MAX'S POV
I made sure there was a space between me and Ruby, I always did but today it was so conspicuous thanks to Alvah, she literally asked if I had Ebola. Led to such a laughter explosion at the table and if what I feel for her is hatred then I really like Ruby. I don't know if I was the only one that felt it but there was definitely a weird air that sat on the table. So many unanswered questions . Also, Ruby was openly kissing ass for Alvah and it was weird. She literally wiped Alvah's spot before she sat and bought her a snack even though Alvah had clearly declined. I guessed it was just excitement.
" What's going on in there Max?" Alvah's voice called me out of my string of thoughts. I snapped my head to her direction, avoiding her face. Especially her eyes they have this powerful magnetic pull that fixes you on them till she blinks and I haven't seen her blink once. Or maybe its my head. My head that won't believe she is genuine.
"Where?"I asked raising my eyebrows.
"He is a dick actually, he thinks he is better than everyone on the table. I really don't think he is worth the trouble." Ruby said before Alvah would add anything else. Wow, just wow. Ladies and their mouths. Honestly I have met quiet women, she's just some sort of VLC media player, you know the extra one hundred volume? Always so loud. Always speaking for people. For a second I wondered why she hadn't died when Matt and Brad did.Then a tiny part of me reminded me how that would actually hurt.
Nate didn't say anything the whole time which I decided to ignore. I just couldn't talk to him. Not yet. He had murdered people, literally ripped them, with... claws I remember I saw claw marks on their skins from which blood pumped out and soaked the white sheets they had been wrapped in. Sounds to me like the same wild animal that killed his parents. But what had really happened to him? If the thing that attacked his parents attacked him too how was he alive?Would he hurt me? What went on in those two weeks. How come Alvah just got drawn to him after it, it was eating me up. Like, she just had to turn up at that exact moment. And now finally joining us after two invites that she declined. Or should have Nate offered him a scarf too on the first invite?
I noticed Nate's skin, not cuts, no scars. His eyes had this kind of glint that wasn't there before maybe couldn't catch when it was behind huge round glasses that reminded me of Harry Potter. Any keen person would notice there was an Alvah vibe rubbed on him. There he sat, just eating continuously, not contributing to anything, I guess he had his own worries. I was glad whatever this was had destructed him from the depression he had always had before.
"Don't do that." He muttered firmly, startling me.
"Do what?" I inquired , completely clueless.
"You're analysing me. And analysing Alvah. Why don't you give her a chance man? Just fucking don't be too pissed at her for being here okay, so far she is the only one that is helping me here! She is not touching you or anything!" Nate flipped.
I looked at Ruby beside me, I was sure she wouldn't help me, she had that twenty four seven crazy bitch face going on. Not because I thought she would be helpful, I wanted to make sure she had seen what happened, he had read my mind. At this point I felt closer to her than ever. She wouldn't keep a secret, with that athlete mouth of hers, you know because it is always running(see what I did there)
"I really would prefer her touching me than you reading my mind. That's just a new level of invading my privacy!"
"Your thoughts are literally just screaming!"
"Nate. I don't know why you are being like this.You know how I feel about invasion of privacy! What is happening to you Nate?"
" Fuck! I have no idea, maybe if I did I wouldn't..." Alvah put her hand over his and squeezed it before he went on. I may have flinched a bit...how do people just comfortable touching when they want? Its disgusting. The thought of it just made me want to peel my skin off.
"Nate! Nate!" she called him calmy" He is right."
He snapped out of it! Like just like that. The rage in his eyes blew out and I could trace my best friend. Who didn't murder...its like there was an entirely different person or being that lived inside my friends body...or a spirit. Oh shit, boy was possessed. See what happens when you don't pray through your depression, the shits turn you into a beast?
Another awkward moment. I wanted my old life back. I didn't sign up for this, at all. I hoped Nate would snap out of it or get a grip for fuck's sake I would hate to stop seeing them, all of them. Am sure they would have fun with Alvah who I didn't trust an ounce. What, Nate just flips beast mode and she is there, she is calming him down?what has my life come to? Beauty and the beast? And am not even the starring? Ouch.I had dropped my whole life just so I could be there through his shit. Assuming his life is the shit here because there really weren't any positive highlights about it. Just his smartness. And ofcourse having my assignment done.
