January 2nd, 2010
Keep Smiling, it makes people wonder what you're up to.
-Unknown
Surprises. I. Hate. Surprises. The only thing I hate more than surprises are people taking pictures. Or even worse, old pictures turning up. But today, I dealt with both. Not a happy Max. It started far too early. I already find 'Good morning' a contradiction of terms, even if kids as cute as Gazzy and Angel scream it at the top of their lungs at me.
"Goood Mooorning Max!" So, I reacted as any other teenager would at eight thirty AM on a Saturday morning.
"Shut up," I tried to say as I pulled my duvet over my head. "What'd she say?" I heard Gazzy ask.
"She said to shut up," Angel translated.
"Oh."
The response to this was them jumping up and down on my bed repeatedly.
"Guys!" I moaned.
The springs squeaked under their weight, and I yelped as one of them jumped on me. Then, as soon as the torture had started, it stopped. The weight was suddenly gone, and I peaked out from under my duvet and saw Fang motioning to the door. They sauntered out, looking disapointed. Poor them. Pft. Once they left, Fang came over and sat on one side of my bed, "I know you're awake."
"So?" I replied.
"Dr. M says she has something planned in an hour and we all have to look our best," he sighed.
I snickered and looked at him from under my covers, "Look our best?"
"Her words, not mine," he shrugged.
"I guessed that. It was just funny hearing you say that," I sat up against my bed board and pulled the duvet over my shoulders.
He gave me a half smile. How had I not noticed how beautiful that was? I had grown up with it and somewhere along the way I must have started taking it for granted.
"What?" he asked.
I must've been staring, and I randomly blurted, "You have the prettiest smile I've ever seen."
"You're crazy," he rolled his eyes.
No reply, I just kept staring at his mouth. He kissed me quickley.
"C'mon. Time to get up."
Still stunned by the impact, I got up and got clothes.
"Meet you downstairs," he smiled and kissed my forehead before leaving.
After he shut the door, I collapsed on the bed.
Oh my God. That was amazing. I've never felt that before. What the Hell is happening?
What was amazing Max? Angel's voice sifted into my head.
Immediatley, I put mental blocks on what had just happened.
"Max? What are you hiding from me?" I heard Angel wail next door.
"I'm not hiding anything!" I called back stupidly.
I locked the door just in time to hear the pounding.
"Maaax!"
"I'm changing, sorry Ange," I said cheerfully.
I slipped into jeans and a dark grey shirt. Brushing my hair quickley, I pulled it into a pony tail and opened the door. Imagine my surprise when I opened the door and Angel, Gazzy, Nudge, and Iggy fell in.
"What are you guys doing?" I asked.
"More importantly, what are you hiding Max?" Iggy questioned stupidly.
Rolling my eyes, I went downstairs. I found Fang sitting by the door. Sensing my worry, he touched my hand.
"They know I'm hiding something," I hissed.
"How? We haven't"- Fang murmered as he handed me a jacket. "You haven't what?" Iggy asked as he strolled around a corner.
We shot eachother a look. "Are you guys making out while we're not around? Why, Fang, you sly dog! What've you been hiding from your dear brother?" Iggy asked as he threw a freakily accurate arm around Fang's shoulder.
Good thing Iggy's blind, cause the death glare Fang sent him could've murdered him.
"Shut up Iggy!" I shouted.
"Is everyone ready to go?" Mom called.
The kids and Ella tumbled down the stairs. Nudge had straightened her hair and put on make up she had no doubt borrowed from Ella who looked similar with straight hair and cherry red lips. They wore shirts and skirts, and looked really cute as they put on their coats. Gazzy and Iggy looked uncomfortable in dress shirts, Iggy pulling on his tie and Gazzy unbuttoning the collar. But Angel looked stunning. He blond curls had a bow in the back, she wore a pink lacey dress, and her ear to ear smile was adorable. My mom came out wearing a blue dress, "Okay! Who's ready to get our first family photo?" she clapped her hands together.
This stopped me. I froze. The last family photo we took, it disapeared the day Jeb left. He must've taken it with him. "No. No way," I shook my head.
"But Max"- Mom started.
"Give me a minute," I swallowed and ran upstairs.
As hot tears trickled down my cheeks, I shakily pulled my bag out from under my bed. I reached passed the muddy clothes and necessities to the bottom. The only thing I had rescued from the E-shaped house. The photo album. Opening the cover, the inscription I read made me sick any time I looked at it. Kids,
Always a family. No matter what happens, I love all of you.
Jeb
Quickley turning the page, I smiled a bit at the picture of me in the middle of Fang and Iggy. It was strange seeing us as ten years olds. It had been our first picture. We didn't know if cameras were safe,
so I wouldn't let the kids try it until we knew for sure.
