Chapter Twenty Five: A Close Call
IGGY'S POV
So maybe I wasn't thinking clearly when I suggested Max come over for dinner to meet my family but it's too late now. She's arriving in thirty minutes and everyone is thrilled.
Except Fang who is now suspicious as to why I invited the weird new girl over and not my own girlfriend who my family hasn't met yet. Oh well. . .
Yeah, I really wasn't thinking clearly. I guess I was just happy to have Max back.
We talked late into the night after we decided the time. We were able to get caught up and the entire time, I was smiling like an idiot. It was nice hearing Max talk and laugh. There was something slightly different about her but to the core, it's the same Max I grew up with. The same Max I care deeply about.
As we were both about to sign off, though, I asked the question that had been lingering in between our words. Are you going to tell the Flock?
She said after she found Jeb. Until then, it wasn't safe. Her logic? I'm not so sure about but I trust her.
Glancing at my phone for the millionth time at the last minute, I sigh when I see she hasn't responded yet. I'm a bumble of nerves, afraid that one of the others will discover who Dani Hart truly is.
Oh god, I hope not. I want the Flock to know but one of them finding out on their own will no doubt not end well. It's the last thing we need.
And then there's Fang's girlfriend who know one likes. It'll be even more of a mess if one of them makes the Fang-Ivy-Max connection.
Oh, this was a really bad idea. Good lord, Iggy.
My phone vibrates and I jump, nervous energy spilling out as I fumble with my phone. I close my eyes, taking a deep breath. I press the button, connecting the call.
"Finally. Thanks for leaving me hanging."
"Of course. Only the best service for my buddy. I'm on my way. I miss calculated how long it will take me to get there so I'll be arriving early."
"That's fine. Dinner will be ready shortly anyway."
"Oh no, like I'm early."
Silence fills the air as my phone beeps. She hung up on me. Two seconds later, there's a knock at my window. My ears perk up, shoulders tensing as the knocking grows louder. I walk forward, ready to attack. I burst it open and someone yelps.
"Good lord, Iggy." I chuckle, rubbing my neck. I hear her grab the window sill, trying to regain her balance.
"You can't be in here." I say pointedly as I smile and sit back down on my bed. She closes the window, taking a seat next to me.
"Oh well. I'll just go out the window in thirty minutes to make it seem like I'm arriving on time."
I shake my head, taking a deep breath. "Is your mind block on?"
I feel her nod next to me. "Yeppers. Is yours?"
I knock the side of my head with my knuckles, nodding. "So what are we going to do for the next half hour?"
She shrugs, standing and walking around the room. "Your room hasn't changed one bit from your old one. Looks the same. As bland as ever."
I smile, content. Max is home.
I try not to think about all the things that could go wrong tonight.
MAX'S POV
I knew it was a bad idea leaving the house as early as I did but I didn't think I was going to arrive at their house this early.
It was also probably a bad idea to knock on his window but oh well. . . too late now.
I stare at Iggy sitting on his bed, smiling up at me. Looking around his room, it sort of makes my heart ache. We aren't in Arizona anymore but the decorations are the same and the layout is similar.
It's probably a really bad idea to be in here for the next thirty minutes but it's a little chilly outside and I really don't want to have to awkwardly wait in the bushes.
I suppose I could have gone down to the beach. . . Well, too late now.
Here I am.
This is going to be a painful thirty minutes.
FANG'S POV
I truly don't know what to think anymore. Everything has turned to shit since the new girl came and now she's coming over for dinner.
What the hell was Iggy thinking?
I really need to know why he invited her. It doesn't make much sense especially after the fiasco two nights ago.
Finally determined to get to the bottom of this, I stand, leaving my laptop open to my latest unedited blog post, and walking down the hall towards Iggy's room.
I knock, twisting the doorknob to find it locked. Odd. Glaring at it, I knock harder. "Iggy? Open up. I need to talk to you."
I hear quiet shushing and some shuffling before Iggy opens the door with a bloody smile on his face. What's he up to?
"Yes my fabulous Fang?"
I glare at him. He only compliments me when he's hiding something. "I have some questions that need answering."
He nods, stepping aside and nervously glancing out the window. I walk in front of it, trying to figure out what he was looking at but I don't see anything. Turning my back to it, I cross my arms. Iggy is nervously shuffling, waiting for me to elaborate.
"Why the hell would you invite Dani over? That's strange even for you, Ig. Besides, everything's weird after what happened at the dinner."
He shrugs, trying to seem relaxed. I know him better than that and he knows it. He's usually better at hiding things from me than this so the sight is slightly off putting.
What's his deal?
"It's the polite thing to do."
"The polite thing to do? Good lord, Iggy. You haven't even invited your girlfriend over for dinner. This Dani girl is suspicious, Ig. Remember? She's both the cause and solution to our paranoia and then her outburst during Never Have I Ever?" I shake my head, pacing. I'm still confused about what happened that night and it's been driving me insane.
He mumbles and finally speaks up when I cup my hands over my ear. "Well it's not like the dinner with your girlfriend went smoothly either, Fang. Everyone doesn't like Ivy."
That makes me pause and I turn to glare at him. "What do you mean 'everyone doesn't like Ivy'? She's great."
He rolls his eyes, clearly annoyed. "When you invited her over for dinner after breaking the news that you have a new girlfriend, it was just really awkward. Her personality clashes with the rest of ours."
"That's bullcrap."
"Whatever, Fang. I've never invited Jessica over because she hasn't asked to meet my family. Besides, she sees them walking in the ahlsl sometimes when she comes over for the study group. And I haven't even met hers. It's really not a huge deal like you're making it out to be."
I mumble a weak argument, stomping out of the room. As I close the door with my hand leaving the doorknob, I realize that Iggy deflected everything about Dani. Well played, Iggy, well played.
IGGY'S POV
I sigh, laughing. I hear the window again as Max comes back inside. She sits next to me on the floor where I decided to take a breather.
That was a close one.
Luckily, I was able to distract Fang long enough for him to forget his original intent so he would leave on his own. But this is Fang we're talking about. He's probably figured out by now that I deflected his thoughts meaning that he's more suspicious than when he first entered.
But good lord, he really can be oblivious when it comes to girls. He's supposed to be in love with Max and he can't even recognize her? He's a fucking bird kid who's always been good at figuring things out.
A big softy now.
MAX'S POV
Iggy and I sit in silence for a while, still taking a breather after the scare Fang gave us. It was a really close call. I was sure he would figure us out but alas, Fang, the oblivious boyfriend saves the day.
I glance down at my watch, eyes widening when I realize that it's five past the time I'm supposed to arrive. Thirty minutes have passed already?
"Shit, Iggy, I'm late." His eyes widen as we both stand. He pushes me towards the window and I climb out, letting go quickly so my fingers don't get smashed.
I duck low, making sure no one saw. Through the window, I can see the others placing the rest of the food on the table, Angel and Gazzy already sitting down eating bread.
My mom slaps their hands away, a warning look on her face as she fills the glasses with water.
They look like a real family. I frown. I've missed so much.
I round the corner, walking up the front steps and taking a deep breath before I ring the doorbell.
Ding dong! Ding dong!