Ashley (Morning Dreamgirl)
I'm just curious - since he wasn't mind warping Max - what he was doing to Liz that was draining her so much. I'm thinking that he was mostly fighting to keep her under his control. But it was more like he was draining her.
Let me explain this a bit more; Liz gets really drained whenever Sean exerts his power onto her mostly because she fights him. It takes a lot of energy to fight back. Had (and he probably has) Sean been doing the same thing to any other human, it would probably be a breeze - both for the unsuspected victim and for Sean. Plus, Liz is really not very good at eating at the moment, which means that she doesn't really have that much energy stored up = drainage of energy.
You also mentioned that it's rather stupid of Sean to continue to "pursue" Liz since considering how energy-demanding their meetings are, they'll both probably end up dead on the floor. That might just be it. Or maybe, if Liz's connection to Max was severed 100% she would be much easier to control. Sean is good at mind control; it shouldn't be this hard for him.
No, pissing the Sergeant off is probably not the best idea. But you hit the head on the nail (again); Max is just so fed up with the whole thing. Him and Liz always being at the receiving end of all that bullshit and he can't get even.
He can't stay with her all the time and he can't bring himself to fully fight for her out in the open. Though, in all honesty, is that a fight that he could win? If it's against the law for him to be with her it wouldn't just be the Sgt. that he would be going up against but the entire alien community.
That's the root of the problem, isn't it? Because of course Max doesn't want to break his connection to Liz (when he's finally got it) and of course he wants to be with her. But it's against the law that his community is dictated by. And we've seen glimpses of the respect that the members of that society seem to hold for that law and their (brutal) will to uphold it. Max really is backed into a corner on this one.
Philip's position in all of this is still vague, but it does seem as if he's sticking his neck out to protect Max. But he can only do it so far, because (as you noted) if Philip also puts himself in the dog house - who's going to protect Max?
Can you imagine everything that Diane is going through, watching her son as he gets these punishments, one after the other, knowing that she can't do anything to help him. At least her husband can heal him after his sentence is up but she isn't able to do anything and she's the one who would have cared for the children more.
Diane is probably not at all comfortable with the current situation. She is human and has not grown up with the laws of the alien society she wedded into. Possibly, she hasn't fully witnessed what that law entails until her son started to "revolt".
It's interesting that Max has been working and learning on comatose patients. I'm wondering why he claimed to not be able to get into Liz's mind when she was drunk and why he asked Is if she could erase Liz's mind if he had no actual intention of allowing her to. He's been putting up a front for awhile with those closest to him and it's amazing to see how he has basically taken down almost all those walls and masks for her.
In that particular scenario - when they were at the party - he really wasn't sure if he could wipe Liz's memory. He had never done it on a "mentally sound" person before, which didn't really make him want Liz to be his first. But, of course, he couldn't very well reveal that he technically had the knowledge since no one knew what he had been up to at the hospital - practicing. Well, maybe Isabel would know, but Michael was there as well. And how much is Michael in on..?
It's interesting about Max using Liz's energy. I get that he doesn't like to but at the same time I find the whole thing intriguing. Anytime someone else tries or anytime she fights off another alien she's drained in a very negative way. But with Max she doesn't seem to suffer much more than a headache.
Almost correct. She did faint when he used her to "make them invisible". But the other times he's stopped himself before taking too much. But then - as I explained above - she probably doesn't fight Max, so it doesn't drain her to the same degree.
It's interesting that the aliens don't feel much and yet they seem to feel anger and hate perfectly well.
Or maybe they feel more than we know, just that their feelings are more simplified - in a way more raw. Remember, we only know this because Max told Liz that. This is
Max's view upon the pure aliens emotional level. It might be tainted about how he feels about his own society; especially the purists.
He's obviously seriously considering the third option if he's so adamant (at least in the beginning of the chapter) about her not breaking the bond but he can't expect her to make a different (better) decision if she's not aware there is one. (All conjecture, of course, on there actually being a third, better option.
