Wanted to say thanks to anyone who's added me to favourite story ect, I love you guys! XD
Sorry, but this chapter is a bit of a filler, cause the next chapter was too long so I cut this bit off separately. Good news is; it's super short! Just to let ya know; I'm super tired at the mo and getting TOO MUCH Homework from my teachers. Stupid life threatening exams! Anyway, could be crap, as I feel like crap and have no time to write anymore.
Enjoy if you can!
Chapter 7:
Mushy Talks Can Sometimes Help
(Emphasis on the Sometimes)
MAX POV
I managed to finish all my homework (that I left till last minute), but only by waking up at 5 in the morning to finish everything off. I felt like walking to school, and so I set off earlier then usual; taking my own sweet time in getting there. Partly because; after last week I was now dreading going. Cue long list of things troubling supposed future Maximum Ride; *dramatic pause, and long sigh*;
1) I had to cope with Fang wandering off with Bridget
2) I had to cope with not seeing Fang all week (apart from in lessons)
3) I had to remember not to kill Bridget as Fang didn't know how dangerous she might be and would (more then likely) find it vaguely annoying
4) I had piss off Lissa - it's in the job description of Maximum Ride, I can't help it.
5) I had to actually work, as said above best friend wasn't working as fast; thanks to constantly staring off into space, probably thinking about his girlfriend.
6) I CAN'T BE ASKED TO IT ALL!
7) Fang
8) I love him?
9) I love him not?
10)Let me see...oh yeah; Fang
Therefore I spent most of my time before form period and at break in the music school - perfecting the art of being pissed off at one's best friend. Don't get me wrong he's great, but every time I try to talk to him either Lissa is tailing him or Bridget is there. I've tried to be lenient with him, but now every time he sees Lissa he runs away (and I could use Hyper drive to catch him up -cause he's like a freaking bullet- but I might just end up in France). Then every time he's with Bridget she tends to both demand all his attention and make his mouth unavailable - if you get what I mean.
So I take a trip to the music school, or hang with Iggy whenever I have time out of lessons. No one else tends to see Fang either; at lunch he tends to be literally dragged off by Bridget. So we all go up to the fields and try to have fun without him. Trying to ignore that all of us miss his constant, silent presence. We always leave his spot empty though, just in case, but it only reminds everyone that he's not here.
All in all; no FAng = difficulty to 'enjoy' school, in any way shape or form...
So here I was, after nearly two weeks. Currently trying to get through my second Thurday of no Fang, and I was starting to get withdrawal symptoms. Stupid, but sadly true. I hardly ever saw my best friend, and being with Iggy was all very well, but only if Ella wasn't around. I know they're best friends but (no offense to Ella) she kinda distracted him *nudge, nudge, wink, wink*.
But like I said; here I was with Iggy up on the fields, on Thursday, at lunch. Everyone else was running around, playing some form of tag, but I really didn't feel like playing. Apparently neither did Iggy because he was sitting next to me; leaning against our lunch tree beside the bench. We were just talking, making slightly forced conversation, when we came across a subject neither of us particularly wanted to discuss. Cue the extrmemely awkward silence, which Iggy eventually chose to break;
"Do you miss him being around?" I sighed;
"Hell yeah, you?" He grimaced;
"Yeah, he was my relationship counselor for Ella, now I have to ask Tess about it." he went red as he realized he was talking to Ella's sibling. I cracked a smile;
"Fang was your relationship counselor?" he nodded, looking away from me with a red tinge to his ears;
"Tess isn't bad, as she's a girl, but Fang...I don't know, it's like we were helping each other out." I was trying to hold back laughter and fighting the impulse to hit the sexist pig, but dropped all pretense at the last statement;
"What he'd help you out with Ella, and you'd help him out with Bridget?" I tried to sound casual, I think it worked. I hope. He shrugged;
"Not exactly, I can't really tell you it's a…" he paused looking as if he was grasping at straws, with his eyes darting around, "….a… guy pact thing" I snorted and mumbled;
"You sound like your out of twilight" He laughed a little but the laughter soon died away, and his face resumed it's pervious gloom. I looked away from him and out at the figures running around in the distance, picking out the Ella shaped one. I smiled slightly knowing how she felt about Iggy;
"I think it's great you know" I glanced away from The Flock to look at Iggy, and he looked at me questioningly, so I carried on; "you and Ella" I nodded my head in the direction of her running figure out on the grassy plain. He smiled as if him having gotten my approval was a good start.
