I realized that I hadn't done a Maximum Ride story in many months, so I decided to write a quick oneshot instead of doing math homework.
Warning: Typos, OOCNESS! Long live FAX, AH, AU, pretty short. Fluffy and humorous with mild sexual references. Enjoy!
"Have you seen the new kid today?" my best friend Nudge asked while (ironically!) nudging me in the side. I glanced up from the math textbook, my head swimming with variables and formulas.
"No, what kid?" I asked. Anything was better than homework. I picked at the disgusting apple crisp with my spork and ate a bite. Yep, I should not have done that. Refusing to spit it into a napkin, only for the sake of Nudge not have a 'Grossed-Out Girl' moment, I said, "I haven't seen anyone new today."
"Oh my gosh, Max!" she squealed a little too loud, grabbing my shoulders and shaking me. I struggled out of her grip and leaned back. "He is way hot. He is, like, Zayn without the cliff hair!"
I groaned. The One Direction business was seriously getting on my nerves. "He's not that good-looking then, is he?"
Nudge's lip curled up as she flicked my forehead. "No need to be like that. For your information, Zayn is way hotter than he is, but still he is pretty amazing. And Zayn's already taken because he is dating Perrie. But if for some reason Perrie dropped dead, not saying that I would cause it though, I would totally hook up with him before any of those other…"
I kind of zoned off after that. Nudge was going to grow up to be one of those people on drug commercials that listed 200 side effects in about ten seconds. I kept my eyes trained on her and nodding occasionally, but my mind had gone back to trig.
It took me a minute to realize that Nudge was snapping her fingers in my face. "Max! Here, girl here! That's a good girl."
I pushed her hand away. "I'm not a dog, Nudge. You don't have to wave a treat in front of my head."
"I wasn't. I'm just trying to say that Fang is here!"
Fang? What kind of name was Fang? It sounded totally emo in my opinion, but I looked over to where Nudge had gestured, and saw a tall, dark haired guy with a black backpack across his shoulders walk in and scan the lunch room.
My heart stopped. Literally. I was dead on the ground with an opened mouth for, like, five seconds. I hated to admit it, but Nudge was right. He was amazingly gorgeous, way better than any pop star. He had a no nonsense expression on his face, just like the kind I usually wore when I wasn't marveling at someone so… Wow.
Nudge had started to do a rendition of the Cup Song on the table with her hands and no cup, and she laughed at my expression. "You look like you were hit by a bus or just saw someone naked."
I might as well have been. Fang's eyes met mine for a few long moments. I just stared at him, knowing that I should break it off. It would come across way too weird. I raised my hand and gave him a little half wave which he did not return. Someone snickered near me, and resisted to urge to turn around and kick them.
But then Fang backed away slowly and walked on, his head bent down like he couldn't believe what he had just done. Someone put their leg out in a poor attempt to trip him, but he easily side stepped it without a single glance. He didn't go to the lunch line, but straight back into the hallways.
I turned back to Nudge with a wild expression. "Okay what should I do? Should I follow him?"
She was just shaking her head back and forth like she hadn't even heard my question. "You just had a moment with Fang, like in a Nicholas Spark's movie. You should've seen both of your faces. I mean, you clearly saw Fang's, but your expression was priceless. I feel like I should already be getting my maid-of-honor dress out to…"
I didn't pay attention to the rest of what she was saying. I got up, grabbed my textbook, and left without even throwing away my tray. I could hear Nudge make a small sound of protest, but I ignored it. I had this crazy, hell-bent determination of mine that many people said resulted in someone getting hurt, but I looked at it as a good thing.
Someone whistled, and I shot the guy my dirty, 'Mess with Me and You Die' glare and moved on. Fang was out of the cafeteria now, and I had no idea where he was going. The school however wasn't that big, so he couldn't have gone far.
I wasn't sure why I was following him. Maybe I thought I was in some soap-opera and we would face each over with love-struck eyes and make out in front of everyone, then run away together screaming, "SCREW THE WORLD!" But maybe I just thought that he looked so out of place that he could use a friend.
I was passing the tenth grade locker hallway when my stalking sped up enough to catch his slow walk. The hallways were deserted, even by teachers. I didn't know what to say to him, and if he heard me, he didn't let on. So I went with the casual, cool, and not sophisticated, "Hey!"
It came out harsh and hoarse, as if I had a sore throat. I felt my face heat up with embarrassment. Fang didn't falter from his walk. He didn't even turn around.
But he did stop at the window at the end of the hallway. He gripped the ledge with his hand, and I could see all of the muscles and veins in his arms pop out. My heart acted like a fangirl. He sighed deeply.
"Do you and your friends enjoy tormenting me on my first day?' he asked, venom laced in his words. But I had never heard anything so raw and rich at the same time. The way he talked was beautiful, and it was full of real, actual emotion, not the weird little screams and giggles that most girls I knew gave off. And definitely not like the stupid cusses and laughs that all of the guys did.
"I wasn't trying to torment you," I said defensively, crossing my arms over my chest and cocking my hip to the side. "I saw those guys try to trip you, but I don't even talk to them."
"Please. I saw you and Nudge talking and pointing at me."
"You know Nudge?" I asked.
"First period English, but that's beside the point. If you've come here to try and say anything to me, then you're out of luck. I don't want to talk to anyone. In fact, I think that is the most I've ever said at one time." And then he didn't say another word, but he did face me.
He leaned back and sat against the window. He looked exhausted and he rubbed his eyes quickly and then fastened them onto me. His hair draped over his eyes, and I had the biggest urge to walk over there and brush it away myself.
What I did next not only surprised Fang, but freaked the living crap out of me. I walked over to him and sat down right beside him on the window ledge. He didn't scoot away and we didn't touch, but I looked at him carefully. "Nudge is crazy. You were all she talked about at lunch. I didn't think you were so big of a deal," I admitted.
Fang huffed, giving me a choked laugh as he cracked the knuckles in both of his hands. Other than that he did not acknowledge me. So I continued. "And then you came into the cafeteria, and she pointed you out. And she made fun of my little expression."
"It wasn't that little," he murmured, a sly smile on his lips.
I laughed so that maybe he would feel a little less uncomfortable. "I know, but you looked pretty awesome, I have to admit. And then you left, so I decided to go after you. Here we are now, so…" I didn't know what to say after that.
I took a deep breath and said, "Would you like to come eat lunch with Nudge and I. It's a small table. We usually have Iggy, Gazzy, and Angel over there with us, but Gazzy and Angel went on vacation and Iggy has lunch detention, so it was only us today. And we're a weird group. You can always fit in with us."
"If you're trying to get into my pants like half of the other girls in the school, and yes, I mean Nudge, then I'll just eat lunch in the closet alone."
Oh gods, my face flushed even brighter, and Fang let out a real laugh. "I swear, I'm not." Oh, but how the images were floating through my mind now. He stared at my face and then motioned forward.
"Show the way, I guess," he told me. We stood up, and our hands brushed. He didn't make that big of a deal about it, but we didn't pull our hands away for a while. I met his eyes and smiled softly. He didn't smile back, but the hard look in his eyes lightened.
We walked off together. Not into the sunset, but just into the cafeteria, and for now, just being with him like that was enough for me.
The feels, no, the FEELS! AHH! A review or two would be loved. Thank for reading, and please give feedback. It's not my best, I'll admit, but I hope you liked.
-BBH
