I was just gonna post this without an A/N at the beginning, but it looked so naked and plain without one, so I threw one together at the last minute. There's another snow day tomorrow, so expect some more chapters.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Max

I called Fang that night, as promised. But I don't think my words to him were quite what he had in mind.

"What the hell?" I said as soon as he said hello.

"What the hell what?"

"What the hell were you doing in Virginia?" I demanded.

"Um, laying low?" he suggested.

"So much for that," I scoffed. "Your little 'followers' burnt down three Itex branches!"

The phone was silent for a minute, then Fang finally said, "Where did you hear that?"

"I heard it on the news."

"How did you know they were my followers?"

"Because I haven't been spreading the news about Itex, so eventually all Itex info in the outside world leads back to you," I explained.

"Okay," he said flatly. "Admittedly, I've been encouraging my blog-readers to help bring on the downfall of Itex." I waited, saying nothing. Finally Fang continued. "But I never told them to burn buildings down!"

"So it is your fault!" I declared in my I-So-Told-You-So voice.

"I'm not taking blame for something a few kids decided to do!" he shouted. "It's not my fault that they chose to take out Itex in a really stupid way!"

"Yes it is!" I protested. "It is your fault because if you hadn't started that stupid blog then we wouldn't be having this stupid problem!"

Ella, who I just noticed was in the room as well, stepped toward me. She put her hand out for the phone and I handed it to her reluctantly.

"Fang? It's Ella," she said into the receiver. "Keep in mind that you're arguing with a pregnant woman and that there's no chance you're going to win." She took the phone away from her ear and handed it back to me.

"Max?" Fang said.

"Yeah?"

"It doesn't really matter. I'm just glad to hear your voice again. I miss you."

"I-I miss you, too," I stuttered, surprised by the change in subject.

"I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay?" he said. "And remember that if something goes terribly, horribly wrong—or even just a little bit wrong, it doesn't matter—call me right away, okay?"

I nodded. "Okay. Night, Fang," I said, though suddenly I didn't feel like hanging up anymore.

"Night."

The line went dead and all that was left was the dial-tone buzzing loudly in my ear. I put the phone back on the cradle, walked into my room, and started to cry.

Would I ever get used to those damn mood swings?