K I'm sorry this chapter took awhile but It was extra long so I guess that makes up for it. You learn a lot more about Max in this chapter and you get to met *drumroll*... NUDGE! Lol jkjk you get to meet Fang too. Oh thankou for getting me up to 20 reviews! ^.^ Anyways enjoy, it took me forever.
-Lil Q
Chapter six:
Ella and Dr. Martinez had, of course, been surprised by how much I ate. I had written it off as a very high metabolism.
I was currently sitting on a chair on my balcony, lightly strumming my acoustic guitar.
It was beautiful, I would give it that. The sun was setting behind the red cliffs, setting off yellow, red and pink colours in the sky.
I sighed. It wasn't Washington, but it was nice.
I heard a tap on the door from inside my room. I turned to see Dr. Martinez in the window. I gestured to the chair beside me, and she came out and sat in it.
She smiled t the sunset. "It's beautiful isn't it?" she asked.
"It's nice." I agreed.
"That's a beautiful guitar." She noted. I nodded. "Can I see it?"
My heart almost stopped by that one simple question. What if she broke it? My most treasured gift from Ari?
You're being stupid, Max. I told myself. Nothing's going to happen to it.
So I reluctantly nodded and handed it over. She looked at it closely and turned it around and read the inscription. "Who's Ari?" she asked.
Um... "He was my uh, cousin." Yeah, that works.
"Was?" she inquired.
I took a deep breath. Don't get emotional Max, just say it. Be tough. "When he was ten, he got sick, and he... he..." I couldn't say it. I could think it, but I couldn't say it. Way to be tough Max.
Comprehension dawned on her face. "Oh, I'm sorry." She said and handed me back my guitar.
I shrugged. "Thanks." I muttered.
"So" She said changing the subject. "Tomorrow night I've planned a get together here so you can meet all our friends." I raised my eyebrows, surprised she was telling me. "Not many people are coming, just our next door neighbours, two of which you've met, and Ella's friend and her parents, that are friends of mine."
"Oh." Was all I said, staring straight forward.
"It'll be nice for you to meet some people your own age, so you won't be completely alone at school in two weeks"-
"School?" I exclaimed staring at her. Her eyes widened. I had forgotten bout that part, I had never gone to a regular school in my life.
I shook my head. "Sorry." I muttered; but she was staring at me. "It's just; I've been homeschooled my whole life, so I forgot that most people go to regular schools." Jeez, it was only the first day, and I already came up as not normal.
School was going to be a problem though. When I was genetically altered the scientists had messed with some nerves in my brain. My IQ was past 230. So, when my dad taught me it all came quickly, so I technically finished high school when I was eleven. Great. Now I had to pretend that I only knew up to age seventeen schooling.
Dr. Martinez smiled her brown eyes bright. Why couldn't mine look like that when I smiled? Not that I do smiled that often. "I'm sure this will be different for you then, I'll make sure Ella helps you through it."
I nodded.
"So Ella tells me that you want to make a mural on our walls." She said.
I nodded again. "Is that okay?" I asked feeling a little weird. I never really needed to ask my Dad for permission for stuff. He trusted my judgment to be safe and smart. I just had to tell him when I was going to be back when I went flying.
She smiled. "Of course! Do you know what you're doing?"
I frowned. "Not yet, I still have to make a rough copy, but I need some ideas first. It'll come to me."
She laughed. It sounded so... familiar. "I meant do you know how you are going to do it, but apparently you've done this kind of thing before."
I thought about it. I had never actually done a painting this big before. It was going to take a while. I just shrugged.
She got up. "Well, Max, if there's anything you need I'm right across the hall, or Ella is the room next to yours. I'm going to do some paper work then get some sleep, I might not be here when you wake up because I go to work early in the morning. Alright?" I nodded. She touched my shoulder. "Goodnight, Max."
Flying. It was honestly one of the best things in the world. It made you feel powerful and strong, like nothing could hurt you.
It was about 2:00 AM, I had to make sure everyone was asleep when I left. I didn't even sneak downstairs like I thought I was going to! Just out to the balcony and jump, and I'm off.
I landed on a cliff, where I sat perched, staring at the moon. It was huge and right in my face. Wow. I could definitely get used to flying here, but overall life? I wasn't so sure.
I looked over the side of the cliff with anticipation. Yup. About a three thousand foot drop.
I sat with my feet on the very edge of the cliff, and spread my wings, keeping them stiff as boards. I leaned forward a little, then using nothing but my legs, I propelled myself off the cliff and started gliding down without flapping my wings. It was exhilarating.
This was currently the only good thing I had going.
Suddenly a breeze came. Adjust the right wing a little and... Ahh! I was being carried by the breeze, and it was effortless.
So I just relaxed and let my worries disappear.
I was first awake. I had always been an early riser, never needing much sleep. To be well rested I needed about four hours of sleep. I got five last night, so I was good.
Since I didn't want to attempt cooking on my own, I turned the light on in my room, grabbed my sketch pad, and sat cross legged in the middle of the floor, staring at the wall.
