The annoying charisma of Max Brown (Now published so sample size only)

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"Max." I interrupted his continued rant at Ry.

"What is it, Honey Bee?" Max glanced at me but didn't release Ry.

"I told you before that I don't care what that little snot says or does. I really don't. He's an immature brat and I don't know what Carly sees in him," I said, which made both Carly and Ry start to protest, but I focused on Max. "I now believe you about the couch. You did buy me a new one and I appreciate your effort. That's why you need to put him down." The second I ordered the command, Max dropped Ry to the ground.

I heard Ry crunch into a groaning pile but I ignored him. My eyes zeroed in on Max. He had turned my whole day into something that I had trouble believing right now.

"Me immature! Me!" Ry got to his feet screaming as he tried to get in my face with his aggressive attitude.

"You call her any name again and I will make sure I remove teeth when I punch you. I won't give a damn how much anger my mother throws at me. Do we understand each other?" Max did that threatening glower and Ry cowered backwards.

"Yes." Ry muttered sullenly.

"My sister's done nothing to you. Why do you keep acting so mean to her?" Carly now went on the attack.

This time, I chose to retreat. Without thinking, I held my snow globe in one hand and reached for Max's hand with my other. He made a grunt of surprise but his fingers tightened in mine.

I refused to look at him as he picked up his guitar and led me back to his room. Only when his door closed behind me did I ponder the brave move that I'd made. Was it brave or was it stupid? I wasn't quite sure yet. Still, this could be my opportunity to figure Max out a little more.

"Why would Ry steal the couch?" I said to distract myself as I released Max's hand and stepped away from him.

"Ry always thinks he's hard done by in any situation. His hatred towards you," Max shook his head and placed his guitar back in its case. "You always manage to put him in his place and he doesn't want you to have any advancement over him. By stealing the couch, he saw it as winning against you. Ry has the same habits and he's had them for years. Only he doesn't realise that the rest of us see it all clearly."

"He's one weird guy." I said with a shrug.

"Yeah, I can't deny that."

"So, the songwriter thing, what Ry told Carly is actually your life." I kept talking to avoid the reality of being in a room alone with Max.

"It depends what he told Carly," Max hedged at answering me. "Yes, I'm a songwriter. Yes, I know a lot of famous singers. No, I don't actually sleep with any of the female singers I write songs for." He emphasised the last part.

"Oh, okay. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry but it's just weird that Ry would label your life as his. I mean, what's the point? Eventually everyone will find out the truth like today."

"Ry has always made his life seem far bigger and better than its ever been. In the end, all he has is gaming, but he lures others in with fanciful tales of his life."

"Are you suggesting that Carly doesn't know Ry? If he's always trying to be a different persona then how could Carly know him?" I asked with a frown.

"I don't know how much truth Carly knows about him. From that noise out there, I suggest she doesn't know him as well as she thought."

We both paused to listen to Carly still yelling at Ry. It wasn't pleasant listening and I winced. What the heck had happened that a girl who'd dated a guy for the last year didn't actually know him? I now had a clearer picture of Max than I ever thought possible but Ry remained a mystery.