ATTENTION! WE'VE DONE IT! WE HAVE BROKEN THE THREE HUNDRED BARRIER! YAY! Thank you all for all your reviews and lovely death threats. Especially with sporks, knives, forks and other eating utensils. :P

Yes, I know it is late, but I am on holidays, so hopefully I have time to type a few chapters. Though I wouldn't count on it.

Now, to respond to some...

kittiesrock90210: the fact that I got your email (yes, I checked the time on my email :P) at 2:10am, kinda stops me from updating in five minutes

desperatelyobvious: you are one radical reader :)

World Of New: me vs. spork...niether of us win, cause we'll be working in harmony to feed me, nom, nom, nom XD

PolarBride: I'll take the brownie...Fang is Max's remember?

Thank you all who helped me with my boy problem, I'll be using your advice and hopefully it turns out well. (Man, I sounded like I was giving a speech or something...)

Disclaimer: I do not own Maximum Ride. But I do own an awesome pair of red Vans. Say it, you're jealous.

Growing Up
Chapter Nineteen: Babysitting

MAX POV
"MAX! Can we eat them now?" My little sister jumped up and down in excitement, his eyes bright. I placed a hand on his hand, forcing him to stop bouncing up and down. My brother had so much energy, it made me tried just watching him. A little fart escaped Gazzy.

"Gaaaaz!" I complained, fanning the air around me. "If you keep doing that, you're not going to get these cookies." I held the plate of my mum's delicious choc-chip cookies in front of his face. His head followed the plate, not breaking eye contact.

"That's what I thought." I handed him a cookie, ruffling his hair. "Plus you're thirteen now Gaz, shouldn't you be at least trying to hold them in?"

"Nope," he grinned, crumbs falling from his mouth. "Max, you gotta accept it, it's not natural to hold them in."

"Disgusting." Nudge - Monique, Gazzy's twin - scrunched her nose up in disgust, while grabbing a cookie from the plate. "Why do we need a baby sitter anyway Max? I mean, we're both thirteen we can take care of ourselves." She looked at her twin brother, who was scarfing down the plate of cookies at lightning speed. He paused, burped and continued to eat. "Okay, I can."

I grinned at Nudge. She was growing up so fast already. She was getting more and more into fashion everyday and was almost reaching my shoulder in height. Gazzy on the other hand was still shorter than Nudge, but that'll soon change in the next two, three years, just like Fang over Freshmen summer. As I watched them fight, I realised that I haven't spent much time with my younger siblings ever since high school started. Well that'll soon change.

"So guys, what do you want to do?" I clapped my hands, trying to get their attention. "We have the whole night."

"Really? That's great! Because you haven't been able to hang out with us since you started high school. But I don't really mind. How is high school Max? Is it fun? Do you and Fang like it? How many friends have you made? I have heaps of friends at school Max! But I have three main friends. I have loads of other friends, of course, but Natalie, Gracie and Katie are my bestest friends! Who are your best friends, Max? Apart from Fang of course, cause you guys have been friends since, like, forever. I wish I had a best friend like that. It'd be soooo cool. Do you have girl friends too? So you can talk about like girl's stuff?" Nudge took a breath and stopped.

Wow. I let her say everything she said, cause I didn't realise how much I've missed hanging out with her and Gaz. Despite his farts.

I tried answering all of her questions, but honestly I didn't catch all of them. She listened enthusiastically and nodded every now and again. That's one thing I love about Nudge, she'll always listen to you and is up for conversation at any time.

We ended up playing everything single board game, game console and anything else we could find. I didn't realise we had so many board games.

-:-:-:-:-:-

"Left foot, red." I called out.

Nudge frowned in concentration, she she carefully moved her hand under Gazzy's leg onto a red circle. "Mwuhahaha! Yay ya! Whoop whoop! Skill!"

Nudge only could manage few words at a time (aka normal for us) because she was so focused into winning. I laughed inwardly. "Nudge, don't celebrate to early, you might fall next go."

She stuck her tongue out at me and grinned. "Max, right foot green." She eyed the closest green circle near me and smiled evilly. Of course the closest green was in between Gazzy's left leg and Nudge's right leg. I could do this. I lifted my right foot from it's spot on the blue circle carefully and moved slowly and carefully between Nudge's and Gazzy's legs. If anything were to disrupt me now, I'd fall.

