HELLO AGAIN.

Soo I'm off on holiday to Yorkshire for three days (yay for me) which means I probably won't be able to update – unless I convince my parents to let me take my laptop. In which case I will keep writing, of course. School starts straight afterwards (boo for me) so this might be the last update in a week or so. Sigh.

Lovergirl: Firstly, I'd like to thank you for your comment. Put a BIG smile on my face, the bit about me inspiring you :D I'm so glad I have, too. In reply to your question, in the top right hand corner of the Fanfiction page, there's a button – Sign Up. Click on that and enter all the details it asks for so you have an account on fanfiction (by the way, I'm supposing that you don't have an account). Then you can sign in (once Fanfiction sends you an email to say the registration is complete). Go to Publish. Then Document Manager and upload your first chapter. Then go to New Story and it pretty much tells you where to go from there. :) Tell me when you have your story up and I'll be sure to read and review.

So here's Chapter 21 peoples!

Happy reading x

I was lying on my bed, staring at the ceiling. I had done my homework. There was nothing on television. And I didn't want to talk to Iggy or Gazzy. Jeb was out somewhere looking for work.

All I really wanted to do was talk to Fang.

The argument came flooding back full force. I may as well admit it now – I was ashamed of myself. Fang hadn't honestly done anything wrong – he had just made the dire mistake of agreeing to take another girl home while I was present. I had completely overreacted, and yet I was still hurt that he had said he wanted to take Brigid home.

It's not a crime to want to take a pretty girl home, right?

I groaned and turned on my front. Stupid boy. Clogging up my brain with his stupid, handsome face...

The telephone began to ring. I didn't move. I waited for one of my brothers to pick it up.

Turned out my entire family was equally lazy. The phone continued ringing.

I sighed and moved off the bed, pushing my hair out of my eyes, and stumbled to the door. Just as I walked down the hall way and put my hand out to lift the receiver, it went onto message.

"Hi Max!"

An excited little voice started to speak. I picked up the receiver.

"Angel?"

"Max!"

"Since when do you make telephone calls?"

She giggled adorably. "I wanted to speak to you."

"I'm all ears."

A small silence commenced and I heard her pull in a deep breath. "Would you like to come over for dinner?"

Dinner? In the Ride house? With Fang?

"No."

"It'll just be you, me and Mummy." She protested.

I hesitated. "No Fang?"

"Nope."

I twirled the telephone cord around my finger thoughtfully. Despite what I said, I sort of wanted Fang to be in the house. I missed him. But we weren't talking to each other, and I didn't want it to be awkward with Angel around. Seeing as he wasn't there and I hadn't seen Angel or her Mum for some time now...

"Sure." I said at last. "When do you want me over?"

...

Half an hour later I was standing outside the Ride house wearing a pair of light blue matchstick jeans and a white, short sleeved shirt with the picture of the Beatles on it. I rang the doorbell once.

"Max!"

"Hey Jane." I grinned at her as she pulled me into a hug.

"We haven't seen you for a while."

She led me into the house, and a moment later, I had a small, blonde haired girl hanging off my neck, pressing little kisses onto my cheek.

"Max, Max, Max!"

"Hi Angel." I laughed and lowered her gently to the floor. "Thanks for inviting me."

"I missed you." She said, gripping onto my palm. "But you have to hide."

"Hide?" I repeated, confused.

"Mmm. It's a surprise. But you have to go and hide in the Movie Room."

"You have a Movie Room?"

She was pushing me further into the house now. "Yes. It's only small, though."

We arrived at a dark oak door. She pushed it open, before moving aside to allow me passage inside.

"I'll call you when you can come out." Angel said, before banging the door closed behind me.

I sighed and made my way to the red sofa in the middle of the room. I comforted myself with the thought that there were worst rooms she could have trapped me in. At least I could watch a film here. The lights were already out and the room was engulfed in darkness.

I dropped onto the soft cushions, reaching out for the remote, but my back smacked against something hard.

I looked beneath me to see that I was half sitting on a dark figure. It moved slightly, grunted and lifted its head to look around in a dazed manner.

"Fang?" I whispered, horrified.

"Mmm?" He looked up at me and his eyes widened slightly. "Max? What are you – doing – in – here?"

He struggled to get the words out between a thick yawn. I smirked.

"Angel invited me." I frowned. "She said you wouldn't be here."

Fang groaned and dropped his head back. "She won't let me out of here. Keeps saying something about a bloody surprise."

