Authors Note: For those of you asking, the band I met was The Word Alive. They're not too big yet, so I don't know if many of you will have heard of them or anything. Suffice to say though, that I lovelovelove them. (:

Chapter Six:

Mortification

The weekend came and went, and I heard not a single word from Fang. He basically avoided me all day Friday, and then dropped off the face of the earth Saturday and Sunday. Call me crazy, but Houston, I think we have a problem.

The worst part was I had no idea what to do about it. The most relationship experience I had came from my time with Dylan, which obviously didn't pan out too well considering he's psychotic, and Fang, who was the entire problem.

And who did I have to turn to in my time of need? Two giggling, just out of pre-teen stage girls. In other words: Nudge and Ella.

All this makes me realize I need more friends.

"So what's up?" Ella inquired, resting her head in her hands as she sprawled out on her stomach on her bed, ankles crossed. Her eyes were shining in the slightly dim overhead lighting, and her wavy hair was piled on top of her head in a messy bun. Nudge was seated Indian style on the floor in front of her, watching me carefully like every move I made could explain the situation I was in.

"I . . . It's just . . . It's . . ." I mumbled, trailing off in mortification. Why was I, an almost eighteen year old, telling all my problems to two barely fifteen year old girls? (Okay, so technically Nudge was fifteen and Ella was sixteen, but you get my point.)

"Just spit it out already!" Nudge exclaimed. "It's not like it's going to kill you."

"It's . . ." I swallowed thickly. "It's Fang," I said hurriedly, closing my eyes so I wouldn't have to see their expressions. Eventually I cracked a lid open, taking in their reactions. Twin looks of concern were what I was met with.

"What about Fang?" Ella inquired, her brows furrowed.

"Well . . ." I rummaged around in my brain for a place to start. "He's just . . . He's been acting really weird lately. Like, really-really weird. He doesn't ever call, and obviously he's never around here anymore. And he promised we'd spend this weekend together, but I haven't even talked to him, and I . . . I just don't get it."

"Have you talked to him about it?" Ella asked, sharing a look with Nudge. A look that didn't appear too good. Especially since Nudge was now wringing her hands slightly, which she only did when she was anxious or nervous. Which meant that Fang's behavior was something to be anxious and/or nervous about.

Great. Just . . . great!

"Of course not. What am I supposed to say? I don't want him to think I'm too clingy or something. I don't need him around every second of every day, it's just . . . This whole thing with Angel and Gazzy has me really stressed, and it'd be kind of nice if he was there for me even just the tiniest bit. He always used to be . . . but things have changed. And I don't know how or really even when or why."

"Let's get this one thing straight, because I know you really well, and I can totally tell you've already started beating yourself up about this. Whatever he's doing, if he's really doing anything at all, is not your fault. Okay, Max? Boys are stupid. They generally don't grasp the concept of emotions that well, and we all know Fang is totally inept when it comes to those," Nudge ranted. "The most important thing you can do right now is talk to him about it. He's not going to think you're being clingy. He knows you Max, and if he hasn't already picked up on how upset you are, then obviously there's something major distracting him. Maybe he's just waiting for you to ask."

I mulled this over in my mind. She could be right. I mean, Fang was definitely not the one to outwardly exude his every sentiment. Possibly, something was going on in his life that was totally separate to mine, he just didn't know how to talk about it. It was my turn to take the initiative.

"Call him," Ella suggested, tossing me my phone. I hadn't even realized she had gotten up. "Call him right now."

Biting my lip I dialed in his number, hesitantly holding the device to my ear. It rang once; twice, then there was a voice flooding into my ear . . . one that didn't belong to Fang.

"You have been sent to an automated voicemail. Ple-"

I hung up immediately, a mixture of anger and sadness melding together inside me. Or maybe Nudge was completely and irrevocably wrong about the entire situation. Maybe the way Fang was acting really had everything to do with me.

"What? What happened?" Nudge and Ella demanded at the same time. I glared down at my sheets, twisting them in my grip so tightly that my knuckles turned white.

"He sent me to voicemail," I muttered, refusing to allow tears to burn in my eyes.

Because maybe, I thought for the first time, he didn't deserve them.

- }{ -

My fingers drummed restlessly on my thighs, earning me a warning look from Ella, who was strapped into the seat beside me. I smirked at her, but stopped my incessant tapping. It was probably bugging everybody in the car at that point.

