Max quickly grabbed her things and tried to calm her cheeks down, what reputation would she have if she was blushing in school? She luckily was able to get her cheeks back to their original color; she closed her locker then gasped in surprise. Fang stood on the other side of the locker, a straight yet curious look on his face. Max turned away from him and headed to her class, which was right next to her locker. She was followed by Fang; quickly she spun around and faced him. "Why are you following me?" She demanded. Fang simply reached into his back pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper, he unfolded it and held it in front of her face. It was a school schedule; Max took the schedule and examined it. She saw that she and Fang had four classes together, including lunch.
Max handed him his schedule then entered the classroom. The walls were bricks painted white, the floors had a grey, red, and black color to its carpet, and about thirty desks sat in the room. Max saw her homeroom teacher at her desk; Max loved all her teachers, except her math teacher. Her homeroom teacher was very feminine, she had tan skin, long caramel colored hair that came down mid-back, and she had blue eyes that were the shade of crystals. Her attire was simple yet elegant; she always wore long skirts that came to her knees, blouses that fit her slim figure, and heels that weren't too tall. Today she had on a black skirt, a white blouse, and a pair of black heels.
"Good morning Max, good morning Nick." She said kindly.
"Good morning Mrs. Miller." Max said back to her, just as kindly.
"Fang." He corrected.
"Oh that's right, I'm sorry. Good morning Fang." She revised.
Max slapped Fang on the back of the head, "Don't be so rude." Max told him as she took her seat in the back of the room.
"Fang, you can either pick a desk to sit at, or you can remain in the one you sit in now." Mrs. Miller informed him. The dark boy simply nodded, he decided to remain in his cornered seat. In the back of the room, alone in confinement. Though he realized he wasn't alone in the corner of the classroom, Max sat only a seat ahead of him. He had nothing to do, he didn't read so he didn't have a book to read. He pulled out a black notebook from his black and grey book-bag; he grabbed his mechanical pencil and began writing. Fang did not write short stories or anything literary, he wrote songs that he could perform to himself on his guitar.
He heard a sigh causing him to look up, he saw Max looking out the window next to her seat. The sunlight eliminating her blond locks of hair, her warm brown eyes gazing out into the clear blue sky, her pale skin appearing white by the sun's rays. He suddenly felt something react in the pit of his stomach, he felt as though he were going to become sick. Why become sick though, when looking at such…beauty? He had no idea what the cause was, however it irritated him.
School was going by fast; it was already time for lunch. Max found that she sat near Fang in the majority of the classes she had with the boy, the only class she sat away from him was in math class. Max's head was in the clouds as she got her lunch, she picked up her tray and walked over to look for a table to sit at. She saw her friend Nudge sitting at a table with Iggy and Ella, she looked for Fang and saw him sitting at a table alone. Max walked over to the table her friends were at, "Be right back." She said as she sat down her tray.
Max walked over to his table, everyone in the lunchroom seemed to stop what they were doing just to watch. "Hey, why don't you come over and sit with me, Ig, Nudge, and Ells?" She offered. Fang simply continued eating and glanced up at her; he shook his head and continued eating. Max frowned and huffed as she crossed her arms, she wasn't taking no for an answer. She was responsible for Fang, while they were at school anyway. She reached out, grabbed him by the hair hanging on his shoulders, and dragged him over to the table with the others. She released his black locks and sat next to Nudge at the table; Fang grumbled and ate in silence. Fang didn't like speaking, he hated conversating with others.
Lunch passed and the students were dismissed to their third period, biology. Max walked through the crowded halls trying to get to her class, she thankfully got to the room in one piece. It was a shocking sight to her when she saw that Fang had gotten there before her, she could have sworn she left him behind in the last class. Fang was sitting at the table next to her usual seat, Max walked to her seat as she read the board. They were planned on dissecting Frogs, one thing Max hated more than anything. She sat at her desk and stared down at the frog sitting in a jar, she gulped as the lesson began. Max glanced over at Fang, his arms were laying on the table with his head on top of them. He had a pencil in his hand, poking the jar his frog was in. Fang suddenly smirked.
The jar gradually got closer the edge of the table, the frog slipped out of the jar and onto the floor. The frog looked around confused, then it hopped around trying to find a way out. The green amphibian hopped till it stopped underneath a table, then it croaked. The redheaded girl sitting at the table looked underneath her table, then she screamed.
