Finally got time to write this chapter. I've been pretty busy until right now, so I'm glad I can type out my ideas.
Disclaimer: IDNOMR
Ch. 14:
Max POV
"Max!" The she-devil, ahem, Maya exclaimed.
"Maya!" I mimicked her tone, using the same fake-smile and all.
Her sickly-sweet voice kept going. "I've missed you."
"That's nice. I only wish I could say the same." I smirked.
"Well, how have you been since… how to put this? Well, let's just say it. How have you been since I left you?" She matched my smirk. Maya made my resolve falter in a way only she could.
I felt Fang's hand place firmly on my back, as if silently supporting me.
"Life's been great." I smiled genuinely. "You get fame, fortune, and ugly fan-boys. I get awesome friends, a fun and exciting life, and the perfect boyfriend." I watched her jaw drop. I began to whisper. "I think we both know who got the better deal here." I squeezed her shoulder.
It took her a moment to recover. "You mean that Dylan guy? He's a freak with serious anger problems, Max. I would hardly call that perfect."
"No, not Dylan. Maya this is Fang. Fang this is Maya." I introduced.
Fang looked at Maya in disgust, but she barely noticed.
"Hi." She purred in a way she probably thought was seductive.
Fang looked to me and then let out a laugh. He turned to Maya.
"Not a chance." He chortled and slung an arm over my shoulder.
She took a step back, not used to this kind of reaction.
"So Maya… I was informed you wouldn't be using your auto-tune to enhance your crap singing tonight." I fiddled with my fingers.
She scoffed. "I never use auto-tune. What I have is called talent." She placed a hand on her hip, which only scrunched up her already to tight dress. It was pink and matched her streak.
"You might want to tug that down sweetie." I gestured to all the guys trying to take a peek. "Well, I can't wait to hear you sing, hun." I winked at her and walked away, Fang at my heels.
Once I was sitting oh-so-inconspicuously in the corner, I opened up the purse Nudge had given me. It held lipstick, a pair of flats, and a walkie-talkie. As Nudge would say, cute and practical.
I pulled out the walkie-talkie that Iggy had insisted we needed. What he said was something along the lines of, "No, Max! A cell phone will not work! We are on a top-secret mission." I reminded him that he was only turning off Maya's voice-enhancers. This only made him threaten not to do it so… walkie-talkie it is.
I spoke into the walkie-talkie and tried to keep anyone from noticing.
"Iggy. It's Max. How are you on… the project?" I asked. I heard a bit of fuzz before his reply.
"Maaax!" He whined. "You have to say over! Over."
I rolled my eyes. "Iggy. How are you on the project? Over." I emphasized.
"It's going well. I'm almost finished. Gazzy, green switch, not the blue one! Sorry, yeah… we're almost done. Over." He finally said.
I felt a stare on me and I turned my head to see Omega staring at me. I hastily stuffed my walkie-talkie in my purse and walked over to him.
"Hey." I greeted.
"Hi Max. What was with the walkie-talkie?" He asked.
"Oh, it's nothing. Just my brother's idea of a joke, replacing my cell with a walkie-talkie." I replied smoothly.
Luckily, Omega laughed. "Nice."
"Yeah. I…" I trailed off, noticing a couple of video cameras held by people who were most certainly not part of the reunion.
"Who are they?" I pointed, questioning.
"Local news station." Omega shrugged. "They heard Maya's Crew was in town. Wanted to tape it."
"Oh." A grin started to appear on my face. They were local newscasters. Perfect. Maya really is going down. I strolled right next to a newscaster, ready to tell the press about Maya. Unless The Angel of Death (AOD, decided he needed an abbreviation) watches the local news from my hometown, I should be fine.
"Maya's Crew will be performing tonight at her high school reunion right here in-" She stopped, finally realizing her presence.
"Who are you?" She asked hesitantly.
I smiled to the camera. "I'm Maya's sister, Max. I just wanted to announce to everyone that Maya is going to perform tonight live, with no auto-tune or voice-enhancements like usual. It will be purely Maya's voice." I walked out of shot and the newscaster continued, shocked.
"This is amazing!" She exclaimed. "The amazing Maya's pure voice, heard here first tonight on the Sunshed Local News!"
I smirked and walked toward Ella, Nudge, and Angel, who were mingling with some of my old classmates.
"And the puppy just died!" Angel finished.
"That is so sad!" The girl she was talking to cooed.
"Ahem." I interrupted. "Sorry… Lindsay." I read her nametag. "I have to take Nudge, Ella, and Angel, if that's alright with you." She nodded and I signaled for the girls to follow me.
They did so and I scanned the crowd until my eyes fell upon Iggy, Fang, and Gazzy.
