I started to hear muffled voices.
"Max…" A voice whispered in my ear.
"Max~y?"
"Gazzy! Don't be rude!"
"What do you think will wake her up?"
"Iggy- she'll get up when she's ready."
Thanks Fang… I thought to myself.
"She says thanks."
Angel- please don't do that. I said.
"Sorry Max…"
"I say Fang kisses her!"
"I'm up I'm up!" I shouted at them shooting up from where I had slept.
"Ew- don't say that Iggy…" Gazzy said disgustedly
"It woke her up, didn't it? Besides, Fang wouldn't kiss Max!"
I blushed and gave him a look I didn't even want to, but of course- he didn't see it.
"And I bet she wouldn't kiss him." He shot at me cheekily.
I saw Fang's eyes close irritably as he leaned against the rock wall. He didn't seem to enjoy Iggy's point. Besides, he's already kissed me… And right then, at that moment, I didn't know how to respond. Should I agree to avoid suspicion? Or should I disagree to prove Iggy wrong- because I've already kissed Fang? No Max! Bad!! I shouldn't! I'll just-
"Why do you say that, Iggy?" Fang asked him with a bored expression.
Iggy's sightless eyes looked in Fang's direction.
"Because I know you don't have the guts."
That's gotta hurt comin' from a blind guy I thought to myself- Fang made a jokingly hurt noise that sounded something like an, oooh-that's-gotta-hurt. I wondered how Fang would possibly find a snappy comeback to that. Fang probably doesn't want to kiss me in front of the flock.
"Care to venture a wager?" Fang asked, finally seeming interested.
"Even if you did kiss her, I can't see."
"True- but Gasman can."
"How will I know Gasman's on my side of this wager?"
"Gasman- promise to Iggy you'll only tell the truth."
Gazzy nodded at Fang- still unhappy at where this argument was headed.
"I will but- don't kiss her! It's too gross…" Gazzy muttered
"I give you 'till tomorrow morning." Iggy said confidently, ignoring Gazzy.
"And if I win?"
"Fang!" I managed to say from my closed throat- annoyed out of my mind at Iggy and, well, frankly quite flattered at Fang- but that's beside the point.
He smirked at me and shot me a look that seemed to say, don't-worry-I'll-totally-handle-this-so-you-can-relax. I couldn't believe how he handled this, all with that bored smile. He turned back to Iggy.
"If you win- I'll never tell you- you aren't brave enough to do something." Iggy said
"But if you lose… He added- you have to make Max kiss you."
I sat- paralyzed. I looked from Iggy to Fang. Please don't shake hands… pleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease!!!! Nothing anyone can say will make this worse!
"How will Gasman know?"
"I'll tell him."
"How can we trust you?"
"Do you want me to kiss her right now?"
"Fang! I shouted, surprising myself. Iggy- Gazzy- all of you- please get over yourselves! We have to save the world! And what are you doing?"
They looked ashamed- except Iggy and Fang- who seemed to be getting a good giggle out of my nervousness.
"I say you're chicken." Iggy shot back at me- a cheeky smile creased his lips.
"Don't worry Max. Just a friendly wager." Fang chuckled innocently
I exhaled a heavy breath I didn't even know I had been holding in. How can he be so calm? I asked myself over and over. He smirked icily. Any other day- I would've found that smirk so charming- but I didn't know what to think of him now. Did he sell himself so that he could rake in an extra buck?
"Max? What is, 'Charming'?" Angel asked me with more then innocent eyes.
My cheeks became hot. That, "talent" of hers will eventually be the death of us.
"It-uh means- Angel- to be sweet- but in a super-fantastic way." I said nervously, trying to cover up my foolishness of letting the thought slip unnoticed into my mind.
"Or how she thinks of Fang…" Iggy mumbled.
"Iggy!" I said in my most leader-like-be-afraid-be-very-afraid-voice
He smiled sheepishly and shrugged
"Just a guess." He chuckled.
I didn't dare look behind me at Fang- in which I knew had a stupid grin on his face. A stupid, smug, attractive grin. The one he always has when I say something dim-wittedly or Angel reads my mind on how I feel about something random about him. Always.
"Well, Fang began, it can also mean an attractive or alluring trait that brings temptation or delight." He said matter-of-factly, passing me and moving towards Angel.
Stupid Fang…
"A-loo-ring?" Angel asked
"To be drawn in by something irresistible." He said, kneeling down so that he was her level and ruffled her hair. She smiled at him.
"Hee-hee! Angel giggled, Neat!"
"Nevertheless, I said- finally irritated out of my mind on how Fang knew now I thought he was charming, we should get going. We've been here far too long."
"Are you gonna?" Iggy said, implying Fang was to kiss me.
"He's not." I cut him off coldly.
'Awww! Please, Max?" Angel and Nudge chorused.
"Stop it. Both of you. He won't."
Fang pretended to looked slightly offended. He gave me a look that seemed to say no-need-to-be-so-harsh-Max.
I sneered at him.
"We're going to a hotel. Tonight." I said firmly.
"Suit yourself- but the bet- Fang-." Iggy began
"-Is on." Fang finished for him.
Nudge took Angel and started to fly- giggling and laughing- also singing a tune that will scar me for life…
"Fa-ang-an'-Ma-ax-lo-vey-do-vey-doo-~!" They sang.
My babies I thought, singing a tune about me being in love with Fang?
I fumed with embarrassment and shame. How do they expect me to let Fang kiss me? I'd never- well that's an understatement- if he said, 'kiss me maximum ride' I probably would've jumped into his arms and ran my fingers through his dark brown hair- kissing him all over- but no, NO!! That's too wrong to even explain…
"You're thinking about the bet aren't you?"
"Ya think?" I said with a harsh sarcastic tone.
He looked into my eyes with the most feeling gaze I had ever seen him give me, or anyone. I couldn't believe how calm one look he gave me made me feel so relaxed. After a good long consideration of how to deal with it (it took about four seconds) my face relaxed.
"You'll be like melting butter in the sun"
He flew ahead of me, a stupid casual smirk painted onto his face.
"What!!!" I screamed at him.
He turned around- gliding carelessly through the air, laughing at my 'priceless expression'.
"C'mon, Max." he teased
His face wasn't emotionless- or cool- or unfeeling- but he was- happy.
"Fang- you're scaring me." I chuckled jokingly
I flew up beside him- finally loose- or relaxed- again. As I should always be- I thought to myself. I'm not girlish in any way. I should keep my thoughts about Fang- to myself.
"I see the hotel up ahead! Nudge exclaimed, ooh it looks so pretty! I mean the outside is just so nice with the garden and the fountain- I can almost smell the pancakes inside! I love pancakes! They're my favourite food in the whole world! Except for pizza and spaghetti- oh and I really like vanilla ice cream! And-."
"Nudge- would you like some pancakes after we check in?" Iggy asked.
"Actually I'm really tired so-"
"We'll go to bed after we get our rooms." He cut her off again
"Sounds great!" Nudge finished.
Iggy has always had the skill of stopping our precious little motor mouth from driving us all crazy with way too many words to handle. I don't quite know how he does it.
"We're here." Fang said.
