Chapter 8: Chapter Eight: Unreliable

Maxs Pov

(Saturday)

Today's the day that Fang and I scheduled to go and get the things for Angel's birthday party tomorrow, so even though I only had two hours of sleep, I'm up and ready by 12.

Fang, on the other hand is nowhere to be found.

I tried calling him three times but everytime it went to voicemail. I can't say I didn't expect this, though. I swear I would just go without him if I didn't need his damn car.

Max: Where the hell is Fang?

Nudge:He's not there already?

Max: If he was I wouldn't be texting u Nudge

Nudge: Right. Sorry.

Max: What about Iggy?

Nudge: Were not meeting for another twenty minutes.

Max: What's his #?

Nudge: 549-7072

I punch Iggy's number into the keypad on my phone. It rings over and over again, until he finally answers on the last ring.

"Sup, Martinez?"

"How'd you know it was me?" I question.

I never gave him my number.

"I have you in my contacts."

"Ok, well for the time being we're going to pretend that's not weird," I put aside."Do you happen to share a room with Fang?"

"No, he's down the hall from me. Why?"

"Can you go see if he's there? We were suppose to meet at twelve but he's not here and not answering my calls."

"I'm actually in my car right now on my way to meet Nudge. His room is number 132 on the first floor, though, if you wanna go check. The guys are too lazy to lock up the building, so all the doors should be open."

"Okay, thanks."

I end the call and head over to the boys dorm. Like Iggy anticipated, all of the doors are unlocked. As soon as I walk in, the foul odor hits me, causing me to cover my nose. It spells like three week old sweat and mixtures of cologne, all smelling worse than the last. I'm so used to smelling the scent of flowers and citrus that we have in the girls dorm that the stench caught me off guard.

It doesn't take me long to find the room labeled '132'. I bang against the steel as hard as I can, wait a few seconds and when I hear nothing, bang some more.

"HOLD THE FUCK ON!" Fang yells from the other side of the door.

I don't know whether to laugh or be angry because he's still laying in bed instead of being outside my dorm like he was suppose to be at this time. I hear shuffling inside, then a click and then the door opens.

Fang appears in the doorway, wearing only a black T-shirt and a pair of blue plaid boxers.

"Oh, it's you."

That's all he has to say?

"What the hell, Fang? You should of been up and ready a long ass time ago!"

"Oh, right. Forgot."

"Forgot my ass," I scuff, crossing my arms over my chest."

"I'm sorry okay?" He yells. "Get the fuck off my case, Martinez! I'm not in the mood."

"I don't care what you're in the mood for. This is my best friend's birthday I'm trying to get stuff for and I'm not gonna let u ruin it so wake the fuck up and get dressed."

He turns and walks back into his room, leaving the door open behind him and me standing in the hallway.

"Are you coming in or not?" He calls back.

I hesitate but decide to enter the room and close the door behind me.

Fang heads over to his dresser and pulls out sweat pants and a blue tank. With one swift motion he strips off his shirt, leaving him only in underwear. His back is towards me, as he slips into his sweatpants but even from this angel I can tell he's very fit.

His shoulders are very broad and sturdy looking and his back solid; hidden muscles popping out with every movement he makes. I see him look at me from the corner of his eye and I instantly look away.

"So the famous Fang Ride reads?" I ask, pointing to a full bookshelf in the corner.

"Yeah. Sometimes, I guess." He turns to me and puts on his tank top.

"I didn't take you for the type of guy that reads."

"Most people don't."

I continue glancing around the room as Fang does his hair. Above his bed I see a whole bunch of pictures. A lot are of Fang and Iggy -some new and some a few years old. Also a lot of him and Gazzy -Iggy's in some of those too. Most are pictures of Fang and a blonde woman. She's very pretty; maybe in her early thirties. In the picture she has her arm around Fang's shoulder and she's smiling a huge smile. Though his face lacks a smile, you can see in his eyes that the woman makes him happy.

"That's my mom," Fangs says from somewhere behind me.

I figured it was his mother because of the age gap but they look nothing alike. Fang is tall and tan, with jet black hair and matching eyes, while she's fair skinned and petite with platinum blonde haired and bright blue eyes.

She's gorgeous.

I look and one particular picture catches my eye. It's an older pic; the same blonde woman but ten years younger. With her are two small children -one black haired male and one blonde female- and a man that looks like Fang, only he's wearing a suite and his hair much shorter, gelled back from his face and a faint beard covers his face.

"You gel your hair?"

He lets out a small laugh. "No. That's my dad."

"He looks just like you." I say.

"Yeah. He did."

Did?

The use of past tense is probably a sign that it's best to change the topic, so I do.

"Are you done? We need to go."

I turn back around to find him fully clothed, hair done and putting on the second of his two shoes.

"Yeah, let's go."

As he starts the Jeep, I look through the CD's in the case hanging from the mirror. All are grey CD's, with the titles written very sloppy in sharpie on them. I've never heard of any of these songs before.

"You still listen to CD's?" I ask.

"Only the ones from The Flock."

"I've never heard of them."

"Really?" He looks confused. "You're the only one on this campus that hasn't. That's my band."

"You're in a band?"

I probably have heard that somewhere from someone but chose not to remember it because I didn't care about Fangs Ride's social life.

"Yeah. You should really get a social life and come out to see us perform sometime."

