13. Would I lie to you

Sunday came and went, Max hadn't called me or showed up unannounced. Alec was wrong, I didn't have some designated day to see him or he would have popped up.

I would not wait around wondering what was happening with Max. If I wanted answers, I would get them myself and put an end to this confusion once and for all.

After my morning run and shower, I sat in my room, wrapped in a huge fluffy towel. Mum was in the kitchen, clearing all signs of breakfast away. My father left for work over an hour ago while my sister loudly paced her bedroom. I laid back, letting my hair soak into my bedding. I should get dressed, but my mind was all over the place.

Rosie needed someone to calm her down before she had a nervous breakdown. My mother was hiding something from me, as was Sian. Alec was upset. He hadn't spoken to me since our disagreement, and I needed to call Max.

When Alec left on Saturday night, I stayed outside for hours, listening to the wind rustling the leaves. Hoping that everyone was asleep, I crept through the patio doors to make my way up to my bedroom. The lights in the living room and kitchen were off; I was safe.

On high alert, I grabbed my toiletry bag before dashing into the bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face. I refused to bump into my family. Walking past Rosie's bedroom on the way back, muffled shouts came through the door. I placed my ear against the wood, needing to hold my breath to listen in on the conversation.

Rosie whisper-shouted at Daniel. She seemed upset that he hadn't told her I bumped into him earlier that day, but her main issue was with his laid-back attitude over her exams and their move up to Scotland. By the sounds of it, their fight had been going on for a while. Daniel couldn't seem to get a word in edge wise.

I tiptoed away from their door, in time to catch my parents arguing in their bedroom. I say arguing, but like my sister's and her boyfriend's spat; it was very much one-sided. Dad's booming voice could be heard, but not his actual words. I waited a few more minutes in the hallway, not once did my mum react to his tirade.

Exhausted, I retreated to my own room, changed into my pyjamas and crawled into bed where I collapsed in seconds.

Close to midnight, I awoke with a start. My mouth parched and needing a glass of water, l crept down to the kitchen where I noticed the lights were back on, through the slightly cracked door. I peered around it to find my mother sat at the large oak table, glasses on her nose, the glare of a laptop monitor illuminating her face.

I inadvertently pushed the door open further, causing it to squeak, and startled her. As quick as lighting, she slammed her laptop shut and shuffled all her paperwork under it. She straightened up, folding her arms over the top.

"Natasha, you scared me. What are you doing up so late?"

"I woke up really thirsty and just wanted a drink. Are you okay, mum? What are you doing?" I asked, rubbing my eyes that were sticking together from my deep slumber.

"Yes, I'm fine. I forgot to sort the weekly budget. Well, it's late so I better head up."

She snatched her laptop and papers before scurrying up to bed. After quenching my thirst, I did the same. Sleep, however, didn't come as easily the second time around. My mother was up to something. What had she been doing?

I couldn't lie around all day. I dried off, pulled on a fresh set of clothes and bit the bullet, dialling Max's number. The phone seemed to ring on for ages but eventually, he picked up. Drilling, hammering and workmen shouting sounded in the background.

"Hello?" he yelled down the line.

"Max, it's Natasha. Can you talk?" I put a finger in the ear that wasn't against the receiver to listen.

"Wait a sec-" After a lot of rustling and mumbled words to someone next to him, the phone went dead. I thought he hung up on me, but swiftly the noise returned somewhat muted. "That's better. Sorry, I couldn't hear you in there. Are you okay? I'm at work right now. Can't talk for long."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I can ring back later."

"No, go. I'm due a short break anyway," he said between the sounds of him gulping down a drink.

"Right, well, I need to ask you something," I hesitated. Was I ready to discover what he had to say? I owed myself the truth. "Is it true that you're seeing a bunch of girls all at the same time?" I rushed, my heart pounding.

"What are you talking about?" Max's rough voice faintly cracked.

"Someone might have mentioned you have a different girl lined up for each day of the week? And that's why I rarely see you."

"Who told you that? That's a load of bull! I see you when I see you," Max snapped.

"Yes, but-,"

"But nothing. Look, I'm busy and work for a living unlike most of your friends. I can't spend every minute of the day with you, but that doesn't mean I'm using you. Don't know what you want from me. If you don't want to see me because of a comment your friend made then that's on you. I'm not going to keep going round in circles," he barked down the phone, each word getting louder and louder.

Playing with the hem of my t-shirt, I stammered my next words out, regretting ever bring the subject up. "I didn't mean to upset you, Max. I had to ask or it would play on my mind the entire time we were together. Let me see you later. I hate arguing over the phone,"

"Can't tonight."

"Don't be like that, Max. I'm sorry."

He loudly huffed, "It's okay. I really can't tonight, but how about tomorrow? After work? Pick you up at six?"

"Fine, I'll see you tomorrow."

***

Twenty past six on Tuesday and Max was nowhere to be seen. I paced the pavement outside my house, fearing I had been stood up. My yellow floral skater skirt kept catching in the breeze with each movement, exposing more flesh than I felt comfortable with. I checked my phone for the fifth time and contemplated running back to my room to change into shorts or a longer skirt.

