Fang P.O.V

I woke up to the sound of the running shower. Where Max had been previously curled against me was now cold and my neck was stiff. My eyes were still thick with sleep and for a moment, I couldn't remember anything. I was tired and stiff and I hated it.

And then it all came back to me.

How Max had really opened up to me. How I had seen her cry for the first time. She had looked so small and broken, hunched up in on herself. She had reminded me of Angel, how she looked so young and afraid. It broke my heart.

"Hey, shower's free if you want." Max said to me from the doorway, her voice groggy and tired. I did a double take as I looked at her.

Max. In a towel. Wearing nothing but a towel. Her long, dirty blonde hair was damp, falling around her face in soft curls. My eyes followed a single bead of water as it travelled down her neck and disappeared under the towel, held tightly to her chest. Her bare shoulders were covered in little droplets of water and the brown towel she had on stopped just above her knees.

Oh dear god.

I forced my eyes away from her long, slender, tanned legs and looked up at her face, from my place on the brown leather couch. It was then that I finally noticed.

Her right cheek was a sore pink colour and I couldn't look away.

"What happened to your face?" I asked as I stood up and wondered over to her. She grimaced as I reached out and touched her cheek, stoking my hand on the smooth skin.

"That bad huh?" She spoke up again and I moved my hand away and crossed my arms over my chest. I was still wearing the clothes I had been yesterday despite the fact that Max had dug out some of Jeb's old clothes. I had fallen asleep before I had had time to change.

"Max." I warned, my voice demanding. She frowned and touched the sore are of her cheek, her other hamnd still clutching the edge of the fluffy towel tightly.

"Jeb slapped me."

I gasped, "What?"

"You heard me. I said some choice words and he got angry."

"So what are you gonna do?" I questioned her curiously. How could a man slap his own daughter like that? Chris had never done that to me and I wasn't even his real son. Not to mention his short temper. So the fact that Jeb, this supposedly once loving father, could do that to his own daughter shook me to my core.

Max's voice was cold and distant as she answered. "Nothing. I can't do anything. I was thinking about it last night and I realised something: for the first time in years, my mum…is happy. She's happy Fang. And if seeing her happy means I have to see that bastard a few times a week… then I'll do it. If him living in our house, and pretending like things are the way they used to be, makes her happy… I'll play along until she realises that things can never be like that again. Because she's happy. And I haven't seen her like that in a long time Fang. I can't be selfish. Not now. Not with her after all she's done for me."

I nodded and rested my hand on Max's warm, wet shoulder. She was the strongest person I knew. Part of me admired her for that. How she was willing to play along for the sake of her mother. Not to mention Ari. He would finally have a father figure and I knew for a fact that was all he had ever wanted.

That was all Max had ever wanted for her family.

Happiness.

I dropped my hand from Max's shoulder and smiled at her reassuringly. "You're a good person Max. Never lose that." Max smiled and chuckled to herself bitterly.

"I'm not. I'm a horrible person. Sometimes..." She hesitated, as if pondering whether to tell me or not. "Sometimes I feel like my family would be better off without me. And then I lose all that teen angst and remember what I do for them. I don't want to sound self-important, but they need me. So I stick around and pray for the day to come when I can leave. I've been thinking about what you said – about leaving this town someday. And I decided."

"Yeah." I prompted her, tearing my eyes away from her sore cheek and look into her big, brown eyes. The bright orbs no longer sparkled with freedom or mischief. They held worry and a bundle of emotions I've never seen in Max's eyes before.

"We will. We'll leave someday. Together. I've decided. Maybe when we leave school, I can go to University. I've always wanted to study English and Psychology at Durham maybe. It's supposed to be the top Uni for that. And then I can become a worldwide writer or a journalist that writes for a huge magazine. Maybe I'll travel all over the world and see culture. I haven't got that far yet. But I will do it. I've decided. So I will."

Max's determination was admirable. She was certain it would happen for her. And if Max was certain, then so was I.

Max was the kind of person that knew what she wanted. And if she knew what she wanted…she would get it.

