I know I haven't written anything and a VERY long time. I was insanely busy, and, well, I couldn't think of anything to write about. I need ideas, help, anything. I would love suggestions if anybody has any. I'm so sorry for just stopping this story out of the blue. I promise to right at least a couple times a week if people actually like this story.
Thank you for those we review! It really does make me happy to know what you think! Don't be scared to be open!
*I do not own MR or any part of it*
Listen, I'm all up for the helping people and creating a better life for those like me, but when a little girl's scared to open the door it really screws things over. Iggy tried soothing Nudge to get her to unlock the only thing in my way of knocking out that Jeb guy, but she wouldn't even budge. Honestly, after a while I had a feeling she headed back upstairs.
"Nudge, c'mon!" I groaned, "We're not going to cause a scene." Reasoning with this girl was like reasoning with a wall. Maybe the wall would have been easier to deal with, though, considering you could hit a wall without it getting its feelings hurt, and it makes you feel much better. At the orphanage I used to do it all the time, imagining it was Miss. Goldren.
"I-I can't" The sound of her whisper sent all three of us back in action, "Please, just leave." I could tell she was crying from the way her voice broke halfway through the sentence, and it made me feel so completely useless. I was used to crying, sobbing, weeping, howling, and whatnot, but not when I couldn't even do anything about it.
"I'll call the cops." I said, knowing I was pushing this way out of line. In truth, how in the world was I supposed to know these girls were actually in trouble? The seasoning could have had something Gazzy was allergic too… I rubbed my temples with my palms quickly to relieve some stress.
"Way to not make a scene." Iggy mumbled. I gave him a 'really?' look before turning my attention back on the door. The door that was slowly becoming my morning buddy.
"Nudge, Gazzy's sick." Fang took over. I heard a tiny gasp from the other side, but nothing more after that.
"We think Jeb had something to do with it." Iggy explained, and a beat later the door flung open and a murderous Nudge stood behind it. I was surprised that glare didn't make me flinch, because if look could kill Nudge would be on the 'Most Wanted.'
"Leave my dad out of." But there was something in her voice. Something under all that fury that sounded scared, worried. Her eyes welled with tears, but before she let them fall down her high cheekbones, she shook her head and took a breath. "Don't come back here."
"Nudge, we can help!" Iggy argued, "We could-"
"Get. Off. My. YARD!" She bellowed, cutting Iggy off completely. We were all at loss for words, but the sound of the door slamming in our faces awakened us.
"She's scared." I whispered. I had a feeling I knew why, but I wasn't going to throw out accusations this soon. I barely knew the girl, or her father.
On our way back home Fang finally spoke again, "I saw it too." When Iggy and I just looked at him, he explained farther, "about being scared. It was all there."
"It's not our business." Iggy replied.
"Of course it is-"
"No, Max, listen." Iggy cut me off, "we have no right to investigate what goes on in that house. We need to take care of ourselves before thinking about others. Hell, we just moved in." A part of me knew Iggy was right. What goes on in other people's homes was their own business, but I couldn't just forget everything I witnessed. Instead of arguing against it, I stood on my tip-toes and hooked an arm around Iggy's neck to bring him down to my level,
"When did you become so wise?" I teased. He gave out a fake laugh before answering,
"Don't speak too soon. Eggs are probably burning."
So after our little 'chat' with Nudge, we finally sat around the table and ate a decent breakfast. Of course Iggy's food was amazing, I just didn't have a taste for anything. Gazzy was upstairs throwing up every hour, while Mrs. Martinez was helping him re-brush his teeth. Nudge and Ella were caged in, what I'm sure, an abusive home, and Angel was alone in daycare. Not that I felt too bad for Angel, considering she had no idea what was going on at home, but I still didn't understand why she needed daycare over the summer.
"You know what would be amazing?" I asked Iggy, although I surely didn't mind the attention Fang gave me that same second.
