The Heart and the Broken

Chapter Four

"Hey, mom," Max yells as he is halfway down the steps. He walks into the kitchen and sits down at the little, marble island in the middle of their kitchen. "Whatcha makin'?" he asks as he peers around her to see what looks like pancakes.

"Bacon and pancakes," she answers while flipping one of the pancakes. Max seems to take notice of the paper plate beside the stove with pieces of bacon under the paper towel hanging off the edge. (does this sentence make sense? Probably not, but it's 12:00 a.m. and I'm going with it) "Be careful, the bacon in really hot."

"Not as hot as me," he laughs while he walks over to the plate and steals a few pieces of fresh bacon off the plate. "Ow! Hot bacon" he exclaims, throwing the bacon into his other hand, then dropping it back onto the plate after it burned that hand.

"I told you," she mockingly says, pointing the batter covered measuring cup at his chest. Max laughs as he sits back down at the island. "You aren't going to school today," his mother proclaims after a brief moment of silence.

"What? Why?" Max asks even though he knows the answer to his question.

"Max, I don't want you getting hurt again!" she says, getting slightly frustrated.

"Mom, I can't miss school! I have like three tests today!"

"You can take them another time. You have study halls don't you?" she asks, dropping the spatula on the plate.

"Missing one day isn't going to change anything. I'll drive myself if I have to."

"We'll take you to a different school then." His mother sighs knowing her stubborn son won't ever give in. "Do you at least remember the key thing?"

"Put it between my fingers and use it as a knife or something like that." She nods as he makes a weird punching motion with his hands. "But, I won't need it, okay? I'm not going to be hurting anyone."

"It's called self-defense."

"I'm not hurting anyone," he raises his eyebrow while he repeats his previous statement.

"Well Max, thus person's hurting you! You need to do something." Ally crosses her arms with a confused look that practically screams 'What the hell?'

Max stops and takes a breath to calm down. "You don't think I've already tried protecting myself?"

"That's it. I'm going to the police again and reporting this." Ally grabs her keys and begins towards the door

"Don't." Max grabs her arm gently, a pleading look in his eyes. "His uncle has money. He'll just bail him out if he even goes to juvie."

"So a boy's hurting you."

"Yep, great job mom. You've narrowed it down to half the school."

"Watch the attitude, young man." She shoots a glare at him then asks, "You really want to go to school don't you?"

"Yes," he says as it's the most obvious thing in the planet

"Fine. Hurry up and get ready," his mother gives in sadly.