Thunder: Back Through the Rain-Chapter 11
By MyNameIsCAL
---Fang's POV---
But Jeb had disappeared. Mom tried to contact him in any way that she could think of, but there was nothing. He wouldn't answer or the number no longer existed. It was like he was trying to avoid us, so he cut off all ways of communication with us. That really pissed me off, if you wanted the truth.
The pain seemed like it was getting worse, like it was going to suck me through the ground and into some kind of darkness that I would never be able to escape from. I didn't even have Iggy to talk to anymore. He was too busy running around with Max. She had replaced me. Sometimes I felt stupid or guilty, but most of the time I was furious. I would blame myself and then blame Max. Even though I knew the cycle needed to be stopped, I was just going to let it run its course.
Ella and Nudge were good at listening, but I didn't want to open up to them entirely. It wasn't the same. They didn't understand me. Talking to each other was only really a way of comforting ourselves. But their pain wasn't like mine, both mentally and physically. By now, I had stopped taking the pills Mom had for me to relieve my pain. It wasn't working and the numbing feeling it gave off wasn't good enough. The pain was just easier to endure. There was no false sense of getting better and then being hit by sudden pain.
At least pain made me feel too.
---Iggy's' POV---
I enjoyed my time with Max. It was easier to be around her, but maybe to the extent where I thought Fang was actually ok, even though he wasn't. Nudge kept talking to me about Fang, but I never did anything about it, out of laziness and because maybe I was tired of trying to make everyone happy. What I didn't see was that I was only making Max happy and not anyone else.
"So what do you suggest we do?" I asked Max. "Since we can't find Jeb."
Max shrugged. "Stay here for a while? We don't have anything to follow. Even if we found Itex, it's not like we can demand a cure for Fang."
"Maybe we should go somewhere though. Like vacation," I offered.
"Maybe we should. Somewhere warm," Max agreed.
"California?" I suggested.
"Maybe. It wouldn't be too far to go."
---Fang's POV---
I would have been the only one protesting a trip to California, so I lied and agreed. We would be leaving tomorrow already.
"One a day, two if it gets really bad," Mom handed me a container of my medication for the pain. "And if it's bearable, then don't take any."
I frowned at them. "Alright, thanks."
She nodded. "Be careful."
Mom left me alone in the kitchen with Ella.
"You don't want to go, that's what Angel said," Ella said softly.
I stood, wincing as I put too much weight on my leg. "No, I don't want to go."
"Then why did you agree to?"
"Because that's what everyone else wanted."
She gave me a puzzled look.
I added, "Because it would make Max happy."
And I left her with that thought.
---Fang's POV----
Flying was painful, but landing was worse. If Gazzy and Nudge hadn't grabbed me by the arms, I would have fallen and done a couple of rolls.
"Well, let's get us a place to stay for a while." Max started to walk in one direction.
Iggy followed, taking her hand.
Nudge rolled her eyes and followed after them. It took me a while to pull myself together. Only Angel stood by my side as I adjusted my crutches so I could use them.
"You should have said something when we took a vote whether we wanted to go to California or not," she said as we started making our way to catch up to them.
I sighed. "Well, I guess it's too late now."
Angel looked like she wanted to say something else, but she just kept walking.
---Fang's POV---
We settled at a motel walking distance from the beach. There was a breeze that came from the ocean, making the high temperature comfortable.
"We have two rooms," Max announced as we left the front desk.
I stared at the ground.
Gazzy spoke first. "I'll share a room with Iggy."
"So Nudge, Angel and Fang will be in the other room. Good, that works out well. Unpack you're things and we'll meet out here in fifteen minutes." Max handed Nudge the key. "We'll go get some food."
We split into our rooms. I got this feeling that Gazzy was trying to save Nudge and I from being in the same room with Iggy and Max.
"Well this will be different," Nudge let out a breath. "No offense, Fang."
She was referring to Iggy. It was always Max and me and then Iggy, Nudge, Angel, and Gazzy when it came to sharing rooms. Sometimes one of them would be with us, but unless we were all in one room, Iggy and Max were never together. Maybe it made me angry.
"Well, there's not much to unpack," Angel said as we piled out backpacks onto the couch.
I took a seat on the couch. My leg hurt, but I was wary of taking any of the pain medication. It didn't really work and so there was no need for it.
"Fang…" Angel hesitated.
"Yeah?" I raised my eyebrows.
She sat down on the bed. "Everything is going to work out in the end, I promise."