I think it's great to have mushy talks about once a year, get all the gunk out so you can keep everything else back most of the time. I just never thought that I'd go mushy on Iggy. The only person I share anything with, when I'm not Max the invincible, is my Mum. But if there's one other person I'd tell it would be Fang, the guy that's always (almost literally) got/at my back. Lately though I found he was never around to have my back. He was too busy off with Bridget. There was more silence as I dwelled on thoughts of Bridget. And before I could stop myself, the question I was dying to ask slipped out my mouth;
"Does he love her?" Iggy looked at me. It was a little freaky when he looked me in the eye like that. Dare I say it? A bit of a Dumbledore look *hits head against hard surface* (yes, as surprising as it may be, I do read). He turned away from me and looked out at The Flock; they were running from one end of the dew covered sunlit, field to the other - porbably playing some form of bull dog. I could see him thinking about his answer, carefully, chewing his words. When he finally spoke, it looked as if he was choosing each word carefully;
"Love is the wrong word Max, he likes her a lot, but doesn't love her." My stomach sank slightly, but my heart clung to that tiny ray of hope. In Ella's words; he likes her, not like-likes her. I felt a tiny bit happier, but asked in a slightly whiny kind of voice;
"Then why has he left us?" We weren't alone, but Fang was the leader of our group, the one everyone turns to when a decision has to be made. I was stepping into those shoes, his shoes, more and more. But it didn't feel right. Iggy frowned;
"He told me that she constantly drags him off. He wants to come up with us, but can't." He bloody well can. Seeing my eye rolling, and knowing what it meant, Iggy carried on;
"Fang is a lot more caring about people's feelings then he lets on Max. I know it seems like he's a bit of a brick wall sometimes" I raised my eyebrows at the 'sometimes' and Iggy shrugged and said "okay, all the time then. But he doesn't want her to become jealous of us, and therefore have his girlfriend hate all his friends."
"Why would he think that spending time with us would lead to his girlfriend getting jealous?" Iggy now raised his eyebrows at me and said in a patronising voice,
"Max your his best friend, and there are almost double the amount of girls then boys in our group. He already spends his time with you in almost all of his classes, and with all of us out of school. What's Bridget going to think if he spends all his free time with us, or even you?" I gotta say, I never thought of it like that. Iggy smirked slightly, "I mean in Bridget's position, even I would get a little jealous." I grinned, almost laughing at the mental of image of Iggy looking like Bridget, but instead let out a slow sigh. Being wrong is one thing, but admitting it is a whole new level for me;
"I s'pose I can see where he's coming from." I grimaced a the statement. Why couldn't I be as cleaver as Fang, and therefore never be wrong?
Maybe your possessed by a retarded ghost?
Shut up Val!
"Well, I could always talk to Fang about it, cause your not exactly the only one who misses him . The fl-" Iggy cut himself off and cleared his throat, which made me frown slightly. After being overally dramatic he continued; "the group is. He kinda seems really cut off these days, I can barley get a word out of him." Ignoring Iggy's suspicious throat clearing and the screaming MAXIMUM RIDE alarm going off in my head, I said;
"I know what ya mean; he still talks to me, and I still talk to him, but it's like he's not listening to what either of us is saying"
"Yeah well that might not be because of Bridget, even if he won't admit it." I frowned but Iggy stood up and said; "We have 15 minutes till form period, why don't we join in for 10 minutes?" I smiled and followed suit;
"Sure, but I will floor you." He laughed and gently clapped me on the shoulder:
"Didn't expect you not to" Together, we ran over to join the others...
At the end of my day, after all that mushy feeling talk, Ella and I walked home with Tess and JJ. We walked the long way (as usual) and talked, (as usual) and it was fun (as usual). So why did I feel like I was being watched?
Trust your instincts Maximum
I did a casual 360º sweep of the area, but found nothing except for a hospital helicopter. It was still in the distance but, my mental warning light, didn't seem to like it. My thought process that followed went a little something like this:
Helicopter? Angel + helicopter + The School = Stranger Danger! Surroundings check= the twins house. Need a place to hide = adiquet...it'll have to do for now. How do I get inside=?
"Max are you alright?" JJ asked, I looked up to find every one looking at me and made one of my famous snap decisions.
"Yeah, but I've got a bit of a headache, could I possibly get some water?" The twins both smiled and JJ said;
"Sure come in!" We all followed them a little further, then eventually into their house. The door closed, leaving the four of us inside a cute little hallway, coloured in shades of yellow, green, cream and pale wood. We stood in a short hallway looking onto several doors and a set of carpeted stairs that turned back on themselves.
"I'll just get you a glass." JJ told me before she wandered off into what I thought must be the kitchen, and she shouted; "Everyone can come through if they're good, but take your shoes off."
"Sure!" I called back. Ella and Tess kicked their shoes off and walked through. I made a massive fuss over my laces while I waited to hear the sound of the helicopter pass. Once the whoop whoop sound of the blades slicing through the air had faded away, I kicked my shoes off and followed Tess and Ella.
"One glass of water for you Maxie" JJ handed the glass to me and I glared at her while she grinned back. She is sooooooo lucky I'm in a good mood. Tess smiled, getting a drink herself; "You both can stay for longer if you want?" I looked at Ella who nodded eagerly.
"That'd be awesome, but I'll have to just ask Mum, two secs!" I walked out into the hallway to fetch my phone. I dialed Mum and wait for her to pick up.
