I am not, nor will I ever be, James Patterson (unless of course I have a sex transplant and age about thirty years or so-which is more than unlikely). Just thought I'd get this out of the way because, you know, everyone expects hard core writers who've already been published to come on this site. *rolls eyes* ON WITH THE STORY! :)

Chapter One

Max's POV

I laid back on my oversized bed, thinking about tomorrow. We would be starting a new school…again. In the beginning, right after we saved the world, the Flock and I registered in a new school every few months just to be on the safe side.

Now, we only switched schools when one of us got too close to a human and accidentally spilled the I-am-a-genetic-engineered-avian-American secret or, in this case, Iggy and the Gasman (who has tamed his 'gift' over the years and we now just call Greg) blew up the better part of the science lab.

Fang knocked on my door softly even though he was going to come in anyways. He spent almost every night in my room, talking and planning (and more often than not-making out). Sometimes we'd go for a midnight fly, aimlessly flying wherever we felt like going, and find that we had gone hundreds of miles without even realizing it.

Over the past four years, we've gotten out of the 'awkward friend' stage and were now 'engaged.' I know, me, Maximum Ride, engaged! Fang asked me to marry him the last time we went to my mom's house in Arizona.

If I had been paying more attention, I would have noticed that he and mom had been acting secretively that whole weekend. I guess I just chocked it up as being a Christmas surprise. Angel, Ella, and Nudge were in on it, helping him plan how to ask and giving tips on what not to do. Even all of their advice couldn't have made that night any more special for me though.

FLASHBACK

It was Christmas Eve, the rest of the family was asleep, and when Fang snuck in my room and said he wanted to go for a fly, naturally I followed him. He led me to the old pond a few miles behind the Martinez house that was murky and a little bit gross.

Only the pond wasn't murky looking that night; Fang had installed twinkling white lights around the entire pond and had set up a table on the far side of it. The table was on the dock, its white tablecloth blowing in the breeze, and I gaped at how beautiful it looked. It reminded me of the time that Fang kissed me on the dock on our way to rescue my mom.

"What's all this?" I had asked him but he just blushed; an uncharacteristic thing for Fang.

We didn't even get to the dinner that my mom had made for us because as soon as I sat down in my seat, Fang pulled out the small velvet black box out of his pocket and got down on one knee. "Maximum Ride, will you marry me?" He asked, his voice seeming to ring in the silence.

I nodded, too stunned to respond. Suddenly, I had started sobbing, warm hot tears trickling down my cheeks as I rocked back and forth. Fang got off his knee and wrapped his arms around me and started apologizing. "I'm sorry, Max. I shouldn't have asked you." He whispered into my hair.

"N-n-no." I sobbed happily. "I'm happy. Nothing would make me happier than to be your wife, Fang. This is the best Christmas present ever." I said and kissed him on the cheek. I smiled when he did, glad that we both weren't nervous anymore. "Now…how about that ring?"

END FLASHBACK

Fang crawled on my bed until he was laying next to me, his eyes staying focused on mine the whole time. I twirled the small gold band on my finger nervously. I wish that we didn't have to keep going to school considering Fang and I are eighteen, but he wants us to finish our senior year out (even if it is at a new school and in the second semester already).

We found everyone's actual birthdates at the School when we were taking it down three years ago and realized that Iggy wasn't as old as we thought he was and Fang was only three days younger than me.

Iggy, not yet seventeen, is a junior at our school with Nudge, now fifteen, who skipped two grades because she was too smart to be held back. It worked out great for them because they finally figured out that they were the perfect match for each other and they've been dating steadily for a little over seven months.

Angel tried to pull that same stunt, said that she could just use her mental abilities to stay ahead of the class if she was put in my class, but I put a stop to that thought before she got too excited. Instead, we compromised and I let her skip one grade so she and Gazz-um Greg could be in the same class. They were in the sixth grade now.

"Worried about tomorrow?" Fang's lips asked against mine as he broke away from our kiss. "You know they'll be fine. The School and all the branches of Itex were destroyed, thanks to you, and we aren't in danger anymore."

"I know, I know." I mumbled into his chest. "I'm just worried about being new again. Plus this time I'm going as your fiancé instead of your sister or your girlfriend."

Fang let out a happy growl. "Say that again."

I smiled, Fang loved it when I said I was his fiancé or his future wife or anything that resembled belonging to him. It might sound like he was possessive of me but I feel the same way about him. As if the whole Sam-Lissa thing didn't teach us anything, at every new school we go to, there are loads of girls chasing after Fang and guys constantly flirting with me.

"What?" I asked 'innocently,' a coy smile on my lips. "Your sister? Your girlfriend?" Fang let out a frustrated grunt. "Oh, you mean your fiancé?"

I giggled against his chest as he started kissing my neck.