So… this is my new story. Surprisingly, this one was not provided inspiration by a song. Weird, I know. Well, I should get on with it, shouldn't I?

Disclaimer (For the entire story): I do not own Maximum Ride, anything I EVER reference or put in here, or any song I ever talk about in an A/N.

Claimer: I own any OCs I use and the plot.

Ch. 1:

Max POV

I rushed home, feeling tears prick in the back of my eyes. Past Maple Street, past Caroline's house, past my favorite ice cream store. I ran inside my house and slammed the door behind me.

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" My not-really-caring stepmother asked. Rushing past her, I went into my room and slammed the door. I collapsed on my bed and commenced in bawling my eyes out.

Again? How had it happened again? It's not like I ever did anything wrong. Not. Even. Once. I was Maximum Ride. I was perfect.

I screamed into my pillow and punched the bed. You're probably thinking 'God, what a drama queen', but you try being dumped by every guy you've ever dated. No. Not even dumped; traded.

See, here's the thing. I was the girl every guy said they wanted. Star athlete, tan, and sun streaked hair. But when it came down to it, they didn't. They didn't want it. They didn't want me. They didn't want perfect.

Now, here's another thing: I'm not perfect. I have my flaws, but to everyone else I'm the perfect one. Perfect grades, perfect sense of style, perfect athlete, and just in general, perfect girl. But no one really wanted perfect.

Every guy I've ever dated dumped me for someone else. And never even someone like the head cheerleader or something like that. Always someone who was just so… imperfect. Usually it went something a little like this:

The boy looks soulfully into the girl's eyes. "(Insert Name Here), I really like you."

Girl bites her lip. "But… but you're dating Maximum Ride. She's perfect. How can I ever compete?"

Boy continues soulful gaze. "I don't want perfect. I want you."

The most recent (as in… today) guy left me for the Goth chick at our school. Just lovely, huh?

No matter how much American society is supposed to worship people like me, they don't.

"Max! Dinner!" Valencia's voice rang out through our radio system.

I groaned. Valencia, my step-mom, was annoying as hell. And I mean hell. She doesn't mean to be a prick, she really doesn't. She just is.

I got up and walked to the dinner table where a very annoyed-looking Valencia and a smirking Ari was sitting. Ari was my older stepbrother, but very surprisingly, not a prick.

I sat down and began to shovel the food down my throat. The quicker I'm out of here, the less I have to deal with Valencia.

"Stop, Max. Manners." She snapped at me. I rolled my eyes. I've never been to good with authority. I can hardly hold it together and not burst at the teacher's at school.

"So… how was school today? Ari, Max?" She asked while ever so delicately cutting her steak with fork and knife.

"Fine." Ari scarfed down his mashed potatoes. "I blew uh a watahme-on in chem ab." I translated that to be 'I blew up a watermelon in chem lab.' Ari went to school at the community college. It was very nice it was where 'Of course' I would go, well, according to Valencia.

"Very good. Max?" Valencia asked.

"Not much." I shrugged. "Went to school. Did my homework. Got dumped. Again."

She scrunched up her nose. "Well, maybe if you dressed better they wouldn't do that." See that? Yeah, that right there. She didn't mean to be insulting, but she was. And for the record, I dress nicely. I know about trends (Thanks to my best friend, JJ.) and all that. Valencia just doesn't think it's 'nice' because I'm not wearing a blouse and a prissy skirt.

I finished my potatoes and ran to my room. I sat on my bed and began to read my schoolbook for homework.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The knocks on the window raised me out of my state of boredom. I looked up hopefully, wondering if it was Brian. Then the dark realization came over me that I'm no longer dating Brian. He chose little-miss-Goth-girl.

Honestly, the sight I saw was ten times better than Brian. It was JJ. I let her in and she heaved a sigh as she climbed into my room.

"What?" She asked defensively, noticing my strange look. "It's harder in pumps, okay?" She gestured to her shoes. They were 5-inches and she still wasn't as tall as me. Then again, I am a bit tall. I'm 5'8" and 18. Oh, and by the way, my motto is 'Life is better without heels.'

She noticed my train of thought. "Don't you even dare say that motto." She glared. "Life is so much better with heels."

"So, I heard about Brian." She filled the silence that opened when I hadn't responded to her heel comment.

I sighed. "Yeah. I swear I'm running out of guys to date."

"Oh, come on, Max. You're perfect. You don't even need high school guys. Maybe you should move onto college guys! Ooh! I know this cute junior, he's 21 but that's only like 3 years…" I tuned JJ out but let out a small smile. That was JJ, for you. Forever the optimist.

And again, with that word. Perfect. Even my best friend thought it. But I truly wasn't. I was the girl with the dead dad, the horrible step-mom, and the awful tendency to want to spew out sarcastic comments. But no one knew it. I kept all of that to myself.

"… And it's only, like, 6 months until senior year ends and we're all free! Then you can leave here and do whatever you're destined to do." JJ finished.

"Yeah." I nodded, acting like I followed her speech, though really only catching the beginning and the end. I thought about her words. 6 months. That was way too long. What if I just left… now?

Valencia wouldn't care, nor would anyone else. Except maybe JJ and Ari. But they could handle it.

I thought about it and tried to conceal my snort. It was just so, dare I say it? Perfect.

Maximum Ride, captain of the volleyball team. Maximum Ride, most likely to become homecoming queen. Maximum Ride, with the tan legs and sun-streaked hair; a beach babe. Nobody would even see it coming.

Maximum Ride, runaway.

Booyah! This may be a bit more serious than my other fics, and it may not be. I don't know yet. Plus, I would like an opinion. Should this story be wings or no wings? I'm still unsure, but I'd like an opinion.

Now, for my new segment. Song of the Chapter:

I'm three stops from the edge.

Don't push me over it. Don't you know, don't you know?

Every girl is capable of murder, if you hurt her.

Watch out, don't you push me any further. Any further.

Now, can anybody name that song? Kudos to you if you can, because I love it. Even if it is a bit violent.

Well, I'll have a new chapter up as soon as I can!

~Cake.