(A/N) Guys. I have very very very very very exciting news. (For me, probably not for you haha). This story was nominated for the best Maximum Ride fanfic under the story… wait for it… "The Best Maximum Ride Fanfic"… do you know how much that means to me? StalkerOfFang I want to personally thank you for nominating me. Thank you so so so much. This chapter is dedicated to you!

Max POV

"Max!" I groaned at the sound of daddy dearest's voice. I ran downstairs to meet his High High Highness's demand.

I put my hands on my hip and demanded with a fierce attitude, "What?"

Jeb looked at me with that look. The one 'don't use that attitude with me, young lady.' I rolled my eyes. "Are you just gonna stare at me?"
"It's going to. Not gonna. Saying gonna makes you sou-"

"Shut up!" I screamed at him.

Mom had come back and it was such a huge relief to me that I almost cried when she came back. Almost. Not quite. She arrived about a week or so ago, about two weeks after the almost kiss.

Why Mom left made me so excited and so happy. Why had she left? Well, that's something I know and you obviously don't.

Anyway, back to Jeb being the jerk that he is. "Don't you ever say that to me aga-"

I glared at him and spoke to him as though he were five years old, "Shut… UP!"

He glared back at me, dropping his 'perfect father' façade. "You have a date."

I snorted. "Funny, I don't remember anyone asking me out."

Jeb seemed to think this, in all actuality, was funny. He laughed. "I arranged a date for you. You're going for pizza with Sam tonight."

"Tonight?!" I exclaimed, forgetting the need to play the stereotypical rebellious child.

He grinned like the villain in all those movies. You know, after their evil plan has been started. Oh wait… he was a villain that was plotting against me! Silly me, how could I have forgotten? "Of course. Goodbye, Max."

I walked out the door, fuming. But when I saw Fang, the tiniest portion of that anger evaporated. Walking with him, we joked around for awhile until he showed up. Stupid Sam.

He smiled at me. "Max! I'm so psyched for our date, I'm really glad you love me as much as I always hoped you would! See you in school." I stared after him as he walked away. What the…?

Fang was staring at me with this look in his eyes. I can't even describe that look. "Let me explain." I begged. "It was Jeb."

"If you don't like me, you can just tell me," He said, sounding hurt.

I could feel my eyes stretch to become the size of watermelons. Feeling desperate, I began to babble which probably made me look guiltier. "That's not it! No, you have it all wrong, but I mean, I know how lame that sounds, but it was Jeb! He set it up! I mean, it isn't my fault. I don't want to go out with Sam. But I have to. He doesn't like you, but I can't really see why, and it isn't like Sam and I will get engaged…"

He walked away without a word. Without a sound. How does he even do that? One of Fang's many talents. I watched him punch a tree before I averted my eyes.

Soon enough, the anger came. He didn't believe me? Why didn't he believe me? I thought we were best friends… I thought we might've even had something more. He thought I was lying.

Fang meant so much to me. I cared about him in a way I had vowed never to care about anyone for this exact reason. There was no way I would lose him over something like this. Over Sam of all people.

I sprinted to the school and made it there without even breaking a sweat. That's why I love adrenaline.

Continuing to run as fast as my legs and lungs would let me, I made it to the hallway my locker was placed in record time. But what I saw froze me in my tracks.

Fang and Brigid kissing. Fang. And Brigid. Kissing. What was going on. The way he regarded her with such a fire, it made me wonder why he ever tried to kiss me.

The conclusion was obvious. I never had a chance with someone like him. He wasn't in my league. Brigid on the other hand…

I knew that it was a long shot that he would ever like me. Maybe he used me. Maybe he just got caught up in the moment. Maybe that's why we never talked about it.

So I stood there, wondering why there were teardrops lying scattered around my feet.

But again, the conclusion was obvious. I was simply heartbroken.

(A/N) Now, how many of you feel really bad for poor Max?