"Read me the address again," Aunt Val ordered from her spot at the wheel, squinting to read the numbers flashing by as we slowly drove down the street. Up ahead I could see a small sign announcing the Greenbury Home for Children. In other words, an orphanage.

"It's right there," I pointed out, leaning over Mom's shoulder in the passenger seat to indicate the tall building. She gave me a look similar to that of Ella's beforehand, and I could mentally hear her quip: 'If you're leaning up that far, how do you have a seat belt on?'

Mothers. Sheesh.

Aunt Valencia pulled smoothly up to the curb, just behind a rusted, red beast that looked like something out of an old '80's movie. The logo for the home was printed across the side in fading letters, having seen better days. They probably didn't have the budget to replace even that.

"I'm really excited to finally meet Angel and Gazzy," Ella said as we climbed out onto the crumbling sidewalk. Her hands were shaking and she shifted from foot to foot, jittery with nerves and excitement. I was feeling much the same way.

I hadn't seen my brother and sister since Jared's funeral, which seemed like forever ago in hindsight of what had happened since then. I missed them so much it physically hurt. I didn't know if they were doing okay; if they were being fed enough, or were being treated properly. All these things and more added up to a colossal worry that was constantly eating away at me.

This short visit we were mercifully given would hopefully appease some of those qualms.

Just ahead of me Aunt Val pounded on the door, using the large, ornate brass knocker. Scrabbling could be heard from the depths of the house, as we waited for someone to answer. As I stood on the top step, I took notice that Mom was hanging back from the rest of us, hovering uneasily behind Ella. To put it quite frankly, she looked like she was going to be sick.

I could only imagine why.

I had just opened my mouth to call out to her- though I had no idea what I was planning on saying, when the door creaked open. A woman who appeared only a little younger than Aunt Valencia stood on the other side, grinning broadly. There was a toddler of maybe two or three propped on her hip, gnawing at a stuffed dog. Behind her the sound of laughter and the crashing of toys could be heard. A scream rang out through the hubbub, and the woman winced apologetically while motioning us in.

"Sorry about that. Jeremy hasn't quite grasped the concept of sharing yet," she explained, with a slight southern twang to her voice that was obviously wearing off with her time spent in New York. At her side the child gurgled, before shouting "Hi!"

Ella giggled, saying something about how cute she was.

The woman agreed before saying: "I presume you're here to see Angel and Gazzy?"

"That would be correct," Aunt Val responded warmly. "If you just point us in the right direction we'll get out of your way in no time at all."

"Well, there's another couple meeting with them right now, but they should be leaving soon. If you just go right through there, you should be able to find them," she explained, pointing to an archway a little farther down the hall, where most of the noise seemed to be coming from.

Without further instruction I was moving past the others, hastily making my way forwards. Somebody else was meeting with them? I'd like to see the people that were trying to steal my family from me. I had a few choice words for them, after all.

When I burst into the wide, children-filled room though, my anger quickly dissipated and dissolved on the spot, being replaced with something else entirely. An emotion I couldn't name at all.

Kids of all ages were scattered around the room in various orders of disarray. The older ones seemed to be banded together in a corner, chatting amongst themselves and listening to IPods or MP3 players. Then those just below them were wreaking havoc on each other, running around and shouting. The youngest were grouped on the other side of the room, placed amidst a mixture of broken and chewed-on toys.

That's not what stopped me though.

At first it was the sight of two angelic, blond haired children sitting across from where I had entered. They looked healthy and clean, with bright smiles and even more luminous blue eyes.

Angel was laughing, grinning in the way only she could. Gazzy seemed a little more subdued, though his crooked smile was shining just as well as his younger sister's. What really made my breath lodge in my throat though, were the two people sitting with them.

Two people I would recognize anywhere.

Two people I never would have guessed.

Two people that could potentially ruin everything for me.

Because those two people were Fang's parents.

Authors Note: You know, sometimes what are supposed to be surprise twists are RUINED when everybody already guesses what they are. BOO YOU SMART KIDS.

P.S. Do you get sunburnt a lot? And how bad is it when it happens? Because I am FRIED right now AND IT SUCKS. I've never been this burnt in my entire LIFE. (well, all fourteen years of it)