Chapter 10

MAX

I stood and watched Lisa leaved.

"I'm guessing we haven't seen the end of her?" Nudge asked.

The guys nodded.

"We haven't even seen the beginning yet." Jacob sighed.

I laughed. "So who are these other duet's that your 'all set with'?" I asked.

"Well you're going to sing this song with me and—" Fang started.

"WHAT?!" I cut him off with a terrified squeal.

"You heard me! You sound amazing with this song, it sound's better then I ever could have imagined it when you sing it." Fang laughed and my horrified expression.

"But I'm not famous! Or… Or I dunno…" I trailed off.

"Max!" Jacob cried. "You're very talented! Think of it as an opening to your career or something!"

"But I'm not famous like you guys!" I yelled.

"BUT YOU CAN BE!" Iggy yelled happily.

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah right."

Everyone in the room sighed exasperatedly.

I glared at Nudge. "You're not one to talk, little miss." I looked at Iggy, Jacob, and Fang. "She can sing and play the keyboard like a rock star, but she thinks she isn't talented at all."

"That's different!" Nudge cried.

I snorted. "Yeah right."

"How about we settle this back at the hotel?" Jacob suggested. "Let's just wait for a sec and get back to the song. Max, we need you to sing this song with us. If you don't, then the song goes belly up and won't make it on the album."

I sighed. "B-but! I'm not famous! What are your fans going to think when they see 'Max Ride' on your album? Nobody knows who I am!"

"That's exactly the point!" Iggy laughed.

"This will get people to know your name!" Gazzy burst out.

"This will get you noticed Max." Fang murmured to me.

I looked up at him; his eyes were boring into mine and making my brain go fuzzy. "Fine." I sighed, hating how easily Fang could persuade me.

"YES!" Everybody but me and Jason yelled.

"Okay then get in there because your time slot is ticking." Jason said very professionally. "Not to be rude, it's just that we're all booked up for today. But if you need another recording then I'm sure we could make space for you of all bands."

"Sure, sure thanks man." Fang nodded and pulled me into the booth once more. "Okay so that last one was amazing, don't change anything." He said to me.

I nodded. "Are you sure? I mean it needs to be perfect."

"Don't worry Max, we're just in the development stage of the song. You have no idea how helpful you and your amazing vocal range are. We finally have an insight into the female voice. Now we can make better duets."

I snorted. "Like you need help writing songs. You're amazing at it. All of you are."

"Eh, we're okay I guess." Fang winked at me.

I grinned. "Now let's get this over with before I pass out from nerves."

"Yes ma'am." Fang rolled his eyes.

And then the familiar strumming of the guitar began and we started singing the previous song ('Welcome to my Life').

After another hour in the studio, we finally got the acoustic version of the song; At last we headed back to the hotel.

It was around six o'clock by the time we got back because we had to take several detours in order to get away from the troublesome paparazzi.

"So… Eventually, that is if you guys still want us around, we're gonna have to show our faces to the public right?" I asked Fang and the rest of the band. "I mean if you really want me to do this song with you guys then word is gonna get out…"

"And when the time comes, if you guys are okay with it of course, we'll let them know your names." Jacob shrugged.

Fang nodded and stared at me.

I nodded too.

And we continued the car ride in silence.

The driver dropped us off at the corner before the hotel where the guys were staying and we got out and waited for them to get inside the hotel until we went inside.

"Ohmygosh Max did you like see how that Lisa girl was staring at Fang?" Nudge fumed as we leaned against the brick wall of a pastry shop, secluded from the view of the hotel. "She was all. over. him. It's like she didn't get the hint that he was freaking taken! He OBVIOUSLY liked you but she just had to go all wacko on him. And she didn't even know his real name!" Nudge laughed hysterically. "I mean how stupid can you get? She should have just taken the hint and moved on but noooooooo. She just had to act like a weirdo. Goodness she's just so—"

I capped a hand on her mouth. "Nudge! Nobody is taken by ANYBODY." I laughed. "Fang is just my friend! Calm down!"

Nudge let her jaw drop. "Oh yeah because people who are 'just friends' kiss each other on the cheek to say goodbye. Tell me Max. Have I ever kissed you on the cheek? Like ever? Because last time I checked we're friends and… this conversation is getting weird." She sighed.

I rolled my eyes and started crossing the street to the hotel as she followed behind me, blabbering about Fang and I.

"Nudge, shut up. The paparazzi will hear you." I murmured to her.

Her flow of words stopped as we entered the cloud of reporters.

"Excuse me Miss!" A reporter stepped in our path, then stared at me. "Haven't we seen you here before?"

"Probably. Because I'm staying at this hotel." I raised my eyebrows convincingly.

"Oh yes, yes of course." The reporter said.

I sighed. "Well if you're done asking pointless questions," I started rudely. "I'd like to go inside now."

Dragging Nudge behind me, I ran up the steps and shoved passed reporters, relishing the rush of warm air that hit me when I entered the hotel. The man behind the desk began to ask me a question and I held up my hand to him.