"More salt on these eggs?" he replied with a mouth filled with bread, eggs, and salad. I rolled my eyes but couldn't help and give a grin,
"If you try talking to Nudge alone."
"Max." He said sternly, and I knew to just shut up. Iggy rarely has those stern, solid moments, but when he does I know better than to argue against him.
"Well I'm stuffed." Fang said, breaking the tension. He was sitting right across from me, so I knew perfectly well when he was looking at me and when he wasn't. Right now? He was smoldering me, almost as if he was digging into my brain to see how messed up it truly is.
"Me too. Thanks Ig." I got off my chair, carrying my plate with me to the sink without meeting eye contact with Fang. This little 'win a date with Max' thing was starting to freak me out. One look into his beautiful eyes and I was a goner for sure. I couldn't let him face victory so quickly, especially not in front of Iggy. God, this was so wrong.
"I'll do the dishes," I volunteered, already turning on the faucet.
"You don't have to yet, mom hasn't eaten." Fang called back from the dining room. There goes the little time I had to myself. I turned off the water and spun around to press against the sink.
"So what're we doing today?" I heard Iggy ask Fang. Jealousy swept through my whole body, and before I knew it my legs had gotten me to where Iggy and Fang were still sitting around the dining room table. I folded my arms across my chest,
"You two are going out?" I questioned. Fang nearly snapped his head from it turning around so quickly, and he gave a tiny smirk that disappeared before I could take a mental picture.
"Just going to introduce Iggy to some friends." Fang said innocently, getting up with his plate. Iggy grinned, placing his hands behind his head.
"A hot chick or two…" He said dreamily. In a typical situation I would have slapped the back of Iggy's head and told him to grow up, but why shouldn't he have a little fun? Besides, no matter how much I wanted to hang out with Fang for a day, a night, a life time, maybe more, I was trying to resist him. Trying to figure out the real him before he takes my heart, completely.
"School starts in two weeks, Max," Fang almost breathed to the side of my face. I was so busy looking at Iggy's distant face expression to notice Fang was already in the kitchen and back, behind me. "Better find some friends, as well." I held strong, giving no signs that just his voice made my head spin. Instead of turning around to answer him, I kept moving forward, ran up the stairs, and headed to Gazzy. It was probably one of the hardest things I had done, and I was pretty damn proud. That was until I saw how pale Gazzy was and Mrs. Martinez's exhaustion. I knocked softly on the open door to get either one's attention, but that was when I noticed Gazzy was sleeping and the only person to answer was my mom.
"Oh, I'm so glad you came up. I was scared to leave him to call you."
"I'm here." I smiled, "anything you want, I'm all ears." It surprised me how much I was willing to help out this woman. It wasn't only because Gazzy was in need, although the was most of it, it was also the sincere love in her eyes. The way all the warmth in the world was just held there. That was when it snapped at me how something was so, horrifyingly wrong with Jeb and his household. Eyes say everything.
"I hate to make you do this, but there's a pharmacy a couple blocks away from here." I really hope she wasn't asking me to drive. Driving+Max=death=no life with Fang=worse than death.
"Er…"
"Maybe you could catch a ride with Fang and pick up the medicine I ordered?" How could I say no to this woman? I just nodded my head before making my way back down the stairs.
"Fang?" I called. No answer. "Iggy?" I tried again. No answer. Did they really leave without saying anything? I debated going back upstairs to tell mom that I couldn't go, or just walking there. How bad could a couple blocks in the summer heat be? Besides, I needed the exercise. The last time I went on a jog was so long ago it hurt my brain to remember. With a long sigh, I finally agreed on the walking part and headed out before I changed my mind.
The walk was incredibly stress relieving. After passing Nudge and Ella's house I had a clear brain to think about this new school thing. My first day in a high school is in two weeks and I couldn't help but freak myself out. What if I'm a freak there? What if everybody sees right past me? Sees how crazy and messed up my life is? What about Gazzy and Iggy? How will they hold up? Then I reminded myself who I was. How strong I have grown up to be, and walked the rest of the way just enjoying the sun and warm wind.
