[AN: So throughout this story Chelsea is much closer to Max and Dana than she was in the show. The chapters are in chronological order, so it starts sometime during their senior year and goes from there. Oh and Max is a little giggly in this chapter, but even the best of us enjoy seeing our friends go ballistic on others. I hope you like it!]
When she's pissed, Dana can be pretty intimidating. She storms through hallways searching for the source of her anger and Max and Chelsea follow along because they know that this is going to be entertaining and to make sure Dana doesn't end up in jail for murder because orange really isn't her color.
"If she were any angrier smoke would be coming from her nose," Chelsea whispers to Max.
Max grins. "And her ears," she whispers back. They giggle as quietly as possible knowing that if they're heard Dana will turn her fury on them and that would ruin all the fun.
They see Terry coming towards them and have trouble stopping themselves from laughing aloud at the expressions that cross his face. He begins to smile when he sees them, then he catches sight of the look that has preceded many loud and angry breakups. His smile falls immediately as he tries to remember what he forgot and his face contorts into one of panic for only a second; the panic is then replaced by a look of grim resolution as he accepts his fate. He stands up straighter as the trio heads in his direction, prepared for the battle ahead of him.
"Did he really just square his shoulders? I didn't think people actually did that!" Chelsea exclaims, as quietly as she can.
"Keep watching," Max whispers back between giggles. Chelsea grabs Max's arm for support as she watches Terry's face. Sure enough, just as the trio reaches him he raises his hand in greeting only to be completely ignored by Dana; his face then contorts into one of extreme confusion as his gaze flips to Max and Chelsea. As he opens his mouth to question them they divide and reconvene with Terry between them.
"Apparently the cheerleading squad has placed bets on how long you and Dana are going to last before your next break-up," Chelsea said from Terry's right, answering his unasked question. "Guess who the ringleader is?"
"Blade," Max reveals on his left. "Whoever gets the closest gets all the money and the right to ask you to prom. The loser has to tell Dana about the bet."
Terry gapes at the two of them, still recovering from the shock of not being on the wrong end of one of Dana's furious tirades. "How did you two figure this out?"
"Us three," Max corrects. "One of the new cheerleaders was telling her friend about it after class."
"And her friend's locker was only two down from Dana's," Chelsea says.
"So you two are just going along to witness the massacre of the entire cheerleading squad?" Terry asks, sounding worried.
"To prevent it," Chelsea chirps cheerfully. "And because watching an angry Dana in action is fun!"
"Fun?" Terry echoes.
"Yup," Max says. "It's amazing how scary she can be."
"She's like the Hulk, but she's red…and tiny."
"I bet you guys wouldn't find it so funny if you were on the receiving end. Which is where I usually end up," Terry grumbles as they step into the courtyard where the cheerleaders typically eat lunch. The girls steer Terry to a nearby table and sit down just as Dana reaches the cheerleaders' table.
"Then consider this your one chance to be on the fun side," Chelsea says.
"Has either one of you ever been on the not fun side?" he asks curiously.
"We know better," they chorus, watching intently as Dana's hands go to her hips. "Uh oh," Max says. "She's tapping her finger."
Terry raises an eyebrow. "She's usually yelling by the time she gets to the finger tap."
"No, the finger tap always comes first," Chelsea corrects. "The toe tap comes after the yelling."
Terry's forehead wrinkles. "And about how long before-"
"BLADE SUMMER, WHERE THE HELL DO YOU GET OFF PLACING BETS ON MY RELATIONSHIP?" Dana explodes. Terry jumps and Chelsea and Max laugh as all five feet two and a half inches of Dana explodes, immediately terrifying all the cheerleaders into complete silence.
"There it is!" Max laughs. "I think that freshman just wet herself!"
"One of them is close to tears!" Chelsea exclaims, laughing so hard that her eyes were also full. "You see what we mean Ter? She's like a volcano!"
"A fun sized volcano!" Max cracks as she and Chelsea exchange a high five behind Terry. Enthralled by the show before him, Terry simply shakes his head.
"It's like a car crash," he says as Dana's voice carries across the courtyard. "It sucks when you're in it, but when you're watching it you just can't look away."
"Exactly," Chelsea says to him as Max pats his shoulder.
"Welcome to the fun side, McGinnis," Max says.
"Thanks," Terry replies. He smiles as Dana cuts off a sophomore who is attempting to explain. "The fun side is pretty schway…in a really sick way. We should probably thank Blade."
"Why?" Chelsea asks.
"Because nothing we do wrong for the rest of the day will even register on Dana's radar."
"We could thank her. Or we could stop Dana from hitting her," Max suggests.
"I think I like that plan better."
"Then we'd better hurry," Terry says. "I do know that the arm crossing comes before the violence." They reluctantly slide from their seats and try to hide their smiles as they go to intervene. It takes them ten minutes to convince Dana "take the high road" and in the next week Terry misses three dates, doesn't return six phone calls and breaks at least one promise (that he remembers) but every time he prepares to apologize all Dana can talk about is the nerve of Blade and how she has never been more furious in her entire life.
A thank you balloon turns up tied to Blade's locker and while Dana mutters about popping it, Max raises an eyebrow in Terry's direction and all he can do is shrug and grin.