Chapter Eleven:

I woke up in Ella's room, lying on the air mattress my mom put out for me, Angel and Nudge. The guys got the guest room.

Yesterday seemed like so long ago, I thought as I silently got dressed. It was five in the morning, but simply couldn't get anymore sleep. I had a horrible dream. Fang was standing in front of me, his arm wrapped around Ella's waist. She looked different. Her face was controlled with anger, but smiling all the same. He looked like the luckiest man on Earth. Then he pressed his face to hers, and she giggled. I felt the tears coming back to my eyes just thinking about how he leaned down, their shoulders pressed together, and kissed her lips, smearing lipstick all over himself.

Ella turned over in her sleep so her face was to me. Her eyes were lightly closed. I didn't blame Ella. This was all Fang's fault. I slipped on my shoes and headed to the hallway, silently closing the door behind me. I treaded down the stairs, to the dark rooms below. I flipped the light switch on, spreading brightness all over the kitchen. It was familiar place. I had made cookies here, but recently, it had been home to a horrible event. I hated it when Fang was mad at me, or I was mad at him. It didn't happen often, but when it did, it was horrible. I hated feeling like I couldn't trust him, like he'd use information I tell him against me. Like he'd squeal everything. Of course, naturally, he never does. That doesn't mean he won't in the future.

I looked around the living room and then sank into a chair and cross my arms and legs. Well this is boring, I thought to myself, staring blankly around the dim room. The sun was coming up and little light was blinking through the shades of the large, glass sliding door. (I always imagined their house with sliding door – no idea why)

I got up from the chair and walked over to look out the window. The sky was purple and pink, the sun glaring over the grass that seemed to go on for miles and miles.

"Hi," a voice said behind me. I whipped around, half expecting a Flyboy to be standing there, but then I remembered, in a second, they were all gone. Fang, of course, was standing there, his face black against the shadows of the room. He was dressed in dark blue jeans, black shirt with some graphic design on it. I turned back around.

"Hi," I said, adding as much 'I don't want to talk to you' tone in the single word as I could. I interred that he got the message, for he sank into the nearest chair. I sighed, turning around and started walking into the kitchen. The last thing I needed was another talk from Fang, because I would end up doing the talking.

"Max, wait." He called from behind me. I growled, turning around.

"What do you want Fang? To know when Ella's going to be up? Honestly, I don't know." I said, and starting walking. He didn't move from his seat, but his voice increased volume.

"Max, is that what this is about? You know the truth." He said. I stopped in my tracks. What did he just say?

"Oh I know the truth? You told me you…" I trailed off, moisture gathering in my eyes. I didn't need this right now. Maximum Ride shouldn't, ever need to cry. And certainly, not over some stupid boy.

"I don't like Ella!" he all but shouted. I didn't turn around, but I did bring my hand up to mop my eyes. I could hear him reposition himself on the couch. "I was just kidding, you know that, Max." I couldn't force myself to turn around. This was so stupid. We were just arguing over something he said. It wasn't even something he said. It was the way he said it. Then he was right next to me. I hated when he did that. His face was near my left shoulder, his breath tingling my cheek and the back of my neck.

"I can't do this. I can't like you." I said, shaking my head. He was still, and I felt his hands snake around me in such a Fang-ish way. He didn't say anything, of course.

"Why?" he asked simply, but the answer was much more complicated then that. I sighed, wiping off my stinging cheeks.

"Because I just don't….it's not that…" I tried to find the right words. Here I was, expressing myself to Fang, in the kitchen, early in the morning, crying, and being weak. This was so un-Max, wasn't it? "It's not that I don't like you, Fang, I just don't want to have someone to break me. I don't want it. I don't want to like anyone. I don't want to ruin friendships, and I certainly don't want to make anyone angry. Face it – love sucks." I said, completely ruining the moment.

Fang was silent for a few moments, and instantly his arms slackened, and eventually fell to his sides. I stifled a sob rising up my throat.

"Oh. I see." And then he was gone. I told you, I hated it when he did that.