Masks

Chapter Nine

Walden walked to Gamers with me running his hands along the shelves with a finger, his lips moving as he read over the titles of games. He stopped and looked up at me with a crooked smile.

                “You should feel privileged,” he said. “I usually avoid this place like the plague on my days off.”

                “Oh shh,” I laughed. “I’m only asking you to stay until Max gets here so I won’t be lonely and bored out of my brains.”

                “I don’t see how Max will save you from that,” Walden scoffed.

                “You know Mitchell was right,” I said. “Max isn’t all that bad. He’s just not easy to talk to at first that’s all.”

                “Are you kidding me? He’s a bully.”

                “I don’t think so. I mean has he ever been actively mean to someone?”

                “He’s rude and arrogant.”

                “So is Tim,” I laughed. “And The R, and Flexi and pretty much every other person in this town. Everybody here has an element of arrogance. Me too. It’s the secret I swear. It makes you feel special.”

                “Max is a heartless jerk.”

                “What’s your problem with him Walden?”

                “I just don’t like him,” he snapped. “Don’t I have that right?”

                “Not really.” I frowned. “You want to give me the whole story?”

                “There is no story. Max and I just never got along. Even when he was friends with everybody else. There was something about him that irked me. Maybe I was just jealous.”

                “Jealous of what?”

                “Of everything,” Walden said his face beginning to darken in anger. “People have always liked Max even when he’s been completely unlikeable. Everybody knows who he is, everyone respects him and all he’s ever done is be rude to everyone.”

                “That’s not true,” I said softly. “He can be nice. On the rare occasion. I mean sure he can be an ass hole, but I don’t know many people who don’t have that side.”

                “I don’t!” Walden yelled in disbelief. “I’ve spent my life being nice to everyone, kissing everybody’s asses and still I’m invisible. Nobody gives a crap about me. Everybody walks all over me. I mean I could stop global warming and no one would care.”

                “Walden what are you saying?” I asked irritated now.

                “Nobody knows who I am,” he growled, “and nobody ever bothered to try and work it out.”

                “I know who you are. All of your friends do.”

                “No you don’t.” He glared. “You’re too busy trying to work out who Max is. Well I’ll tell you Avery, Max is a no good murderer that’s what he is.”

                “Walden enough!” I yelled. “What the hell gives you the right to say that?!”

                “Because he is,” Walden pressed. “The day Tim’s dad died Max stood there staring while the whole damn building burnt down. I went in and I tried to save him.”