)
Let's assume that there is a third option here
, wouldn't it be great if Liz would suggest it instead? Because then Max wouldn't have to say it and break any rules. Maybe that's what he's aiming at. He keeps pointing back to that he wants her to help him figure it out; to come up with options. Then he's frustrated when she settles for the options they already know. *shakes head* Men... What to do?
Max might claim that they're not living in a romance novel, but let's be honest here - neither he nor Liz do things half way. Their gestures tend to be big and obvious even when they may not seem like it. Standing up for her at the party? Big and obvious. Going to see him after realizing he was an alien? Big and obvious. Risking his own neck to keep Sean from raping her? Big and obvious. Willing to sacrifice herself to keep Max alive? Big and obvious. You would think they'd realize by now that they don't do things in a minor way so they should just get on with it already find a way to fight through this.
I love this. I love this description of their relationship
<3
For the first time - even if he didn't say it out loud - he fully admitted that he loves Liz Parker! I can't believe that we waited thirty-five chapters to get to that point! And technically he hasn't even said the words yet.
I can't believe it either. This was supposed to be a short(er) story. I should just accept that I have a problem with writing short stories
Though if we have to wait another thirty-five chapters before we get any farther in their relationship I think it might just kill some of your readers. (*whistles innocently* No pressure though... And if you believe that I have some property on the moon for sale...)
You wouldn't!
Not my readers!
And Jo! How could you go from "Can I just have the night?" (which you know would get all of our hearts fluttering) and then be all "that's not what I meant"?! Me thinks that you are a tease woman!
Obviously he meant hanging out! I thought that was perfectly clear
Personally I think part of Liz's sudden appetite is the fact that she was finally kissed silly by Max but that's just my opinion.
You're probably not that far off. Kissing makes someone happy (generally) and happiness decreases appetite-reducing anxiety...
I do appreciate you getting a bus ready for us. It's always less conspicuous if one person isn't doing everything. Not that I would know.
Don't sweat it. Of course I would get a bus for you
You know, even though she seems a bit... let's just say "witchy" in most of this chapter, I actually like Isabel.
I'm really happy that you like Isabel. She's not a bad person, and she'll have a chance to prove that as the story unfolds.
I knew Alex was an empath! One of those things I didn't want to spoil in FBs.
It's amazing how you know these stuff.
And can I just say... This whole Isabel and Alex flirting thing brought me right back to the Halloween party and the first interaction M/L had there. I think it's some kind of alien thing. Push buttons to get a reaction out of another person. Isabel definitely knew what kind of reaction she wanted to get out of Alex - and she knew just what buttons to push to get it.
*laughs* I hadn't actually drawn those parallels myself, so that's funny. Maybe it
is an alien thing
I'm also still curious as to why Sean hasn't been punished yet. He was a part of the situation as well.
Do we really know that Sean hasn't been punished..?
Thank you, hun, for all the compliments on the ML relationship and the emotional rollercoaster that they're on. It means a lot - a lot. And thank you for the lengthy feedbacks. They're like chapters on their own
Helen (Roswelllostcause) - Yes, everyone seems to "know" what's going on
Well, at least Isabel and Alex have been let in on the secret.
Cause after giving them a good old Detroit woman beat down I will chain them to that bus you are getting and drag them behind it down the pot hole infested Michigan roads!
Girl
That's really taking it to the next level. *shrugs* But hey, why not. They don't really deserve any lenience at this point, do they?
Thank you for the feedback!
Alien_Friend
Please tell me that Liz won't go through with breaking the bond. Please, please, please.
Well, I can't very well tell you that
But just remember; I'm a dreamer. Not some forced Sean/Liz shipper.
I wonder if each punishment for breaking the law is 24hrs or if it depends on the crime.
Depends on the crime. And also the punishment. How long can you leave someone naked in freezing temperatures before it becomes dangerously close to being fatal?
I don't see any redeeming qualities to Philip Evans. None. Isabel insinuated that Philip was a good person. I think he doesn't let her see his ugly side.
