#01: Together
"Max? This isn't natural." Nudge said, sliding into the chair next to Max on the elder girl's bedroom balcony; the flock's leader gave her sister a bitter smile.
"What d'you mean, Nudge?" She asked, and Nudge could see the tired look to her eyes.
"This whole thing." The young african-america-avian muttered. "Fang being with Lissa, you being with Sam. It's not supposed to be like this. It's supposed to be you and Fang, together forever."
"I think you've been reading too many fairytales." Max remarked dryly, casting her eyes back to where her raptor eyes could pick out Fang and Lissa laughing together by the lake. She wasn't sure why she was torturing herself like this, sitting here and watching them, hating every moment of it, but she couldn't bring herself to leave. "And I'm not with Sam. I broke up with him after that first date."
"So go talk to Fang!" Nudge cried. "Tell him that it's over with Sam, and-"
"And what, Nudge? Have him rub the fact that I can't get a simple relationship to work, whilst him and Lissa are so happy together, in my face? No thanks." Max's tone was bitter, and Nudge was slightly scared at the hollow, hopeless look in her leaders eyes.
"That wouldn't happen." She said, trying desperately to make Max smile, or something. "Fang wouldn't do that to you for starters, and they're not happy together. Fang's happy when he's with you, not with that bimbo red-head. You both deserve to be happy."
Max raised an eyebrow at Nudge's choice of words, noting that she was usually a pacifist.
"They look happy to me." Max said gently, finally allowing a small smile. "Besides, as long as Fang's happy, I'm happy."
Nudge was finally fed up. "Liar." She shot at her leader, standing and leaving, heading downstairs. She'd wait until Lissa had gone, and then she'd talk to Fang, make him see how unhappy Max was.
Somehow, it had fallen on her shoulders to fix them.
[Words: 337]