Chapter 9

MAX

The door opened and in walked one of the most decked out girls I have ever seen in my life. Her hair was curled, obviously not natural; her face was sparkly from all the crap she'd piled on there. He fur coat was wrapped loosely around her shoulders and her body was barely covered by her skin-tight dress. Her feet were locked in two seven inch heels and I'm sure that if they could talk they'd be screaming.

"Hey Nicky Baby!" She squealed. "How are you? You haven't returned any of my calls or texts or Facebook posts." She fake-pouted.

"Uh yeah… Okay." Fang sighed and rolled his eyes when she wasn't looking.

"I know our song is gonna sound great. I'm just soooo talented and you're okay too!"

"Gee thanks." Fang almost growled.

"Oh you're so totally welcsss." She hissed teasingly.

I laughed quietly and then put a hand over my mouth.

Lisa heard me.

She slowly turned on her heal to face me and took off her Gucci sunglasses and raised her eyebrows and Nudge and I, looking us up and down.

"I thought we'd be all alone Nicky." Lisa clicked her tongue. "I didn't know you were gonna bring the band and this… thing." She motioned to me. "And her… friend."

Before I could come up with a clever comeback, Fang step in and put a hand around my waist.

"She has a name Lisa." Fang murmured darkly.

I put a hand on his chest to calm him. "And it's Max." I held out my hand.

She cringed away from it and ignored me.

"But Nicky I thought we'd be alone together." She pouted.

"That's an oxymoron." Fang smirked. "And anyways, wherever I go, the band goes. We're a package deal. And Max and Nudge are a part of that package."

"A what?" She asked.

"An oxymoron." Iggy called. "It's when you put two contradicting words together to form a phrase. You know like 'alone together' or 'clever fool'."

"Whatever. Do I get to sing anytime soon or not?" Lisa whined.

"Sure we'll just start from the top of the song." Fang sighed, walking into the booth.

"Sounds perfect." Lisa smiled, flipping her hair.

The went in and sat on some stools, Fang started strumming out a fast and melodic chord, his fingers flying over the strings.

He pressed his lips to the microphone and started to sing.

(Fang= Italics)

(Lisa= Bold)

(Both= Underlined)

Do you ever feel like breaking down?

Do you ever feel out of place?

Like somehow you just don't belong

And no one understands you

Fang's voice was so pure and rich and on key. He sounded amazing with the acoustic guitar. I thought that the song was a total hit. It sounded like Fang was just singing to sing, the small smile on his lips proved to me that he was truly enjoying himself.

And then Lisa started singing and ruined it all.

Do you ever wanna run away?

Do you lock yourself in your room?

With the radio on, turned up so loud

That no one hears you screaming

She probably could be an okay singer if she didn't sing from her head instead of her diaphragm. Because of this, her voice came out nasally and fake. It just sounded bad against the naturalness of the acoustic guitar to throw in her uptight, high, nasally voice.

No you don't know what it's like

When nothing feels alright

You don't know what it's like, to be like me

Fang waved his hands at Jason in the universal sign of 'stop'.

Jason cut the mic and turned to us, shutting off his microphone so that Lisa and Fang couldn't hear. "If you ask me, stopping that song couldn't have come any sooner."

Jacob nodded. "It just doesn't work with her."

"Maybe she just needs practice?" I said, trying to find the silver lining.

"She's supposed to have been practicing since September, when we gave her the music. That was three months ago." Iggy said.

Fang walked out of the booth, a whining Lisa on his heels.

"What's wrong Nicky? I thought we sounded amazing!" She squeaked.

"Yeah not exactly." Gazzy said.

"Did I ask your opinion?" Lisa exclaimed, glaring at Gazzy. Then she softened up and batted her eyelashes. "I-I mean, I was just saying MY opinion… and…. I thought we sounded great."

"I'm sorry Lisa but we didn't." Fang said. "Did you even practice your lyrics at all?"

"Of course I did!" Lisa stomped her foot again.

"Do you know how to sing the song?" Jacob asked.

"Of course I do!" She glared at her manicured nails.

Fang stood quietly for a few seconds, contemplating.

Then his eyes lit with inspiration and he looked up at me. This can't be good.

