So, up to 24 reviews, I believe. Don't quote me on that.

I decided to put up a chapter tonight, instead of waiting to put up a bigger one next Monday.

I'm thinking about updating on a set-schedule, so that I'm not pressured by this story, high school homework, and family events all throughout the week. What do you guys think of this plan?


~Anything But~ Average

Chapter 4:

When I woke up that Monday morning, I blinked my eyes open, taking a moment to adjust to the bright pink of my sisters room. Last night had been extremely interesting, as Maya and I talked and actually acted like sisters for the first time since fourth grade, when we still shared a room because of our other two siblings.

Maya whipped out her phone when Mom and dad left the room, as I folded more of the clothes she passed me and she packed them neatly into a suitcase. Her eyes were still red from the earlier debacle, and as she waited for Nick to pick up, she got more and more worried.

"It's going to be fine," I said, passing a positively frilly and pink shirt over to her. She stuffed it in the suitcase as the phone picked up.

"Hello?" She paused. "Hey, Nikki... Yeah, I just wanted to talk to you. Something happened tonight..."

"You remember Dylan from 5th grade, right?" Maya's breath caught in her throat. "Yeah, um, I got a text in class from his parents, and he was in a car crash. He -d-didn't-" Maya started to hiccup. I motioned for the phone and she passed it to me.

"Look, Nick," I said shortly.

"Max?"

"No, Darth Vader." I rolled my eyes. I heard a sigh on the other line and continued, still annoyed with his inability to dance. I'm immature, and I can't control it.

"Listen, Maya's ex, Dylan, was in a car crash and he didn't make it, so she wants to know if it would be alright if she went to his service in Colorado. She'll be back on Friday. Are you alright with it?"

"Yeah, of course. Tell her that I'm sorry, please." Nick said.

"She'd also like me to impersonate her and break the law while she's gone so that rumors won't start circulating and so that Lissa-" Maya grabbed the phone from my hand.

"What's wrong with you!" She whispered, holding a hand over her phone.

"What?"

"He doesn't need to know that part! Geezum, Max." She put her phone back up to her ear.

"Sorry."

Maya composed herself, wiped her tears, and sniffed. Her tentative voice was quiet.

"Good... Um, I didn't really think about that. Just a minute." She covered her phone again.

"He wants to know how you guys are going to get the project done. It's due on Friday, isn't it?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "Just tell him that I'll be... what's an excuse?"

"Maya, we haven't even figured out an alibi yet! Where will I be during the school hours?"

Maya shifted.

"How about you're sick?"

"No, too predictable. We want a strong alibi, so that Nick can assure the teachers he can still practice with you after school."

I shook my head. "No, that's fine! I don't have to have Nick as my partner. I can just get a zero, it'll be fine!"

"No, I'm not letting my boyfriend get a bad grade in gym class. So, how about you are... skipping school?"

"What?" I said. I would not let my reputation go down as I tried to save hers. "No way."

"Fine, what about... We need to hurry up! Nick is still on the phone." Maya said and rolled her eyes.

"Well, just tell him we'll have something figured out by tomorrow," I sighed, nothing coming to mind. Maya nodded.

"Fine. Nick?" Maya held the phone back up to her ear. "Yeah, Max will have to tell you what we come up with Tomorrow at school."

I continued to fold some clothing and put them in a pile, Maya grabbing the clothing and then organizing them in her suitcase.

"Um, yeah, would you mind bringing her to all my classes? Don't tell. Thanks, Nikki. Yup, bye."

"So?"

"It's all set!"

Eventually, we got through all of the bugs in our plan. She told me that I was forbidden to tell Iggy and Nudge, which was a total setback for me. I love hanging out with my friends, and I hate lying to them. But I knew that somehow, I'd get through four days of not being able to hang out with them.

