Chapter 2

1994

July 26th

Val was exhausted. Absolutely and completely exhausted. Who knew baby shopping was so tiring? Wasn't there some rule against tiring yourself when you're pregnant? I knew I should've read the books, she thought to herself as she set herself down atop one of the bar stools at McDonald's, carrying a tray filled with three boxes of Big Macs and fifty bajillion shopping bags. Needless to say, she was starving. She sighed, rubbing circles on her stomach.

"Just a little bit more, and I'll see you soon, sweetie," she whispered to herself.

Before she could take a bite out of her burger, she heard an exasperated sigh and a huge plop right next to her, only to see a woman, around her age. She was fair-skinned, long, straight, jet black hair, and as the woman eyed her as well, she noticed she had the most obsidian-like eyes, shining wildly. Val scanned her, head to toe, her eyes finally stopping at the woman's stomach. She smiled slightly.

"When's it due?" Val asked, her eyebrows raised with amusement.

"Four more months, November 1st to be exact, actually," she said, taking a sip of her lemonade. "You?"

"Tomorrow," Val said cheekily, taking another bite of her...dinner? Too early to be dinner. Too late for lunch. Lunner? Dunch? Hm. The woman started choking on her drink. When she finally recovered, her dark eyes widened with shock, slightly alarmed.

"Yeah, I know. What's a ready-to-deliver pregnant lady doing at a rundown fast food restaurant like this? To tell you the truth, I have no idea, " she chuckled. "And isn't November 1st, All Saints' Day?"

"Great. That's just what I need, an emo boy," they looked at each other seriously, then suddenly burst out laughing. After wiping a tear, the woman finally looked back up at Val. "I'm Avienne, by the way. Avienne Ride," she said, sticking out her hand and beaming.

"Valencia Martinez. Call me Val, for short," she introduced, gladly shaking her new acquaintance's hand and flashing another grin her direction. "I can tell this is going to be a beautiful friendship."

"So tell me about the lucky guy," Avienne teased, poking Val's baby bump. They've been at McDonald's for over an hour and a half, just storming up a conversation about the most random of things. Val grimaced.

"I'm single, actually," her grimace turned into a frown. "He's there one day, telling me he loved me and feeding me all his lies. Then the next, he's saying 'he needed to leave for groceries,'" she explained icily, emphasizing his reason in air quotes. "Must've been a pretty long line if he'd been gone all these years."
Avienne nodded, not exactly sure what to say. Val noticed this tension and tried to quickly take it away.

"So, enough about me," Valencia said, smiling unconvincingly, "What about you?"

Avienne smiled back and decided it would be best to shrug off the topic. "Well..."

"You're doing wonderful, Val!" Avienne yelled, giving her friend a reassuring smile. Val replied with shrieks of pain and several gasps of breath. Inside though, she knew Avienne was going to be there for her. Ave and her spent the rest of yesterday together, laughing and talking about their lives. It seemed like she knew Ave from a past life.

Val didn't need Jeb. Val didn't need a husband, much less the dirtbag who left her when she broke the news about the baby. And up until now, Val didn't need anyone. But it took meeting Avienne to realize how much she missed people's company. Val would have been alone today, since none of her family would fly out to Mesa in time. She'll be here, right now, during one of the hardest moments of her life. And sure enough, she was there when out came the most beautiful baby girl in the world ten minutes later.

Val's eyes welled up with tears as she finally held her crying firstborn lovingly in her arms. Avienne sat beside her with a hand on Val's shoulder.

"What are you gonna name her?" she asked curiously. For a moment, Val thought. Hm. She didn't exactly plan for names. It had completely slipped her mind! Nevertheless, she wanted something meaningful. Her baby will be intelligent and dedicated and beautiful and everything she ever hoped for.

And strong. So strong that no one will hurt her, like Jeb did to Val-she'll be absolutely indestructible.

Something incredible.

Indescribable.

Something to symbolize the fresh new chapter in her crazy life.

Like meeting Avienne, she thought, and recalled only meeting her yesterday while eating fatty burgers at McDonald's. Big Macs to be specific.

Big Macs.

Macs?

Max. A huge grin swept across her face.

"Her name will be Maximum. Little Miss Maximum Martinez."

Hours after Max was born, Val was laying on the hospital bed, having a laugh with her friends. Her baby had been taken to the birthing center to be observed in the mean time. "Standard protocol," they had explained, much to Val's dismay.

