Chapter 12: First Day of School
Max POV:
Someone was shaking my shoulder. "Max…" I moaned and rolled over, hiding my face beneath a pillow. "Max, baby, come on. We have to get ready for school."
"No."
I heard an impatient sigh before the covers were yanked away from me so hard I fell onto the floor. "Hey! Lexi and I did not appreciate that!"
Fang just looked at me and my now huge-mongous tummy laying sprawled on the carpet. "Well, you and Lexi need to get your ass off the floor and get dressed. School starts in an hour."
I moaned again. "Do we have to go?" I complained. Fang glared at me, and I noticed that he was already dressed.
"I got up twenty minutes ago," He pointed out, "And if this is going to be a problem then tomorrow I'll wake you up at six instead of seven by dragging you into a cold shower by the ankle." I rolled my eyes. Fang could be so overdramatic. I got up and started getting my normal clothes on as Fang went to make breakfast.
I was now five and a half months pregnant and very close to bursting. Meredith had taken me maternity shopping a month ago because none of my clothes fit anymore. In human terms, I was about seven months preggers. Alexis was kicking like crazy. She must have inherited her parents' super-strength, because some of those kicks hurt like Hell.
I pulled on a green tank top and Capri pants, followed by a black, sparkly pair of Toms and my hair pulled into a ponytail. Easy-peasy. Why had Fang been so worried? I realized that he, like me, must be super-nervous about going to school again. We had gone once and Fang and I had both dated different people during that time, so we didn't really like to talk about it.
I was slightly nervous about what people would say about my…situation. I was way too big to hide my pregnancy now, so I guess I would just have to tough it out. But what if people were asses? What if they talked or shunned us…I mentally smacked myself. I was Maximum Ride, the invincible, and I didn't care what other people thought. So why did I feel so nervous?
Fang made me eggs and bacon with toast and apple juice. Sound too normal? I ended up putting ketchup on my toast. My morning sickness had subsided to nausea maybe once a week rather than projectile vomiting every day. It was a nice change, but I couldn't wait until Lexi was out. I could tell Fang felt the same, because he had faint circles under his eyes and always looked tired. I felt bad for working him so hard, but there was nothing I could do.
I still worked Monday through Thursday and Saturday at the ice cream shop with Kima and Fang worked Monday through Friday at the bookstore. With all the food we had to buy and all of the money we had spent on clothes for me recently, it was barely enough. I vaguely wondered how on Earth Meredith was managing, even if her condo was smaller.
Fang handed me my forest green backpack after we ate and put his arm around my shoulders. Together, we walked to our first day of sophomore year.
"Here you go!" The cheerful woman handing out schedules to sophomores with last names H-N said as I took the sheet of paper from her hands. I ignored her gaze on my stomach as I walked over to find Fang and compare schedules. Mrs. Sonya had said that she had tried to get Fang and I as close to the same schedule as she could, but nothing was guaranteed. I could feel the eyes of the other sophomores on my baby-bump as I wove through the crowd to the O-T table. Fang was just walking away with his schedule. I noticed several girls staring at him and I resisted the urge to smack them.
"Let's compare," Fang managed to communicate over the cacophony of voices in the high school gym. I put my schedule next to his. The school was block schedule, so on A days I had Geometry, English, Spanish I, and Theater. On B days I had Geography, Study Hall, Chemistry, and Health. Fang had the same schedule except he had Chemistry when I had Spanish and vice versa.
"That's bearable," I yelled to be heard. Fang nodded and kissed my lips.
"Ooh, careful. Sex isn't allowed during school hours," a snarky voice said. I turned to see a blonde, cheerleader type girl flanked by a ginger and a brunette leering at me.
I just took a deep, calming breath and said, "Oh, sorry. I'm new, but you must have broken that rule enough times to know it by heart," I gave her a poisonous grin. The bell rang before she could reply and I called over my shoulder, "I'd say it was nice to meet you, but it wasn't."
"Nice job," Fang praised. I smiled and we headed to math. Mrs. Sonya had somehow brought us up to speed in our classes over the summer. We weren't at the AP standard though, obviously, so we were just in regular. Maybe some of it will leak through my stomach and Alexis will end up being really smart. Is that possible?
Our first two periods went pretty much the same. We had actually gotten Mrs. Sonya for our math teacher, so that was one teacher I didn't have to worry was going to be judgmental. Both Mrs. Sonya and Mrs. Reynolds, our English teacher, spent most of class talking about supplies and expectations for the year and stuff. I didn't pay much attention because I was acutely aware of everyone turning to stare at me and whisper to their friends or pass notes. After about half an hour in English I finally raised my hand and asked to leave to go to the bathroom. Mrs. Reynolds agreed after Fang promised to fill me in on what I missed.
I spent a good five minutes hiding in the hallway and taking deep breaths. Since when did I care what people thought of me? But, for some, reason, I hated the feeling of people staring at me and talking about my…differences. Maybe it was because having wings was totally kick-ass and pregnancy made me seem…vulnerable. I shouldn't be vulnerable!
My conversation with myself made some vague part of me realize that I hadn't heard from the Voice in awhile, but the rest of me pushed that part away. I didn't care, because the Voice was just annoying.
I took one last breath and walked back into the classroom. People turned to stare at me, but I ignored them and walked back to my seat next to Fang. He put his arm around my shoulder and kissed my cheek. "You okay?" he whispered so softly only my super bird-kid ears could hear.