I groaned and rolled out of Maya's comfortable bed, shuffling to my room and shutting the door. I checked the clock, and then I pulled a stack of clothes from atop my dresser. Maya had picked outfits for me for Monday through Thursday, and quite frankly, the outfits weren't as bad as they could have been.

Some ripped skinny jeans and a cute tank top completed my outfit for today, which was usual for Maya. She laid out some small wedges, as well, and I knew that many times today I would be face planting.

It's for my sister, I thought. For my stinking sister.

Once I had brushed out my hair and put on some grotesquely big dangling earrings, I grabbed Maya's bag and went down stairs to grab a bowl of cereal.

After I cleaned up and hopped on the bus, we arrived at school and Nick was waiting out by the front double doors. I smiled wryly and he moved to take my hand. I let him, but it was really awkward. I'd never held a boys hand before, except in dancing, of course.

"So, what's you're poison?" Nick asked.

"Apparently, I'm at some day camp, skipping school," I shrugged.

"Ah, and what type of camp would that be?" Nick asked me. We fell into an easy conversation.

"Drama camp. It was the only thing going on, and I'm going to quit early on Thursday. I didn't even know I was into drama."

"Me neither."

Once we came up to the hallway my locker was in, I went to walk over to it. Nick pulled me away towards a hallway branching off of it instead.

"Hey! What the -" He put a hand over my mouth.

"Now, I don't know about you, Maya, but I thought you knew your locker was over here." Nick smirked. I blushed and shook my head.

"I was... just making sure I remembered where Max's locker was so I could collect all of her homework for her..." My eyes widened as I realized what this meant. "Oh my gosh, I'm going to have to do both of our homework!" I looked at him with shock. He smiled.

"She told me not to tell you."

I shut my mouth and glared at him.

"Hey, Nick. Do you know where your sister is?" I asked him. He nodded and stared at me, waiting for me to go on.

"I don't know how to... make-up...?" It came out as more of a question. Truth is, Maya put this tote of make-up in her bag with a note saying to "Find Nick's Sister".

"She's in Mrs. McCarthy's home room."

"Oh," I said, "Thanks."

"Come on, you don't need her to do your make-up. I know how to do make-up."

Nick grinned and I was temporarily blinded while I tried to shake my head. He led me into the boys bathroom and to the mirrors. No one was in there, thank goodness. Most boys were out in the parking lot in the morning, showing off their trucks like the hicks they are.

Still, I closed my eyes not wanting to see anything else than the mirror. I passed him Maya's make-up bag.

"Looking gooood," Nick said. I turned and stared into the mirror.

I was surprised: Nick did a great job. I looked just like Maya.

It was almost as if I wasn't even Max anymore.

"I dabble in art. I do Ella's make-up sometimes," Nick shrugged it off. Like it was something that normal older brothers did for their younger sisters. Caleb certainly never did.

"Okay, well, thanks. We should get to homeroom, I guess," I hopped off the counter and made my way out the door. Nick grabbed my hand and people stared at us as we came out. Oh, great. Now Maya looked like a tramp.

Nick led me to the right of the hall and to a room labeled 24. He stood by one of the chairs and motioned for me to sit, and he followed suit.

"Hey, we have AP math right now," Nick whispered into my ear. I shivered unintentionally.

"And I have no idea where that is," I smiled at him grudgingly. A blonde girl with bright green eyes looked over at me with an odd look.

"That's Brigid," Nick whispered to me. I smiled at her without turning to look at him. Her odd look still stayed, but I felt a hand slip into mine. Before I could slap it away and tell the person off, Nick pulled me forward and I realized we were supposedly together.

"Lead the way," I whispered.


So, review what you think about this chapter, my idea of a set updating schedule, and if you like the schedule idea, possibly propose a set day to update on? Something not in the middle of the week would be a good thing, but since I'm basically re-writing the whole story, I need more time than I thought I would. Thanks for reading!

.Chemi.

P.S. Even if you don't have an account, you can review as a guest! :)