Philip Evans isn't the man in charge here. So there is a chance/risk (?) that it was not he who dished out the punishment. If he were the one to tell on Max, I can't say, and at the moment Mr. Evans doesn't really seem like the good guy Isabel thinks he is, I agree.
Nice thinking you had there about that Nancy's death shouldn't be in vain. That Liz should do everything possible to survive - and if that meant keeping the connection she should do it.
I wonder why Philip didn't mention that Max whipped Liz's memory to the sergeant. Perhaps he was actually trying play the role of a father. Or who knows. I kind of wish he would get himself into trouble with the sergeant instead of Max.
Philip is a confusing man...
It might start some kind of civil war and that would be dangerous for the humans but at some point something has give against these archaic rules. Hey Max could be the leader?
Where have I heard that before?
Hehe... Let me get back to you on that
Poor Max... always with the world on his shoulders
Man, it scared the heck out of me when the sit was down yesterday. I was freaking out thinking I would never get to continue reading this story. I was so sad. So when I learnt all was right again I had to seize the opportunity to see if you updated and to my pleasant surprise there wasn't just a couple new chapters but 4.
They were wonderful. Thank you very much.
Sweetie... <3 <3 Thank you
L-J-L 76 - Yes, it was probably a good thing that Liz left that room. She was not really allowed to be there to start with. Just imagine the ramifications - and Max would be unable to protect her in his state.
Thank you for the feedback and the bump!
Carolyn (keepsmiling7)
Liz......no, no, not ever is Sean your future.
Ugh. No. I hope not.
Breaking into Max's house? A good idea? Probably not. But Liz was going crazy knowing that something was up. And Liz and Max should just realize that they are so similar. They are both adamant at protecting each other - at the risk of their own lives. If, maybe, they should just work together instead...
Thank you for the feedback!
Natalie36 - Mine too. Thank you
mezz - *laughs* I have to admit. I had to read your feedback reeeaaally slowly to sort out all the "knows"
It was like some episode out of
Friends or something. But yes, it's probably a lot more than just a case of Max confiding in Isabel. The picture is getting bigger - it's not just Max and Liz. Maybe there's a whole "support system" running in the background. After all, Isabel didn't fight
that hard to kick Liz out of their house, instead rather easily showing her where Max was kept, which kinda resonates with your theory.
Thank you for the feedback!
Eve (begonia9508) - Hey you. Welcome back to the board. I understand that the site was being especially "mean" to you
But I'm glad to have you back.
The aliens are as stupid as humans can be! They follow a leader (Sergeant) who only looks what is good for him and his son... Sheeps are even clever as the mass of aliens following...
Yes, yes and yes.
Thank you for the feedback!
From TWENTY-SEVEN:
My chest was tight with anxiety, worry, fear and deep grief as I looked down at his naked shape on the floor. He was shivering again, his skin turning gradually whiter almost in front of my eyes, and his eyes were already closed.
I felt the buzz at the back of my head diminishing and my frustration grew along with it. Had my energy helped him at all? It didn’t even seem to last.
”He’ll be fine,” Isabel said next to me, taking my hand. I let her hold it, feeling like I was about to crumble.
”Once his punishment is over, he’ll be healed,” Alex explained.
I fought my tears as Isabel, still holding on to my hand, bent down and picked up my jacket and cardigan and gently pulled my beanie off Max’s head. She silently bundled up the articles of clothing under her arm and I felt her questioning look on the side of my face.
”We need to leave,” Alex mumbled. ”Now.”
I swallowed and nodded. With one final look at Max, I let the aliens turn me around and walk me out of the freezing room.
____________________________________
THIRTY-EIGHT
The next 18 hours would turn out to be the coldest of my existence. Not just because of the coldness I was indirectly experiencing through Max, but because of the guilt and the self-condemnation which was drowning me.
He was being tortured. Because of me. Because I had put myself in harm’s way, leaving Max no other option but to intentionally break the laws of his alien community in order to save me.
I think this was the worst of his punishments. Earlier, he had ’only’ been beaten. I had never felt the cold before, which made me fairly certain that this was a worse form of penance. Maybe they were getting fed up with Max breaking their rules. They obviously thought that the reprimands were not working, since he kept on repeating his ’mistakes’.
