Sorry I haven't updated in forever! I've been really busy with friend problems so the last few chapters In all my storys are on hold for a little bit until everything blows over. -Rico

Chapter 7- Max P.O.V.

"Bye Max!" Angel called me from the back of Iggys truck, and I turned around to smile and wave at her as I walked up the walkway to my house with my heavy duffel bag over my shoulder. I watched as the navy blue truck disappeared down the street before turning and going into the house.

"Mom?" I called out into the silent house, and my mom's head poked out from the kitchen.

"Hi sweetie, did you eat lunch yet?" I put my bag down by the stairs and went into the kitchen, boosting myself up onto the counter.

"No." My mom was stirring a pot of shaped macaroni pastas, her brows furrowed.

"Mom, what's wrong?" I asked, but she quickly changed the subject.

"Good, because I started making this Macaroni..."

"Mom. What's wrong?" I asked again, putting my hand on her arm, and she looked up at me, sighing.

"Your sister didn't come home last night." She said, her lips pressing back into a straight line. I rolled my eyes and went back to watching the pasta.

"Well, neither did I..." I trailed off, and my mom chuckled, pushing my shoulder a little bit.

"Yeah, but I knew where you were. And I called Moniques parents before you went."

"Mom!" I groaned, and she waved a spoon at me.

"I'm your mother, and I'm allowed to be worried about you. The last thing I need is two Mayas out and about." She said with a smile, and lifted the pot off the stove, pouring out the hot water and pasta into the strainer in the sink. I watched as she finished the macaroni the way I liked it, pouring all of it into a bowl and handing it to me.

"We have soda in the fridge, I went shopping last night while you two were out." I nodded and she left, probably to go to the study. I hopped off the counter, going to the fridge and pulling a Dr. Pepper from the box, headed up to my room.

"Maya?" My sister had silently slipped into the house, and was slowly making her way up the stairs. Her head whipped around, her bloodshot eyes fixing stony cold on mine.

"Shutup!" She hissed, but mom was already around the corner with her hands on her hips, looking stern. Maya groaned and rolled her eyes, leaning against the railing and crossing her arms.

"Go upstairs, Max." My mom told me, and I slid past Maya, who watched me with a murderous glare. I ducked my head and went into my room. They were already yelling at eachother, Something about Mayas outfit and her curfew being violated again. I picked up my headphones from my desk, pulling them over my neck and plugging into my Ipod. I shuffled through my music before finding something I like, blasting "A thousand sleepless nights" by Pierce the Veil until I couldn't hear the yelling downstairs.

I pulled my laptop closer to me and pulled up tumblr, not even bothering to go on facebook anymore. I scrolled through my dashboard, not able to hear the yelling downstairs as I racked up the volume. After a little bit, my phone in my pocket buzzed. I pulled it out of my pocket, an unknown number showing up on the screen. I rolled my neck backwards, looking up at the ceiling. pretty much nobody knew my phone number, because it was one of few things I liked to keep sacred. No one knew my phone number and my tumblr, giving me a little security from the people at school.

Hey.

Was all it read. and I frowned at the screen. I quickly typed and sent my response, taking a worried bite of macaroni.

Who Is this.

I sent back. And got an almost immediate reply.

Fang.

The unknown name on my screen made me panic, and I did the only thing I could think of.

Sorry, I think you have the wrong number.

Oh, Sorry.

I just stared at my phone for a while, making sure that it wouldn't ring again. How had this guy even gotten my number anyway? It wasn't public information, my sister didn't even have my number in her phone. I groaned and leaned back in the pillows. Why couldn't everyone leave me alone?

I looked in the mirror, I had put on the shirt that Nudge lent to me when I slept over at her house and left my hair out of a beanie, letting it fall in loose waves. She had called me on the house phone, telling me that if I wore it she would make me a cheesecake on friday. Lets be serious, who could say no to homemade cheesecake? I sighed, and hung up the black winter coat over the mirror again, hiding from my own reflection. I sat down on my bed, tying the laces on my new shoes that my mom got for me at the mall last night when she went shopping, black Osiriss with Lime green soles and lettering. I looked down at my feet, satisfied; My mom always picked good shoes for me.

