Hey guys, packing for camp again! Sorry, I'm working on Without You, but the next chapter is pretty long. So here's this till I get back. This is a songfic for Hayden Panettiere's "I Fly" Set during Maximum Ride 2, SOF while the flock is at Anne's house.
Six a.m.
Radio Playin'
Stumble out of bed,
Run out the door
A brand new day
I woke up at six to hear Nudge rocking out to some random song on the radio. Six. In the morning. Thanks a lot Nudge; the one day we can sleep in. Not that I would have slept in anyway. Running for your life from lupine-human hybrids and literally mad scientists wanting to detach our brains from our heads, well, you don't really have the luxury of sleeping in.
Can I make her stop, please, Max? Angel's voice asked silently in my head. That kid is starting to freak me out. Seriously, I'm going to wake up and find the president offering us a billion dollars in stuffed animals or something. I'm going to have to do something about this. No Angel, I sighed. Let's just say it's a good thing she's on our side.
I stretched, and with a running leap jumped from the top of the stairs to the bottom. Iggy was in the kitchen, sightless eyes scanning through the pantry. Don't ask me how he knows whether he's frying eggs or squirrel guts, I don't know. Angel was already sitting at the table, and a few seconds later, Nudge flipped off the radio and trudged blearily down the stairs, rubbing her fists over her eyes. Fang was leaning silently against the counter near Iggy, dark eyes scanning everything. Gazzy burst into the kitchen, and Iggy set a plate of eggs in front of him. The whole flock was together, alive, and—
"Oh good, everyone's up! Are we all excited for a new day of school?" and being forced to undertake the torture called school. No, not the one you're thinking of. "You bet!" Gazzy exclaimed, spraying egg bits all over.
Never thought I'd get this far
But I'm okay...
I watched everyone scarf down their breakfast like there was no tomorrow. For all we knew, there wasn't. I didn't even expect to get this far. But we had. Yep, that was us. The Avian Hybrids Who Survived Whatever World-Domination Plan The Scientists Came up With Next.
And I fly
I reach out my hands and touch the sky
That's right in front of me
And I try
Just let go, relax, enjoy the ride
And I feel free
When I fly
When I fly
I walked a few feet ahead of the flock, refusing to meet Fang's eyes. Or Angel's. Another day with the Red-Haired Wonder was going to drive me off a cliff, with my wings tucked in. And Angel probably knew everything anyway. The whole mind-reading thing kept infiltrating my private thoughts.
"I'm gonna go for a fly, guys. See you later." I mumbled. I took off under the cover of the forest before anyone could protest or offer to come. The wind whistled in my hair as I sped through the clouds, letting go of everything. Fang, school, Anne; they were in the back of my head, but for now, I was just relaxing. A leaned into the wind for an extra burst of speed, and stretched my hands out in front of me, taking in the sky. Enjoying the ride. The Maximum Ride. I was free for the few minutes it took me to get home. Flying. The only way I could escape. Great, now I sound like Fang's blog. Poetic Max. I think the air is getting to my head.
Thinkin' back
When there were days
I could barely make it out the door
So much doubt
Changed my mind
Change my ways
Wasn't gonna do this anymore
I turned around...
I stumbled down the stairs, completely not ready for another day of school. "come on Max, rise and shine! Iggy made breakfast again! School starts in half an hour!" Joys. I sat down at the table in the worst mood possible. Believe me, you don't want to be around me when I'm like that. Looking around at everyone else in their happy little bubbles was infuriating me. I could almost feel my blood boiling. Hypothetical steam was fogging up the room. I shoved my plate away.
"You don't like it, Max?" Angel asked worriedly.
"I don't know, why don't you read my mind and find out? Huh? Isn't that what you always do anyway? Everyone loves it when you do that Angel. It's just sad that you can't keep your mind in your own head!" I was overreacting and I knew it, but I couldn't help myself.
Angel's lip trembled. Nudge glared at me. "It's not her fault Fang's dating-" Okay, that really set me off. I had no issue whatsoever with Fang and his girlfriend. She could go buy herself some wings if she wanted, join the flock. I was just bursting with happiness and rainbows for the both of them. Right. I stood up sharply, knocking my chair over. The flock stared at me. If looks could kill, Nudge would be shattered into a million freaking pieces right now.
"I'm going for a fly. See you guys at school." I muttered, then turned and ran out the door and down the steps.
And I fly
I reach out my hands and touch the sky
That's right in front of me
And I try
Just let go, relax, enjoy the ride
And I feel free
I hated myself for saying those things to the flock. It wasn't their fault I was having a bad week. Heck, a bad lifetime. I readied myself to apologize on the way home. This wasn't me. I took a breath. Flying really cleared my head.
Like a butterfly
Who lost his soul
I choose not to hide
Anymore...
Everyone avoided me at school, but I walked through the front doors to find them waiting for me. "Guys, I-"
Iggy held up his hand. "We get it. Better not ruin your reputation by apologizing." He smiled to show he was joking, and I hugged him. Angel came over and hugged us both, and soon we were all hugging each other on the sidewalk in front of the source of my momentary mental lapse.
Fly And I fly
Oh Oh Oh
Fly
I close my eyes and kiss the sky
That's right in front of me
And I try
Just let back, relax, enjoy the ride
And I feel free
As soon as we were out of sight, we took off. We flew home that day. And I fly When I fly
I reach out my hands and touch the sky
That's right in front of me
And I try
Just let go, relax, enjoy the ride
And I feel free
When I fly
When I fly
When I fly
When I fly
I was free. And as I met the flocks eyes in turn, and Fang smiled slightly, I knew I was ready for the Maximum Ride.