[Written 8.12] Welcome back guys, thanks for sticking with me. I didn't have the time to give an extra update last night about a big issue. I was called to the hospital last minute, in preparation for a knee surgery I'm receiving to fix my torn ACL and meniscus. I'm not sure when this chapter will come out because I don't have Wi-Fi at the hospital and I won't return home until next Wednesday, at the earliest.

I just now realized I had made a grave error in my last chapter. Thanks Oswin, you're a real lifesaver. If you don't know what I'm referring to, I'm talking about how I wrote about Iggy remembering the "colorful headbands and matching handbags" in his flashback. Iggy-Igs is blind, duh.

Anyways, I'll keep writing in the days leading up to my surgery, so y'all might be in for a treat once I get back. Just be warned I might be on some stuff and my writing might seem a little, well, off.

[Written 8.13] I managed to get a good friend of mine to post an update for me! Hopefully you guys will understand why I won't be posting. In the meantime, I'm gonna keep writing!

[Written Afternoon 8.13] Guess who's back! I figured out how to hotspot my laptop with my phone so we're good! I don't have that much data which might be a problem, but we'll see what happens! Thanks for all the love, and I can't wait to update more.

Gossip Girl here, your one and only source into the scandalous lives of Manhattan's elite. Word on the street is that Lonely Boy might have a little crush, but will the golden girl of his past come to haunt him?

[Max's POV]

New York was just so… boring.

I came back from school, changed out of the disgusting, preppy clothes we're required to wear at Constance. Seriously, who just dangles a noose around their neck loosely?

I slipped into the shower and put on a song from my phone.

Bout it by Jeremy Zucker came on.

*Cough cough music*

As the hot water poured onto my head and shoulders, I swung along the rhythm of the song.

"…I don't know you at all, but I'm bout it…"

For some reason Dan's face floated to my mind.

I mean, I did think he was a good person, but I didn't know him enough to say anything definite.

"…and I don't know if I'll see you later, but I'm bout it, if you bout it."

A smile made its way up my face.

I finished shampooing and conditioning my hair, and I stepped out of the shower.

I grabbed my phone from the sink, not believing I really was about to text Dan.

"My number is 212-326-4867" Dan's voice rang through my head.

If I only remembered other things this clearly too.

"Hey, it's Max" I managed to crank out on the tiny piece of machinery called a Blackberry.

Honestly, the only resemblance a Blackberry had to a blackberry was its color, and even that wasn't that similar. Humans can make winged bird-kids, but can't even find a name for a piece of technology that's not a food? Pathetic. What would we be, skittles? M&Ms? (Note: I was on some stuff when I wrote this, but I get what I was thinking: Skittle and M&Ms both come in packs, and they come in a variety of colors, marking the difference between members of the flock.)

My phone buzzed, shaking me from my questioning state.

"I was hoping you'd text." Dan replied.

I was intrigued by Dan's confidence, real or not.

He had a way with words, using them to portray his thoughts in a rather curveball way, never flat out saying what he really wanted, but always letting you know the general idea of it.

So I decided to play around with him.

"Why's that?" I typed.

A few seconds later, my phone chimed.

"Well, I was wondering if you wanted to grab a coffee or something together."

Gotta force a turtle out of its shell to see what it's really like right?

"And why should I say yes?"

My phone chirped again. I really need to find a way to mute it or something.

"Oh come on, who wouldn't want to get coffee in Brooklyn with THE Dan Humphrey of St. Judes?"

That brought a smile to my face.

"Well you get ONE shot with THE Maximum Ride, wanted by multiple evil biolabs."

I made my way towards the front door.

[Ella's POV]

I sat on top of the Met steps, eating ice cream and happily chatting with Iggy, and Nudge. I noticed that lots of other kids were glancing over at us, only to quickly to turn away. I also heard whispers, but I guess that's what happens when your family is a flock of winged kids.

Suddenly, I saw the crowd downstairs part.

