I ran, not caring that the rain was pouring down on me, beating to ground in an inconstant pattern, like a soft, nearly silent smatter or applauses for me. My feet hit the ground like a rhythmic drum, always the same, never changing, never stopping. I rounded the curve, where coach, dad, was waiting for me to stop. Not like I would. I wasn't planning to stop until coach decides to have us do the relays. That's me, Maximum Ride, one of the best track stars.

"Max! Get off the track or we're never going to be able to practice relays!" yelled coach. I smirked at him and ran one more lap before curving off and ducking under the rain shelter, soaked to the bone. He smiled at me and shook his head. "That's my girl, never wanting to stop running. But if you get sick before Saturday's meet, you'll never hear the end of this." I rolled my eyes.

"I never get sick, coach, and you know that." I shook my head like a wet dog and sent droplets of water flying everywhere. Some of the preppy rich girls, like Lissa, moved away, looking disgusted. Not that I'm not a preppy rich girl myself; all of us here at Alpine High are. Some are just nicer than others. Another preppy rich girl, Nudge, just grinned.

"That's amazing!" she said, once I got close enough. I smirked. Nudge is one of my best friends here at school, the other one being J. J., or Jennifer Joy.

"How do you and Nudge do that?" J. J. demanded. "My parents have tried training me since I could walk and I can't even run as fast as you!"

"It's all in the head," Nudge said cheerfully. "It's like the Little Engine that could. She thought she could and so she kept saying to herself 'I think I can, I think I can and eventually, she got to the other side of the big, big mountain! It's just goes to show that you can do anything if you put your mind to it! And–"

"Enough, Nudge," said J. J. and I at the same time, covering her mouth. Nudge may be fast on her feet and have the greatest stamina of people her age, but it's nothing compared to how fast she can talk.

"Okay, okay, fine. My cousin is transferring to this school. Isn't that awesome? He's about your age so I think he'll be in your grade."

"Cool," said J. J. "When's he coming?"

"Tomorrow. He's really excited to come here, I think." I glanced at her.

"You think?" Nudge shrugged.

"He's really quiet and he doesn't say a whole lot; it's like he's mute. He also doesn't really show facial expressions. It's kind of weird, if you ask me–"

"But we didn't ask you so if you would please stop talking," said J. J. cheerfully. "Oh look; it stopped raining." Nudge's face lit up.

"That's great! It means that I probably won't slip and get mud on my tracksuit!" J. J. and I rolled our eyes and gave each other the look that meant we knew what the other was thinking. Nudge is like a mini fasionista who hates getting down and dirty which is pretty ironic because she's on track.

"Relays! Pick your team of three, second best gets ice cream, assuming Max, Nudge, and J. J. come in first again." Coach always did that because the three of us are always on a team and we come in first nine out of ten times anyways. And besides, the three of us went out for ice cream with my dad after track meets anyways.

So we ran the relays; Nudge, J. J., and I came in first, as usual. There was a reason why we were track stars.