A/N: Wow, much better turnout than I expected. 106 reviews? That's crazy! You guys were reviewing like crazy, not that I mind or anything. (looks around) Hugs and kisses to all the reviewers from last chapter. Individual shout-outs are at the bottom of the page. ;-)

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Sentences in italics are the thoughts of the characters.

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Chapter 8: Strictly PG13.

He managed a smile. "Well, I guess I'll see you around... Max."

I'm not deaf, Logan. She chuckled to herself and walked up to face him, much to Logan's surprise. She gazed up into his eyes and grinned at him. Using both of her hands, she roughly grabbed his head down to her level...

And patted some sand off the front of his spiked up hair. "There."

Wha? You actually thought she was going to kiss you, weren't you, Cale? Logan frowned. "Uh...yeah."

Looking up, she met his eyes again. Wow, they're so blue. And green. Hey, they look gray, too. Somehow, even his eye color mesmerized her. Blinking away quickly, she snapped out the unwanted thought.

Suddenly realizing her hands were still on both sides of his head, she let go and pushed him away. "What do you think you're doing?!" she asked incredulously.

Logan, backing away, screwed up a confused expression. "I'm not doing anything. I'm just looking at you," he replied simply.

Max glared at him amazingly, as if he were a madman. "You...you're driving me crazy!" She turned and hastily walked away, not knowing what to do in a situation like this.

"Hey! You were the one that grabbed me and wouldn't let go, so I should be the one complaining, not you!"

Turning around to face him, Max frowned, "Go back to your little playboy mansion, Logan and LEAVE ME ALONE!" she bellowed. Why did you have to say that, Max? She sighed inwardly.

"I thought you were better than this, Max," he shouted back.

She made a turn so that her body was facing him. "Better than what?" she spat.

"When I first met you that night, I thought you were sweet. Guess I was wrong," he retorted back.

She looked at him for a moment before saying, "The bitch is back." With that she rolled her eyes and hiked up the hill, attempting to get as far away from him as possible.

Just when she thought things wouldn't get any worse, an annoying voice squealed her "not-so-tough" surname, "Maxie!"

She let out a groan as her brother ran down the hill towards her. "Alec, do you have to show up now?"

Alec wrinkled his brow. "Why not now?"

Max sighed and rolled her eyes. She watched as her brother wave at someone behind her. Please don't let it be Logan. She silently prayed to herself.

"Hey, buddy!" Alec shouted. Shut up, Alec! Logan shook his head profusively, mouthing a "NO!"

Alec frowned. "What's wrong with him?" he asked his sister, pointing at Logan, who was jumping up and down and pointing towards the beach house.

Max turned.

Noticing Alec pointing at him to Max and Max turning around to face him, Logan stopped jumping. Shit.

He smiled.

"Uh...hey Alec...buddy." Watching Max apprehensively, who had an eyebrow raised and arms around her chest, smiled nervously, "and...Ma-Max." He stuttered.

Aw, he's so cute. Max quickly shook off the thought, deciding that drooling over Logan wouldn't be a good option. Her invisible defense barrier quickly came back up again.

Logan ran up to them and exchanged handshakes with Alec.

"Logan, my man!" Alec slapped him on the shoulder. He then looked from Max to Logan, waiting for them to exchange their greetings.

Max simply glared at him and said, "Hey."

"Hey."

Alec nudged Max on the shoulder. "C'mon, Maxie! Why the grim expression?" He asked sarcastically, not expecting an answer back.

Max scoffed at him.

He rolled his eyes, focusing his attention back on Logan, who quite frankly was enjoying the bickering between the two siblings. "Listen, Logan. I'm throwing a party, a house-party, tonight at nine..."

Max interrupted, "What?! Alec, we're not allowed to..."

"- to throw any parties while mom and dad are away," he finished off for her. "I know. But it's just a small gathering. Nothing big," he told her reassuringly.

She looked up at him incredulously. "You're dead if they find out."

"Relax, Maxie. They won't. I'll just keep everything strictly PG-13. We're bound not to get into any trouble," he said nonchalantly. Then added, "You worry too much, dearest sister."

"ME?!" she asked in disbelief. "Oh, brother dear, don't tell me you don't remember what happened last time..."

She smirked as Alec became slightly nervous. "Uh... Logan!"

To their surprise, Logan had started walking back already, leaving both Max and Alec behind to talk to themselves. "Logan! Bling, Sebastian and Sung will fill you in on all the details. You can't bail on me this time!" He shouted.

"I'll think about it," he dismissed them with a wave of the hand.

Alec made his trademark boyish grin, "Well, that went well, don't ya think?"

Max shook her head and mumbled something that sounded vaguely like "Men."

