Guys! It's been so long, sorry I was late. Don't hate me.

Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride, it's characters, or references

R&R


Max POV

Today, I'm walking to school. I texted Wyatt not to pick me up, and I walked. I can smell the wet grass and the roads and sidewalks are slightly wet from last night's rain. It's not my first time walking, but today a black car passes by me, it's styled like a limo but it's not long, just your average car length. The car slows down to my own speed, the backseat window rolls down and there she is, Lissa. Freaking. Sterling.

Dear, God.

But, that's not all. No, but because I'm just the luckiest girl in the world, the car is also filled with Fang, my brother's best friend, and Iggy, my brother.

"Max, darling, it's been so long! How are you?" Lissa beamed, sickly sweet.

I scowled at her. "Just fine, how about you? Gotten any more bitchy?" I put a hand over my heart in mock sympathy.

Lissa frowned for a second but then lifted her smile again, "Unfortunately no, would you like a ride? Oh, my, we seem to be full, see you at school?"

Iggy watched with an amused expression and Fang just stared at me, face as stoic as ever, but I could tell he was slightly uncomfortable.

Lissa smiled once more before leaning forward to the "driver" and whispering something. The window rolled up and the car moved slightly toward the sidewalk by a puddle.

Oh shit.

Before I could move, the dirty water of the streets splashed all over me. Great. The car stopped again and Lissa's smirking face appeared from the window.

"Oh, my God, I'm so sorry! But, it couldn't have been that bad right? You looked like you could use a shower anyways." She grinned.

I gaped at her, my entire body was dripping wet.

"What the hell, was that?!" Iggy exclaimed as he stepped out the opposite side.

"Damn it, Lissa!" Fang yelled as he slammed the door and they strode over to me.

Iggy took off his hoodie and hung it over my shoulders. "Let's go get you changed, okay?" He smiled slightly at me and slung his arms around my shoulders.

I glanced at Fang then back at Iggy and nodded. Iggy kept his arm around my shoulders and I let him guide me the short way back to our house.

"Coming, Fang?" Iggy stopped and turned back at Fang.

His head snapped up from the back of my head to Iggy's face and he nodded, catching up.


I stepped down the last stair in a worn pair of jeans, a black tank top, and a hoodie. I turned into the kitchen where Fang and Iggy were leaning back on the counter sipping on…well I can't see through their glasses.

I leaned on the island, my mom was already at work, having just left as we were coming back in. "So, do you guys wanna tell me why you were riding to school with Lissa?" I inquired with raised eyebrows.

Fang rolled his eyes. "She went to Fang's house and asked him if he wanted a ride, he said no, then she said he could invite a friend. That's where I come in." Iggy explained.

"So, Lissa's trying to get back with Fang, then?" I said with a smirk, but inside it kind of hurt. What if Fang doesn't really like me and then actually does get back with her?

"She can try, but I like somebody else." Fang said looking at me with what I'd call a searching glance.

So he likes someone else…

I felt small under his gaze and I swallowed thickly. "Uh, yeah. Let's go, we're already late."

Iggy groaned. "Really? I feel like skipping." Iggy shrugged and sat down at the table.

I snapped my head in his direction. "Iggy, no."

I picked up my bag from where I threw it down on the floor.

"Why not? I'm up for skipping." Fang said, also sitting down.

"Seriously, Fang? You're supposed to be on my side!" I complained.

Fang raised an eyebrow at me. "Since when?"

Oh. "Alright, you guys can skip, but I'm going to school, I don't need anymore F's." I said, heading for the door.

"Have fun in detention!" Iggy hollered at me.

"Huh?" I stopped with my hand on the door knob and turned around.

Fang smirked. "Detention, you get detention for being late."

Shit. I threw my bookbag down by the door and sat on the couch. "Whatever, I didn't really want to see Lissa anyways. What are we doing today, guys?" I sighed.

Iggy gave me a funny look. "Well, I'm going to sleep. No school, means good sleep so, you know." He got up and headed towards the stairs.

"Goodnight." He hollered and climbed up the stairs.

I turned to Fang. "You going home?" I asked.

Fang surprised me by giving a full-blown smile, lighting up the room. "Come on, do I ever go home?" He stood up and held his hand out to me. "Let's go somewhere."

I eyed his hand then looked up at his face, "Why?"

He shrugged. "You want to be inside all day?"

I leaned back into the chair. "I wouldn't mind it."

He put his hand back to his side and sighed. "Max, stop being difficult."

I snickered and stood. "Alright, where are we going?" I asked, following Fang out the house and locking the door behind me.

Fang stayed silent.

"Fine, don't tell me." I muttered.

It was still morning, the streets were still wet, and every house we passed smelled like wet grass. A lot of people hate the smell of wet grass but I love it. (A/N: I hate that smell. I also hate the smell of freshly cut grass. It smells like shit.)

Eventually we started to see less houses and were crossing the street into the plaza. This is a small town, everything you could possibly need is in this plaza. It's really big. But of course there are other places to shop and such.

Fang didn't stop, he just kept walking into the next neighborhood. "Fang, where the hell are we going?" I demanded.

