Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Maximum Ride characters, all of that is owned by the wonderful James Patterson
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Chapter 10
I didn't move from my bed for three days.
Every time I got up to pee, I peed blood. When Dylan shoved me the sharp edge of the table stabbed into the small of my back, right where my kidney is, ergo the blood. It was painful to move, I couldn't bend or stretch or twist. The combined pain from the bruise in my side and the bruise on my back made getting up from my bed even harder to do, so I didn't.
I refused to speak. Jeb came to check on me every day, confused by my lack of a voice. I didn't show any symptoms of strep throat or any other disease, I looked as healthy as ever, no cough, no sneezing, but I couldn't speak. He spoke to me and I just looked right past him without really seeing him. He just couldn't figure it out. He kept trying to get me to eat, but I wasn't hungry, I just lay in my bed, looking up at the ceiling, wondering where I went wrong while Jeb's worry grew.
On the fourth day he sent in Angel, knowing I wouldn't be able to resist talking to her.
"Maxie, why won't you speak?" she asked my softly, placing her small hand on my cheek. For the first time in over three days I focused on something other than the ceiling. Angel's eyes looked big and worried. They were sky blue and intelligent, making her look decades older than the seven. Her small blonde ringlets curled around her face and down her back, she looked, well, angelic.
"I'm sorry baby." I told her, placing my hand over hers on my cheek. My voice sounded raspy from not using it for three days.
"We miss you, are you okay?" she whispered, coming closer to me.
"Yeah baby, I'm okay, I miss you guys too." I told her, my voice cracking. Tears sprang to my eyes. I blinked them away.
"What's that on your back" she asked me. I looked at her shocked. How did she know about the bruise? I looked down and saw that my tank top had risen up and the bruise on my lower back was completely visible. I rushed to pull it down and safely cover the bruise.
"Nothing, don't worry about it sweetie, I'm okay" I told her gently, covering up my back with my blanket. She stared at me disbelieving.
"Who hurt you Maxie?" she asked me gently, reaching over to run her hand along my blanket, where my lower back was.
"No one honey, it was just an accident, and you can't tell Jeb about it, he'll just worry." I told her seriously, making her look back at me.
"You have to promise me you won't tell him." I told her, leaning up on my elbow. Angel looked out the window for a second, considering my request.
"I promise." she told me, "But only if you get up and go back to school." she added. I nodded at her, knowing I had no choice.
"Only for you baby." I said softly, reaching out and tousling her hair, making her little curls bounce gently. She smiled up at me turning back into a happy seven year old. I pushed off the covers and placed my feet on the ground, instantly flinching from the cold. I stood on shaky legs and took a slow step forward. Satisfied, Angel turned away from me and ran out of the room. I could hear her run into Jeb's room, hopefully just telling him that I was up and on my feet.
I turned to my dresser and grabbed my favorite pair of jeans; the skinny ripped ones that fit just right, and my most comfortable tee. I went to the bathroom and stared in shock at my face. The dark circles under my eyes were strongly defined, my hair was messy and knotted, and my lips were red and chapped. First I washed my face and used some concealer to cover my dark circles, then I put on my best chapstick to smooth my lips, lastly I ran a comb through my tangled hair, getting rid of all the knots and braiding it into a silky side braid.
Finally satisfied I turned and went downstairs, stopping at the end of the stairs to slip on my black sneakers. Jeb stopped me just before I walked out the door to go to school.
"Good to see you up Max." he said placing a hand on my shoulder. I smiled at him, but it felt fake.
"Good to be up Jeb." I responded quickly. Before I could step away he pulled me into a hug, the bone crushing kind. I flinched hard and managed to refrain from crying out as he presses against the bruises on my side and back. After what seemed like an eternity he let go and stepped back.
"I love you Max, have a good day." he added, patting me on the shoulder and walking back to the kitchen to tend to the other's needs.
"I love you too Jeb." I called out to him, opening the door and stepping out into the world.
The drive to school helped me clear my mind, I knew I was going to avoid Dylan at all costs, never speak to him again if possible. The only people I would trust were Ella, Iggy, and Fang.