"I heard that."

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"Alec!"

Max screamed across the room, hoping her prat of a brother could hear her. She was wearing a red tank top, along with a pair of army cargo pants. Her curly hair was partially wet after having just taken a shower.

Head still bobbing, Alec shouted across the living room. "WHAT?"

"You didn't tell me you invited THIS many people," Max head motioned around the teenagers situated around their living room and kitchen. Loud hip-hop music from the stereo speakers echoed through the house. She rolled her eyes in disgust as she watched a girl take off her shirt. Apparently, they were playing strip poker. "Ugh."

Alec, still wearing his black Pacific Sun sunglasses (he thought he looked "cooler" that way), approached her and said, "I didn't. I guess it just got around that there'd be a party here." He watched as Sketchy greeted the girl playing strip poker. "It was a mistake inviting Sketchy, I'll tell you that."

"Knowing him, he probably advertised this party: 'Free beer at 1535 Eagle!'". How Alec had been able to get a hold of beer, she had no idea and she didn't want to know.

The doorbell rang again as Alec pushed through a bunch of people to answer. Every ten minutes or so, the doorbell would ring, bringing in a new flock of people into their house. Max scurried over to the staircase, as two guys were sneaking up. She grabbed both of their wrists roughly.

"Upstairs are off limit. Didn't we warn you at the door?" She told them threateningly.

The two guys looked at each other then smirked. One of the two guys said, "My fault, pretty lady. We just needed to use the restroom... you know, to pee?"

"Well, go use the one by the kitchen." She let go of their wrists and watched as they headed towards where she had motioned them. She let out an exasperated sigh as they turned around and winked at her suggestively.

Max felt more like a security to the party more than anything. She'd promised her parents she'd look after her brother and his idiotic little schemes and she intended to keep her promise. She had to admit, though, throwing a party like this could definitely get them exposed. What was Alec thinking when he started this?

Her gaze fell upon the three people whom Alec had let into the house: it was Original Cindy, Kendra and Herbal Thought. Max beamed. Things couldn't get any worse with her three best friends around, could it? Or so she thought.

She felt a hand land gently on her shoulders. Immediately shaking it off, her head turned to come face-to-face with a blonde male wearing a black leather jacket. "Who are you?" she asked in disgust.

"Oh, I'm sorry," he apologized sincerely, and then added, "You're Max, right?"

"Yeah, what's it to you?" Why does he look so familiar?

He frowned for a moment, as if contemplating what to say to her and then said uneasily, "I was...uh.. wondering if we could meet up sometime.. and t-talk." He grinned.

Max sneered, "If you're trying to hook up with me... don't." With that she turned and left him standing there open-mouthed.

After regaining his dignity, he shouted, "My name is Sam, by the way!"

Max held up a hand to shut him up. "Like I even care," she muttered.

"Sam, Normal's newest joy toy. Normal gave him an application today right after you left. Strange, the boy kept asking for you," Original Cindy told her.

"Great, now I have myself a stalker," Max quipped.

The doorbell rang yet again as Max and Original Cindy sat down on the stairs to make sure they'd be able to catch anyone trying to sneak up.

"Boo, there's that lickety-chick I met while hanging at Crash today. She said hello and told me her name, Chrisette. Is that a bomb-ass name for a female or what?" Original Cindy stood up.

"Cindy, do me a favor and not do anything inappropriate at my place, alright?" Max said quickly before her best friend could walk over to "Chrisette".

"You know that's not happening, boo," she said without losing a beat.

Max groaned in defeat and tugged her knees onto her chest. So, everyone seemed to be having a jolly good time except for her. Wonderful.

Max watched as a bald, incredibly buff, African-American guy dash towards her from where she was sitting. Max recognized at once that the guy was one of Logan's friends that was playing volleyball with him this afternoon. Sensing his worried and disheveled state, Max rised abruptly and asked, "What's the problem?"

Bling stopped in front of her and gasped for breath. "M-My... two friends," he pointed and directed her gaze towards the backyard, where she saw two people shouting at each other. "... they're arguing, you have to stop them before they start going at each other."

"If these idiots want to fight, fight somewhere else for God's sake." Pushing through the crowd, Max headed off towards the back of the house, unaware of the unspoken exchange between Bling, who was pushing her along from behind, and Logan.

Logan let out a quiet laugh as he watched Bling wink at him. Giving him the thumbs up, Logan sprinted up towards the staircase as soon as Bling turned his head away.

Entering the hallway, Logan scanned for Max's bedroom, which wasn't too difficult as the front of her door had a bumper sticker that read, "Girls Kick Ass". This girl's really got an attitude. Logan smirked. Looking left and right of him, he carefully picked the lock open to her bedroom door. I'll just find what I'm looking for, then leave.

