So I'm pretty sure that half of you hate me and the other half don't even remember what this story is and why you are subscribed to it, but I'm updating, so…um…hurray for that?
I could give you some lame excuse, but the truth is that I am a horribly horrible procrastinator, but my new goal is to update once a week and if I don't send me lots of angry messages, they motivate me.
So I may be a little rusty, but here it goes…
Disclaimer: I do not own Maximum Ride, and after the last couple of books, I'm not sure if I want to own Maximum Ride.
BTW: Present tense again.
FYI: We, dear readers, are now back at the park with Max and Fang, while all that crazy Angel and Gazzy stuff is going on.
Max POV
The rain falls in sheets on me and Fang, soaking us to the core. Still Fang keeps running towards shelter. The entire time we run I am acutely aware that Fang is holding my hand. His fingers are laced with mine as we run along the park. I can feel the calluses on his hands from all those days he spends mowing people's lawns in this god-forsaken neighborhood. Holding hands with Fang is nice. My face begins burning despite the freezing rain.
Finally we reach the other end of the park where a cave-like tunnel stands. It must be a runoff drain for one of the fancy man-made lakes that pop up all around here. I surge ahead pulling Fang after me. I drag him along until we arrive at the tunnel.
"I do not remember the park being that big," Fang pants beside me. I turn to see him gasping for air.
"That's just because you've never run that far with me before," I laugh, letting go of his hand so I can push him back out into the rain. "Loser stays in the rain." I tease.
He tries to come back into the tunnel, but I grab his hands and push him back out into the rain. Now we are locked in a deadly struggle, Fang trying to get back into the tunnel and me determined to push him out.
I glare at Fang trying to appear ferocious, but I end up grinning instead. What about Fang makes me so happy? Maybe it's the fact that he's my first best friend. Or maybe it's something else…
No Max, I scold myself. Focus. I don't like Fang remember? I'm just acting weird because of…I struggle to find a reason…. because of the weather. I snort. Yeah right, the weather. Now that's a pathetic excuse, even for me. Maybe I should just admit to myself that I like Fang in a more-than-friendly sort of way. Ha. Like that's going to happen. I am not a typical teen girl desperate for her first love; I am Max the Invincible. I'm just pretend that none of these feelings are happening. Denial is my best friend right now.
"I will win," I say to Fang, struggling to keep my voice serious.
He looks like he is about to respond with some equally determined threat, but then a mischievous light appears in his eyes. "Yes you will." He says and then grabs my hands and pulls me out into the rain with him.
"You jerk!" I sputter as rain pours onto me. He laughs and then pulls me closer to him. We're pretty close now. He's still holding onto my hands, and our fingers are laced together again. He's leaning down so our noses are almost touching and his lips are right there.
Bad Max. I struggle to say something, to say anything so I can distract myself.
"I hate it when people are taller than me!" I blurt out.
"What?" he grins. My plan backfired. Now he's leaning in closer to me, and I'm struggling to breath.
"You heard it," I say with mock anger, "I hate it. How can I be the All-Powerful Max if people are taller than me? I realize I am the most fabulous and intimidating person in the world, but still. Tall people cramp my style."
Okay, maybe I went too far, because now he's staring at me like I'm the weirdest person he's ever met.
"You're the weirdest person I've ever met," he says.
I stick my tongue out at him. "That better be a compliment."
He laughs. "It is," he says. And then he kisses me.
He kisses me. In the park. In the middle of the pouring rain. I may be tough as nails, but come on! Who doesn't want to be kissed in the rain? I admit I melted a little, but only a little.
He draws back, looking more surprised than I feel.
"Um," he stutters. "Um, I, um, was just, um…" He trails off.
"You were just what?" I demand.
"Wait, do you want the truth here or some really lame excuse about how your lips looked sort of blue, so I thought I would warm them up?" He says with an adorable lopsided grin. He looks sort of shy, almost vulnerable.
I can't believe I just called Fang adorable.
"The truth," I say.
"My mother says I should be more spontaneous." He smirks.
I raise my eyebrows at him. When words fail you, sarcasm always comes to the rescue. "So let me get this straight," I say slowly. "You just kissed me, because your mother told you to. Don't get me wrong Fang, I love your Mom, but that's weak."
He laughs. "I've also been wanting to do that for a really long time." This time he's smiling, not smirking.
I just stand there, dumbfounded. My brain is working in hyper-drive, trying to process. Have you ever tried to think after being kissed in the rain by your best friend? It's a pretty hard thing to do. All I can do is think about how it might be nice to be kissed like that again. I swear, kissing kills brain cells.
So I do a stupid thing.
I lean in and kiss him.
Fang POV
I think I'm dreaming, because there is no way in hell Maximum Ride would
kiss me back. Maybe I'm hallucinating; it is getting hard to breath.
Max pulls back, she's breathing hard too. I raise my eyebrows.
She turns bright red. "Shut up Tooth! Your lips looked really cold, so I decided to warm them up with my mouth."
