A/N You guys have shared your thoughts with me and I am happy to say that I haven't given this story up. I made a promise to myself a long time ago that I would never give up on anything and i almost broke that promise. Thank you guys so much for bringing me to the light and helping me to realize that I do still love this story it's just my brain has been working too hard to iron out the details. So here's to you guys. Sorry it took so long.

Disclaimer: I do not own any Maximum Ride characters but I do however own the plot.

Maya POV

Today was the day. After school I was supposed to sneak out and head to Ella's house to get ready with Nudge and her. I waited for about an hour after school had ended before climbing down the tree next to my balcony. Anne was taking a nap in her room and Jordan hadn't come out of his room since he came home. I was worried about him. The wind outside made goose bumps rise on my arms and I pulled my sweatshirt closer. A few minutes passed and I had arrived at Ella's door.

"Entrér," Ella called from inside the house. She sat on the couch in the living room with Nudge watching some movie.

"Isn't that the main course of a dinner?" I asked as I went to sit on the couch and join them. Ella rolled her eyes.

"That's entrée, Max." I shrugged.

"Okay, so the dance starts at six and its 3:15 now so how about we start getting ready?" Nudge asked.

"Now? But it's not until six! That's, like, three hours from now!" I complained just as Max would but totally understanding what Nudge meant.

"Max, Max, Max, you have much to learn." I rolled my eyes and followed them upstairs to Ella's room. We each laid our dresses down on the bed so we could look at them and decide what we wanted to do with our hair and such. "Okay, so since Ella and I know you're clueless,"

"Hey!"

"We've already planned out what we're doing with our hair and makeup and right now we'll focus on you." Nudge smiled wickedly. Oh, Lord. They sat me down on the floor and Nudge started to work on my hair while Ella studied my face and dress, deciding what palate to use for the makeup. Nudge did a simple half-up style with the sides pulled back. The extent of my hair was curled and hair-sprayed into place. Damon would've been proud. Ella got to work priming and moisturizing my face before she started on my makeup. She decided on a light brown barely noticeable eye shadow with a thin line of eyeliner, mascara, and a pink lip gloss. When they were finished with me they started to work on themselves. Nudge pinned her natural curls up into that magical way that girls can without using any hair-ties. Ella curled and pinned the hair in back so that it all glided over her right shoulder. Nudge focused her makeup on her lips which she painted a berry color then applied sparkly lip gloss on top of. She gave her eyes a thin coat of liner and mascara and declared that she was off to go find the shoes. Ella decided to focus more on her eyes. She chose a rosy pink the same color as her dress to coat her lids and then lined her eyes with a brown liner instead of black giving them a softer look. She stuck with brown for her mascara and then applied a thin coating of pink lip gloss on her lips. Nudge came back with our shoes and set them down on the ground next to the bed. After changing into our dresses, we slipped our shoes on and stood to look at ourselves in the mirror.

"You guys look great." I smiled at each of them.

"So do you," Ella replied.

"Yeah, seriously, you clean up nicely, Max."

"Dylan will surely appreciate it." Ella smirked.

"He told you?!" I blurted before I could stop myself and closed my mouth quickly.

"Told us what? What? Max! What are you hiding?" Nudge said excitedly. More than you know. I sighed and let my shoulders sag.

"Dylan and I are goisdjbskjjdn." I muttered.

"Sorry, couldn't make that out." Ella said and leaned her ear closer.

"Dylan and I are going kjssbajkhfdj." I hissed through gritted teeth.

"Did you hear anything, Nudge? Because I sure didn't."

"No. I don't believe I did, Ella." They both leaned their ears even closer.

"Dylan and I are going to the dance together! There, happy?" I burst then crossed my arms.

"AWWWW!" Ella and Nudge both cooed at the same time. They join hands and started to jump up and down in a circle. "We knew it! We knew it!" They chanted in unison.

"We're just friends. Nothing's going on between us." I protested.

"Uhhhuhh. You keep telling yourself that, Maxie." Ella said. I rolled my eyes and checked the time. It was five. The guys would be here any second to come and pick us up. Let the torture begin.

Max POV

The after party had been insane. I had filled my stomach by the time ten minutes had passed and then the rest of the night was filled with dancing and mingling between cast and crew and family. I had woken at noon today to find a quiet household with no one in it. A note on the fridge had said that Iggy had gone to run a few errands and Fang had gone with him. I plopped down on the couch after eating breakfast to watch some TV. Every single news channel was talking about the premiere of Maya's movie. It was absolutely incredible. Video and pictures from last night were replaying on every station. I finally turned the TV off and went back in Maya's room to check her planner. There was nothing really planned until the week after and then shit got real. There were interviews and photo shoots and talk show appearances and the whole get-out.

"A little intense?" I heard a voice behind me. I jumped and turned around to see Fang chuckling at me. I rolled my eyes and walked over to him. Leaning my head against his chest I mumbled something into him.

"What?" he asked.

"I said, I don't think I'm ready for it." I answered lifting my head up to look at him. He kissed the end of my nose.

"You're ready. Come help bring in groceries." A couple minutes later Iggy, Fang, and I were working in the kitchen to put the groceries into their correct spaces.

"Do you guys ever wonder what it would be like to live normal lives?" I asked after an awkward pause in the conversation.

"Us? You mean the struggling actor and the emo-goth-kid-rebel-without-a-cause?" Iggy clarified. I laughed as Fang threw a pack of sponges at Iggy's head. He ducked and then grinned over at him. Fang just rolled his eyes. "Well I consider this life to be pretty normal to me so no, not really. Fang?" He thought for a second.

"Nah, everything I have now is because I didn't live a normal life growing up. If my dad hadn't been the director of that show Maya was on we never would have met and I never would have been friends with Iggy and Maya and never would've been introduced to you." He smiled over at me and I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks.

