Chapter Eleven: Crazy Beyond Repair

Max's Pov

"What kind of movie has everyone die in the end? That was such a shitty ending!" Iggy exclaims, throwing popcorn at my Laptop.

"I agree but you're picking that shit up." I motion to mess at the end of my bed.

"Fine," he readjusts his body so that he's now facing me on the bed instead of the screen. "So what are you doing tonight?"

"Maximum Martinez, on a wednesday night? Absolutely nothing. And stop eating all the blue sour patch kids!" I swat his hand.

"Sorry," He pops a handful of candy into his mouth and smiles unapologetically." And since you're doing nothing, you should come to The Flock's Gig tonight."

"Iggy…."

"Pleaseee Max. Everyone's going to be there. Come support your new best friend."

"Gazzy's preforming?" I joke.

"You know I meant me!"

I think over his offer in my head. I feel really drained from my lack of sleep these past few weeks and so much school work but at the same time, It'd do me no good sitting in a room all night staring at walls; hoping one of them doesn't take the face of…

"Fine. I'll come, I suppose."

"Yay!" he cheers. "I gotta go starting getting ready but I'll pick you up here at nine."

"Sounds like a plan."

He takes another handful of candy and shoves it into his pocket. Then he leans over to my side of the bed, hugs me quickly -knowing that if he does it for too long I'll push him off- and darts out of my dorm.

I wait until after the door closes behind him to check the time on my phone; 7:54.

Usually I can get dressed and ready pretty quickly but due to the fact that my entire closet it currently laying on the floor, I need to get up now if I'm gonna find something to wear by nine.

I push all the candy off my lap, onto the bed and start my scavenger hunt.

An hour later, I'm standing in front of the mirror, looking at another outfit, stumped on what to wear to this performance. Apparently their gig is at a bar, like ten minutes off of campus, called 'Sin City'. I've never been into a bar before so I'm not exactly sure how I should dress but I guess a tank top, skinny jeans and a flannel tied around my waist will have to do.

I will admit at first I wasn't in a good mood at all and really didn't want to go to this thing, but then I got a call from my mom when I was looking for my clothes. She told me that she has to travel here to California for a surgery and that she'll be in town for a whole week, meaning l get to spend at least a few days with her and that instantly increased my mood by a thousand percent.

I really miss her.

"How's everybody doing tonight?" Fang says from the stage, into the microphone.

The crowd cheers in response.

I join in, too.

I didn't expect there to be this many people here. It's a really large bar but still it's packed person-to-person, many from local schools who must like the band and the others younger adults out for a good time.

"We're The Flock and were going to be your opening act tonight."

"The first song we're going to be playing is called The Pheonix," Iggy adds on.

(The Pheonix by Fall Out Boy.)

Fang:

Put on your war paint

*Instrument*

You are a brick tied to me that's dragging me down

Strike a match and I'll burn you to the ground

We are the jack-o-lanterns in july

Setting fire to the sky

Here, here comes this arising tide

So come on

*Instrument*

Put on your war paint

*Instrument*

Cross walks and cross hearts

And hope to die

Seal the clouds with grey lining

*Instruments*

Gazzy:

So we can take the world back from our hard attack

One maniac at a time we will take it back

Iggy:

You know time crawls on

When your waiting for this song to start

So dance along to the beat of your heart

*Instrument*

Hey young blood

Doesn't it feel

Like our time is running out

*Instrument*

I'm gonna change you like a remix

and I'll raise you like a Phoenix

Wearing out vintage misery

No I think it looked a little better on me

I'm gonna change you like a remix

Then I'll raise you like a Phoenix

Fang:

Bring home the boys

And scrap, scrap metal the tanks

Get hitched, make a career out of robbing banks

Because the world is just a teller

And were all wearing black masks

"You broke our spirits" says the note we passed

Gazzy

So we can take the world back from our hard attack

One maniac at a time we will take it back

Iggy:

You know time crawls on

When you're waiting for this song to start

So dance along to the beat of your heart

*Instrument*

Hey young blood

Doesn't it feel

Like our time is running out

*Instrument*

I'm gonna change you like a remix

and I'll raise you like a Phoenix

Wearing out vintage misery

No I think it looked a little better on me

I'm gonna change you like a remix

Then I'll raise you like a Phoenix

Fang:

Put on your war paint

Gazzy:

The war has won before its began

Release the doves

Surrender love

*Instrument*

The war has won before its began

Release the doves

Surrender love

*Instrument*

The war has won before its began

Release the doves

Surrender love

*Instrument*

The war has won before its began

Release the doves

Surrender love

*Instrument*

Iggy:

Hey young blood

Doesn't it feel like our time is running out

I'm gonna change you like a remix

Then I'll raise you like a Pheonix

Fang:

Put on your war paint

The music ends and the crowd burst into loud cheers. I don't realize until a few seconds later that I'm 'woo-ing' along, too. As much as I like to be an ass, they are pretty good.