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Storming out the backyard, she saw the blonde guy that had tried to hit on her just a few minutes ago, standing between the two quarreling guys, trying to stop them from fighting.

Max crossed her arms. "I see you've got everything under control." With that, she began walking back towards the house.

Sebastian and Sung looked nervously at each other then at Bling, for their plan had backfired on them. They were simply supposed to distract Max so that Logan could get something from her, apparently, something important.

Stalling time, Bling abruptly grabbed Max on the shoulder. She turned and said, "You know, I've it up to here with guys touching me today."

He let go quickly. "Sorry. I... uh, I'm Bling. Logan's friend. Logan's mentioned you once or twice."

Max raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

Bling nodded.

Max stopped where she was, much to Bling's relief. "What exactly did he say about me?"

"He..uh.. he said..," stuttering, he turned towards Sebastian and Sung for help.

"- that you were sweet...," said Sung while straightening up.

"- smart...," Bling cut in.

"- and uh... cute," Sebastian said quickly.

Both Bling and Sung turned to Sebastian, giving him nasty looks, reminding themselves to beat him up afterwards for saying that.

Max looked impressed. "Really?" All three of them nodded their heads. "And where is he now?" she asked curiously.

Sebastian and Sung both looked at Bling. Bastards. He thought.

"Restroom."

"I just might have to thank him for calling me 'cute'." she quipped and walked away. "It was nice meeting you guys."

After she left, Bling and Sung slapped Sebastian on the head. "You idiot!"

Having watched the entire scene, Sam was quite amused. He hurried over to the three friends, hoping they'd know more about Max and this guy, Logan.

Interesting friends this guy, Logan has. Max laughed. So he thinks I'm cute, huh? She mused as she walked up the stairs to make sure no one had sneaked up.

Max stopped dead on her tracks as she saw Logan in front of her bedroom door.

Making sure there'd be no evidence that someone had sneaked into her bedroom, Logan twisted the knob to make sure it was locked. Before he could do it, though, he felt someone standing a few feet away from him. Oh no. He gulped.

"What the hell," Max yelled angrily, "DO-YOU-THINK-YOU'RE DOING?!"

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------A/N: Ah, another cliffhanger. So sorry.

I'm sure you'd all be able to guess who Sam is by now. Hm...blonde, tall? I'm not giving away anymore hints. LOL.

Many thanks goes out to my beta, ML fan.

The Shadower – It's funny how everyone thinks that I'll make M/L kiss so soon. I would never do that. I believe in tension and angst, they're just fun to write. And it's what M/L's relationship is all about. Thank you so much for the compliments! And I hope you've enjoyed this chapter, too. ML making a comeback? Hm...

NoAngell – Sorry, I scared you with the cliffhanger. Just as I've said before, I intend on building more on the angst thing before making these two lovebirds kiss.

Tara - (smiles) I feel all special now after reading your review. And you're very welcome for keeping your ML fix going. :) :)

Babyangel86 – Now, Logan in a wheelchair was something I never really approved of. I'm into Logan doing some action instead of sitting around all day in front of his comp. Oh, and I don't really know Jade-Tessier, but my beta does and she hasn't heard from her in awhile either. You might wanna try emailing her.

idlehands452 – Good advice. And good point. I never really gave much thought into it. But they are only 17 so I doubt if the bartenders would be handing them pitchers of beers, but they do live in a post-pulse world. Hrm..

Jessica – No kissing...yet.

Bxprincess- Yea, sorry for the wait.

Lolly81- Thanks, I enjoy writing in my AU world.

Debbie – Thanks.

Cat – I'm not so sure if this is the BEST ML fic out there right now, but yea, I try my best and I'm glad you like it.

Bob – You've guessed wrong. LoL.

Hermionejanepotter – I'm not gonna stop writing anytime soon so no need to worry. Judging from your username, you're probably an H/Hr fan, right? Hm.. is it a bad idea to tell you that I'm an R/Hr fan? (ducks from flying tomatoes)

Guestyo- Thanks for the um... 17 reviews. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be over 100 reviews right now. LoL. You rock! :D

HuntressK- Whoo, thank you for reviewing...7 times. :) :)

Guevera – Thanks.

Bastgodess – There needs to be more ML writers these days is all I'm saying.

Omgwtf – Ah, you wrote a review... and its for my fic! Thanks.

Malzie X5-892- That I'm not telling, but soon...

Nat452 – Sorry I've left you hanging...again.

GUEVERACALE452- You're still reading! :-)

Anonymous – Thanks for the encouraging review!

-Jade