Disclaimer: Don't own Maximum Ride, that's JP. Can someone PM me and tell me if I have to put one of these on every chapter? Please and thank you.
"I can't wait to hit the clubs tonight," Sierra was telling me. We were taking our lunch break so we walked down the street to the closest fast food joint.
"Same. I've been feeling super-stressed out ever since my classes started again." I had begun online college courses. I could never survive on an actual campus. Way too many people.
"Yeah, I kind of noticed, Miss Twitchy. You jump at the sound of your name."
"I can believe that. Most smart people already jump at the mere mentioning of the great Maximum Ride."
Sierra laughed it off while I smiled at my private joke. The Lord knows Jeb would be frightened if he ever heard those words uttered in front of him. Maximum Ride. I could almost see him quivering in fear right then.
"I think our first stop should be that new karaoke slash dance club place downtown. Can't remember the name…"
"I think it's something stupid, like Hollywood or L.A. Nights," I answered. What was with the sudden interest in karaoke? Unless…
"Oh, and Joshua's the new manager! I bet we could get a couple discounts, if you know what I mean," she said. Of course Joshua was involved. Everybody thought they were going out, but they never made it official.
"And by discounts I'm guessing you mean he's going to pay for us to get in because he asked you out on a little group date that I just so happen to be going to."
"Yup, that sounds about right."
We made it to our destination where I gladly filled my stomach with three juicy burgers. After I was satiated and Sierra had picked at her food "… because that fast food stuff is just inhumane…" we headed back to the shop to finish our work day. It blew by pretty quickly without a single customer the rest of the day, so we locked up a little early to get ready for tonight. Once I got into Sierra's apartment it was time to play my least favorite game in the world: dress up.
"Max, come on, you have to try on my silver dress, I'm sure it would look fabulous on you! And I know we're the same size, so don't you even try to say it's too big!" Sierra yelled from the bathroom where she was coating her face with makeup.
"Actually it looks a bit snug," I called back.
"It's supposed to be that tight! Jeez, Max, you should get out a little more often."
I sighed, held my breath, and squeezed myself into the skimpy piece of fabric my friend called a dress. Sierra walked out of the bathroom, donning a black halter dress that went down to just past her waist, her hair in perfect ringlets surrounding her beautiful face. She looked like a super model, but one look at me and her jaw dropped.
"Wow, Max. And you don't even have your makeup on yet. I have to say, I am very impressed. That dress looks ten times better on you than it did me. If you excuse me, I think I'm going to go change, I shall have no one upstaging me tonight!"
I started cracking up, laughing until my sides hurt. "Sierra, are you kidding me? You look like better than the runway model that dress probably came off of two days ago."
"Really? Aw, thanks! If that is so, then you should hurry up, it's about time to leave."
"Oh, so we have time for you to get redressed and reprettified, but when it comes to me just dabbing on a little liner, eye shadow, and gloss, we're already ten minutes late?"
"Exactly! Now get your butt moving!"
At the club we sat down with some friends and talked for all of twenty seconds before Sierra and Joshua were on the dance floor and Brittany and Caleb were already so wasted they were on a stage singing "Don't Stop Believing" like they were on American Idol. I, being the more sensible person that I am, stayed in the booth and sipped my Pepsi. I didn't feel like drinking (Dylan had a small incident the other night and it, of course, involved alcohol.) Every now and then I guy would come up to me and try to make his move, but they rarely succeeded seeing as most of them were drunk, trying to get back at an ex who showed up unexpectedly, or just complete idiots. There was one guy that night that seemed halfway decent, though, so I accepted his invitation and got on the dance floor with him.
"So, what's your name, beautiful?" he asked loudly, trying to be heard over the booming music.
"Max. What about you?"
"David."
Hmm. David wasn't only halfway decent, but also not half bad looking either.
"You know, David, you are the first guy I've met tonight who doesn't reek of desperation."
"Is that a good thing?" he asked timidly.
"It's a great thing," I replied with a smile.
We danced for a couple songs while I examined him. David had chocolate brown hair and sparkly blue eyes. He was only an inch, at the most, taller than me. He was kind of skinny, but I was used to that physique. Tall and thin was the most common description for my people and me. Sigh, if only there were more of us left. David and I finally got tired and returned to my booth. After talking to him for about half an hour I realized he was a nice guy, but not exactly the type of guy I usually go for. Maybe different was good, though.
"It's getting late. I think I should go home. Would it be okay if I called you sometime in the near future?" David questioned with a hopeful look in his eye.
"I think it would be very okay," I grinned.
We exchanged numbers and then he was on his way.
The gang kept on partying. I was once again left alone to my booth. I scanned the hangout for my group so I could tell them I was tired and was going to head on home. None of them were in my line of sight, though, so I got up to search for them. Unfortunately I tried to fight through the crowd of dancers and ended up being pushed to the back corner of the joint. I turned around and saw a couple of shy guys and gals, trying to scramble up the courage to go out and dance. A girl with frizzy blonde hair, a poor dude with really bad acne, a dark loner sitting at the only table looking right at me as if staring into my soul…
Wait. Huh? I did a double take and found the table to be unoccupied.
Yeah. I definitely needed some sleep.
I went back on my hunt for my friends and found the most sober one, Joshua, and told him I was leaving and that I didn't need a ride, my house was only a few blocks away. He slurred what I think was a goodbye, and went right on fist pumping.
So I was on my way home, a defenseless young girl without a care in the world, most likely drunk to the public, for I just came out of a club. What could possibly go wrong? You know, besides some creeper grabbing me and dragging my dead weight to an alley.
You guys know that way back when I would've opened a can of whoop ass on him and flown away. Can't do that now. It would ruin all that I have worked to build, this life that is safe for Dylan and me. If anyone saw me flying away, Itex would be right behind me once again. Not going to let that happen, that's for sure.
"Hey, Max," the originally half way decent guy said.
"David? What the hell are you doing?"
He pulled out a knife and whispered,"Don't try any funny stuff, or your pretty face won't be so pretty any more. Just follow me into the street and get into the van with me."
I shut up, but I couldn't stop some tears from falling down my cheeks. Of course only I would end up crushing on a psychopath that would end up trying to kidnap me.
"Maxie, I said be quiet. You're not off to a very good start are you?"
"Leave her alone," a voice from farther in the alley rang, deathly serious and as chilled as the night air.
"Who's there?" David asked. "Come after me, and I'll kill her!" he threatened.
"I'll give you three seconds to drop the girl. One…"
And then the mysterious man dropped down on David from above, tackling me as well in the process. Once he freed me he looked into my eyes and said, "Run, Max. There's a black convertible parked outside the club. Climb in the passenger's seat. I'll meet you there."
I only ever knew a small handful of people who could talk and kick some butt at the same time, and all but two were dead. One of them was probably drinking a liter of vodka on my couch. The other was obviously saving my life.