A/N Sorry it took so long for this chapter but at least I'm getting it up now!
Disclaimer: I own only the plot.
Maya POV
Dylan and I swayed back and forth with my head cradled under his neck. We had been dancing for at least an hour and having a blast. I could see the people around us just fine but other than that it was like they weren't there. It was just Dylan and I. I pulled my head up from its nestled position and looked Dylan in the eyes. I said nothing for a few seconds.
"Do you want to go out with me? After this is all done in two weeks?" I asked and Dylan's face brightened.
"I thought you'd never ask." He grinned and I rolled my eyes.
"I don't know about you but I'm starving, want to join me at the snack table?" He nodded.
Max POV
I picked the picture of my mother up off the floor and set it back down on the desk. Luckily the frame was unbroken and no glass had shattered.
"Sorry, you startled me. Here's the scissors." I handed her the scissors and she took them gracefully but gave me a curious glance before heading back out into the kitchen. I tried to slow my breathing down as my heart continued to race in my chest. My mom in a picture with Maya's mom? I'd never noticed before how similar they looked. The same brown hair, the same warm eyes, and their complexions. But something was more welcoming about Ms. Martinez. My mom had an air of cold that always shrouded her. I exited the office and made my way to the living room where Iggy and Fang were. Fang gave me a look as I sat next to him on the couch but I just shook my head to signify that we'd talk about it later.
Maya POV
After the dance Dylan drove me back to Ella's place so that I could change out of my dress and wash my face. In the car on the way to Max's house we rode silently. I stared out my window and watched as the world passed by until I felt Dylan's hand slip across the console and into my own. I looked at our joined hands and then up at him. He smiled.
"Tonight was fun." Was all he said and I smiled and nodded. Our hands didn't let go until we reached the block before Max's house. I said a quick goodbye to Dylan and got out of the car.
The house was dead silent as I entered through the balcony doors. I checked the time to see that it was 1:00 in the morning. I sighed and changed into some sweats before crawling into the bed and falling asleep.
Jordan sat at the small kitchen table the next morning picking away at some cereal. Anne was upstairs on her computer doing whatever. I poured my own self a bowl and took a seat next to Jordan. He let his gaze travel up to my face and then fall back down to his bowl of cereal.
"I know you went out last night." He said so quietly I almost didn't think I'd heard him correctly. Almost. I froze with my spoon in midair and looked over at him slowly. A small smile found its way to his lips. "Don't worry, I'm not going to tell." I sighed with relief.
"Thank you, Jordan. I'm sorry I haven't been as good a friend as I should've been after… you know. I just don't know what to make of it." He stiffened but nodded slowly as if he was accepting my apology.
"I want to find her." He spoke softly.
"What?"
"I want to find her. I need to know if I'm right. I need to." He locked eyes with me and his gaze was so intense I had to look away for a second. A flash of my nightmare zipped through my thoughts.
"Jordan, that's not going to be easy. You know that, right?"
"I know, but it will be easier if you help me. Please?" I couldn't say no to his pleading look.
"Fine, but only because you need to know. I know that feeling too."
"Because of your dad?"
"Yeah, if I coul-wait. I mean no. He's dead."
"Max, I know you're hiding something. I'm not going to force you to tell me but I know." I sighed and we each ate our breakfast in silence. I cleaned our dishes and put them in the sink and then turned to Jordan.
"What was her name? Full name." I asked.
"Why?"
"I can't find her if I don't know who I'm looking for." He thought a minute.
"Cara Marie Blake." He finally said.
"Is that her maiden or her married name?"
"Maiden. She was never married. She was sixteen when she had me." I stiffened but relaxed as I saw Jordan didn't seem to care.
"Oh, okay." I walked over to the fridge, took down the list of my chores, and started to do them.
Max POV
"Max, care to tell me what that was about?" Fang asked me later that night as we laid together in my bed. He was holding me to his chest and I was playing with the ends of his hair. I avoided his question for a few moments before answering.
"What what was about?"
"Don't play dumb with me, Max. Why'd you have that deer-in-the-headlights look earlier at Maya's mom's house?" I shrugged.
"I saw something." I replied vaguely.
"Care to elaborate?" Fang pulled my hands slowly away from his hair and held them to his chest forcing me to look him in the eyes. I sighed and sat up. He followed suit.
"Maya's mom asked for me to go get her some scissors from her office and while I was in there I saw a picture. It was of a big group of people at a barbecue or something but one of the faces looked familiar to me and so I picked it up and…and…" I swallowed and tried to keep my tears in.
"And...what, Max?" Fang asked, gentler.
"My mom was standing next to Maya's mom." I looked into his eyes no longer holding my tears back. He pulled me to him.
"Really? Are you sure?" he asked and I shoved him away from me.
"No! I'm making it up for kicks! God, think sometimes Fang!" I snapped and crossed my arms over my chest. He glared at me. I saw the barely visible hurt in his eyes and dropped my anger completely letting my arms fall from my chest. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped at you." I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled myself closer to him.
"Hey, you're just upset. It's understandable." His own arms snaked back around my waist. "We'll figure this out together. I promise." He pecked my lips.
"Really?" I asked and he nodded. I gave him a small smile before leaning back against him and cradling my head under his chin. "What do you think it means?" I asked softly.
"Maybe you and Maya really are related somehow." He said after a moment of thought.
"If we are, do you think she knew?" He shook his head.
