Candlelit Shadows

Chapter 16

In school, Max Ladon was just another freshman. Not particularly fit, though he played the occasional basketball. Not particularly smart, though he would have been proud to say he had never gotten lower than a C for any test throughout his entire schooling life. Not particularly popular, though he was turning a few heads now ever since he had hit the six foot mark. Never forgotten, but never first on anyone’s list either.

      Which was precisely how he liked it.

      “Max, have you studied for the test tomorrow?”

      He finished the line he was reading, quickly memorized the page number and put the book down. “Yes, I think so. Ms Johnson said from chapter three to six, right? Hmm, I’m still a bit shaky on chapter five... though I should be fine if I skim over it tonight. What?”

      “Huh? What what?”

      “You’re looking at me all funny, Dean,” Max said suspiciously. “If there’s something on my face, then out with it.”

      Dean laughed. “The only thing odd about your face, Max, is that goofy smile. Don’t deny it, you’re grinning away like you just won the lottery. No, knowing you, money will never make you this high. But you look tired too, damn, like you’ve spent lots of nights up. Oh, I think I know. Only one thing can make a guy so stoked and exhausted at the same time.” He elbowed his best friend and winked. “So who’s the girl?”

      Max was torn between amused and exasperated. “Dean! The girl you’re talking about is my sister.”

      “Whoa. But then again, I wouldn’t mind making out with your sister either.”

      “Dean...”

      “Cool it, I was just kidding!” Dean laughed again, and Max realized he probably had on the very same goofy smile Dean claimed he had. “So Hailey’s back from her trip? That’s good.  I’d rather missed having her around. It’s so odd not seeing her at the school gate every afternoon, ready to hold your hand when you cross the road.”

      “You know I’ve been going home by myself since middle school.”

      “Maybe,” Dean admitted. “But she still brings your lunch over once in a while.”

      “Ohh, don’t tell me... She’s out of bounds, Dean, especially from the likes of you.”

      “What do you mean, ‘the likes of me’?” demanded Dean in mock anger. “I never said I liked her! But seriously, bro, if you’re serious about screening all her suitors, you’ve got your task cut out for you. I caught some of the seniors watching her that day, Max. That sister of yours just has something coming for her.”         

      “I’ll be fine,” Max waved off Dean’s concerns. “I’m not the only guy watching her back. And even if anyone gets past me, it’d be quite interesting to watch them try against him.”

      “Him? Do you mean your father?” As soon as the words were out Dean regretted them. Not many knew the story of Max’s birth, especially since he did not even have a name at the time. But he had learned early in life that it was a nasty shock for those he thought as friends to find out later, so since then he would tell anyone who got too comfy with him. Dean’s reaction upon being told was, “And this concerns me why? I was sleeping twenty-two hours a day when it happened!”

      It was one of the reasons why they got along so well. Well enough, at least, for Dean to know it was not a subject Max liked mentioning. Max’s expression darkened.