Chapter 4

_Max’s POV_

I leaned against the rooftop door, watching Kae teeter on the edge. Her eyes were red-rimmed, her face stained with tears.

Yes, I knew her name, and even though I’d never bothered to talk to her –or anyone else really– I couldn’t help but ne fascinated by how her eyes lit up whenever she spoke about something that interested her.

I’d watched her long enough to know.

But as I stared at her now, that spark was gone, replaced by soulless depths.

I'd seen desperation before.

But this?

This was something else.

A deep-seated pain that seemed to consume her.

I didn't do emotions.

Not anymore.

But something about Kae's brokenness intrigued me.

Maybe it was the way she seemed to surrender to the darkness.

Or maybe it was the spark of defiance still flickering within her.

Whatever it was, I couldn't look away.

As I approached her, Kae's eyes flashed with wariness.

But I didn't reassure her.

I didn't coddle.

That wasn't my style.

"You've got more to lose than you think," I said, my voice detached.

Kae's gaze searched mine, seeking answers.

But I didn't give her any.

Instead, I studied her. Really looked at her.

She was a mess.

Broken and battered.

But beneath the surface?

There was something more.

A fire simmering.

Waiting to be fanned.

I could see it in her eyes.

"You shouldn't be here," I said, nodding toward the edge.

Kae's eyes dropped.

"I don't care," she whispered.

That sparked something within me, a glimmer of interest, and I raised an amused brow.

"You should," I said, my tone still aloof.

"Why?" Kae asked, her voice barely audible.

"Because," I replied, shrugging. “You've got potential."

Kae's gaze snapped up, surprise etched on her face.

Potential?

No one had ever seen that in her.

Not even herself.

For a moment, we locked eyes.

The world around us melted away.

Leaving only the two of us.

And the darkness that haunted her.

I broke the silence. "Come down from there."

Kae hesitated.

Then stepped back.

Away from the edge.

Away from the abyss.

I nodded. "Good choice."

Without another word, I turned and walked away.

Leaving Kae to ponder my words.

And the spark within her.

That I'd ignited.

I walked away from the rooftop, leaving Kae to her thoughts, but my mind lingered on her. Broken, yet resilient. A fragile flame flickering in the darkness.

What drew me to her? Was it the desperation in her eyes? Or the spark of defiance that seemed to simmer just beneath the surface?

As I descended the stairs, the sounds of the school faded into the background, replaced by the cacophony of thoughts swirling within me. Kae's haunted expression, her trembling lips, and those eyes – eyes that seemed to hold a thousand secrets.

I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but something about her resonated with me. Perhaps it was the way she seemed to wear her pain like a badge of honor, or the way her smile hinted at a deeper sadness. Whatever it was, I couldn't shake the feeling that Kae was more than just a troubled soul.

It was the last day of junior year, and I vaguely wondered if I would see her again after the holiday.

I soon realized that I wanted to see her again.

I shoved the thought aside, not wanting to dwell on it.

The walk home was a blur, my feet carrying me on autopilot as my mind wrestled with the enigma that was Kae. The streets were alive with the hum of afternoon traffic, the scent of freshly cut grass wafting through the air, but I barely registered it.

As I pushed open the front door of my house, the familiar chill of the air-conditioning enveloped me, a stark contrast to the turmoil brewing inside.

My father's voice drifted from the study, his tone already laced with annoyance.

"Max, is that you?"

I nodded to myself, already knowing what was coming. The inevitable lecture, the familiar criticisms.

"Max, get in here!"

I took a deep breath and stepped into the study, the door closing behind me with a soft click. My father's eyes narrowed behind his desk, his gaze piercing.

"Where have you been?"

"School," I replied, my tone neutral.

The irritated look on his face brought me more pleasure than the lunch I ate, and that lunch was really nice.

"Don't lie to me," he spat, his face reddening. "I know you've been slacking off."

I shrugged, a practiced gesture of indifference. "What's the point, Dad?" I spat the last word like poison.

"The point?" he repeated, incredulous. "The point is your future."

"My future?" I echoed, my voice laced with skepticism. "You mean your business?"

My father's face darkened, his eyes flashing with anger. "You'll take over this company one day."

"I don't want it," I said, my voice firm, a long-held conviction.

"You don't have a choice," he snapped, his voice dripping with malice. "You'll do what's best for this family."

"Best for the business, you mean," I corrected, my tone biting.

My father's expression turned cold, his eyes glinting with disdain. "You're ungrateful."

"I'm realistic," I corrected, my voice steady. "You've never cared about me. About anyone.”

Only about the business.

Only about the bottom line.

The words hung in the air, a challenge.

My father's face twisted, his lips curling into a sneer. "You're just like your brother."

A dagger to the heart.

A familiar pain.

"You're weak."

The words stung, but I'd heard them before, and I swallowed back the response that sat at the tip

Of my tongue. I'd built walls around myself, walls that protected me from his venom.

"Get out," I said, my voice low, controlled.

"Get out of my sight."

I turned and walked away, leaving my father's toxic words behind. But they lingered, echoing in my mind as I climbed the stairs to my room.

I shut the door, locking out the world.

And thought of Kae.

Her brokenness.

Her resilience.

Maybe we weren't so different after all.