"Hey!" I called out and rushed up to them. "Is everything ready?" I asked.
"Yep." Iggy popped the P.
"This is going to be epic!" Angel grinned deviously. Man, does she have a dark side…
"Hello, can I have everyone's attention?" I looked up to the stage, where I saw Jaime standing with the microphone.
"For everyone who doesn't remember, I'm Jaime, your homecoming queen. We are about to have the pleasure of hearing Maya's Crew perform. That will be followed by an open mike. Is everyone ready?" She laughed into the microphone while the crowd cheered loudly.
"So ready." I whispered, but it was lost in the crowd.
Maya walked up to the microphone and smiled out to the crowd. "Hello, everyone! I'm Maya Ride and we are Maya's Crew! Now, who's excited?" The crowd roared in response to her question.
"Let's get moving!" She grinned before taking the microphone from its stand.
Crash
That was you and me
Started out so innocently
Shattered on the ground
I hear the sound
Crash
I looked around to see people already sticking their hands on their ears. I told you she was horrible. Iggy was smiling and grinning at his smart idea of wearing earplugs. I was having too much fun watching this horror, and opted to listen.
Ringing in my ears
I still feel the sting of my tears
Someone wake me
I can't seem to break free
Go on
Get out of my head
I'm on the wrong side of a parallel universe
Am I alive or just dead?
I've been stumbling in the dark
Living in a crash world
She was murdering her own song, and she knew it. She stopped singing abruptly and her 'crew' stopped playing.
"I'm so sorry!" She spoke into the microphone. "I'm afraid this is a set-up made by my dear sister." She smiled. "She must've made it so that the sound came out funny."
I got a few glares and glances of hatred. But I had been expecting this. I swiftly walked up to the stage.
I swiped the microphone from Maya's grip. "I can assure you, I did no such thing. I just made it so that there was no auto-tune making Maya's voice fake. I thought you should all hear what she really sounds like."
I got a few 'boos' from the crowd, but mostly just shocked stares.
"Oh yeah?" Maya challenged. "Prove it. Sing for us, Max. Show us that you didn't screw with my voice." I smirked at her comment. I had been expecting that, too. It was just so… Maya. She could never refuse a chance to make fun of someone. But what she didn't know was that I could sing… for real.
"Pick up where she left off." I told the crew. They all looked confused, but all the same did as I was told.
Hush
Don't say one more word
At this point the truth seems absurd
Cause who we were
Is gone forever
Crushed
Underneath the fears
Everything's so twisted and weird
Someone save me
I can't seem to break free
Go on
Get out of my head
I'm on the wrong side of a parallel universe
Am I alive or just dead?
I've been stumbling in the dark
Living in a crash world
Crash world, yeah, yeah
Slow motion
Devastation
Shoulda seen it coming
But I couldn't do nothing
Emotion
Desperation
Someone save me
I can't seem to break free
Go on
Get out of my head
I'm on the wrong side of a parallel universe
Am I alive or just dead?
I've been stumbling in the dark
Living in a crash world
Go on
Get out of my head
I'm on the wrong side of a parallel universe
Am I alive or just dead?
I've been stumbling in the dark
Living in a crash world
Crash world, yeah, yeah
Crash world, yeah, yeah
I finished up the song and tried not to laugh at the shocked stares. Maya huffed and stormed off the stage.
"And I think that was the start of open-mike." I grinned and walked off stage.
I was greeted, surprisingly, by Jaime. "Wow! You're amazing, Max!" She smiled in what seemed to be a genuine way.
"Thanks." I smiled and walked towards the Flock.
"How was I?" I asked nervously.
"Amazing." Iggy grinned.
"Perfect." Ella said.
"Awesome." Angel agreed.
"Fantabulous!" Nudge exclaimed.
"Wonderful." Fang commented, sporting his half-smile.
"Uh… Are there any more compliments?" Gazzy asked. "Nevermind, I'll just go with… Ditto?"
I laughed and grinned at all of them.
"Come on." I sighed. "I'm so tired. Let's head back home."
"Same." Angel yawned for emphasis.
I walked out the doors and saw Maya sitting on the steps fuming.
She looked up at me. "Why did you do that?" Venom filled her words.
I shrugged. "I think you had it coming, sis." I gave her a small smile. "I wasn't kidding when I said I had the better deal. Maybe if you find some real friends, it'll make your life better."
I walked away from my sister, my ex-best friend, and my recent enemy. And I didn't look back. Not even once.
Woot! Way to show her, Max! And no, this will not become one of those musical fanficitons. I mean really, who bursts out in song every three seconds? Besides me of course…
Oh yeah, before I forget, I do not own Crash World by Hilary Duff. Great song, though. You should look it up...
-cutiepie5514