I wasn't sure how much time past by when I finally reached a small drug store and headed in. It was so much darker in here than outside and I automatically missed the fresh air. Air conditioning was no problem either, but being cooped inside a crummy orphanage for so long you develop a new appreciation for nature.
When I saw the pharmacy sign signed with relief that I had come to the right place and my legs made it over there before I could process what I was doing. I really hoped Gazzy wasn't in pain, and still peacefully sleeping. This must be the worst day ever for him. I was so caught up in my thoughts that when I ran into a girl with the brightest red hair. If I didn't know what the sun looked like, I would have thought she was it.
"God, why can't people see where they're going?" She exclaimed, raising both hands in the air for extra effect.
"Actually, my name is Max," I began, "And sorry, rough day." I stepped away from her and actually got to see how pretty she was. It wasn't only the fact that her red hair made her pale face bolt out, but her thin frame was dressed in probably the most expensive looking clothes. The black romper, and white edges reminded me of what I was wearing. My Hair messed up, my grey shorts riding up my butt, my tank top loose. She let out a tiny giggle,
"I'm sorry. Same here." I saw she was holding a box of new hair color, and I imedditlay wondered if her hair was naturally red. She saw me staring and cleared up the confusion,
"My boyfriend makes fun of my hair color."
"So what? I think it's amazing!" I argued. She let out a sigh, staring down at the box before looking back at me.
"You don't understand, though." She said, "he's very…repulsive... when it comes to getting what he wants."
"I say screw him." I wasn't sure what made me talk to this girl, but I realized it wasn't awkward or weird. If girls at my new school were like this, what's the worst that could happen? She let out another laugh and started walking, waiting for me to follow. I wasn't used to just following, but I did anyway, mostly because she was headed towards the pharmacy as well.
"Been there, done that." Oh… She gave a warm smile and shook her head, "I'm not a whore, although my reputation isn't the greatest, I do care for what I do. Or, who I do."
"I'm sorry, I don't really know what to say to that." I laughed nervously. We made it to the pharmacy and I let the red head get what she needed before I got what mom asked for. Soon enough, I was holding a box of Advil and walking into the checkout line with the redhead.
"So Max," she changed topics, "you're definitely new here, right?" Guilty as charged.
"Starting junior year in that high school near here."
"No way? You mean Berkeley High school?"
"Yeah." I smiled, but this time when she smiled back it looked so familiar. So, incredibly, familiar. Then my breath hitched, time stopped, and I was at loss for words. This was the same girl in Fang's room. The same one who was all over him… the red head… Lissa? Lissa who wasn't supposed to be in California! Lissa, who was supposed to be where Fang used to live, far away from here? I wanted to scream. I wanted to tear her hair out. But then I wanted nothing. She was nice to me. She was sweet, and kind.
"Well I'm new too!" Her grin could have broken her cheek bones if she kept on smiling that big, "I only know one guy in this new school, but I'm so glad I met you."
"I-I never got your name." I managed. She didn't seem to notice me at all. Maybe for the fact that the hallway was dark when I called Fang to eat, or maybe because she was intoxicated by Fang himself. I sure was. I thought back to when she said boyfriend. She couldn't mean Fang, right? He would never get disgusting over hair color. At least, I hoped not.
"Lissa!" I swear my gulp sounded louder than a scream. When she finally finished checking out we walked out together. I was about to say bye, but she insisted we exchange numbers. When I was finally ready to sprint home and have a talk with Fang about Lissa's hair, she offered me a ride. With the way I was already sweating, I couldn't decline. We talked a little more about useless things that aren't typically important. Hair, food, clothes. I felt like a completely different person around Lissa.
Although she had that popular girl, I have everything personality at times, she truly liked to talk to me. Two new girls in a whole new school, obsessing over the same guy? I sense a whole new kind of friendship burning.
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