Wahoo! I got this up before Christmas! Anyways, sorry this one's a little short. It's kinda a filler, but a needed filler none-the-less.

Me: I think we all know that I don't own anything, ok?

Special thanks to: Amaya Calypso Yuumei, for asking why Max hated Fang and making me realize that she needed a reason!

Chapter 6: Hide and Seek

Max's POV!

A sore arm and lots of bruised classmates later (What can I say, I have a good throwing arm!), the final bell finally rang!

"I'M HOME!" I scream up to Jeb, dropping my backpack down right next to the door and walking into the kitchen, hoping to find cookies somewhere. But what I find is better than cookies, as impossible as it may seem.

"Don't I get a hello?" Asked my mom, standing next to the oven wiping her hands with a rag and a smile upon her face.

"Mom!" I exclaim, running over and embracing her in a tight hug. I love my mom more than anyone in the whole wide world, and she's not home very often. She's a vet, but she gets home at the middle of the night most of the time because she has to stay and take care of the sick pets during night before they fall asleep. It doesn't bother her very much, but it sure does bother me.

I pull away due to the sweet aroma pouring out of the oven, filling my body with the awesome smell of cookies! Chocolate chip, to be exact. I take one more deep breath, my mouth now watering. "Now, now, Max. You can't have all of them. Because I'm home early, we are having Anne and the family over for dinner, and you'll have to share!" My mom remarked: she knew me too well. But the thought of Fang made my heart flutter for a quick second, before I reminded myself not to think of him that way.

*Flashback- 7th Grade*

I was at Fang's house, sitting side by side with him on his dark bed, in his bedroom. Neither of us said a word, causing an awkward silence that really didn't fit. Fang and I have been going out for a week or two, and usually we could talk about pretty much anything: how crazy Jeb was, school, us. But today was different: Fang felt like another person.

Suddenly, he filled the silence. "Max, we're done." I was shocked. I've had a crush on Fang ever sense he moved in next door and when he asked me out I was super happy, but now he's breaking up with me for what seemed like no reason.

"Y-you're breaking up with me?" I stuttered, a single tear flowing down my cheek. Fang had been nice to me when no one else was, he would talk to me when everyone else wouldn't: just because of Jeb's stupid 'no social life' rule.

Fang nodded, his eyes glued to the floor, studying his black tennis shoes.

"Why?" I inquired, more hot tears seeping out of my eyes. It wasn't like me to cry, I was supposed to be a tough girl, but loosing your boyfriend and only friend in the world does that to you.

Now, Fang looked me in the eye. "Max, you know you're not popular. All of the guys have been telling me that you'll just bring me down, and, it's true. They tell me that I won't be 'one of them' anymore, so."

I didn't say a word. I just ran: ran out of there, ran away from the one person I thought I could trust, with tears now pouring down my face.

I sighed, remembering what he did to me. But now, I'm over Fang, and I have 5 great friends. Ones that don't leave me because I'm not popular enough.

Fang's POV!

"So I'll see ya there?" Iggy asked, regarding the party he was planning for next monday, while we walked out of school for the day.

"Sure," I replied lamely. Knowing Iggy, the party will be insane, not necessarily in a good way: there'd be a bunch of people, most likely lots of broken stuff, and probably an explosion will happen sometime or another. But it'd still be fun.

At that, I left to "walk" home. Instead of treading on the path that lead to my house, I turned around, trailing to the back of the school. It was mostly empty there, except for a couple of kids sitting in a corner reading. They gave me curious glances as I walked by. I just ignored them as I went on into the little forest behind the school. There was a path that twisted and turned through the trees, dodging bushes and rocks. The cross country team used it as there trail for home meets, but, luckily for me, it wasn't cross country season yet. I fallowed the dirt path for a little while, but soon enough I ventured off to a clearing. Here, there was a small circle were there were no trees or rocks: just was the perfect place for me to spread out my wings.

Yes, I did say my wings. Anne was a scientist, and Jeb and her were working on gene splicing right around the time I was born: resulting on 2% bird DNA. My wings were huge: like 15 or so feet across, and they were jet black. Before I actually could spread them out, I took off my black t-shirt so I wouldn't have to cut slits in it or anything (AN: I bet Fang looks gooood without a shirt :D Hahahaha) I took a step or two back, then took a running start before taking off. Even though this way took much longer, it was worth it: flying was the best feeling in the world.

I soared higher and higher before I actually started towards my house. I flew across the forest, over the school, and through the streets. By now, everyone was inside already, so I decided to land in my backyard (it was still too risky to land in the front). I folded my wings up, slipped my shirt on real quick, and knocked on the back door. No one in my family knew I had wings; except Anne, of course.

Mom opened up the door and frowned, "Why'd it take so long?"

"I flied."

She nodded, then continued, "Well, we're going over to the Martinez's," And with that, she was off to gather the other kids.

Max's POV!

Ding-dong. "I'll get it!" I scream through a mouthful of warm, home-made cookies. I walked over to the front door, and was greeted by a crowd of kids (A.K.A, the Walker family). They all crowded into our little house, or,more specifically, our kitchen.

However, my mom just shooed us away. "Max, go occupy the kids!" She ordered, and I nodded even though she knew I'd say yes.

I lead everyone out of the kitchen and up the stairs, until I finally corralled them into my room and actually got all five of us to fit, too. (AN: If you forgot what Max's room looks like [or care enough to look], it's in Chapter 1!)

"Max?" Asked Angel as soon as we all got settled in, looking at me with big blue eyes, "Can we play hide and seek?" To make it worse, she pulled the Bambi eyes; no one can resist the Bambi eyes!

I groaned, honestly, hide and seek wasn't my favorite game. But Angel got me with those eyes, "Fine," Angel squealed cheerily as I called out to everyone, "You guys wanna play hide and seek?"

Gazzy immediately smiled along with Angel, Fang looked at me like 'what the heck?', and Nudge started chattering (no duh).

"Hide and seek? Isn't that a kid game? But I guess it'll be kind of fun, especially because I don't go to your house often. And I guess Angel and Gazzy want to play it, so. But what if I get lost? Your house isn't that big but it's possible, and-"

"Ok!" I said, really just to shut Nudge up.

"Max is it!" Cried out Gazzy, then as he was running out the door, screamed "Start!"

I sighed, closed my eyes, and started to count to sixty.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5...

Fang's POV!

"Start!" Screeched the Gasman, running out of the door, as Max closed her eyes.

I hesitated at first: it'd be weird just kind of searching Max's house for a space to hide. Especially 'cause you broke her heart, a tiny voice in my head reminded me, against my will. That was way back in the seventh grade, though... surely she forgot about that by now?

Soon, though, I left. I slipped out of Max's room, and looked around: I didn't really want to hide in her parents room, or either one of the , I went downstairs. I figured the kitchen was off limits, so I walked into the family room. Angel disappeared into an empty cabinet, actually fitting sense she was 6, so that wasn't an option. I was just about to hide behind a couch or something lame like that, when I spotted a door.

"What's that?" I mumbled under my breath, walking towards the door and slowly opening it. The door lead towards a dark stairs case, leading down to a basement or something like that. There was a switch inside, so I flipped on the lights and the room was illuminated. I could see a clean, white room at the bottom of the staircase. Well, I thought to myself, I guess it's the best hiding spot I've got.

I hopped down the stairs, taking in my surroundings. There was a big table, much like the ones in our science classroom, in the middle, a sink and little bookcase filled with science books on one wall, and on the wall parallel to the sink, there's a big cabinet.

Was it... a lab?

Oh, yes. I hope the reason isn't too cheesy or just plain strange….

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