Chapter Five: The Past Is In The Past

Maxs Pov

After my last class, I begin walking back to my dorm. I have an hour to blow before I have to head to Angel's Birthday planning meeting at the Diner. If it were anyone else I probably would skip, but for Angel, I'll go to this stupid meeting, with three people I don't particularly like. And there's food so it can't be that bad.

Right?

I slide my key into the slot and twist it, pushing the big wooden door open at the same time. Just the sight of my bed makes me want to crawl into it and take a desperately needed nap but I know that if I do, I won't wake up for the rest of the day, so instead I toss my keys on the bed and reluctantly start throwing things into my duffel for volleyball practice.

My phone begins to chime in the middle of my packing and I get up to answer it.

Ella

"Hey, gurl!" She chimes.

"Did you just rise from the dead or something? Where have you been for the past two days?"

I didn't see or here from her all day Sunday and she didn't come to classes today.

"Well, at the party Saturday I may of gotten a little too intoxicated and woke up Sunday with a massive hangover… "

"Ella!" I interrupt.

"I know, I know. Please save your anger for the end. Anyways so I called Caden over and we watched movies until like four a.m. and when my alarm went off this morning but I was way too tired to go come to school, so I went back to bed. Caden went though."

I don't exactly like the idea of Ella skipping school because of some guy but it's not my place to run her life -considering I do pretty stupid stuff myself- so I let it go.

"So are you and Caden like a thing?"

"I don't know. I mean I guess we're still just talking but I actually think it may lead to dating, Max! He seems like a genuinely, really sweet guy. One of the good ones."

That's good, I guess.

"Well, we've got about an hour until the meeting for Angel. Wanna hang out?"

"Hmm," she sighs. "I don't know... I'm kinda chilling with my bestie Ava right now."

I laugh. "Ella when will you understand that she doesn't like you?"

Ava is Ella's creepy roommate. She never actually sleeps in their room, she only ever goes there when she needs some of her belongings to take to where she actually stays at or wherever she holds her sacrificial rituals at.

She totally hates Ella.

"We have a love-hate relationship, okay?" Ella insists.

"Whatever," I roll my eyes. "So, what do you say to hanging out?"

I hear Ella whisper to Ava in the background, asking her if she's okay with her hanging out with me but Ava doesn't reply. I can just imagine the death glare on her face, as I hear their door slam in the background.

Ella returns to the phone. "Ava wouldn't like it but… sure. I have to go see one of my teachers about something but we can walk there if you want. I'll meet you in the lobby in ten."

"Alright. See you."

I finish packing my things and head out to the lobby. I find Ella sitting alone on a couch; Her hair in a sloppy bun, and dressed in a tank and sweats.

"Hey!" I wave.

"Hey."

She stands and we begin walking to her class.

"Sorry I'm late, I couldn't find my shoes."

"It's cool. Caden stopped by right after we hung up to pick up something so I was late too."

"Speaking of, what did you and Caden end up doing Saturday night?"

She shrugs. "I honestly have no Idea. I woke up Sunday remembering only bits and pieces but when Caden came over, he filled me in on mostly just talked out back."

"Do you really like him?"

She smiles as she looks down at her lap and I even see her blush a little. Something about her just seemed really warm and happy. Something I haven't seen in awhile.

"You Do!"

"Shut up!" She yells. "Yes I like him. He's a lot different than I thought. He's really nice, and sweet, and he's not as bad as everyone makes him out to be. When he came over we just hung out and talked and we actually have a lot of things in common."

"That sounds sweet and all… but I don't believe it for one second."

"What?" She sounds offended.

"I don't mean it in a bad way. All I'm saying is be careful."

"Are you worried about me because he's a player, or because you don't think I'm good enough for him to actually like me for me?"

Now she's really upset but I don't know why. I'm just looking out for her.

"What the fuck Ella, I didn't say that."

"You didn't have to. You were thinking it."