I won't bore you with my conversation it was the usual hi, hi, can I, yeah, bye, bye sorta thing, so I hung up and walked back to my stool into the kitchen;
"Are you sure that's alright? Won't we be getting in the way of dinner?" Tess, sitting on the counter shrugged;
"Yeah, we eat at around 7:30 anyway" I stood in the door way amazed:
"You eat that late, aren't you starving by then?" JJ shook her head;
"Nah, we have lunch late don't we, why what time do you have supper?" I frowned;
"As soon as we get home, 5:00 at the latest!" Ella rolled her eyes;
"Yeah she's always hungry!" I raised my eyebrows, hand on hip;
"I'm not that bad!" Ella raised her eyebrows at me and I found a partially invisible mysterious spot on my feet, that looked particularly interesting at this very second. Everyone laughed at my silence; but I'll admit Ella spoke nothing but the truth...
And so we went on, talking about useless stuff like the above for an hour and a half. I kinda liked it, having friends bit, not the talking for literally hours on end (Fang would've died)! Mum picked us up and we both left with a feeling of disappointment (that we couldn't have talked about useless stuff for longer). Well technically I was putting off homework, but it was a nice way to put it off all the same.
We got home and ate a dinner of tinned goodness, aka; the one and only *drum roll*...ravioli. Then we both dragged ourselves upstairs, not wanting to face the piles of homework hiding in our bags. I got as far as getting out my Biology books but couldn't carry on any further. Instead I got my guitar outta it's case and had a quiet little strumming session - I don't care what anyone says; secret guitar playing is badass in this house.
By the time it was around 7:30 I was really relaxed and reading yet another Maximum Ride book; in my PJ's, on my bed. An hour in I was thoroughly engrossed in Maximum Ride, and so (naturally) jumped feet several feet off my bed spread when a loud ringing split the silence of my room. Shaking from the ridiculous amount of adrenaline I had rushing around, I found the source of the ringing under my pillow. I pulled out my phone and turned it over to see who was calling me. The name that appeared on screen only made me more shaky. Had Iggy told him? Oh crap I bet he told him about my mushy moment, oh crap crap crap crap crap! I didn't want to leave it to go to answer phone and so took a deep breath; sliding the green button on screen and giving in to the inevitable. I brought the phone up to my ear and cleared my throat slightly, before saying in an accidentally high pitched voice;
"Hello?"
"Hey Max, it's Fang."
"Hiya" I tried sound enthusiastic, but all I achieved was an awkward silence - not the best result when your speaking to silence in human form.
"Well, ummm, Iggy told me about your conversation today" my stomach sank, my heart sped up and I felt my face growing hotter; "and I realized I have hardly seen by best friend in over a week." My heart beat even faster, at the 'my best friend' bit (cheesy, but I've never been or had a best friend before); "So I was wondering, do you and Ella want to come back to my house tomorrow, sleep over then come to your first band practice tomorrow?"
"I'd love to, but have to check Mum's alright with it two secs" I dropped my phone on my bedspread and jumped down the stairs in two bounds. I found Mum in the kitchen doing some work; "Mum can Ella and I go and sleep at Fang's tomorrow, then stay for band practice on the Saturday?"
"Sure, just find out what time you need to be picked up" she smiled at me and I smiled back in a thankful way, before leaping up the stairs again. I flew into my bedroom and skidded on my carpet. This sadly resulted in me falling over and hitting my head on the wall with a loud BANG! Classic Max-style.
I shook it slightly, getting up and walking back over to the bed. I sat down carefully and tried to slow down my heavy breathing. I caught my breath fairly quickly and picked up my phone, saying into it;
"Hello?"
"What was the bang?"
"Me tripping over a flat surface, and my head making friends with the wall" I heard a Fang laugh some-what faintly through the speaker, and I went slightly red again: "Yeah, yeah, ha ha; Max in pain is hilarious. Mum said that's good, but what time do I need to be picked up?"
"Oh around 4 ish in the afternoon, oh and just to warn you Nudge will be in the house with Ella. My advice; bring ear plugs as a precaution." I groaned;
"Why Fang why? Why do we have to be related to people who can't talk at normal speeds?"
"Such is life, suck it up! So...I'll see you tomorrow. Oh, and obviously bring your guitar." I laughed slightly;
"No freaking duh! See ya Fang."
"Bye Max"
I hung up the phone, and something that had been slowly dying over the past couple of weeks suddenly healed - taking with it the growing weight that lay on my shoulders. With luck (accept my own), I have a feeling I might be getting a best friend back.
I ran over to Ella's room to tell her she'd be staying at Nudge's tomorrow. She squealed, and immediately went to ring Nudge about it, and I went back to my room.
I packed for tomorrow then climbed into bed, looking forward to school after all. It was about time!
(Earlier that day)
Unknown POV
The sound of the rotors was deafening, but it would all be over soon. They had tracked Maximum Ride to this area, all we had to do was capture it. The chopper flew over a school, and around the valley, but there was no sign of her anywhere. The heat vision goggles don't zoom in well, but the source had confirmed she defiantly lived in the area (would be spottable). Apparently it's time was drawing nearer to the optimum range for a trial that had never thought of before - let alone attempted.
The source did have her own goal, but helping us, helped her. Once we had Maximum Ride, everything would fall into place. Once we had Maximum Ride, who would be left to save the world? One failed experiment = one problem. No failed experiment = no problem. She might have hidden herself for now, but she can't run forever. No one can. No one ever has. And no one ever will...
DA...DA...DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! *cue ominous music*