A girl stepped through, followed by 3 others holding cups of yogurt.

It was apparent that the first girl was the leader of their little clique, she had a bright red headband topped on her brown hair; holding a Prada handbag, wearing YSL heels, she looked fierce and determined.

She glanced upwards, her eyes sweeping the steps.

There was silence, all the chitchat suddenly faded into silence.

Iggy seemed undisturbed, arguing about the upcoming NBA season with Nudge.

"The Wizards are going to win the championship this season, I can feel it!"

Nudge seemed to sense the change in the atmosphere, and gently nudged Iggy (You know you love me for that)

"What's wrong? Why is everything so quiet?" Iggy asked.

The Headband Girl and her minions made their way up the steps.

They stopped a few paces below us and spread out.

"Well well well, look what we have here." Headband Girl smirked.

The voice seemed to make Iggy gulp down whatever smart response he had coming.

I stood up.

"What do you want?" I crossed arms and said.

"See sweetie, here we play by my rules, and no one sits on a higher step than me."

I laughed.

Knowing my friends, they wouldn't even blink at an empty threat like this.

I was right.

Nudge rose to her feet, and assumed a fighting stance.

Headband Girl grinned, and snapped her fingers.

Before I could react, I had yogurt all over my hair and my new shirt.

Nudge looked just as shocked as me, with yogurt covering her curls and her face.

Iggy didn't look too surprised. He simply stood up, unfolded his wings and took off.

"Now, ladies, if you will kindly make way." Headband Girl laughed heartily, as her minions filed onto the steps, effectively squeezing us out.

I looked down the steps, only to be met with phone cameras and giggling.

As Nudge and I left the premises, I heard something about "uploading to Gossip Girl"

Strange place, huh.

[Serena's POV]

"So you just send in an anonymous tip with evidence, and then Gossip Girl will post an e-blast, and everyone in New York will know." I explained to Fang.

The concept of Gossip Girl seemed to confuse and scare? Fang. I couldn't really explain how he feels about it.

We were in a café in downtown Manhattan, and I was showing Fang the fundamentals of the New York social life.

"Well I have a blog too, but it's nothing like this." Fang told me.

My phone buzzed on the table.

"Oh look! A Gossip Girl blast!" I said.

"Looks like our little birds have ran into some trouble with the Queen B. Watch out bird-kids!" the blast read. Attached was a photo of Ella? Eggy? And Nancy? Anyway, they were Fang's siblings.

I shied away from the Gossip Girl blast but Fang caught on immediately.

"Serena, what did the blast say? " Fang asked.

"Uh, nothing important, my friend Blair is having a party tomorrow night." I said hurriedly.

"You know, for a New York socialite, you're a horrible liar." Fang smirked.

"Hand it over, let me see."

I reluctantly did what he said, and I regretted it then next second.

Fang's face immediately fell when he saw the blast, and he got out of his chair.

"Can I take a rain check on this? I have to go find my friends."

Friends? I questioned. I thought they were all apart of some big bird family.

I sat by myself, watching smoke roll off of Fang's untouched cup of coffee.

Seems like S is at a crossroad: Fang or Blair? The two together would never work out, or would it? These bird-kids really are causing a scene on the Upper East Side.

You know you love me,

XOXO,

Gossip Girl.

With the super long prologue for this chapter, I'm sorry if I've kept you guys waiting. I originally had a super long explanation for my absence written here, but I guess I don't need it anymore! My surgery is on Monday, and I'll be on crutches or a wheelchair for a month after. Zig, to answer your question, the meniscus is a plate between two knee bones, and the ACL is one of the tendons allowing you to walk. Luckily, I tore my front ACL so I could still walk. I got injured during a basketball game, and I'm super pissed because I'm not allowed to play sports for 6 months. By the time you read this I should be all good! Today's song is Flex Your Way Out by Sofi de la Torre (feat. Blackbear), I love her music and she's so underrated! All love, peace.