||Pretenders||☄️

(60).

"Needs"

      Alicia left to the apartment in Max's car and made herself some coffee after a hot bath, waiting for him in the living room for his arrival. He wasn't coming. He wasn't calling and he wasn't texting her. Her phone rung and she hurried for it. It was her brother calling. She answered his call and his silence on the phone and the little sighs she heard tensed her. "Jack, are you okay?" He sniffed on the phone and she knew he was crying. "Jack, what's going on?"

    "Dad..." he paused and sniffed again. Her heart beat faster and was nervous at the news he was going to reveal. "I don't know Alicia. I just.. saw something I shouldn't have and I hate that I was right this whole time. I hate that this is really true. I'm so disgusted and pained."

    "What the fuck is going on?"

    "Dad's cheating on mom. He's... he's given up on her Alicia. He made it feel like mom is gone and she's really never coming home. I was... stupid to know he's been sharing mom's space with someone else." He cried. Alicia squeezed the duvet and bowed her head in shame. "I really hate him for doing this!"

     "Hey... calm down. I'm sure you misinterpreted.."

    "I heard and saw them fucking! And do you know who the fuck that was?!" He yelled. "Your ex boyfriend's sassy aunt. How can he do that? How can he choose to let someone like her into our house and use mom's clothes?" Tears filled her eyes and she blinked to free them on her cheeks.

     "Did he see you?"

     "No. I just ran off like a coward after seeing them in the bedroom. I'm not going back to that house. I'd rather die than be in the same space with him."

     "Can you please go home and play nice? Just pretend you're cool with him till I get back. Mom needs us to keep this family strong Jack. Let's do this for mom, okay?"

    "You're really coming?"

    "Yes. I have to."

     "I don't think you should. Luke's family will probably hurt you when you get here. They still believe you killed their son and your old friends believe you covered up this too like you covered what he did some time ago. Nobody believes me when I tell them it wasn't your fault. I'm sick of this place."

    "I'm fine. You should be too and I promise to make this work. For now, go home and stay in your bed." She convinced her brother into going back home and cried herself to sleep on the bed, waiting for a guy who wasn't going to show up.

•_•_•

      Max followed Alia to her hotel room and all he was thinking about was why Alicia had to be part of the lies and why she had to keep Alia from him. His anger grew worse each second. They entered the room and he was surprised to see Jake waiting in the sofa chair. Jake smiled at Max and waved at him. "We should have met a long time ago. Sorry for keeping you waiting." Jake said.

     "What the fuck?"

     "He's my brother and he's only here to help. He's on our side..."

    "What side?" He asked in anger.

    "I told you I know what you did." She said in a whisper to him. "Anyway," she sighed and sat on the bed. "What I do know is, we're all not safe. Whatever has been going on will resume once school starts. I will not be here or I can decide to be here. I can guarantee, more dead bodies will be lying around every corner of the school. It will be hard to watch."

    "So what?" Alia stood up and walked to him.

     "So we stick together and do what you're good at." She lent him a smile. Alia leaned closer to his ear and breathed on his neck. "Your girlfriend committed a crime with her dead boyfriend you killed. I don't think you're in the position to decline my offers baby. You both are two monsters in a relationship and that's not healthy at all. I'll give you just one simple thing to do Maxwell. Make her leave." She whispered to him. He pushed her forward and looked at her closely. She smiled at his aggressive touch and ran her fingers in his hair. Jake starred at them and that look on Max's face was daring. It surprised him at how Max was looking at Alia. His crazy sister, stepped closer to Max and kissed him. She held on to him, kissing him softly on the lips.