Yo,

Yes, I know I know. I've been really slack lately, but I'm back now. I have started anouther fanfic. A Merlin fanfic actually, since S04 is out and I'm TOTALLY addicted. :)

Anyway, topic of the chapter. The best T-shirts in the world. I have one on right now that says "I don't suffer from insanity... i enjoy every minute of it." :P Isn't that just totally awesome?

FLy On...

Heart of Diamond

xoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxox

It Takes Six to Save the World...

Chapter 9: Minigolf: My Hated Sport

Max POV

So here I was. Sitting in the back seat with Nick. Both of us were giving death glares at Jeb, who had the radio on loud and was singing merrily.

I sat the furthest away from Nick possible. Nick sat the furthest away from me possible. We both stared out the window at the green around us. I could feel the tension in the air like static electricity.

And Nick was the source.

Jeb glanced back at us. "I'll going to have to stop at the petrol station. Anything you guys want?"

Once again, neither Nick nor I spoke.

Jeb wasn't surprised. He drove the car into the station and parked it. I had a quick glance at the petrol meter before he turned off the car. It was just about half full. Plenty of petrol to take us to the centre of LA and back twice.

If I had a knife in my hand, I think I would have been convicted of murder.

And Nick would be in the murder cell beside me.

I continued to stare out the window as I heard the petrol glug into the tank. The silence was building the tension. I shall resist.

Of course that didn't last long. I couldn't take it anymore. I snuck a glance at Nick.

He had his head leaned against the window and his eyes looking to the sky. His hands were slack in his lap.

He looked... defeated.

Of course, his face was blank and emotionless. But his eyes and body gave his emotions away.

His eyes flickered to me and as quick as I could, I snapped mine to the outside again.

What are you doing Max? You gave up on him remember? That's what he wanted. He hates you. You don't want to be interested in him anymore. You don't want to work out his mysteries. Why are you messing with your own emotions?

"Jeb wants us to talk," Nick said in a whisper.

Regretful. Again I was surprised to see there was no hatred in his voice.

"That's not going to happen," I said quickly. I hoped he couldn't read the fear on the edge of my voice.

"Ok."

Just like that Nick faded back into silence. Why did I get the impression that he was disappointed? Why did I feel that he DID actually want to talk to me?

Maybe he was sorry. Maybe he really did want to apologise…

Max. Stop it right now. Nick wants you to leave him alone. Why on earth are you still trying to dissect him like a frog in a science lab?

Jeb walked into the store, paid for the petrol and came back out with two chocolate bars and three coke bottles. He opened the door to the car and placed the chocolate bars and the two cokes between Nick and I.

Neither of us moved.

Jeb continued down the road. The radio was back on and Jeb began to sing to the songs again. Normally I would of hummed to the song or at least tap my foot, but my senses were on overdrive and I couldn't even concentrate on the music.

My stomach rumbled. I was hungry again. Dam! I reached for a chocolate bar.

The same time Nick did.

Our hands touched and we both flinched away. We snapped our gazes to meet each others. For a few seconds we held our eyes on each other.

Suddenly, I wanted to talk to him too. Strange as it seems, I wanted to forget the whole bedroom-I-saw-all-those-pictures thing never happened. Wanted to work out his mysteries. I wanted to know Nick better.

I snatched up the chocolate bar and forced myself to look out the window. Stupid, Stupid, Stupid. Why oh why do I want to do that? Just stop it Max. Just stop it right now!

He hates you. Period.

I un-wrapped the chocolate bar and shoved it my mouth, not really caring what it tasted like. I continued to stare out the window, but my eyes caught Nick's reflection. I growled to myself and stared through the reflection and at the details of the objects flying past the window.

"Alright kids, we're here!" Jeb said cheerfully.

Jeb. Must. Die.

The Mini golf was probably the most deserted place I had ever been to, since I arrived in LA. There were three cars here. Oh, and did I mention one had the Mini golf sign on the side, an obvious signal that it belonged to the worker here.