"What? No I wasn't. Ella I think you're way too good for him and that he doesn't deserve you. That's why I'm worried, but if he makes you happy then go for it."

"I will."

I enter the diner already dreading the visit. Not only do I not like half of the people attending this meeting, but I'm hungry and tired and when I find the designated spot at the back of the diner, the only two people here currently are Iggy and Fang.

Kill me now.

The spot they've chosen is an extremely large booth, seating up to ten. I take a seat on the complete opposite side of the table as the two, but when I sit, Iggy decides to get up and come and sit in the spot right next to me.

"Do you like water?" Iggy asks. "Everyone was taking forever so I just ordered waters for all the girls."

"I don't drink water..."

He looks embarrassed. "Oh.. I'm sorry. The only female friend I've ever had is Nudge and that's all she drinks so I assumed-"

"It's fine." I cut in.

I flag down the waiter and order two sprites; one for Ella and one for me. He takes my order and walks off and I have to admit, I'm sad that he did because I'm left with these two and awkward silence.

I don't know, nor do I wanna get to know Iggy and Fang on a friend basis. They just aren't my type of people. Ella's still held up with that teacher she had to talk with, Nudge is always late and I have no idea where this Gazzy kid is.

Iggy tries to break the awkwardness. "So this is the famous Martinez."

I glance over to find Iggy and Fang both staring at me.

I simply shrug. "I guess."

Silence.

"I've heard a lot of rumors about you," he tries again

I groan and roll my eyes. Not this again. "And that's all they are -Rumors."

"So you're not a bitch?"

The voice who asked this wasn't Iggy's energetic, raspy one -It was flat and deep. Not Iggy, but Fang.

"Excuse me?" I demand.

"I'm just saying what Iggy's asking. He's wondering if you're a stuck up, bitch like the rumors say."

I've had enough.

It's only been a few minutes and I'm already tired of them. "Look, I don't want to be here anymore than you two do, okay? So why don't we just not talk and this will all go by much easier." I say, standing from my chair.

"Max, wait!"

I stop.

"What Iggy?"

"Fang didn't mean that, he's just a very blunt person. He does and says things without thinking them through."

"I don't care about Fang!"

He ruffles his brows. "Then what are you mad about?"

"Nothing that matters to you."

"Well I'm sorry for whatever it is."

Now it's my turn to be confused. "You're sorry?"

"Yeah…" he smiles. "Is there something wrong?"

I always thought of him as the type of guy who just assumed things about you and try and get into your pants, not ask for the truth and apologize even for bringing it up.

I guess I'm being hypocritical, being upset about the rumors people say about me and then listening to the ones about him, which seem to be just as untrue as the ones about me.

"No," I sit back down. "Sorry, just not in a very good mood right now."

Nudge, Gazzy and Ella luckily show up within the next few minutes, breaking the small talk Iggy and I made as Fang played on his phone.

"Okay so planning" Nudge starts. "The first thing we need to figure out is what the theme is."

"Costume." Ella offers.

"Sleep over." Iggy smiles. .

"Heaven." I try. Everyone looks at me. "What?"

"Heaven?" Fang repeats.

"Yes, genius, heaven. Her name's Angel, it reminds me of heaven."

"I like it," Gazzy agrees.

"Me too," Iggy seconds. "... but I think we should still have a sleep over."

So after an hour of discussing over lunch, which was very good I might add, we established that the theme is going to be heaven and that everyone has to wear white. Fang protested that he only wears black, but we all ignore him. The venue will be Fang's beach house, which he surprisingly offered.

Ella and Nudge are in charge of decorating because of their talents in artistic stuff, Fang and I are going to pick up the supplies because he has a car on campus, Gazzy is going to stall Angle for the day, due to their long friendship it won't look suspicious and Iggy's in charge of food because...well, because he's really not capable of doing much else quite frankly and he claims he's good at finger foods.

I really hope Angel likes it.