"Yeah. You're gonna travel the world. And I'll be your number one fan when you're a worldwide sensation. And I'll be there, every step of the way. Even if not in person." I remarked honestly. Max smiled and the light her eyes once held was back.

"Really?" She asked me softly. I nodded.

"Really."

"Pinky swear?"

"I am not pinky swearing. No way in hell. But I do promise. No matter what happens. I actually have a favour to ask you…"

"Shoot."

"My date with Maya is on Saturday. Will you help me prepare. I've never really been on a proper date before. Not like this. I really like her and I want it to be perfect." Max smiled and nodded.

"Sure thing, Romeo." She smirked and I felt a weight released from my chest.

The feelings that I thought I had about Max, were just that. Thoughts. Worries that I would lose the one girl I cared most about just because of a stupid teenage crush. They had just been my hormones, fooling myself into thinking I felt something for Max that I had never felt before. I had been convinced that Max would get fed up with me and leave for quite some time now, so before she had the chance to hurt me, I had done it myself. By convincing myself that I liked her. And then letting her shoot me down. But I hadn't thought once about making Max jealous when I had proposed she help me. I had been thinking about making the date with Maya perfect.

And suddenly, just like that, everything was okay again. I had that clarity that Max had craved for. I had that piece of mind that knew what I wanted. I was going to be okay. As long as I had Max, my best friend, everything would be alright. And the fact that Max was so supportive of my plans with Maya, despite the fact that I knew she despised her, made me feel ten times calmer than I had in weeks.

I smirked, nodded my head and brushed past Max, into the bathroom to get ready.

Max P.O.V

I waved to Fang and watched him walk away before I turned into the house and slammed the door shut. When I turned around, my mother was there with her arms held wide open and a small smiled on her face. I sighed and stood my ground for a few seconds.

And then I threw myself into her waiting arms gratefully. I rarely hugged my mum. I just wasn't a touchy feely kind of person. But now, being here, I needed my mother's comfort more than anything.

"I'm so sorry. So, so sorry." She whispered, her face pressing against my neck. Her breath tickled my skin. I squeezed her tighter.

"I'm sorry too." I mumbled. I pulled away and grimaced when mum rested her hand on my sore cheek. She rubbed her thumb back and forth over the skin and winced.

"Oh Baby girl, I'm sorry I let him do that to you." I smiled reassuringly at her as she cried and hugged her again.

"That's okay. I'm okay. I'm sorry I overreacted. I should have given you the chance to explain. And if he really makes you that happy… then I guess I'll learnt to get over it." Mum looked purely hopeful as I told her the hardest thing I could have ever said in my life. I would get over it. Would she really let that man back into our lives after what he had done?

But I already knew the answer. My mum was a strong woman. But when it came to Jeb: he was her weakness. We all have them. We all have that one thing that makes us think irrationally. Brings out our crazy side. That one thing that makes us happy despite the fact that it's no good for us.

Jeb was that to my mum. So I would get on with it and pretend like I didn't care. I would act civilised and I would avoid him as much as I could. Because that's what I was supposed to do. My Mum isn't a selfish person. She gave up everything to be a mother to Ari and I. She worked extra shifts so we could stay in our home and have a good life. She attended our schools' parents' evenings alone and faced the difficulties a single mother could have in Redstone Lodge.

So for once…

I was letting her be selfish.

I pulled away from Mum again and smiled before entering the living room. Jeb was sitting at the coffee table, newspaper in his hands and a coffee mug held in his lap. He looked up from the paper when I stopped right in front of him, blocking the T.V from his view.

"I will be civilised towards you." I stated. Jeb stood up and held his arms out, an ecstatic smile on his face. "But that does not mean I have to like you. We are not hugging. No. Just no." I backed away and left him standing in the living room, confused.

And then, I went upstairs to sulk in my bedroom, wallowing in self-pity and wondering how to get through this thing with Fang. I had to help him. I had to give him tips about how to make his date with Maya perfect.

I groaned and threw my head in my hands, sitting on my bed with a slump. "Why? Why would you agree to that?" I asked myself through my pitiful moans.