"Frog Fight!" Someone shouted. Everyone took their frogs and started throwing them, Max ducked as a frog came flying at her. She looked over at Fang and started laughing, Fang gave her a skeptical look. Max pointed at his head and continued to laugh, a frog sat on top of his head.
"What's so funny?" He asked coldly.
"Frog...on your...head." She replied in between laughs.
Fang peeked up and saw the frog, he shook his head and the frog soon left. The teacher blew his whistle and everyone froze, even the frogs.
"Everyone pick up these frogs!" The teacher barked. "And you Mr. Ride go to the principal's office."
"What for, I didn't start the frog fight." Fang countered.
"Perhaps not, but you were the one to release your frog first were you not?" The Teacher asked crossing his arms.
"Big whoop, so I let a frog lose." Fang shrugged.
"Out now!" The teacher shouted.
Fang shrugged and stood from his seat, he walked out the door. Everyone in the room began picking up the frogs and putting them back into the jars, Max put her frog away and walked up to the teacher. "Can I go get some water?" Max asked. The teacher looked over at her desk and saw her frog in its jar, he nodded and pointed to the sign out sheet.
Once outside the hall she saw Fang walking down the hall, the opposite way from the principal's office. Max sighed and ran after him, she got to his side but he didn't stop walking. He glanced at her then closed his eyes again as he walked, "You do know you're going the wrong way?" Max pointed out. Fang shrugged, he didn't care.
"Where are you going anyway?" Max wondered.
"Why do you care?" Fang replied coldly.
"Look I'm responsible for you when we aren't home, and I don't think you should get into more-" Max was cut off by Fang pushing her against the school wall.
"No one is responsible for me but myself, I don't give a damn about the trouble I get in! I suggest you butt out of my business, I could break your neck right now of I wanted to do just leave me alone!" He snapped.
"Get your hands off of me, and I will butt into your business! If I wanted to I could snap your neck and tear off your arm all in a single move, so don't challenge me! " Max shouted into his face.
This shocked Fang, no one had ever stood up to him, let alone a girl. Max glared at him with daggers in her eyes, she wasn't going to back down. This again astonished Fang, he had thought all girls were prissy walkovers, Max had proven him wrong. Fang smirked, the girl had guts. He dropped her arms and walked towards one of the windows, he opened it and sat on the windowsill. Fang saw Max follow him, she had some trouble getting out the tall window. Fang out stretched his hand for Max to take it, she took his hand. Fang couldn't explain it, but just at her touch he felt…happier. Once Max was up on the windowsill with him a teacher came by, Max rushed Fang to jump already. Fang was taken off guard by the teacher's appearance, and by Max pushing him out the window. Fang fell off the windowsill along with Max, they were a good fifteen or twenty feet off the ground. The dark teenager saw Max falling above him, he reached out and grabbed her. Thankfully they landed into some bushes underneath the window, Max opened her eyes and saw Fang holding her.
"Sorry I didn't mean to rush you, I just saw the teacher and panicked." She explained.
"What, no thanks for saving your clumsy ass?" Fang asked rudely getting up from the bush.
"I'm not clumsy!" Max protested.
Fang didn't say anything in response, he walked off the school campus. Max ran after him then walked when she got to his side, she was wondering where he was planning on going? Max pulled out her phone to check the time, school would be over in an hour.
"Why are you following me anyway?" Fang asked.
"I told mom I'd keep an eye on you, make sure you don't get into trouble or anything." She replied looking at the ground.
"Well you're doing a marvelous job of it so far." He snickered.
"Where are you even going?" Max asked now angry.
"Wherever my feet take me." He replied.
Max gazed at him, his long black hair flowing in the wind. Max felt her cheeks warm up unexpectedly, she covered them with her hands. The two of them were walking home, it was a long walk. Fang suddenly turned and walked into some woods, Max stood on the other side of them.
"Why are you going in there Fang?" Max asked.
"Why don't you come in and find out?" He countered.
