Max returned to his room to see Helios waiting for him. He was sitting on his bed, hunched over, staring at the ground and fiddling with his hands.
“Hey,” Max said as he sat beside his brother.
“Hi,” he said. “They woke me up to say bye.”
Max nodded; they did, but why did Helios’s voice sound odd?
“Are you okay?” Helios shrugged. “Do you want to talk about it?”
Helios nodded and then inhaled a little. He didn’t speak for a few minutes, and Max let him gather his thoughts.
“I know they don’t consider me their friend,” he began, and Max frowned.
“Yes, they do.”
Helios laughed a little. “You don’t have to lie to me, Max. I know they don’t. Maybe Matt does, but I’m sure everyone else doesn’t. But I’m glad I know people who don’t want something from me. It’s stupid, I know. But everyone
