Max's POV

"Are you crazy?!" Sam exclaimed with a fling of his arms.

"Very" I simply said.

"I doubt it'll work, Max. It doesn't work like that." Sam continued, not calming down whatsoever.

"C'mon, I'm a girl. I get these things, and some girl talk should do the thing." I said.

"Wouldn't she hate you though? I mean, you were all over her ex." Sam reasoned.

"I'm pretty sure everyone knows that Fang and I are together now. And unless she thinks I'm a cheater, she'll most likely think of you as a man whore since you and I weren't dating."

"WHAT! B-but, I- you- we…" Sam trailed off as he paced back in forth on the grass, frantically rubbing the back of his neck with his hand in the process.

"Don't worry; it's worth a shot isn't it? If this goes right, you'll get the girl and if it goes awry, you don't lose anything. And I still get chocolate. Seems like a win, win situation to me." I shrug as I take a seat on one of the few benches the park has to offer.

Sam had called me earlier and had asked me to meet me at the town's park. I was in a really good mood though so I didn't really mind going into the freezing cold, just to hear how desperate Sam was to get Claire back. I've been in a really good mood all week actually.

Ever since Fang and I had officially become a couple, the world just seems so much brighter. It's all sunshine, rainbows, and unicorns for me! Though my twin brother wasn't very fond over it at first, I was able to convince him that Fang wasn't Dylan and that I'll be very careful. He eventually calmed down and though he watches Fang closely, I can tell my brother is beginning to get over it. As for everyone else, they actually had betted on how long it would take for us to finally get together. Nudge won of course. She said that her inner matchmaker had felt it all along, whatever that means.

Well anyways, Fang and I have been together for a little over one week and I've enjoyed every millisecond of it. We had completely skipped that awkward phase where one wasn't sure if a couple was supposed to hold hands, give each other hugs, or what to talk about all together. We were on that stage where he/she is my best friend except friends don't kiss, hug, and flirt. But trust me; we're no Jake and Nudge. We do all the mushy stuff for when we're alone, making sure not to do much PDA, unlike those two. They're practically sucking each other's' faces off every second they can. Believe it or not, I would like to not have to bleach my poor eyeballs a billion times a day due to this. While it's romantic for them, it's barf worthy for the rest of us who receive front row seats!

Enough of my rant. Anyways, my plan was for me to simply go up to Claire and have a girl chat. I'll explain to her on Sam's condition and ask if she still has feelings for him. If she says yes, I'll try to convince her to ask him out again. Not the best plan but I'll be mostly winging it.

"She'll think I'm desperate." Sam continued to pace back in forth.

"You are desperate" I pointed out with a smirk. He simply rolled his eyes and continued to promptly panic. "It's worth a shot. The longer you wait, the more she'll think you're done with her and moved on. You haven't shown any signs on wanting her back, to her. Time's ticking Sam, and it never bothers to take a break."

Sam seemed to think long and hard over this, until finally letting out a loud exasperated sigh. "Fine"

I smirked with achievement and I told him I'll get right to it on Monday since tomorrow's Saturday. I also warned him not to talk to Claire or anyone from the female species for that matter until then. He gave me a look but agreed and drove me home.

Later that night as I sat in the living room, while I was texting Fang of course, Iggy came in with his crutches, looking down and blue. I instantly sat up and gave him a look that said 'what's wrong?' He understood it but only shook his head and sat down with a small sigh on the loveseat, tossing his crutches with a 'thud'.

"You want to talk?" I asked him through the eerie atmosphere. I knew something was up with him but I couldn't force him to tell. He eventually will but not until he's ready.

"I'm done." He softly sighed. His voice sounded aged and worn down.

"Done with what exactly?" I cautiously asked.

"With everything. Stupid accident! I can't do anything with this cast on my leg and the splint on my wrist!" He huffed and he leaned down, laying his elbows on his knees, looking at the dirt colored carpet between his feet.

I knew what this was now. "Soccer" I simply said and I stood up and made my way towards him. He didn't answer and continued to study the odd colored carpet below him.

Now, let me explain some things about my brother. Both Iggy and I are somewhat of an all-stars but sports have never interested me like music has. Sports were more of a past time while music was a hobby. But Iggy absolutely loved running, jumping, throwing, anything that got his blood pumping and adrenalin running. It was his way out of reality like music was mine. But when he discovered the sport of soccer, it was like a match made in heaven. He absolutely loved it and he was a natural pro at it from the start.

He has different trophies and medals from all the championships and tournaments he has earned through the years. Iggy has always said, 'you don't win something, you earn it.' It's sort of his motto.

Anyhow, when my mom passed away, the whole Bridgid/Dylan fiasco happened, and my dad's bad drinking habit began, soccer was his escape. Always has and most likely always will be. Now here he is, tied down, unable to do what he loves the most due to a simple boot made of paste and dark blue bandages on his leg.

I know that Iggy isn't necessarily blaming Jake, though it was entirely his fault, it doesn't mean he's very pleased with him either. Jake has become his personal slave in order to make him happy again but nothing is really going to make him whole heartily smile again until he can once again get onto that field, but by the time he gets that thing off his leg, soccer season would be over and won't start up again until March. And here in Jefferson, Pennsylvania, it snows a lot unlike down at the west coast where it's warm all year round, so they can't have year round soccer.

Maybe Iggy was upset that he won't be able to go to the soccer trip to New Jersey for four days for some big tournament, and play or even go since the coaches think he should 'rest'. I know this is really getting to him and he has yet to let it out.

