Criminal VS. Criminal || мαℓιк

35. I Like To Pretend

35. I Like To Pretend

   "So, why are we here?" Harry asks, taking a seat in one of the chairs with wheels. I loudly exhale, running a hand through my hair. I take a seat on the other side of the desk, facing the four boys before me. Louis keeps spinning on his chair. Liam is texting away. Harry is trying to get comfortable. Meanwhile, Niall is sprawled over the leather couch.

   "We need to discuss Miss Chase's behavior lately, feeling more mature than anyone else in this room. The room goes dead silent. Liam gently lays his cell phone on the end of my desk, squirming uncomfortably. Louis and Niall share knowing looks. Niall, who is sitting upside-down, knits his eyebrows together.

   "She's been on the rebel side more than on the good side lately."

   "I'm worried about her."

   "I don't think we can trust her alone anymore."

   "She's scary."

   "Yes, we've all agreed that, Niall. Max is becoming quite scary and dangerous." I gently rub my chin in thought. "She's been trying to persuade me into doing things like that as well. I highly recommend we don't leave her alone anymore."

   "But what if she needs to do lady things?" Harry scrunches his nose. I face-palm. 

   "Harry, this is for Max's sake. The only time you leave her alone is when she needs to change or use the bathroom or shower. Just make sure you pat her down before and after," Liam calmly explains, waving his hands all over the place. Liam's always spoken with hand gestures but this if getting out of hand here.

   "But what if she goes out with some friends? Y'know, lads. I don't know if you've realized this, but Max has more friends than us. Yeah, she's really awkward and mostly talks to us. But I've seen her contact list. She has more than two hundred in there. So, do we just third-wheel around with her or. . .?" Louis shoots.

   "I've met most of her friends at parties and what not. They're all good people. Just make sure you aware them of Max's recent behavior. S'all we have to do. Besides, it's not like they're the ones influencing her. Max was like that before she had friends," I say, shrugging the thought of her ganging up with people to smoke. "We're just doing this for Max's safety, alright? What team?"

   The boys look around, obviously confused. Help Save Max Team, I mentally scream at them. Finally, Niall snaps his fingers. Thank God someone here understands me, I sigh in relief. I raise my eyebrows at Niall, who is huffing up his chest, ready to explode with emotion and become a cheerleader.

   "Wildcats!"

   My smile instantly drops from my face, falling thirty floors down to the ground level of the building. Liam, Harry, and Louis all congratulate Niall for being so smart and figuring out what I meant and blah blah blah. After shouting Wildcats! a couple more times, Niall finally finishes their little prep talk with,

   "Wildcats, get ya head in the game!"