Author's note: Just to let you all know… Iggy (James) is Max's older brother. Ella is his girlfriend. Nick (Fang, which is his nickname by the way) and Max have been best friends since the third grade. Jason (the Gasman… I read some where that was his real name…) is Max's little brother. Angel (Ariel) is Nick's one of Nick's older sisters along with the adopted Monique (Nudge).

Nick (Fang) isn't going to be Goth or Emo because I really don't see him as either. Just a kid who is silent and likes black… In my story he's a basketball jock, James (Iggy) has rubbed off on him… so he likes girls. I wanna say he might be a little OOC, but I'm not 100% sure I know what that means… Out of Commotion? If you know, let me know… educate the world… Thanks for all the reviews already, the most I've gotten for a chapter and it wasn't even a real chapter! YAY! And thanks for the flames. Always great to know when you need to change a few things. Fix some errors, and all that good stuff.

Not sure how long this story will be… I'm planning between 16-23 chapters, give or take a few; depending on how much I'm able to write with school… and how much detail I put into this. So let me know what you think, be honest.

Chapter One: Girls and Skirts

"Maxine honey! Get your butt down here! First day of school, let's go!"

I sighed and looked at myself in the mirror. Stupid school, stupid clothes, stupid hair, stupid first day of high school. I disliked the clothes my mom wanted me to wear to my first day of high school, but I wore them anyway. Mid-thy purple and gray plaid skirt that made my hips look a slight bit bigger than they were, and a purple t-shirt with a white tank top over the top. My blonde hair cascaded down my shoulders and back, I normally had it in a pony tail or messy bun. And there are normally two different opinions about the first day of high school; excited and preppy or dull and stupid. Obviously, anyone can tell what I thought about it.

I mimicked my mom's voice right before I started trotting down the stairs. I hated her 'pet' name for me. It sounded too much like a girly-ish name.

I watched my feet as I trotted down the stairs, and smiled. Nothing my mom said or did would make me wear the sandals or high-heels she had wanted me to wear. Nope, I just stuck with my black—white toed—sneakers.

I walked into the kitchen and grabbed a slice of toast, quickly spreading butter over the top, before picking up my backpack and heading for the door before anyone could see me dressed like this.

"Yo Max, what's the hurry?" I heard James come from around the corner from the back room behind the kitchen door that led to his bedroom in the basement.

I struggled to slip out the front door before he could get a glance at my attire. Sadly, I didn't make it. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me back inside the house.

I looked up at him, not totally in my more comfortable state of mind, and a nasty look on my face.

"Whoa." He looked me over, eyes wide and an amused smile on his face. "Mom?"

"Yeah, now let go. I've got to get going." I tried to turn from him and walk out the door but he caught my arm again.

"Not so fast, little sis." I looked up at him in annoyance, "Let me be the first to drive you to school."

I sighed and rolled my eyes. I would have told him that I'd rather walk, but truthfully it wasn't going to be every often that he would offer me a ride to high school. I mean come on, a junior driving a freshman to school everyday? Not likely.

"What is that supposed to mean?" I cocked my head and looked into his deep blue eyes.

He shrugged, a slight smile on his face, "Just that…" he raised his voice a little, "if you keep dressing like that, some guy is bond to ask you if he can drive you to school… Or home."

I narrowed my eyes at him and growled.

"Hey, don't get snippy with me!" He laughed and raised his hand in the air as if avoiding conflict, "I'm the one driving you to school."

"Whatever. Just don't start with the whole 'she likes boys now because she's dressing like that.'" I hissed as I turned around. It wasn't that I hated boys or didn't like them; it was just that I didn't like them in that way.

"Hey, things could change this year." James said as he shrugged and walked out of the door, right behind me.

"Not in your life time, not in my life time. You might as well get over the fact that I'm not in love with every guy I see."

"I don't think that. But I do think that you and that Ruby guy are kinda close."

I punched James's upper arm as hard as I could. That 'Ruby guy' was my best friend. "Nick Ruben is my friend. So shut up."

