Minimum Ride
A Maximum Ride Fan Fiction
Chapter 6: Thank God For Technology
I did a running landing, bounding down the clearing. I slowed to a walk at the end of the clearing, and ducked into the brush. Being sure to keep my wings out as long as I could to cool them from exercise, I stalked through the woods, trying my hardest not to make a lot of noise. As soon as I could hear children shouting from the park, I pulled my wings in. I twisted around, peering over my shoulder to make sure my wings were fully inside the jacket. Seeing no wings, just big slits, I covered those with my hair. Note to self: Get haircut.
"EEEEEeeeeepp!" I heard a toddler shout. I peered out of the treeline, seeing only a few more kids and some more joggers. Some teenagers, some moms with the ever-popular jogging strollers. Sweeping my gaze from left to right one more time, I saw some young kids - younger than me, but not toddlers - gazing at me with confused expression. Realizing how I looked emerging from the woods, I jumped out soundlessly and tried to put on an expression like, 'Guilty? Me? Ridiculous.'
I trotted across the park casually, trying not to draw too much attention. That's me, paranoia central. I guess it's just the compulsive need to always hide my wings. I crossed the street in front of the park again, and walked quickly down the road. I turned the street corner sharply, almost running into a biker. "Watch it!" he yelled, speeding pass me. "Yeah," I called back, knowing he probably couldn't hear me.
Finally arriving home, I found the door unlocked. I opened it and sped down the back hallway, realizing how hungry I was. Flying really takes it out of ya. I swung around the corner to find a ham sandwich sitting on the table. Only one? Hmph. I picked it up and walked into the kitchen. Opening the fridge, I explored my options for a drink. Deciding on Coke, I picked up a large bag of potato chips that was next to the toaster. I then hurried into the den, lunch in hand.
I tried not to groan as I saw Payton sitting in the recliner, eyes glued to her phone. Her being here was going to limit my eating spree. I sat my lunch on the coffee table, seeing that Mom had at least thought of a paper plate for her lunch. Oh, well. I thought, plopping down on the couch. I strained to eat at the rate of a normal person, but the longest time I could stand to eat my sandwich was roughly two minutes. My sandwich was followed closely by soda and a surplus of chips. I popped chip after chip into my mouth, thankful for Payton's obsession with her phone.
"Mom?" Payton asked. She shifted in the recliner to where she was facing Mom, phone still in her hands, thumbs on the keyboard.
"Yes, dear?" Mom said patiently.
"You know Emily, right? The girl who sits next to me in third period?" Payton quizzed. She started to have that deceivingly sweet look she got before she asked for something.
"You sure do talk about her a lot, yes." Mom said, half joking.
"Well, I was just wondering..." she started. Here we go. I thought wryly. "She's having this sleepover tonight, and they're gonna be doing all kinds of fun things, and all my friends are going, and she text me asking me if I was gonna come, and I was wondering what I should tell her." Payton finished, talking fast the way she did when she wanted something. Mom exchanged a quick glance with me, and grinned, knowing Payton couldn't see it.
"Sure, hun." Mom said.