Chapter 21

Fang POV

I did wonder why my parents came home all of a sudden.

Like I told Max, they only come home during December.

My head's full of why's.

WHY?

"We're home!"

All of us groaned. My eyes wandered everywhere; Max was nowhere to be seen. She's either in her room or in the city library.

The front door opened and Mom and Dad stepped in. They didn't have any luggages so what they were holding were several paper bags. I rolled my eyes.

I stayed where I was sitting in the front living room. I slowly stirred my coffee and stared at the steam escaping the mug. Iggy and Gazzy was sprawled on the rug in the middle of the room and Angel continued playing the piano, as if nothing happened.

"Hey, kids." Mom entered the room with Dad right behind her. Mom didn't cut her hair. She said she would, last year. It was still waist-length and curly dark brown like mine. She was wearing a beige expensive-looking business suit.

Unlike Mom, Dad was wearing black slacks and a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows. Iggy's Dad has blond hair and blue eyes like them. He's way taller than Iggy and I.

We didn't say "Hi" or "Hey" to them. It's always been this way for almost ten years. They know it but they always wish we'll welcome them with open arms. Yeah, right.

I finished my coffee and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. I stood up and went to them.

I stood in front of them and locked gazes with them for a minute.

"Gotta go." I walked past them to the kitchen. I dropped my mug and spoon on the sink. I washed my hands and squirted soap. After rubbing and cleaning my hands, I rinsed and wiped them dry.

I turned around and saw Mom blocking the entrance. She had her arms crossed, so I'm guessing she's irritated about something.

"What?" I asked her with a hard voice. I leaned my hip on the kitchen table.

"Why are they acting that way?"

I shrugged. "What way?" It's always fun making Mom mad. Her face gets all red and her head twitches to the right. (OK, the last part was not true. Still, it made the picture more funny, right?)

Mom closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "They acted as if we weren't there."

"You weren't there." I emphasized the fact. Mom knew I was right.

Mom shook her head. "You know what I mean, Fang. They usually get all excited and happy whenever we come home."

I sighed. This woman is too naive. "They fake it every time you come home." I walked past her and went up to my room. On the way, I knocked on Max's door. No one answered.

I opened my door and sat on my computer chair. I picked up my chewed-at-the-end black Bic pen. I twirled my chair and Mom walked in my room.

"Are you saying they don't really care if we come home or not?"

I shrugged. "You saw how they 'welcomed' you."

Mom rubbed the bridge of her nose. "I expected for them to-"

"Welcome you with open arms?"

"Yes! But why?" Mom paced around my room.

Again, I shrugged. "They're just too tired of the same entrance every year," I pointed my pen at her. "You should change it."

"This isn't the time for that. I-"

"Why did you come home?"

Mom stopped pacing. She looked at me with her black eyes. The only difference between us. She has black eyes and I have dark brown eyes.

"Why would you ask that?" Mom asked with a small voice.

"I'm bound to ask it."

"I just wanted to check up on you. And the others."

I laughed without humor. I pointed my pen at her again. "You and I both know that's not the reason."

"It's-"

"Why?" I turned serious again. "Answer me."

"Don't take that tone on me, young man. I'm your mother-"

"Answer. Me." I put down my pen and stared at her black eyes. I leaned forward and rested my chin on my hand.

Mom slowly sat on the edge of my bed. "I bumped into Lissa in London, in the arms of another man."

"So?"

"'So?' She's your fiancee! You are to be married to her."

"I dropped the engagement."

Mom's eyes bulged out of their sockets. "What? You're not supposed to do that!" She suddenly stood up and rose her voice. "I already arranged the marriage-"

"Not anymore. There will be no marriage." I turned my seat around and turned on my laptop.

"There will be a marriage, Fang. I said so."

I turned around and towered over her. "Oh, yeah? It's my life. I make the decisions."

My door flew open. Iggy's Dad entered.

"What is going on here?" Dad asked with his English accent. "We can hear your voices downstairs."

Iggy's dad is a nice guy. He really is. "Get out of here. This isn't any of your business."

"Fang! You do not talk to him that way!" Mom yelled.

"He's not my dad. And this is between you and me. Without him." I turned to Dad again. "Leave."

Dad nodded and left.

"Young man, you will say sorry to him after this discussion. You will marry Lissa and that's final."

I grabbed her arm and pulled her not-so gently. "She's not going to marry me."

"She will!"

"Oh?" I arched a brow. "Care to explain the 'bump'?"

"Whoever that was," Mom's face was really red. " Is someone who is her close relative."

"I don't think so."

"What do you mean 'you don't think so'?"

"Describe the man."

"You won't know him-"

"Describe him." Geez.

"He had short brown hair and brown eyes. He's about as tall as you. He-"

"I know him."

"Who is he?" Mom asked frantically. She grabbed on to my arm.

"He's Sam. And she's totally in love with him."

"She isn't. No, she isn't."

I shrugged. "She was the first one who dropped the engagement."

Mom shook her head. "That is not true. I told her father-"

"Ask her. Call her. She'll tell you that her father approved of Sam."

Mom dropped to the floor. "This isn't happening. We came home so you can get married."

"Yeah. Well, I gotta go."

"Where?"

"To meet the girl of my dreams."

"Fang!" Iggy's dad yelled inside the front living room. I rose my brows and went.

"Look. I'm sorry about what happened upst-" My eyes flew to Max. "What are you doing here?"

Max shrugged. Angel was clutching her left arm and sniffing. Gazzy and Iggy was sighing in the coach.

"What are you doing here?" I patiently repeated. "I thought you were in the library."

"I was. Then I remembered I have to get my luggages."

My jaw clenched. "You said you weren't leaving."

"No, you said it. Well, gotta go." Max kneeled in front of Angel. "Angel, sweetie, you can let go of my arm now."

Angel vigorously shook her head. "You can't leave! You still have to teach me how to play the guitar! You promised!"

Max smiled and gently pried Angel's fingers off her arm. When she did, Angel wrapped her arms around her waist. Max kissed the top of her golden head. She pulled Angel away from her and handed Angel to Iggy.

Angel screamed Max's name. Max blew an air kiss her way, but it didn't soothe Angel.

Max walked past me, but I pulled her outside the house.

"You are not leaving." My jaw was still clenched.

"I gotta go. Besides, this is like a family reunion and I'm not part of the family."

"You are not leaving me."

"I have to." Max was really trying my patience.

"Why do you want to leave anyway?"

"I didn't say I want to!" Max shouted. "I said I have to. There's a difference."

I grabbed Max's hair and planted my lips on hers. I pulled away and softened the kiss.

"I love you too much for me to let you go." I said on her lips.

"I still have to," Max murmured.

She's gonna make me explode. I kissed her again and Max's hand cupped my cheek. She began to kiss me back but a gagging sound broke us apart.

We turned our heads to the left and saw the window was wide open and Gazzy was fake gagging.

Max smiled and pushed me away.

The front door opened.

Mom and Dad was standing in front of us. I pulled Max to my side and she looked at Mom.

"Do you mean what you said?" Dad asked me. He was grinning.

I nodded. Mom's face broke in to a smile.

"You really do, huh?" Mom asked, teary-eyed.

I nodded.

"They grow up so fast!" Mom choked and cried on Dad's shoulder.

A/N: RnR?