"Max," her mother frowned down at her but Dr. Carlson only laughed. Maybe because he though she was joking.
"There's no denying she's your daughter, Val." He spoke with amusement and a gleam in his eye that suggested a few interesting tales. Max perked up at this. Was he suggesting that her mother had been a troublemaker? The thought was ludicrous!
"Sorry, Doc, but it sounds like you've got the wrong Val," Max laughed herself. "Mom's never done a bad thing in her life." She looked between the two and saw some interesting expressions. Dr. Carlson wore a look of mild amusement while her mother had turned a curious shade of pink.
"It seems you've yet to hear of your mother's high school years." Max's eyebrow shot up at this. Her birdy senses were tingling. He noticed her surprise and laughed all the more for it.
"Now, Alex. Don't encourage her!" Her mother tutted. "I need a little ground to stand on, you know." A second eyebrow joined the first. No way!
"Mom said the two of you were in college together," her eyes slanted toward her mother as a grin stretched its way onto her face, "but she didn't say anything about high school." Her mother's hand ran through her hair in what Max bet her lunch on was a nervous tick. Oh this would be fun. She turned back to Dr. Carlson, "I bet you've got great stories to tell." The principle started laughing.
"Alexander Bennet Carlson, don't you dare!" It was amusing to see the man wilt a little under her mother's stern admonishment like any other misbehaving kid. Mom really has a knack for this. When her mother turned to her she realized her fun was at an end. "Now both of you, behave," she sighed, as though she hadn't been expecting something of the sort to happen, "we have important matters to discuss. You can have your fun later." Dr. Carlson straightened and coughed his embarrassment.
"Yes, quite right. Quite right." He gave her a grin and the author decided he would actually be unaffected by her mother's impressive command over childish people. He turned to Max, "it shouldn't take us long at all."
The three filed into Dr. Carlson's office and closed the door firmly behind. It was a thick oak door, Max mused, she wouldn't be able to hear a thing. She had only been waiting a minute or two when a shadow fell into the seat beside her. Glancing up Max discovered the shadow was in fact a boy. Max scoffed to herself – mentally, as it really was a bit early to be picking fights. The guy was dressed head to toe in black. Hair, shirt, shorts, shoes. Hell, even his eyes were more black than brown.
It took a second to notice the only reason she had such clear view of his eyes was because he was looking at her. While she was staring at him. Shit. Only a little red in the face Max turned her attention back down the hallway and wondered how much longer the others would be. Honestly, wasn't the whole point of school to actually attend her classes? At least there she was less likely to go making a fool of herself, staring at random people without reason.
Thankfully she didn't have to wait much longer before the door swung open once again and the three stepped out while her mom and Dr. Carlson finished their conversation.
"Thank you so much for your help, Alex." Her mother smiled and gave Alex a fond pat on the arm. "Perhaps you could come over for dinner one afternoon as thanks," she suggested and Max blanched. Bad, very bad waters they were entering here.
"It's no problem at all, Valencia." Dr. Carlson reassured but continued, "I'll certainly take you up on that offer sometime. I imagine your skills in that particular area has improved in the last decade or so?" Then again, Max mused as that gleam entered his eyes once more, any visit he made was sure to be an enlightening one.
"I have, yes," her mother laughed.
"Until then," Dr. Carlson gave a sweeping bow and Max was beginning to feel that this might be a good school year, indeed. Now that her mother and the Doc had finished their bantering he turned his attention to Max, only to take note of the boy behind her.
"Visiting again, are we Nicholas?" The boy, Nicholas, looked up with a grimace before shrugging and returning his attention to his shoes. Max squinted at the boy. He didn't really seem the shy type, but clearly words were not something he cared to use often.
"I'll see about moving you into another class, how about?" The idea seemed to catch Nicholas' interest and he nodded slightly. Dr. Carlson beamed. "Great, now that that's settled…" He opened a folder he had tucked under his arm and pulled out two sheets of paper, handing them both to Max. Glancing down at them she saw they were their schedules. Glancing between hers and Iggy's she saw they were in the same classes.
"Once you get a hang of everything, Max," her mother explained as she looked all the classes over, "we would appreciate it if you would make sure Iggy got there as well." Max nodded having assumed as much.
"Only one problem." She pointed out before looking up at the Doc, "I've no clue where anything is. Kind of the blind leading the blind, if you know what I mean." The kid next to her gave her a funny look. She wasn't sure if she'd caught on to the slightly rude joke or just wanted her to shut up and get out of the way.
"Not a problem, my dear." Dr. Carlson reassured and turned his attention back to the raven haired male at her side, "Nicholas, I believe the three of you will be sharing the same rotation. Home with Ms. Evers, correct?" He nodded as a slight scowl began at the corner of his mouth. "Brilliant! If you don't mind making sure Iggy and Max here make it to their classes? It would be much appreciated."
"Mrs. Radley–"
"Will be happy to hear you're helping out or two newest students, I'm sure." The kid glowered as any chance of escaping the two flew out the proverbial window. He nodded again. "Wonderful, wonderful. But, oh, the three of you will be late at this rate. Go on and I'll see about switching you out of drama." Max honestly couldn't help but snort at the revelation. Nicholas sent her a glare but if anything it only furthered her amusement. She absolutely couldn't imagine a guy like this standing on a stage, professing his undying love to a girl swooning up in a tower.
Nicholas turned and started walking away without glancing at any of them. Max rushed to bid farewell to the Doc and her mother before catching Iggy by the wrist and dragging one indignant boy down the hall after the other. Gosh, how long was she going to have to put up with these two?
They made several turns, exiting one building and entering another. Max struggled to remember the route but found herself failing miserably. "Hey, Nicholas!" He stopped. "Slow the hell down, will ya?" She let go of Iggy as they stopped by the two and she was glad to see Iggy didn't need any assistance, even in this new environment. She'd have to get him to explain how he did it sometime.
"Fang." Her face scrunched in confusion at the word, snapped out and really quite rude. What exactly had she done to piss this guy off anyways?
"Uh, what?" His expression went from drawn to damning. Sheesh, who had peed in his fruit loops?
"My name," He emphasized, and boy was Max getting tired of people talking to her like she was a child left and right, "is Fang." Point decently made he turned and began walking back down the hallway at a slightly more sedate pace.
"What kind of name is Fang?" She wondered, more to herself than anyone. Iggy bumped into her with a frown. Definitely on purpose. Blind he might be, but the dude was a fricken ballet dancer as far as his ability to walk.
"What kind of girl calls herself Max?" The emo boy threw back, matching her inflection. She bristled.
"Oh, like I haven't heard that one before." Fang said nothing and picked up his pace. Max and Iggy matched his stride, she being the more obnoxious of the two drew up beside him and glared at him with her arms on her hips. Quite a feat when speed walking, actually.
"Okay, buddy." She snarled. "Wanna tell me what your problem is?" He cast a snarky sneer her way as if to say I'm looking right it. Iggy sighed.
"Sorry about her," he apologized, as if he had the right to do any such thing on her behalf, "she's more bark that bite." Max turned her ire on the strawberry blond.
"I'll show you bite," she bit back before socking him in the arm again.
"Ow!" His face contorted. "Keep that up and I won't have a good arm to punch anymore." Turning away with a 'humph' she saw Fang (seriously, did she have to call him that?) watching them with confusion. When he realized he'd caught her attention he turned away and passed through an open doorway and into what she assumed was their second period.
"Shut up, dork." She muttered, taking note that they had a larger audience than she'd realized. The entire class was facing the doorway, having given the arguing pair their undivided attention. The teacher, halfway through role, was not pleased.