Unbreakable - A Beautiful Lie · (Roswell Fanfiction) · √

NINE

Max was not at school the next day.

I was not surprised, but instantly worried.

Maria was surprised when I directed my steps towards Isabel as soon as we entered the school corridors that morning.

I grabbed Isabel by the elbow and she turned a wary and tired face towards me. With nausea written across her face she stated, "Liz."

"How is he?" I asked hurriedly.

"Better," Isabel replied, avoiding my eyes.

My grip on her elbow tightened. "Tell me the truth."

Her eyes were annoyed when she looked at me. "I am."

I searched her eyes, trying to discern if she was. There was something really wrong about the Evans family. I had found that out just the night before. Could I even trust Isabel?

"What did your dad do after I left?"

Isabel's eyes flickered away again and I knew her answer would be a lie. "They discussed what happened. He tended to Max's wounds, and then mom and dad put him to bed."

I swallowed back my anger. Bullshit. The anger was so intense that I felt my eyes blur with tears.

I stepped closer to Isabel, got right in her face. She startled at my sudden proximity, her face paling at the expression on my face.

"What kind of man is your father?" I spit out venomously.

I saw the anger ignite in Isabel's eyes and she spit back, "He's a remarkable man, father, and doctor. He saves lives every day. Don't you dare-"

"No," I interrupted and shoved a finger against her chest. "What I saw yesterday wasn't a 'remarkable' man. He wanted to hurt Max."

Isabel slapped my hand away and towered up in front of me. Isabel was almost a head taller than me and had some more pounds on me, but my anger was making me brave.

She got close to my face and I could feel droplets of spit brush my face as she pushed the words out through clenched teeth, "This is none of your business. Back. Off."

In a way, I knew that she was right. Max Evans was not my business. He was not my friend, he was not my boyfriend. A week ago I had hated his guts, even been a bit afraid of him. For several years I've had him pegged as a vampire. So no, one couldn't say that Max Evans' well-being was my business.

But still I couldn't let it go. I couldn't forget his eyes, his broken expression, or the blood on his clothes, the venom in the man who was supposed to have fathered him, the lack of familial warmth I had witnessed. I couldn't forget the feeling that by delivering him to his house yesterday, I had inherently thrown him to the wolves.

I felt like it was my fault.

"He better be back tomorrow,"I threatened with a growl and took a step back.

Isabel didn't say anything in reply. Her eyes were black and hostile as she spun on her heels and briskly walked down the corridor. At her departure, I noticed the crowd we had attracted and the anger started to simmer down.

Maria gripped my upper arm and leaned close to my ear. "What the hell was that, Lizzie?"

"I'll tell you later," I answered, fighting to still my breathing.

"I'm counting on it," Maria said and took my hand.

I looked down at the hold and felt the warmth from the connection spread up my arm. Maria hadn't held my hand since we were kids. I smiled at her gratefully, something that she responded to with a simple silent smile of her own before pulling me along to the lockers.