It was tough, but I think I made the right decision. Fang was the first to know.
"We're leaving." I said, turning towards the Gasman's room.
"What? Why?" He took the apple core out of his mouth.
"Because I said so. Gaz?"
"I heard!" Gazzy shouted, muffled by the blare of his TV.
Total came up beside me. "What's all the fuss about?"
"We're gone. Tell Angel." I turned again. He stared at me awhile, and then trotted down the hall. I knocked on the white washed door that stood in front of me. "Nudge?" It took a few seconds, but she finally opened it. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying and there was a scratch on the side of her face from where the hairbrush had hit her. "We're leaving."
She nodded.
"And…I'm…I'm sorry."
She nodded again and shut the door.
---
Half an hour later we were all standing in my room, confused and sullen. I had already broken the news to Anne.
"What?" She said, slamming down her coffee mug.
"We are leaving." I repeated for the five millionth time.
"Why? What about Jeff?"
"He's…dead."
"What? I…I don't understand."
I sighed. "Good bye, Anne. Thanks for the help."
---
20 minutes of flying and none of us had said a thing. Well, to me, at least. I dropped back to find Nudge sobbing and Angel comfortingly rubbing her back. Fang and the Gasman were somewhere ahead tossing Total back and forth like a baseball. Therefore, I was alone. I hugged my jacked closer to my body and flew higher.
A couple hours later, we stopped because Gaz had spotted an ice cream truck circling what resembled a park 3 miles ahead. So while the guys were getting fudge pops I cornered Angel.
"Nothing!" She said, reading my mind. I hated it when she did that.
"No, seriously Angel. What's wrong with Nudge? She's never cried this much since…well…since Jeb disappeared." I looked her straight in the eye.
"I'm not supposed to tell, but…" She stared at her pink power ranger sneakers.
I reassuringly patted her shoulder. "It's ok."
"She misses Iggy."
"We all do."
"But more than you or me could."
I nodded slowly.
"She loved him, Max. Like really. Like you and Fang."
I blushed. She wasn't supposed to know that.
"Everybody knows. Except maybe Sam…and that red head girl. But don't worry. I won't tell." With that, she winked and walked away.
I sat down on a picnic table, still wondering how Angel found out about Fang and I when Nudge walked up handing me a strawberry dreamsicle.
"Fang's idea." She said, starting to walk away.
Fang knew I hated pink. Why did he send Nudge…Nudge! Right! "Hey Nudge!" I called after her.
She stopped and looked at me.
"Why don't you sit down?" I patted the seat next to me. Fang would have to wait.
She walked back towards me and slowly lowered herself into the chair.
"Look, I'm sorry about what happened the other day. It's just that you weren't explaining anything and I was angry…" I rambled.
"It's ok. Just forget it, alright? I'm sorry too. It wasn't your fault." She hugged me. I was surprised, but I got over that just in time to hug her back.
"So why didn't you tell me you loved him?" I said, after a few awkward moments of silence.
"Because you would have told Fang."
"So?" I stood up.
She stood up to, dumping her chocolate cone on my head. "Fang's a blabber mouth." She said, running away.
I stood there in shock with chocolate cream running down my face. Fang? A blabber mouth? But he was so quiet…how could he…?
"She's kidding!" I heard Angel shout.
I looked at Nudge. She was laughing.
"Oh you little…!" I said, wiping ice cream out of my eyes. She shrieked and started running around the park. I smiled. Now this was the Nudge I knew.
