The Betrayal

Max was slumped in her favorite spot by the subway, trying to play her guitar, but her concentration was scattered. Her thoughts were sprinting in her head — she wanted to punch a wall, she wanted to cry, she wanted to feel anything that could make her forget about yesterday. Looking down, she was forcing her way through "Hurt" by Nine Inch Nails when she saw two feet and a shadow lurking in front of her. She looked up quickly, ready to fight whoever was invading her space, and sucked in a horrified breath. It was her father.

"Violet . . . is it really you?"

He let out a few deep breaths before his legs buckled, and he fell to his knees. Max scooted back against the wall.

"Woah, hey!" Max shrieked as her eyes blew open.

She watched Jeremy look at her with profound disbelief, and with each passing second she felt a bolt of fear make its way through her body. He smiled, sniffling with tears in his eyes, most likely expecting a similar response from her, but she couldn't subdue the terror on her face.

Max looked at him fiercely and coldly said, "How did you find me?"

He squinted his eyes, obviously shaken by Max's bitter reply. "Violet? What do you mean?"

She knew the answer already and angrily realized it was time to go home and talk to her "friend."

"I'm sorry, I have to go." She got up swiftly, threw her guitar in its case, and took off running.

"Violet! Please don't go!"

She looked back at him, feeling a powerful guilt overtake her. "I'm so sorry. I just . . . I can't do this."

Max continued to run to her train, leaving her father behind with no questions answered. But she knew she didn't have answers for him anyway. Once again, Max found herself sprinting to her home, almost tripping over her own feet. She busted through the door and slammed her guitar case on the ground as her voice boomed through the home. "ANNA!!?"

She looked around feeling wild-eyed. "ANNA, GET OUT HERE NOW!!!"

Max impatiently watched Anna bite her lip hard while looking at Chris as they exited the bedroom. Anna looked consumed by fear and though Chris usually greeted Max with a warm "hello," this time he looked just as terrified as Anna.

Max didn't leave Anna a moment to explain. She screamed, "What the HELL is wrong with you?!"

Anna tried to speak. "Pleas—"

"NO! You stuck a knife RIGHT in my back. This is done. Forever."

"Max, I—"

"Shut up!! Just shut up!!"

Anna started to cry.

"Leave."

"What?" Chris tried to intervene. "Max—"

"Do NOT mess with me, Chris. You had your hands on that knife just as much as she did."

Chris took a deep breath, now cowering and looking afraid to say anything else.

"Anna, you don't know me." Max was shaking in anger. "You took something away from me that I'll never get back"

"What do you mea—"

"My peace, damn it!! I was just FINE being dead to all of you. It isn't your call to decide what is right for me or anyone else!!"

Anna stepped forward now with a growing anger on her face. "PEACE?! Seriously?!" She threw her arms up in the air. "You're miserable, VIOLET. And you know it!!"

"Don't call me that!!"

Anna took a few steps forward. "You are Violet! You might not be eleven-year-old Violet, but you are the Violet that has family and friends that love you—"

"Stop it!" Max covered her ears with her hands, grabbing at her hair. "STOP IT!!" Her voice cracked while she bent over slightly, trying to block out the noise.

Anna sighed and softly began to speak. "Look, Max, I—"

She was interrupted by a small knock on the door.

Max's head snapped up, the hurt replaced by infuriation. She stood up straight and slowly turned her head and body toward Anna. Her breathing picked up as she screamed, "You traitor!!"

Max turned back toward the front door, watching Jeremy slowly crack it open. "I'm so sorry, Max. May I come in?" Max's eyes felt sunken like black holes as she tried and failed to stop the explosion that was about to erupt.

"NO!!" Max screamed at the top of her lungs.

Jeremy replied gently, "Oh okay . . . I . . ." His voice trailed off as Max's anxiety poured through the air.

Max decided she wouldn't give anyone the chance to dictate her life any further, so she ran to her room, slammed the door, and started packing.

She heard the door creak and heard her father hesitantly say, "Hey . . ."

Anna replied in an exhausted voice. "You can come in, Mr. R. Just come in."