You guys are the best, I don't even tell you to review and you still do it! I love it!
I don't care! I love it!
I don't care! I love it!
Okay, that's enough of that, although that song describes most of my life... Moving on! Sorry I didn't update yesterday. I've basically been getting up at 6, not getting home from school until 5ish, then being back at school or something at 6. Then getting home at 9, talking to my mom for a few minutes, picking out my clothes for the next day since it's homecoming week, showering and going to bed. Hope you understand and don't hate me! Here's the late chapter!
Chapter 10
FANG POV
How could she say that? Did she really hate me as much as she seemed to? I hadn't even done anything wrong! If she thinks me being chivalrous towards her is 'wrong,' she's wrong, and I know she liked it. There has to be something else going on. Why won't someone just tell me? I fumed the whole way to drop Iggy off, he attempted to calm me down, but it was a lost cause. He got out and apologized. I drove home, and then remembered Nudge was still in the back. I looked in my mirror, making sure she was. She was, and she was looking at me with a worried expression. "What?" I snapped at her.
She narrowed her eyes at me before speaking to me. "You don't have to take your anger out on me. I don't know what's going on anymore than you do. But I think I'll be able to figure it out pretty soon. Give me another day, I'll figure this out for you, Fang." I turned my attention back to the road. When we pulled into the driveway, Nudge and I grabbed our bags and I went upstairs to get started on my homework.
When I pulled out my assignments, Max's came tumbling out. I forgot to give them to her in the midst of her yelling at me to get out. It just brought all the emotions back. I put my head down on my desk. I hit my stereo next to me and it started to play Missing, by Evanescence. That song basically portrayed all my emotions. I was falling for Max, so hard, and she didn't even care about me. But I still felt like I was missing something important. I went back to doing my homework. Who cares? She's just some girl I met yesterday, there were plenty at school dying to date me. Why did I just see that one then? I went to FlyingBeats, since I knew Max wouldn't be working. Matt told me I had the job and that I would start working Monday. I went back home and ignored both Nudge and Melanie. I went to bed early that night.
MAX POV
When Anne got home, I was on to vacuuming the second floor. The twins had got home from cheer an hour before. "What took you so long, Anne?" I asked her.
"I was just talking to a guy a work with, he's coming to my party tomorrow." I turned to look at her.
"How many guys have you slept with that will be at this party?"
"That is none of your business, little girl." She sneered back.
"Uh, uh, uh, Anne. Don't you dare talk to me like that. We have a deal, remember? I just wanted to know how many disappointed guys will be going home after the party is over. What do you want for dinner?"
"Don't remind me, I am starting to regret it. How about something with chicken? Ooh, like that chicken and wild rice weight watchers stuff? I can't be fat or bloated for my party tomorrow!" She went up the stairs to her room. I finished the room I was vacuuming and went down to cook dinner. Luckily, that was something on the list, so doing something I had to do, and I got to get it crossed off the list. The only starred item left was to vacuum the third floor. Then I had to start polishing all the silver and all the china that would be used for the party tomorrow. After that, polish all the doorknobs. This was going to be a long Friday. I also had to supervise the caterer tomorrow. Anne was terrified that someone would try to poison her. I don't know why she thought I would stop someone, I would be grateful if she was dead.
Technically, my dad didn't have a will when he died. So, legally, everything that belonged to him, went to his wife. Including all of his money and his children. She also got everything that was my mother's that Jeb got because she didn't have a will when she died. Very soon after Jeb died, Anne started to become paranoid that someone would try to murder her, so she got a will made up. If she died, everything that she owned would go to Lissa and Brigid, including the things she got from Jeb. Some money and a few possessions would go to Ari and Ella as well, but the only thing I would get was legal guardianship of the other four kids, unless I wasn't 18, then we would go to her sister in Orlando. That is the only thing Anne ever saw me good as, cheap labor and taking care of her children.
This whole situation just made me a lot madder now that I had seen Fang. I really should have talked to him. Maybe we could have worked something out. I walked around the kitchen in sort of a trance. I was just doing the motions. Ari was sitting at the counter, working on his homework, seriously, what fifth grader needs homework? But anyways, he seemed to notice. "Maxie, what's wrong?"
I turned and looked at him wide eyed. I'm glad he reminded me of his presence, I was on the verge of tears. Sometimes I am so stupid. "Nothing, bud. Just stressed a little." See, Ari didn't know that it wasn't normal for the oldest girl to stay home and do work instead of going to school and work. Anne didn't want him to really know how bad she was to me, so she told him some shifted truths sometimes.
"Okay. I just don't like it when you are sad, Maxie! I like it when you are happy and make me mac n cheese!" He looked cheerful. I walked around the counter and lifted him up off the stool and cuddled him in my arms.
