Finding Yourself
Part 13

Kyle stood in the middle of his living room doing a quick inventory. Potato chips? Check. Nachos and salsa? Check. Soda? Check. Remote control? Check. Satisfied, he flopped down on the couch and grabbed the closest bag of chips. The day of games was ready to begin. He had his whole day mapped out. College football games were following themselves all day until there was an endless stream of them that couldn’t have made Kyle happier. He had absolutely no reason to move. He had already disconnected the phone and had taped a sign on the door that instructed anyone who read it to go away. He picked up the remote, aiming to turn on the television when a frantic burst of knocks sounded at the door.

A shutter ran through his body at the sound. He just wouldn’t answer it. They would go away and he would get to watch his games. He waited a beat, not turning on the television yet. After a few seconds of silence, the knocking started anew.

Kyle swore, throwing the remote and dropping his chips as he rose, stalking over to the door. He pulled it open roughly and Isabel poured into the room, tears running down her perfect face.

"What’s wrong? Are you okay?" His annoyance forgotten, He pulled her into the living room.

Isabel shook him off, pacing, wringing her hands. "He’s gone, Kyle. I can’t find him and I’ve looked everywhere."

"Slow down. Who’s gone?" Kyle was still giving her a once over. She didn’t seem hurt, but she did look hysterical.

"Max. I can’t find Max anywhere. He was sleeping in his room and I thought he’d be okay on his own for a few minutes while I watched television. When I went to check on him, he was gone. He must have left from his window. I tried to call Michael, but he didn’t answer. I’ve been all over town and I can’t figure out where he went."

That was the big emergency? Kyle took a deep breath. No one was hurt. "Isabel, you have to calm down. I’m sure Max is fine. He probably just wanted some air. He’s probably back home already."

"No! He’s not! He’s gone, Kyle. I just knew this was going to happen if I let him out of my sight. And I was right. Oh, god, what if he left to go find Liz? I can’t lose him to her again. She does nothing but hurt him anyway. I’m glad she left."

"Whoa there. You don’t mean that." Kyle felt his defenses rise. Nobody would talk about Liz like that, not even Isabel.

"Why not? Every time she crooks her finger, Max goes running and then she leaves him when things get rough. I’m tired of picking up after her." She continued to pace, her anger at the situation rising.

"You know that’s not what happened. It destroyed her to leave for Florida last summer, and I know it destroyed her to leave town for good this time too." Kyle had to remind himself that she was just upset over Max. She would regret saying these things later.

"What do you know about it? Just because you dated her and pretended to sleep with her doesn’t make you an expert."

"At least I can claim to be her friend. When did you ever spend more than five minutes in her presence without criticizing her for something? She sacrificed a lot for you and Michael, and when she needs friends the most, you push her aside. She lost Alex too. How would you feel if Michael died and everyone gave Maria comfort, but ignored you?" Tired, Kyle ran a hand through his hair. "This isn’t helping anything. Why didn’t you come over and get me right away?"

She had wanted to and the pathetic need had scared her. She didn’t want to depend on someone the way Max and Michael did. She wouldn’t fall into that trap. "It was my problem to deal with, mine and Michaels. Not yours."

"Oh, I see." Kyle’s spine stiffened. She had reverted back to the ice queen, her voice taking on a frosty air. "I thought that when friends had problems, they leaned on each other. I guess I was wrong."

Isabel’s temper rose at the flat tone of his voice. "Your bruised ego isn’t the problem here."

"You’re right. You’re the problem. And I think you should leave."

"What? I’m not going anywhere. You have to help me find Max. You have to call your dad and make him put our an APB or something." She couldn’t believe her ears. Kyle was kicking her out? That was unacceptable.

"Why? Because you can’t find Michael to help you first? I’m not your back-up friend, Isabel. You can’t just come over because you need my dad’s help. Either you trust me to help you all the time or not at all."

"This is crazy. Max could be in trouble. We have to go now." She snapped at him, unable to help herself. Where were these demands coming from?

"I’m not one of your servants, princess. You can’t order me into action. And maybe Max is just fine. He’s a big boy. He knows his way home." Kyle crossed his arms over his chest. This wasn’t going to end well.

"You’re only doing this because you’re mad at Max."

"Damn right I’m mad at Max. I’m pissed as hell at him, but I’ve kept my distance from your delicate brother for your sake. Maybe Max needs a good kick to the head to knock some sense into him. But at the moment, I’m mad at you as well."

"Fine, whatever. Be mad at me. I thought we were friends, that you would help me if I came over and asked for help."

"But that’s the problem. You didn’t ask, you demanded. That’s not what friends do. But if you really want me to be a friend, then I feel obliged to tell you that you’ve been crazy lately. Ever since Liz left, you’ve treated Max like a handicapped child. You do everything but cut up his food for him. It has to stop. Max doesn’t need to be coddled. He needs to get his ass in gear and be a leader. And he can’t and won’t do that unless you back off."

"What the hell do you know about my brother? Or any of us that that matter? Maybe you’ve forgotten, but the only reason you’re alive right now is because he saved your life." Kyle’s words were wounding her, putting her back up. Was she really holding Max back? She couldn’t be. She was just helping.

"I haven’t forgotten a thing. But just because he healed a gunshot wound in my stomach doesn’t mean I owe him or any of you a lifetime of worship and the rights to my first born child. You know, I thought I understood why Liz left, I really did. But it turns out that I didn’t until this very moment."

Isabel allowed the cold Ice Queen mask to slip back up to cover her features. "Then maybe you should go join Liz. You can start a ‘We Hate Aliens’ club. Maybe we could all do a Jerry Springer reunion sometime."

He refused to take her bait. "You deserve better than being a babysitter, having to constantly worry about Max. How are you ever going to live your life?"

"I’m not going to kick my brother aside when he’s at the lowest point in his life."

"He’s not at the lowest point in his life. If he was, he’d have no place to go but up, and he’s still sinking fast. Let him fall, Isabel. I may have issued with him, but he’s a survivor, you all had to be. I guarantee he’ll land on his feet. But you have to give him that chance."

"You’re not going to help me, are you?" She switched tactics, batting her watery eyes at him and letting her face soften just enough.

Kyle stood his ground. He would not crumble under the teary eyes or the desperate need in her eyes. He suspected many had fallen for that act too many times before. "No."

The softness disappeared and she was once again unreadable. She nodded briskly. "Then we don’t have anything left to say to each other. We’re not friends anymore."

"If that’s the way you want it."

"It’s the way it has to be. I can’t have people in my life I can’t depend on." She turned and let long strides carry her towards the door. She resisted the urge to slam the door behind her, but just barely.

Kyle sunk back down to the couch, his afternoon’s plans no longer appealing. He knew he’d just burned his last bridge in the group of people he acknowledged as friends. There was no use looking back now. What the hell was he going to do now?