So... First Maximum Ride Fanfic. I think I have a good idea of how this is going to turn out. Enjoy!

Hey, random person. My name is Max. Yeah, I'm a girl. Think of it like Alex. It's still a girl's name. Anyways, today's the orientation for high school. Sigh. Life sucks on days like this. Not to mention, after an entire day of get to know our school crap, I have to go meet the new family moving in across what is considered a street in suburban New Jersey. Whoopee. Ella, my little sister, says I have to loosen up. Well, she's the sweetest thing anyways. She also doesn't have school for another two days. Well, lucky her. I pull on a random pair of jeans, a white t-shirt with red designs of hawks, and a leather jacket with slits on the back. I'll explain that later. So... school. Before anything, I run downstairs and have a hearty breakfast of toast, bacon, eggs, pretty much whatever people have for breakfast. My mom smiles at me and tucks a few chocolate chip cookies into a plastic Ziplock baggie. They're still warm. Mmm... My favorite. I glance at the clock, and, lo and behold, it's time to go.

"Shit! I'm late!" Mom admonishes me silently for the language, and I drop her a little peck on the cheek. "Love you! Let the hawks out soon or they'll freak!" Yeah, we have hawks. Think of them as a higher class messenger pigeon thing. Not that they'd appreciate it, but what the hell, you know? Anyways, I run outside to my backyard, take a running leap, and unfurl my wings, flapping them so hard I shoot fifty feet in the air.

Yeah, wings. Must I repeat everything I say? Anyways, I fly over to the school, which is about five blocks away, give or take. I smile as I touch down in the woods next to the school. On a normal day, I would see Nudge, the Gasman, and Angel landing next to me, having just flown to school together. They had all been there when... well, I'll get to that late, when I'm not so stressed. Anywho, today I'm alone, so I walk into school by myself, and make my way to the auditorium independently. I take my seat individually, and wait for my friends, because the Thesaurus just ran out of words. Angela comes over first, her face a mask of horror.

"Max. Did I not tell you that today is a makeup occasion?"

"Um..." In truth, Angela has two lists: Days Max Must Wear Makeup, and Days That Max Can Get Away With Not Wearing Makeup. There seem to be more of the former than the latter, funnily enough. Angela was tall and thin, with killer curves and clothes so tight, you could barely tell where they end if it weren't for the color shift. She quickly slathered my face with gunk and smiled.

"Perfect. Now, come on. We're gonna be late." I followed her obediently to the auditorium, absently wondering how much trouble I would get into if her makeup bag would "disappear".

We made it through orientation relatively easily. Angela was pulling me toward the doors when I saw it: a flash of black hair, directly next to strawberry blond. I broke into a run, heart pounding, as my mind flashed back to the two people I knew couldn't still be alive. But by the time I made it to the front, no one was there. I put a hand over my racing heart and bit my lip. I didn't know if I was hallucinating, but I promised myself it wouldn't happen again. I had a flock to take care of. I couldn't allow myself to be chasing after fantasies. A little Voice in my head, that annoying one with the familiar, yet unrecognizable tone, whispers, What if it wasn't a fantasy? I ignored it. Even if it's right, I had no time to figure that out.

So... Love it? Hate it? Is it just eh? Review, please!