Shifted #Wattys2016

LXVIII

Maxine

We had a formal dinner. Wane, Emmett, Bloom, Felix, Jac, and I. It was completely silent and filled with tension until Jac spoke.

"Thank you for letting me stay here," She said. "I have nowhere else to go."

"Any friend of Felix's is a friend of ours." Bloom said. I started to wonder how long she'd be staying. Why was she even here? Wasn't she bunking with Greyson's pack?

Jac looked at me. "Maxine, right?"

"Max." I corrected, bitterly.

"Oh, sorry, Felix calls you Maxine so I just thought..."

I looked at Felix. "You never call me Maxine, no one does."

Felix looked up from his plate. "Well, I don't call you Maxine to your face."

"I think Maxine is a beautiful name, I'm not sure why you don't like being called it." Jac said.

"I don't care what you think." I said harshly. There was something about Jac that I hated. Maybe it was her previous devotion for Greyson. For all we know she's just a spy for him, finding out where we're vulnerable and reporting back.

"Max!" Felix looked at me with a hurt expression. Why is he hurt?

I stood up, looking down at the table. "I'm sorry, but I'm just going to go." I walked to the front door, grabbing my purse and keys on my way out. I felt everyone's eyes on me as I went towards the door, but I didn't dare to look back. I had too much pride to.

As I shut the door, I heard Felix: "Max! Wait!" I started to run to my car. I threw the thing in reverse and left, watching Felix through the rearview. He watched me go.

Didn't even run after me.

Hardly tried to go stop me.