Or maybe it was because the crime had been more serious this time. What had Isabel said? That Max had jeopardized the secrecy of their community? But whatever the crime, did it justify torture?
Even under the weight of my comforter, three blankets, and four layers of clothing, I couldn’t get warm and didn’t get any sleep. There was no reason for me to go to school that morning. I would look ridiculous wearing so much clothing in the warm New Mexico air. That alone would most likely attract a lot of unwanted attention and raise questions I didn’t feel like answering.
So, during the hours that Max was enduring his punishment and I was indirectly suffering along with him (stubbornly refusing to break the connection, even though it would obviously make my own existence much more pleasant), I made sure that all my windows were locked and checked the front door about twenty-three times. I busied myself with making my dad peanut-butter-and-jelly-sandwiches and curled up next to him on the couch in front of daytime television, cradling cups of steaming hot tea in my cold hands.
My dad didn’t comment on me wearing winter clothing inside, or remark on the mittens I occasionally donned or the beanie that was flattening my hair. I think, in a way, he was just happy that I was spending the day with him.
As the day ran into the afternoon, Alex called.
He sounded relieved when I connected the call. ”Oh good. You answered.”
I squeezed my eyes closed at the implications of that relief, knowing that my evasive behavior since I had found out that he was not entirely human was a big reason as to why he was still wary around me.
”Of course, Alex,” I said softly.
You helped me find Max yesterday.
”Yeah.” He managed to bake both guilt and insecurity into that one word. ”I just wasn’t sure, you know.”
”I wouldn’t have called you yesterday if I didn’t trust you,” I said quietly, closing the door to my room, climbing onto my unmade bed, ignoring the indirect pain in my abdomen, and settling in a cross-legged position as I balanced the phone between my ear and shoulder.
”We didn’t really have a chance to talk before, because of the whole Max drama,” Alex said with an air of apology, ”but I assume that you’re okay with me not being…entirely…”
”Human?” I filled in with incredulity.
”Yeah,” he exhaled.
”That was never the issue,” I said seriously, considered for a moment how honest I should be, before continuing, ”You are one of my closest friends, Alex, and you never told me.”
I almost heard him swallow on the other end of the line and his voice was barely audible as he said, ”I know.”
”I mean,” I continued, being uncomfortable with his silence and not really feeling up to putting him too much on the spot, ”I understand that it’s, in a way, not really your secret to tell and that it’s a really freaking big thing, but I would’ve kept your secret. I thought you knew me well enough to know that. It just hurts that you assumed that you couldn’t share that with me.”
”There was not really any need to. Knowing would only cause fear and pain. I didn’t want to risk losing you as a friend.” He paused and I waited him out. ”Of course I trusted-
trust you, Liz. You’re probably the most reliable and loyal person I know. But with this, I couldn’t just be 100% sure that you were, I had to be 110% sure - at least. Because if you were to run, I needed to be able to stop you-”
”And erase my mind of whatever information you had just shared,” I filled in grimly. It all came down to that.
Mind control. Damage control.
”Right,” his voice matched the darkness in mine, ”And I don’t know how to do that.” There was a brief pause before he continued, ”I needed to keep you safe, and
not including you was the safest way I could find. Even if you
had accepted what I told you, there was the risk of anyone finding out that you knew - immediately putting you in harm’s way.”
I scoffed. ”That’s a moot point now.”
”Yeah,” Alex said softly. ”Max told me a thing or two.”
There was that hint again. That Max was sharing information about me and him. ”Max talked to you?”
Max trusted Alex?
”He’s filled me in on some things, yes.”
”Why?” I blurted, before I could stop myself. As far as I knew, Alex and Max were not friends. They were not in any ’sharing’-type of relationship at all.
Alex cleared his throat nervously and trepidation immediately squeezed at my throat. What was this? Why was he nervous all of the sudden? What was he about to tell me?
”What, Alex?” my voice whispered and it barely carried over the phone.