"Guys, guys, lets not get all kraykray. Oh gosh! Nate is just going through stuff he will talk about when he is ready. " her voice dropped to a whisper. " she doesn't have to know we fight all the time but are stuck with each other."
" We fight all the time but are stuck with each other!"
" She just doesn't have to know." She repeated her long lashes fluttering, I could almost see the disappointment falling out of them. She can be such a mom. You know the type that tries to get her psycho kids that she knows are psycho to act like angels in front of a guest. She's cute. Now she was looking at me like it would have cured her soul to slap me. Just cute.
No. Not cute, I don't mean it like that. I just...I don't have to explain myself to you. Cute is cute even if its from someone that...even if its Ruby.
"Aww, how long have you guys been together?" Alvah asked, her face picking up this glow of genuine curiosity. Her eyes flicked at me then at Ruby. I didn't even realize the space was closed, till our laps touched and I thought it was a live wire. Jolts of unexplainable electricity ran through us. I know she felt it because she had flinched.
" I know right?They argue like a married couple."Nate agreed. I threw him a dissatisfied stare, how could he? He should always be on my side. Its a rule. And now the Nate I knew was back, he even smiled. Something he hadn't done in a long time. I hope he is not growing dumb, after having been silent the whole time he comes up with that?
"No we are..."
"Never in a million years..." We spoke the same time but her chirpy tone carried over mine. I felt the pain of my balls being squeezed by a freaking pair of pliers , just a thousand times the intensity, but in my heart. I thought it was probably bleeding out. I swear I would have never cared about what she said on any other day. Thank God the bell rang when it did so I rushed out of the table first like I was the student my parents hoped I would be when they blew all that beautiful money on my fees. Forget Nate, what was up with me ?
***
ALVAH'S POV
Assuming Nate was a total human, which thanks to me he was not, hanging out with humans was great. I may have pissed Max a bit. Not that it wasn't my intention. He is one of those people that are fun to piss off . Listening to their tonnes of problems in one seating was both entertaining and relieving. Max was still steaming when I saw him walking to his next class his, two books clasped onto his wide chest and held in just one hand did that thing where I just appear in front of someone for the sake of freaking them out.
"Jeez! What is your problem Alvah? what do you want?" He cried picking up his staff, that slipped out of his hand when he jerked in shock and no I didn't stoop down to help him, my life is not a movie. A flush of anger crossed his features. Just magnificent.
"I wanted to talk to you." I stepped to the side so he wouldn't walk past me.
" Oh,you and me are not friends..."
"Yet."
"Bitc..." I narrowed my eyes at him, calling me a bitch would make have annoyed me, never good. " Alvah, Never ."
"That hurts my feelings." I wish I even had the feelings to begin with. I did, just that they were locked up somewhere inside me so I couldn't tap them. i was
"Ha! The one's you definitely have, huh?" His brow shot up. Man, I could see him just burning within from having this conversation. He was acting all bad boy brave but he was all tensed with shit freezing up in his ass.
"What do you mean by that, Max?"
" A person with feelings wouldn't do half of the things you do."
"What things?" He was observant. Very, It wasn't good for him.
"Don't trick me into a conversation. I have a class. Look, you are not going to use your charm on me. I don't like how you just snap in and out of people's lives. It's not appealing at all. And besides,Nate asked you and you said no? I just don't like you. You are keeping a secret and are trying to run our group. What was that?"
"What was what?" I acted innocent. "I was being your wingman. At least you kids have it out there. From here its downslope.I bet she likes you too."
"Really?" I noticed the flicker of hope in his eyes which didn't last long enough when he noticed I manipulated him. " Fuck you, dude. That's not cool at all! Don't do that. Don't. "
" You like her." I concluded.
" Get out of my face you bag of meat."
"Ouch." I slipped to the side so he could walk past me, I even stretched my hand like a gentleman.
" Likes who?" Ruby startled me. Pfft, like I can be startled. Takes the fun out of Harloween. Its a real struggle. I noticed how Max's pace picked up.
"Beyonce..." That just came out of nowhere.
"Beyonce?" she repeated in a low tone, I probably shouldn't have heard it.
"Yeah, her, we have this awkward friction am trying to find similarities."I told her. I fshe wouldn't buy it I would have to compel her. Well, she did buy it. Like a good girl, I like the dumb and willing to take my word for it