"Nah, Maya spent most of her time with us and never really had any family functions. She's close with her mom but not anyone else in her family really." I mulled over this until my brain started to hurt and all I could do to keep myself from getting a headache was not think. I looked up at Fang's gentle face and saw that his eyes were closed and he was just enjoying his arms around me. I smiled and leaned up to plant a kiss beneath his jaw. I felt the muscles of his face twitch as my lips left his warm skin. I slid further up and kissed the side of his jaw. Then his cheek. Then I trailed kisses all the way until I reached his mouth. As soon as my lips touched his he flipped us over so that he laid over me. I smiled against our joined mouths and flipped us over again so that I straddled his waist. His hands rested gently at the curve of my hips and mine slipped through his hair. Kissing him was like breathing. I couldn't stop doing it or I might die. Our kisses grew more frantic and felt my hands slip from his hair to the hem of his shirt. He didn't miss a beat, slipping his shirt over his head in one fluid motion before returning his mouth to mine. My hands searched his bare body, tracing every ridge of muscle. There was a lot. I felt his own hands slip beneath my shirt, caressing the bend of my bare waist. I slipped my own shirt off, a bit clumsier than Fang did. Fang's hands slid to my back tracing the pattern of my spine. I shivered and he smirked. I bit his bottom lip lightly causing him to flinch in surprise. Fang growled softly and I found my kiss becoming hungrier. When I felt Fang's hands at the waistline of my jeans I was snapped back to reality. I pulled away from him. Our breathing was heavy as we stared at each other. I laid my own hands over Fang's and gently moved them away from my hips.
"I'm not ready for that yet." I whispered to him, looking down.
"Okay," he whispered. "I can wait. I will wait." I looked up to smile at him and found that his eyes weren't on my face. They were somewhere a little south of that. I saw his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed. My cheeks reddened. My face was so hot I knew I probably looked like a tomato. Fang's eyes found my own and he smiled. He leaned closer and kissed behind my ear. "Beautiful," He whispered softly into my ear before moving away. I smiled shyly at him and then ran my hands up and down his arms. He did the same for me as we tried to cool down from the heat of the previous moments.
Maya POV
I slumped down on my bed after a long shift at the diner. I just wanted to go to sleep but a buzz from my phone kept me from making it happen. I looked and saw a text from Iggy.
Hey. Long time no talk. I typed a quick reply back.
Hey, Igs. Wats up over there?
Well, Fang stole my buddy Max away so now im all alone. I decided to txt u. :)
Oh, im sry. Wat do u mean stole away?
I mean Max and him r snuggling in ur room probs making out and Im sitting in living room bored.
Gross, Tell them no sex on my bed.
Haha, no guarantees.
how u been? I miss u guys.
We miss u too. Ive been good. Staying out of trouble. Hows life with the B in apt 23?
Ugh. I'm so tired. I understand max now.
Haha, okay. I'll let you get ur sleep then. Nighty night.
Night, Iggy.
I put my phone away and just lay on my bed for a while. It felt good to talk to Iggy again. I missed the guys more than I liked to admit. They were my rocks and now I was away and they weren't with me. It felt weird and foreign. But I had Dylan here with me. Dylan. I smiled as he came into my mind. I wanted to be with him like Max could be with Fang now but with the witch constantly harassing me and no one else knowing that I'm not Max I'd just have to wait. The lull of sleep finally pulled me over to the dark side after a while.
Max POV
I gently moved Fang's arms so he wouldn't know I was leaving him. I got up from the bed and crept around to the drawer with my pictures in it. Using the light from my phone I stared at the picture of my mom and me. I don't know why. Maybe I just wanted reassurance that it was her in the picture I had seen. Behind my eyes started to feel hot but I kept the tears at bay this time. God, I was turning into such a priss.
"She's beautiful." I heard Fang's deep voice say behind me. I jumped and turned around quickly, dropping my phone. The light went out and everything was dark again until Fang reached over and turned the bedside lamp on. "You don't need to be afraid, Maximum." He said and sat up in bed. I slumped in my position on the floor and gazed down at the picture of my mom again.
"Sometimes I wish I could ask her, you know? Why she gave me up. She said it was because I looked too much like my dad but even at my age I knew that was total bullshit. I just want to know what I did for her to think that she couldn't handle me anymore." I wiped the tear that had escaped away from my face. Fang shifted off of the bed and sat down on the floor next to me.
"You didn't do anything." He said and looked me straight in the eye.
"You don't know that. There's no way you could possibly know that." I tried to take the bite out of my words and failed.
"Yes, I do. I know because you're you and no one could ever help but love you. The only people who don't are the people who are jealous of you. Everyone loves you, Max. I-" He bit his lip. My heart thudded in anticipation for what he was about to say. "Everyone loves you." It slowed slightly and dropped into my stomach in disappointment. I tried to keep the emotion off of my face. "She gave you up for her own reasons. She probably just wanted you to have a better life. Maybe find a father." I stared at him for a while and then sighed.
"Okay," was all I said and leaned my head against his chest.
A/N So how was that chapter? I gave you Fax and some insight into Max's life. I also gave you the start of a new adventure with Jordan's mom and Maya's thoughts on the matter. Thank you so much for those who reviewed last chapter! They mean the world to me and I'm so glad that you guys feel that way about this story. To answer some of your questions: You'll just have to see what happens. And yes I did see Mockingjay Part 1 and IT WAS THE MOST SPECTACULAR THING THAT HAS HAPPENED ON THIS EARTH SINCE HARRY POTTER AND FRANCIS LAWRENCE I LOVE YOU AND HATE YOU AT THE SAME TIME BUT ONLY BECAUSE YOU HAD TO END IT THERE AND AJBFJLFJKDSFJKUK! Hopefully that answers your questions. I love you all! Please review and tell me what you think!
Sometimes the bad days are what make the good days so special,
~TAGGWRITC (Kiara)