You Be The Anchor That Keeps My Feet On The Ground,

I'll Be The Wings That Keep Your Heart In The Clouds

Chapter Four: Max's POV

I had slept forever. Seriously, almost as long as that fairy-tale guy. You know, the one who slept for like twenty some years? At least that's what I'm thinking.

"Finally awake?" I looked up at Fang, then over at the alarm clock, the red numbers said it was 9:03AM. Not as late as I thought it was, but I still felt like I'd slept a good while.

"Yeah, I guess I am. How long have you been up?"

He acted like he was thinking for just a second, like it was the hardest question anyone had ever asked him. "About 8:45?"

Then randomly something hit me. Not literally, but I thought of it. Fang had slept in here last night. At least, he was in here when I went to sleep.

"What're you thinking?" Since when did Fang care about what I was thinking?

"Nothing."

"You're such a liar, Max."

He never tells me what he thinks, and half the time I can't even figure it out. He's the one who shows absolutely no emotion, and he expects me to tell him what I'm thinking?!

"You know that you were thinking about something, I can tell you were thinking just not what you were thinking about."

"That is so stupid. Just because you think that I was thinking about you, ugh, you're such a sexist pig."

Then he smiled, the biggest smile I had ever seen him smile. "So you were thinking about me?"

"WHAT? I NEVER SAID--"

"Basically you did, Max." Then he took a second to think about what he was going to say. "I just wanted to know what you were thinking, then you said, 'Just because you think that I was thinking about you,' so apparently you were, cause you added one little, three-letter word."

I was so mad right now. Not mad at Fang, because well, he didn't do anything. I was more mad at myself, and how I could let him control me like that. What happened to the backbone I used to have?

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It had been a good two hours since I woke up and the rest of the flock had finally decided to roll out of bed. My mom and Ella were long gone before any of us got up so Iggy made our breakfast for us.

"I was thinking, someday, when I'm a older, I'm gonna be a pro-chef." That was kind of sudden? But that was Ig's talent I guess, follow what you're good at, right?

Nudge grinned, which seemed odd to me. "That's great, Iggy!"

His returning smile almost made me puke. "Thanks, Nudge."

Fang silently tapped my knee, that may seem odd to you, but it was just so I knew that he knew that he understood how I felt at the moment.

I would love to explain to you how Fang and I almost always know what each other are thinking. But I can't. I always thought that it was because we grew up together and of all the others we were closer to each other than we were with any of the rest of the flock. But here lately, I've been thinking that it may be something more. Like…oh never mind. Forget I even said any of that.

"Max? You okay?" Angel and Fang asked at the same time. Seriously, it was the exact same time. And it kinda freaked me out until I realized Angel could read mine and Fang's minds, and Fang was almost equivalent to reading my mind.

I looked around, and I started to wonder why they thought something was wrong with me in the first place. "Uh, yeah, I'm fine. Why?"

Angel wouldn't dare say, I know she wouldn't. At least I hoped to God she wouldn't.

"Because you were thinking--" That's when I knew that she knew what I was thinking. So I thought in Angel's general direction a thanks. And waited for Fang to answer.

"You were thinking? I just noticed that you were totally zoned out."

"Well, that tends to run hand-in-hand with me." Which was partly true.

Fang looked very smug, like he had won some huge battle or something. "Oh really? Since when?"

That's when I knew Angel could not have the necessary amount of self-control to keep herself from spitting out exactly when that started to run hand-in-hand with yours featherly.

"EVER SINCE SHE FELL IN LOVE WITH YOU." Thanks, Angel. Except, not really.

She made the saddest face I'd ever seen on her. And I almost completely forgave her. Almost. "I'm sooo sorry, Max." That apology along with the few tears I saw, that made the almost go away.

That was also when everyone started to do something so that they could act like they hadn't heard a word Angel had just said.

"Uh, hey, Ig! Wanna go make bombs?" Gazzy.

"You bet!" Iggy.

"Angel, let's go play with those dolls Ella was showing us last night." Nudge.

"Oh, um, sure?" Angel.

Where was Fang while all of this was going on? Why silly readers, he was walking very quietly up the stairs.

And I was not about to follow him. Except, I was.

My word of advice for the day: Do not take romance lessons from me. I suck at it.

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"Max, you're being so stupid right now. It's not like it was some big secret anyway. I'm sure that Angel knew that you loved me way before you ever admitted it to yourself."

"You're probably right." I was proud of myself, I said that like whisper-quiet.

"And knowing Angel, she probably told Nudge and Total. And knowing Nudge and Total, they probably told the rest of them. It's not like we were covering our feelings up very good."

"What are you even talking about?" Except, that turned out as more of a mumble since I was speaking into the pillow.

"What am I talking about?! Max, you can't act like you're clueless forever. You know exactly what I'm talking about."

"What happened to the barely three-word-sentences?" I was just complaining now, thinking of ways to make him be quiet and forget anything that happened in the past 24 hours ever occurred.

He glared at me. And even though my face was buried in a pillow I somehow knew that. "Maximum Ride," it almost scared me how clearly he pronounced my name. "You can't keep acting like this. You act like you'd die without me one second, then the next you're trying to cover it all back up, like nothing's ever happened. Like we're still those little kids, fighting for fun."

That's when I started to cry. And of course, he knew that.

"Max, look I'm sorry. It's just, we either have to actually act how we feel or--"

Through my sobs I said, "I-I do love you, and b-b-believe it or not I would die without you. And only without you. This is just t-too much for m-me to handle right now."

Fang picked me up off the bed, extracted the pillow from my grasp, and held me. That's all he did. He didn't try to get me to stop crying, but he let me cry until I was okay. He didn't say a word, didn't even try to comfort me, and after that crying-spree he didn't even bring it up. Not once did he throw it back up in my face.

He was simply the best.

Author's Note: I dunno why I ended it like that. I don't know why I made Max cry. I just seriously have no clue. That's just how the story flowed. Anyway, I hope you like it. R&R. Kthanks.