Of course being me, I spoke too soon.

Diiiing doooonng! Our doorbell rang loud and clear throughout the bottom floor. The sudden noise broke my concentration, therefore making me fall and lose the game. Damn. It better important. I was winning!

Nudge and Gazzy jumped up and down in excitement and victory, high-fiving and danced around the twister mat.

"I say rematch." I pointed to Gazzy and Nudge.

They stuck their tongues out. "Sore loser!"

"Nuh uh! Rematch!" I called over my shoulder, whilst walking towards the door. I opened it and turned to see someone I didn't expect to see.

Due to popular demand, I am lengthening this chapter.

"Fang?" I poked his face, just in case I was day dreaming.

He grinned quickly. "The one and only. Surprised?"

"Uh...yeah, very." I stared at him, not quite sure why and how he was here. "Aren't you meant to be at the dance?"

"No." He answered simply, as if it was universally known. "Are you going to let me in?"

"Where's your key?" I teased, referring to when I went to his house a couple of days back. He poked his tongue out and stepped around me.

"Fang!" Two voices called out behind me. Next thing I know, I'm being run over by a couple of thirteen year olds.

Nudge and Gazzy jumped onto Fang, hugging him and bombarding him with questions at lightning speed. "How is high school? Is it scary? Do you have friends? Why are you here?" and so on and so forth.

I held up my hands. "Whoa guys, calm down. Let Fang have his space."

Gazzy and Nudge looked up at me sheepishly. "Sorry Fang."

"No worries." He grinned at them. My eyes widened a little. Fang grinned. He grinned. In front of Gazzy and Nudge. Well, I guess that was a little expected. Fang did talk a lot more when we were younger, even in front of Nudge and Gazzy. But still, he grinned. Showed emotion. I shook my head in disbelief.

"Problem?" Fang asked over Nudge's and Gazzy's heads.

I shook my head. "Nope. But seriously, what are you doing here?"

"He's here to play with us of course!" Gazzy exclaimed. "Come on!"

Nudge and Gazzy grabbed one of his hands each and dragged him into the living room. Of course he let them, because I don't think Nudge and Gazzy would be able to pull Fang that easily. Not with his muscular arms. I studied - okay, I stared - at Fang's arms. And damn, are they something. I looked away before I turned pink. Damn hormones.

-:-:-:-:-:-

"That was...fun." Fang admitted, as he sat back, arms behind his head.

"Yeah," I agreed, sitting next to him on the couch. "I haven't spent much time with them since...I started high school I reckon."

Fang and I were pretty exhausted after playing with the twins for the rest of the night. Despite how tired we were, we had fun.

"Mmm." Fang nodded, closing his eyes. "Same with Angel."

"I know. I really missed them." I sighed. "You know, you never told me why your here?"

"Max. Does it matter?" Fang answered, eyes still closed.

I sat up and faced him. "Yes. What happened to that girl? Shouldn't you be at the dance, instead of wasting your time with us kids."

Fang opened one eye, then the other. "Yeah I should, but I'd rather be here."

My heart started to speed up. I swallowed. "Really?" I whispered.

"Yeah, really." Fang whispered back.

Our heads now were almost touching, our thighs pressed together. My breathing started to speed up. Hopefully Fang couldn't hear it. Hell, China could hear it. Play it cool Max. It's just Fang.

Yeah right, I thought back. Just admit it already, you like Fang.

Fang leaned in closer and my body unconsciously did too. Okay fine, consciously.

Just do it!

I followed my own advice and closed the small space between Fang and I. And boy, whoa! I can't believe I haven't done it before. Kissing Fang was...amazing.

I pulled back, eyes wide. I stared at my hands in horror. I kissed Fang. and not only that, I liked it.

Fang coughed. "I-I-I should go," Fang stuttered. Stuttered!

"Uh yeah. See you night." I didn't looked up from my hands. I refused to look at Fang.

"You too." I heard the door close shut.

I fell back onto the couch and sighed. I know tonight I won't get a good sleep tonight.

You guys happy now? I know it's a short chapter, but here's ya Fax!

Sorry there wasn't much detail on the kiss though.

Read, review and complain about the kiss...

- FlowerChild22