Chapter 8 – I Did Not See That Coming

When I came to, I felt like I was having one of those out-of-body experiences where my mind was floating above my body. It almost felt like my body didn't even exist. The strange images I'd seen before were flashing again, but I still couldn't make out any one particular thing.

My brain finally picked up on the conversation that was going on around me, which before had sounded like feedback from a guitar, with the same grating, mind-wrenching screeching. Luckily my head felt better, so the noise sounded less like a grater shaving sound waves and more like people's voices.

"Did you see what happened?" a concerned female voice asked. I felt a cool hand being pressed against my forehead. "She feels hot, and clammy. Maybe she has a fever and passed out from exhaustion."

"We did just have gym," said Fang in a very calm voice. "If she's sick she could have pushed herself a little too far."

"Oh, my God! Max!" I immediately recognized my mother's voice, and my heart constricted painfully. She sounded so worried. I could probably open my eyes now, despite them probably hurting from the fluorescent lights. "Dios mio, what happened?"

"All we know was that she passed out," said the female voice. "This boy helped carry her here."

I opened my eyes slowly, fighting off the stinging pain that shot through them as my eyes adjusted to the artificial light. "Hey," I said, my voice thick and rough. I tried to cough but that rattled my brain.

"Oh, honey!" Mom exclaimed, looking relieved. She caressed my shoulder and held my cheek in her other hand. "What happened? I just came in and they told me you were at the nurses' office."

"I got this killer migraine," I said, shuddering as I remembered how painful it was. I struggled into a somewhat upright sitting position. Mom's hands fluttered all around, trying to help support me.

"Are you sure you're okay now? Maybe you should lie down again if your head still hurts," the nurse said.

I shook my head. "I feel better," I said, looking around the room. It was white – white floors, cabinets, walls – and it smelled of antiseptic, which instantly made my stomach churn uncomfortably. Ever since I was little I'd hated the smell, probably from the times I'd been forced to visit Jeb at his doctor's office. Mom was standing by my side, her face cautiously optimistic, but still worried. The nurse was about halfway in between the doorway and the cot I was lying on. She didn't look as convinced. Fang was leaning against the far wall, watching the scene with inscrutable and impassive eyes, arms crossed over his chest. Like his eyes, his face displayed no emotion.

"Are you sure you feel better?" the nurse asked. Her voice was skeptical.

I nodded. "Yeah, I'm better, honestly. I would know if I wasn't." I couldn't believe such a powerful migraine was humanly possible. There had to be some logical explanation for it.

"Let me at least take your temperature," she insisted. "You feel feverish."

"I'm fine." Despite my protests, Mom motioned for her to grab a thermometer. I glared at the nurse as she stuck the plastic covering in my ear. When it beeped, she nearly dropped it from surprise.

"Oh my! You have a fever of one hundred and four!" I'm sure the look on my face just then was one of complete confusion, because I knew there was no way in hell that I was sick. I'd had fevers many times, I mean, I worked on a farm… when it was like zero degrees outside. I got diseases that people didn't even know existed. The fact of the matter is, I know when I'm sick and right now I wasn't. My brain might be ripping apart like licorice, but otherwise I was fine.

Something very strange was going on, and I didn't think that my body was responsible for everything.

"If you felt sick, they would have let you out of gym," Mom scolded. I saw Fang smirk from the corner. The look that annoyed the hell out of me, especially now.

"But I'm not sick," I protested. "The only time I felt bad all day was when I got that migraine, and that's it. I know I'm fine. Maybe I'm just overheated or something."

"Well, if you don't feel well tomorrow then tell your mother," the nurse said. "I'll let the office know that you're okay." She exited the room and closed the door behind her. It was quiet for a moment as my mom and I had a silent argument about my physical health and mental sanity. She knew that I knew myself better than anyone else did, but you can't argue with technology. Or so the veterinarian thought.

"When we get home, I want you to stay away from the barn for the day," Mom said. "Besides, we need to help settle out guest in, and I think it will be best if Marco is showed around by you rather than Ella." We laughed at that.

I noticed Fang stiffen up a bit, but it would hardly be noticeable to anyone else.

"Let me go to the office to see if Marco is there," Mom said, heading toward the door.

"Wait," Fang said, taking a step off the wall. "Are you Valencia Martinez?"

Mom paused as she and I looked at Fang strangely. How did he know my mom?

"Yes," she said kindly. "How did you know?"

Realization just hit me, almost as hard as that migraine did. I couldn't explain the weird hitch that picked up within my chest, the unusual tightening of my core that I'd never felt before. Maybe I was sick, but that wouldn't explain why my heart fluttered like a hummingbird as opposed to a marathon runner. Boy, I did not see that coming.

"I know because I'm Marco Liridon. I'm your foster son."

I know I'm so evil!!! I told one of the lovely reviewers that Fang wasn't his real name, and I wanted to keep it a secret so that you wouldn't know until now that he was their foster son. Why did I choose Marco Liridon, you may ask? Well Marco is something that sounded Italian/Greek, which is always how I pictured Fang's nationality to be. He may be part Hispanic, too, but who knows? And Liridon means "free". I had this planned since the first chapter, because I always thought it would be interesting to see what would happen if Fang and Max lived under the same roof for different reasons than you might think.

Remember to check my Blog later tonight. It will be updated from the first leg of the trip at some point tonight!!!

I can't guarantee any new posts soon because I have no idea if our hotel tomorrow night will have Internet access or if I'll even finish the next chapter before then. If you like this, please review! Reviews make me happy!!!