They do a couple more songs, the next being better than the last, before taking a break and allowing another artist to comes on.

I watch as they walk down the stage steps but lose them in the crowd as soon as they hit the floor.

"Max!" I hear Caden yell.

I turn. "What?"

"Ells and I are gonna go get drinks from the bar. Want anything?"

"No I'm fine. I'm gonna go to the bathroom," I call, pointing towards the big red sign on the wall.

Ella pulls Caden off to the bar and I begin walking towards the bathroom but only manage to get a few feet before I'm stopped by a pair of large arms that wrap around my waist.

"Get off of me!" I yell.

"Damn, what did I do to you?" the person asks, in a familiar voice.

He releases me and I turn around to face him "Iggy you scared the shit out of me. What's wrong with you?"

"Sorry, Maxie," he laughs and I punch his arm for calling me that. "So how'd you like The Flock?"

"You guys were awesome," I admit.

"Thanks. That means a lot coming from my best friend," Iggy smiles. "So… where's Ella and the douche bag?"

"They're at the bar getting some drinks," I point. "And he is not a douche bag. He's actually a really nice guy."

"Whatever you say," He rolls his eyes, refusing to listen to anything good I have to say about Caden.

The past few days he's been asking a lot about Ella; what she's like, what she's into, ect. I think he has a crush on her or something.

"Funny, I was actually just heading over there. You coming?"

"I have to go to the bathroom but I'll meet you over there after, Okay?"

He nods and without another word heads in the opposite direction, surely off to start trouble. I continue towards the bathroom but apparently Gods tying to send me a message or something because I'm stopped again before I can reach the door.

A large figure.

Riley.

"What are you doing here?"

"Everyone from school is here?" He chuckles. "But I'm really glad you came, Ive been meaning to talk to you. Face to face."

"About?"

I thought we said all we needed to say the last time we talked.

He looks around. "Can we go somewhere more private?"

"I don't think that's a good idea Riley."

"Please. Two minutes?"

I cross my arms over my chest and reluctantly sigh,"Fine. Two but that's it."

"Thank you," he smiles and leads the way.

I'll make this quick and easy.

Besides I have nothing to worry about; there's a ton of people around so if he tries to hurt me there would be a lot of witnesses.

I follow him to a red door in the back, with an 'exit' sign over it. Riley opens the door for me, motioning for me to go first. I cautiously step out into the cold night, immediately making a mental note of the surroundings; It's an alleyway.

"What did you wanna talk about?" I question, as nonchalantly as I can.

"Before I begin, just promise you'll hear me out," He pleads. "Please?"

"That's why I'm out here aren't I?"

"Why are you being like this?"

"Being like what?"

"So... bitchy. I thought we ended on a good note?"

I shrug. "We did. But it's cold and people are waiting on me. So can we please hurry this up."

He takes a deep breath, running a hand through his tosseled hair.

"Did you like me at all? You know, before I screwed everything up?"

"I don't know."

He seemed like an okay guy but I don't know if I'd say I liked him. I like my friends. Him I do not consider a friend.

He looks at me. "You don't know?"

"Riley why does it even matter?" I blurt out. "You can have so many girls so why do you care care so much about one girl's opinion on you."

"I don't even know but I just do for some reason. And I know I said I'd leave you alone but I was thinking about it more and that's not what I want. So if you any way what so ever found me tolerable will you please just give me another chance? At least get to know me more and then if this time, you still don't like me, I'll leave you alone. Forever."

"No," I answer immediately. "I dont want to date you or anyone else right now, Riley. So if that's all, I'm going back inside to find my friends. Goodbye, Riley."

"No. Don't leave." He steps in front of me.

"When will you get the message, Riley? I don't want to be with you."

I step around him, trying as quickly as I can to reach the door but Riley grabs arm and pulls me back towards him.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"You can't leave."

"I can and I am," I state and try to pull my arm from his grip but he doesn't let me go.

"Come on, Max. You're making this a lot more complicated than this has to be."

"Let me go!" I yell.

"Stop yelling," He screams at me

I once again try to pull away, only to end up having him yank my arm. A sharp pain shoots up my left arm and I wince.

