Chapter 8

Max's POV

The first thing I thought of when I opened my eyes were "What is that god-awful noise?!" It sounded like gunshots right next to my ear drums, except a thousand times worse. I put my hands over my ears and rolled onto my back, looking up. Where was I? I was on a couch in some kind of living room. Then all of last night's events washed over me. Me getting mad at everyone, getting drunk, getting mad again, and then coming to Cassie's. I shakily stood up and looked around.

"Cassie?" I heard footsteps and she walked in, black sunglasses on, her shoulders sagging, and a frown on her face.

"Jeez, don't yell, I'm right here." I closed my eyes.

"Why is it so bright in here?" She took another pair of sunglasses off of the table and handed them to me.

"Here, these'll help." I put them on, welcoming the near darkness that followed.

"Why is it so loud?" She looked to the window.

"There's a nasty storm out there. The thunder is crazy loud." I nodded, agreeing with her. I stood up.

"Well, thanks for letting me stay here last night. I really needed a friend." She smiled.

"You're welcome Max; just call if you need me. O! and before I forget." She ran into the kitchen and came back with a thermos.

"This'll help the hangover." I sniffed the contents, eyeing it.

"Don't worry, I had one earlier and I felt a lot better." I nodded and walked out the door.

"Bye Cassie!"

"Bye Max!" I opened the lid of the thermos and took a huge gulp. I started down the road and then realized something; I had no idea where to go.

O well; I guess I'll just wander around town. I started walking but instantly fell against a wall as I heard a clap of thunder overhead. I pushed my hands against my ears and held them there for what seemed like hours until the ringing stopped. I stood up and started walking again. I looked up at the sky, and seeing lighting I ran down the sidewalk, covering my ears, waiting for the thunder.

After repeating this several times I finally came to a familiar road, and started walking down. I took another chug from the thermos and walked closer. I pushed my sunglasses farther up my nose, closer to my eyes, and went inside. As soon as the door closed everyone's heads peeped around the corner.

"Max! You're back!" I covered my ears, falling against the wall

"My god stop screaming!" Everyone look confused except for Fang, Hunter, Angel, Iggy, and Nudge.

"But, I'm not screaming."

"Ugh, yea, you are!" Everyone looked confused again so I broke the ice.

"I'm going to bed."

"But Max, it's only 3:00." Wow, I slept till 3:00?

"Well, I'm still going, so everyone just leave me alone." I pushed through them and walked upstairs to my room, shutting the door behind me. I locked it and jumped on my bed, making a cocoon around me with my blanket. I chugged what was left of the liquid in the thermos and threw it to the floor. I heard a knock on the door as I settled down. I chose to ignore it, but whoever it was kept knocking.

"I'm sleeping."

"Max, let me in." It was Hunter.

"I'm tired Hunter; please leave me alone."

"Max, you and I both know you're not tired, just hung over."

"Whatever. Just leave me alone." He kept asking to come in but I ignored him, and he finally went away. When i was about to drift into sleep I heard someone else.

"Max, I need to talk to you." It was Fang.

"You're the last person I want to talk to about this."

"Max, just let me explain."

"Leave." I heard him sigh.

"I'm coming in there to talk to you." I smiled.

"You do that." I waited a minute but just heard silence. Then I heard something; he was trying to pick my lock. I quickly put bolt in the lock back in place.

"Don't even try that." I heard him walk off; then I heard another voice, Valentine's.

"Max, can I come in?"

"Is anyone with you?" She hesitated moment, and that was all the proof I needed.

"No one's coming in my room Valentine. I know Fang's probably out there with you."

"Max, he just wants to explain. I'll stay in there with you. Please? For me?" I sighed and mentally unlocked the door. Fang walked in along with Valentine, and I quickly shut it before anyone else could come in.

"You have 1 minute."

"Ok, when we kicked you out, we believed it was for the good of the flock." I stared at him, dumbfounded.

"The good of the flock?!" I covered Valentine's ears. "Are you (insert curse word here) kidding me?!" I took my hands off of her ears and put them on mine, for my screaming had hurt my own ears.

"Max, erasers were coming at us more than before. We thought it would help if you just kinda, you know, went off the radar, and then come back." I looked at him, speechless.

"It hurt so bad to kick you out; that's why I couldn't even look at you. I didn't want to kick you out." My feelings had gone from anger to hurt in a matter of seconds.

"Then why did you?"

"I only did it to protect everyone. You should have seen how hurt they were after you left. We went to find you but we couldn't." The hurt was turning back into anger.

"Well you couldn't find me because I got captured!"

"You should've fought back."

"I did Fang! I'm pretty kick-ass but I'm still just one person! I was surrounded; there was nothing I could do!" My vision was blurry; I couldn't let Fang see my cry. I pointed to the door.

"Get out of my room."

"But Max-"

"I said out of my room." He sighed in defeat and walked out followed by Valentine.

"I'll see you in a little bit sweetie." She nodded and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her. I mentally locked it and pushed a chair in front of it so that if anyone did manage to pick the lock they wouldn't be able to get in. I sighed and fell back onto the bed, suddenly aware that my headache had gotten worse.

I snuggled back into my blanket cocoon and went to sleep just as another clap of thunder sounded overhead.

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