Feeling better about my choices and myself I walked quickly to my locker, only to tense up in fear when I noticed something stuck on my locker.
It was a rose.
I immediately knew who it was that put it up there, Dylan. I opened my locker only to see a white slip of paper fall from the shelf of my locker to the floor. I winced and rolled my eyes, it was just a note.
I reached down and opened it, not surprised by what it said.
I'm so sorry Maximum, I love you. -Dylan
In a burst of anger I crumpled it up and threw it back in my locker, banishing it to the depths. I wanted nothing to do with Dylan, and if he thought a stupid rose and an even more stupid note would get him off the hook, he was dead wrong. He hurt me, he didn't deserve me, or my love.
I slammed my locker closed and ripped the rose off of the metal.
"Shit!" I yelled out as a thorn pricked my pointer finger. I looked down and noticed a drop of blood already starting to form.
"Don't like the gift from your boyfriend?" I heard someone ask behind me.
"Shut up Fang." I said not bothering to turn around.
"What? He is your boyfriend right?" he asked me sarcastically, coming around to the front of me. I glanced up at him slightly, still struck by the gorgeousness of his slivery grey eyes.
"No. He's not anything to me." I told him through gritted teeth, my anger and hatred apparent. Fang looked at me, I could tell he was surprised, yet he seemed almost relieved.
"You two have a lovers spat?" he remarked with mock caring. I glared at him.
"Just shut up Fang okay, he's dead to me, that's all you need to know." I stated to him, my voice dripping with venom. Fang immediately backed off and my attention went back to my pointer finger, which now had a large drop of blood on it, ready to fall at any second.
"What happened to your finger?" Fang asked me softly, he grabbed my hand gently and pulled it closer to look at it.
"Stupid thorn pricked it." I explained softly. Without speaking Fang lifted my finger to his lips. My breath caught in my chest, I couldn't speak anymore. Fang parted his lips slightly and took the very end of my pointer finger into his mouth, gently licking off the blood. My tongue snaked out and wet my lips inadvertently. Fang looked at me; his eyes filled with some foreign emotion and then proceeded to drop my hand. I let it fall to my side, still staring into his eyes.
"Well good morning to you too." I told him, smirking slightly.
"You know what." Fang said suddenly, placing his arm around my shoulders, starting to lead me to class.
"What?" I asked him slightly suspicious.
"You should go to the dance with me on Friday." he said with so much bravado that I immediately busted out laughing.
"The dance? Really?" I asked him dubiously, still laughing. Fang nodded, not making eye contact.
"Yeah it will be tons of fun, plus I bet you look great in a dress." he told me with a wink, squeezing my shoulder gently.
"I'll have to buy a dress, and a ticket, and how will I get there? Is this like a date?" I questioned him, the words flowing from my lips as panic set in.
"I already have the ticket for you, I will drive you, and yes it's a date, I'll even take you out to dinner if you want." Fang responded with a smile in his voice. I tilted my head, thinking. When we reached the door to our class he paused, removing his arm from my shoulder.
"Just say yes Max, you know you want to, live a little." he begged me. I made the mistake of looking into his eyes, I couldn't say no to those eyes. I groaned.
"Yes." I whispered. Fang's smile grew so big, I didn't even know he could smile that big.
"I'll pick you up at six, we can go to dinner, and then I'll take you to the dance." he quickly told me, rushing to get all the words out before the bell rang for class.
"Okay." I groaned, already thinking about how I was going to have to buy a dress, I hated wearing a dress, I felt too much like a girlie girl. I looked up at Fang and he looked so happy that for a second I just smiled, he leaned over and kissed my cheek, lingering longer than necessary. His lips felt soft and warm against my skin. I blushed slightly and stared at the floor, silently moving past him into the classroom to my seat. He followed behind me taking his place two rows ahead of me.
The bell rang for class to start and soon I found myself lost in the world of numbers. But no matter what, that stupid smile would not leave my face.
I was going to my first dance.
Sorry I'm late, who knew fall could get so busy, but luckily I have a great idea for the plot so hopefully you'll get some earlier updates. Enjoy guys! Thank you for all the reviews and favorites/follows, it really keeps me writing. 3 Fly on lovelies.