"You asked Iris about her and me, and then asked my brother about our past. Why can't I know yours?" he asks, and I wonder how he knows that. I know Iris likely told him about me asking, but I doubt Landon did.
"Are you saying you have only ever dated Iris?" I enquire back to avoid answering his question.
"Dated, yes. There have been a few girls for only a night or two," he says, shrugging, and I ignore the burning jealousy his words cause. "So…what is your answer?"
“I dated one guy, but it didn’t work out,” I tell him truthfully. We were both fifteen, and relationships don’t usually last long at that age. It got to the point where we were more friends that sometimes made out than an actual couple.
“How long were you together?” Maxx asks, and he seems somewhat relieved by my statement.
“Six months…why do you care?” I quickly reply.
“I’m interested in learning about you, about your life,” he says. “You are part of my clan after all.”
“So that’s the only reason for this date, because you feel responsible for me?” I ask.
“I’ve already told you it can’t be more than that,” he answers. “But I do want to be your friend at least.” Even though his words make sense, I can’t help feeling like he is lying to me. Or it might just be me wanting something more.
“Friends I can do,” I say, smiling tightly. “But no more soaking me with water and being a dick,” I warn him, and he smirks.
“I can’t promise anything, but I will make an effort to be nice,” he tells me, but I can’t see that happening, so I don’t believe him.
“Maxx Faraway being nice to me…I never thought I’d see that day anytime soon,” I say, and we both laugh. The waitress interrupts, clearing her throat to get our attention. I move my drink as she slides our food on to the table. We both eat in a comfortable silence, briefly commenting on how nice the chicken is, and I’m glad Maxx suggested I try it. Maxx asks for the bill from the waitress not long after, and Louie comes over as the waitress clears our plates away after she waves a hand to him.
“Here you go,” Maxx offers his debit card to Louie, who looks at him like he is crazy.
“I told you, there is no way you are paying for your meals,” Louie says. “My parents have told you that you always eat free here for saving my life.” I look between Louie and Maxx, who lowers his hand with the card. How did he save Louie’s life?
“You sure?” Maxx asks. “I would rather pay, I didn’t do much.”
“I’m sure, I won’t let you pay, so forget it,” Louie says and reaches into his pocket, pulling out a key.
“I’ve left the lights on in the caves,” he says, passing Maxx the key. “Make sure you lock up when you’re done and leave the key at the bar.”
“Thanks, man,” Maxx replies, looking grateful.
“Have a good night,” Louie says and grins at us both as he walks away. Maxx slides out his seat and waits for me as I pick my bag up.
“Come on then. You won’t want to miss this,” Maxx says, nodding his head down the pathway. I slide out my seat and walk close to Maxx’s side. I glance over at him, wondering whether being friends is going to be easier or harder than before. I’m thinking being Maxx’s friend might end up ruining me.
Chapter Twenty-Two
I stay just behind Maxx as we walk down a corridor next to the bar until we reach a big door at the end of it. There is a red rope just in front of the door, which Maxx ducks under and I do the same to follow him. I stop at Maxx’s side as he slides the key into the lock, which is newer than the pretty old wooden door.
“How did you save Louie’s life?” I ask, not being able to shake the need to know. Louie looked and sounded so thankful to Maxx, so it must have been something.
“Louie is one of those humans who think they can do anything they want, without thinking through the dangers of it,” he comments.
“A lot of people are like that,” I reply.
“Very true, and they usually end up dead. Louie and I went on a school trip, camping in the woods up these mountains. There were these girls that wanted to go on a midnight walk, and Louie fell into a river, trying to show off that he could balance on rocks,” he tells me.
“Did you jump in?” I ask, a little shocked. Jumping in a river in the middle of the night to save someone couldn’t have been an easy decision to make.
“Yes…he is lucky I am a good swimmer and managed to pull him out. Louie and his family think I am some kind of saint for it, but it is what anyone would have done in my position,” he tells me, shrugging it off like it was nothing.
“No, they wouldn’t have. Not everyone is brave enough to do the right thing,” I tell him.
“I guess I like to think the best of people, even when I’m usually proven wrong,” he admits, and I don’t answer him because I tend to do the same thing.
“So, what is so special about these caves?” I ask, placing my hand on the wooden door that Maxx keeps wriggling the key to unlock.
“The caves are where my mum said the first of our kind came to Earth. She took me here once or twice when I was a kid,” he tells me. “There isn’t enough of the originals left now to remember this cave, or that’s what my mum told me, so it is safe to come to.” I look around, knowing that this is a place half of my ancestors came from.
“Thank you for showing me this then,” I tell him as he pulls the door open, and holds it for me to walk in. There are floor cat lights all down the sides of a tunnel, so you can see all the way down to the end where it looks like it opens up into a big cave. Maxx lets the door close behind us and we walk down the tunnel to the end. The cave is huge, a massive room with smooth walls and an enormous gap at the top so you can see the stars. The cave is much darker than the tunnel as the cat lights are on the edges and there aren’t as many. Maxx walks right into the middle, and I follow him over, stopping at his side and giving him a questioning look as he looks around.
“I feel bad that you don’t know much about half of who you are,” he says, his voice low and softly spoken. “I think it’s time someone was honest with you.”
“How can this cave help that?” I question, crossing my arms, and he smirks.
“This cave is our kinds biggest history book,” he tells me and pulls his jacket off, dropping it on the floor. When he pulls his shirt off, I give him a totally confused look as I try not to stare at his remarkable chest.
“Do you not like wearing shirts or something?” I question, my voice echoing around the cave.
“There is no patience whatsoever with you, is there?” he asks and spreads his arms out. I go to say something when Maxx starts to glow brightly. I watch as swirls appear all over his neck, down his arms, and his eyes glow a purple color. The swirls travel all over his chest, and I can’t take my eyes off him as I examine each one of them. They look so similar to mine, but his are bigger, especially on his right arm. The swirls are large in places, and smaller in others. It is like someone has painted them on his skin. On the right side of his face, there are more lines that go into swirls at the ends, and his whole body has this light blue glow to it. Before, when I thought Maxx was different, handsome and unlike anyone I had seen before, I had thought I was shocked. But this Maxx, what he truly looks like, is astounding.
“Look up, Freckles,” Maxx suggests, his voice gravelly and deep. I do as he asks and gasp as my arms drop to my side in shock. The entire cave is covered with writing on the walls, drawings of people and planets, and all of it glows different colors. The view is breathtaking, and I don’t know where to look first.
