How Things Changed Forever...

CH 13 - Don't You Dare...

Poor sweet Max finally lost his cool. "Mom. Will you even LISTEN TO ME!" he screamed back at her, outrage clearly visible in his face, heard in his tone. Tears shone in his eyes. Maybe this was why he was so hesitant to call her. Ray hadn't realized things were this complicated between Max and his mom. 

Max also hated emotional outbursts. His mum had grown silent, no wonder drawing the same conclusions. He  tried composing himself by taking a few deep breaths. He continued after few seconds, "I'm fine mom. I have a minor head injury and a cut on the lip which I myself didn't notice till now-''

"I'm your mom." his mum inserted, but he ignored the interruption. "-I'm sorry for not informing you earlier but we were busy taking care of Kai and constant police enquiries."

"How's he then?" she questioned.  "He's fine for now. An investigation is going on about the attacker and the reason for it."

His mum did waste a second. "Are the police dumb? Of course it was because of his grandfather. Voltaire is well-known around the world for his misdeeds, just too powerful to be brought down. And his grandson is following his footsteps and putting you in risk!"

Max lost whatever composure he had assembled. "Don't you dare say anything against Kai, mom. He and Voltaire shouldn't even be used in the same sentence, forget about their relation."

"What are you getting on about Max?!" she questioned, confusion evident in her voice. "Don't judge him without even knowing him! Just because he's rude or blunt or mysterious doesn't make him a bad guy! And do you even know what happened at The Talk Show? Kai was not even the target mom, I was! I was the one the attacker wanted to kill. Kai got injured trying to save me! He took the bullet to save me. I OWE KAI MY LIFE! "

Ms Tate's voice was barely audible now, confusion lased in her voice. "What are you saying Max? Why would someone target you? "

His voice was a whisper too. "I don't know mom, but the police suspect it has something to do with yo-.... D-do you remember the American University you were invited to three months ago? The very same symbol was there on the guns they used... I wanted to break this information to you slowly, but things rarely go as as planned these days."

A long silence spanned before Max's mom informed him. "I'm catching the next flight to Tokyo." The talk have ended there but Max coolly stated, "And mom, I'm not coming to NY. Well, not for the next  month at least. My friends need me. Kai needs me. That is the least I can owe him for saving my life. And never ever say anything against any of them in my presence. They have showed faith in me when yo-you didn't. I-I'll run away from h-home i-if you try make a move in court for a single guardianship."

"But Max-"

"Bye Ms Tate." Max coldly said before disconnecting the call. Max didn't dare lift his eyes and look at their friends as he continued with his supper. 

Neither Ray nor Kenny knew what to say, as the conversation needed to be made was once again thrown into the unending  stack of conversations they all had to have before something much more worse befell them. 

******

Tyson quickly took a cab from Hillary's house. He had freshened up at her house so as to not turn up with bloodshot eyes in front of his friends. 

Tyson felt an irrational urge to yell at Hillary, grab her shoulders and shake some sense into her stubborn brain. He wanted to demand why she wasn't  following Max's order while making him do it anyway. He wanted to call her bossy and get hit by her purse too. But at the end, he just wanted to see her, make sure she was okay,  and if he did find some hidden courage, hug her tightly.