So, I realized I hadn't updated since winter break. Living at school, eh, what can you do? But I'm on spring break and I promise I'll do my best to get up at least one more chapter before I go back. Well, here it is. Let me know what you think?
Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride…or The Hunger Games…well I obviously own the books, but not the characters, however, I do own a left shoe.
"Max? Maaaax? Hello, earth to Max!" Ella shouted waving her hand in front of my face. "What are you staring at?"
"Heaven," I replied, not shifting my gaze. She followed my line of sight.
"Um, Max? That's the food court." She looked at me like I was crazy.
"I know! So much food in one place! Let's go!" I grabbed her arm and dragged her to the court as Nudge said a hasty goodbye to Iggy who gave a salute before disappearing back into the music store.
After piling my tray with so much food I could hardly carry it, Nudge, Ella, and I devoured it all and washed it down with ice cream. About two hours later we had purchased several cans of paint, a queen sized loft bed (which I didn't know existed), desk complete with swivel chair, a lamp, a desk, a dresser, and the largest, most awesome bean bag chair I had ever seen. All of that had left me feeling quite accomplished. I had actually had a good time and I really liked Ella and Nudge despite my caution. Letting people in could lead to more heartbreak, but maybe just a few would be alright…
"So, what do you say we go mattress shopping?" Nudge suggested with a mischievous glint in her eye.
"But we don't need one." Ella said in confusion. I almost laughed at her innocent ignorance.
"I like the way you think," I said returning Nudge's grin. "Let's GO!" We each grabbed one of Ella's arms and dashed into the nearest store, running straight to the back where the beds were on display. I threw her on one and jumped up next to her. Nudge was on the next one over so I leapt across and started bouncing in circles from bed to bed while Nudge was cackling wildly trying to do flip as if she were on a trampoline and failing miserably.
"Guys!" Ella gasped, "Guys stop! We're going to get caught and yelled at for-" FWOMP! She was cut off and knocked over by a well-aimed pillow to the face from me.
"Oh shut up, stop being a spoil sport, and have fun!"
"Oh you're going to pay for that dear sister!" She said pushing the hair out of her eyes and grinning at me wickedly.
"Oh, I'm so scared look! I'm shaking in my boots!" I giggled. Suddenly she launched herself at me and tackled me to the mattress where we laughed in hysterics until Nudge nailed us both with another pillow.
"It is so on now!" Squealed Ella and a full out pillow war ensued. We were all swinging and throwing like mad people and getting thwacked on the head from multiple directions. It was utter chaos. I was laughing so hard I was gasping for air.
"Hey!" We all froze mid swing. One last pillow dropped onto my head with a quiet plop. We slowly turned to see the manager jogging down the aisle towards us. "Hey! You can't do that! Stop!"
"Run!" I blurted out as we grabbed each others arms and ran out of the store stumbling over our own legs. As soon as we got out of the store we skidded to a halt before turning and making a mad dash farther down the hall and into another store.
"I think we lost him." Nudge grinned. I had yet to stop laughing.
"That was sooo worth it!" gasped Ella out of breath from running. We decided it was time to go and called Dr. Martinez.
Once everything was loaded onto a trailer by the store employees, Dr. Martinez picked us up. I took longer than I expected to move things into my room, but at least the crib and things were out. It looked completely different. Now I noticed that there was a big built in bookshelf in one corner and a window seat looking out on a tree before the house next door. I turned to look at Ella who was setting down the last of the boxes.
"Hey, thanks for helping, you really didn't have to."
"No, prob. What are sisters for? Besides it was kind of fun going on a shopping spree and redecorating a whole room it looks nice. How are you going to paint it?" she asked me, eyeing the cans of paint in the corner.
"You know, I'm not really sure yet. I might do a mural or something."
"Well you have time, no rush. Oh, I almost forgot, we're having a barbeque tomorrow and you'll get to meet all the neighbors. Well you already know Nudge of course, and Iggy kind of. Don't worry, you'll like the others. We are all kind of like family, a crazy mixed up, extremely dysfunctional family, but we have fun. You'll quickly find we're all just idiots, but loveable ones, especially Ig. Anyway, his two little siblings are the cutest! I can't wait until you meet them!"