"Max?" Fang asked.

"Hmm?" I responded.

"I need to talk to you. I have an idea." Fang grinned with a boyish excitement.

I nodded and followed him into the sound-proof recording studio.

Fang checked that the microphones weren't on and then started talking in a rush.

"I need YOU to sing this song with me." He said.

"Wait what?! No, no, no, no, no. I can't do that I'm not famous or… or…." I stumbled.

"Please Max! You're an amazing singer. I at least need you to sing it with me once. Maybe it will help… her understand the song a bit better. I need you to do this with me. Please?" His eyes were gazing into mine, making me feel dizzy and disoriented.

I shook my head to clear it. "N-no."

"Please?"

"No! I can't I… you… Um…."

"Exactly. You can't even find the words to say no." Fang's eyes were lighting with excitement.

"But I—I…. Uh…" I practically growled at my stupidity.

"Please?"

I sighed in resignation. "Fine."

"Yes!" Fang did a small fist pump.

"Ugh."

"Don't worry you'll do great."

"Sure, sure."

"Max!" Fang tilted my chin up to meet his eyes. "You will do amazingly. I promise! Just use the talent that you know you have and sing like you mean it."

"Okay." I breathed.

Fang gently let go and we walked out of the booth.

Clapping his hands, Fang started talking. "Okay so Max is going to sing this song with me."

"ESCUSE ME?!" Lisa screamed.

"You're excused." Iggy snorted.

"Just to show you how the song is meant to be sung." Fang said to Lisa.

"I KNOW HOW IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE SUNG." She screamed.

"Lisa, calm down. They're just singing it one time." Jacob replied soothingly.

Jacob met eyes with Fang and nodded towards the booth, saying to go ahead and sing before Lisa exploded.

Fang and I stepped back inside of the booth I sat down on the stool in front of the microphone and let Fang explain the notes and the lyrics to me.

"Okay so in this part here" Fang pointed to a section near the end. "Sing it with a high-ish trill in you're voice and then drop to a lower note, that'll give the song a better ending. Try and throw in a higher octave here and there in the song to add some depth. Just throw it in whenever you feel like it."

I nodded. "Sounds good."

"Good. You ready?" Fang asked.

"Ready as I'll ever be." I sighed.

"Well alright then." Fang allowed a small smile to escape his lips as he started strumming out the rapid chords on his guitar and started to sing.

(Fang= Italics)

(Max= Bold)

(Both= Underlined)

(Normal= Normal)

Do you ever feel like breaking down?

Do you ever feel out of place?

Like somehow you just don't belong

And no one understands you

Fang sounded so perfect when he sang. His voice was so crisp, yet also raw with emotion.

Do you ever wanna run away?

Do you lock yourself in your room?

With the radio on, turned up so loud

That no one hears you screamin

No you don't know what it's like

When nothing feels alright

You don't know what it's like, to be like me

To be hurt, to feel lost, to be left out in the dark

To be kicked, when you're down

To feel like you've been pushed around

To be on the edge of breaking down

When no one's there to save you

No you don't know what it's like

Welcome to my life

I decided to throw in a high octave on the last line of the chorus that I sang.

Do you wanna be somebody else?

Are you sick of feeling so left out?

Are you desperate to find something more

Before your life is over?

Are you stuck inside a world you hate?

Are you sick of everyone around?

With the big fake smiles and stupid lies

While deep inside you're bleeding

No you don't know what it's like

When nothing feels alright

You don't know what it's like to be like me

To be hurt, to feel lost, to be left out in the dark

To be kicked, when you're down

To feel like you've been pushed around

To be on the edge of breaking down

When no one's there to save you

No you don't know what it's like

Welcome to my life

No one ever lies straight to your face

No one ever stabbed you in the back

You might think I'm happy but I'm not gonna be okay

Everybody always gave you what you wanted

You never had to work it was always there

You don't know what it's like, what it's like

To be hurt, to feel lost, to be left out in the dark

To be kicked when you're down

To feel like you've been pushed around

To be on the edge of breaking down

When no one's there to save you

No you don't know what it's like

To be hurt, to feel lost, to be left out in the dark

To be kicked when you're down

To feel like you've been pushed around

To be on the edge of breaking down

When no one's there to save you

No you don't know what it's like

Welcome to my life

Welcome to my life

Welcome to my life

I stopped singing with my eyes locked with Fangs. We could feel the notes vibrating in the booth and Fang's last guitar strum was hanging in the air.

