MARS
Dr. Market took some blood from me and said she would look over it to make sure that I didn't have anything wrong, but we were free to leave afterward. Once we were out of the building, I turned to my parents and glared at them.
"I hope you're happy."
"Mars-"
"I don't want to talk to either of you ever again!" I screamed, trying to walk away as quickly as I could on crutches.
It was true that I was still angry with Max about his stupid accusation about me knowing him, but I got over that. I admit that he really does fuel the apparent "hero complex" that I have, but I like doing it. Not because it made me look good, but because it made me feel good. True, there was a little bit of a symbiotic relationship between Max and I, but our friendship wasn't a normal friendship. I kept the guy from killing himself when we were in middle school... our friendship is on a different level than most.
And my parents just can't get that through their thick, unchanging skulls. I saved Max Taylor from death and true, I do get a little bit of a bloated head whenever I get to help; but still, he's my friend and right now he has no one and the people who would be most willing to bring him in (aka: my family) is making me abandon him too.
I got in the backseat and waited for my parents to take me home. Eventually they got into the car and we road home in silence... at least I had hoped to.
"Mars, you know this is for the best." Dad said.
"You don't know anything. You weren't even here." I growled. "And because of Mom's stupid overreaction -just like this one- Max ended up dead. Do you want that on your shoulders?"
"Marsden, we've been looking for you for months! We thought you ran away and was never going to return to us!" Dad yelled. "Do you know the agony we've been in? The pain and wonder and suffering? Did you ever think that your actions would cause us pain? I mean, from the story I was told, don't you think you should take a lesson from what Max had to go through?"
"Stop making this all about Max!"
"We can't stop making it about him because it's all because of him." Mom said softly. She turned to me from the front of the car. "Mars, everything has been because of Max in some form or another."
"Why do you keep defending him?"
"Because no one else did. If I had left him on his own, he would have just hung himself and died. I'd have never known him nor ever cared... Max is special. He's my best friend on so many levels and knowing that I abandoned him when he has no one just makes me want to take this car and chuck it into the air. You guys are making me have to destroy my friend every time something bad happens instead of just waiting for a bit or something. Seriously, in order for him not to be involved, I have to destroy him from the inside out. I know him best, so that means I know how to best make him understand in the cruelest way possible. It's not fair."
"Neither is you getting dragging into everything that he does just because you need to fulfill a hero complex. There are more ways to tell Max you don't want to be friends than 'destroying' him, as you claim."
"No, there isn't. I can't just tell him that I don't want to be friends and be done with it. In order for him not to be around and have him away from me the way you guys want him to be, is to destroy him. I have to make him believe that there is never going to be another chance of us being friends again so that he doesn't try to say he's sorry or try to make up with me."
"Mars, do you love Max?" Mom asked.
"Not romantically."
"But he's like a brother to you, right?"
"Of course."
"If you had a brother or any family member who was toxic to you, the only way you can get them away is to destroy them. They may not understand it because they don't realize what they are doing. Tough love isn't something new, sweetheart... I hate that we made you do that, but you haven't even really told us the reason you've got all those scars and you mentioned electrocution? Honey, what the hell happened up there?"
"I don't want to talk about it with you."
"Forget it, Adah, the boy's about as stubborn as a pack of mules."
"That's what happens when tornado eggs invite volcano sperm into the mix. You get me."
"I'll have enough of your smart mouth, young man. I know you've been through some shit, but so have we."
I crossed my arms, done with the conversation. My parents were also both like the Great Wall of China: hard to climb over, hard to destroy, and forget about trying to ever get around.
************************
When we got home, I crutched my way into the house and went to my room. I slammed the door and fell face first onto my bed. My leg was hurting like nothing else and I forgot to grab the pain pills that Dr. Bluewater had given me.
"Ow..." I whined, my ankle throbbing in pain.
I curled up on my bed and just stared at the wall. I hated this room. I hated this house. I hated my parents. I hated Max. I hated Kasai. I hated everything.
I can't even fault my parents for everything because yeah, Max is a handful, but that's the thing: no one wants to deal with him. He's emotional, he's self-deprecating, and only lives in the moment but he is also kind and empathetic. His emotional issues were a two edge sword because it caused problems but it taught me that it's okay to cry... it's okay to share your feelings and talk; because I've seen what happens when you try to live the way everyone expects you to live.
Everyone believes men should always be strong, never show weakness, and rarely express emotion. If you reveal this secret side, you're labeled as something else... but Max taught me that it doesn't matter.
"Mars?" I didn't answer as the door to my room opened. "I'm leaving a pain pill for you on the dresser."
"You don't trust me with the bottle?" I snapped.
"Can you really blame me?"
Actually, I couldn't. "No... Can you at least bring it to me?"
Mom walked over and put the pill on the nightstand. She sat on my bed and rubbed my face softly, moving my hair out of my face.
"We need to cut your hair..."
"Go away."
"I know you're upset with us but listen to me for a second, please?" I nodded. "I know your father hasn't been around to understand everything, but even I don't understand very much and I was here when everything happened with Max the first time. You got your dramatic nature from the both of us and your father's just doing what I did the first time. I'm trying to make it a little easier... but regarding Max, I agreed with your father because you need time to heal."
"Heal?" I looked over at her. "Heal from what? Finding out my best friend didn't die, but has been kept captive as a trophy on an alien ship?"
"Heal from his drama. Mars, sweetie, you wrap yourself up in his drama so much it exhausts you and causes you to do all the things you do. You've already got anger issues and apparently a hero complex and all that does is fuel your own dramatic nature."
"Maybe I like it."
"Really?" she said with a look.
"I just... I don't understand..."
"I know you don't, honey." She said, running her fingers through my hair. "But it's not going to be like last time. I'm going to call Geneva and try to convince her to go and see her son. I'm also going to keep tabs on him through the doctors to make sure nothing happens like last time. I'll keep you informed of the information that I have."
"Then why can't I be friends with him?"
"Because you need rest, baby. Doesn't it get very tiring?"
I sighed because she was right. Max was such a handful and he needed so much attention. It made me angry that she was right and it made me angry that I had to actually take a break from my best friend.
"It's not fair..." I said pitifully. "Mom, it's not fair..."
"I know it isn't. I honestly hate this, seeing you like this because of what you have to do, but I think this will help you. Recoup, rest, and come back ready to help. You're a good person, Mars; flawed, but good. You need to get a bath and then take your pill and go to sleep. I... I really want you to tell us what happened on that ship and why you decided to go, but that's for another day. I love you, Marsden... I missed you so much."
"I missed you too, Mom... Can you help me to the bathroom?" I asked.
"Of course."
She helped me gut up and I got refreshed.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
basically, mars is worn the hell out! emotionally, physically, everything! poor dude needs a break but max relies on him too much to help with his drama and that's why he technically has to cut ties. you know that one person that you just want to be there for always but they are just sooooo exhausting in one way or another? but they have great qualities, which is why you like being around them? yeah... max is that guy. poor dude lol.
and we will get much more into mars' hero complex that he has. it's... undiagnosed
(＃￣ω￣)