To Learn to Fly

Chapter Two

"Max? It's Dyl," I heard Dylan through my bedroom door three days after my fight with Fang.

"Come in."

Dylan opened the door and stepped through, plopping himself down on my bed next to me after closing my door behind him.

"How ya feelin'?" Dylan asked, ruffling my hair before turning my body slightly to the side, putting my legs up on his so he could rub my feet for me.

"I'm annoyed as all hell. Am I being childish?"

Dylan and I have been becoming closer and closer since Fang's girlfriend came into the picture. I know Dylan still wished he and I could be together (hence why he was massaging my feet) but I just couldn't do it. I couldn't hurt not only him, but myself as well, in that way. And I sure couldn't pretend to be interested in someone I wasn't.

"Not really. He's being childish. I understand that he's happy with Ana, but he shouldn't forget about his family. And beyond that, he shouldn't forget about you, who's been there for him since day one."

"I'm not even that worried about me anymore though. It's more so for Iggy and Gazzy. They're the boys and need their third musketeer. And of course the girls who need their 'brother'."

Dylan smiled and rubbed his fingers along the bottoms of my feet—which felt amazing, by the way!

"And I guess for me, too. Dylan, I'm in love with him. And I have been since I was fourteen. And no matter how much I try not to be, I'm in love with him. I either want him to leave completely, or love me back. But I know neither are going to happen, so now it's me, you, and your wonderful foot massage hands!"

"So, Max, how was your 'talk' with Dylan in your bed earlier?" Fang asked once he got home from his late night with Ana... Again.

"Great. I got to slam you for an hour and get my feet massaged. And plus, at least someone listens to what I have to say," I snapped back.

"Oh, please. Don't even try to play it off like you're not sleeping with Dylan."

"I'm not, though. You see, Fang, it is possible to be just friends with someone of the opposite sex. And just because you can't go over to Ana's apartment and not unbutton her jeans doesn't mean all girls are like that."

Fang rolled his eyes and pulled a cigarette out of his carton, fumbling for his lighter for a bit before finding it and lighting up.

"Well, it's not like I force Ana into having sex with me. It's all consensual."

I rolled my eyes and stretched my legs out as far as they would go on the couch so Fang had no choice but to stand.

"You know, Max, I've actually been looking forward to coming home to fight with you these past few nights," Fang winks, blowing out his cigarette smoke.

"Good, glad I entertain you."

Fang gave a crooked smile that usually would have made me weak at the knees, but because I was too busy gagging on the cigarette smoke, I couldn't care less.

"Plus, Ana's been moody recently. And her ex-boyfriend has been sniffing around recently and she either needs to tell him to get lost or sleep with him so I can break up with her."

"And what exactly are you going to do with your life when you do break up with her—if you do, that is."

Fang smirked, laughing as he looked up at the ceiling for a minute before back at me.

"Give another girl a ride, of course."

"You're disgusting."

"You say that every time we fight. Are you trying to convince me or yourself?"

"Sadly, both of us."

I know it's pathetic, but I couldn't help but take an extra long shower to give myself time to think about everything.

There was no getting around the fact that I was in love with Fang. And in the foreseeable future, that very fact wasn't going to change.

But his talking about 'giving another girl a ride' honestly made my stomach turn. Now, I'm not trying to say what he should and shouldn't do with his—ahem—assets, but it's definitely not something I'm all that interested in hearing about.

And I suppose it may have been partly out of jealousy that I had been in such a bad mood, but it was also in part to the fact that Fang was just being such a jerk about everything.

He always came home from Ana's smelling like perfume and sex and it bugs the hell out of me.

Fine, I was jealous. Ana had Fang and I wanted him. Plus, I had him first! He told me he loved me first and the fact that Ana was giving him everything I wished I could, sucked. Hardcore.

When I finished thinking and my fingers had started to go wrinkly, I stepped out of the shower, only to be scared half-to-death by the very bane of my existence himself.

"Good grief, Fang, at least make a sound or move or something. I nearly dropped my towel!" I shrieked, shoving him backward roughly before walking into my bedroom.

"That would have been a show. Maybe I should scare you again."

I rolled my eyes and groaned, heading into my closet to get dressed. Of course, Fang just had to follow me. Though, he did have some respect because he sat on my bed, facing the opposite direction of where I was changing.

"Shouldn't you be with Ana?"

"Nope. I dropped her. She just called crying because her ex-boyfriend that's been around showed up at her house and I guess one thing led to another, and she said that she didn't deserve to be with me because she couldn't say no."

As I was pulling my pair of girls' boxers onto my legs, I sighed. Well, I should be sorry for him. But frankly, I didn't really care much,

"Well, that sucks. Don't most guys drink and go to strip clubs when their girlfriend cheats on them?"

I pulled a t-shirt onto my torso and stepped out of my closet, towel drying my hair as I did.

Fang turned around and laughed slightly.

"Usually. But most guys don't live with their hot ex-girlfriend. Plus, like I said, I enjoy arguing with you."

"Don't say things like that, Fang," I said as I bit my lip and tossed my towel into my hamper.

"Why not?"

I didn't answer. I left him in my room while I went into the bathroom to braid my hair before bed.

Because I know you're only saying it to taunt me. I know you'd never bounce back that fast—especially not to me.

Ello, all! I originally wasn't going to upload this until tomorrow, but I decided to change my mind! (:

Hope you all enjoyed and stay tuned for the next and final chapter! (:

xoxo,

K.J