As I was awkwardly tugging the fabric down, Max's car whizzed down the road and came to a screeching halt next to me.

"Sorry, Nat. Popped home for a wash. I was covered in dust from work," he apologised as I climbed into the passenger seat.

"You smell nice," I blurted out as I took a deep breath in. Max simply laughed. He really did. It was a mixture of freshly washed clothes, soap and a minty hint of toothpaste. No overuse of cologne or body spray.

Ten minutes after we set off, we arrived outside a small bed-and-breakfast. My eyes widened as my brain registered the stone building. Had I given him the wrong idea? Why didn't he even ask? My mouth ran dry, my palms itchy as nerves took over my body.

Max placed his hand on my knee and chuckled, "Chill out, we're just picking someone up. I'd already promised to drive Jade back to Liss before I made plans with you."

Jade? Was this some kind of joke? As he said the words, gorgeous Jade West and her supermodel legs appeared at the entrance of the country cottage. When she saw his car, she animatedly waved her arms, bouncing down the couple of steps. I wasn't insecure in any way, but I wasn't blind either. She looked like she came straight out of a magazine even after a day at work. She freed her lustrous raven locks from her hair tie and shook her head. All seemed to be happening in slow motion.

Max climbed out of his seat and pulled it forward to let her into the back. She sat right in the middle of the backseat, leant over the centre console and started playing with the radio options. She settled on a station, then proceeded to turn the volume up.

"Hey, I'm Jade," she cheerfully announced, flopping herself back. "Max, your friend is really pretty." Without batting an eyelid, she whipped her uniform top off, revealing a bright pink bra. She rummaged around in her bag, pulled out a white vest and covered herself back up. Next, she slid on a pair of cropped denim shorts after removing her bland uniform skirt.

"Err, th- thanks. Nat," I stammered.

"Yeah, I only pick pretty friends." His deep laugh vibrated through the car as he steered away from the gravelled parking bays.

Jade wailed along to The Hype by Twenty One Pilots as it boomed through the speakers. I hardly knew her yet she was so comfortable with herself and didn't mind stripping or singing out of tune in front of me.

Max joined in with her cat-like calls and soon enough, Jade encouraged me to do the same. Four songs in and we arrived in Liss, all three of us out of breath from belting out each piece like we were headlining our own summer festival.

"Well, this is me. Thanks for the lift, Maxie. Great pipes, Nat. Catch you next time."

Like a whirlwind, Jade sauntered off as quickly as she appeared.

"Well, she's something else. And Maxie?" I questioned, still in shock from tornado Jade.

"Don't! I asked her to stop calling me that, but you saw what she's like. Never listens. She's pretty cool when you get to know her. Always on the go, though," he chuckled, briefly scrolling through his phone.

"I can see that! What are we doing now?"

Max pointed towards a block of flats over a row of shops. "I actually live in there. Jade's my neighbour. Can give you a tour, but there's somewhere I want to show you first."

Half an hour later and we pulled up outside a rural pub in the countryside. Max parked his car opposite a green metal fence with Welsh flags on them. The sign on the closed gate read 'The Pride of the Valley Sculpture Park'. I had lived in the area my whole life, yet had never visited this place.

Max ran round to my side, opened my door for me and lead me towards the gate.

"It's closed. We can't go in there."

"Watch me." He lifted the latch, then carefully pushed it ajar, just enough to slide his body through.

"I'm not breaking into a park. We can come back another day," I whispered while glancing over my shoulder to make sure we were alone.

"Stop being a stiff and follow me. Trust me," Max dismissed with a sly grin on his face.

"Famous last words, Reed!" Against my better judgement, I skilfully inched myself through the gap and tread on Max's heels.

Masses of overgrown shrubs and trees surrounded pathways adorned by colossal sculptures.

We sneaked through the undergrowth until we reached a modest wooden cabin. Massive tires, broken pots and unfinished metal abstract statuettes decorated the unkempt surroundings.

Birds sang and cooed as we strolled up to it. Abruptly, the door swung open forcefully and a handful of white doves flew out of their hiding place. I couldn't admire their beauty as my heart jumped up into my throat. I grabbed onto Max's arm to steady myself, knowing my face had paled by at least three shades. A heavyset man came bounding out, waving his fists in the air.

"What do you think you're doing on my property? I should call the police!" he screeched.

I tried to make my escape, but Max had a hold of my waist and laughed so hard his face went red.

The stranger no longer shouted but held on to his portly stomach, roaring with laughter.

"Oh, Nat! You should've seen your face. I wish I'd filmed you," Max howled in his husky voice.

My jaw dropped, still not taking in what had just happened.

Once he regained his breath, the greying man explained in a faint Welsh accent, "Alrigh' beaut, didn't mean to scare you. Max thought it would be funny to have you on, didn't he? Silly boy!"

"You absolute idiot, Max. I thought we were going to get arrested for trespassing," I whisper-yelled while punching him in the arm.