”I don’t want you to take this the wrong way, but…”
”What?” I repeated anxiously as his voice trailed of.
”Because you really are one of my best friends and I love you for you, not just-”
My suddenly sweaty hand clenched tightly around the phone. ”Stop beating around the bush, Alex!”
There was a beat before Alex blurted out, ”I’m your protector, okay?”
I blinked and all energy left my body. I suddenly felt bone-tired in the midst of the chill I was getting from Max through the connection.
When my response went missing, Alex continued, ”We all have different tasks. My family consists of strategic protectors. We were originally meant to assist the military, but when my ancestors arrived on Earth and gaeas were discovered, it was decided that some of the strategic protectors would assume the role of protecting the gaeas.”
My mind was empty except for two sentences which kept bouncing back and forth; Max has a bodyguard. I have a bodyguard. Max has a bodyguard.
I have a bodyguard.
Interesting how he had never been around lately when I had been in danger. Max had been saving me then, not my supposed
protector. But I didn't have the heart to point that out to him, even if I was not feeling the warmest feelings towards him right now.
When I still didn’t say anything, there was strong hesitation in Alex’s voice as he said, ”My family was assigned to you when you were six years old and it was decided - since we were the same age - that I would befriend you.”
I bit my lip against the tears. Not only had he been telling me a lie all of these years, he had not become my friend because he wanted to. He had been
assigned.
”Please say something,” Alex pleaded quietly and I stared unseeingly into the opposite wall for another couple of seconds before I felt confident that I would be able to control my voice.
”I’m your assignment?” There was a cold detachment to my voice that I had never heard from myself before.
”No,” Alex said. ”You’re my
friend. At least, I hope I still am.”
”So,” I swallowed, ”What have you been doing all these years as my
protector, Alex? Preventing me from falling out of tree houses and warding off unwanted attention from boys?”
My voice was acidic, but I couldn’t help it. I felt betrayed at every possible level.
”My first assignment was to befriend you,” Alex said in a low tone. ”I haven’t gotten a new assignment since then. So my running assignment is still to be your friend.”
”Well,” I said, my voice as chilled as my body, ”I’m relieving you from your assignment.”
”Don’t be like that,” Alex whispered brokenly and I felt my heart crack. I didn’t want to hurt him. Even if our friendship had been appointed to him, that same manufactured friendship had been
real to me.
It felt as if he had just died. The Alex I knew was gone.
”I was afraid you would see it like that,” Alex said hurriedly, probably afraid that I was going to hang up on him. But I wanted him to show me a different truth than the bleak one my tarnished heart was painting, so I spasmodically held onto the phone hoping that he was going to convince me of a brighter reality.
”But I was just a kid when we became friends. I didn’t even understand this whole task I was supposed to carry out. I just went with it. My parents told me to become your friend, so I did.” He paused, breathed, and said with emphasis, ”For real.”
I wanted to believe that. I desperately wanted to believe that. I didn’t want to lose him. I needed to believe that all of our experiences growing up - all the fun we’d had - had been real.
I found myself unable to carry on the topic, instead choosing to drift off it - for the moment - while my mind tried to sort through the information. ”So what exactly is your role as my protector?”
”What the word implies; I’m supposed to protect you.”
”Protecting the valuable merchandise, huh?” I asked cynically.
I could almost see the wince on his face as he reluctantly agreed, ”Something like that.”
”So when you agreed to help me find Max yesterday, you didn’t do it as my friend but to be able to keep me safe?”
”I did it as your friend
and to keep you safe,” Alex reiterated.
Resignation weakened me and I barely got out, ”I want to believe that. I really do.”
”Don’t shut me out. Please. I don’t care what punishment I will receive for failing my assignment - that’s not why I’m asking you to remain in my life. I can’t lose you as a friend. Please.”
My body had gone into some type of paralysis from the shock at his words. ”They’ll punish you if I shut you out?”
There was a deafening pause before he said, ”Probably.”
Anger was quickly erasing the paralysis and my voice was stronger as I snapped, ”You know what? I really hate your people. I really really really hate your fucking race.”