The next day, I finally dragged my butt out of bed and showered for school. I had spent the day prior lazing about and getting some studying done. I wanted to be super prepared for my exams so I spent any free minute I had studying.

When I got downstairs, Jeb was making pancakes and Ari was sitting on the counter top next to the cooker. I nudged him off and poured myself a cup of coffee.

"Pancakes Max?" Jeb asked me happily. It was a normal question that required a normal answer. But instead of giving him the answer, I grunted and picked up an apple.

"Not hungry."

"You used to love my pancakes." He stated, smiling at me weekly. I ran a brush through my knotted hair and pulled it up into a ponytail.

"Yeah." I muttered. "Used to." And without saying another word, I grabbed my school bag and left Jeb standing in the kitchen, dazed as I slammed the front door shut.

The air was fresh and blew the loose strands of my hair in front of my face. Fang and I were walking to school together today so I stood against the brick wall of my garden and leant my bag against my legs.

A few minutes later, Fang arrived, carrying his bag and rushing at a rapid pace to reach me in time. He stopped short in front of me and smiled.

"Hey. Did you know he's watching you?" Fang asked me curiously, smirking as I groaned and nodded my head.

"Yep." I said, turning round to look back through my kitchen window, where Jeb was watching us anxiously. "But standing out here was better than being in there."

"So he's here to stay." Fang pulled me away and started leading the way to school.

"I guess." I didn't say anything else and neither did he. We didn't need to.

We entered the school building and Fang waited with me by my locker as I got my books out.

"So," He began, leaning against the lockers next to me. "I was thinking maybe we could do that thing tonight."

"What thing?" I asked distractedly. I slammed my locker shut and started walking to form room, Fang jogging to catch up with me.

"You know. The thing."

"You're gonna have to give me a little more than that. I only got six hours sleep last night." I told him as we got to our form class. We sat in our seats next to each other and he leant his elbow on my desk.

"You said you'd help me out… with Maya."

"Oh yeah. That. Okay cool. Come over after school and we'll do that. You can help me out with math too." I smiled and rested my head on the desk next to Fang's olive toned arm.

When Fang and I got to my house, Jeb and Ari were sitting at the kitchen table working on Ari's homework or something. Jeb glanced up at Fang and I as I pulled out two bottles of fizzy drink form the fridge.

"What about you Max?" He asked me and smiled as Mum joined us all in the kitchen. "Wanna take a drive this Sunday? For old time's sake?"

"Can't. I'm busy." I told him, taking a sip of my drink.

"What? You can't even make time for your dear old dad?"

"Dear old dad? Sure. You…not so much." I shot him a sarcastic smile and ignored my mother's reprimanding one.

"Well what are you doing that's so important?" Jeb asked me curiously.

"You didn't hear? I'm flossing that day. I have a very strict schedule when it comes to teeth hygiene." I declared, sarcasm practically dripping from my tone. Fang snickered from beside me.

"Max." Mum warned me. I sighed.

"I'm studying for an English test."

"Okay then, some other time maybe?" Jeb asked me. I tapped my chin and smirked.

"How's… never for you?"

"Max. Seriously, I'd like to take you out soon and catch up."

"Yeah well… don't hold your breath. Actually… do." I turned and left, Fang following as he snickered.

"Your sarcasm astounds me." He stated as he leant against the door frame of my bedroom for support. I smirked.

"Your hypocrisy astounds me." Fang smiled and sat down on my bed.

I could hear my mum and Jeb's voices as the conversed, coming closer until they stopped outside my bedroom door.

"She never used to have such a bad attitude. Puberty does terrible things to a child." Jeb remarked astonished. I peeked my head out of my door.

"Or… it could just be that I hate you." I offered helpfully.

I slammed the door in Jeb's face and turned to Fang.

"Okay. Where to start."

Okay so that's a bit of a longer chapter for you guys. A lot more feeling-y than I expected. Anyway, let's try reach 120 reviews. Thanks again to all of you that have been reading a reviewing. We're at 50 follows now which is great! I should be looking to update by Tuesday or Wednesday at the latest hopefully.