Oh my gosh. 3ThingsWithWings, chill out. I know we are friends but you don't have to tell your whole life story in your reviews. You tell me anyway at gym. Anyway, to those who had read 3ThingsWithWings's review, ignore her. She is a bit of a sico (how ever you spell it. Sico? Siko? Its not on spell check.) She's pretty random.

Some insight on Max's life a little in this chapter. Hope you like it.

Chapter 4: Ari

Fang's POV

There is something weird about her. Not just because she killed her mother, or so she says. I think she just blames herself for her death. At school I just watch her. (Not in a creepy stalker way.) She seems so distance and different. She doesn't wear makeup or anything or even act like other girls do. Especially Lissa.

I'm walking down the hall watching Max avoid people when the she devil herself runs up to me squealing.

"Fangy! So where are you taking me to dinner this weekend?"

I see Max glance back at me and see a look of disgust. I look back at Lissa and pretend to think. "Hmm…. How about… a beach picnic on a private part." I leaned closer to her ear and whisper huskily. "You wana know why?"

"Why?" she breaths.

"So no one will see when I try to drown you." I say in a sweat voice and pull back chuckling.

She gasps and stomps off.

"That… was… priceless!" Nudge gasps between laughs running up with a cackling Iggy and Gazzy.

"Hey man." Iggy says bumping my fist. I do the same with the Gasman and we start walking to class before we have to split off.

I walk into the classroom to see Max staring down at her hands and blond streaked hair falling over her shoulders and covering her face.

"Hey Max."

She ignores me.

I walk up to her desk and sigh. "Look I know you didn't mean to kill your mom and I doubt you actually did. I know you and I know you wouldn't do something like that.

She stood up so fast and was in my face before I could blink. Her face was inches from mine as I stared into her cold brown eyes.

I breathe hitched at her close proximity.

Her eyes were filled with anger and sadness.

"You don't know anything about me." She hissed in my face. "You don't know me or what happened. You don't know my past and if you did, you would be in some serious shit. So I suggest you quit acting like friends and leave me alone before you regret it. And trust me. You will."

For each word she got closer until our noses almost touched.

"I know that you are different. I know that you're not like the rest. I think you just need a friend. And I'll be your friend."

Her eyes flared. "I don't want friends. I don't need them."

"I think you do your just scared."

Her jaw clenched and she raised her fist like she was going to punch me. I take a step back.

She looks at her fist and her eyes widen in horror. She drops her hand to her side and looks me in the eye.

"Your right. I'm scared. And it's not that I don't want friends. I can't have friends." And then she walks out of the class room just as the bell rings.

Max's POV

I just make it out of the school when the tears start to fall.

I don't care that I skip school. It's not like my 'dad' cares either.

I sit down on a bench at the park and pull out my pocketknife. I roll up my sleeve and look at the old cuts. I trace the line of the cut I had made yesterday.

Thoughts swirled like a raging tornado through my head.

Mom.

Ari.

Jeb.

Fang, Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy.

Fang. He thinks he can fix things by being my friend. Boy, is he wrong. And I had almost hit him. I was so full of anger I had almost become the monster I despised. For a moment I had become like Jeb. Punch and take out my anger on other people. That just goes to show, I can never really get away from him.

I hadn't realized I was cutting until a hand grabbed my shaky wrist and yanked the bloody knife from my fingertips.

I looked up with my tear soaked face from my five new scarlet cuts on my arm and into the wide scared eyes of Fang.

"M-m-max? what are you doing?"

I stand up and step over the growing pool of my blood.

"Give me my knife back." I demand staggering forward.

He shakes his head viciously. "No matter what you think, we are friends. And I care about my friends."

"If you care about me, you will give me my knife back. I NEED it." I all but beg.

"Max, I think you need help."

My eyes widen and I take a step back. "No! Just leave me alone! You shouldn't care! No one ever cares!"

And I run.

I run from Fang, my school, home, Jeb.

I run down familiar and unfamiliar roads. I get lost sometimes but I kept running. I ran past houses, trees, tailors, and others. I ran until my legs could carry me no more and my lungs could get no air. I ran out of the town and into the next until I'm on the doorstep of the only person I could relate.

I knocked on the door and my favorite person in the whole world opened the door.

I drop to my knees and pull him into my body, rocking him back and forth.

"Oh Ari, Ari, Ari." I whisper.

Then everything went black.

See, when I said I had no friends, that was a lie. My best friend and the only person I love is seven so I didn't really count him as a friend.

He was more of my little brother. See, his parents beat him too, so I would take care of him.

I was really scared when I had to leave him behind. What would his parents do to him without me there? Without me to take care of him?

I woke up to all to familiar surroundings.

I sat up and was met with concerned blue eyes and I immediately pulled the little boy into me.

"Oh Ari. I missed you so much."

"Maxie, what are you doing here? Did Jeb do that to your arm?"

I glanced down at my arm to see white bandages. I smiled.

"No Ari, he didn't." Then I got concerned. "How have your parents been? Have they hurt you badly?" I started to check him over but only see some cuts and bruises.

"Maxie, I'm fine. I'm so glad you're here though. Are you staying?"

I smiled at the innocent kid.

"Tell you what buddy. I will come visit every weekend. How does that sound?"

He nodded eagerly but his smile fades when his mom starts calling him. I pull him into my chest and hug him while giving reassuring words to him.

I let him go and he went to go see what his mom wanted. It only gets worse if you make them wait.

He comes back up five minutes later with a bruised jaw and a cut on his forehead.

I quickly clean them and look at the clock.

I sigh. I'm already going to get beat bad and have to face Fang and he had probably told the whole school by now.

They already call me emo. He doesn't have to confirm it.

"Ari buddy, I have to go. Jeb will be mad."

"You will come back though right?"

"Of course I will. I will always make my way back to you. Even if it kills me. That's a promise." I smiled at him. "I love you." I kissed his head and slipped out the window so his parents don't see me.

"By Max! I love you too!" he calls.

Sorry if I missed anything on spell check. I cant spell worth crap. Oh and Max's voice is her evil conshents (I don't know how to spell it! ). Its with her everywhere.

This is feather flyer so,

Fly Free

Until then…

R&R?