Silence met me on the other side of the line, so I took the liberty to continue, ”You are given occupations before you’re born and God forbid if you ever want to change those assigned roles when you’re an adult. You have the most rudimental hierarchy, with no lenience whatsoever, and most of your rights seems to be dictated by one single person. Who, by the way, is a fucking monster that deals out punishment if you even breathe wrong! And then you inflict that fucked up society on top of
our society, forcing our people to marry yours, killing
my mom,” my voice broke but I didn’t slow down, ”because she was becoming a nuisance. You killed her like you would swat a fly. My mom-”
And I lost it, breaking into a cascade of tears fueled by grief and anger.
”Lizzie…” Alex said softly. Regretfully. And I tightened my hand around the phone, wishing that he was in my room in person.
”I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” I blubbered, not knowing what else to say because my own loss of control was scaring me.
”Do you want me to come over?”
”No,” I sobbed. ”No.”
It would worry my dad. As long as I was alone in my room, he would be unaware of my breakdown.
”You sure?”
”Yes,” I stuttered, laying down on my side and letting my tears run across my face to hit the pillow.
”Okay,” he said, sounding extremely unconvinced.
My broken hushed sobs filled the line between our phones for an extended pause, before Alex admitted guiltily, ”There’s actually something else I need to talk to you about.”
I pulled my legs up to my chest, curling in on myself, and silently wondered
What now? What else is there?
”There’s a cover story about what happened to you yesterday that you need to know about. Before going back to school. I was going to tell you before classes this morning, but you never showed up at school, so-”
”What is it, Alex?” I interrupted, not looking forward to his answer.
”As far as the principal, the police, and the rest of the human society knows, Sean found you outside of the locker room barely able to stand.”
My stomach clenched at the frank lie and if my tears hadn’t currently been wetting my pillow, I would’ve let the anger consume me.
”And what was his explanation for my ’inability to stand’?” I asked succinctly.
”According to him, you had told him that you had fallen over and badly hit your head. He assumed that you had suffered a really bad concussion. As you started to complain about feeling sick, he brought you into the locker room in case you needed to throw up.”
Speaking of being nauseous…
I swallowed harshly and bit out, ”And how did he explain having his hands down my pants?”
”Apparently, you were acting very confused and had stated that you needed to go to toilet, whereby you had intended to pull your pants down. At which point Max, Maria and the principal arrived.”
”Huh,” I huffed, my tears drying on my cheeks. The anger had kicked out the sorrow. ”That all sounds very logical.”
”That’s the story they’re running with.”
”Which means that everyone now thinks that Sean is some kind of white knight instead of a potential rapist.”
”Essentially.”
”Great,” I grumbled. It also meant that the likelihood of Sean being suspended and getting any punishment for what he had done was close to nil.
”But how do they get around that I know the truth?” I asked.
”Isabel has erased your mind,” Alex said naturally.
I frowned. No, she hadn’t. And I told Alex just that.
”She volunteered to be the one to do it to prevent Sean or anyone else from doing it. Because they - obviously - would’ve done it for real.”
”Isabel also can control minds, then?” But hadn’t Max told me earlier that Michael and Isabel hadn’t had any practice at erasing minds?
”We are all able to, to some degree,” Alex answered vaguely.
”But she’s not very good?”
”She is good at convincing people, so it doesn’t really matter if she is skilled in mind wiping or not.
They think she is, because she said so. And that’s all that matters.”
”So she won’t be erasing my mind?”
”She would’ve done it when you were at the hospital if she was planning to do it for real.”
”Why didn’t she?”
”On Max’s orders.”
My mind flickered to the faint hum at the back of my brain and more than ever, I really wanted him to respond to my reaching out for him.
He was doing it again. He was risking it all just to keep me safe.
While I couldn’t even save him from a cold room in the basement.
As the silence stretched, Alex cleared his throat and added, ”Max is the most important person in Isabel’s life. She wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize that. Keeping you safe while Max is unable to would be one of those unspoken agreements between the two.”
