Here's Chapter Four! Hope you all enjoy it… There are going to be a few ordinary life chapters because this chapter and the one prior take place on a Monday, so I'll be going through the week…

Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride, as much as I really, REALLY want to. And second, I don't look like James Patterson, now do I? I do, however, own James Walker and all other original characters in this story.

Lunchtime. Everybody was bustling around campus, trying to get as far up in line at the cafeteria as they could before the rush piled in. Sucks for them that I had a free class period right before, so I already ate… suckers.

Now was the time to put my plan into effect. Beginning of lunch period? Pure mayhem, and the major bonus that gave my plan staying power? Everybody left backpacks, bags, etc. by the lockers so I could easily get into Sam's and Haley's without them ever knowing.

First, I went to Sam's backpack. I checked inside: bingo. I pulled the binoculars out, stuffed them in my backpack, and went over to Haley's bag… which didn't have any binocs inside. Great, so they must be in her locker. Too bad for her I know the combination.

I opened the locker up, saw the binoculars, and pulled them out. I stuffed it into my bag also, and went down to the abandoned basketball court that nobody went to.

Once there, making sure nobody was watching, I took the binoculars out, put them both on the ground, stood a ways away, and set them on fire.

I backed away so that it wouldn't look like I had done it. I kept repeatedly igniting them so that I could get a strong blaze going; I couldn't leave any chance of them seeing me.

I headed back to the campus once the binoculars were completely destroyed. I wondered if they'd put two and two together and try to follow me… too bad they'd need to be an Olympic athlete to even keep me in sight if I wanted to go that fast.

"No no no no no!" I saw Sam looking through his backpack in a frenzy, and putting on my best actor's face, I went up to him.

"Yo Sam, what's the matter? Lose more homework?"

He looked at me really distraught. "I can't find my binoculars! Somebody must've stolen them! And Haley can't find hers either!" Great… they were in cahoots now, beyond the shadow of a doubt. I shrugged at Sam.

"That's what you get when you pull out valuable objects at a school that's expelled multiple students for stealing. Really, Sam, I thought you'd know better than that!"

"But…" Sam looked down. He was visibly embarrassed. "I guess you're right. Now, can you just please tell me how you get to and from school every day? I know your brother doesn't drive you, and you definitely don't walk like you say you do; the direction you come from each morning is the freaking golf course. C'mon, man, why can't you just tell me?"

Oh, joy.

"I don't tell anybody because it's a secret, and the thing about keeping secrets is that you do it because there's something you don't want anybody to know!"

He looked a little taken aback at that.

"Well, I'm not sure what you're hiding… but I'll drop it for now. See ya later man." He turned around and started walking off.

"Later…" Something was up. Sam isn't the type to give up after an event so small as losing his observational equipment… then what was he…

I froze. I checked today's schedule, and nearly had a heart attack.

Sam's last class is his free class period. Meaning, he could be at the golf course waiting before I get there.

Nobody could have seen it through the mask of apathy I had just thrown onto my face, but I was freaking out worse than I ever had. If Sam saw my wings… my social life, no, my life period would be over! I'd be taken by those whitecoats that the blog talked about, experimented on further, maybe even turned into chow for those "Eraser" thingies…

I had to think of something fast… Come out and tell him, let him find out, or try and hide?

C'mon Jameson, think!

After much thought, I finally resigned myself to fate. I would go to the golf course as usual, and if Sam was there, I'd just come out with it. If he wasn't, I'd be fine. If he was hiding, then I would likely get a text message on my phone mid-flight along the lines of "was that real or am I having the weirdest acid trip of my life". Either way, he would find out eventually. I just hadn't prepared myself well enough for the eventuality.

The bell rang. I swallowed hard, grabbed my backpack, and made a fast break for the golf course. I already had all the books I'd need for that night, and my genetically enhanced strength was more than enough to carry it below me, no matter how heavy my backpack might get.

When I got over to the golf course, I did a quick 360. No Sam; not at the very corner, at least. I hopped the fence faster than any human possibly could; hopefully nobody was watching. I started heading out to the middle of the putting green when I caught sight of a flash of orange behind a tree. Sam.

I turned course, and immediately started lightening my footsteps. Faster than humanly possible, I was around the other side of the tree from him. When he turned to try and look for me again, I stepped out in front of him.

"Gah! What are you doing here! And how the hell did you know where I was!"

"Sam," I sighed, "what is with this morbid obsession of yours with finding out how I get to and from school?"

"Well, it's human instinct that if there's something you don't know, you generally try to find out. Listen, I'm sorry for doing this James, but you've known me longer than anybody else at this school! You can trust me!"

I very nearly staggered back. Do I tell him? What the hell was I supposed to do now?!

Next time: Does Jameson tell Sam or not? Should be up later today. Stay tuned!

Also, the review button isn't going to jump out and bite you. Just press it already!