HEY! So, this is my first fanfiction. It's a bit of a coincidence that it turned out, really. I am a complete and utter writing freak, and I was in the process of writing this story... when I realised the characters in Maximum ride completely fit the bill!

So here it is, a little romantic novel, and PLEASE PLEASE PLEAAAASE review, it means sooo much! Oh, by the way, this first chapter is kinda long because I wanted to get the introductions over. Fang will be appearing in the next chapter! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Maximum Ride.

I always was one for making an entrance.

To be honest, it couldn't really be blamed on me. Jeb was driving the van like a total maniac, weaving in and out of traffic and bumping his horn cheerfully at every damn thing that passed. I sat in the back, clutching my school bag with my head lowered, praying for us not to hit anything. Then I felt the van lurch forwards and skid ungracefully to a halt.

"Max!"

"Yes Jeb," I muttered, kicking the back doors open with my scruffy converses and jumping out. I stopped as my vision expanded to show several people staring at the van – and at me. "Shit."

"Language." I turned my head to see Jeb leaning out of the driver window, a cigarette dangling from his lips. "And call me Dad, would you."

"If you were my Dad that would actually make sense." I said, throwing my back pack over my shoulder.

"Foster Dad should fit the bill."

"It should," I agreed, "But it doesn't. Bye, Jeb."

"bye Max. Have a nice day."

"I'll do my very best."

"Eat your lunch."

"Don't keep your hopes up."

"Bye Max."

"You said that already."

I was already across the pavement once this conversation was over and Jeb had pulled away, waving his arm wildly in the air before swearing at an old woman crossing the road. She promptly swore back. I grinned and turned to face the huge, horrible, horrendous and every other word you can think of beginning with 'h', School.

School. I walked forward like every other kid there. I still got a few odd looks, but I could at least console myself with the thought that this had been better than my entrance to the photography class last winter. I had tripped over the wires keeping the projecter alive, knocked into the teacher and broke his favourite mug.

I lowered my head and marched.

And no, I wasn't expecting the football to come flying straight at my head and send me into the bush. I felt my head knock back against the wall behind the bush, and swore loudly.

"Jesus."

I looked up to see a girl with frizzy brown hair staring at me. I did my best not to punch her.

"Um... are you okay?"

"Peachy." I grunted and pushed myself up, dragging my backpack along.

"Sorry about that." She grinned weakly. "I get kind of excited with the ball sometimes.

I sighed and found a smile to give her.

"Forgiven." I stopped. Introductions, introductions, introduce yourself you nitwi-

"My name's Nudge."

I grinned.

"Maximum, but my family call me Max."

"Nice." Nudge smiled broadly. "I'm guessing you're new? Fresh meat doesn't really pass unnoticed around here. By lunchtime everyone will know your name. Maximum, Max and all."

I laughed.

"I don't know if I should be happy about that."

Nudge shrugged. "It's easy to fit in. I can show you the toilet until you do, if you want. I remember when I was in Year 7 and had no clue where the toilet was. I had to pee in the bush."

I looked behind me. "Not that bush, hopefully?"

"No," She laughed and pushed me playfully as we began to walk, "But I'm sure the smell would have passed in four whole years."

Another ball flew past my head.

"Do you like footy?" Nudge asked.

I shrugged.

"My brothers and I play it all the time in the back yard." I thought of Gazzy and Iggy's idea of football – shoving the person with the ball onto the ground and battling them until they were semi-unconcious and the ball was out of their hands. "We have a slightly more violent version."

Nudge grinned. "That should be alright. I was just asking because everyone in this school is obsessed with sport, especially football. The headmaster puts more time talking about it in assembly than anything else."

We had reached a wide, squat brick building with large, red-painted doors. Nudge stepped in front of me and shoved the metal bar forwards, giving me my first glimpse of the inside of my school.

People swarmed everywhere like seriously drunk bees around particularly sweet honey. Girls were squealing and hugging eachother excitedly while boys leaned against lockers and laughed loudly. There were even footballs flying around inside. The constant apologies from people who had kicked balls into someone's face formed a sort of background music to the loud chatter of kids all shapes and sizes.

"Wow." I muttered.

"Is it that different from your old school? I know it's all pretty loud." Nudge said, taking me down the corridoor. I shifted my bag to the other shoulder.

"Um, no. Well. I didn't exactly have an old school."

Nudge turned and looked at me curiously.

"How come?"

"I was home schooled."

"Oh wow." Nudge had stopped outside the doors with the ladies sign on them. I looked up at it, willing myself not to flush hotly. "That is insane. Were you home schooled from the start?"

Oh jeez, jump right in with the tricky question. I quirked my mouth up at one side, and shook my head. She raised her eyebrows in a silent question.

"I – I went to nursery, reception and year one. Then I was home schooled." I cleared my throat softly, looking at the dirty toes of my converses.

"That's really cool. I've never really heard of anyone like you." Nudge touched my arm so I looked up at her. She grinned. "Not trying to make you sound like a special case or anything. I honestly think it's pretty awesome."