"That's what you say now. But that won't be the result for long. He'll get a girlfriend, you'll get jealous, he'll break up with her and kiss you, and then you'll start dating." James said as he turned his car's engine on, "When are you going to get it through your thick head that that's what's going to happen?"

"Never, because guys and girls can be just friends. They don't have to date. Ever." I said buckling my seat belt.

"I know that! I have tons of girl friends, but I'm not that close to them. I mean as close to them as you are to Ruby."

"Quite calling him Ruby! He hates that... And what in the world do you mean by tons of girlfriends? Does Ella know?"

"See! You're sticking up for him again! …And I didn't mean girlfriends, I meant girls that are my friends. And of course Ella knows. Just don't go around saying things like that; people will get the wrong idea." James looked at me from the corner of his eye.

"I know, I know. It's high school. Can we pick Nick up? I haven't seen him in ages and he'll so freak when he sees us drive up in your new 2010 mustang."

"Sure…" my brother sighed as he turned towards Nick's house.

Nick had been my best friend since third grade. And to our surprise, we lonely lived a few blocks away. Nick had two older sisters (one adopted) while I had an older and young brother so we were used to hanging out with the opposite gender even from a young age.

Just as I had expected, Nick was just about to jump on his bike to head for the high school. At first, he though we were just the normal person driving the 2010 mustang and only gave it a quick glance. Then we slowed he got curious and watched us, until I rolled down the window, then he gapped at us, totally surprised.

"Max? James?" Nick dumped his bike and jogged over to the car's window. "Wow! You got this car just a few weeks ago or what? This is so sweet!"

"Yeah, I got it the day after you left for camp." Jamessmiled.

"You want a ride or what?" I asked him.

"No duh!"

I smiled at his response and opened the car door and jumped into the backseat. I figured I'd have plenty of time to ride in the front anyways and besides that, the boys would enjoy talking about the car.

The mustang was filled with talk about Nick's three month long camping trip with his basketball team and the car. I hardly had a say in anything, but that was ok with me. I'd get enough of it all by the end of the day I'd be sick of it.

Finally arriving at the high school, my brother sped into the parking lot, blaring his rock music. Both guys and girls I'd never seen before waved at my brother and awed at the car. Parking as close to the front entrance as we could, even more eyes watched us get out of the car. My brother made a point to lock the car's doors before he even got out.

For the first time during the whole car ride, Nick noticed what I was wearing while waiting for me to get out of the backseat.

At first he starred at me in surprise, and then came his comment. "You look nice."

I sighed, "Thanks." But I must have sounded disappointed or something.

"You haven't become a girly girl over the summer have you?" He asked almost nervous.

"Heck no! My mom made me wear this." I shot him a glance, taking in what he was wearing.

Whoa. He looked a lot older than I remember. I guess a guy can do a lot of growing up over the summer. His shaggy black hair reached the top of his eye brows and was down to his earlobes. He wore a gray t-shirt under a plaid green button down shirt and a pare of baggy blue jeans.

Wait, what? Baggy blue jeans? He never wore baggy jeans. I guess his fashion since grew up a little bit too.

"Good." he smiled and wrapped his arm around my shoulders, "because I'd miss the old you."

"Ha! Like I'd change over one stinking summer. You have got to be kidding me." I looked up into his dark brown eyes. Dang, he must have grown five inches over the summer!

"Hey, you never know." Nick shrugged and looked after two girls walking towards the front door. Not that I noticed why or who he was looking at.

"That's what I keep telling her. She just doesn't get it." James sighed and then raised his hands at the two girls ahead of them. "Hey girls!"

"James! Hi, is that your car?" one of the girl waved back as my brother trotted towards them.

I sighed. He liked girls way too much. I was so glad Nick wasn't—

"Man, they are so hot." I heard Nick whispered under his breath.

Never mind. Forget I was about to say that…

Maybe… just maybe my brother was right. Something between Nick and I had changed over the summer. And it all started out with girls and skirts.