Valencia laughed. "Have you decided on what you're gonna name your boy, Ave?"

"Well, I was thinking Nicholas. I always liked that name," she considered, her eyes wandering to the ceiling as she thought.

"Hm, Max and Nick," Val said in a singsong voice. "Nick and Max. Nick Ride and Maximum Martinez!" she gasped. "Nick and Maximum Ride!"

Avienne slapped her friend's arm playfully. "Oh, hush. That's years away, don't get ahead of yourself."

"So does that mean you do expect it eventually? Nick and Max getting married?" Val suggested mischievously, wiggling her eyebrows. This made Avienne was about to retaliate when they heard the door creak.

"Oh Max, what a beautiful name it is," a sudden voice called out, cutting their teasing short. Val's blood ran cold at the familiarity. It was the same voiced that used to whisper to her softly, the voice of the one she once completely trusted, the voice of the one she once loved. Or still loved. She wasn't quite too sure. All she was sure about was the memory of him walking out of her life lifetimes ago. And the fact that he was standing here now, right before her eyes. "I've missed you so much, love."

There was that voice again, the one that sent shivers down her spine. She shuddered, forcing herself to look up at him, not even bothering to hide her displeasure. "

"Jeb."

"Oh wow, you can really feel the awkwardness in the air," Avienne commented, trying to break the ice. "Um, I think I'll go check if the doctors need anything."

Valencia stared. And glared. And looked at him with such anger and disgust, completely unfazed by his pleading eyes. "Well," she said with mock surprise. "Look what the lizard demons from hell dragged in."

"I wanted to see our daughter," he said sincerely with the smile that used to give her the flutters in her stomach not too long ago. Her eyes narrowed.

"There is nothing for you to see," she spat, making sure to enunciate every single word. She hoped she got the message across to him. "And she is definitely not our daughter, mind you. She hasn't been, ever since you decided to, oh, I don't know, WALK OUT OF MY FREAKING LIFE!" At that point, Valencia was screaming at the top her lungs, causing a nurse from outside to walk inside the room. Jeb stayed quiet.

"Is everything all right in here?" the nurse asked. Jeb gave a stiff nod and Val shot him an icy glare once again.

"Who asked you?" Val snapped at Jeb. The nurse looked taken aback by her tone, but reluctantly stepped out of the room.

"Cia," he said sweetly, making Val shudder. Jeb was the only one who called her that nickname. Well, he usedto call her that. Especially when he was guilty or wanted something. Or both. Jeb inched closer to Valencia's bedside. "You know as well as I do that you miss me."

And with that, he raised his hand to cup his ex-fiance's cheek. She shoved his hand away from her cheek and slapped him across his face. Every emotion-all the hurt, all the betrayal, all the pain and suffering he had caused her-was put into that one slap. Jeb's head whipped to the side from the impact.

"Don't you 'Cia' me. Don't call me that. Don't call me anything," she hissed. Jeb stood up straighter, and silently walked up to the door, his one hand grasping the knob.

"Well," he sighed in defeat, his back turned towards his old lover. "I don't see Max anywhere, so there will no point staying," he said, completely ignoring Val's threatening glare. He rubbed his cheek with the other hand, where a red hand mark was slowly taking its form. "I'll come back again. One day."

And with that, he disappeared from the room, leaving Valencia as confused as ever. After a little while, the door opened again. Val held her breath until realizing it was Avienne that had stuck her head into the room.

"Um, hey," Ave greeted meekly. "You okay?"

Valencia wasn't sure what to say. She could feel hot tears just beggingto come out. Making a decision, she decided she would let them fall, just this once. She blinked them back and tried to smile, but it looked like a grimace instead.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she lied. "Can I have a minute?" Avienne nodded in understanding, and closed the door shut.

Valencia waited for the lock to click when she finally burst into tears, sobbing. Something she had learned to avoid for so long.

WABAM! And there. you. go. I have to warn you now, this story is going to be completely confusing before things are cleared up. But don't worry, I'll make everything clear eventually. I have whatever I need to clear up in a list so I won't forget ;). So here's the deal: I think I'm going to update every other day if things go smoothly. Meaning every other day I'll update this. And every other day I'll update FSTAE (my other story). Like for example, I'll update FSTAE tomorrow since I updated this today. Capiche? Review please! My longest chapter in history. Blah. Took me a while to get it right. Hope you guys like it and review. :)

P.S. I have another story! Hope you guys check the others out and be sure to review those too! :DD