He looked at me for the first time since we left the house with a smirk, then turned his head back again.

Okay.

Finally we stopped in front of a modern, two story, chocolate brown house. Fang started to walk up the driveway and lifted the doormat.

"Who's house is this?" I questioned as I slowly made my way up the driveway.

"Mine. Who's did you think it was?" He replied, as he stood up and stuck the key in the door. He pushed the door open and put the key back under the mat.

"I don't know. Hey, how come I've never been to your house before?" I asked.

"Max, I know you through your brother. He's been to my house cause we're best friends. But me and you, are not."

I frowned. "I thought we were friends…" I said following him into the house and into the kitchen.

He turned around. "Yeah, we are. Just not best friends. See, if someone asked who you were I'd say my friend's sister. Cause that's what you are. But, you're kinda my friend…You know what? Yeah, we're friends. Good friends, old friends, whatever."

I laughed. "I didn't mean to get you flustered."

"Yeah, ok. Want a sub?" Fang said poking his head into the fridge.

"You just have subs lying around in your fridge?" I asked.

"You just have cookies lying around, under your floor boards?" Fang replied, throwing a wrapped up sub at me, which I caught with ease.

I looked back at Fang. "How do you know about that?!"

He smiled. "You couldn't possibly think I didn't know." He replied, sinking his teeth into his own sub.

I glared at him and put the sandwich down on the island, crossing my arms. "I'm not hungry."

Fang smirked. "Seriously, Max? Stop being so stubborn."

I gaped. "What?! I'm not hungry!"

"Yeah, sure. Eat that, and then we'll leave, okay?" He nodded and headed upstairs.

"What? Why are we leaving? And where are you going?" I turned and questioned him.

"I don't know where we're going yet, and I have to use the bathroom." He shrugged and continued up the stairs.


I looked up at the sign and turned back to Fang. "Seriously? Ice Cream? Nothing else up your sleeve?" I raised my eyebrows at him.

Fang leaned forward and opened the door. "You know, I don't exactly enjoy your criticism all the time."

I walked through the door and stepped in line. "Well, you enjoy it sometimes, don't you?"

Fang got in line beside me. "No, not really. What do you want?"

I turned to the menu, with, well, not a lot of options. "Chocolate chip cookie dough. What're you getting?" I asked looking up at him.

"Vanilla."

"Seriously? God, you're so boring." I rolled my eyes.

"Yes, Max. I am so fucking boring, kill me." Fang rolled his eyes right back at me.

"Fang, watch your mouth!" I slapped his hard chest. Ow.

He smirked. "Oh yeah, forgot you're a child."

"Am not!" I protested. "I'm a sophomore, and I'm gonna be fifteen…on Thursday!"

"You are, aren't you? Aren't you dying to have that Quincenera?"

I glared at him. "You're a piece of shit, you know that?"

Fang raised his eyebrows. "Oh! Big girl words? Who knew you had it in you little Maxie?" He smiled.

I tried to hide my smile and pushed him. "I hate you!"

"Uh, next in line?" I stopped laughing and turned to the awkward guy behind the counter.

"Oh, sorry. Uh, chocolate chip cookie dough and vanilla." I smiled slightly.


Fang and I stepped back into my house, and Iggy scrambled out of the kitchen in his jeans, a long-sleeve shirt, and my mom's pink frilly apron.

"Uh, Iggy?" Fang asked cautiously. I hopped over the couch and settled into it.

"What're you cooking, Ig?" I asked, as if this was normal, which it kind of is.

"What am I cooking? What am I—? Where have you guys been? I've been here all alone! How do you think it feels to wake up to an empty house?!" Iggy exclaimed.

"Ig, shut up!" I complained.

"No respect. I get No Respect!" Iggy yelled as he shuffled back into the kitchen also wearing my mom's house slippers, which are big on her but fit him just right.

"Okay." Fang said, entering the living room and I saw him pick up his backpack from this morning.

"Leaving? I asked.

"Yeah. Usually, I'd stay. But, Gaz and my step-dad are coming back from the school's Father-son thing." Fang replied. I knew Gazzy was one of Fang's step-siblings.

I got up from the couch and followed Fang to the foyer. He stepped outside and before I could close the door Fang turned around and smiled at me.

"You know, maybe we should hang out as friends more often." He said.

"Yeah…are we supposed to hug now or something? Ya know, like good friends do?" I said, confused.

Fang smirked and put his backpack down before opening his arms and engulfing me in them. Too soon, he let me go and bent down to pick up his backpack again.

"Goodnight, Max. Tell Iggy I'll text him later or something. He'll probably text me first but, whatever. See you, later."

"See you later." I nodded.

I turned back into the house to see Iggy pointing at me his his spatula. "Max, you wouldn't dare."

I held up my hands and backed up. "What are you talking about?"

"You can't like Fang. It's disgusting and it's practically incest." Iggy said with a look of disgust on his face.

"Iggy, it wouldn't be incest, do you even know what that means? I don't like Fang anyways." I lied. Well, partially, I'm still not sure.

"You better hope not." Iggy glared at me and backed into the kitchen with the spatula still pointed at me.


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