"That's, um…" I struggled to explain. "It's a feather."

"No dip, Sherlock," he said, and then held it close to my face. "I'm just curious on why a bird feather would be on your living room floor."

"Maybe it's not a bird feather," I tried.

"With my being an animal and all, I actually pay attention in biology, okay? I know this is a bird feather. I'm not accusing you of anything, I just want to know why." Jacob seemed to grow more suspicious by the second.

"My mom's a vet," I said. "She studied a… bald eagle."

"I know your mom's a vet, but a bald eagle?" Jake seemed skeptical.

Running out of ideas, I said, "Or some kind of bird. It doesn't live nearby. Or in the United States, for that matter. It lives in…South America."

"Are you sure?"

"I don't know, do I look like the vet?" I yelled, frustrated.

He dropped the feather and it fluttered to the ground. "No. Sorry."

I felt kind of bad, I wanted to hug him. To comfort him. I mean, no. Of course not. Pft, why would I ever-?

"Whatever," I muttered. The rain fell harder.

"I should go," he said.

"No-!" I spat out. Jake's eyes widened in surprise. I mentally slapped my forehead.

"Um…" he said uncomfortably.

"I mean, no. Go right ahead." Yes, let him go. He's distracting you.

"Oh, okay. Well, alright," he breathed, lowering his eyes.

His dark eyes that were very enchanting- Distraction! Max! Get it together!

"Do you want to grab a snack? My mom made cookies yesterday."

A grin began to form. "Dr. Martinez's cookies?"

"They're the best, aren't they?" I grinned.

Jake seemed in a daze for a while, just watching me, but I guess my face change snapped him out of it.

"I'll have just one, I guess."

Taking the lid off the clear glass jar, I handed him a perfectly shaped cookie, and then took another one for myself.

"This is amazing."

I nodded along. "I hear ya."

Our grandfather clock sounded nine times.

"Damn, it's already nine?" Jake exclaimed.

"Yeah, do you have a bedtime?"

He glared at me. "I haven't called my dad, and he'll be worried."

"I'm sure he's okay by himself," I said. "He has food, running water, and a bed."

"My dad is in a wheelchair," Jacob said.

Shoot me now. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know."

He waved me off. "That's okay. I know that's better that having no dad at all."

"But you don't have a mom," I pointed out. He looked a little sad. Damn you, Max! Why did you have to go and say that?

"Yeah, she died. A long time ago, so it's no big deal anymore." He shrugged his shoulders, but I knew enough that he wasn't really okay with it.

I touched his arm awkwardly. He didn't move and I didn't know what to do, so I started stroking it.

"What the hell are you doing, Max?"

I jerked my hand away. "Sorry, I never comforted someone my age before, so I didn't know what to do!"

"And you can comfort children?" Jake laughed.

"No, I listen to the problems of an eighty-year-old. Yes, children." I rolled my eyes.

"What did you do?"

I thought. Whenever Gazzy broke Angel's toy, or if Angel told me when Gazzy was about to set off a gas bomb, one of them would come crying. Since I felt like their older sister, I just did what felt natural. I hugged them and patted their back. I was not about to tell that to Jacob Black. I was Titanium Maximum Ride, not Fuzzy Wuzzy Maxie-poopoo.

"I would put my arm around their shoulders and pat their hair," I said instead.

He said this quietly. "You could do that to me."

I couldn't really say no, so I slowly put my arm around his muscular shoulders and softly patted his head. He was really warm. His skin was boiling.

He closed his eyes. I guess I do have a way with people. Sort of.

We sat there for a minute when Jake sat up straight like I had tazered him. "Jacob?"

"I have to go now. My dad really needs my help."

"Okay," I said. I felt kind of sad. I mean, no. I was just joking. "I'll walk you."

I walked him to his bike and also handed him another cookie.

"Thanks," he said.

"No problem. You're always welcome to Auntie Martinez's cookies."

"No," he sighed. "For comforting me."

"Oh," was all I said. I felt my face get tingly. I have never blushed before. Come to think of it, I have never rode on a motorcycle in the rain, invited a wolf inside my house, been seen in a bath towel, watched Make it or Break it, or touched the hair of a boy my age either before now.

"Well, see you." Jacob said. I waved to him and watched him ride away, disappearing into the rain.

I slowly dragged my feet back into the house. Jacob was making me show all these sides of me that I didn't want anybody to see. He saw my careless side and caring side today. I don't want him to see the bad side of me.

You know, the one with the giant wings and mass murdering.

Only because I wouldn't want to scar him for life, knowing that this was probably in his near future. Not that I was self conscious, oh no.

Right?

School was a drag. Bella was complaining about how Edward had lectured her for eating the last of his brother's birthday cake without telling him. I laughed when she paused for my giggles.

"You seem down," she said when she noticed. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I lied. "I'm fine. Just tired. I can't get used to the sound of rain while I'm sleeping."

"I know," she said. "It took me forever to get used to it."

I gave her a toothless smile and stared off into space. We were walking to lunch, and I had my books in my arms. I thought I might have dropped them because my arms were really tired.

I guess I did, seeing that I felt them slip through my cradle, but the loud thud of my binder never came.

"Oh, careful there," Emmett said, handing my stuff to me.

"Thanks," I said, taking the books. I needed to concentrate.