I laughed softly. Fang turned his head to give me a small smile.

"You still mad at me?" He said softly. His deep voice in the almost pitch black made me shiver involuntarily.

I offered a small shrug. "Maybe."

I didn't sound very convincing. Fang laughed. "You don't sound mad."

"I'm trying to give you hope."

"Kind of you."

"I still think Brigid's a twat." I paused. Where had that come from? God, we were just striking up a comfortable conversation when I had to go and screw it up by talking about her again. Well done me. I waited for Fang to stick up for her.

"Mmm." I stared at him as he shrugged slightly.

"You agree, huh?" I said teasingly.

"I don't care about her." He turned his head so his dark eyes locked with mine. Even in the dark I could see the small flecks of gold in them. "Anyone would think you were jealous."

I released a sarcastic laugh. "Seriously? Jealous of her?"

He grinned. His teeth glistened.

"You made quite a fuss." He lifted himself slightly and supported his body with his elbows on the arm of the sofa.

"I thought you were going mad." I muttered.

"Are you sure, Maxie?" I glared at his mocking tone. "You don't love me?"

My stomach twisted slightly but I snorted. "You've got to be kidding."

Fang sat up and leaned forward slightly. I instinctively pulled back and searched his eyes in the dark for some explanation for his actions. His grin widened, taunting me. "I think you love me."

"Fang, get over yourself." I turned my head away from him, trying to calm my slightly uneven breathing. He had come so close. Close enough so I could feel his warm breath on my neck. Close enough for the hairs on his arms to brush against my skin and make me shiver. Close enough for me to-

"Prove you don't."

"Huh?" I tried to ignore his gentle, deep voice and the way it made all rational thought float out of my mind.

"Prove it." If it was possible, his voice went even lower. I couldn't resist the urge any longer, and allowed my head to turn slowly. I heard my own sharp intake of breath as I realised how close we were – his eyes looked blacker than ever as they melded with the darkness of the room. They flickered slightly as he stared into my eyes... as his head lowered the slightest bit, our noses brushed. My hands were clasped together in my lap. Warmth was flooding through me like a tidal wave on fire. His eyes... they were... looking at my lips.

He's looking at my lips.

I couldn't breathe. I didn't bother trying. My lips seemed to part slightly of their own accord, and slowly I leaned forward, my heart thudding at a hundred miles per second between us, until our lips touched and the rest of the world seemed to fall away.

Fang's lips were soft beneath mine. I felt my hands slowly unclasp and move up his hard body to clutch the material of his shirt at his shoulders. His mouth closed around my lower lip and I felt them move slowly against mine.

Every pore in my body was filled with heat. I shifted my body closer to his and slowly we lowered back against the sofa until I was almost completely on top of him. One of his hands moved to slip behind my hair and cup my neck, pulling me closer. My shirt rode up slightly and his fingers brushed the skin, making me shiver.

It was then that it occurred to me exactly what I was doing.

I was kissing my best friend.

And he was kissing me back.

I pulled away from Fang, the cold of being away from his body freezing my skin and swollen lips. I swallowed hard before allowing my eyes to meet his.

I wished I hadn't looked up at all.

The expression on Fang's face was one of confusion but most disturbingly, desire. I felt myself being drawn back to him, and quickly I stood up to avoid finding myself in the position I had been in a moment ago again.

"See?" My voice came out as a whisper. "Didn't feel a thing."

I moved out of the room as quickly as I could, my hands and legs still shaking slightly. I ran straight into Angel who was bustling around the sitting room. She looked up at me accusingly.

"The surprise isn't ready yet!"

"I'm so sorry Ange." I swallowed again before pulling her into an apologetic hug and hurrying to the front door. "Tell your Mum I'm sorry!"

I left the house and felt the chilly night air engulf me immediately.

Jesus.

What have I done?

FPOV

I'm screwed.

What happened there, exactly? Max tried to prove to me that she "didn't feel a thing" when she kissed me – and yet, she had to. Because I felt her kiss me softly... yet... passionately. I felt her arms move up to clutch my shirt. I felt her bring her body against mine so we were like two puzzle pieces that fit perfectly together.

She kissed me.

I kissed her back.

And God, was it amazing.

But have I mentioned...

I'm screwed?

I think by the end of the story my characters are going to need to visit an institution. (Translated as the loony bin). I'm driving them all mad with these conflicting emotions!

So... First Kiss! Big moment. Did I do it right?

x