped onto the couch next to me.
"What did you put in?" I asked, looking at him as he fast forwarded through all of the previews and commercials before the movie.
"Our favorite movie from when we were kids," he said, chuckling to himself. I looked over at the TV and saw 'The Little Mermaid' go across the screen.
"I remember watching this with you!" I said, remembering when he and I were watching this at his house. We both had fallen in love with it. "I still don't know why you liked it so much, though." I said, watching the beginning of the movie.
He shrugged modestly and replied, "What can I say, that Ursula is just so damn hot!" I smiled and laughed, picturing her in my mind.
"I really don't think she's your type." I said, laughing at the thought of Iggy and her together. "Actually, I don't think she's anyone's type."
"You're right," He mumbled, looking at me carefully, "There's only one girl for me,"
"And who might that be?"
"Madonna!" he exclaimed happily. I tried not to laugh at him but it was almost impossible seeing as he had a goofy smile spread across his face. I snorted and laughed. "What? Why are you laughing? I think that we're perfect together! She loves me too! Just ask her!" I just laughed harder and harder.
"There's the Max we all love," He said softly, wrapping me in a hug. I smiled and hugged him back, kissing him on the cheek as I pulled back.
"You always know how to make me smile," I said, repositioning myself so that my head was resting on his leg and my feet were hanging over the side of the couch. "That's a great thing to be able to do." I added.
"I have this power, and I will use it for good!" He exclaimed, throwing his arms into the air cheering. I chuckled and looked back over at the screen, seeing how much of the movie we had missed while we were talking. I felt his hands come back down behind me, one playing with my hair, the other holding his hot chocolate.
We watched the movie for about another half hour, occasionally talking throughout it. I jumped in surprise when I heard a knock on the door. I looked up at Iggy and sighed, getting up slowly. I turned slightly and felt my back crack. I relaxed my shoulders and got up and walked over to the door, unlocking it and pulling it open and standing in front of me stood a stone-faced Fang.
I glanced back at Iggy, who looked as though he was still trying to sort through his emotions. I looked up at Fang and frowned, wondering what I was supposed to do now. I really had no experience with situations like this.
"I'll go upstairs," Iggy said, jumping up off the couch and paused the movie. He strode up the stairs, probably going into my room to use my laptop. I stepped back and let Fang walk into the house and out of the cold. I was relieved that he had come. I didn't want to lose him.
I stood across from him and waited for him to say something but he uttered no words. He just stared down at me in horror, though, I wasn't sure why. I didn't know whether he was horrified of himself, or me.
He slowly reached forwards with a shaking hand and put his hand on my cheek. It was cold against my warm skin and I resisted a shudder. His thumb traced circles on my cheekbone and he stepped forwards, bringing me into his arms. "I'm sorry," He said softly in my ear. "I'm so, so sorry. I don't know what came over me."
I flung my arms around him, not completely trusting him like I had before but this couldn't be helped. I tightened my arms around his neck as he tightened his grip around my waist. We stood there for what felt like hours but was only minutes. I stepped down from him and looked at him closer. His eyes were red and bloodshot and had bags underneath them.
"I should get back," he muttered, "Dad wanted me to say goodbye to everyone."
"Can you stay?" I asked, looking at him with puppy dog eyes. "Please?" He smiled softly and nodded. I smiled and grabbed his hand and led him over to the couch.
"The Little Mermaid?" he asked skeptically, looking at me from the corner of his eye.
"Do you have a problem with people who want to be… under the sea?!" Iggy shouted from around the bend. He raced into the room and jumped onto the couch, sitting cross legged next to me. He draped his arm over my shoulders and gave me a silly smile. I rolled my eyes and leaned back against the couch. I felt his hand being lifted off my shoulder. I looked over at him and he shrugged and pointed at Fang. I looked over at him and smiled as he pulled me into him.
We just sat there, three best friends since the third grade, watching The Little Mermaid together. Nothing could possibly go wrong.
So, there you go. I tried to make this chapter a little lighter and happier. It has humor between Max and Iggy because a lot of you reviewers say you like those two interacting.
Do you love it? Hate it? Have any suggestions? Let me know!