Hypnotized

Chapter 28

LEVI POV

The day has been pretty monotonous. Classes have went as normal, and since I don't have work today, I plan on meeting up with Wyatt and Jeremiah later. They both want to get out of their dorms. We're probably going to end up playing video games all night, but I don't mind. Those are my friends, so time spent with them is precious.

As I'm walking, I notice a picture that has been taped to a lamp post. Priscilla Moss went missing, and I'm assuming the people who posted these around are her relatives, because the message underneath the photo sounds more like a plea to bring back home their sister and daughter, not just some vague description of her facial features.

A cash reward of twenty five thousand dollars is being given if Priscilla is found safe, and I think about how I've seen her a couple of times here and there on campus. I know Xiu is friends with her, so I know she's probably uneasy after hearing of her disappearance. Hopefully she isn't filling herself with guilt, because Xiu's the type of person that's sensitive, and she has a tendency to think things are her fault when they were actually out of anyone's control.

I step away from the lamp post, but just before I can continue walking, disgust fills my body when I see Max walking in my direction. My eyes are already prepared to roll into the back of my head, because he's already about to spew a bunch of bullshit in my direction.

"What? You aren't happy to see me?" Max asks with a smirk on his face.

"No, not really. You always make it your mission to go out of your way and piss me off. So quite frankly, I'm annoyed to see you. Don't you have homework to do or classes to attend? Or do you have nothing better to do?" I ask, narrowing my eyes at him.

Max shrugs, and I ball my fists up. I made a promise to Xiu, but it's becoming harder and harder to keep. I don't want her thinking that I'm the aggressor in all of this. Max has always been fishy to me, but after I saw him in bed with Xiu while she was blackout drunk was where I couldn't hold in my suspicions or anger any longer.

"Or do you just not have any friends or a social life so this is what you do for fun?" I continue, and Max's expression changes.

He stays silent instead of retaliating, and I smile. Whenever he knows that I'm right he either gets silent or tries to fight me. There's something amusing about how fast he switches. But, I know one thing that will completely ruin his entire day.

I lean in, slightly sneering directly in his face. Max slightly takes a step back, and his eyes don't quite meet mine. He's intimidated, and he should be.

"Or are you just butthurt that Xiu's pushing you further and further away, and turning towards me instead?" I ask, chuckling afterwards.

Max's fist comes towards me, but I know well enough to back up before he could come close to touching me. His entire face is red, and he lunges towards me, but misses because my reflexes are too quick for him. Once he gets up from the ground and dusts himself off, he tries to swing on me once again.

"Max!"

I don't even need to turn around to know who's voice it is. Max's face goes pale, and his eyes widen when Xiu walks towards us. I lower my head and smirk to myself.

"What are you doing?" Xiu exclaims.

Max stays silent as she stares at him in disbelief, and she turns in my direction because she knows that I'll give her an explanation for all of this. Once her eyes land on me, her expression softens and from what she saw, she knows that I didn't try to attack him until Max tried first.

"Max, you explain yourself. I don't have to apologize for anything since you came at me first." I bark, and Xiu's jaw drops.

"What did you say to him?" Xiu asks, and Max's eyes are instantly full of tears.