Jeb pulled up right in front of the building. It wasn't a big place. The sign on the building was massive, but in a small script it said the there was 30 holes and a maze.

Jeb cut the engine and turned to us. "You guys ready?"

Both Nick and I didn't move.

"Come on," Jeb said clapping his hands. "Time to go."

I groaned and opened the car door. I stepped out. I was tempted to break my strap by snapping my wings open and fly away. Trust me. It was very tempting.

I slammed the car door closed and walked over to the other side. Nick had climbed out of the car and arms crossed. Jeb smiled at the both of us, but I glared at him back.

Nick and I followed Jeb into the building. I stuck close to Jeb, trying to put as much distance from Nick as possible. Nick seemed to do the same, hanging back behind Jeb.

We entered the building and came immediately to a cafe. No one was in the cafe. There was a bleached haired teenage girl sitting behind the counter picking her nails and chewing gum so loudly that I could hear her saliva slosh around in her mouth.

Gross.

Jeb walked right up to the counter. I pulled up a chair and sat down on it, crossing my legs and arms. Nick went and gazed over the displays of different golf items signed by famous players. Not that I knew any of them.

Jeb walked over to where I was sitting with three putting sticks and three golf balls. "You guys ready?"

I snatched my putting stick and golf ball out of his hand, glaring at him. I marched straight out the door and to the entrance of the mini golf course.

I arrived at the first hole. It was a simple hole. You just had to guide your way round the rocks.

I slammed my golf ball on the ground. Dam! I shouldn't have done that. I lifted the golf ball up and winced when I saw the deep dint I had created. I have to be more careful then that.

I placed the golf ball beside the dint. Taking my putting stick, I hit the ball.

Of course, my anger went into that little ball. The anger on Nick, the anger on Jeb. The ball flew across the course and hit a rock. I watched in bounce off into the garden. I sighed. You see? This is why you don't make me get angry.

Jeb grinned as he and Nick walked over. Nick looked bored and angry. Exactly the way I was feeling.

"Do you want another go?" Jeb asked.

Sure, I mean this is my favourite game in the universe. "No."

Jeb sighed and wrote down something on the score card. "If you insist... Nick your turn!"

Nick glared at Jeb. I walked in the garden as I collected my golf ball and stood there watching Nick, arms crossed and a narrow expression on my face.

Nick, of course, hit it perfectly. He must have mental moving power or something, because the ball 'magically' dodged all the rocks and rolled neatly into the hole.

Perfectionist.

Jeb grinned. "Well done Nick, hole in one!"

I'll give you a hole in one Jeb...

Nick walked past me, giving me a satisfied smirk. Oh, where being competitive now? Bring it on Emo boy.

I glared at him as I watched him pick up the ball out of the hole. When Nick stood up, I looked at Jeb, who was setting his ball down. I could feel Nick staring at me, but I refused to meet his gaze.

Jeb took two shots to make it into his hole. Once it was finally in, I marched off to the next hole. Nick snickered, but ignored it. I placed my ball down and hit it.

This hole was mainly a bridge in the middle and a couple of hills. Also around the hole were two pits of sand.

Of course, once again my anger got the better of me. Except this time it fell into the stream running under the bridge. And then I looked like the idiot running after it.

Nick and Jeb both got a two par. I still refused to take a second shot.

It wasn't til the 5th hole did Jeb make his move again. I had hit the ball off the course every single time.

Jeb stood up straight and stretched. "Ahhh. I think that's it for me. I'll be at the cafe."

That was it. He just handed the score card and pencil to Nick and left. Leaving Nick and I standing there, glaring at Jeb's back.

"I'm going to kill him," I said seriously, still glaring at Jeb.

"You're not the only one," Nick spat through his teeth.

I picked up my ball, tempted to lob it a Jeb's head. "Come on."

5 more holes of pure silence. I kept hitting mine of course, while Nick was getting 2 or 3 pars. I was getting angrier about being angry.

On hole 12, I once again hit it off course. Except this time was different.

