This is crap. I thought sourly as I stared at the piece of paper that was supposed to be a beginning of the year math assessment. More like let's-see-how-stupid-you-are-so-we-can-put-you-where-everyone-will-know-how-you-did-on-a-test-you-couldn't-even-study-for.

But I suppose they could mean the same thing. I guess it really depends on your outlook. Half-empty or half-full, readers?

I sighed and touched the answer sheet with my mechanical pencil. I suppose that I should at least try. Hmpf. Try. I shuddered. I was starting to sound like one of the amazing students that actually knows all of the answers to these tests. I'm pretty sure that you're smart enough to figure out that I'm not one of 'em.

But I really would try my best. My mom would kill me if she found out that I wasn't trying to advance in math (which I happen to SUCK at. Always have). Sadly, my mother (unlike most) actually has the capability to kill me. Scary, huh? She really wants me to learn and graduate, 'cause she never had the chance.

So how would mom be able to kill me? Is she an ax murderer? No. Does she keep hunting rifles in the basement? Again, no. Did she expertly wield knives in a circus act? Sadly, no. That would be very cool though. Anyways, it's worse.

She's Maximum Ride.

Yes, you did read that right. THE Maximum Ride. The saving the world, the destroying of Itex, yada yada yada. I've heard it all before. But not from my mom, of course. She's actually very modest, and never wants to talk about it. Seriously. It's like women hiding their age. As soon you get on the topic, they steer away from it.

Anyways, it wasn't ONLY my mom. It was my dad too, and the rest of the flock. But she gets a lot of the credit, because supposedly it was her mission, given to her by who knows what. She still hasn't figured out who the Voice was yet. At least it's gone now.

Plus, that was, what, thirty years ago? I don't feel like going into the details. Go look it up in your history textbook. Or your science. I'm pretty sure that they're in both.

I bet you're wondering about my dad. Or not. Most of you probably guessed who it is. Yes, it is Fang. And no, he's not as amazingly attractive as all of you giggly girls think that he is. (Although I guess I am a little bit biased. I mean, he's my dad! Thinking of your father like that is just… eew.) Anywhoo, get over it. He's most definitely not single. And you're probably not his type.

But mom totally is. They, like, complete each other. And the story of their love (Oh god, that sounds so sappy) is kind of tragic and interesting. Gah. I'm even making myself shudder.

Anyways, they both grew up together, side by side. It wasn't for quite a while that they started to like, like-like each other.

God, I sound so shallow.

After a while, this butt Dylan, erm, butted in. He convinced dad to leave mom, to try to keep her safe. So, dad left and wrote this crazy note for mom. It basically said, I love you, I need to keep you safe, so I'm leaving you for at least 20 years.

Mom actually cried. And I can tell you, it takes a lot to make her cry. It needs to be completely life shattering.

So I'm pretty sure that this qualified.

But, mom wasn't going to go with that and wait 20 years to see him again. She searched the globe tirelessly until she was reunited with him. During that time, she fought a lot of battles, learned a lot of stuff, and, oh yeah, saved the world. And I'm not even going into that. It involves a lot science-y stuff that I couldn't even begin to explain. Like I've said before, go look it up in some textbook.

But, the most important part was that she nearly failed without dad. He was her beta, her second in command, her significant other. And for sure, the difference without him was quite significant.

And dad realized it. Plus he missed her, ached for her, needed her. He sent out a message, everywhere, looking for her. It took less than 24 hours for her to find him. After that, they stuck together. Heck, they even got married.

And then they had me. Kiera Ride, born June 17th 2027. The current year is 2040, and I just turned thirteen a couple months ago. Let me answer some questions that you might have about me. One: Yes, I do have the wings. And they're freaking awesome. Twelve-and-a-half feet long, purely white on my primaries and secondaries, but everywhere a deep glinting black. If I do say so myself, they are quite amazing.

Two: No one except my family knows that I'm a bird-kid. I go to school, have normal friends, live a normal life. Well, except for the leisure flying. Sometimes I wish I had grown up like my mom. But noooooooooo, I just have to get an "education", which is why I'm stuck in this math test. Yuk. At least my classmates have to suffer through this too. And to protect all this, my last name is legally "Ryde". So I suppose there's no possible way I could be related to the great Maximum Ride, could there?

No. Freakin'. Dur.

Three: No, I've never lived the life of my parents. I've never been in a battle (though I do know how to fight), I've never been a life-or-death situation (except when I'm battling for the TV remote, but I'm pretty sure that doesn't count), and I don't have a Voice or a mission. All I have to do is live. Which, let me say, I'm pretty darn good at.

There. Now you at least have a background for me. Also, my best friend's name is Annalise. Anna for short. And she's awesome. Always there, even though she doesn't know about the wings.

I mean, she's even here right now, in this godforsaken classroom sitting right behind me, staring at the same test. I really need to get back to that. It just MIGHT determine who I get stuck with for the rest of the year. That was sarcasm, did you catch it?

Anywhoo, I'll get back to you later.