"Riley, Stop it. You're hurting me."

I finally get my hand free from his grasp and punch him in the face. A drop a blood trickles from his nose, but he doesn't seem fazed. Instead he surprises me by laughing. A cold, emotionless laugh that sends cold chills down my back.

"You're fucking insane."

He grabs me by my hair and shoves me into the wall. I try to catch myself with my hands but don't manage to get them out in time. My head collides with hard brick, sending a sharp pain through my temple. I start to fall towards the ground but he catches me and pins be back to the brick wall.

"Fuck. Do you see what happened? Do you see what you made me do? This is all your fault! It didn't have to be like this!"

I hear a faint screaming in the distance. The voice sounds much like mine but I can't feel anything coming out of my mouth.

I can't feel anything except the burning in my chest.

I try my hardest to breath but no matter how hard I gasp, I'm unable to find any air. It feels like I'm suffocating though nothing's around my throat.

Reality begin slipping from me.

I'm not longer able to tell where Riley is or what he's saying. Everything is black. Whether my eyes are closed or not I don't know but one thing I do know is I feel like I'm being burned alive from the inside out.

A glass cup comes zipping past me, hitting the wall and shattering into hundreds of little shards. I cover my mouth with my hand, trying not to scream, as another plate flies by my head, this time coming even closer to hitting me than the last three did. His aims getting better and if I don't do something now I'll be in the hospital -or even worse, dead- by morning.

I run and hide behind the kitchen counter. If I'm quite he won't be able to find me, and he'll give up and go to bed, I try to convince myself but I know it's not true. He's drunk again -like he has been for practically every day this past month- and he's not going to stop until he finds me.

"Maxie! Get your ass over here," He yells but I don't budge. "The longer it takes me to find you the worse your punishment will be."

I gasp when see his reflection in the stainless steel stove and crawl my way to the other side of the counter. If I run fast enough, I can make it to the steps and up to my room. He won't be able to find me if I hide on the roof.

I wait until he takes a few more steps before I start crawling. I'm almost to the hall when tip of my shoe accidentally rubs against the ground, creating a loud squeaking sound.

"I found you now, you little bitch!"

This is it. I have to run right now, If I'm going to have any chance of making it.

I stand, just as he comes up behind me and grabs me by my pony-tail. "Did you really think that you could get away from me? Did you?" He screams, tugging it harder.

I wince and fight back the tears that spring to my eyes. I refuse to let him see me cry.

I won't let him win.

By now, I know better than to try and out punch him, so instead I bite his arm. He instantly releases me and I fall to the floor. He instantly begins kicking me in the side.

Once.

Twice.

Three.

Four.

Over and over again.

The familiar metallic taste of blood fills my mouth and I curl up into a ball trying to protect my injured ribs.

But this time he revs his foot back and kicks me in the head and the world around me instantly goes black.

Fangs Pov

"That sounds amazing but I really have to go," I say -to the persistent, blonde who keeps insisting on coming back to my place with after the show- before making my escape.

I've met some pretty desperate girls before but I've never met one before who still refuses to give up after fifteen minutes of me declining her. I try to be nice and all, believe it or not, but I'm just not in the mood for a random hookup tonight.

'Fang Ride doesn't' just want sex' -shocker, I know right.

I'm known to have a reputation of being with a lot of girls and that to other people that makes me just a fuck boy but it's not like that for me. I will admit I have willingly hooked up with a decent amount of girls -I'm a teenage guy, who wouldn't?- but most of the girls I had a thing with was because they persuaded me and I didn't want to make them feel bad about themselves -like they weren't worth my attention- So I see them for a little while.

I have a strict no dating policy or going on dates though so we just hang out in their dorms or mine and have fun. Most of the time it only lasts a few days or weeks or so but it still makes them happy just having the chance rather than being rejected. And then we go separate ways.

Might sound twisted and fucked up -a little part of me even knows that- but I feel like it's more good than harm to them.

I begin getting close to the bar and spot Iggy sitting there next to that Ella girl he's always talking about and her boyfriend Caden. Iggy notices me, too, because gets up and makes his way over to me.

"Have you seen Max?" He looks concerned.

"No."

There's like two hundred people here, I'm lucky I even found Iggy.

"Fuck… She's been gone for a long time and I'm getting worried."

"Woah woah, chill dude. She probably found some guy and got caught up talking to him. No need to worry," I assure him.

"No," he says instantly. "I know that's not it, she's not like that... I'm afraid somethings happened to her."

"Iggy you're over reacting."

"Fang, will you please just help me look for her?" he begs.