"Cool, sounds fun." I gave her a tiered smile. It was a lot to take in, but so far things were going well. I had laughed so much today and I could hardly remember the last time I had cracked a smile.
"Well, I'll let you get some rest. Goodnight."
"Night Ella."
After I got ready for bed I tried to close my eyes but sleep wouldn't come. I didn't know if it was because this bed was so foreign to me or what. Then I realized that it was stifling hot so I lay down on top of the covers instead. After what was probably only fifteen minutes but felt like hours of tossing and turning I gave up. I really liked being up high, but the thing about loft beds is on a hot summer night they feel like furnaces. Stupid heat rises rule. I slowly climbed down the ladder and walked over to the already open window. Without much hesitation I climbed out and into the tree outside. The cool night air was instant relief to my skin, a gentle breeze rustling the leaves around me. There was a near full moon and the stars were amazing. The branch I was on had a perfect view.
I was so tiered and relaxed I had to struggle not to fall asleep in the tree. My eyes were drifting shut again when a heard a sudden loud bang to my right that startled me so much I nearly fell out of the tree and smacked my head on the branch above me. I spun my head to see a guy who had probably just caused the noise by slamming his window open leaning out from the other house. He looked up and froze as he saw me.
"Who the hell are you and what are you doing outside my window?" He said slowly after a moment.
"Oh don't worry, I'm fine, it's not like I just had a miniature heart attack and nearly fell to my doom or anything." I said dryly. He continued to stare at me expectantly as if I hadn't said anything at all. Suddenly I was very conscious of the fact that I was wearing only a camisole and short pajama shorts. He looked to be about my age and had shaggy black hair, dark eyes, and…wasn't wearing a shirt. I snapped my eyes back up to his before he caught me staring at his admittedly well toned chest.
"I live here genius." I said at last.
"In the tree?" he asked me with a smirk.
"Yeah, the squirrels are surprisingly good company."
"So you're Max then?" He said rolling his eyes.
"How do you know that?" I asked, suddenly becoming extremely nervous.
"Relax, Ella hasn't stopped talking about you since she found out. Nice to finally meet you." He held out his hand for me to shake. I just looked at it and raised an eyebrow.
"You know, normally meeting someone means names are exchanged both ways."
"Right sorry, I figured Nudge and Ella had already told you, I'm a little hurt." he said jokingly "I'm F-Nick."
"Finnick? Really? Like in The Hunger Games? Na, can't be, you obviously aren't cool enough."
"Haha. You're hilarious." He said mimicking my earlier dry tone, "My name's Nick, but everybody calls me Fang."
"Oof! How'd you get that one? Have an obsession with vampires I should know about?"
"Again, very funny, and wouldn't you like to know? But tell me, do you normally sleep in trees?" He asked, cocking his head to one side.
"It's a warm night. Do you normally meet strangers for the first time shirtless?" I retorted and then bit my lip bracing myself for him to say something like 'Why? Do you find it distracting?' because I had made it clear I noticed.
"It's a warm night." He said to my surprise and grabbed a black shirt from behind him and pulled it over his head. "There, happy now?"
"Ecstatic." I drawled out. "So you and Nudge?"
"Adopted."
"I see." There was a long silence, but for some reason it didn't seem awkward. After a bit, I figured Fang had gone back inside, but when I looked he was still on his windowsill gazing up at the stars. "So what's with the barbeque tomorrow?"
"Oh, we have those all the time. Be prepared for a lot of good food, a lot of crazy and be ready to get wet. Oh, and I think we'll set off some of Gazzy and Iggy's homemade fireworks." He added with another smirk.
"Wait what?" I asked still stuck on the homemade fireworks.
"Well, goodnight. See you tomorrow." And with that he disappeared.
"Well goodnight then." I muttered half to myself as I climbed back into my room. What an annoying ass. I couldn't decide if I hated him or if we were going to be best friends. Probably both. As soon as my head hit the pillow I was out like a light. Busy day tomorrow.
Little longer than normal. Please let me know what you think by reviewing! They mean so much to me and are my inspiration! Pretty please with Nuttela on top!
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