Nudge: Why is this chapter so long?
Me: Because there is a lot of information to get in here…
Angel: No one is gonna want to read this…
Me: Well aren't you a freaking bundle of joy!
Fang: Where's Max?
Max: Over here, genius.
Fang: Hostility not necessary.
Me: Can you all just shut up and let me do my thing?
Iggy: What thing? You don't have a thing.
Me: Don't make me come over there and beat you senseless!
Legend: Touch my man and I will individually peel of every one of your finger nails then hang you from the ceiling by your toes and let you bleed out through your forehead…
Me: *Gulp* Okay, um, you're officially a freaking bottle of mental instability. Anyway, you should already know that I don't own anything from Maximum Ride.
All (Except me): Ha, ha!
Me: Haha, you're soo funny.
Gazzy: On with the story! I'm dying to know what happens next!
Legend:Gay…
2 weeks later.
A throbbing bass pounding in the next room pulled me out of my nightmare and into the bright light of a sunny morning. I made a sound between a cough and something a cat does when it's dying, rolled out of my bed, and pulled my silk robe around my shoulders. I turned to wake Iggy up but froze at the sight of two empty beds. I looked around, confused, but knowing that he wouldn't just be standing in a corner or something. Then my eyes fell on a little slip of white paper at the edge of Iggy's abandoned bed.
I picked up the note and read:
Good morning, Sleeping Beauty,
You're probably standing there reading this all confused, but don't worry, I'm not MIA; I'm just taking a shower. I know, shocker, but we're leaving today so Max gave me ten bucks to bathe. Get dressed and packed, then come out for some breakfast. Don't forget your new robe and t-shirt.
Love Iggy…
I laughed at the little smiley face then dropped the paper into my robe pocket. I rushed around the room and grabbed all of my belongings, not that there were a lot. I threw my robe into the backpack last and pulled my jeans on. I walked over to the chair in the corner and grabbed my new flowery shirt. I turned and looked at myself in the large mirror on the wall, cringing at the sight.
I've always avoided looking in mirrors my whole life. My shirt fell from my hands and landed in a heap on my left foot. I reached up and covered my mouth with my hands as tears dripped from my eyes and onto my cheeks.
My eyes slowly moved from my face to my neck, which was almost perfectly porcelain with only two little freckles on it. I took a deep breath as my eyes continued to my chest. They passed my shoulders and my gray bra and stopped on my stomach. I blinked hard, hoping that the image was just a terrible hallucination, but knew I couldn't avoid it anymore.
I took another deep breath, and then opened my eyes to examine my gruesome body. My eyes moved along the long, dark, and ugly scars that covered my pale torso. They zigzagged along my skinny stomach that once looked normal. Just looking at the repulsive marks shot pain through my body and I flinched as I moved to touch one that ran an inch under my bellybutton. It was cold and numb and just brought on another shot of emotional pain. I slowly rotated and looked back over my shoulder as best as I could. I sobbed into my hair once I saw the same marks covering my back and surrounding my wings.
Marks from my father, I thought, anger flooding through me. Suddenly, couldn't take it anymore. I turned around again and punched the mirror with all my strength. The music quickly shut off in the other room and glass pieces showered the floor at my feet. I flung myself onto my bed. I pulled my knees to my chest and fell sideways, burying my face in a pillow. I pulled a blanket around me to hide the scars and I rocked back and forth, thinking of happy things like hugging Iggy, dancing with Nudge and Angel, baking cookies with Max, anything to get my mind off of my mutilated body.
"Le?" Iggy shouted from the hallway. I pulled the blanket over my head and tried to stop crying. I heard the door slam open and then multiple gasps. Someone whispered something about a broken mirror to Iggy. "Legend?" Iggy asked, and then I heard his footsteps and felt a hand on my leg. "Can you give us a minute?" Iggy asked, and then I heard footsteps slowly fade away. The music in the other room came back on, but not as loud this time.
"Legend, what's going on?" Iggy asked softly, pulling the blanket away from my face.
"I-I," I stammered, looking for a way to explain what was going on. I shook my head, and a fresh wave of tears flowed down my face. Iggy reached up to touch my face and found my cheek wet.
"It's okay," He whispered, pulling me into his arms. "Legend, are you wearing a shirt?" He asked when his arm touched my bare side.
"Not exactly," I murmured, pulling away from him.
"Why?" He asked calmly.
I didn't say anything; I just grabbed his hand and dragged his finger along one of the scars on my stomach.
"Do you feel the scar?" I asked, lacing my fingers through his.
"Yeah," He murmured, moving his other hand to grab our intertwined ones. I lie back on the bed and set his hand over my bellybutton. He gasped as he felt the zigzags across my stomach.
"Legend," he said, scooting closer to me. "Who did this to you?"
"My dad," I whispered, sitting up. I leaned forward and put his hand on the middle of my back. He made a sympathetic noise and moved his hand up. He dragged it up my spine, over the back of my bra, and set it between my wings.
"I'm so sorry," he whispered, pulling me into a bear hug.
"Don't be," I said, wrapping my arms around his waist. "Do you know where I can find a pair of scissors in this house?" I asked into his shoulder.
"Why?" He asked, alarmed.
"I need to cut some slits in my new shirt," I murmured, chuckling. He let me go and went to retrieve some scissors for me. I went to my bag and pulled out my robe again. I put it back on and went over to mess of broken glass on the floor. I picked up the big pieces and crossed the hall to the bathroom to throw them away. When I walked back into the hallway I was greeted by two little girls wrapping their arms around me.
"We're so sorry, Legend," Nudge said.
"What are you talking about?" I asked, rubbing their shoulders.
"About your dad," Angel said, looking up at me.
"Crap, I forgot that you read minds," I murmured, smiling down at her.
"It's a blessing and a curse," she said, giggling.
"Well thank you," I said. They ran off down the hall to get breakfast and I went back into my room. I sat down on the edge of my bed, and set my face in my hands.
"Hey," a voice said from behind me, making me jump. I stood up and turned around to see Fang sitting with his legs crossed in the middle of my bed. He had a dust pan and mini broom in his hands, too.
"Oh, hi," I said, pulling my robe tighter around me.
"Sorry to intrude, but I just wanted to say thanks for not going easy on me about Max. I think all I needed was a good kick in the ass," He said, smiling.
"You're welcome," I said, smiling back. "By the way, how did you get in here without anyone noticing?"
"Oh, I was invisible." He said matter-of-factly.
"Of course, what a reasonable explanation. I can't believe that I would have ever thought something different," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. He chuckled and slid off the bed.
"Here, I thought you might want something to clean the glass up with," He said, sticking the dust pan and broom into my hands.
"Thanks," I said, watching as he walked out of the room and Iggy walked in.
"Here," Iggy said, switching out the broom and dust pan in my hands for a pair of scissors. He went to work on cleaning the mess of glass up while I grabbed my shirt and cut slits in the back. I dropped the robe from shoulders, not worrying about Iggy seeing me topless because he's, you know, blind. I threw on my shirt and sauntered over to help Iggy.
Yeah, I know. Scandalous, right? Anyway, I hope you liked it! Please, please, PLEASE review!