Nick had caught the ball.

As soon as I hit it, Nick snapped out his arm. It blurred as he snatched the ball out of the air. I almost thought that he didn't catch it, until I saw his gaze drop to his hand. His fingers fiddled with the golf ball.

Insert another OMG session.

That was not possible. How on earth did he just do that?

Well… I mean I could do that, but Nick was human.

My mind wasn't thinking clearly as he walked towards me. I just stared at him, but his face was blank. He stopped about a meter away from me and held my gaze. An invisible smirk appeared on his lips.

He wasn't angry. There wasn't a hint of dislike in his actions or his expression. Or lack of.

Does that mean he doesn't hate me?

"Do you want help?" He whispered.

There were so many things I could have said. Go away. Not on your life. At least 99% of them would have been ending with a no. But like I said, I wasn't thinking clearly. Actually, I don't think I was thinking of anything except Nick.

"...Ah..."

Nick chuckled. I watched him place the ball on the ground in front of me. I watched him stand up and walk behind me. Like he was letting off some magnetic field, I felt his every move.

When I felt his breath on the back of my neck, I froze. I felt my heart rate rise and my blood rise to the surface of my skin all over my body. I had never felt anything like this before.

My anger melted away. What was I feeling now? I had no idea. I felt light. I felt like I was flying yet, I also felt as if I drifting in water. It was such a calming feeling.

Slowly Nick brought his hands around me and placed them over mine, holding the putter. I stared at our hands. He would have to be able to hear my heart beat. It was pounding in my ears like you wouldn't believe.

For a brief period of time, my mind came to its senses. It demanded to know why on earth I was doing this. I should be pushing Nick off. Telling him to leave me alone. To tell him to go away.

But for some obscure reason it felt... strangely... what's the word?

Right?

"Ok," Nick whispered in my ear. I felt hypnotised. I felt like I was under a spell. His voice was like velvet. Like music. I had never noticed this type of voice before.

"Firstly, you need to relax," He said slowly and softly.

A nuclear bomb could've hit LA and I'd still be standing here like an idiot listening to his voice.

I immediately relaxed my tense muscles I didn't realise I was holding. I felt like I was on fire. His hands on mine. His breath on my neck.

His chest briefly touched my back and I tensed again. Wings. Could he feel them? What would happen then? He'd think I'm a freak.

He'd defiantly hate me then.

"Relax," Nick commanded softly.

I obeyed. Why? I don't know. Once again, I felt sucked under the strange light headed feeling. Sucked under his spell. Memorised by his voice again.

He brought the putt back on an angle. "You don't need to hit hard," He whispered into my ear.

"Ok," I whispered softly. My voice strangely held a slight shake to it. I could almost feel him smile.

With Nick's hands on mine, my putt hit the ball.

The ball travelled down the course neatly. I watched it dodge the sand pits. It circled before it slipped into the hole.

Nick let my hands go. I turned around to face him, standing less than 20 cm away from him. His face actually showed emotion. Emotion I had never seen on his face before. Care. Forgiveness.

He forgave me. There were no words, but I could see the emotion in his striking dark eyes. He wanted me to understand that he didn't hate me.

He didn't hate me.

Suddenly my shoulders felt so much lighter.

"Hole in one," He whispered his voice still amazingly velvety. "Nice."

I couldn't believe it.

That was the first compliment Nick had ever given me.

I must have looked like an idiot, staring at him. I was in such a weird mood. I was numb, but I could feel more than I ever have before.

Nick mouth stretch into a small smile. He held out his hand. "Friends?"

If I was thinking straight, I would have walked away. I would have slapped his hand, or twisted it. But in this airy fairy mode I was in, ignoring his offer seemed wrong. It seemed cruel now that it seemed he was asking for more than my friendship.

He was asking me to forgive him too.

I gripped his hand with mine. Fire ran through my blood at the simple contact. My heart rate rose again. But thankfully, I managed to keep my voice steady.

"Friends."

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

And so the FAX begins! REVIEW!