Bruises in Miniature Form

Max flexed his arm as he struggled to keep steady on his stool, bent forward enough with his hand clasped around Omar’s. It was really a losing battle, though he was putting up a hell of a fight, admittedly.
His skinny little body compared to his friend was beginning to look like a twig about to be snapped as the match progressed to his arm being forcibly bent backwards as Omar leaned half his strength into the move. Arm wrestling was not something I found myself usually interest in, but at this time I decided to give it a chance and cheer Omar on.
Bryan sat beside me with Jennifer, both bargaining on who would fight the winner of the current match. Everyone seemed to be laughing and joking happily in Max’s backyard, unsuspecting to the gloom that began to claw its way to the front door.
Omar was the one to hear the doorbell first, letting Max know by slamming his wrist against the hard wooden table they sat on and demanding he make himself useful.

“Weak girls should answer doors!” He laughed, shooing Max off.
“Ah, fuck you”was the obvious reply.

Jennifer was quick to jump in on Max’s exit, setting herself up to properly grasp Omar’s hand. “I hope you know your ass is going down. By a ‘weak’ girl, no less”
Omar cracked a grin and leaned forward to press a sloppy kiss to her forehead. “Aw Newton, you have such the cutest friends. Look at her thinking she can beat me!”

Bryan cackled from his position at my right and slapped his hand down on the table to start their game, threatening Omar’s ‘manliness’ if he lost to her.
Max snuck up on me during this match, lips pressing a quick kiss to the back of my head and hand resting against my lower back. His face was firm and eyes set in stone as he called to everyone that they suddenly had to break it up and go home. His parents were home.
I knew something was wrong not by my limited knowledge on the subject of the Green’s, but by my own intuition that tingled like a spider sense. Max walked us all to the door, catching me before I exited as well and pressing the hard wood into its frame.
He stood quietly for a moment with an arm wrapped around my waist and face buried in between my shoulder blades.

“Max?” I whispered, “Shouldn’t I leave?”
He choked quietly and coughed to the side. Pulling back from my body yet keeping me close with his arms. “No, no. I want you to meet the folks”

Meeting the ‘folks’ wasn’t exactly what I was expecting, that was for sure. Max’s mother was a gentle woman, with lush brown hair set in curls that tumbled around her ears while his father predicted the balding husband with briefcase in hand. They smiled charmingly as we entered the room, and questioned my very existence with one curt nod.
Max was stiff beside me, and his hand thankfully and regrettably never left my mid back. He introduced them as if they were foreigners, and I got the impression that to Max, they probably were.
His father had a pair of blue eyes –much like his son’s– that pierced through me, calculating my worth in a matter of minutes. He shook my hand roughly before pulling away and ushering his wife to start unpacking their bags that sat in the middle of the living room.

“So you are Max’s girlfriend, huh?”
I opened my mouth to reply, ‘no’, but found myself beaten to the punch by Max’s quick witty remark, “She seem like it?”
His father narrowed his eyes at his son, obviously irked at his son’s rude behaviour. “You have never brought a girl home before. I was simply stating so by first appearances”
Max shrugged though he remained at my side, nearly glued to me. “First appearances are not always what they seem though, are they, father?”
“Go help your mother unpack,” his father suddenly ordered, looking him dead in the eye. “You would do well to relearn those manners I am sure we have taught you.”
Max reluctantly pulled away from my side to help his silent mother carry the bags out of the room.

“Whatever you are looking for, with my son, you would do well you find somewhere else”
Confusion filled me up as if I were an empty bottle. “Excuse me, sir?”
Running a hand through the thick locks of brown hair he stepped closer to my personal space and narrowed his eyes in the direction Max had left. “Our family does not need more difficulties.”
“I am afraid I still don’t understand what you mean....”
Lowering his gaze a smile played at his lips. It was a devious smile I had seen numerous times on Max’s own face, one I grew to avoid. “Newton; was it?” at my nod he continued, “My son does not quite understand the basics of keeping things... protected, shall we say? I would expect you to understand we do not need any more mishaps coming to our family name”

It clicked quickly in my brain –Max’s father thought I was going to get pregnant. Though how he would come to such a conclusion I did not know, nor cared to find out. I only felt my cheeks flush and the guilt swell in my stomach once more.

“But you are a fine young woman, and I am sure you know bringing another life into this world at such an age would be a waste. Correct?”
“I’m not sleeping with your son, sir” I blurted, though I felt my tongue swell as I recalled the night. It was quite the half truth; on one hand I had slept with Max, I could still count the fact I would not be sleeping with him again.
A cruel smile was sent my way before I felt Max grab my shoulders and wrap me in a firm hug, his chin resting on my shoulder, no doubt glaring at his father.
“Mother needs your help”
“Of course, and do remember, Max. We must pride ourselves on the women we select. You would do well to look a little harder... Pleasant meeting you, Newton”

Upon his exit I felt the strength leave my legs, nearly collapsing onto the floor had Max not been holding me up. The elder Green was definitely a man of power, using his intellect and snide tones against you.
Max helped me find a seat on the couch, pushing a pillow out of my way before I leaned back into the plush confines of it. My eyes roamed over the living room in thought, it was almost sickening that in this very room I had slept with Max and also lied to his father about doing so.

“You should have told my father that we were” Max whispered, head tilted to keep close to my ear.
I spared a single glance at him before returning my gaze to the spot on the carpeting floor. “That would’ve been rude and disgusting, Max”
“Well, you sure sound like my dad, at least” Max answered cheekily.
“What was with him, Max? He sounded like –“
“Like you weren’t good enough, right?” he cut me off.
“Yes. I suppose”
Max let out a heavy sigh of air and sunk into the couch cushions. “I’m the bad seed of the family, so I don’t deserve to pass on the family name. Or at least, that’s what I’ve assumed from his numerous recounting over dinner... He figures every woman I’m with; I’m trying to knock up”
Blush crept onto my cheeks and pooled into my ears, making my head feel light and fuzzy. “So why is he like that?”
“Money. What else?”