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Once Fang and I were out of Dylan's sight (lunch was over) I gave him a fist pound.
"That was awesome," I said, grinning at his handsome face. I meant face. Just face, that's what I meant.
Fang smiled. "He deserved it," he says, just as someone comes rushing up to his side.
"What the hell Fang? Why didn't you sit with us today? I mean, come one! Fangy. Fangggy!?" It seems to take this person a minute before he actually notices someone standing right by them, that someone being me.
"Hi random stranger that probably thinks I'm crazy. I'm Iggy." The young man stretches out a hand. A really, really pale hand...
I take it. "Max." I say, nodding toward him. Then I add, "And it wasn't Fang's fault. He was...um..."
Iggy interrupts. "Oh Maxie, don't worry about it. I wasn't really mad at Fang." he says, rolling his crystal clear blue eyes. "Fang and I have a special relationship."
If I hadn't known Fang well, then that would have sounded extremely strange...
While Fang talks to Iggy, I can't help but notice how tall the boy was. Wow. With a full mop of blond hair on his head. From behind him I see a little bit of dark brown hair stir. WTF?
"Hi," a head peeked out from behind Iggy. "I'm Ella, Iggy's girlfriend." She looks really friendly, with pretty Hispanic looks.
"I'm Max, nice to meet you." I say, smiling. "Sorry to steal Fang away from you guys today, I was having trouble with," my eyes dart toward the clock. One minute until class! I don't really care about being late, but since today is my first full day, I want to make a good impression on all of the teachers. "I'll talk to you later." I say to Ella, and she gives a small wave.
"I'll see you later Fang," I say softly. He gives me a smile and waves, looking really annoyed at Iggy, who was talking up a storm...witch concerned me slightly, since I heard the word 'bomb' in the conversation more than once...Hmmm, Iggy would be an interesting person to get to know...And Ella, for that matter.
Time Skip:
Jeb walks down the stairs, a bottle of beer in his hand just ready to hit me with. Someone please help me...
Not breaking eye contact with Jeb, I silently tell Angel to go to our room with a wave of my hand. She looks at me pleadingly, but knows that I would never forgive myself (or her, I threaten, just so she would go) if she got hurt.
"Dad." I say instinctively. I wished he would act like a dad, and not just some stranger named Jeb. In the midst of all the anger, that's the only reason I still call him 'dad.' It gives me a little hope...
"Maximum." I can hear the anger that's been bottled up in his voice, but I can also hear sadness. "Why were you gone for so long?" he mumbles, dizzily clutching the table for support (obviously too drunk to process much of anything.)
I bite my lip. "I made friends. And then I got stuck in the storm."
"I see." he says, a little spark of light touching his eyes just before the alcohol consumes him once more, and his face becomes horribly blank. "You can't leave me again."
And the torture starts.
You know that moment when your not sure if there's anything worth living for anymore? You scan every detail of your life and search for something meaningful that balances out the bad things.
My eyes are bloodshot, my lips bleeding, there are cuts from glass that hurt like hell on my arms. My cheek is bruised, my ribs feel just on the edge of being broken and I can't stand for five minutes without falling down.
My skin is cold and pale. I feel numb physically and emotionally. I search for ibuprofen and take three.
I crawl into bed, already battered and bruised on the outside, just to find Angel crying on her pillow, making my heart hurt even worse.
"What's wrong baby?" I ask softly, pulling the little girls small body up to me.
"Max, I miss mom."
"I know, Angel, I do too."
"I miss home."
"I know."
"I want to go home," she cries softly into my shoulder. I feel my heart breaking, piece my piece.
"Please don't cry Angel," I beg, smoothing her hair down. "You have to be strong."
But she's only eight and she shouldn't have to be. "I'm sorry," I tell her, when suddenly an idea (crazy and wreck less, as always) pops into my head.
"I can't bring mom back. I can't take you home, not now, not yet." I whisper. "So let's just go on a drive, and get out for a few hours, OK?" I say, giving her my best smile.
"OK."
So we sneak out of the house, although there's really no need since its 9:30 and Jeb is already passed out in bed. Angel gets into the passenger seat and, after buckling our seat belts, I start driving down the road, wherever there is to drive.
"I know a place." I say softly. "It's not home. But it's similar." I say. Angel gives me a small smile so I take off toward that old feed lot.
Once I'm near the turn off I keep on going. The farther out out I go, the more rugged and familiar the land gets. I stop, not paying attention to the pouring rain outside, and wrap my jacket tighter around myself. That's right folks, another storm in Arizona. There wasn't any lightning, this time though. Only rain and thunder.
Making sure Angels wrapped up nice and warm, and trying to ignore the fact of how crazy this was, I watch as she, even against all odds, smiles happily. She giggles and her eyes light up as she touches the rain and twirls in circles. We lay down next to each other, taking in the sweet grass.
A sudden breeze blows against our faces. I can almost smell the faint breath of home, miles and miles away.
We spend a little more time there. But eventually its pitch black out and I tell Angel that we have to go back to the house. She cries and begs me not to. But staying out any later would be dangerous, and Angel has school tomorrow.
"Just a few more minutes," she begs, pulling on my arm. I sigh and agree. I sat down on the damp grass as the sky continues to rumble. Angel crawls into my lap.
"Will you sing a song?" she asks.
"What one?" I ask.
"Home...you know, the one by Blake...Blake..."
"Shelton," I finish for her. I start softly, the rain like music again the ground.
"Another summer day has come and gone away in Paris and Rome, but I wanna go home.
Maybe surrounded by a million people, I still feel alone...I wanna go home.
I miss you, you know.
And I've been keeping all the letters that I wrote to you, each one a line or two,
'I'm fine baby, how are you?"
I would send them but I know that it's just not enough. My words were cold and flat, and you deserve more than that...
Another airplane, another sunny place
I'm lucky I know but I wanna go home, I got to go home, let me go home
I'm just too far, from where you are
I wanna come home
And I feel just like I'm living someone else's life
It's like I just stepped outside
When everything was going right
And I know just why you could not come along with me
This was not your dream
But you always believed in me
Another winter day has come and gone away
In even Paris and Rome
And I wanna go home, let me go home
And I'm surrounded by a million people, I still feel alone and I wanna go home
Oh, I miss you, you know
Let me go home
I've had my run
Baby, I'm done
I'm coming back home
Let me go home
It will all be all right
I'll be home tonight
I'm coming back home"
I finished, just as we loaded up back into the truck, the rain and tears running together down my face...
Did you guys like it? PLEASE REVIEW and tell me! By the way, If you wanted, you should check out that Blake Shelton song if you don't already know it. I love it. Anyway, Thanks for reading!