Yes, I Maximum Ride had started to go to school. I appreciate the irony, trust me! I had started at the local high school a few days after leaving the flock. Meet Maxine Chase,a completely "normal" teenager. Of course, underneath I was still me but I had to keep hidden.

I had been at the school two months by now. I had fallen asleep in the lesson.

"Maxine! What was the answer to the question I just asked?"

"Fourty two?"

"The Earth is fourty two years old?"

I shrugged, already bored. School had never been for me.

Of course, I ended up with a detention, which I wasn't really bothered about - compared to flyboys or Erasers that's nothing.

After detention I went into the school library and logged onto Fang's blog.

The latest post was another 'Message To Max'. Gulping, I swallowed and read on.

"Dear Max,

You've been gone two months now. You just vanished off of the face of the Earth. We even searched Itex buildings across America, we checked the School and old vacation houses. Why won't you come back? We know the School hasn't found you, so where are you?

We miss you - I miss you.

Come back Max!

If anyone has seen Max please contact me"

Tears rolling down my face I closed the window and walked away from the school. As I didn't want to be found, I wasn't staying at Mom's or anywhere I had stayed before. I was living in a little cave. I still used the Maximum Ride Credit Card- the School didn't know I had it (Jeb had secretly made sure I found it) yet the Voice wasn't there. It was as if I was losing my identity.

I walked into Mcdonalds and stood by the till. "3 large fries, 2 cheeseburgers, a hamburger, a large coke and a Mcflurry please" I said, picked up my order, ate it quickly and left. Then I headed to a supermarket and bought some red hair dye. I was going to make myself look even more different then I used to.

I really hadn't flew since I arrived in the town. I was itching to fly but I couldn't let myself, because then I would want to find the Flock. The cave where I was sleeping was a ten minutes flight away from town, but a three hour walk. Sighing, I wandered up to the cave, it was already dark by the time I got there.

I dyed my hair using water from a nearby stream, and then fell asleep on the cave floor. Waking up at dawn, I started the walk back down into town. Buying a bagel at Starbucks and then walking to school, I couldn't help thinking about the flock constantly.

Sighing, I went to school early and logged onto a computer. Opening Fang's blog I read the newest post.

"Location: Somewhere in the US

MAX

We haven't seen Max in two months and we don't have a clue where she is. But all we know is, we miss you Max!

NUDGE

Today Nudge stayed absolutely silent, she hasn't said a word all day!

ANGEL

Today Angel used her amazing mind control powers to get us into Disney Land - and to persuade us it was a good idea...

IGGY

Iggy got his sight back yesterday! It was only just for a few minutes, but he saw! He's hoping it will happen again :)"

I gasped - Iggy had had his sight back! Even though it had only been for a few minutes, I felt so happy for him. And then I groaned remembering the message about me. In a way I wished they would give up, but in another way I was touched the Flock cared so much.

I hovered over the comment button and shook my head. If I commented they would try harder to find me.

Sighing, I couldn't hold myself back. I clicked the comment button.

"Don't come looking for me! It won't help anyone. They'll find you...

MAX"

Then I logged off the computer and headed for lessons.

*

FANG

Eyes widened, I read the message.

"Don't come looking for me"

I thought Max would want her Flock back together. She couldn't really have posted that message could she?

*

MAX

After school I walked up to the cliff, and found that I had been followed by bullies from school. If I had had time I would have beat them up, but they took me by surprise. They pushed me over the cliff edge.

Screaming I tried to extend my wings but found I couldn't. Probably my own fault for not using them for two months...

Instead of turning into splat art on the valley floor, someone caught me.

"Huh?" I said before closing my eyes.

When I opened them again, I sat up and looked around. I saw Fang sitting in front of me and realised he was who had caught me. Luckily though, he didn't recognize me.

"What happened?" I asked him, feigning confusion.

"You fell, no, you were pushed. I caught you"

"How? I fell into the air..."

Fang extended his wings, and I gasped, trying not to reveal my identity.

"Are you ok?" he asked concerned, and folded his wings in.

I nodded and looked away.

"I'm going to go to sleep now" I said and walked into the cave.

It was only about 9pm - the old Max would never go to sleep so early.

I heard voices outside and listened.

"The post came from this town. Max is definitely here!" Gazzy said.

I groaned- they had found me. Luckily though, they didn't recognize me. The hair dye,clean clothes and coloured contacts had really helped.

I was being shaken awake, it was morning. "Hey, since you're sleeping rough, Tiffany's going to Mcdonalds to get some food, do you want anything? Food's on us" Iggy said.

I stiffened. I was starving and could do with about 5 cheeseburgers but didn't want to make the flock suspicious. "2 cheeseburgers please, and some fries. I'm starving. Haven't ate properly in days .Thanks"

Iggy looked like he was about to say something and then nodded.

A few minutes later "Tiffany" (Angel) returned with the food. The flock had 4 burgers and 2 fries each. I looked at them enviously, but knew I couldn't return. The School would kidnap them..

"You're hungry!" I said, looking at Angel, but making sure to have mind blocks up.

"You remind me of someone... and we're always hungry."

"Who do I remind you of?" I asked tensely.

"You remind me of Max. Maximum Ride" she whispered.

The Flock gathered by the cliff edge and I sat a few metres away, looking out over the horizon. After a few minutes Fang came and sat next to me.

"How did you fall off the cliff?"

"I didn't fall, I was pushed!"

"Oh. Look do you know anyone called Maximum Ride?"

I shook my head "No" and added silently; she's not called that anymore.

"I've got to go to School now" I said, and started walking down the path silently.

Fang turned cold. "You work for the School?"

"No, I said I'm going to school, high school not anything else."

I didn't go straight to school but instead stayed a few metres away, down the hill, listening to what the Flock were saying.

"There was something strange about that girl" said Iggy.

"She reminded me of Max"Angel said.

"But Max would have saved herself on that cliff" Nudge argued.

"She promised never to fly again. She looked like Max. " Fang said, desperate for me to be Max.

"But she couldn't have been. She looked too different and - she didn't act anything like Max" Nudge shouted.

I didn't want to hear anymore and just walked off to school.

*

When I left the school that night, I spotted five dark figures in the air, and realised that the flock were following my every move - why? Did Fang still think I was Max (which I was but I didn't want them to know that). Annoyed, I walked back up to the cliff and sat down. By now it was seven o'clock and I was starving. I went into the cave and found the breakfast bars. Taking four out of the box I went and sat outside.

Seeing the Flock there, I realised that they might get suspicious of me eating four cereal bars, so put two back.

"Hi, you still here?" I asked them and they nodded.

"Why are you following me?" I asked.

Angel was staring at me. "She has wings!"

"No I don't! You're crazy"

I groaned, my secret out. I realised I could still pretend that I wasn't Max.

They were all staring at me.

"Fine I have wings" I said, and unfurled my wings.

"It's you Max!" Nudge said hugging me.

I stepped back. "I'm not Maximum Ride. I'm Rochelle. I fled the School last year, please don't send me back!" I said, crying convincingly.

Disappointed the flock froze. "You could always come with us" Fang said quietly.

"I would but, I can't fly"

And with that I ran away down the cliff. I watched as the Flock flew away, upset. Had I done the right thing by lying? I was only trying to keep them safe.

A.N Thanks for the reviews. 10 more to continue :D