I groan but reluctantly nod anyways. If us finding her fine and having fun shuts him the hell up, then I'll fucking help him find his 'new best-friend'.

Iggy quickly thanks me and takes off to search the front doors, while I head towards the back exit. It's a struggle, trying to push past the herds of drunk, sweaty, dancing bodies, but I eventually make it to the exit and push the doors open.

I look around. To my right first -nothing. To my left, a person aways down the alley, with their back turned to me. I begin making my way towards the person; brown hair, blue jeans, green shirt.

It's Riley, I'm certain about that but he has his body turned away from me, facing the brick wall.

"Riley," I call, causing him to jump a little.

"Hey, Fang. Shit you scared me."

"What are you doing?"

I see upon closer inspection that there's someone with him. I don't know who but I see by the painted toenails that it's a girl.

"Trying to have have alone time but you're being a real cock block bro."

"Sorry I was just looking for Max... have you seen her anywhere? Iggy worried."

"Haven't actually. Sorry."

The girl with him doesn't say a word or even move at all. Her feet are bent at an awkward angle as if she's not standing on her own but being held up and her arms help against the wall by Riley.

Something isn't right.

I grab him by the shoulder to push him out of the way and when I do the girl goes crashing to the ground, head first. Blood instantly begins rushing from her head. Her blonde head.

It's Max.

And she's unconscious.

Maxs Pv

"Max? Max wake up."

My eyes flutter open and the first thing I see is a fuzzy-looking brunette. "Ella, is that you?"

"Oh my god, she's awake! Yes Max, it's me. Can you hear me?"

I nod, but instantly regret it because a sharp ice pick pain shoots through my temple. I feel so nauseous. I grab my head to stop the swaying and my fingers come away wet and sticky.

Blood.

I blink a few times in an attempt to make the fuzziness go away and eventually it does but I can't stop my teeth from chattering uncontrollably and my body from shaking. Ella pulls me closer to her, trying to give me some warmth and even though I know the shaking is caused by fear and not the cold, I let her.

"Here, I got her," Caden offers.

Ella moves back and he pulls me up off of the ground, wrapping a hand around my waist trying to support me so I can stand on my own. Another wave of nausea hits and I have to hold onto his shirt to stop myself from swaying.

"Whe-where's Riley?" I ask.

Caden averts eye contact but Ella points her finger off into the distance. I follow the direction she was pointing to see Riley lying on the ground. He's groaning in pain, and grabbing his ribs, though his swollen and bloody face seems like it needs attention too.

Iggy and Gazzy aren't far from him and are holding back Fang.

"Fang!" Iggy yells at him. "Stop."

"I'm going to kill him," Fang growls and tries break from their grip but Iggy and Gazzy push him further back away from Riley.

I will admit, the look of puree hatred apparent on Fang's face even terrifies me and I'm not the one his anger is towards.

I look over to Ella. "What did I miss?"

She laughs and wipes a hand across her tear streaked face. "I'll explain it all later."

"Max!" He Iggy exclaims, abandoning his mission of holding back Fang and Runs over to me. "You're awake."

Caden moves away and I feel wobbly standing on my own but Iggy quickly takes over the job. He hugs me tightly, making me aware of the burning pain in my lower back. I wince and he loosens up his grip a little bit but refuses to let go.

At the sound of my name, Fang stops his attempts of attacking Riley and turns towards me. His eyes land on mine and it's as if all the rage inside of him just disappears instantly and is replaced by warm, relief filled eyes .

"I'm fine, gazzy. Let me go," he says calmly.

Him and Iggy exchange a look, before Iggy nods an okay and Gazzy releases him. He acts like Riley isn't even here as he walks straight towards me. I push Iggy off of me just as Fang stops inches from me.

"Are you okay?"

I laugh and roll my eyes. "Of course, why wouldn't I be?"

I go to take a step but end up tripping over my own feet and falling into Fang's chest. I start to apologize but instead of pushing me off him like I expected, he wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me into him.

The simple act of standing begins to feel like too much but Fang manages to keep me up. I don't even think I'm standing anymore, I think he's holding my full weight up for me. It's a little weird to think about because I've never been this close to Fang before but I feel secure and so tired so instead of fighting it, I give in and wrap my arms around his large waist and place my head in the crook of his neck. The warm heat radiating from his body comforts me and calms my unsettled nerves.

"I'm sorry about your head," He apologizes. "That was my fault."

"It's fine, It doesn't even hurt," I lie.

Why does being like this feel so oddly natural?