"So how does it feel, then? When Maya decided to spend all this time away from you guys to live normally, were you surprised? Did it hurt?" I asked. Iggy shrugged.

"Not really, I mean, Maya's been acting and performing for as long as I've known her. Nothing could keep her away from the stage. Even off the stage she was always dramatic but that isn't what's considered living 'normally'. I'm okay with having a crazy hectic schedule and never knowing where my next pay check is coming from but Maya wants to know what it would be like not to have to worry about that. And that's something only she can figure out." I nodded.

"I understand. She's lucky to have you guys." I smiled at them and then turned back to finish loading up the pantry, wondering what my own friends were doing right then.

Maya POV

"I still can't believe how amazing you look." Dylan commented again that night. I laughed and pulled him closer by our joined hands as we walked up the pathway to the school. Nudge and Ella walked ahead of us with their own dates whose names I'd already forgotten.

"You clean up nicely too." I said and gazed up at him. His hair was combed neater and he wore a traditional black tux with a white dress shirt and blue tie. He smiled and his glorious white teeth almost blinded me. He was just so perfect it was almost unbelievable.

Inside the gym was a complete plethora of colors. Different colored lights and dresses and skin. Strategically positioned at each doorway into and out of the gymnasium were teachers. So they could keep an eye on the students in the gym and out in the hallways. A row of tables lined the back wall stacked with food and drinks. Bodies pulsed on the dance floor to the rapid beat of the song playing. Other students could be found standing off to the sides of the gym or sitting at one of the many tables surrounding the dance floor. Dylan and I followed Nudge, Ella, and their dates to find an empty one. After being tossed and jostled by an unruly group of dancers we made it through the dance floor and to an empty round table.

"Okay, well, I want to start dancing. How about you Josh?" Ella asked the guy sitting next to her. He seemed nice enough. His hair reminded me of a more tamed version of Fang's only brown. His eyes were bright blue and his face was chiseled in a subtle and attractive way. They got up from the table and headed over onto the dance floor.

"That sounds fun! How about you, Eddy? Want to dance?" Nudge looked over at her own date. He gave me weird vibes so I immediately didn't trust him. His hair was blond and cut short on the sides but his bangs were overlong and hung just below his eyebrows. His dress shirt was slightly rumpled and his demeanor was cocky. I watched in disgust as she headed over to the dance floor with him following. The way his eyes raked over her possessively made me cringe. It was like he was claiming every part of her in the worst way possible; judging her physique and appearance with every glance.

"Whoa, need some water to put out the fire? Maya, I've only ever seen Max give a look like that. What's wrong?" Dylan put his hand on my arm to try and get me to look at him. I kept my stare locked on Nudge and Eddy for a moment more before turning to him.

"I don't like that Eddy guy. He gives me a bad feeling." I turned back to look at Nudge. I heard Dylan sigh behind me.

"Yeah, I know. Nudge has questionable taste in guys. Max had to learn that the hard way. You just have to let her figure it out on her own. She's a big girl. She can handle it. Trust me." I turned back to him.

"I know I should but I just don't want her to get hurt. She may be Max's friend but I can't help truly caring for her and Ella….and you." I cast my glance up into his eyes. He gave me a small smile and his own turquoise orbs softened. His hand came up to cradle my face.

"I know and Ella and Nudge would care for you too if they knew you weren't Max but still…sometimes you have to let them fall before they can fly." I couldn't help it. I laughed.

"That was the cheesiest thing I've ever heard in my life!" I choked through fits of laughter. Dylan smiled; glad that I was feeling better.

"Cheesy, but true." I stopped my laughter and wiped away the tears that had built in my eyes before nodding. "Wanna dance?" I turned to look at him and smiled.

Max POV

"Max! You ready?" Fang called from down the hall.

"Yeah, just one second!" I put my pictures back in the drawer before heading to join Iggy and Fang.

"Come in!" Ms. Martinez called from inside the house. We entered and immediately went to gather in the living room.

"¡caramba!" I walked into the kitchen to see Maya's mom holding a pair of broken worn scissors. "Cariño, could you grab me a pair of scissors out of the office please?" I nodded and headed out of the kitchen.

The office was dark when I entered. I switched the light on and was met with a desk stockpiled with different papers and files along with a computer and a few picture frames that held some family photos. The scissors were laid on the desk next to a picture frame. I walked over to grab them and then stopped. Instead of going to pick up the scissors my hand changed course and grabbed the frame bringing it up so I could see it better. There. It was right in front of me but I couldn't believe my eyes. Right there standing next to what had to be Maya's grandma. She stared back at me. Smiling, none-the-less. Maya's mom was standing on her other side but I barely registered more than those two in the picture beside her. All of my focus was on that one person. That one element that had led to my destruction. That one key part in the act of my life. The one person who had decided everything and nothing in my life all at once. I felt the tears gathering in my eyes and felt my throat tightening. My whole body was frozen and all I could do was stare. I couldn't function. She now took that away from me too. It was as if a black hole had opened and sucked my soul into it and I was nothing more than an empty shell standing here, staring. The tears had started to fall but I made no noise. I wouldn't let her take that from me. She could see me cry all she wanted but I refused to let her break me down into nothing. I would remain together. I would fight back and push her away as I had to do all those years ago.

"Maya. Are you alright?" Maya's mom startled me into movement and the picture frame dropped from my hand.

A/N Dun Dun DUNNNNNN! So what did you guys think? Was it good? I will try to update faster next time. Hopefully you guys will trust me to keep true to that promise. I love you guys!

Be true to yourself because no one else will love you better,

~TAGGWRITC (Kiara)