"Max, wait up!" my best friend, Allison called. I had completed my mission, finally. I was free. For now.
"Hey Ally," I said as she caught up to me. I was not the same. I was never happy, and she understood why. She knew my entire life story. Everything about me.
"So, what are you doing this weekend?" she asked curiously. I shrugged.
"Nothing. Literally." She smiled.
"My parents are going out of town, and they said I could have a party, since our house is like huge!" she exclaimed. I shushed her.
"Let's remember, we're in the middle of the school hallway," I reminded her. She smiled innocently.
"My bad…" I rolled my eyes.
"My mom won't care. She loves you," I said enthusiastically. Shit. I hadn't been to a party since…something happened at one.
"Maybe I can hook you up with someone," she offered. I stared at her.
"No. He made a promise, and I will too. I'm not going to be with anyone else. I have to find them," I said firmly. She sighed.
"You can't look for him forever," she said quietly. I nodded.
"Yes I can, and I will look until I find them." She sighed and we walked outside.
"See you," she said as she ran to her car. I nodded and got in mine.
Mom spoiled me. She got me a dark purple mustang convertible. I patiently waited for Ella, and when I saw her, I almost cried. She was crying.
"Go," she whispered after shutting her door. I nodded and drove off.
"Shane's a bastard! He was cheating on me!" she said once we were out of sight from the school. My jaw locked. I had warned her, but still. I had seen his and that girl with red hair, but she thought I was making it up. Ironic, right? I had told her from the beginning I didn't like him, so she thought I was just trying to break them up.
"You were right. I'm so sorry I didn't listen. You warned me, many times. I'm so sorry!" she said after she had managed to quit crying.
"It's okay," I said sweetly. "Just believe me next time." She nodded.
"Definitely." I smiled and went on driving home.
"Max," Mom said once I got inside. I looked at her. "Tell me the whole story." I took a deep breath.
"Jeb found a way into the flock's brains. He could tell everything that went on. He told me that if I didn't make the flock think I was dead, then he would kill them, right in front of me."
"He can't do that. It's six against one," Mom interrupted.
"That's what I said. Mom, he controlled our expiration dates. He could kill them whenever he wanted. So I couldn't let Angel know. So I was being held prisoner with everyone thinking I'm dead, being experimented on, and being forced to save the world alone. Then, once I did, I gave him what he deserved. Well, not exactly. He got off easy." I walked into my room.
I turned on my stereo. The song "What About Now" by Daughtry was playing. It had just started.
Shadows fill an empty heart as love is fading
From all the things that we are and are not
Saying can we see beyond the scars and make
It to the dawn? Change the colors of the sky
And open up to the way you made me feel alive
The ways I've loved you. For all the things that
Never died to make it through the night. Love
Will find you.
What about now? What about today? What if
You're making me, all that I was meant to be?
What if our love never went away? What if it's
Lost behind, words we could never find? Baby
Before it's too late. What about now?
The sun is breaking in your eyes to start a new
Day. This broken heart can still survive with the
Touch of your grace. As shadows fade into the
Light, I am by your side where love will find you.
What about now? What about today? What if
You're making me, all that I was meant to be?
What if our love never went away? What if it's
Lost behind, words we could never find? Baby
Before it's too late.
What about now, now that we're here? Now
That we've come this far, just hold on. There's
Nothing to fear. For I am right beside you, for
All my life, I am yours.
What about now? What about today? What if
You're making me, all that I was meant to be?
What if our love never went away? What if it's
Lost behind, words we could never find? Baby
Before it's too late. What about now?
It is weird. That song is so much like how I feel. It is my favorite song. It reminds me of…yeah, it makes me sad and happy.
Iwillflyhigh has logged on.
I was randomly getting on AIM. Yeah, random me.
Promise not to kill me, but I was talking to someone I had no clue who it was. I mean, I never gave any personal info, but I did talk to him. He was really cool.
Heartcantmoveon is online. Yes.
Iwillflyhigh: hhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeellllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllooooooooooooo
Heartcantmoveon: Uhh…hi. Someone's hyper today.
Iwillflyhigh: I'm in a mixed mood. My sister found out her bf was cheating on her the hard way, and I'm going to a party.
Heartcantmoveon: now she probably feels bad about not listening to you.
Iwillflyhigh: yeah
Heartcantmoveon: the party thing is cool.
Iwillflyhigh: yeah.
Heartcantmoveon: so you've never told me…what's up with your name?
Iwillflyhigh: uh…idk. Random. Well, I've always wanted to fly.
Well, it's not like I could tell him. I mean he'd never talk to me again. I didn't want that. He was funny. He always made me laugh when I needed to.
Heartcantmoveon: cool. Me too.
"Max!" Mom yelled. I sighed. What did I do this time?
Iwillflyhigh: I have to go. Ttyl.
Iwillflyhigh has logged off.
