Fang POV

I must have fallen asleep, for I opened my eyes and daylight was creeping through the trees. Iggy was on watch, so I relieved him of his duties so he could get a few hours kip. He looked like he had been on watch all night so he deserved some sleep. I twisted and writhed to get up without waking Max. I failed and she woke up:

"Huh?" She asked sleepily. "Oh...Fang. Hi. Are you on watch? I'll join you."

She got up slowly and climbed up the tree I'd been clambering up whilst she woke up. Max sat down beside me and snuggled into my side, making me drape my arm over her. She looked up at me and smiled before scanning the horizon.

"Max, I love you too much." I spoke gently.

I leant down and kissed her gently, holding her head towards my own. I put my hand in my pocket and found a small piece of paper. I broke off our kiss:

"Max, I...well, I...oh, nothing, it doesn't matter." I shook my head, not now, later I would do it.

"No, it does. You're agitated and showing emotion. This something must be important. Tell me."

I opened the piece of paper and looked at Max earnestly.

"Max, I...well, I...have been writing...a..."

"A blog on the laptop? Yes, I know."

"No, a...a poem. You know like a poet? But it doesn't rhyme or anything, so I don't know if it counts."

"Can I hear it?" Max sounded tentative; trying not to seem like it was a big deal.

I was sweating and my heart was pumping like I was fighting an eraser, except this was much more serious. Fighting erasers, yeah I can do that. But when it comes to girls – Max to be precise – I fail horribly. I can do this, I can do this, I will do this:

"I call it 'Max'.

Max, there is something about you,

Something inside you,

That makes everyone you know love you.

We all love you, Max.

We adore you more than anything in the world.

But most of all,

I love you.

Every beat of my heart,

Every breath I take,

Every move I make,

I do it for you.

Every eraser I punch

Is one step closer to winning this race.

But sometimes,

I don't care about erasers,

Or white-coats, they're nothing special.

No-one else in the world but you.

Because I love you."

For a few minutes she just looked at me, not staring, but not glancing either. Max's eyes burned through me, reaching into me, my soul. I glance away looking at the horizon.

"Fang I...wow. That was beautiful. How long have you been writing like this?"

"Thanks, but it's not that great. Writing like this? About...hmmm, a three months? It took forever to perfect that. I just couldn't put my feelings on paper. Then I when we kissed, well, it inspired me, touched my soul, you could say. I want to hide my feelings. But I can't. When I'm with you they just pour out, like lemonade."

"Wow. I never knew you could be so lyrical and sensitive. Why lemonade?"

"First drink I thought of."

I smiled, finally relaxed. Why should I be worried? Did I think she wouldn't like me? Oh Fang, you're being very, very stupid. Relax, she loves you. I leant down to kiss her, when someone said:

"I'm so sorry to interrupt you, but I believe, Max, we have an appointment?" She nodded meekly and I stared at her. "Come on, come on. I haven't got all day."

Max climbed out of the tree and walked towards him. Ari.

"Max, wait! What appointment? You haven't left the flock so how could you have arranged to meet him. And you. I thought erasers weren't allowed to leave North America? Or are you breaking the law?"

"Actually, no. I have permission. You see, Max and I, we should have met before you left for England. But she bottled it and ran, so I asked to follow her. Now I have found you all and we can finally have our little...chat. Come, come Max, I haven't got all day."

She followed him and held two fingers up behind her back. This meant wait. How was I supposed to wait when she could be in life-threatening danger? And why was she going with him? That scum? And without anyone with her? What if he hurt her? But I wanted to do as she asked, so I waited, looking around for any signs of erasers and hoping she wouldn't be hurt.