Here you go. I'm so happy I've been having a lot of readers for this fic. Please continue reading! I hope you like it!
Disclaimer: NOT JP. THIS IS FINAL.
Gazzy trudged into the cafeteria. He was feeling rather wary, seeing as he had no idea where any of the Flock was. Luckily, though, he spotted Max chattering with some new friends across the room.
He made his quick way through the crowds of screaming people, chatting teens, and the sea of chairs and tables. It took a minute or two, but he finally met Max and her group.
"Hey, Max!" he piped up happily. Max turned and grinned at him.
"Hey, G-Zephyr," she acknowledged.
"Ooh, is that your little brother?" one of the girls asked. She was tall and bubbly, with platinum blond hair that was obviously died. She was furiously chewing a wad of pink bubblegum, and wearing tight short-shorts and a skimpy top. Gazzy was surprised that Max could even bear standing near her; she wasn't the type Max liked.
"Oh, yeah," Max nodded, smiling, and pulling him closer into a bear hug that Gazzy knew she would never have given him.
"Uh, Max?"
"Yeah, honey?" she asked, smiling, ruffling his hair.
"Oh, he's the cutest little thing!" the platinum girl cooed. Another girl, this time a brunette with her hair cut in a swing-bob with side bangs, giggled.
"Yeah, he's adorable! But you're all, like, adopted, right? What are your other siblings?"
"Oh," Max laughed. The third girl, another blond but this time with golden hair, and two boys gazed at her intently. "I've got two other brothers, and two sisters as well."
The golden blond smiled. "Oh, you're so lucky! Having so many brothers and sisters. I'm an only child, it's hard!"
Max laughed again, and turned down to me. "So, Zeph, what's up?"
"Um," Gazzy started, quite confused at Max's actions. "Just, where are we all sitting?"
"Oh, we can all sit here!" Max gestured at the table they were by. She plopped down on a chair, and the rest of her group did the same. Gazzy warily made his way and sat next to her.
The group of teens chattered nonstop, trying to include Gazzy as much as possible. But, of course, Gazzy being a nine-year-old who was actually focusing on finding Iggy in the crowd, was bored. He wanted to get away from the bubbly prep-folk and find his favorite brother.
Iggy was waiting in line with Tess.
Tess was really cool!
Iggy never knew he'd meet a girl who knew exactly how to build a stink bomb. Iggy never thought he'd meet another person who could light a match on, not just the box, but the sole of their shoes and their teeth (something he only did to show off, as it vaguely burned his lips).
He never thought he'd meet someone in this school who would want to be his friend.
He was greatly relieved that he'd been wrong.
"Hey," Tess said.
"Huh?" Iggy replied.
"What are you getting? For lunch?"
"Um…" Iggy could feel himself blushing. He didn't know the menu.
"Do you like chicken?"
"… Yeah."
"Okay. Ma'am? Could we please each have a chicken patty, on a bun, with French fries and fruit? Thanks."
Tess received both trays handed to her, and gave Iggy's to him. Then they continued to the register, where they promptly paid.
"Here," Tess said, guiding Iggy through the cafeteria with an elbow slightly brushing his. Iggy almost felt as if it was Max, the way she led him in the air – brushing wing-tips. But it was Tess, and it made him happy anyway.
"Hey Max!"
It was Nudge. Iggy turned his head in the direction of her bubbly voice. Max would undoubtedly be there as well.
"Hi, N-Krystal! How's it going?"
"School's been so awesome! I made a bunch of friends. Hi, Zephyr!"
"Hi."
Iggy paused for a moment, tray in hand, listening to the conversation. Should he make his way over there? Were they waiting for him.
"Hi, Krystal! It's nice to meet you!"
Iggy froze. That voice… It was one of the many which had gossiped about him, earlier. About him being insane, etcetera. Max was hanging out with her?
"Hey, Max, where's F-Nick?"
"Oh, he's eating with his girlfriend." Iggy could hear bitter jealousy in her voice. Max was never jealous about him.
"Max, Max, what about Jeff?"
That was Gazzy's voice. Should Iggy go over there now? Or did Tess want him to eat with her?
"Jeff? Oh, I dunno. It doesn't matter, we'll see him later."
Iggy's throat knotted.
She didn't care. She didn't care about him.
"Jeff? This way. Or were you looking for someone?" Tess tugged at his arm.
"What?" Iggy asked, turning his head in her direction. "Oh, no. I'm following."
Fang saw Iggy moving through the crowd, guided by a girl with died purple hair. The girl was tall, only about two inches shorter than him… that's right, she was taller than Fang. She led him over to a long table at the back of the cafeteria, filled with a bunch of punkish, gothic, emo-looking kids…
Well, Fang just hoped he wasn't getting into any trouble. It didn't really matter where Iggy sat, that was his choice.
Fang noticed Max, Nudge, Gazzy, and a group of other teens sitting at a table across the room. Just then, Angel and six other girls skipped over to them and joined happily.
Max looked up suddenly, meeting Fang's eyes. Fang grinned and waved sarcastically, and she scowled and looked away.
Yup. Definitely Fang's ploy was working; Max was so jealous.
"Nick, come on! You're going to starve if you don't eat your lunch," Lissa chided. And, Fang being a desperately-in-love-and-needing-about-five-thousand-calories-a-day bird-kid, he complied readily. The French fries were good. The hamburger, though, could use some work. He thought it was a bit dry.
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