The deadliest storm
1214 Words
Dorian:
I got a call from Maximus, so I dropped everything I was doing and hurried to my car. Looking up at the sky, I knew I would have needed to head back home soon regardless. The storm was already starting to roll in.
The deadliest storm.
But at the moment, there was an even more pressing problem. When Maximus calls, it usually means chaos has erupted.
In a very dramatic way.
After pulling into the driveway and parking, I handed the car over to the guard for the garage and ran into the mansion. Maximus’ words from the phone call kept repeating in my mind:
"By the time you come home today, I will be gone."
With that thought pushing me forward, I moved quickly through the living room and slowed when I spotted my stepsister and her mother talking. For a short second, I saw Serena raise her head, and our eyes connected before I moved out of view.
I reached Maximus’ room and saw a girl rushing out. I hadn’t seen her at the academy or in our community before, so I could already figure out what the issue was. Once inside the bedroom, the full situation became clear.
My father was seated on the lonely sofa by the window, Knox was leaning against the wall with his head lowered and hands in his pockets, and Maximus was searching through his closet.
"Thank goodness you’re here, Dorian. Now stop your brother from leaving," my father’s desperate request made me look at Maximus. He had taken out a bag and was packing it.
"Maximus, what’s happening? Have you lost your mind?" I asked as I walked over, grabbing the folded clothes from his hands and tossing them onto the bed, shoving him back from it.
My thoughts were spinning, trying to understand the whole picture. Why was Knox here and soaked? Did they both have something to do with the girl who had left the room when I arrived?
Oh no!
This couldn’t be good. It would break a rule that could get both of them in real trouble.
"Can someone explain what happened?" I finally shouted, tired of seeing everyone standing there silently. My father, always quick to talk, began explaining right away.
He told me everything that had taken place. Honestly, it wasn’t a major issue. Knox losing his temper when someone entered his room, Maximus bringing in a pack member, and Dad arguing with them—it had all occurred many times before.
The only reason Maximus seemed to be treating it so seriously this time was because of Serena’s presence. It had to be.
Being shouted at in front of her must have been the final straw for Maximus. But what about Knox? I looked at him, and my heart dropped. He hadn’t even argued with Dad, yet here he was, standing like he was guilty, while Maximus was the focus.
Does raising your voice really help?
"And because of... because of him, I told Maximus to leave the house," Dad finished, and I nodded in understanding.
"I’m sure Maximus knows you were angry because he broke a rule. It’s not like he’s actually going to pack up and go," I said, hoping Maximus would remember that this wasn’t the first time Dad had said something like that.
"I’m leaving," Maximus replied, sounding more determined than ever. His face was flushed red with anger, and the veins in his neck were visible.
"And go where? There’s a storm coming," I argued, trying to grab the clothes from him again as he pushed them into his bag. This time, he spread his arms wide to block me, gripping his clothes firmly.
"So, what do you expect me to do? Stay here after Dad humiliated me in front of that pathetic low-life girl?" There it was. I knew it—he felt humiliated because of her.
"Oh! I see what this is really about," I clicked my tongue and stepped back, finally understanding. My father lifted his head, giving me his full attention. He shouldn’t be dealing with this much stress at his age, especially over something so small.
This had never happened before—Dad yelling at one of us, and we immediately started packing our bags. I hated how that girl had disturbed the peace in our family.
"Dad, I’m sorry. I lost my temper—" Knox cleared his throat, pulling his hands from his pockets, attempting to apologize, but Dad raised his hand to silence him.
"Enough! This isn’t the first time you’ve done this. And because of you, I got angry at Maximus," there was an unusual loudness in Dad’s voice. It wasn’t fair.
Maximus wasn’t even apologizing, yet Dad was worried and practically apologizing to him. Meanwhile, Knox, the one who was actually trying to apologize, was still getting scolded. The way Knox instantly closed his eyes and turned his head to the side made me feel the need to speak up against the unfairness.
"Dad! We all know Knox has anger issues, but entering his room without knocking—that girl is at fault," I finally spoke up. My father looked away from me; he knew I wasn’t wrong.
"I think I know what to do," I said, nodding to myself as I paced between my family, thinking about the right decision.
"What is it? Tell me how I can make my son stay," Dad asked, desperate. I was sure Maximus wouldn’t actually leave. He couldn’t live without the luxuries and the power he had in the mansion and the academy. Everyone bowed down to him, and that was more than enough reason for my dear brother to stay.
"Would you stay if that girl left?" I turned to Maximus, seizing the opportunity to rid us of the bigger problem. If we didn’t do something about her now, she’d stay for much longer. Any outsider was a threat to us.
She had already proven that today by getting my brothers into trouble. It was her fault that Maximus was ’leaving’ and Knox was once again under Dad’s scrutiny for his temper.
My suggestion landed well. Both my brothers looked at me, hope flickering in their eyes. But Dad seemed troubled.
"Dad, please! Before you say anything, ask yourself—would you rather have peace in your home or keep that girl we didn’t even know existed until she showed up at our door?" I pressed, using this as an example of how much trouble she’d already caused.
"Dad, come on. Even her own mother doesn’t want her. Why are you so eager to keep her here?" I rolled my eyes, stepping closer to my father, towering over him.
With a deep, defeated sigh, he slouched down and finally spoke.
"Fine. But you’ll have to ask her to leave. I won’t be the one kicking her out."
The smile that spread across my face surprised even me. I hadn’t realized how much her presence had been bothering me until I made the decision that she would be gone.
"Now tell me, Max! Is that what you want?" I turned to my brother, who had stopped packing.
Our eyes locked, and hope and excitement gleamed in his as he responded, "I’ll stay if she’s gone."
- Writer