Max groaned and ventured into the trees, Max caught up to Fang and walked behind him. The girl's head looked back and forth, the woods seemed pretty yet creepy. It was fall so leaves covered the ground, crunching with each step she and Fang took. Suddenly Max found herself crashing into Fang's muscular back, he put a finger to his lips and crouched down behind a bush. He put his arm around Max's shoulder and pulled her down next to him. Max didn't know why, but she felt her heart skip a beat.
"What are you doing?" Max asked in disbelief.
"Keep your voice down." Fang said just above a whisper.
"Why?" Max asked.
Fang pointed at two hunters, the middle-aged men were walking towards them. Max looked behind them and saw a ditch down the hill, an idea popped into her head. She grabbed Fang by the shoulders and rolled them both down the hill, Max landed in the ditch with Fang on top of her. "What the hell did you do that for?!" Fang snapped. Max clamped her hand onto Fang's mouth, she put a finger onto her lips and pointed up where the hunters were.
Fang's eyes snapped open wider when he heard leaves crunching in their direction, he quickly shot up and grabbed Max by the hand. His raven black eyes darted right and left for a hiding place, he soon found one. He swiftly hit behind a thick tree, he held Max tightly to his chest. Protecting her, he peeked his head around to see if the hunters were still following them. A bullet hit the tree, inches away from his face. "Fang what are we going to do, we can't run without them shooting us?" Max asked. He looked down at her, he could see the hidden fear in her eyes. He slowly turned so that Max was facing the tree's trunk, he grabbed her by the hips and gestured for her to climb the tree.
"Fang what are you doing?" Max asked before climbing.
"Get in the tree, I'll handle them." He whispered. "Just stay quiet and lay low, trust me."
"Okay." Max agreed getting into the tree.
Once he assured of Max's safety, he emerged from behind the tree. He eyed the men, both of them were lean, about the age of thirty. Fang put on a dangerous face, showing them not to mess with him.
"Who are you, where's the bear?" One of the men asked.
"Bear?" Fang questioned.
"A bear, 'bout your size. All black and-" The man paused and chuckled.
"What's so funny?" Fang sneered.
"Sorry son, my friend here confused you for a bear." The other man answered.
Fang didn't say anything in response.
"What's a boy like you doing out here, shouldn't you be in school?" The laughing man asked.
"Shouldn't you learn not to confuse a kid with a bear?" Fang countered, taking a fighting stance.
"Whoa boy, we ain't lookin' for any trouble." The wiser man said lifting his hands defensively.
"Let the kid fight, least he could do for waistin' one of my bullets." The brown haired man suggested darkly.
Fang sneered, then ducked down. He tripped the man, taking him off guard. Fang zigzagged and attacked the man from all angles, Fang shot up and kicked the man from behind. The man staggered but maintained his stance, the other man joined in the fight. Max watched from the tree as Fang fought the men, she saw Fang side kick one of them to the base of the tree. The man slammed against the tree, Max took a deep breath and leaped from the tree. She landed square onto the man's shoulders, she boxed his ears with his own hands then watched him fall to the ground. Fang and the other man froze, gazing at Max with astonishment.
"Why you…little-" The man coughed rising slowly.
"Max duck!" Fang warned as he charged at the man.
Fang rushed towards the man Max had attacked, Fang hit his shoulder and went between his legs and appeared behind him then kicked him square in the back. Max locked her arm around his neck, locking him in a human head collar. A bullet shot straight at Fang, it grazed his shoulder before he had the chance to dodge it. He showed no reaction to the bullet's cause of pain upon his body, he only growled and went to attack the second man. But Max beat him to it. She kicked and punched at the man, moving like a ninja somewhat. She managed to pin the man down to the ground in a matter of seconds, her foot dug into his back as she held his arms away.
"Call her off boy!" The man snapped.
"I don't control her." Fang replied.
Max knocked the man out, the man who attacked however came in for a second attack. Fang and Max double teamed him then knocked him out as well, they both stood and took in a huff of breath. Fang took Max's hand again and ran away from the out cold men, the two of them stopped at a river. Fang winced when Max touched his shoulder wound, Max sat him down on a log near the water. "Take off your shirt." Max requested. Fang gave her a skeptical look. "So I can see your wound better stupid." Max sighed. Fang understood her request and pulled off his black shirt, Max flushed at the sight of his chest. His tone muscles, his olive skin, his six pack. Fang coughed awkwardly, Max shook her head and went over to observe the wound.