"Yes?" I asked walking into the living room.
"Have you seen your Trig grade?" she asked in a very disapproving tone. I sighed.
"I'm trying Mom, but I will have it up to at least a C by the end of the semester, I promise." She nodded.
"You better. Maybe you should spend less time on the computer, and more time studying." I nodded.
"Yes ma'am." Well, she was my mom. I had to be nice. "Mom, can I go to a party at Ally's house this weekend?" She looked at me.
"I don't care, but you have to promise to spend the rest of the weekend studying."
"Promise." She smiled.
"Good." Why did she care so much about grades? As soon as I was ready, I was gone. I was going to find my flock.
Ella was in her room.
"Max, there's something outside the window!" she screamed as I walked by. I shot in there.
"What?"
"I saw a dark figure on the outside!" I froze. It couldn't be? I ran to the window and opened it.
"Who's there?" I asked coldly. Meaning, deadly.
"Me, dummy." It was…Iggy.
"Ig?" I asked, stunned. That's a start.
"Max? You died? How the hell are you alive?" I pulled him in Ella's window.
"Uh…long story. But oh my God!" I squealed and hugged him.
"You know, you're prettier than Fang described." I pulled back and looked at him.
"Huh?"
"Oh, I can see now," he said quickly. I smiled and hugged him again.
"Where's everyone else?" I asked after I pulled back. He sighed.
"New Jersey. That's where we live. Fang actually let me come alone." I stared at him.
"I'm going to kick his ass." He grinned.
"Well, without me, how will you find him?" I frowned.
"Damn it." He smirked.
"So, I have plenty of time. Talk." I sighed.
I told him the very long, sad story. He sighed.
"Where's the bastard now?" he muttered. I grinned.
"In a hole in the ground. After I saved the world, I broke his neck." Iggy slapped me a high five.
"Smart." Ella smiled.
"So, how have you all been?" she asked curiously. He smiled and looked up at her.
"Good. I guess. Fang's been trying, really hard, to fill in your shoes. He knows he never will, but he's doing really well. He's really upset, still, but he never shows it. I just sometimes walk by his room and hear him crying. Angel reads it from his thoughts. He smiles a lot now, but they are just a show. He'll never admit any of this." I sighed.
"Can I come to your house?" I asked eagerly. He grinned and nodded.
"Okay. We'll make you a surprise." I smiled and looked up at Ella.
"Want to come?" she nodded.
"Will Mom care?" I shrugged.
"Tell her you need this to get over the son of a bitch that cheated on you," I suggested. Iggy frowned.
"Who am I killing?" She smiled.
"His name is Shane." He nodded.
"Shane." I smiled and walked into the kitchen.
"Mom, you aren't going to believe this, but come here." I pulled her into Ella's room, and she gasped.
"Iggy?" she asked, shocked. He nodded.
"In the flesh!" he said happily. I grinned.
"So, can me and El go with him to get the rest of the flock?" I asked hopefully. She sighed and looked between me, Ella, and Iggy.
"I guess," she muttered. Ella squealed and hugged her.
"Thank you Mom!" She nodded.
"You both better take your cell phones. They'll probably die on the way up there, so one of you have it on until it dies, and then the other one turn theirs on."
"We'll have Ella's first," I informed her.
"Okay." I nodded, and we all walked out the front door.
"Iggy do you want to carry her first, or do you want me to?" He shrugged.
"I can. I could actually carry her the whole way. I've gotten a lot stronger." I rolled my eyes. Show off.
"Well, I have new powers," I said happily. He nodded.
"So does everyone else." I frowned.
"What can they do?"
"Fang can control fire, and it's awesome. His hands light up, and it's fucking awesome! Angel can control not only people, but also objects. She throws stuff at Gazzy when he gets annoying. Gazzy can blow stuff up without a bomb." He looked at me for a second.
"No," I said horrified. He shook his head.
"His fist." I nodded. "Anyways, Nudge can feel people's feelings. I can see things. Like dead people. No joke. And like stuff that's going to happen, stuff that has happened. Kind of like visions, but I actually see it happening." I gaped at him.
"That's awesome!" He nodded
"What about you?" I smiled.
"I can control people's feelings. Like I can make them hallucinate things. They might think their leg is in pain, but it's just me. They might think it's really hot, but it's me. I can make them sad, happy, in love, or anything! I can control how they feel basically," I said, summarizing it all in the last sentence. He nodded.
"That suits you. A leader needs to be able to control people." I smiled.
"Yeah. I guess."
We flew hours. We told about stuff that had happened to us over the two years of my being gone. Iggy said everyone was basically the same, except Fang actually talked more now. Well, as a leader, you have to.
We never stopped. We flew on until the next morning.
"I'm hungry," Iggy said, breaking our silence. We both looked at him.
"Me too," Ella agreed. We landed and went into Waffle House. We were going to make it to New Jersey by tonight.