I nodded but didn't respond. The rest of the day passed just like that. We had lunch halfway through third period, so still got to see Fang during that time, because we had the same lunch. I arrived before Fang and got my food, but that was the easy part. Everywhere I looked I was met with eyes that warned me, the pregnant new freak, to stay away. I felt my nausea returning. Finally, a couple of girls from my Spanish class waved me and my mountain of pizza over to their table.
"Hey, you're the new girl, right?" One girl with curly brown hair and bright green eyes asked. I nodded, still looking for Fang.
"My name is Max. Short for Maxine, but don't you dare call me Maxine, or I'll snap your neck."
"Oh, feisty! I like it." A skinny brown-haired boy sitting opposite me with his arms around the shoulders of a girl with a black pixie cut and a green streak in her bangs. She smacked his shoulder and he laughed.
I looked around again just as Fang walked in talking to a tall kid with messy blonde hair and a total football player vibe. He said something and Fang laughed, clearly fitting in already. I think every girl in the cafeteria melted as they walked by. I was about to turn away and not bother Fang when his onyx eyes met mine. They lit up and he turned to his friend and gave a clear "catch you later" gesture with his hand.
"Hey beautiful," Fang said as he slid into the chair next to mine and put his arm around me. "Good, you got pizza." He reached out take a slice and I smacked his hand away.
"Get your own!"
"That's all for you?" The green-haired girl asked. By now another girl with long, wavy black hair and brown eyes had joined our table. I shrugged.
"Yeah. I ate a lot anyway and now I'm feeding two people, so I need every bite." Fang rolled his eyes and got up to get some himself.
The first girl with curly hair watched him walk off with an interested look. "Me-ow. I wouldn't mind getting knocked up by him," She turned to me. "He is the dad, right? And I'm Didi, by the way. It's short for Diadre. Isn't that the worst name ever?" I grinned, thinking of Nudge's name obssession.
"Yeah, Fang is the dad. I wouldn't have it any other way." I said, taking a huge bite of pepperoni joy and wishing I had mustard.
The boy with brown hair smiled at me, "Hey, I'm Chris. And this ball of sunshine," He poked the short haired girl, who punched his side, "Is Sydney. We're a couple, in case you didn't notice." I smiled.
"And this my baby sister Maddy," Sydney motioned to the quiet girl with the long hair, who nodded shyly and hid behind her wavy locks. Fang returned with his food and they reintroduced themselves. Fang just nodded in greeting. We sat awkwardly for a minute listening to Didi talk before we joined in slowly, then more comfortably. After a little while we felt like old friends. At one point I laughed so hard I accidentally spilled my soda on my lap.
"Here, I'll get you a napkin," Fang said getting up with his empty tray. I pulled him back down.
"I'm not immovable yet," I said icily, heading towards the front of the cafeteria. I grabbed my napkins and turned around and accidentally slammed into someone. Before I could apologize, she shrieked.
"You stupid bitch! Look what you did to my shirt! It was brand new too." I had run into the redhead that had been with the blonde slut earlier. She was toothpick skinny, but I had gotten salad dressing from her lunch down her not-as-sexy-as-she-wished top. Oops.
I couldn't stop my anger from flaring up, "It doesn't matter. That shirt is so ugly I feel I did you a favor. I mean, whoever bought it for you didn't obviously realize that you have the chest of a twelve-year-old."
The whole cafeteria had gotten quiet to listen when she shrieked, and now they gave a collective "Ooooooooh!"
For a moment the ginger was quiet, then she said, "You know what? I have better things to do than argue with a bitch who's stomach is bigger than Manhattan."
"Oh, just because my sex life is more active than yours doesn't mean I couldn't kick your ass. My boyfriend and I forgot protection, but I guess you've never had to use it because I don't know any guys who get turned on by popsicle sticks."
Her face turned red enough to match her hair. "You'll regret that Maxine!" She spat, heading to the bathroom to clean up.
The kids at lunch started whispering to each other and a couple gave approving cheers. I grabbed my napkins and headed back to my table. By the time I got there, the cafeteria had regained its normal decibel level.
"Nice job!" Didi said, looking at me with a mixture of horror and awe. "That's one of Elise's slaves, Bryn. She's the second-in-command. The brunette that's usually with them is Nisa, and they terrorize us normal folk on a regular basis."
I just shrugged. "They're just annoying, as far as I'm concerned."
"I don't know, that Bryn chick was pretty cute," Fang said. I nearly choked on my pizza, and he actually burst out laughing.
I turned to him, about to yell, when he held up his hands and said, "Whoa, baby. I'm joking. I know it bothers you." I shot him a dirty look and finished my last crust of pizza.
"I don't get it." Sydney said.
"Max apparently labors under the delusion that I only like redheads."
"It's true!" I protested.
"Are you a ginger? No. And guess who's having my baby," Fang started kissing my neck; after a moment I started giggling.
"Fang, stop it!" Then the bell rang and Didi, Sydney and I headed back to Spanish.
Didi watched Fang walk off with his jock buddy from earlier and said, "You are the luckiest girl alive!"
"I know," I sighed.
Meh. I know that was horrible, but these next few chapters will be mostly filler until the story gets to the net major part I'm planning, which may or may not involve Fax reuniting with the Flock. ;) Stay tuned!
Okay, so I have to get rid of my schedule of updating every weekend. I'm super busy with end-of-the-year projects and tests and I just don't have time to type. I'm sorry! I'll try to update more often during the summer, but for the next few weeks just keep your eyes open. And if you send me numerous reviews "reminding" me to update, I'll update even slower. I love you guys!