"I don't think the bullet dug in, I think it just grazed you." Max concluded.
"No duh." Fang said.
"It still should be cleaned out, when we get back to the house we can get a bandage on it." She sighed.
"What's with all this we stuff?" Fang snapped grabbing his shirt.
"Quit it!" Max protested grabbing the shirt. Fang glared at her, Max took the shirt from his hands and dunked it into the water. "If you put your shirt back on it'll get caught in the wound." Max finished as she rung out the shirt. Max leaned down and began cleaning the wound out, she avoided eye contact with Fang. She focused mainly on his wound, she couldn't explain why…but her heart was…fluttering? Once his wound was clean Fang stood, he put on his shirt, not caring that if it was wet or bloody. He suddenly froze, leaves were crunching in their direction. He took a fighting stance, as did Max. The two prepared to attack, a large brown creature emerged. A deer appeared, a doe and he two fawns. The two were taken aback with surprise, the deer's ears twitched and she and her little ones ran off. Max started laughing, Fang looked over at her in curiosity.
"We should start heading home, school just ended." Max said, ceasing her laughs.
"Mhm." Fang muttered.
"You didn't get any other wounds, did you?" Max asked.
Fang shook his head, then just kept on walking. Max figured Fang was the quiet type, that being proved by his lack of words. It was quiet on the way back home, Max enjoyed it though. Seeing the leafs all in an arrange of colors, red, gold, brown, some even orange. The one thing however Max hated about fall, was the cold weather. She told her body not to shiver from the cold, she didn't have a jacket on. It amazed Max at how Fang wasn't shivering, what with his wet shirt and all. "Aren't you cold?" Max asked. Fang shook his head as a response, Fang gave her a look that asked her the same question. Max just shrugged, trying to shake off the cold.
"There's a short cut that way." Fang said, pointing at a river with a fallen tree across it.
"We can't cross that thing!" Max protested as Fang walked towards it, Max ran after him. "What if we fall in?"
Fang stopped and looked back at her, "Just trust me, I've been here before."
They got to the tree base, Max was unsure if it was safe. Fang jumped onto the tree first, Fang walked across not falling into the murky water or losing his balance. He looked back and saw Max still at the tree's base, she looked as though she was prepared to cross the tree, though…was afraid to. Fang stood on the other side, he held his hand out to her. "Come on Max, trust me." Fang persisted. Max gazed at the brown water, then up at Fang's hand. She took a deep breath and nodded, slowly she rose up onto the log. "Now what you want to do is hold your arms out, it'll help your balance." He instructed. Max did as he instructed, she spread out her arms and walked across the tree. She kept her eyes on Fang, forcing herself not to look down into the water. She took Fang's hand when she got to the end of the tree, Fang leaped up onto the ground above the tree. Max did the same and followed him, she looked around keeping an eye out for anything suspicious.
"Hey Fang, how come you protected me back there?" Max wondered, the thought suddenly popping into her head.
"Don't know." Fang replied shrugging.
"How far away are we from the house?" She asked.
"Not far, 'bout a mile or so." He answered.
Max walked with Fang back to the house, where they were greeted with a barking Ari. He saw Fang and started to snarl, Ari attempted to jump the fence keeping him away from the boy. "Whoa Ari, chill buddy." Max laughed walking to the fence. The dog saw her and softened up, his tongue lolled out of his mouth and his tail began to wag. Fang left the girl outside with her dog and went into the house, he went to his room and put away his things. Then he lay on his bed and looked up at the ceiling. Exhausted from the long walk he and Max had in the woods, his shoulder stung from his wound. Fang stood and went to change his shirt, which was still wet. "Hey Fang, I came to bandage up your shoulder." Max said knocking on his door. Fang pulled the shirt down and opened the door, allowing Max to enter. He sat on the bed and took off his new, clean shirt. Max quickly rubbed some disinfectant on the wound, she then took some white bandages and wrapped them around his arm.
"You wanna order Pizza, mom won't be back till midnight and Ella is already asleep?" Max wondered.
"Sure." Fang responded as he slipped his shirt back on.
"Pizza for dinner it is." Max said walking to the door.'
"Hey Max…" Fang spoke, then he silenced himself.
"What's up?" Max asked looking over at him.
"Thanks, for my shoulder." He muttered.