Life of Max ✔️

Sixteen

AIDEN

Trying to find Haley in this crowded mess of a party is not the easiest thing I've done. I went to see what Max and that girl, Hannah, I think, was talking about, and then I went to top off my drink, and she was gone. Disappeared. Poof.

I did run into Alex while trying to find her, though, so now we're two people looking out for her. I was a little surprised that my little sister actually came, but I guess it's better than having her mope around at mom and dad's all weekend.

I'm trying really hard not to beat myself up for leaving her alone for so long after her friend went through hell and back. Maybe if I was here, she wouldn't have abandoned her friends either. I've already scolded her for doing that, and she says she regrets it. I hope she means it.

She's a good girl, most of the time, and she should continue to stay friends with people who helped her come out of her shell, like they did before the Holidays. I know they did. It was really easy to spot the difference in Alex's behavior, and now she's even more closed off than normal.

I smile at my sister as we walk out through the backdoor of the frat house. I look towards the stoner-kids, just in case she wanted a hit or two of something, but she isn't there. We walk around a corner, and Alex freeze up next to me. I turn to her with a quizzical look, but she doesn't look at me. Her eyes are glued somewhere else, and I turn my head to see where she's looking.

Haley is sitting on some garden furniture with two girls, and I see a guy come behind one of them, and put his face into her neck. I smile a little at how cute they look, before I turn my head once again to look at my sister.

"Wanna..."

I can't even finish my question, before she turns on her heel and walks determinedly away from me.

I stare at her for a moment. Then I look back at Haley. She seems fine, and Max is here somewhere if she needs something.

I should check on my sister.

She has both her arms wrapped around herself as she walks around the house. I spot Max laying on the grass against a wall, with a joint between his lips, and I'm not sure he's alive, until I see the air around him fill with smoke, as if he just exhaled. Okay, good, because I need to follow Alex..

It looks like Haley will be the one to take care of him instead..

I shake my head, and continue walking across the garden, until I catch up with my sister, and I pull on her arm.

"Hey," I practically yell at her. "Where are you going? I thought we were having fun!"

She stops, and I see her hands move, as if she's wiping tears away from her face. She then turns to me, and I see that she definitely had tears to wipe away.

"They're taking her away from me," she says, and stares blankly at me.

"Who? What?" I ask, really confused now..

"Ives and Josie," Alex replies, and wipes her cheek once again before crossing her arms. She looks up at me, and sniffles. "They're taking everything away from me, and I deserve it."

I open my mouth to protest, but I can't really say I know what I'm protesting at all.. I just shrug at her with one shoulder, and let out a huff. I don't know what else to do.

"Those girls with Haley, they were my friends. The blonde one was the one who tried to kill herself, and I drove her to it! It's all my fault that she wanted to do such a horrible thing, and I can't live with that. I'm eaten up by guilt every time I see her!"