||Pretenders||☄️

(31).

"That Anger"

       Alicia phoned her little brother, talking and laughing for minutes about his childish high school drama in Maxwell's living room. Her dad's voice was heard on the phone and Jack handed the phone to him. "Hey dad," She beamed.

    "Bell, how are you doing? I hardly heard from you. Is everything okay?"

    "Yes, I'm great. Is mom okay?"

    "She's hanging in there. I just got back from the hospital. Visiting hours were over. They should extend those things." He lashed out and she laughed. "Are you coming with us to see her next weekend?"

     "Yes. I miss her. Uh dad, I got paid from work."

    "Alicia," he called. "Can you stop making me feel bad about this? You should focus on your studies. I'm handling everything at home."

    "I know. I'm doing this for mom. She needs it more than any of us. Handle Jack and yourself. You know I'm good at taking care of myself."

    "Don't do anything bad Ali. We love you and please be good."

    "I will. I'll pay mom's bills for a while. Take care dad."

    "You too Alicia. I love you."

    "I love you more." She said in a smile. Jack screamed he loves her too and she laughed. The call's connection cut and she put the phone down smiling. She got up to head inside and met the face of a mad Max. "Hey, uh... I'll go take a bath."

     "Give me that." He reached his hand out and she looked at him surprisingly. He snatched the phone out of her hand and she gasped out.

     "What the!"

     "You're not taking this seriously right?"

    "I was just making a call..." He hit the phone on the wall breaking that poor phone. Alicia rushed for the phone and every part of it was shattered including the screen. She couldn't believe he could be this violent to a phone. "Are you.." she stopped, took in air and glared at him. "Why'd you do that?"

      "I hate it."

      "What?"

      "You talking to others. I don't want that."

     "That was my dad Max! Are you out of your mind! I'm not even complaining of what you really did with Kiera today. That's my fucking phone."

    "I don't care. As long as I'm fucking you, you stick to me." He turned to leave.

     "As long as you're fucking me? You must be out of your goddamn mind."

    "You want to keep this going?"  He dared her.

    "Actually Yeah." She stepped up to him. "What were you doing with her?"

    "It's late go to bed."

   "You're just crazy." She mumbled to herself and he turned to her. "Go on." She smiled at him. She forget he wasn't in his right mind for a second because of how loving he had been to her.

     "You're the crazy one." He mumbled back at her. She ignored his urge to argue and washed herself up in his incredible bathroom. She made her way to his built in closet, thinking of what to wear. Max came behind her and put his hands on her neck, gathering the hair on it away. "I'm sorry." He nipped on her neck. "Got a little worked up. Thought you were talking to Jake." She spun around and he buried his face in her chest like a kid who did wrong. "I'm still learning and I'm scared this anger is going to get in the way. I don't want to hurt you Ali." She put his head on her shoulder and raked her fingers in his hair. "Can you, promise to stay with me?"

     "Always. I'll always be here." She sighed calmly and he held onto her. She really wished she could do that.

•_•_•

       The rest of the weekend, Maxwell turned his phone off and although it was making Alicia very uneasy and suspicious of him, he knew it was only best to do it that way. Calls from Kiera and his list of girls, would raise another argument. He got her a new phone just like his for breaking hers and apologized all over again. He saved the pictures he took of her on her phone and she was amazed at it.
They ordered food upon foods, fucked around, talked and laughed and the issue over his phone was bothering her so much.

     Alicia went back to her hostel on the Monday morning. They had lectures together in the afternoon and she couldn't wait to see him. She hurried up to school, got herself a seat and secured one for him in case he decides to sit with her. The lecture room was noisy and she glanced over at her book and at the same time, stealing glances at the door.

     Max walked in with a laughter with his two friends, Ryan and Cole. Alicia waved slightly at him and he looked away. He took a seat with them instead and her hand was left hanging in the air.

Oh great! What was she thinking?

    Was it okay to feel hurt and angry? Why did she always expect so much from humans? Why did she always make herself look stupid?

    Max and his friends left the room together after lectures and she followed silently only to listen to them talk about girls. They talked about the things he missed on the weekend and Maxwell sounded like he regrets having the weekend with Alicia. But that was all in her stupid head.

     "We can still make up for it." He suggested and fist bumped with Ryan. She stopped walking and they rushed for his car. Kiera came out of nowhere with Kesha and they joined them in his car. Kiera pecked on his cheeks and sat at the front seat. They all sat down after her and he drove away.

     Alicia got to her hostel, staring at the phone on the bed. What were they doing? Who was she to him? What does he do with them? She picked up the phone and dialed his number. He hang up at the first ring. It came in a rush. She tried again and he hang up. The irritating beeps got her angrier and she felt he didn't want to have anything to do with her anymore.

     What if he was done with her, for good?