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Chapter 10

"Smile for the picture Max," my mother's kind voice pleaded with me. A I did not want to obey, I wouldn't and that was that. I continued to pout at the photographer until my stomach grumbled.

I walked as fast as my stubby legs could go, and reached up to grab onto my daddy's pant leg. "I'm hungwy, Daddy!"

He chuckled and picked me up. Daddy leaned over and whispered something in mommy's ear. She skillfully balanced Ella, while leaning over to whisper something in the picture-taker's ear. Hehe, that's funny. I do that with my friends.

When Mommy and Ella were in place to the picture-taker's liking, Daddy bent his head and whispered to me, "We can go to the Outback Steakhouse after this."

Naturally, I beamed up at him. I knew he was good for something. Before I could realize what was happening, a bright light was flashing in my eyes. Wait, the light didn't flash, it stayed on. What is that?

I shot out of bed, realizing that it wasn't the photographer's camera that flashed, someone had turned on my bedroom lights.

"Don't shoot the messenger!" I heard Gazzy yell from down the hall. I glared, hoping the intense laser beams shooting from my eyes would travel through the walls and burn into his tiny, guilty body.

Giving up on my mission to rid the world of a Gazzy, I sat on my bed and pondered my dream. I'm not a deep, philosophical thinker by any means, but I remember that from when I was four years old. I remember that day as one of the best in my young life. I hadn't really minded the pictures, I just liked to annoy my parents. Even then I was a trouble maker.

The only thing that didn't add up is that Ella is five years younger than me. When we went to get our pictures taken, I was four. Huh, I guess I just can't have a perfect day without Ella there. Whoa, wait a minute. I meant, I just can't have a perfect day without Ella there to ruin it, that darned girl.

I felt my eyes starting to droop, so I checked the clock to see why I had to wake up so early. It was 7:00. In the morning! Ridiculous I know. However, the thing with me is that if I wake up, there is no way I can fall back to sleep. I've never been one of those people who can fall asleep on command. I have had my fair share of being jealous of those people though.

I counted to three in my head, then heaved myself up off the bed, and out the door. With my eyes half closed, I started down the hallway, only to bump into a rock solid wall. My eyes flew open as warm, inviting arms grabbed around the waist. Walls don't have arms! Oh well, they're soft. I settled back into the arms and smiled, hoping I would magically fall back to sleep.

Then I felt a vibration as the wall chuckled. "Max? Time to get ready for school."

I mumbled something incoherent, and made no move to extract my self from Fang's arms.

He chuckled again and picked me up like I was a feather. What is it with this boy and carrying me places? Not that I mind at all. You know, because who likes to walk places?

Fang settled me into a wooden chair that I assumed was my spot at the kitchen table.

Suddenly I perked up. I smell…syrup! My eyes snapped open and landed on the pancakes.

I heard laughter, and not just from Fang this time. I looked up to see the whole family watching in amusement as I took in the sweet aroma of Grace's homemade syrup.

I huffed in annoyance and said, "I think we've already established that I'm in love with food, so I don't know why this would surprise you."

"Don't worry Max, Iggy and Fang are just jealous that you almost eat as much as they do," Angel's sweet voice cam to my defense.

"What do you mean almost, I can keep up with Iggy and Fang just fine, thank you very much."

Once Grace had set out the plate of pancakes so that we could all dig in, Iggy, Fang and I dove in with no mercy. By the end of breakfast, the count was Fang 8, Iggy 9, and me 7 and a half. I tried to stuff it in, but apparently my stomach had other ideas.

Grace, Angel, Ella, and Nudge were sorely disappointed, being my diligent supporters. Iggy, Fang, Gazzy, and Jim just kind of nodded like that was what they expected to happen. I vowed to never again let that expression cross their faces ever again.

"You done good, kid. You done good," Nudge said to me after the battle was lost.

Ella and I looked at her quizzically. "Um, Nudge? She lost," Ella said with zero tact whatsoever.