"So you and Bella are pretty close, huh?" he asked. Close? Last time I checked, he was nowhere close to us. And just then he had caught my books.

"Yeah, I guess. She understands my pain of moving to a rainy town like Forks."

"Well, maybe you should go to somewhere really sunny where you fit in," Rosalie snorted, suddenly appearing at Emmett's side. "I'll bet there's a town called Spoons where everybody is blonde and tan like you."

Oops. I forgot all the Cullens were, like, 'together'.

I raised my eyebrows as my eyes moved away from Rosalie's glare. Bella patted my shoulder.

"It's okay. She does that to everybody."

"You don't say," I huffed.

As we entered the cafeteria, Edward met up with Bella, and Rosalie pulled Emmett away. I guess that's just one more person who will never like me. Join the club!

Jasper and Alice already sat at a table and the rest of the Cullens and Bella sat down. There were still two open seats, but I didn't really want to sit with them.

Of course, Bella motioned for me to sit, so I sat down. I couldn't just reject her. She was a human, and humans break easily. I know Bella, but not well enough to know that she won't break down in tears if I say no. So all in all, I sat down.

I put my books on the empty seat and went to grab my lunch. I placed a salad and a water on my tray.

"That's all you're eating?" Bella asked, shocked.

"No," I lied. "I was just waiting for the…" The lunch ladies brought out a fresh plate of a brown material. "The refried beans," I finished, crinkling my nose.

"Gross." Bella quickly pushed past the paper bowls while I guiltily put a serving on my tray. This stuff looked… well, refried.

I followed Bella to the table and set my food down. The Cullens looked at my food.

"Yikes," Emmett said, watching the refried beans.

"Yeah. Do you want some?" I held up the bowl to his face as he cringed.

"No thanks."

Then I heard my name being called. "Max!"

I turned around and saw Sam jogging towards me. I saw a lot of girls looking at me, and some looks weren't as nice as the expression on Sam's face.

"Hey," he said when he had reached me. "I'm glad I caught up with you. Want to sit together?"

It was obvious he didn't see my tray on a table.

"I would love to, but I actually already have a seat." I made a relatively sad face. "Sorry."

"Oh," Sam said, glancing at the lunch table. "Refried beans, huh? I didn't think anybody got those."

"Why does everybody make comments about Max's beans?" Alice asked. "I think it's great that she's willing to try something new."

"But it's not new," Edward pointed out. "They're yesterday's beans. Refried."

"Geez, I won't eat them. Okay?" I picked up the day-old beans, walked over to the large gray trash can, threw them away.

Everybody seemed to be relieved that they didn't have to look at the beans anymore while Alice frowned. "I like the beans."

Silence.

"Well, have any of you tried them yet?" We all shook our heads no. "They never did anything to you! Give the beans a chance! What the hell?"

Alice continued to grumble and bit into her apple. That was awkward.

"Okaay," Sam said uncomfortably.

"I'll see you around?" I asked to Sam. He nodded with a smile and stepped in line to pick his poison.

Then, Jessica, one of Bella's friends, came bounding over.

"So, you and Sam, huh?" she asked. I could look right past her fake smile.

"Um, no. Not even close."

"Okay. Good. I mean, not good good, like, good. I mean, like, good, like that's great that you guys are getting along. Good. It's great. Fantastic! I love your tan. It's so good."

I smiled weakly and turned away. Is she okay? I mouthed to Bella.

Bella made a face that said what I was expecting.

Now I know four types of people in the school: 1. The overly helpful ones (Eric, Sam) 2. The ones closest to possibly being my friends (Bella, the Cullens minus Rosalie) 3. The ones who like to stare (Lauren, Mike and the rest of the school) and 4. The ones who need some mental help (Jessica).

I ate my lunch in silence while the rest of the table chatted away. I felt like I was losing energy, almost like somebody was draining it from me. Ignoring the feeling, I dumped my food when I was done and left when the bell rang.

It was thundering outside after school ended. I pulled up the hood on my raincoat and popped up my umbrella. I looked around for Jacob's motorcycle, but he wasn't there.

I began walking along the sidewalk towards my house. Looking back, I saw Sam come out of the building with a boy who looked like a Tyler. I quickened my pace and kept my head forward. He didn't see me, and so I slowed down. I went under the trees, and the rain felt lighter. I began running, and didn't stop until I reached my gates.

Days went by, no signs of Jacob, no signs of the Flock.

I was tempted to go to Fang's blog, but I controlled myself. I really didn't want to know what was happening to them.

It was a Sunday afternoon and I was walking along the path through the woods behind Forks High School.

The sun was out- shocker, right?- so I took a hike to clear my head.

I was really starting to believe Jacob on all the imprinting stuff. I woke up in the mornings with terrible migraines and aches in my back. My arms and legs were sore, and my energy seemed to be vacant. Sometimes in the middle of the day, I would have this shot of pain through my chest and I would be frozen stiff. If I moved, the pain would be excruciating. Even the wounds I got from fighting weren't this bad.

I was thinking hard about it until I heard the rustle in the bushes. I froze and watched the bush with caution. Just when I thought it was my imagination, a giant wolf jumped out of the greenery.

At first I thought it was Jacob. Then I realized- it wasn't a wolf, it was an Eraser!