"Okay, pretty-boy," Iggy interrupts. "She's my best friend. Can I have her back?"

"You need to go to the hospital," Iggy says, handing a cup of Sprite.

"I'm fine!" I yell but instantly wince from the more pain that it causes to my head.

"I'm agreeing with Iggy, Max," Ella adds. "You could have a concussion or something."

"Would you guys give it a fucking rest already?"

They've been saying non stop for the last fifteen minutes that I need to go to a hospital and I've been constantly telling them no but they won't listen. I will be fine, why can't they understand that.

"Sorry," Iggy apologizes. "We're probably not helping your head, are we?"

"No. You're not," I deny, laying my head back my pillow.

I refused to go to the hospital and they didn't know where else to take me after everything happened so we somehow managed to end up back here in my dorm -shy of Nudge and Angel. They aren't aware of what happened and I don't want to tell them because I don't want the whole school hearing about it, so we left without them. And Caden, too; Ella made him go home.

The little black dots in the corner of my vision began to grow larger again, taking over and making everything dark and fuzzy. I know I should say something to my friends but they'll just insist that I go to the hospital and I hate hospitals. They creep me the fuck out with all their beeping and vibrating thing-ies.

"That's it," Fang exclaims, startling me awake. I didn't even realise I had dozed off. "You're going to the hospital."

"I don't need to -I'm fine."

"You're about to pass out."

"No. I'm just tired." I protest. "It's almost one a.m. I need to go to sleep, as do you all."

"Max we just wanna make sure you're okay," Ella assures me.

"I am okay. Now go back to Caden, he's probably going crazy, not knowing what to do without you by his side for more than five minutes," I joke.

I can tell she's too upset for jokes right now but she smiles anyways for me. "Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Alright, but I'm coming back to check on you in the morning," She leans across my head to hug me and kiss me on my head. "Try and get some sleep. I love you."

"Love you too Ell's."

I watch as she exits the door before turning back to the three guys still left standing in my room. Fang pulls a blanket from my bed and lays it on the couch, while Gazzy tosses him a couples pillows and Iggy climbs into my bed next to me.

"What are you doing?"

"Since you won't let us take you to the hospital, Were spending the night!" Iggy says excitedly.

"No you're not!" I declare. "You guys have classes tomorrow, you can't be sleeping on an uncomfortable couch and hard floor."

Fang turns towards me with a false look of confusion. "Classes? What classes? Don't have any of those."

"Me neither," gazzy plays along.

"I don't even know what that word means," Iggy winks, flippings over onto his side and pulling the covers up to his chest.

"Guys I'm serious," I try to say in my most serious voice but it comes out sounding pathetic and small.

I'm so drained of all my energy.

"So are we," Gazzy smiles up from the floor.

I hear a soft click and the room goes black.

"Nighty night Maxie," Fang sings.

"Love you bestie," Iggy concludes. "thanks for sharing your bed."

Not like I had much of a choice when he just hopped into it and made himself comfortable.

There's no use in trying to fight, it's pretty obvious they're being serious and not going anywhere no matter what I say so I decide to give it a rest and sink down into my bed.

God it's never felt this comfy before but for some reason feels like I'm laying on clouds of silk.

It doesn't take more than a few minutes before sleep welcomes me.

I wake up in the middle of the night upright and my heart racing.

Another fucking nightmare again. But this one wasn't one of my past, it was a new one.

One of Riley.

I was walking down the street at night and he came out of nowhere and attacked me, then he drug me to an Alley not far away and raped me, I screamed out constantly for help but no one came.

I was all alone.

It dawns on me when I feel the bed move that I am not alone tonight. I have three teenage boys who refused to go home staying with me. I hope I wasn't screaming or thrashing around too much to wake them up.

I turn towards Iggy; he's fast asleep, even snoring a little bit. I next peak onto the floor at Gazzy, he doesn't budge either. But when I peer through the darkness to check on Fang, I jump a little. He's laying on his back, hand intertwined on his stomach, motionless but eyes wide open and staring up at the ceiling.

Is he sleeping with his eyes open?

I look a few seconds longer and finally see him blink. He's awake. I hope I'm not the cause for him being awake.

"Night terror?" He asks, not averting his eyes from the ceiling. His voice sounds strained and he looks a sweaty.

"Yea."

"Me, too."

I don't know what more to say and he doesn't really seem in the mood for talking. He looks upset and scared and at the same time dead inside, like he's trying to fight his own recurring night mares too.

I lay back onto my pillow and too stare up at the ceiling until the ceiling begins to blur and explode with colors and I pass out again.