I swung my backpack over my shoulder and went down the stairs. Not bothering to grab breakfast, I went out the front door and started walking to school. I didn't live too far, only five blocks, and It was better to walk that ride in the car with Maya and Mom. I put in my earbuds, and turned up Sleeping with Sirens, Union Mountain High rolling into view as I walked up the last hill. I took a deep breath as I pushed through the black double doors, the school was pretty empty because I was here early. I walked hurriedly to my locker, scanning for any of the popular people, but seeing none, I started undoing my combination with shaking fingers.

"Chemistry first." I mumbled to myself, taking my heavy chemistry book out of my locker and putting it into my backpack. More people began to fill in the hallway, and with trembling fingers I zipped it closed. I turned, but bumped into Lissa. Just my luck, she turned to scowl at me down her nose, her darkly made-up eyes narrowing at the sight of me.

"No sweatshirt today? Should have kept it on." she tapped in her chin, and I kept quiet as Maya, Ella and Brigid gathered next to her.

"By the way Maxie, your sister called me last night, about how you got her grounded for coming home wasted. Like what the hell?!" She yelled, and grabbed a fistfull of my hair and forcing my head up to look at her.

"Say sorry." She hissed in my face, but I just gave her a blank stare. She released my hair and shoved me backwards, the back of my head bouncing off the back of the lockers, in the same spot as last week when Nick pushed me. I felt tears prickle at the back of my eyes, but I forced them away, not wanting to give Lissa the satisfaction of seeing me cry.

I looked up and saw Nick at the edge of the crowd, watching me but not moving with an expressionless face. I begged him with my eyes to help, but he just cast his eyes down and walked away from the crowd of people who had gathered around us.

Lissa looked to where I was looking at Nicks retreating figure. And turned back to me, looking furious.

"Don't look at him you little whore!" She kicked me in the stomach with her pointed heel. The air rushed out of my lungs with a whoosh, my mouth open in shock as she kicked me again, harder. I fell to the side, trying to hold myself up with one arm. Lissa kicked me again, so hard that I felt like I was going to vomit. She kicked me one more time for good measure, and raised her foot again, before she was shoved. I looked up to see Iggy standing over me, looking furious.

"What the hell is wrong with you people?" He shouted, and Lissa was steadied by Brigid. She stood back up and took a menacing step towards Iggy, poking him square in the chest.

"She deserved everything she got." She hissed at him, and he grabbed her wrist, his knuckles white.

"No, you deserve what you've given her. You and your friends deserve to be kicked around for what you do to everyone. You think everyone loves you but everybody actually hates you." (Sorry, I had to quote Mean Girls!) Iggy ground out, actually scaring me, and I was the one he was defending. He threw her wrist away from him, and made a huge motion of wiping it off the the nearest guys shirt. A few people in the crowd laughed and Lissa fumed. Iggy turned and Offered me his hand, which I gratefully took, and he pulled me up.

"Are you okay?" He asked, tucking some of my hair behind my ear, his grey eyes looking into mine. I bit my trembling lip and nodded, not feeling okay at all inside. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders, and I put my arm around his waist, and he walked with me to chemistry, not saying anything. We sat at the back lab table, and I felt Mayas glare from across the room, and I fiddled with the zipper on my backpack nervously, the pain on my stomach suddenly becoming more noticeable.

Iggy playfully punched me in the bicep.

"I like your hair, I can see it." He told me with a genuine smile, and I gave my best fake smile back. I put my hand on top of his head and tousled his hair.

"I like your hair too." Iggy put one hand over his mouth, looking surprised.

"Omg Max! We both have wavy hair!" He squealed and put his hands on his cheeks, still smiling. I laughed and bent my head down to the other people in the room wouldn't see my smile. The teacher walked in, the class slowly going silent. I looked sideways at Iggy, who was taking down notes with his tongue sticking out of his mouth. I smiled a little bit; sweet, joking Iggy had stood up for me.

The first time anyone had even stood up for me.