Living in Max's Shadow – Chapter 36

By MyNameIsCAL

I can't sleep.

I need a drink.

But for Max's sake, I'll fight the urge for tonight. After all, it had been so long since we had been in the comfort of Mom's home. It would be a waste to get drunk and not enjoy my time here.

The sun will be up soon. I get out of bed and pull the blankets over Max. She looks peaceful, sleeping. After a moment of watching her, I walk down the hall to the family room and turn the TV on. The news is the first channel that shows up and the remote isn't in sight, so that's what I end up watching.

It's mostly about the Itex attack. I suppose I hadn't been out in the real world for a while. The public is still outraged, hurt, and in distress over it. Jack Thomas is still dead, technically. Speaking of Jack, he's awake too, now walking into the room.

"There any alcohol in this house?" Jack mutters.

I stare at him.

He blinks a few times. "Oh, damn, I'm sorry…I forgot…"

The craving was back.

"Are…Are you ok?" Jack sits next to me. "I'm sorry, I should have known better."

I close my eyes. "There's beer in the fridge, whiskey in the third cabinet from the sink, and wine in the basement."

"No, really, I'm sorry."

"Just go."

He stands and leaves me with the TV.

"Morning," Max says, sitting next to me.

I grunt.

"What's wrong with you?"

"He hasn't said anything since I woke up," Gazzy mutters, sounding irritated.

Max frowns. I'm not in the mood to talk to anyone anymore.

And then Jack walks in. "Max, I'm really sorry."

She looks up at him. "Why?"

He scratches his head and sighs. "Well, I was really tired and I wasn't thinking, so I asked him if there was any alcohol around…I mean I totally forgot and it was wrong of me to even ask but I was just looking to calm my anxiety…"

"Fang's just being a big baby," Gazzy scoffs. "He needs to get over it. Tell him that, he listens to you, Max."

There's only silence as Max thinks of what to say. Jack looks shocked.

"What are you so depressed about?!" Gazzy is shouting now. "Max is fucking alive, sitting right next to you! You've got nothing to be sad about. If that can't make you happy then GO FUCKING DROWN YOURSELF IN A DRINK ALREADY!!"

He stands and exits the room.

"Don't listen to him," Max whispers.

And then suddenly, he's back. He throws a bottle of whiskey at me. I catch it in midair.

"Why don't you drink that!" He screams at me, taking a few steps closer. "Drink it!"

Max speaks now. "Gazzy, stop it."

He pulls the whiskey out of my hands and opens it, shoving it in my face. "Drink it!"

"Hey, Gazzy, Man that's not cool," Jack interjects.

"DRINK IT!" He's laughing now. "Or are you not even Man enough to drown yourself anymore! You're such a waste! You've caused us nothing but trouble!"

I ignore him. He doesn't deserve to be talked to.

And then Gazzy crosses the line and dumps the whiskey on me, laughing hysterically. I grab him by the collar and throw him on the floor. He's still laughing.

"Fang…" Max reaches for me.

And I collapse into her arms, sobbing.

"It's ok," she says softly. "Fang, it's ok."

Max pulls me back together and gets me cleaned up in time for Bentley's visit. Jack and Iggy had knocked Gazzy out when he wouldn't stop shouting at me.

"So, do you think you'll be alright here for the next few days?" Bentley asks nervously. "I can have an agent watch the area. We're setting up a place somewhere. It'll be up and running in a week."

Everyone minus Gazzy sits at the kitchen table, waiting for either Max or me to answer.

"Well," Max pauses for a moment. "I suppose that'll be ok."

"Alright, thanks," Bentley sounds relieved. "I'm having some food sent over later so you all have something to eat. Call me if you need anything else."

Once he leaves, we all trudge back to the family room, settling on the couches. I lie down and rest my head on Max's leg. Within seconds, I'm asleep.

I wake up sometime later, it's dark. Max and the others are talking, the TV on quietly. She has her hand running through my hair, more of a distraction for herself.

I listen to them. They don't know I'm awake.

"Gazzy is out of control," Iggy says. "I didn't want to knock him out or lock him up. But he's gonna run away or get one of us hurt, or killed."

"He's angry and lost," Angel tells us. She's probably been reading his mind. "He's confused and doesn't know what he can do. He's let his emotions take over."

Max speaks now, her hand smoothes my hair out now before she goes back to running her fingers through it. "Was it always like this? I mean, Fang and Gazzy fighting."

"No," Ella answers. "I don't understand what made Gazzy turn against Fang."

"Fame and fortune got to his head," Nudge shakes her head.

"Neither of them can go on like this." Max's voice sounds strained.

"I think Fang has dealt with things better," Jack suddenly says. "I mean, he could have killed Gazzy today."

"I certainly would have," Iggy let out a laugh.

A few more nervous laughs go around the room.

"Well, maybe things will settle now that we'll have a few days at home." I didn't know Mom was in the room.

Everyone seems to agree with that. Only because no one else knows what to do about Gazzy or me. What he did to me today hurt, like someone tore a hole through me. But no matter how mad I want to be at him, I can't. I just want him to forgive me.

For him to not be mad at me anymore.

Thanks for reading! I've got a new story up called The Runaways. Check it out if you get the chance.