Max rubbed the spot I had attacked, still chuckling to himself. "Worth it! This is Gareth. He's the groundskeeper for the park. I helped him out with some tree cutting last summer, so I get a free pass to visit when I feel like it. I called him after our chat on Monday. Although, you came up with the plan, old man!" His last comment directed at the groundsman.

"Shut up man! Now come in. Don't worry about your shoes in here, we're not house proud." Gareth led us into a dimly lit room, papers and knickknacks were strewn over every available surface. He moved a pile of newspapers off a torn fabric armchair and wiped some dust off with his hand. "Sit. Fancy a tea or a pop? The misses made some fruit cake. It's proper lush."

We enjoyed some tea and cake with Gareth while he told us all about the six hundred sculptures that occupied the grounds and the artists that displayed their work here. Each piece was available for sale, so every visit would remain unique and ever-changing.

Gareth then left us to scout the artwork in our own time. It was mesmerising. Max seemed in his element, telling me a story for each of his favourite creations. It was clear he had spent a lot of time walking the paths between the ten acres of lakes and woodlands. It was fascinating to listen to enthusiastic descriptions. This wasn't the same boy I knew last year. This new and improved Max was passionate and filled with childlike wonder as he discovered new works of art along the way.

In the heart of the walkway stood a giant metal dragon. Max explained that with the owner and groundskeeper being of Welsh heritage, numerous dragon statues and emblems could be found throughout the area. When he first visited the park, he would spend ages counting them. Gareth had noted his frequent visits and offered him a free pass if he did some work in return. Max jumped at the chance as it kept his mind off his mother's absence.

Another of Max's preferred sculptures was a bronze statue of Icarus, the boy who flew too close to the sun while trying to escape his prison with his father. While he explained how he felt like Icarus in his own way, I snaked my arms around his waist, patiently listening to his story. Max looked down at me and smiled before pulling us back onto the path so we could continue our little trip.

We took longer than expected to explore the exhibit. Our feet hurt and our stomachs rumbled.

"Shall we grab a bite to eat at the Bel & Dragon over the road? I'm starving," Max asked after we waved goodbye to Gareth. The sky was overcast with grey clouds, yet the air was still muggy.

The country pub was bustling for a Tuesday evening. We weaved between the tables trying to find seating until we found an unoccupied nook in the furthest corner from the entrance.

After telling Max what I wanted to eat, he made his way up to the bar to give our order before returning with some drinks.

"Thanks for showing me this place."

He set his hand over mine to stop my fingers from drumming on the table. A slight smile played on his lips as he looked away. "I don't take just anyone there. It's become my little hideaway."

"It means a lot that you would trust me with it," I admitted as I placed my other hand over the one he had resting on mine.

***

We shared our food and light conversation until the sun outside set and afterwards, he drove me home. We went no further than a few subtle touches and lingering glances. Looking back, it was probably one of the nicest evenings I had spent with Max. And that was all thanks to him finally letting me in further than he had ever done before. Who knew that he was such a lover of art and under his usual player ways, was still a vulnerable boy who merely missed his mum?

I walked up to my front door and stood there for a while, waving him off with a beaming smile on my face. My mum washed up in the kitchen when I made my way inside. I had the sudden urge to hug her so with no warning, I wrapped my arms around her shoulders from behind and planted a kiss on her cheek.

"You're in a good mood. What was that for?"

"Do I need a reason to hug my mum? I'm just really happy." My arms still around her, I rested my head on her shoulders.

"I take it your date with Max went well," she observed while washing a plate.

"It wasn't a date, Mum. We went out as friends and it was really nice and relaxed."

"Your dad is out until late, why don't we watch a film like old times? You can pick."

We made a batch of popcorn together and settled down in the lounge with a family favourite of ours, Labyrinth. My mum had watched it growing up and had passed her love of it onto us. Midway through, my sister wandered in, plonked herself down next to me with a sigh and scooped up a large handful of the popcorn.

The three of us sat there silently enjoying David Bowie work his magic on screen. Without knowing it, by reliving a moment from our childhood, Rosie and I were taking the first steps of rebuilding our broken relationship.

The film ended, we joked about Jareth's tights and parted ways. Nothing else needed to be said.

I got myself ready for bed and spent some time catching up on my friends' day. I opened up my Instagram app. After such an amazing time, I wasn't prepared for the images before me.

Post after post appeared on Hope's Instagram stories. They started off mild; her and Abigail with Finlay driving around, them with Alec in his pool, her on Alec's shoulders, selfie after selfie of the two of them, all four of them in his annexe and then back to just the two of them. I forced myself to stop staring when I saw a shot of her bikini top on his bathroom floor.

My heart pounded, I felt sick, I wanted to scream. My hands shook and I couldn't stop the tears that uncontrollably fell from my eyes. Aggressively wiping them away, I opened my phone back up and found Alec's name at the top of my contact list. I tapped it to call him. After only a couple of rings, his voicemail kicked in. He had cut me off.

I fought the urge to launch my phone across the room instead, settled on screaming into my pillow. How could she do this? Did Alec lie to me about the time he spent with Hope?

That night, I cried myself to sleep, not understanding why those photos upset me so much.

***