"You did amazing Max." Fang whispered.

"So did you!" I whisper yelled. "You sounded perfect!"

Jason interrupted our conversation by coming on the speaker.

"That was fantastic guys. Come on out." Jason said.

"That didn't even sound good! She can't even sing! How can you even think that she's talented?!" Lisa said in a shrill voice.

"Because she is talented." Fang raised his eyebrows.

Lisa laughed. "She's not as talented as me."

I kept my mouth shut.

Iggy snorted.

She whirled on him. "Excuse me but—"

"You're excused." Iggy said, cutting her off.

"Excuse me?" Lisa shrieked.

"You are excused." Iggy enunciated every syllable.

The poor girl just sat there sputtering.

I decided I should intervene.

"Listen Lisa, how about you and Nick go do the recording." I suggested. "Arguing isn't going to help anything."

"I'm sorry was I talking to you, you little nobody?" Lisa asked in a baby voice, before darkening her mood entirely. "Because last time I checked I was busy being a better singer than you and pretending that you don't exist." She smiled sweetly.

A silence fell over the room.

Wow.

This was gonna be fun.

"I'm sorry," I said, using her voice. "But who gave you permission to come in here and act like a jerk while the rest of us are just trying to make music and enjoy ourselves?"

"Oh ho ho!" Lisa snapped her fingers. "You do NOT wanna mess with me."

"Oh but I really do." I narrowed my eyes.

"I'm a black-belt in… Karate? Yes Karate." She said nervously, struggling to remember what it was and giving away the fact that she was obviously lying.

"I'm sure you are." I nodded sarcastically, cracking my knuckles for good measure.

She back-pedaled. "You—you can't hurt me. I have lawyers! My father will hear about this!"

"Who said anything about hurting you? Jesum chill out." I sighed; stepping away from her because I felt satisfied with the scare I'd given her.

"Psh… Nobody!" She squeaked, and then snapped. "Now are we gonna do this recording or not?! Because I have many people wanting to do duets with me. I'm very popular in the music business."

"Hang on just a second." Jacob said, motioning to his brothers that.

The boys got in a little huddle in side of the soundproof booth. They talked for about a minute, Lisa was behind me huffing the whole time.

Then they walked out again and Jacob came up to Lisa.

"Lisa you should go and see the other people who are begging you to sing with them, because I think we're all set for duet partners. But thank you for your time." Jacob said.

Lisa was screaming now. "HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT TO ME!"

"I don't really know how else to say it so there it is." Jacob shrugged. "We're all set." He repeated.

She just stood there and screamed angrily for what seemed like an hour and then stomped her way out of the studio.

Divas.


Hey guys!

Okay so this was a very long chapter and I hope that you all liked it and stuff. I promise that it wasn't a filler and that it was important to the plot and stuff like that!

Oh and break is over for me so I'm back in school and have midterms coming up so don't expect super fast updates anymore because I'm super busy with school and soccer. So please bare with me here! I promise to try and update as fast as I can!1

I hope you liked the chapter!

AND THANK YOU SO SO SO SO SO MUCH FOR ALL THE REVIEWS! THE LAST CHAPTER GOT LIKE 30!

Thanks to FyrePheonix16, UnicornPrincess21, CakeIsAGoodFriend, Jeka564, maximumride8899, , Elemental Dragon Slayer, MusicIsMyLife14, Mac1222, Maximum Ride and Fang Ride, FangaKat, Guest, Funracheal, JustyYan, K.C.47, Ilovebooks, GirlStandingInTheRain, faxness1234, milky, Dr. Dog-Fax-Lover, Me, Sophisawesome, Mister Moronic, everlastingwolflove, maxride227, Sunshone, TrisEverdeen, cinnamonpizza8, twixtastebloodyawesome, MySilenceIsInfinity, jrenee13579, bethtab4cutie, and Snowswirl66 for all of the fantastically wonderful reviews that made me cry tears of joy! haha.

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maximumwriter19