MAXIMUM RIDE
Without Him
It has been only 1 night since Max returned from the wedding, and Max found the note from Fang.
Max's Pov
Ring ring ring!
The deafening sound of my alarm clock broke my deep unconsciousness with its annoying monotonous freaking horrible cry.
I groaned and ran my arm across by bedside table, smiling at the satisfying thud as the clock hit the carpet.
Now, I can finally get some degree of serenity…
Ring, ring, ring!
The damn thing just wouldn't give up, would it?
I mean, it would be nice if just one thing in my life went my way, but no. Every single FREAKING time I get just a little close to happiness, something equally terrible appears, evening it out to square 0.
I was in a huge valley in the mountain rage I call life, at the moment.
Although it seemed like ages ago, it was only last night that I had found Fang's letter, which announced his leaving the flock and me. And ever since then, I've been in the worst state I have ever been in, in my life.
Hopeless and hungry, I rolled out of bed and slumped across the room to the full sized mirror.
I had never looked worse, including when I had been seconds from death and gushing blood.
My once flowing blonde-brown waves were in a frizzy tangled mess.
My crusty eyes looked bloodshot from all of my crying, and sure as hell, I had completely lost my voice.
I had no time nor cared to wash of last night's heavy makeup, and had blotches and stains to prove it.
My skin looked tie dyed and the bruises from hitting myself, didn't help either.
I was a mess and I knew it.
I had given up all hope and I was fine with that.
But I couldn't let the flock give up, too.
No, they couldn't see me like this, and neither could Jeb, Ella, or Mom.
All three of them had stayed the night to comfort us after I had found the letter.
Unwillingly, I walked over to the girls' bathroom and scrubbed off last night's makeup mess, but that only solved half the problem.
I still had gruesome bruises and cuts on my face from punching myself last night…
Yeah… I over did it…
I quickly applied Neosporin and thought up some good excuses.
I bumped my head on the wall while sleeping… Yeah, and I also stuck my face in a lawn mower, but this disaster I call my face would look 10 times better if that were the case.
I had a bad dream and thought I was fighting… I don't even sleep walk, so how would that work?
I tried to take my mind off of Fang, so I read Nudge's magazines and this is the new look…Nudge would know, and I would lose all respect from anyone ANYWHERE if I read that crap. No offense Nudge…
Tell the truth? Abusive much? And Jeb's gonna leave me in charge of the kids?
Angel beat me up? Yeah right, now I'm being a freaking idiot!
I tried to escape through the window, and fell… Hello? I can fly genius?
I had nothing…
I would have to go to breakfast like this, unless…
I sprinted across the room and grabbed Nudge's makeup case-heavier than it seems-.
In the bathroom, I tried to apply cover up, but dumbass Max accidentally put on a random orange shade. I got a wash cloth and tried scrubbing it off, but it wouldn't go away. I tried makeup remover, and even nail polish remover, but it still wouldn't wash off.
I picked up the container and stared at the information on the back sticker.
…Neutrogena facial tanning cream keeps your face tan for 6 months without washing off. Stays on no matter what, guaranteeing you your ideal shade no matter what the weather…
Nice going Max…
Hey, but in my defense, why can't they just say that on the front like in bold or something?
I mean Gosh they expect me to have time to watch freaking infomercials? Yeah right…
Now that I was gonna be little Miss Orange for the next 6 months, I decided to cover up with an orange hoodie over orange jeans to match my orange face which maybe I forgot to mention was FREAKING ORANGE!
Well, my life wasn't getting any better…
"Max?" groaned a tired Nudge.
Oh shit…
"Yes, Nudge?"
"What are you doing with my makeup case?"
Uh oh…
"Um…um…You're dreaming?"
Yeah right! Like she's gonna buy that.
Nudge shrugged her purple-pajama-covered shoulders. "Ok."
She fell back on her pillow and went back to sleep.
I could not believe that she actually bought it.
"Oh shit!"
How dumb could I be?
I mean how could I forget that Angel could read freaking minds!
Covering up my face meant nothing to her…
So I had just dyed my face orange for no freaking reason?
Nice going, Max.
Wait, but she can't read minds in her sleep, can she?
Of course not, and she was right over….
I turned around to look at Angel's bed, but all I saw was a bed, a blanket, sheets, and a pillow.
There was no Angel.
"Crap!"
"Huh?"
Great… Now Nudge was up again…
Once again Max, great freaking job.