I smiled.

"Is it the same for your brothers?" She asked, beginning to move away from the toilets, realising I didn't really need to go.

I opened my mouth, then faltered. I had met Nudge about ten minutes ago. I was hardly going to tell her my whole turbulent life story in a flash. I did the mouth-quirk thing again, a habit I had when I was thinking of something to say.

"I may have to tell you another time," I said quietly. "It's kind of a long story."

I waited for Nudge to insist she didn't mind, that long stories were totally cool, that she had all the time in the world – but she didn't. She nodded, grinned again and took my arm, dragging me back outside to the playground and to a group of boys and girls huddled together by the football goal.

"Yo, guys!"

"Nudge!"

"Hey!"

"Hows you, chipmunk?"

Nudge slapped palms with a few of the guys and hugged the girls before turning back to me. I dropped the backpack from my shoulder and smiled tentatively at her.

"This is Max. Maximum, but we're going to call her Max." They smiled, the girls wiggled their fingers in hello and the boys gave me two-fingered-salutes. I grinned and hello'd back. "Max, this is Micheal, Sam, Toby, Ella and Cassie. And I'm Nudge, as you know."

I looked at them with a small smile on my face. Micheal was tall with dark, short-cropped hair, Sam had blonde wavy hair, green eyes and little dimples in his cheeks, Toby was shorter, with thick chestnut hair and sloppy clothes, Ella had a round, friendly face and golden locks and Cassie had long, ginger hair and wore a green strappy dress and sandals.

"Hey."

Ella stepped forward and took my hand.

"You have the most beautiful hair," She said sincerely, her round eyes locked onto mine. I laughed.

"Well, thanks. It kind of pisses me off." I touched the thick, black hair I had pulled into a ponytail as I spoke. Ella shook her head.

"I never understand you stupid people. You're exactly like Cassie. She has such lovely hair and won't stop moaning about it." I glanced at Cassie who rolled her eyes.

"If you wouldn't remind me constantly about my hair existing then I might not notice it so much," She said, tugging a red lock that had come loose behind her ear.

"Sorry to break up the hair appreciation society, but I have a slightly more pressing matter to talk about," Sam said in a soft, Irish accent.

"What would that be?" Ella asked coldly.

"Sports coach." He said, his face deadly serious. Micheal and Toby sucked in their breaths. Ella let out a frustrated scream.

"You think that is a pressing subject?"

"You wouldn't understand, you don't do sport!" Sam protested.

"Mr O'Connely was the life of the footy team." Micheal said sternly.

"Life and soul!" Toby chorused in.

I couldn't help letting a laugh slip through my glared at me.

"Girls." He said angrily, "You never understand."

"I have something more interesting." Nudge chirped.

"Doubt it." Sam stuffed his hands in his pockets and turned his head to gaze distractedly at the field. Ella swatted him across the head promptly.

"Max was a home schooler."

Five pairs of wide eyes, even Sam's, turned to look at me in shock.

"No way," Toby grinned. "That is so cool."

"Did you have fit tutors?" Cassie asked as she grabbed onto my arm.

I laughed. "I had quite a nice Geo teacher, but he was nothing compared to Mr Casserman."

Cassie bit her lip. "What subject?"

"English and Classics." I smiled in memory of my blue-eyed teacher who I'd dreamt about since I was seven.

"Oh my God." Cassie jumped once in excitement. "What was he like?"

"Are you trying to turn us gay, or something?" Sam yelled, grabbing Cassie's hair and pulling hard. She screamed and shoved him backwards, and as he stumbled she placed a slap hard across his face. I bent over laughing with the rest of the group as Sam fell and held his cheek in horror.

"Never, never, nevertouch my hair you filthy little twat." She turned back to me. "We are so taking this conversation away from these immature twerps."

"You're the one who slapped me, Cassandra!" Sam yelled as we walked away. Cassie turned and stuck her finger up at him. Ella and Nudge followed us as the boys stayed back, laughing desperately.

"Idiots." Cassie grinned at me. "Now about this Casserman fellow."

I started to describe Henry Casserman, the tall, dark-haired, swoon-worthy teacher from my past. I went into detail about his sense of style; thick, plain jumpers and jeans, the way he smiled, the way his knee brushed mine under the table as he spoke about Romeo and Juliet, as Cassie squeaked.

"How old was this dude?" Ella demanded.

I faltered. "Well... twenty or something? Twenty-five?"

Ella's look hardened. I smirked and shrugged.

"What can I say, I was in a room alone with him three times a week for eight years. It was difficult to keep my eyes off him." I sighed. "He's getting married though."

Cassie groaned.

"No!" She said, squeezing my arm, her eyes desperately sad. "How can you bear it?"

"Ignore Cassie, she's going through a phase." Nudge shoved Cassie out of the way and linked arms with me. "Time to go to your first registration in twelve years, Max."

There we are. Lemme know what you think! Seriously. Press... the... review... button... NOW. LOVE YOU ALL x