"No, I'm not staying in this hotel. Yes, I am a fan of 'The Flat Out's'. And before you throw me out—" I said to him, only to be cut off by Fang.

"She's with me." He smirked.

The concierge looked insanely confused.

"Uh… Sir are you sure…?" He asked.

"Positive. Thank you." Then Fang was towing Nudge and I towards the elevators.

"Why is it that people always assume that I'm just a crazy person here to sneak in to see your band?!" I practically snarled.

"Because everyone knows that we're staying at this hotel, and you're a girl and you like our music right?" Fang asked me jokingly.

I shrugged. "Eh, it's okay I guess." I rolled my eyes.

"Haha funny." Fang shoved me.

I pushed him back.

Then he took my hand and spun me around, making me squeal like the girl that I am.

Nudge cleared her throat loudly. "I'm still here people!" She rolled her eyes as she stepped out of the elevator and into the hallway outside of the penthouse. "At least wait until I'm out of the elevator."

Nudge strutted down the hallway as I playfully pushed Fang and stepped out of the elevator. Knocking on the door, she turned around to wink at me and mouth 'you're welcome'.

The door opened and Iggy flamboyantly swept Nudge off her feet and into the apartment, shouting something about making a 'dinner masterpiece'. I moved to follow her but Fang grabbed my hand.

"Not just yet!" Fang laughed. "You have got to see the view from the roof. And it just so happens that we have the only access to it. Now come, come!"

He pulled me down the hallway, away from the penthouse door and to a different door that said 'roof' on it.

After going up a flight of stairs, we stepped out onto the roof of the hotel.

There were flower beds built into the steel shackles that supported the roof and the lights and sounds of New York were echoing in every direction.

I smiled and started walking to the edge.

"This… is amazing." I whispered to Fang.

"It's a nice escape, isn't it?"

I just nodded and stared out across the city that was my home.

"Max?" Fang asked quietly after a while.

"Hmm?" I asked, not taking my eyes off the skyline.

Two fingers went under my chin and turned my face so that I was staring into Fang's intense, liquid-onyx eyes.

I was speechless at his intense expression.

"Max I… I hate how you make me feel—" Fang murmured to me.

"What?!" I gasped, allowing hurt to cover my face.

"Let me finish." He chuckled as my stomach felt like it was in knots and my heart felt like it was breaking. "I hat how you make me feel so vulnerable and emotional and open. I mean Jesum the first day we met I told you about my dead parents and told you my life story, which has yet to happen with anybody other than my brothers. And look at me, I can hardly stop talking when you're around, which never happens. I don't understand you. You're just so real and true and kind and… Gah I don't know." Fang ran a hand through his black hair and looked at me curiously.

My heart was racing. "What are you saying?" I breathed.

"I'm saying that… I don't want you to just fade into my distant memory as just a girl that I met in New York. I want you to be THE girl that I met in New York and talk to all the time and who can never fail to make me laugh." Fang paused. "I know we've only met but—"

"It fees like I've known you forever. I know." I laughed.

"Be my girlfriend?" Fang whispered to me, leaning down to my level.

I just smiled and nodded at him.

"Is that a yes?" Fang asked.

"Yes." I nodded, lost in his eyes. "Yes, I wi—"

Before I could finish the sentence, Fang hand put a hand on my waist, pulled me towards him, and kissed me.

OH SNAP!

Sorry for the cliffie... But at least all you FAX fans got some FAXNESS in this chapter! I know I took a while to update but thank you for being so patient and everything!

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS!

Thanks to larafares96, UnicornPrincess21, Elemental Dragon Slayer, CakeIsAGoodFriend, FyrePheonix16, Sunshone, WingsStarsAndSky, maxride227, guest, MissSemi-Dependent, FangAKat, guest, a person on earth, K.C.47, The Madrigal, maximumride8899, Ilovebooks, AlwaysLookinUp, cinnamonpizza8, faxness1234, MissLunaLovegood1999, Dr. Dog-Fax-Lover, me, rock3199star, Chrysti Doofenshmirtz, BlackxXxFire, TrisEverdeen, Ellaluvsya11, MissPriss, Spread My Wings And Soar, Fiona Siona, and Ashlay for all of the fantastic reveiws! You guys are so great and supportive and amazing! So thank you thank you thank you!

So I know that JP's characterization of Lisa wasn't meant to be a mean, stuck up girl like she is in my story but I needed a girl for that role to have in my story and Lisa just seemed like the best option just because Max hated her for kissing Fang in the ACTUAL Maximum Ride series! So yeah I just wanted to say that...

OH! And before I forget, here's a disclaimer:

I don't own Maximum Ride or any of the characters in that series. James Patterson owns them and I am not him. So yeah... There it is!

I don't know when I'll be updating but I'll try to make it as soon as possible!

Please keep reviewing and recommending this story to people if you want to! Because that just makes me feel so good about myself! Ha ha anywho I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Sorry about the long authors note...

Thanks!

maximumwriter19