I smile. If possible Max turns even redder. "Stop looking at me like that," she whines. When I continue looking at her, she sticks her tongue out for the second time. "Fine stay out here in the rain, you idiot! I'm going to the nice comforting tunnel-cave-thing!" She exclaims, turning away and running back towards the tunnel.
I wait a second before I follow her. I've got to get this stupid smile off my face. I must seem like a moron, smiling like a crazy person and not saying a word.
Pull it together, Fang. You just kissed the most beautiful awesome girl in the world and then she kissed you back. No big. Wipe that smile off your face. Be cool.
Being in love is hard.
I clear my throat together and then follow Max into the cave.
Max POV
I think my theory about the brain cells is right, because Fang is just standing out in the rain with a big dopey smile on my face. Oh god, am I smiling too? Ugh. I am smiling. I'm an idiot. Idiot. Idiot. Idiot.
I try not to punch a hole in the tunnel wall. Luckily, being apart from Fang has let me regain my brain cells. Unluckily, my brain cells are mad at me.
What the hell was I thinking? I'm supposed to be Maximum Ride, the girl who does what takes to survive, the girl who does not get close to other people. I'm supposed to protect Angel and Gazzy.
Oh god, Angel and Gazzy. I glance at my watch. 5:45. Shit. Jeb! He'll be home soon. Angel and Gazzy are halfway across town, and I don't have time to get them. They'll just have to stay at Fang's until I'm finished making dinner for Jeb.
Just as I'm about to sprint of home, Fang enters the cave. Damnit. How am I going to explain this to him? 'Hi guy I just made out with! I've got to go home so my psycho Dad doesn't smash my face in because I forgot to make him dinner.' Yeah. That'll work out great.
"Um…hi." I say. Don't hyperventilate Max. You can still get home in time.
"Hey," Fang says. His grin fades as he looks at my face. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah. I'm fine. It's just that I've got to go home. Right now. Or my Dad will murder me," I wince. Not the best word choice. "So I'm just gonna pick up Gazzy and Angel at say, 7:30?" I'm so nervous that my words are coming in a rapid-fire succession now. "So we'll just talk about this whole making out thing later. Well, um… see ya!"
I give a quick wave, and then turn and sprint away towards home. That was possibly the worst good-bye I've ever heard.
As I'm running the day goes over and over in my mind, until I finally make a decision. Fang is making a fool out of me, and Darwin says that the fool never survives. Fang may make me happy, but I care more about Angel and Gazzy's survival than my happiness. I'm never talking to Fang again.
Fang's POV
I'm an idiot. I punch the tunnel wall and then hiss as pain shoots through my arm.
What did I do? I just ruined the best friendship I've ever had. I sigh and sit against the tunnel wall. How long has Max been gone? Fifteen, maybe twenty minutes. How long will she stay gone? Probably forever. I know Max. She has a wall between her and the rest of the world, between her and me. She'll never let that wall be broken down.
The cheery ring of my cell phone distracts me momentarily. I pick it up and consider hurling it at the wall, but then think better of it. It was a present from my mom, a present that cost money. I'm not in the habit of wasting money. Besides, maybe it's Max.
"Hello?' I say, trying and failing to be casual.
"Hey Fang. It's Nudge." Nudge's voice is drained of all its usual happiness. She sounds tired, and maybe a little bit sad. "You okay? You sound weird."
"Yeah. I'm fine." My teeth are clenched now. What horrible thing has happened that put Nudge in such a sad state. "What about you?" I ask. Worry creeps through my voice.
"I'm fine." She says, but then her voice breaks and I can tell she's crying. "I'm fine, but Angel and Gazzy aren't. And neither is Max."
"What?" I jolt up into a standing position and then begin pacing around the tunnel. "Nudge what's going on?"
Nudge sniffles. I'm tempted to tell her to hurry up and say something, but she sounds like glass right now, and I don't want to be the one that breaks her.
Finally she takes a deep breath and answers with a shaking voice, "I was playing with Angel and she told me that sometimes Jeb's mean to Max."
"Yeah. I've heard that Max doesn't really like her father, but not every family an be as nice as our Nudge." I say, trying to comfort her.
"No, not like that," Nudge says. "He hurts Max. She's had to go to the hospital before."
I freeze. "What?" The invincible Max, my Max, is being hurt by someone? It just didn't seem possible.
Nudge must've heard the astonishment and horror in my voice because she sniffles and says, "Yeah. I know. It just doesn't seem real. But it will be okay Fang. Mom already called Jeb to give him a piece of her mind, and now she's calling the cops. They're gonna be fine."
I can't believe Nudge is trying to comfort me. I'm about to respond to say-I don't know what, when something hits me like a brick: Mom called Jeb. Jeb is on his way home. Max is on her way home. Max is in trouble.
"Nudge, I have to go," I say into the phone and then quickly end the call. I sprint out of the tunnel towards Max's house, hoping I'm not too late.
So….ta-da! Yup. Haven't written in a while if you can tell, and it's even more mushy than usual. Yippy.
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