I sat motionless for at least half an hour. Then it clicked. I would draw the forest behind my house in Washington. It had to be raining in it of course, as it always was.
I immediately started sketching it, with my eyes closed picturing it. How the rain would make droplets on the pine needles that would make it look like diamond facets covering the tree, the infinite number of pine needles and twigs on the forest floor, the wood board that we attached two pieces of rope to for a makeshift swing that Ari would play on...
I opened my eyes and looked down at my work. I could make it life size! It would be almost as if I never left! My picture took in almost every detail of the forest. Dammit. I did it again. My hand had been flying so fast while I was picturing it I didn't make a rough sketch. This should have at least taken me hours to do.
Oh well. I can say that I started it last night and stayed up late working on it.
I heard a knock at my door. "Come in." I said.
Dr. Martinez entered. "Max, I saw your light on, so I wanted to know if you wanted some breakfast." She said. She couldn't have picked better words.
"That would be great." I said with feeling. She smiled. Her eyes zeroed in on my sketch pad.
"You figured something out?" she asked, and I nodded. "Can I see?"
I sighed. I got up and passed the book to her. Her eyes widened. "Max..." she shook her head slightly. "That's amazing! I thought you said it was going to be a rough sketch!"
I shrugged. "I'm kind of a perfectionist." When it came to my art anyways.
Dr Martinez smiled. "Well, Ella won't be up for... Well she might get up tomorrow..." she joked. I smirked slightly. "So how about I whip us up some pancakes?"
I was staring at my other wall trying to figure something out; I had been in the same position for 3 hours.
Ella poked her head in the door. My head whipped around. "Oh, sorry I thought you might be sleeping, cause you were so quiet." She said. I raised an eyebrow, silently asking what she wanted. "Um its 3:00 so everyone's going to be here in an hour."
I gave her a look. "And?"
She looked taken aback by the fact that I wasn't even trying to be nice. Wait. Did I have my glare on?
Yup. But honestly, it wasn't my normal death glare; it was just a hard look. But never the less I softened my facial expressions.
"What about it?" I said, slightly gentler.
Her eyebrows furrowed together. "Um aren't you going to change?" she said eyeing my clothes.
What? Were jeans, t-shirt and a hoodie not good enough? "Into what?" I exclaimed.
She hesitated again. "I don't know... a dress or something?"
"Do I look like the kind of girl who owns a dress?" I asked disdainfully. Not to mention taking off my hoodie would show my wings and my scars...
"Uh..." I almost laughed at Ella's expression, it was like my Dad's when he had the "talk" with me. Like he wanted to be anywhere but there.
I gave her a steady look. "Ella, I'm not going to change what I'm wearing, and if you'll excuse me, I have a wall to stare at for the next hour."
Wow. I'm just so much fun aren't I?
"Max, some guests are here!" Dr. Martinez called up the stairs.
I tensed up. More people I don't know who could possibly try to kill me. Fun stuff right there.
I sighed, got up and trudged out of my room and down the stairs.
Ella was talking to some girl who looked about as preppy as she did, clad in all pink. I had to admit she was just as pretty as Ella, mocha skin and auburn coloured eyes.
Dr. Martinez was talking to a man and a woman who had similar features to the girl Ella was talking to, her parents I assumed.
"Ah, here's Max." Dr. Martinez said, smiling at me. I managed a weak grimace.
The parents smiled at me, but I was not prepared for what their daughter was about to do. She stepped in front of me with a big smile on her face and said "OHMIGOSH hi! I'm Monique Ella's best friend but most people call me Nudge I'm not sure why but I like it so you can go ahead and call me Nudge you're Maximum right but everyone calls you Max well I guess that's not much of a nickname since it was just shortening your name so it's easier to say but anyways it's great to meet you Ella has been so excited the last few weeks cause she was getting an older sister just like she's always wanted did you know that she had an older sister but she was kidnapped jeez what kind of people would do that"- I was staring at her with what probably look like a bewildered expression when a white hand went over her mouth. I looked up to see Iggy.
"Jeez, turn off the Nudge channel." He said to her.
"Nice to meet you." I said brushing past her, and muttered "Thanks Iggy."
"MMMGHNMH" Nudge said from behind Iggy's hand.
Behind Iggy and Nudge were, what I assumed to be, the rest of the Walkers.
There was Anne, who stood smiling at me, and a man that I guessed was her husband, with black cropped hair with a bit of grey in it, black eyes, and tannish skin.
But then there was their son. It must have been Iggy's twin brother or something because they looked exactly the same age. Although, Iggy looked a lot like his mother, where this boy obviously resembled his father.
The boy's skin was olive toned, darker than Mr. Walker's, and his black hair was longish, and flopped over one of his eyes.
The eye that I could see was the same black as his dad's, but they were very different. This boy's eyes were deep, like your very soul could drown in them if you got lost in them for too long.
Wow. I just sounded incredibly corny there. Maybe I could use that as song lyrics...
