Quroscuro

Fish eye

Max could hardly stand to look at Nathan right now, not because she was disgusted by him in fact it was quite the opposite. She was more disgusted with herself for how she had judged Nathan despite seeing the medicines he was taking, the emails from his father, the letters she could now assume were from Jefferson, the letter from is therapist, his disturbed photographs, his drug use, his real school record and the drawing and she had not put the pieces together. Nathan wasn't all bad after all! He was being used and abused just like the girls in the pictures. She built enough courage to finally look at Nathan, his eyes were streaming as he stared out of the window his face still looking sore from the altercation with Warren. Wowzers it's a good job she told Warren to stop. Nathan's hands had fallen into his lap, he looked drained and weak so much different to his usual intimidating mask he had adopted.

Max couldn't take anymore of it and grabbed one of Nathan's hands. She didn't want to see him broken like this and knowing she and Chloe had not helped matters made her feel worse.

 "Nathan I am so so sorry, I saw the signs that you were being manipulated and I choose to ignore them because of Chloe." Max squeezed Nathans hand.

 "I forgive you Max" his voice was still trembling but he seemed a bit calmer now. " I am sorry I was such a prick towards you, that probably didn't help my case."

 He squeezed Max's hand back.

 "It's nice to hold your hand you know it's definitely helping...has anyone told you that you have soft hands?".

 Max tried to think back and remember if anyone ever has. " Nope I think you are the first" Max softly chuckled. A sense of calm fell upon the car. 

"So I'm guessing you are still wondering how I knew you could rewind like me?"

 Max had almost completely forgotten about that question. "Yeah how did you know?".

 Nathan chuckled and actually smiled; shaking his head. "Ohh Max you weren't very subtle you know, The fire alarm in the girls bathroom, the break in at the school. Principle Wells told me when he came into the office and my unedited files were up on the computer screen and several other files were missing, how you broke into my dorm without breaking the door."

 Max's eyes widened had she really been that blatant.

  Nathan chuckled and smiled again "from what I can tell I have had these powers longer than you, since Miss Sherlock Holmes here never caught on."

 Max pouted "So when did you get your powers Nathan? "

 Nathan's smile had gone again. "I had a vision of the storm after Rachel went missing, but it was only a small storm at that point. Then you came along, after the bathroom incident I noticed the storm visions went fucking insane."

 He paused for a moment.

 "I thought it was because I went back so many times trying to get your friend Chloe to fuck off, I guess you saw me shoot her that's when you used your power to go back and set off the alarm."

 The smile was back again.

 "in a way Max you saved me as well as Chloe, if it wasn't for you maybe I would have been stuck in an endless loop."

 One part of what Nathan just said made Max wonder. "Nathan you said after Rachel went missing."

 Nathan looked at Max puzzled "that's what I said Max. My Father and Jefferson never told me what happened to Rachel, I was drugged the whole time so I'm not sure what happened". 

Max took a deep breath, her voice came out low and quiet "we found her Nathan...she was buried right where the photograph of you and her was taken."

 The colour fled from his face again his eyes wide and watering, he squeezed Max's hand again even harder than before. He was in complete shock, he started to shake uncontrollably.

"Max...are you telling me I am now incriminated of murdering Rachel Amber" His voice came out in quiet a raspy whisper. Before Max could answer Nathan screamed.

 "No! No no no! This can't be happening!" 

He flung his car door open and doubled over.