I shrug. "Who's in the band?"

"Me, Iggy, Gazzy, and Austin."

"No girls?"

"Nah. We wanted one, but none fit in."

"What about Lisa? I thought every band had a band members girlfriend in it?"

he laughs.

"First, she's not my girlfriend. Second, someone who auditions with a Disney Princess Song doesn't exactly fit into a rock/alternative band..."

She auditioned with a Disney song? Only Lisa would be the one to ever do that.

"So I'm guessing for the end of the year project, you are singing."

"Ya, The Flock and I are going to write a song. You?"

"Still deciding," I shrug.

After we finish getting all the supplies we were sent to get and drive it over to Fang's Beach house -which was one of the nicest houses Ive ever seen- he brings me back to campus and drops me off at my dorm.

Without saying a word, I immediately go straight up to my room and hop into the large, cushiony, bed I call my own and thankfully sleep soon finds me

(Five years old)

I lay in my purple bed, trying to fall asleep but the yelling was too loud. Mommy and daddy are fighting again.

They have been for weeks now.

"Valencia I'm not cheating on you!" Daddy screams.

"So how do you explain those panties in your suitcase, that aren't mine. Is that what you've been doing on all of these 'business trips'?" Mommy yells back.

"Don't you dare accuse me of anything. It's my job that pays these bills and expenses, while you sit on your ass all day doing nothing."

"Max?"

I sit up and look over to the bed across the room from mine. A face that looks much like mine stares back at me from a pink bed.

"Yes?"

"I'm scared," Maya frowns, tears staining her cheeks.

"It's okay. Just cover your ears and sing like I told you."

She does as I told her, placing her hands over her ears, closing her eyes and faintly singing twinkle-twinkle-Little-star.

There's silence for a few seconds and I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. Its over.

I start to relax again, when I hear mommy's voice again. "Your drunk, Jeb. I want you out of this house until you're sober again!"

"Fine by me!"

Maya and I stare at each other, trying to understand what's happening. Our bedroom door slowly creaks open and we turn to it.

Daddy stands in the doorway, but he isn't smiling.

"Daddy, whats wrong?" Maya begs.

"Nothing. Go to sleep Maya." He yells. "Come on, Maxie, get your stuff. You're coming with daddy."

"What about Maya and Ari?" I ask.

"Just get your stuff!" Daddy yells. Maya starts to cry again. "I'm sorry for yelling. Maxie, just please pack some clothes in a book bag and meet daddy in the living room. Okay?"

I nod. "Ok, daddy."

I "Good girl." He smiles, kisses me on the forehead and leaves the room.

I grab my back pack from the closet and start packing my favorite clothes and stuffed animal, and some toys into it.

"Max, no," Maya climbs off her bed and comes over to me. "Please don't go. Don't leave me."

"It's okay. You'll be safe with mommy," I assure her.

"I don't want you to leave."

I put my small hand on her shoulder. "I have to. Daddy has to leave or he'll hurt mommy more and I'm gonna make him leave. I'll be back soon."

She's still crying but understands now. "Okay. I love you."

"I love you."

We hug quickly and then I zip up my book bag and walk out to the living room. Mommy's on the couch crying.

"What's wrong mama?" I frown.

She looks up at me. "Maximum, honey what are you doing? Why are you up? It's passed your bedtime."

Just then, daddy comes through the door, into the room and picks me up. "Come on Maxie let's go."

"Jeb, what do you think you're doing." Mommy stands.

Daddy doesn't answer, he walks out the front door, me in his arms, and to his car.

"You are not taking my daughter, Jeb!"

Daddy puts me in the car and buckles me in. Mommy comes running out of the house in her robe and slippers, but daddy gets in the car and locks the door before she reaches us.

She bangs on the window and yells, "Jeb open this door! Maximum! Open the door for mommy. Open the door for mommy, honey."

"I love you, mommy," I say through the window.

On the porch, Maya and Ari stand, both crying, waving to me. I wave back to them, just as Daddy starts the car and drives away.

I didn't know it then but it was the last time I'd ever seen them again.

"Daddy where are we going?"

"We're going to a hotel." He says, not looking back at me.

"Why aren't the rest of them coming?"

"Because, Maxie. You've always been my favorite."

I wake up to the feeling of an elephant is sitting on my chest and no matter how hard I try, I can only manage to take small little gasps of air. The world spins around me and I feel like I'm going to throw up or pass out. Maybe both.

I sit up and bring my knees to my chest and place my head in my lap and do just as my mom told me. Deep breaths -in, 1, 2, 3, out, 1, 2, 3 and repeat.

You're okay Max.

It was just a dream.

Remember what the therapist told you, those people weren't real. Your brain only created them to distract you from your parents fighting all the time.

Maya and Ari do not exist, that man that you once called your father is long gone and you're safe now.

Slowly the weight begins to ease up and I can breath again but the shaking doesn't stop.

I lay in bed all day, too scared to get up. And when night comes I do the same, laying there watching shadows dance around my room, praying none of them take the shape of a person or faces. And when sunrise comes, I force myself out of the covers and into the shower, trying to wash away all the memories of last night.

Halfway trying to be myself again for Angel's birthday today but no matter how high up I turn the water, even when it starts to scold my skin, I can't seem to get rid of the dark, chill that seems to hover over me.