Thank you to everyone who commented and who decided to follow this story!
I'm sorry that chapter two was rushed, but I hope this one's better and I hope you like it!
DISCLAIMER:
Sadly, I don't own MR!
M.P.O.V.
Chapter Three
"Do you really have to pout, Max?" my mom sighed. I didn't answer her.
Instead, I stared up curiously at the building that was Sedsen High School. The building was built of maroon bricks; it definitely wasn't as big as my old high school, but I can't say it was small either. I guess I could say it was an average looking high school, students pouring into the doors, one after another. It was all so...ordinary.
My mom nudged me. "Max, smile, okay? I want you to make friends at your new school."
Snorting, I looked at my mother, who seemed to freeze for a moment. "You drag me off to the middle of nowhere in the United States and transfer me into a new school halfway through November, and you expect me to make friends on the first day? I'll be lucky if I make friends at all, mom." I could feel my heartbeat pick up, knowing I had probably struck her where it hurts most, reminding her that we were here, in Sedsen, not home, but I couldn't let it go.
I've always been told that, in a blink of an eye, everything can just...change. And that's exactly what happened to me; all it took was a little bit of time, and then, just like that, everything was gone.
My parents were once that perfect, happy couple. To be honest, they always seemed like they were. But...at home, it was always different. I think that's what it is in all cases. They go through that honeymoon stage, but when things get tough, they aren't as desperately in love with each other and don't want to keep fighting. When my parents were both getting stressed out, they weren't willing to fight anymore, unless it was with each other.
Night after night, my sister, Ella, and I would sit in the darkness of the room we shared, listening to their raised voices. There would be nights that I would stay up, holding her, hearing all the bitter words that they spat at each other, all the clammer from objects being roughly moved. There would be times I could hear my mother's broken voice and I could almost see the tears run down her face; times where I could feel my father's rage, although he never laid a finger on any of us.
One day, they both got fed up with each other and decided to get a divorce. As much as we didn't want to deal with the fighting, Ella and I didn't want them to get a divorce. I didn't want to lose my family, even if it meant dealing with everything to stay near them.
But I didn't have a choice. They got a divorce and...I couldn't stop them. I couldn't stop my mom from packing up her things, my dad from signing the papers. I couldn't stop their arguments or the credit card used to pay for mine and my mother's plane tickets to Florida. I couldn't wipe the tears off of Ella's face as she watched me walk away. I couldn't stop anything.
"You know it was for the best, Max," she said softly, and I glanced at her as we entered the school's main office. It was plain inside; white walls, a calendar, a desk piled with too many slips of paper. An older woman with dried out, horribly dyed black hair sat behind the desk, a phone glued to her ear. She didn't notice us; like I said, ordinary school.
"Of course it is, mom," I sighed, staring down at the toes of my combat boots and tugging my shirt down uncomfortably. "That's what you always say."
"Excuse me," my mom looked directly at the receptionist, seeming to ignore my last comment. She seemed shocked at first, and then a sickly sweet smile curved her lips. The woman whispered something into the phone before hanging up.
"Hello! You must be...Maximum Ride?" She raised an eyebrow at me. I nodded. "Well, welcome Miss Ride! And you must be Mrs. Ride?"
My mom coughed. "Ms. Martinez," she corrected. "I'm sorry to rush you..."
"Melanie," the receptionist said, still smiling. "My apologizes Ms. Martinez. I have Maximum's schedule right here, she can collect her books from her teachers, and her locker number. Her homeroom teacher should be here in a few moments to take her to her homeroom."
"Thank you," my mom sighed with relief and turned to smile at me. "Have a good day, alright, honey? I'll see you at home." She pressed a light kiss to my forehead and I stiffened.
"Bye mom," I shrugged, giving her a weak hug. "Have a good day at work."
"You must be Maximum Ride!" a man, who looked to be in his mid-forties, smiled at me. He was starting to bald and his eyes were wide with excitement. I cringed slightly.
