"I know," Max agreed guiltily.

"Especially with what's been going on lately. You've broken our trust on more than one occasion."

"I'm sorry about that," Max said, his voice so soft, borderline submissive, that I had to strain to hear his answer.

"Have you been cooking?" his father asked, abruptly changing the topic and I heard the sound of dishes being moved around in a sink.

"Food for the brain," Max answered simply, his voice stronger again.

"I'm glad to see that you're focusing on school again. You need the grades for medical school."

"Right," Max said distractedly and cleared his throat. "So what are you doing here, Dad?"

"The community's having a meeting," Mr. Evans replied without pretense.

My heart dropped to my stomach. Max's reaction must have been similar because there was a longer pause than what was considered normal before he asked, "Tonight?"

"No," Mr. Evans replied breezily and the sound of steps increasing and decreasing around the main room downstairs told me that Mr. Evans was moving around a lot. "But I needed to check some things."

"You didn't tell me you were having a meeting," Max said, confused suspicion in his voice, insinuating that he was usually informed of these things and quite possibly was invited to all of their meetings.

"You're not invited," Mr. Evans said like he was informing Max that he needed to pick up some milk. Not the least acknowledging that his statement might hurt.

"Why not?" Max's voice was sharp and tense.

"Because the meeting is about you, son."

I sharply bit the inside of my cheek. Oh no.

Even from my hideout upstairs I could hear the tremble in Max's voice as he repeated, "About me?"

"Don't act so surprised, Max," Mr. Evans said, the first audible emotion in his voice; amusement. "The community is perturbed by your recent acts of defiance. Even in the light of our most effective means of punishment, you keep on breaking the law."

"I-" Max started, but Mr. Evans voice was ice cold as he interrupted his son.

"You've disgraced our family, Maxwell. You continuously lie; to your parents, to your superiors. That stunt that you pulled with Sean at school-"

"Dad, I-" Max's voice was almost pleading in his attempt at interrupting, but Mr. Evans pressed on.

"Again with Elizabeth Parker. There are suspicions that you never erased her memories, like I asked you to. That you lied straight to my face about having erased them. If that is true, it's a very serious offense, Maxwell. Sean is under the impression that you have interfered with him bonding with Elizabeth-"

"She's not ready yet!" Max erupted and my breath trembled as Max forgot his cool. "You said so yourself! Sean has no right messing with her yet."

Mr. Evans' voice could freeze the hottest volcano. "And you have?"

"She was hurt! I needed to heal her." Max's voice was growing in intensity and I winced as I heard his heart through his anger. I was afraid that Mr. Evans could hear it too. "What good would she be to our community if I had let her die?"

"That's fine," Mr. Evans said. "But you shouldn't have bonded with-"

"Her injuries were too extensive for a superficial hea-"

"Don't interrupt me, son."

I took a step back into the hanging clothing. Letting the unfamiliar smells which had been incorporated into those fabrics envelop me as I tried to distance myself from the reality downstairs and also stop myself from running to Max's defense.

Unbreakable - A Beautiful Lie · (Roswell Fanfiction) ·  √Where stories live. Discover now