Family Matters

Chapter Twenty Six

"What's going on?" I asked as I saw the dinner table being set up with four extra chairs than usual.

"We're not your only family, you know. You have cousins that are just as eager as we were to meet you" Lance said as he stopped what he was doing to talk to me.

Cousins?

"I don't understand why he got invited" Max grumbled as he put down a plate.

"Are you still sour about what happened? That was like, years ago" Ares said with a chuckle and Max glared.

"Of course I fucking am! What he did was just sick!" Max yelled and Lucas let out a small laugh at his words.

"Oh Maxi, it isn't your fault that you were young and gullible" Kade said and Max glared before dropping the fork in his hand on the table.

"I'm not fucking helping to welcome that person" Max muttered before leaving the dining room.

"What happened?" I asked and Ares seemed to laugh as he remembered whatever happened to Max when he was younger.

"Max and Riki used to be the best of friends when they were younger" Ares started.

"Until Riki decided to pull a little prank on Max" Kade said with a chuckle.

"Well it wasn't a prank. It was a dare remember?" Lucas said and Kade nodded.

"Yeah, it was childish and stupid but Max never forgave him for it" Roman said.

"Riki put a mix of condiments in a cup and filled it with water before putting four quarters at the bottom of it and said that if Max drank it all, he would get to keep the quarters" Lance said a with small grin.

"He drank it didn't he...?" I muttered and everyone nodded.

"Yup, and threw up about three times after" Ares said.

"The funniest part of it all, is that Max never got the four quarters" Kade said with a shake of his head.

I frowned. Poor Max, I had no idea he had been through such a horrible thing.

"I'm honestly surprised he's still holding a grudge over that. I mean, they were kids it's not as if Riki actually meant any harm by it" Roman said with a shake of his head.

"Riki wasn't a kid. He's six years older than Max. He knew what he was doing" Ares said with a chuckle and after that, they were finished setting the table.

"Ceres, why don't you go freshen up? They'll be here any minute now and we're gonna start eating" Lance said and I nodded.

I was glad dinner was going to be soon. I had just come down for a snack to hold me over until dinner. While I was getting ready, I heard the door bell from downstairs so I got ready a little faster. Once I was finished, I walked down the stairs only to be greeted with the sight of Max seemingly ready to punch the man in front of him who was just grinning at him.

The man had dark brown hair that was styled in a way that was meant to look disheveled and cool, and it definitely worked. His eyes were green and full of mischief as he stared at Max with a cheshire grin.

"Why the face Maxi?" The man said teasingly and Max's eye twitched violently at the man's words.

"You should know better than to show your ugly face around here" Max grumbled.

"Aw, I know that's just your way of saying you missed me" the man said as he tried to pat Max's head but Max slapped it away.

"Don't touch me" Max said with a glare.