Fang was frowning at the camera, arms crossed over his Iggy was grinning impishly, hands in his pockets as though he didn't have a care in the world. My hair was messy and I looked tough. Or, as tough as a ten year old can look. The only other picture that was in it was at the very back. Our first picture with all of us. Jeb sitting in a chair, Nudge and Gazzy sitting at his feet, Iggy on one side, Fang on the other, and me holding a tiny Angel. We all looked blissfully happy. Then again, we had just escaped. We thought this was our happily ever after. We were supposed to grow up with Jeb in the E-shaped house with Jeb and stay safe forever. We were supposed to be as normal and loved as we could. But that never happened.
"I thought we lost that," Fang whispered.
I turned around and sniffed. He crouched down beside me and put an arm around me.
"We can't go back now."
"I know," I took in a breath.
"We have to be more careful."
"I know."
"But I doubt your Mom's gonna do what Jeb did."
"I know."
"Then can we go?" he asked.
"Yeah. I was just being stupid," I got up and grabbed the door knob.
He grabbed my hand, "Hey."
I turned to face him, "What?"
"It's not stupid. You're protecting us," Fang said seriousley.
Nodding, I gave him a small smile and we went downstairs.
"Ready?" My Mom asked hopefully.
I nodded. We all climbed into the car. ****
The ride was long, filled with people arguing over radio stations (Ella and Nudge saying Taylor Swift and Gazzy and Iggy and Gazzy wanting Good Charlotte), Gazzy's erm, gas, and millions of "Are we there yet?"'s.
When we finally got there, everyone anxiousley piled out of the car and into the studio. The background was already set up to be a living room. Artificial really, the couch and chairs set up just so.
"Mrs. Martinez? Shall we take the seperate photos first?" a nasal sounding woman chewing gum loudly asked.
"Yes please, Leafe," my mother smiled.
"Leafe?" Gazzy asked incredulously.
"Yes, Leafe. L-E-A-F-E," she spelt out obnoxiousley.
"What's the "e" for?" Gazzy whispered to Fang.
Fang shrugged.
"Okay, we'll take the girls over there and the boys on that side. Fraaaaank! Frannnnnnk!" she shouted.
Apparently according to Leafe with an "e", Frank is pronounced Fronk.
A skinny teenager scrambled clumsily over to us. His glasses tilted on his nose, but once he straightened them and focused on us, he looked at me funnily. Apparently Fang didn't like that,
because he wrapped a protective arm around me. Frank's face fell. "Frank you take the boys picture," Leafe ordered.
He nodded. I'll spare you the achingly boring details Diary, and skip right to the outrageous and evil part. By the time we had all assembled to take the mass family photo, I noticed my Mom checking her watch and biting her lip anxiousley. Not thinking anything of it, I let Leafe order us around. "Now, the you, you, you, and you sit on the couch," she ordered Ella, Nudge, Gazzy, and Angel.
"Hmmmm," she made a weird pouty lip thing and tapped her chin, "Okay, I want the couple on the left side," she motioned to Fang and I who had been whispering about the Flock and if they knew.
We sprang apart and blushed. Everyone was staring at us, either grinning or confused.
"Uh, we're not"- I shook my head.
"You can't lie to Leafe, darling. Now come, come, to the left," she pushed us to the left. We stumbled over to the side and she arranged us so Fang's arm was around my waist. My mom's eyebrows arched, and the rest of the flock were snickering. "Sorry I'm late."
My first thought was, Thank God someone's here to take the attention off us.
Then we all turned around and saw who was there. Fang's grip tightened around me, and my fists clenched. Angel and Gazzy's eyes grew wide, and even Nudge was speechless.
"Aw, Hell to the no!" Iggy made a face.
I was tempted to say the same plus a few other things that wouldn't have been Angel appropriate.
But I kept it all in and managed to say, "Why is he here?" in a steely calm voice.
"Max, I just thought"- Mom rushed.
"Well you thought wrong!" I snapped.
"But"-
"Let's get outta here," Fang interupted her.
The flock all got up and walked out.
We spread our wings and took off into the sky. "Max! Be reasonable!" his voice shouted.
Never again. We went back home and went to our rooms to pack. "Max please!" Mom began to cry.
"We're leaving tomorrow," I said icily as I shut the door. I trusted my mom. I believed she would keep us safe. But instead she betrayed me. She invited Jeb back into our family.
Never again.
Whoa. I totally don't like Jeb! But c'mon, what's a Max Ride fic without a bit of evil? Lol. R&R?
Xoxo Doom
