Chapter 37

Midnight and I didn't go for long or very far, he just wanted a quick run before we slowed back down and joined the others. I was panting and my legs were sore.

"Ok can we go back now?" I puffed.

"Yeah, Mum and Dad will be here soon," Fang agreed.

"Nancy, we're going to go back!" I called out to her and turned Midnight around. I was followed by Fang and Iggy. We sped into a trot but my legs couldn't take it so much to his disgust I made Midnight slow back down to a walk.

We finally reached the barn. I dismounted off of Midnight and led him to the water trough.

"Boys, bring the horses over here," I ordered them. I helped the boys tie the horses up and take off their saddles and stuff (can't be bothered listing it. With regrets I began to lead Midnight back to the trailer.

"Maxie!" I heard Angel squeal.

"Hi, Angel," I replied and picked her up into my arms, she wrapped her arms around me and then reached out to Midnight.

"Who's this?" Jane asked me.

"This is my horse Midnight," I told her. "Angel loves him." I added.

"She came home from her house excited about how she rode a horse and we didn't believe her but she obviously rode a horse," Paul said nervously.

"Oh, don't worry she was perfectly safe I had a hold of her the whole time and just went around in a circle in a slow walk," I assured them.

"We trust you Max," Jane told me. I didn't say anything I just replied with a smile.

"Hey, Mum, hey, Dad," Fang called out.

"Hi, Jane, hi, Paul," Iggy repeated.

"So you boys have been riding?" Jane asked.

"Max taught us at first," Iggy explained.

"Yeah actually Fang and I went for a long ride the other day." I told Jane and Paul.

"Nick, you never told us that," Paul said. I was shocked I had thought that Fang would've told his parents about that since I thought he had had fun.

"Um, I've got to um put Midnight in the trailer," I said quickly. I left in hurry and hid my face from Fang as I left.

"Max, wait up!" Fang called. I ignored him and kept walking. "Max," Fang said as he tapped my shoulder.

"What?" I asked him with a bit more aggression than I had intended.

"Are you ok?" He asked me.

"Why didn't you tell them?" I blurted out.

"That's what you're upset about?" Fang asked me.

"I just thought that you'd had fun and thought you woulda told them I taught you how to ride a bit or were you just ashamed that a girl that you make fun of taught you something?" I demanded.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Max, calm down, I don't have the kind of relationship with my parents that you do with yours, they had gone out together and what I did with my day I just thought I should keep it to myself. I mean don't get me wrong I love my parents and they're wonderful and I had one of the best times ever," Fang said to me.

"You're right I'm just being stupid," I admitted.

"Kinda," Fang agreed.

"You're not supposed to agree with me, you're supposed to say 'No, Max, you're not stupid," I told him.

"Sorry, Max," Fang said with a roll of his eyes.

The weeks rolled on and Fang and Iggy had turned twelve and soon term one had ended. Sam had been sticking to me like glue and I had to admit he could be a jerk to the rest of the flock especially Fang but he was really sweet around me. I began to think that Fang and Iggy were right about Sam which worried me. I didn't date which I'd mentioned to him just in case he got any ideas.

Lissa spoke to the whole lot of us quite cheerfully but paid special attention to Fang which irked me a little bit. When the holidays came so did Ari's third birthday and he finally got his new room that hid lights in the ceiling shaped like stars and was painted a baby blue.

The flock spent a lot of time together in the holidays. We hung out at all of our houses and went on walks. Nudge told me that she was practically over Gazzy and she could now say that he was inclined to like whoever he wanted to.

When term two resumed nothing had changed much, Sam still stuck to me like glue and blah, blah, blah you know the drill.

"Hey, Max, can I ask you something?" Sam asked me in the second week of school.

"Yeah sure," I answered him nervously.

"I heard that for year seven graduation the year sixes and sevens have to take ballroom dancing lessons or something," Sam began.

"Yeah, in term four," I confirmed. He looked around and saw Fang heading over to us.

"Well I know it's a long time away but I was wondering if you'd like to be my partner for the first lesson?" He asked me loudly enough so that Fang could hear him. I saw Fang stop dead in his tracks and turn to look at me.

"Well, um sure just as friends right?" I checked.

"Yeah, just as friends," Sam nodded.

"Well ok then," I agreed.

I immediately saw the look of surprise on Fang's face.

"Fang, can I talk to you?" Sam asked him. Fang nodded slowly and the two boys went off together. When Fang came back he didn't look all that happy.

"What was that all about?" I asked Fang.

"Nothing," He muttered.

"Fang?" I asked him cautiously.

"Max, please I don't want to talk about it," Fang begged me.

"Ok," I sighed and walked into class.

Fang tried not to meet my eyes for the rest of the day and eventually the rest of the flock noticed and called me over.

"Ok, Max, what's going on with you and Fang?" Iggy asked me.

"I don't know, he was fine until I agreed to go to footsteps with Sam," I shrugged.

"You did what!" They all exclaimed.

"What's the big deal?" I asked them.

"Max, you just fell into his trap!" Nudge gasped.

"Guys, it's no big deal and I don't see why that would bug Fang anyway." I pointed out.

"True," Gazzy agreed.

"Look, Sam asked to speak to Fang just after he asked me that's all I know," I finished before Ella and I had to get to the car.

"So what did Sam say to Fang?" Ella asked me that night.

"I don't know but it must have pissed Fang off," I noted.

"You know that Sam likes you right?" Ella checked with me.

"I really want to say no but I think he does," I sighed. It was flattering when a guy liked me since I'm not someone that gets liked very often since I'm not overly pretty. However it could be frustrating when the guy was like Sam and didn't seem to be getting the message. I didn't like Sam in that way at all even if I could date I wouldn't go out with him.

I looked for Fang the next morning and when I found him he seemed to be in at least a slightly better mood than he had been the day before.

"Hi," I said to him.

"Hey yourself," He replied playfully.

"You ok?" I asked him.

"Yeah, I'm fine so you're going with Sam, what's the big deal?" Fang shrugged.

"Fang, there's nothing with me and Sam he was just asking me as a friend," I sighed. He gave out a know it all snort. "What?" I asked.

"Nothing," He lied.

"Fang?" I asked.

"Not my place to say, Max, but you'll figure it out sooner or later but I'm just going to tell you to be careful I don't think Sam is the nicest guy in the world." Fang told me.