#beof

Fucking William Trestle. All of this started, because of him. If the coward hadn’t disappeared without a trace, leave her hanging by a single thread, no one would be in this mess. Avery would be happy – still blinded by love, but happy – and James wouldn’t be back in the picture. Max may have preferred the Amity boy over the Dauntless one, but he believed no one was good enough for his baby sister. And no one ever will.

A tall, blonde figure exited one of the rooms, and Max looked up. She was standing there, in a silk, white robe, her hands protectively hugging her own body. “Avery?”

“You haven’t got any sleep again, have you?”

Max furrowed his eyebrows, it wasn’t Avery. But, they looked so similar and, in his state, you could hardly blame him. “Oh, no, Chelley.” He rubbed his eyes and watched as his older sister sighed, shook her head, and began to head for the kitchen. “Why are you up, anyway?” he asked. None of the Adams siblings had a particular like to the sunrise, but Richelle was at least able to force herself up in the morning. Still, even this was early for her.

“I had a thought,” she replied in a nonchalant tone, turning on the jug.

“A thought? What kind of thought?” Everything was a blur in his eyes; he had barely noticed when Richelle had come back. She sat down two cups of tea on the coffee table and sat on the single couch.  He reached for a cup and took a sip, and smirked when he realized something extra was put into the brew. “You didn’t.”

“I did.”

“But you’re straight edge.”

“I thought you needed something to calm you down.” Richelle chuckled and took a drink herself, “so I stole some of your stash. Don’t worry, I only put in a tiny amount. Now lie down.”

Max had another mouthful and placed the mug back on the surface, then did as instructed. He was already beginning to relax, something he hadn’t done all week. “You never told me what your thought was,” he informed Richelle, giving his big sister a dopey smile.

Richelle hesitated, but finally began to speak. “I believe... change is coming,” she spoke, her voice barely a whisper. It was like she was afraid that the house was bugged; that someone else was listening in on their conversation. “I don’t know what, Maxxie, but something’s up. I don’t think it has anything do with Avery, it’s... bigger.”