Kay… I know this is cliché, but I felt like making a story about some of my favorite songs, so bear with me, and tell me if I should even continue, please.

Cara

Hate This Place Chapter 1

MPOV

I was working an extra shift at the bar—gotta pay the bills, right?—and taking stock of my life.

What life?

Meet the voice. Not, as you may have notice, the Voice, just the voice. Most people would call her my conscienece, but I disagree. An entity like that could not possibly be of my creation, thus I reject it. Wait, wait, wait. I phrased that wrong. "I reject your reality and substitute it with my own." There we go. Gotta love Mythbusters.

Anyhoo! Back to taking stock of my not-so-life-like-life. Say that three times fast.

I live be myself in a cruddy apartment…more on that later. I work at a bar. Yeah. That's about it. It's very sad. (A/N: If you can name what book that last sentence came from, I will give you 10 virtual-online-air-hugs!)

Basically, I figured out the big one. The holy-snap!-how did I miss-that-should-should-of-had-a-V8 one.

I was the reason the flock was always getting hurt. I kept dragging them around on my mission, and they kept getting hurt.

As a result of one of my infamous snap-decision-thingies, I left them. I don't deserve them. I put them in danger all of the time. If you took me out of that situation, there would be nothing. No injuries. The flock would be safe. Fang would step up as leadr, and they'd have a leader they deserved, instead of me.

I wrote two notes to them the night that I left. The one to the Flock was the lie. It was my final gift to them, a clean break. I pretended I had a chip implanted in me that tracked our movements. They could believe that.

Fang got the truth. It's what he deserved. After seven years, I can still remember exactly what I told him.

Fang,

I have to go. Who knows how many times I'm going to wish away the lies I told you guys, but, there you go. Confusion is ruling me right now, and I can't be a good leader for you guys.

I don't mean to hurt you. I'm sorry, and… I think I love you. But I can't do this. I can't put up a charade and pretend that I know what I'm doing, when all of this time, I'm really just hurting you guys.

I know that I'm hiding, but this is the only way to stop you guys from getting hurt on my mission. I'm sorry that I can't give you the lies that I told them. You deserved more. I'm sorry. I love you. Take care of the flock for me.

Love,

Max

I started cleaning a table, pondering the past seven years.

I didn't leave them. I would never leave them. Up until two years ago, I was destroying Itex, the school, everything, just so that they could be safe. I know some of you are probably thinking, 'Wow, she's selfless!' or something. Five years is a long time, but it wasn't for selfless reasons. I'm one hundred percent selfish. I couldn't see them getting hurt again, so I did what I need to to get through.

Just then, a man maybe 17 or 18 years old walked in, holding onto a big guitar case.

We get bands to play here every weekend, and this time, we decided to try some new talent, instead of the same-old, same-old.

"Where should we set up?"

I directed them where to set up, then forgot about them as I took orders for drinks and washed tables. After a while, I heard a guitar playing and decided to check out the band, see if they were any good.

I looked up at the stage and into the familiar dark chocolate eyes that I haven't seen in seven years.

"This song is dedicated to my first and only love, who I haven't seen in seven years. Yeah, Umm, here it goes."

He leaned into the mike, and started to sing.

Gone away
Who knows where you been
You take all your lies
And wish them all away

I somehow doubt
We'll ever be the same
There's too much poison
And confusion on your face

Can you feel it
I didn't mean it
Can I see you
or what were doin
I think I love you
But I ain't sayin' nothin' you don't know

Hold on dream away
You're my sweet charade

Take your time
Move yourself to me
Yeah I cant take your lies
Until you fall away
You know I'm lost
Hiding in your bed
No I don't think it's wrong
It's just gone to my head

Can you feel it
I didn't mean it
Can I see you
What are we doin'
I think I love you
But I ain't sayin' nothin' you don't know

Hold on dream away
You're my sweet charade

Hey watcha do to me
Would you come back to me
Yeah I can't do another day
I'm not certain of it anyway
I'm not messin' with another life
Can I get on without you
Tell me lies
That you
Know I need

Hold on dream away
You're my sweet charade

Hold on dreamaway
You're my sweet charade

Fang… Loved me?

The last chords of the song still rung through the air, and as they faded, I melted at just the memory of the song. Cheers rang throughout the air, and I hid behind the bar, hoping that he didn't know I was there. I know, I know, hiding? I was gone for seven years, people. It's not like I can just go back and everything will be all hunky dory!