"Oh, Ari, I'll make you mac n cheese whenever you want! Is it okay if I heat some up that Ella made you last night that you didn't eat?"
"Yes, Maxie!" He was so adorable! I put him back on his stool, because truthfully he was kind of getting too heavy for me to lift. I should start lifting more. I heated up the mac n cheese and finished the rest of the dinner for everyone else. This weight watchers stuff is so not filling enough for my fast metabolism. Ella doesn't really need it either, but the other three really do. Trust me, I knew them before Lissa and Brigid went to school with us, and before they started actually watching their weight. It wasn't pretty. Anyways, I had a whole bunch of snacky/healthy food hidden in my room, for me to eat later. When it was finished, I called everyone on the pager system to tell them it was ready. Ella raced down to eat, the rest walked fairly slow, like the proper ladies they were. Pfft, yeah, right.
After dinner, I realized Iggy hadn't given me my homework when he came in. "Hey, Ells, did Ig give you my homework by any chance?"
She looked down at the floor sheepishly. "No, Fang has it."
"Why does Fang have Max's homework?" Lissa asked.
"Lissa, go away. I don't even like him. And his emotions are his own thing, so just deal. It's not like he would actually consider actually dating me anyways." I replied. "Now, Ella, same question. Why does Fang have my homework?"
"Did I just hear you say that name, Max? We have a deal. If you are talking to him, I will have to break it, and that would be too bad, wouldn't it?" Anne said from the other end of the table.
"Yes, we have a deal, Anne. No, you don't need to break it. Just apparently he took it upon himself to get my homework from my teachers instead of just letting Iggy take care of it."
"You are right about one thing, though, Maxie." Lissa sneered at me. "Fang would never date you. Do you hear me? He deserves someone who will look good next to him, someone who will be his trophy wife. Not someone who will always bring him when people see her. He deserves someone like me."
"Or me!" Brigid piped up.
"No, like me, Brigid. He doesn't even know you. We have homeroom together." Lissa replied while tossing her fiery hair behind her.
"I have homeroom, science, creative writing, gym, home ec, and music with him. So ha, Lissa. But you're right, he does deserve all those things, and I can't give it to him. So I wish him the best in life, and pray to god, he doesn't have to end up with you, or you." I turned to Brigid on the last part. Then stood up, walked to the stairs to go down, and ran to my room. I threw myself on my bed and did something I haven't actually done since my dad died. I cried. I sobbed. I screamed into my pillow. I don't even know why I was really crying. I tried to remember that Fang didn't even matter, but somehow he did.
I heard Ella come down and sit on my bed. She started stroking my hair. Shortly after she sat down, Ari came down. When he saw I was crying, he curled up next to me. He started to whisper to me. "Maxie, Maxie, poor little Maxie. Don't be sad, Maxie. You make me sad when you are sad. Please stop crying, Maxie. Please. Please, Maxie."
Eventually, I did stop crying. I pulled Ari into a tight hug, then sat up with him still in my arms. I motioned for Ella to join us. Then I heard a tap on my window. Yes, even though I'm in the basement, I have a window. You know those little window well things? Yeah, I have one of those and an egress window. My dad had it put in, just in case something happened and we had to get out of the house but someone was in the basement. After he died, I also added a ladder so I could sneak out and Iggy could sneak in. Of course, Anne didn't know about the ladder.
I looked up and sure enough, Iggy was standing in my window well. I turned to Ella and motioned for her to go open it for him. I didn't think I would be able to speak without my voice cracking after crying for so long. She looked over, and her eyes brightened. She ran over to the window and opened it for Iggy. He thanked her as he climbed in.
"Maxie, you look like death. Ells told me it was bad, but not this bad! Were you actually crying?" I just glared at him, I was proud when I turned to Ella and she was, too. When he saw Ella, his eyes widened. "Dang! Why did I even come? I always say the wrong thing." He turned to leave, but Ella grabbed his arm and dragged him over to the bed where I was still holding Ari. "Come here, Max." Iggy said, opening his arms for a hug. Ari clambered off of me, and I stood up and embraced him. Then I just started crying all over again. Luckily, this time it was just silent tears rolling out of my eyes onto his shirt.
"Oh, Max. What's the matter? Everything will be alright. Leave it to the Igster. I'll fix everything." He said while stroking my hair. After I was done, I looked up at him. He smiled down at me, and I tried to smile. It probably came out more as a grimace, though.
"Iggy, the thing is, I don't even care. I don't understand why I'm crying!"
"Max, the thing is, you do care. That's why, but everything will be fine." Iggy chuckled. I looked over and saw Ella and Ari sitting on the couch.
"Iggy, Anne can't know you are here. She's already really mad at Max for the 'lack of chores' she got done today and then for running out on dinner." Ella said.
