Summary: What's a mutant bird freak girl to do? Survive, that's what. But surviving being a mutant bird freak girl in high school and going through puberty? Only the infamous Maximum Ride could hope to pull that off. And eventually end up Fax.
Disclaimer: All characters belong to James Patterson
A/N Sorry I posted this chapter too sone last night and had to delete it. I left out the paragraph between being in Chemistry and sleeping. It didn't make sense, so I've fixed it. Sorry for any confusion. Thanks for reading!
"Max, we thing you have self-esteem issues."
Self esteem issues?! Lady, YOU try living the first 11 years of your life in a DOG CRATE. Then try having your life flipped upside-down, having kids stare at you funny because you're a "bird kid" and are out in public. Try having the only guy who's ever been there for you, through thick and thin, that you think you just may be falling in love with, reject you powerfully. Oh, and the fact that your parents expect so much from you, you crack at the very thought of the pressure wouldn't bother you at all. Try "saving the world." HA.
Try being me, Maximum Ride, for a day, no, an hour. We'll see where your self-esteem is.
"Hmm." I reply noncommitmentally. She gives me one of The Looks. The "I know this must be tough for you, but I'm really here to help. We're all concerned about you." Look. I try not to gag.
"I just want to help you. We're all concerned about you." She goes on, as if reading from my inner-teenage aside. "We want to get you back to the strong, confident Max you were a few weeks ago." Don't you realize I could kill you with my pinkie 5 different ways in less than 3 seconds? "Anything we can do to help you deal with the loss of your family" –flock, I correct mentally. Ouch. Low blow, bringing up my flock. Touchy subject for me. I feel my hands clench into fists, my chewed-down nails biting into my palms and relieving some of my stress at being in this dinky, enclosed office with this dull woman who smells like she hosed herself down with some old lady perfume, either before or after she dressed herself in the dark. "and help you become independent and get you out of this rut you're in." Add a reassuring smile and pretend to care. I grunt and continue staring vacantly at her, pretending to listen.
"So, I suggest we meet again on–"
"I don't need a shrink." I cut in sharply, my tone freezing her smile on her face for half a second and making her eyes go wide with shock. Those are the most words I've ever uttered to the woman. She smiles rapturously, oh so proud of herself. She's finally gotten through to the poor, troubled bird-girl. Don't go writing to the medical journals yet, lady.
"We're done here." I add, swinging my books up into my arms easily and storming out of the office, feeling uncomfortable and hot from the tiny room and the woman's falseness.
Fortunately, I've been in there so long I'm the only one in the halls. Unfortunately for me, I was in there so long I'll have to walk into chemistry late and have to feel all their eyes on me, making my skin crawl with their curiosity.
I stop by my locker and drop off my books, resisting the impulse to spread my wings in the tiny hallway and just take off and fly away, away from school and shrinks and Dr. Martinez and Jeb and everything. Instead, I grab my Chem book, neatly completed homework, and notebook before scurrying to class like the good mutant girl I am.
When I get there, it is exactly as I predict. No one speaks to me. Their eyes just follow my movements, wondering what the school shrink and I talked about and spying for the moment they've all been waiting for: the moment where my guard is down for a fraction of a second, and one of them gets to see my wings. Too bad for them; I'm always on guard.
The lesson is boring. Iggy and Gazzy have already mastered this subject, and living with them you pick up on it rather quickly. I feel a sting in my eyes and a twitching in my nose as I think about my guys, and I'm suddenly blinking back tears. My horror is astounding. I bite my lip hard enough for it to bleed, but the pain distracts me from the tears and after a few moments I've go myself under control.
Ella and I walked home together after school that day, Ella telling me about some boy who just moved here and how he's really cute and seems really nice and do I think Mom will let her got to the big salsa fiesta dance thing at school with him. I should never have introduced her to Nudge.
By the time we get home, I'm starving and cranky. I grab an apple from the fruit bowl on the counter and head up to my room, flopping on my bed moodily. I could do my homework, or get on the computer and see if Fang or any of the Flock is on, but I stay where I am, taking a bite out of my apple. I'm finished with it in a minute, and toss the core into the trash can by my bed. Maybe I'm just tired. A nap would be good...
Dream Sequence
"I don't want to split up the flock.." I can feel how grim my expression is, and his complete stoicism shows me that he's paying close attention. His eyes betray him, though. They show his pain at the thought. The thought of staying with me.
"Max, they all have families out there, too. We can't keep mooching off yours." He says in a voice he must be imaging as gentle.
"But the flock..." I break off. "We tried that, remember?" My voice takes on that steel, leader-y edge we've all come to know and love.
"Max..." He runs his fingers through my hair, watching my locks slip through his long, graceful fingers. "You have to let us go."
My heartbeat quickens. Us.
"No, Fang, I don't have to. Dr.- I mean Mom and Jeb offered to adopt you all. You don't have to leave." Me. The word hovers, unspoken, and, to my horror, I feel tears begin to pool in my eyes. I'm begging and whining and crying. "Fang, please. Please stay."
There is something horribly wrong with me. Why can't I stop this embarrassing blubbering?
Then he has me crushed to his chest, and I'm crying into the hard muscles under his thin shirt.
"Fang, please-please-please–" I blubber, voice muffled by the unforeseen waterworks and his warm body.
"Shh, shh. Max." He comforts me, his eyes again showing his emotions. He's completely out of his element, and he's baffled and a little worried that I've completely cracked.
"Promise me. Promise that you'll stay." I command, finally wiping the tears away with a hand as I pull back, still encircled in his strong arms.
"Max, you couldn't make me leave right now." But it's not Fang's voice that comes out of his mouth. It's familiar, and distinctly masculine, but it is most definitely not Fang. I try to pull out of those arms that felt so safe a moment ago, but he pulls me closer, until he has my head tucked into the crook of his shoulder, and I can tell those arms aren't Fang's anymore. I hear him inhale my scent, and a shiver makes its way down my spine.
"Maaaaxximum..." His voice taunts me as I struggle against him to no avail. The more I struggle, the tighter he holds me, and soon I can't breathe. The last thing I feel are Fang's lips, soft and salty and bloody from the time at the beach, pressed desperately against mine.