"Something's wrong."
"Shut up."
"Say it."
"Go away."
"You're always going to be like this, aren't you?"
I clenched my jaw. Of course I was always going to be like this. I was always going to be me. What did he think? That I'd all of a sudden need him? I'm Maximum Ride and I don't need anybody. Ever. And that included Fang. My heart panged and told me I was lying, but I ignored the feeling and went to walk around him. But he moved in my way.
I'd always been taller than him, until recently when he (and to my dismay Iggy as well) shot past me. Me face was right in Fang's chest. I scowled because he smelled amazing. I went to move the other way, but he blocked me again.
I snapped. My hand went up and I pulled back. And punched him. "Yeah, I think I always will be this way, thanks." I breezed past him and went to settle the flock down. Plus, he had first watch and I needed my sleep.
..
"Quit running from me Maximum."
The way he said my name sent shivers down my spine. It was as if every nerve was in hyper mode. I sensed rather than saw him come up behind me. His breathe on my neck tingled. And his smell was overpowering my brain cells. It was, altogether, quite intoxicating. And oh so wrong.
His fingers trailed across my neck and I found myself turning my head to look at him. His lips, chapped and yet inviting at the same time, were right there. I peered up at him; his onyx eyes stared back at me. I felt like I was drowning. But in a good way.
Was this what (and here I cringed as I thought this) love felt like? Everything you've ever known gets turned upside down. Why would anyone ever want to feel this out of control of their situation? But then a split second later, as Fang's face moved closer to mine, I understood. Because I felt utterly and completely out of my element, but at the same time like everything fit together perfectly. I had never felt this way. It was scary and hypnotic and frustrating and amazing.
That's why I pushed him away and snarled, "What is wrong with you?" Even as I said it, my insides plummeted. And it's what I wanted, but he could at least have the decency to look upset. Or something. What was wrong with him? I asked again, but in a completely different context as the question I had asked out loud.
Fang went to lay by Gazzy as I sat against the tree he had just abandoned, the tree bark pressing into my back, a continuous reminder to be alert.
..
"How irresponsible! How reckless! What were you thinking?" I was on a rant. Typical Max fashion.
"You were supposed to be on guard duty! Your watch! Do you not take that seriously anymore? The flock depends on you and you CANNOT abandon the flock for..." Here I faltered. Did I really want to rehash last night? Answer: no! So I continued raging because it's what I could handle. "Fang I swear if you do that again I will kill you." My nostrils flared and I was not joking. But apparently Fang thought it was funny because he… grinned?
My heart began its palpitations. What the hell was he doing? Did he think this was funny? Because lemme tell you: I wasn't laughing. I was hyperventilating.
"We'll be at my mom's in 4 hours and if you think we can let our guard down now then you can just leave. Leave right now I swear Fang I will not stop you. So you better decide what you want."
Stalking away I realized the flock would know what was wrong if I came back mad, so even though I was fuming, I took three deep breaths.
And I was still angry. Three more. And then three more. Okay, that did the trick.
..
"Max! I missed you!" My mom and I crashed together. I hugged her fiercely and buried my face in her hair. I was home.
..
"Knock knock."
I bolted up out of bed, jumping into an only slightly sloppy fighting stance. 1.8 seconds, I thought. Not bad. My synapses began firing, alerting me to every movement and sound; I was ready for a fight.
Too bad that's not exactly what Fang had in mind. "Fang." I practically groaned in frustration. "Please go away. Now."
"No," he said simply. Jesus, hasn't this boy ever heard of rejection?
Because Fang was Fang, he thought he could just barge into my room and suggest a flight and kiss me and everything would be happily ever after. He was completely wrong and such an idiot! Did he think I was that much of a girl to just go off with him like that? Be lured away and swept off my feet?
Well consider me swept.
We spent the whole night, lying under the stars together. I had done this a million times, and probably a million more nights would be spent like this. But none would ever feel this good, this right. Every nerve was pulsing with excitement. The adrenaline high was something no flight could give me, no fight could show me. This was a special kind of Fang-high that felt a thousand times better. And we had a whole month at my mom's to enjoy this. Whatever this was.
..
Flour. Flour was everywhere. In the kitchen, on the counter, in my hair, on Fang's clothes. It was everywhere except the bowl where we were making cookies. Of course we were making cookies, and of course we had gotten into a flour fight. And of course the flour fight had led to making out. Intense making out. Because we were a couple and that's what couples do.
Fang's hand began tracing its familiar path down my arm, and the same familiar tingles came with it. We had fallen into a pattern of making out and then cuddling and just talking. It wasn't so much different from all the years growing up together, really.
"I love you, Max."
"I love you sooo much, Fang. So much."
Shit. How had those mushy words come out of my mouth so easily? And, I had used the word cuddling earlier and hadn't even cringed. And couple. Had I really referred to us as a couple doing couple-y things together? I was a walking cliché.
1. Fang. Best friend becomes boyfriend? The biggest, most trite cliché there is.
2. I, a fifteen year old girl (give or take), had just told someone I loved them. As more than family or friends. And had said it with multiple vowel inflection. Pathetic girl cliché.
3. Oh my God I was sitting in the middle of a couple flour fight.
Kill. Me. Now.
"Fang? Let's not do this anymore. We've grown soft together." I had gotten to my feet. "We're bird kids, supposedly fighting for our lives. But look at us. I've lost my edge with you." Yeah, that being the biggest thing.
"Face it, Fang. You've made me pathetic."
With that I got up and rushed out the door, spreading my wings to their full glory, rushing out to head in the direction of the setting sun. Because what's one more cliché really?
..
So you know how when you read those books? And once the final dramatic scene is over, it's over? Well, in real life, never make a dramatic scene, because guess what. You have to come back. You think leaving's hard? Well, try awkwardly flying home. Horrible.
I tried for casual.
"'Sup, Fang?"
"Hey, Max."
"Sooo…"
"Yup."
"Cool."
"Ok."
"Right. So bye."
Needless to say, I failed miserably. What's worse, is we we're leaving Mom's soon. Back to sleeping in caves and being together, 24/7. Books suck, because they never show the ending. The real ending is awkward. And annoying. And awful. And aardvark, because I wanted another A.
Every girl thinks they want the cliché, but take it from me, you don't.