"Oh, bull. Max probably got tons done today. If she doesn't think so, she has another think coming." Iggy said while rolling up his sleeves. "She can just have a piece of my mind."
"No, Iggy. I can't risk anything. Why are you even here?" I said sitting down on my bed, pulling Iggy with me. "Sorry about your shirt."
"It's fine. And Ella texted me saying a little of what went down. She said you were really upset and so I came over here as quick as I could. What kind of best friend would I be if I just let you be comforted by your siblings?"
"Okay, I guess you are okay. Thanks, Ella, but I could have handled it by myself. Iggy, why couldn't you have just gotten my homework? That's what brought it up in the first place!"
"Fang has more classes with you, and he insisted. He said something about it giving him an excuse to see you. And I probably shouldn't have just told you that."
"Don't say his name. It'll be just my luck they hear you. And I can't stand the sound of it anyways. And you shouldn't have said that." What was he thinking? If I said I didn't want to see him, it meant I didn't want to see him!
"Max, you don't understand..."
"Stop, Iggy. Stop while you are ahead. I already tried that approach this afternoon." Ella said.
"Max. You are going to be able to talk to him. I promise. I will make it so. It just isn't fair. I understand everything. I understand you want to take care of Ella and Ari. I understand you want to get out of here and get your own place. I know how much you love that guitar, but I can also see how much you need Fang, even if you just met him."
"But..."
"But, nothing, Max. You and Fang have a special connection. It's stronger than what we have, and we've known each other for 11 years! You've known Fang one day and you already can't live without each other, Max. I'm not going to sit by and let Anne ruin your life for something she hopes for her own daughters that will never happen. Tomorrow, you will be at that sleepover, and if not, he will be here. You will see each other."
"How is that going to happen? I'm going to be busy all day and all night, until all the guests go home, which will probably be about 1 in the morning. I just can't, Iggy. It's not going to work, and it's not going to help."
"What kind of party is it, Ella?" He asked her.
"Well, Iggy, it's what all of Anne's parties are. Masquerade, because otherwise everyone would be able to see her hideous face!" They both started laughing and I felt the corners of my mouth turn upwards.
"So, if someone were to sneak in down here, uninvited, and go upstairs to join the party, no one would notice?"
Ella nodded. "Especially if that boy were very handsome and looked a lot older than he really was. And if someone was down here to let them in, of course."
"You can't be serious! You are going to sneak Fang into this house, send him up to a party that Anne is hosting, and Lissa and Brigid will be in attendance, and expect him to want to talk to me, all without getting caught?"
"Precisely, and he won't need to be at the party very long, at midnight, he'll leave, and we will have propped the window open so he can wait down here for you. And after all the guest are gone, you will come down here and you can come to his house to spend the rest of the night with us. You should also probably clean the window well tomorrow so he can get in and not get dirty." Ella explained, almost too enthusiastically.
"And what about in the morning when the three step monsters wake up and I'm not here?"
"You will be here, because you will leave Fang's by 6:30. If they wake up any earlier than that after having a party the night before, they have a problem." Iggy finished. He must be some sort of criminal mastermind.
"I don't know, you guys. What does Fang say about all this?" Both their eyes widened and they looked at each other, then at me, then back at each other.
"Well, you see, Max, umm..."
I stood up. "You didn't even tell Fang about this plan that he plays such a heavy part in? He probably doesn't even want to ever see me again after I yelled at him this afternoon! You should really think your plans through more before telling them to me! Iggy, you should probably go now, it's getting late and you all have school tomorrow." Iggy gave a last worried glance at Ella, and then one at me, before climbing out the window and heading home.
"Ella, Ari, you should probably go upstairs to bed, too." I knelt down in front of Ari. "Please don't tell anyone about this stupid plan that Ella and Iggy came up with. It'll just make everything worse." He nodded. "Thanks, little guy. Now sleep tight. Good night Ells." I gave Ari a peck on the cheek, and they turned to walk up the stairs, but I saw Ella's worried glance at me, over her shoulder. I turned and walked back over to my bed. I tried to sleep, believe me, but I just couldn't. So that's how I spent my night until Anne paged me at 7 the next morning.
I'm sorry this chapter was so depressing! It makes me so sad! But it just adds more to the drama! Only a few more chapters until the party/sleepover! That is the longest chapter I've written. Also, sorry to anyone I actually know that's reading this, which you should tell me if you do... I had to include 'the thing is I don't care' part. Also, I was PMing someone this past week, and they commented on the fact that it's not really living up to the title. Yeah, I know. I'm sorry. A Cinderella Story was kind of my inspiration/basis, but I've drifted from it, so if anyone after reading so far has a better title, summary, or even chapter titles, let me know! If I like it, I'll use it, and give you credit! See all you party animals next week!