"I would like to say it's okay but you and I both know we've had enough of everything being okay." I say. Man, I've always sucked on reassuring people, yet they always continue coming back to me for comfort. Iggy stayed silent.

"And all I can say I kind of understand. When I quit music due to moms death, I felt empty and I knew that only the sweet sound of music playing and my fingers moving and my voice box being used could fix it but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't bring myself to do it. It's like a cheese on a mousetrap. The cheese is right there but it's off limits, only there to taunt you." I say. He remains unresponsive.

I sighed and looked down at him. I could only see the back of his lengthy blonde hair, ruffled and uncombed yet managing to look like a professional stylist had styled it. I knew what he needed to do yet he didn't want to. But holding it in wasn't right. I know that for a fact.

I reached for him but he didn't react. I kneeled down in front of him and buried my head into his neck and wrapped both casted and uncasted arms around him. He stiffened at first but then he hugged me back. It didn't take long until the sobs began. I only hugged him tighter as his grip on me tightened and his sobs grew more gruesome. It had been a while I must admit since Iggy had come to me to be his shoulder to cry on. I now realized that I had somewhat missed this, since we were bonding in our own way. It's just unfortunate that some sort of tragedy or event needs to accure for us to become closer.

I whispered small soothing words into his ear as time passed and his heart wrenching sobs had turned into sniffles. He pulled away and continued to look down. His face was red and puffy and his once beautiful blue eyes were now bloodshot from crying. His hair was also raggedy on his head.

"It's late. You should take a long warm bath and then go get some rest." I whispered to him. He nodded and stood up.

"Thanks, Max" He said, his voice sounding raspy and hoarse.

I smiled at him. "What are amazing sisters for?"

He gave me the slightest smile and exited the living room and into the hall that leads to the stairs.

'When you were standing in the wake of devastation

When you were waiting on the edge of the unknown

With the cataclysm raining down

Your insides crying "Save me now"

You were there, impossibly alone.'

I heard my phone start to play. It was the same song Fang had sang to me on our date. I had made it his personal ringtone and every time it played, I was warped back into that night.

"Hey" I said. For the first time this week, my mood had gone down.

"You don't seem happy to hear me" Fang said at the other end. I smiled even though he couldn't see it.

"It's not that. I just had a chat with Iggy" I explained as I started making my way down the halls and up the stairs.

"Is it the 'Fang's up to no good and you should dump him and find someone better' chat?" Fang teased. I let out a small chuckle.

"No, nothing of those sorts. You can say he finally broke down." I sighed.

If Iggy were to find out that I was telling Fang about this, he would most likely murder me but I knew I could trust Fang. He already knows about Iggy's and I's constant break downs and hardships.

"Oh. Is he okay?" His tone now sounding completely concerned and serious.

"He's fine. He's taking a bath right now. So hopefully he calms down." I explained. I finally reached my room and I happily plopped down onto my huge cloudlike bed.

"That's good."

"So how are you doing?" I asked.

A couple days ago, Fang had explained to me on how his mom is getting worse and how he has to take care of his sister. So we haven't really been able to hang out afterschool. I had offered numerous times on how I could lend him a hand at his house but he refuses every time.

"You know, there." He too sighs. I hear some rustling and a squeak so I can only assume he's also laid down on his own bed. I can only imagine on how his room looks like. I'm pretty sure he has black blankets and pillows but I'm not sure what color walls he has. I know Fang likes the color black but I would think black walls will be too much, even for him. Does he have band posters on his walls or are they bare? Is it messy like Jake's room, or is it neat and organized like Iggy's? Wow, I sound like such a creep, fantasizing on how my boyfriend's room looks like. Boyfriend. I have yet to let it fully sink it calling Fang my boyfriend. It feels so unrealistic but so right at the same time.

"Fang, can you please let me help you! I've been dying to meet Juliet again, and plus we rarely get to hang out. And I seriously wouldn't mind, I've seriously been drop dead bored for the past few days. Just because I fell out a window and broke a simple wrist, doesn't make me crippled!" I protest.

"Max" Fang sighs "I know you want to help but I can't drag you down into my own problems. You have your own you need to worry about. I can't do this to you."

"Fang, you're not dragging me anywhere. I'm doing this willingly. Plus, I did drag you into my problems and it only seems fair if I help you with yours." I point out. I look up at my plain white ceiling. I notice that it looks so bare and empty. I should do something with it sometime.

"Max, you out of all people would understand by now that life isn't fair." Fang remarks.

"Fang listen, we're together now and your problems are my problems now and vice versa. It comes with the relationship like it or not. So you either take it or leave it." I say a little too confident. The other end is silent for a while and I feel my breath catch. What if he does leave it! Oh Max, what have you done?

"I'll pick you up at ten tomorrow." Fang finally says in defeat. Yes! I had to help myself from jumping up and down and shrieking in success.

Max: 1

Fang: 0

….

Walla! Another chapter! So, a few of you have told me to take a break from writing but that's kind of hard. I absolutely love to write and I have to at least right a paragraph before I go to sleep. I always make sure to cram at least half an hour of writing into my schedule every day because I'm not satisfied for the day until I began to type. But I'm also working on a different story, so I'm not always working on this one. (Not for though) Plus, I just received a heckload of inspiration. Better make the best of it while it lasts right?

Now are this chapter length good enough or should I try to make it longer?