"Max." I said, sticking my hand out. He smiled and shook it.
"Yes, well, great to have you here, Max. I'm Mr. Shayne, your homeroom teacher, and if I remember correctly...your music teacher," he said, peering at my schedule. I nodded in agreement and smiled softly. "Do you sing?" he added.
I shrugged and looked up at him, "A little bit."
He grinned at me, tugging me along and I reluctantly followed him out of the office, down the hall. "Good! Maybe one of my eleventh graders will finally sing. I mean, there's one kid in that grade that I've heard but he's the quiet type of kid. Sits in the back, doesn't talk...it's strange."
"Well," I offered a smile, "we'll see what happens."
He smiled a little and I followed him into a classroom that silenced almost immediately. I felt their eyes on me, watching, waiting for something. I didn't look up.
Mr. Shayne set some papers down before looking at the class. "Class, please join me in greeting Miss Maximum Ride."
There was a short silence before they all replied a quick "Hi" and bursting into fits of giggles or resting shocked stares on me. I didn't want to look; I knew it was a bad idea. But I had to-I had to see what I was up against.
Most of the class seemed pretty typical; girls in skirts, guys wearing varsity jackets, but in the back, someone in dark blue jeans and a basic black shirt sat silently, emotionlessly. He must've been that shy guy that Mr. Shayne was talking about; I continued to watch him, waiting for a reaction. We watched each other for a forever or two, and I tried to keep my appearance calm. Inside, I boiled, a million and one thoughts threatening to break me down, but on the outside, I had to remain calm. Something about the way that kid watched me, I just knew I had to hide everything.
"I'm sorry, Miss Ride, we have very few seats left, as you can see...do you mind sitting in the back?" Mr. Shayne glanced once at the desk to next to quiet-boy before looking back at me. I nodded, turning my back to him, scanning the room for that extra seat. Trying not to stare at him.
"Nicholas, can you please raise your hand?" he asked carefully.
Slowly, he raised his hand. The commotion had died down a bit after a few minutes, but I noticed some people still trying to steal glances at the mysterious Maximum Ride. They were trying to figure me out; I could see it in the way they looked at me.
Carefully, I walked past everyone, avoiding doing so much even brushing clothing with one of them. I glanced between both the kid and the desk, keeping my mouth shut. It seemed like the best thing to do.
Gently, I rested into the seat, and pulled out the little journal that I took everywhere-my song book. I flipped through it, editing words, writing new lyrics, etc. It took me away from Sedsen for a little while and reminded me of home.
"So, you're name's Maximum?" Someone asked. I tensed, not wanting to look up. "I didn't know that was a name."
There was a pause and neither of us said anything. This was a chance-to either make a friend or screw up my life. I could either brush him off or let him in. It may not have seemed big, to anyone else, but to me...it's big. Really big.
I wanted to brush him off, like I had planned but...I thought of my mom. Of Ella. What would I say when she asked about friends? I had to do this for them. For her. "Max."
"Nice to meet you, Max," he said. I couldn't hear any emotion in his voice, but there was a smoothness to his tone that was...almost soothing. "I'm Fang."
But what kind of name is that? I looked up at him, confused. "Fang?"
He blinked. "Yes?"
"I thought your name was Nicholas."
He relaxed, and I hadn't noticed he was so tense. "It is. But everyone calls me Fang."
Curiosity got the best of me. "Why?"
He smirked. "Because I bite."
I couldn't help but smack his arm lightly, curving toward him and feeling myself smile. "Seriously." It was a soft, little smile that probably didn't match my exterior very well. The softness and the darkness conrasted in a way that was probably too complex for most people to understand. But if these kids were going to try to figure me out, which I could see they were, why not have some fun?
Right?
_
Sorry for the super late update guys, please don't kill me! x.x
Ash: She means don't get mad that she's been busy with school.
Me: Yeah, school kind of sucks..
Anyway, hope you like it!
And Merry Christmas or kwanzaa or...whatever it is you celebrate. c:
