I stepped off the plane and looked around for the one familiar face that would pull me out of this dark and scary nightmare. I saw the tall male with short, thick, straight, brown locks and the choclate brown eyes that pulled you in with only one glance. He had chiseled arms and he was staring straight at me with the biggest smile I have ever seen. I smiled back at him and ran to him with open arms. Max Mingo has been my best friend since both of our brothers were in middle school. He was only a year older than me but he looked like he was five years older than I was. I jumped into his arms and wrapped my legs around his waist, burying my face into his neck. "I've missed you so much Mango," I whisper. I have called him Mango since the summer before my freshman year in highschool. We were both working at a summer camp; he worked with elementary students while I worked with really young toddlers. He tried to get them to call him by his last name but they got confused and started calling him Mango. Me being the best friend that I am, found it so funny that I continued to call him the horrid nickname.

      "I missed you too QT," He smiled at me with his pearly whites. His eyes were red and puffy; he had been crying. I didnt ask because I knew that he wouldnt like that. he grabbed my hand and my suitcase as we walked to his car. The drive there was calming but once we pulled into the drive way of the house I grew up in, I found it hard to breath. I looked at Max to see he was staring at me. "You okay?" He asked looking concerned. 

      "Nope. Come on, let's go." I say opening the door and walking up the steep concrete slope. I walked up to the door and slowly opened it. I peered into the house and took a few cautious steps inside. I heard talking in the living room as I approached it, silently leaning against the door frame. My parents were sitting next to eachother talking to Max's parents. There was a familiar girl sitting next to Mrs. Mingo. She had straight blonde hair that was obviously dyed. Her blue eyes turned to me as a fake smile creeped across her lips. "Amber." I whisper so quietly it felt like I had only thought it. Amber Grinsky was my childhood enemy. She stole Darek, the guy that I liked in highschool, and she tried to beat me at absolutely everything. I could never win against her, except for when it came to Max. He hated her just as much as I did and he always had my back. But why was she here, in my house, next to my bestfriend's mom?

     "Keui! I was wondering if you would ever come back from Korea!" She jumped off the couch and ran to me, wrapping her arms around me. I was disgusted and confused but I hugged her back just to show the other people in the room that I was just as good as she was. She pulled out of the hug and looked around. "Where is Maxie?" Maxie? Since when did she call him Maxie? Why was she looking for him? He walked through the doorway as she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him on the lips. I saw him watching me so i gave him my fake smile and i could see the pain in his eyes. Oh well.

     I turned back around and slowly gave all the adults a hug. "I would love to stay and talk but I am absolutely tired and i need sleep. I will talk to you guys soon. Goodnight." They all said goodnight to me except the two love birds. I walked up the stairs and opened the familiar door to my room. It looked exactly the same way I left it. I laid down on my bed and closed my eyes, drifting off to sleep.

******

    When I woke up the sun was shining through my window onto my face. It was warm and it reminded me of all the days I would wake up on this bed and go to school with Max, that traitor. I dragged myself out of bed and walked down stairs. My mom was setting the table for breakfast and my dad was sitting down. They both glanced at me and gave me a warm smile.

    "Goodmorning, sweety; did you sleep well?" My mother said as she sat down patting the chair next to her. I nodded as i sat down. She reached over to grab my father's plate, filling it with eggs and bacon. "I was thinking that after breakfast you could call up one of your friends and go to the mall. You could invite Max and Amber." 

      "Yeah, good joke mom. As if I would ever go somewhere with that ." I say taking a sip of my glass of juice. My mother lets her fork fall out of her hands as both of my parents look at me shocked.

     "Watch your language young lady! I don't know who you have been hanging out with but they have been a very bad influence. Amber is a very sweet young girl and you should learn to be nice to her. Max and her are very good together. Now stop being childish and grow up a little." She huffed and started eating again. I sat there before eating one more bite of eggs and a strip of bacon.

    "Right. I'll try to remember that. You, on the other hand, should remember that just because you cant see the devil doesnt mean its not there. Im going to go to the mall now. bye." I walk upstairs and take a quick shower before changing into a tanktop and my favorite pair of jeans. I walk outside and call my old bestfriend from middle school. 

    "Hello?" 

    "Hey, Jessica, It's me, Keui. I was wondering if you would like to come to the mall with me today." I ask. I'm kinda nervious about her answer.

    "Aren't you suppose to be in South Korea? Max practically bragged about it for ever." I smiled to myself. He bragged about me? Wait. Not the time. He's a traitor.

    "I had to come back early....So would you like to go?" She was quite for a while before agreeing to meet me there in half an hour. I got there fifteen minutes before i was suppose to meet her; i began to walk around. I heard girls giggling and a few guys laughing. I look over just in time to catch Max's eye. Everyone turned around and it just so happened to be everyone that has ever bullied me to be friends with Amber. Great. He really is a traitor.

     He stared at me until Bobby Heggar said, "Looks like the unwanted town beggar is back. Did you finally get to live out your stupid dancing career? Did they finally tell you how badly you ?" Everyone started laughing. I just looked at Max. He was torn. I could see he was begging me to not be mad at him.

     "Nice to see you again Bobby. Did Lacy end up leaving you for Jason? Of course she wouldn't want you after Amber got a hold of you," I remarked before shifting my eyes over to Max, "No one wants something Amber has gotten her hands on." I walked away as I heard them whispering amongst themselves. I tried not cry because i didnt want Max to know that he had basically just killed me. I heard hurried foot steps and someone whispering my name. I knew Max was trying to get my attention without them knowing. I ignored him and looked at my phone. Jessica should be here any minute now and then i can forget about Max and Amber, my dad, Yoseob, and all the horrible things that have happened.

     "Keui....Keui. Meet me by the bathrooms, okay? Meet me there in five. Okay? Promise me you'll come." Max whispered as he slowly approached the right side of me. He wasnt looking at me and if you were looking from the back you would think that he was just passing by me. He never turned his head but i could feel him waiting for me to answer.

      "I am meeting someone. If you don't want them knowing that you are talking to me then don't talk to me. I never asked for you to chase after me." I stopped and looked around to see if Jessica was here yet. Max took a deep breath before turning to face me.

      "Fine. But you can't blame me for hanging out with people while you were in Korea. It was lonely without you here and i know that you and Amber had some problems earlier on but if you give her a chance then you would really like her." He grabbed my shoulder and made me look at him.

     "I can't blame you for making friends but why did you have to make those friends! You see how they treated me just now. I've given her plenty of chances. I'm done with her and if you're not then i guess I'm done with you too." I say just as Jessica walks in. She waves at me and i begin to walk off but Max grabs my wrist. 

     "Don't do this QT. Please don't make me choose between you and her. I don't want to choose and if you truly were my best friend then you wouldn't make me choose." He spits out. He was angry and it only made me angrier.

     "You don't have to choose." I answer. His eyes soften. "I've chosen for you." I walk away from him as he stands there. I saw a tear run down his face right as i turned away. I walked up to Jessica and gave her a big hug right as i start to cry.

      "Are you okay Keui?!" Jessica asks, surprised. I shake my head no. "How about you tell me what happened. We can go get some coffee and you can tell me everything." She says as she starts to rub my back. I start to cry even more; I cry for Max, for my dad, my mom, and for Yoseob. My life is a mess right now.