Me: Guess what?
Max: What?
Me: I got my phone back!
Max: ... Duh.
Me: And I went back through and deleted all those annoying author notes!
Max: ... I don't mean to be redundant, but... duh?
Me: So, I've got this poll on my page that you guys should really check out...
Max: *rolls eyes*
Me: Because I could write the story either way, I just, don't know what to do.
Max: Anyway...
Me: R&R? :)
3 Months Later
Max POV
I sighed. After not getting much money out of Craig from a short and to the point, but stupid divorce battle, I, Maximum Ride, had to file for food stamps. My college education was cut short by Ari's arrival into the world, and therefore I had trouble finding a good paying job, and I'd much rather be taking care of the kids.
"Hey, Fang?" I called into the living room. He'd been spending more and more time at the apartment (one of the things I had, thankfully, been given in the divorce, along with my kids), especially now that Craig was gone, and I practically forced him to stay here, because I really didn't want him spending all his money on hotel rooms just so he could stay here a "teeny bit" longer.
A few minutes later, his head peeked into my bedroom. I wasn't naked, of course, but I was in shorts and a tank top, and it was my room, and we had done many things in rooms I once lived in, so the awkward tension that filled the air almost made me blush.
"Uh, yeah?" he stammered, shifting uncomfortably. I held back a smile.
"Can you watch the kids for a while? I have to go out real quick." Confusion crossed his face, but he instantly hid it.
"Yeah, sure." He left.
I finished fixing my hair, finally settling on pulling everything but my bangs into a ponytail, and letting the remaining hair fall just over my right eye.
Cute. I thought, smiling to myself in the mirror.
TIME LAPSE!
I walked up to my apartment door, amazed not to hear loud and obnoxious noises coming from inside. It was about 7 o'clock, and I had bought some groceries while I was out. I banged on the door with a bag filled hand.
"It's me, my hands are full, let me in!" I shouted, and heard Nikki shout back, "Coming!"
The door opened a few seconds later. Nikki smiled evilly at me, then walked away. I rolled my eyes.
"Thanks for the help." I muttered under my breath. As I carried the bags inside, I glanced into the living room. Lissa was curled up on the couch, snuggled up to Fang, half-asleep. They were watching some moving.
I gave him a weird look, and he shrugged. Ari was sitting on the floor at his feet. I smiled. Fang might've been silent, and non-expressive, but he had always been good with kids. Even Angel.
I walked into the kitchen, and started putting away food. I heard something behind me, and I flew around, letting out a sigh of relief.
"I thought I told you to quit that once!" I said, hitting Fang on the arm. He chuckled, and smirked at my glare.
"You never answered me before, so I'll ask again. Quit what, breathing?" I let out a quiet laugh.
"Those were the good 'old days." I muttered to myself. He nodded, reminiscing. "Did Liss fall asleep?" I asked, looking out into the living room. He smiled, and nodded again.
"Poor kid. She had to be exhausted." he said. I sighed, smiling.
He took a deep breath, and shifted his weight from side to side.
"What's up?" I asked, opening the fridge and putting away some cokes.
"It's nothing." he said quickly, and I rolled my eyes. "Just... thinking."
"Whatever." I muttered. "That's your, I don't know if I should say it or not, look."
He raised an eyebrow. "You know my.... 'looks'?" I smiled.
"I did grow up with you and live with you for almost 17 years." He gave me a different look, and I smirked.
"Seriously, though, it's... nothing." he said, after a few minutes of quietness.
"Fine." I said, shrugging. I hoped he could tell I wasn't pleased that he wasn't talking to me. I grabbed a soda out of the fridge and slumped down into a chair.
He sighed. "Don't be like that." he muttered, and I smirked.
"Seriously, though, it's fine." I said, mimicking him. He rolled his eyes, sitting down next to me.
"Whatever." he said under his breath, clearly annoyed.
I glanced at the clock behind me, and groaned. For once, I was getting tired, and it was only 8:30.
"Well, if you ever decide your nothing's something?" I said, standing, "You can always talk to me."
I left him in the kitchen, probably wondering if he could talk to me about whatever he wanted to, and picked up Lissa, carrying her to her bedroom. I sighed, tucking her in, and kissing her forehead.
After pushing Ari to bed, and making Nikki at least go to her bedroom, I headed to my room. I glanced into the living room, to check up on Fang, and saw him sprawled out on the couch, watching some TV show. I shook my head, smiling.
Eventually, I forced myself to lay down, and at least close my eyes. My brain was swarming with what that nothing could've been. And if it really was something.
Me: This wasn't what I was going to post originally, but... I thought it might've been too early for all that. What I didn't put in is probably going to be the next chapter, but that depends on the poll results! And yes, it does have to do with that "nothing".
Max: Do you think they couldn't figure that out on their own?
Me: *glare*
Max: On a lighter note...
Me: Thanks for reading!!