I glared at Ella, letting her know that her comment did not go unnoticed. I then turned the force of my gaze on Nudge, awaiting her response.

"I know, I've always wanted to say that though. Hey, where did that quote come from anyway? Oh never mind, who cares. Don't you think I should be an actress though? I mean I delivered that quote with such raw emotion—"

"Bye Nudge!" I said loudly.

I ran up the stairs, but myself this time, I thought bitterly. I mean, I only thought that because no one likes to walk. I said that before, but it's true, I promise you. Everyone should have a personal Fang to carry them around. Oh wait, then I wouldn't have him to mysel—moving on.

Like I said, I made it to my room unassisted, and threw on a T-shirt and Jeans. Before I walked back into the hall to gather up notebooks, pens, pencils, etc., I checked the hallway to be sure neither Nudge nor Ella was lurking, waiting to pounce. Because, seriously, how cliché would it be if they tackled me and made me over on my first day of school.

The coast was clear except for Iggy and Gazzy who were snuck glances at me when they thought I wasn't looking. Their whispering wasn't very discreet either. Why so people keep doing that? Is there some kind of whisper about Max club going on here? I'll have to interrogate Fang later. Or maybe Angel, but I could just picture Gazzy shaking his head at me and saying 'low, Max, that was low.'

Oh well, now I just need to worry about navigating a giant new high school. Thoughts of Sam nagged at me, but I didn't allow them entrance. I refused to let my past haunt me at this new, kind place.

Once I had reached the bottom of the stairs, I realized that I had no idea where they kept the notebooks and school supplies; or when school started; or where the office was so I could register or…anything about the school, really.

I debated my options for a moment, then decided yelling was the best option. "EELLLAAA!"

"WHAT!" she yelled back in a similar fashion. See? Obnoxious, yes, but also effective.

Ella appeared after a moment looking annoyed, with half straightened hair, half of it gone wild.

"What?" Ella practically had steam blowing out of her ears. You don't want to mess with Ella and her hair…just don't.

My eyes darted around, looking for an escape route, and quickly darted to the stairwell, ignoring Ella's furious rants from downstairs. I approached Fang's door. Well, what I thought was Fang's room. Although, I think the black door was a pretty good indication of whose room it was.

I didn't bother knocking, just walked in. Fang's back was to me. His very shirtless back. His very muscled shirtless back. I took a moment to ogle him, then cleared my throat loudly.

He turned around, not looking surprised, then pulled a shirt over his tan six pack. "Nice six pack," I observed, trying to cover up the fact that I had liked that view a lot.

Fang smirked cockily. "Well, that's what happens when you play football, soccer, baseball, and are on the swim team."

I decided that he needed to be taken down a notch. I flexed my bicep and a satisfactory bump of muscle appeared. "Well this is what happens when you play soccer, softball, volleyball, basketball, are on the swim team, and do gymnastics."

Fang looked impressed, but quickly covered it up, so that I wasn't sure if it had ever been there in the first place. "Your list may be longer, but mine is more manly."

Seeing my murderous look, he cut me off smoothly. "What did you come in here for anyway?"

"Where are the school supplies?"

"I need some notebooks too, just follow me." Fang walked out of his room, leaving me dumbfounded. Wow, that boy has some muscles.

I jogged to catch up to him and asked, "Hey Fang, can you walk me to the office before school?"

He looked at me, amused. "Max, what did you think I was going to do, leave you to the wolves?" He chuckled. "I'll help you check in Max, no need to worry. I can probably walk you to homeroom too."

"No, that's okay. I can find my classroom's by myself. What If my homeroom is across the school from yours?"

"And what if they're right next to each other?" Fang shot back. He was not giving up for anything.

I sighed. "Alright, just don't make me give you my books to carry. Don't want to seem like some sort of damsel."

He rolled his eyes and smiled. "You're a keeper Max, that's for sure."