“You haven’t come back to class,” I stated.
“No, I took some time to get things sorted out.” She dropped her voice. “I left Evan.”
I blinked in shock. “What? I mean... that’s great. I’m really glad, April.” And I meant it. I wanted to give her my attention, but involuntarily, my eyes were pulled back to the painting behind April. I stared at it for a moment. It was a crude drawing, not very detailed in any way. There weren’t any symbolic figures or deeper meaning. It was only poorly drawn block letters with flames shooting out the side. It looked like juvenile tagging rather than legitimate art. April was still talking, and I had to force myself to concentrate on what she was saying. But my mind was in total turmoil.
Was this X?
Had Maxx really gone back to the club? Was that why he had been so distant and evasive?
I’ve been given a chance to make some great money.
And he hadn’t told me exactly how he planned to do that. I stared at the painting a little longer, still hardly able to believe it.
He wouldn’t do this to me. Not after everything we’ve done to get to this place together.
But my head argued against my romanticism.
The proof is right in front of you! He lied! He told you he had an opportunity to make money. What did you think he’d do?
I blinked and tried to clear my head, purposefully looking at April again.
“Yeah, after what he did to you I knew I couldn’t sit by and take his shit anymore. I pressed charges against him for... well, some stuff that happened... he took off. I don’t really know where he is. But I moved back in with my parents.”
I stood there lost for a moment, trying to pull myself back into the conversation. Then I realized what she had said.
“I’m really happy to hear that. I felt horrible for leaving that day without knowing if you were okay—”
“Don’t feel bad. I’m just sorry I couldn’t stop him,” April murmured, hanging her head.
I tentatively put my hand on her arm. “Don’t blame yourself for his issues. It’s easy to be fooled by pretty words and false promises disguised as love,” I said, looking at the horrible graffiti again.
What will I do if he’s at the club? What will I do if I find out he’s lied?
Then an even more horrific thought smashed into my consciousness, threatening to send me to my knees.
If he can lie about this, what else is he lying about?
He was supposed to be with Landon tonight. My gut told me that wasn’t true. I thought about the past week and how strangely Maxx had been behaving. I had been so quick to dismiss it. I had been falling back into the old pattern of denial and excuses without realizing it.
I felt a flash of white-hot rage. I clenched my hands into fists and tried to control the urge to scream.
“Are you heading to the club?” April asked suddenly.
“What?” I asked, barely listening.
“Compulsion. Are you going? Some friends and I were thinking of heading over. You and your friend could come with us if you want.” She gave me a smile.
“I’m not sure,” I said, my mind going a thousand miles a minute.
“I bet Maxx will be there, too,” she said, snapping me back to the here and now.
“What?” I demanded.
April looked startled by my outburst. Renee put her hand on my arm to try and calm me down, but I was feeling decidedlynot calm.
“Uh, I know he used to go all the time, and I saw him there a week or so ago,” April said haltingly.
The world fell out from underneath my feet.