Anyways. My little reverie took only seconds, I heard Anne say something about Angela and Geoffrey being at a friend's house, but I really didn't care what she was saying.
Dr. Martinez said "Max, you've met James and Anne, this is Peter," she pointed to the Dad "and Nick." I didn't make eye contact.
"Hi." I muttered lamely, and went to sit on the couch, and wait for this to be over.
I felt everyone's eye on me. What? I said hi! I could've just ignored them.
"Yes, erm, well why don't you all go into Max's room, while we talk." Dr. Martinez said.
I sighed and motioned for all the kids to come with me.
The Nick kid came up next to me as we went up the stairs.
"I prefer Fang." He said. I was surprised at how nice a voice he had, low and husky, but still smooth.
"And am I suppose to know what that means?" I said sarcastically, but still shaken at his voice.
He smirked and glanced at me out of the corner of his eyes. "It's a nickname."
I rolled my eyes, why did everyone here have a nickname completely different from their normal name? "Of course." I muttered.
"This is my room." I said to all of them as they came into it.
"OMG Ella you did such a good job it was a good choice not going with the pink even though I think it would have been nicer but pink doesn't suit Max at all it seems."
I stared longingly at the balcony, wanting to just jump off it and fly away. All these people were starting to make me claustrophobic.
Instead I slumped on the couch and waited for the interrogations- I mean getting to know one another- to begin.
"So, Max are these your parents?" Iggy asked, pointing to the picture of Steve and Mary Ride.
"Yup." Out of the corner of my eye I saw Nick-I mean Fang- looking at my guitars.
"Look at the electric all you want, but the acoustic is off limits." I said not even looking at him
He rolled his eyes and picked up my electric.
I am not someone to judge people. I mean I have wings for God's sake. But there was just something about this Fang guy that ticked me off. He seemed so obnoxious.
"Max you and Fang seem to have so much in common I mean you both play guitar and Ella said you play piano and so does Fang he's really good at it and especially guitar and Fang draws too though I don't think he's as good as you are I was looking through the sketch book on your desk and"-
"You what?" I almost yelled at Nudge. It was more of loud talking than yelling.
Everyone froze. I wasn't that scary was I? But needless to say, in that sketchbook were lots of pictures of kids with wings, where I used to live, my Dad and Ari. Hopefully Ella didn't see it.
I cleared my throat and spoke quieter than before. "Um, can have it back? It's kind of personal." I said snatching it away from her.
Good. The page she was at wasn't at my dad or Ari yet. Just kids with wings. Great.
"Hey Max how come you draw lots of Angels?" Nudge asked, once she regained her voice.
I shrugged. Just then Fang made a terrible noise with my guitar.
Well at least I thought so. "God what did you do to it?" I asked coming over to him. It was plugged in.
"What?" he asked. Oh, come on! It was so out of tune!
"Do you not know how to tune a guitar?" I asked him.
"It sounded fine to me." Iggy piped up.
"Me too." Ella said.
I rolled my eyes and took the guitar from Fang. Sounded fine. Bah!
I played around with it until it sounded perfect. I did a little guitar solo with a whammy on the end.
Everyone was staring at me. What? Was I that bad? Even Fang's eyes were wide with shock.
"What? I hate it when it's out of tune." I shrugged.
"How did you get it to sound like that? It was flawless!" Fang said. There was something else in his eyes besides shock; envy? Not quite sure. In truth I have better hearing than humans, so they can't quite tell the difference when they tune their instruments.
"Max you were amazing! How did you learn to play like that?" Iggy exclaimed.
"I just like to practice, I guess." I shrugged for like the thousandth time this afternoon.
"You should hear her play piano!" Ella said excitedly.
"Yes, Max let's hear you play piano." Fang said challengingly. What was with this jerk?
I sighed. There was no getting out of it. I placed my guitar gently into the stand, and walk over to the grand piano that I had formed an attachment to.
"I'm a bit out of practice." I muttered. "What do you want me to play?"
"Anything!" Ella exclaimed.
I thought about it. I couldn't play one of my songs; that would give too much away. And they wouldn't be satisfied with one of my scales. So I decided to play one of my favourites: Beethoven's Für Elise.
I closed my eyes and started to play. It was like riding a bicycle, you never really forgot. The grand piano played it so much better than anything I've ever played on before.
I got lost in the music for a few minutes, but then I realized everyone was staring at me. I stopped abruptly.
What were their problems? Hadn't they heard the song before? I thought it was famous. Nudge looked like she was about to bust if she didn't start babbling soon, Iggy's mouth was open slightly, Ella was shining with what looked to be pride, and Fang was... Well... I couldn't really tell. He had on the stone face that I always used when I was hiding my emotions.
Well this had started out wonderfully.
Hope you enjoyed! What do you guys think of the rivalry between Max and Fang that's starting? Do not fret! All will end in Fax. You know, eventually. OOOH! Spoiler* You get to meet Angel and Gazzy in the next chapter... I think. Anyways. RnR!