I was speechless. I had trouble getting my head around the notion of the unattainably beautiful Isabel Evans protecting me.
Of course, she was most likely only doing it for her brother, not directly caring about me, but still - it was almost a glimmer of hope in this whole tragedy that constituted my life nowadays.
”Isabel asked me to tell you all of this, because her ass is on the line right along with yours - if you don’t play along with the cover story.”
Ah, what the heck, I thought bitterly.
Another memory wipe I needed to fake. Easy as pie.
I had a sudden bad taste in my mouth as I realized that, ”I’m supposed to be grateful to Sean now?”
”You’re supposed to be in love with Sean,” Alex said slowly, possibly wondering if his clarification was going to push me off the edge again.
”I know,” I grumbled, irritated more than anything else. I took a deep breath as my eyes flickered around the room while I attempted to collect my thoughts. My eyes fell on a picture frame on my nightstand. All of our photos had been burnt to ashes in the fire, so the photo in that frame was one out of my phone. One of the three of us; Alex, Maria and I. Looking happy. Looking like three perfectly normal teenagers.
”And what about Maria? She won’t believe this whole ’Sean the Savior’ crap.” She was too mad to.
”I’ve already spoken to her,” Alex said in assurance and I distractedly wondered if he was able to exert his ability of regulating my feelings even over the telephone, because I felt a bit better as he started talking, ”She doesn’t necessarily believe it, but she realizes that if that
isn’t what happened, then Sean is a highly connected and dangerous person so she won’t push it.”
Maria will be safe, I thought relieved.
Until Alex filled in, ”But she is adamant that you will back her up about you actually being assaulted. I couldn’t talk her out of that small detail. So officially, she’ll go with the public story, but she’ll probably expect you to tell her differently behind the scenes.”
”So I have to lie?” I whispered, feeling sick to my stomach. Another lie…
”You have to convince her,” Alex said tensely. ”And it’s going to be difficult.”
I winced.
Tell me about it.
I took a deep breath and said, ”Thank you for telling me this, Alex. I know it couldn’t have been easy.”
”It’s my job to keep you safe, remember?” Alex said and the space between us was immediately filled with awkwardness as his attempt at joking fell flat in light of what we had just discussed.
Me - being only a
job.
”I need some time,” I said quietly.
His voice was strained and oddly polite. ”Of course.”
”See you at school tomorrow?” I asked, making my voice neutral.
”Looking forward to it,” Alex said softly.
”Bye, Al.”
”Call me if you need anything, okay?” Alex interjected quickly.
”Yeah,” I said, knowing that I probably would. Even before he had (to me) officially become my protector, he had been a solid rock in my life. I wouldn’t let go of that trust so easily.
”Ciao,” Alex finished and I mumbled another goodbye before disconnecting the call.
*****
I was preparing to go to bed, systematically blowing out all the lit candles in my room, when I heard the door to my bedroom open behind me.
”Dad, hang on, I-” My voice dropped off in immediate silence as I turned around and came upon the smirking form of Sean Carter, looking comfortable and boastful in my doorway.
I inhaled sharply, my abrupt shock focusing directly on the (at the moment) painful connection between Max and I. Maybe it was the sharpness of my shock blended with instant fear that made it so easy to shut off the connection. Or maybe it was because Max was probably incredibly weak at this stage. Either way, the cold from Max immediately left my body and the pain from beatings I had not received evaporated.
I had managed to close the connection. Again.
”Hello, baby,” Sean grinned seductively.
I swallowed deeply, whispering, ”Sean. What are you doing here?”
My mind was quiet in the wake of Max’s absence, filling me with a feeling of exposure and vulnerability.
”I’ve come to see you,” Sean said naturally, as if my question had been a foolish one.
I fisted my hands, knowing that I had to do this. Knowing that, by doing this, I would have the greatest chance of saving Max.
So I raised my chin and looked straight into Sean’s cornflower blue eyes. His eyes twinkled with a conquering smile.
That smile was the last thing I remembered.
TBC...
