Max

September quickly turned to October. The winds got more frigid here in the small town of Lexington Virginia. The hardwood floor of my bedroom was cold on my bare feet as I searched for something to wear. My phone alerted me that the temperature would be 56 degrees today, but it was still early in the morning, causing the air to be slightly colder. I pulled a simple blue v-neck off of its hanger. I pulled the shirt over my head and slipped on some simple jeans.

"Max, honey, you're gonna be late!" My mothers voice rang down the hall from the kitchen. I slipped on some plain black socks and my leather jacket, deciding on doing my hair when I got into Fang's car, since he was picking me up in about, 5 minutes. I rushed out of my room and into the kitchen, taking a few cinnamon buns on a plate for Fang and I and going out onto the front porch, I tried to get my shoes on quickly but I failed and Fang pulled up before I could tie them.

"Come on Max! tie them in the car!" He called out to me, stealing a cinnamon bun off my plate as I slid them onto the center console.

He drove quickly, but I still got my hair tied into a messy bun and my shoes were loosely tied by the time we pulled into the student parking lot. We continued to munch on the slightly cold cinnamon buns. A few seconds after us, Iggy's old honda pulled into the spot next to ours, Ella was sitting in the passenger's seat. They nodded a hello at us and made their way through the large doors in the front of the school.

I yawned. We had forgotten coffee this morning, and if we left now, it'd be way too late getting back. I would just have to suffer and struggle miserably trying to stay awake. Fang turned off the car, taking the key out and nodding for me to get out too. So I did. My hands were cold until one was interlaced with Fang's. They didn't fit perfectly like most girls will tell you. His hands were way too big for mine but in all reality that's how I wanted it. I wouldn't have Fang any other way. He's amazing just the way he is and I couldn't ask for a better life.

"Maximum Ride! Is that you?" A voice called out, a southern drawl clearly evident. I knew that voice anywhere. I turned around to see my cousin, Maya. We have always gotten along great and we looked so much alike that we might as well be twins. Our dads were brothers. her last name was Batchelder, and Jeb wasn't always so kind to her and her mom but she was happy from what I could see.

I engulfed her in a hug. "Oh Wow! Fang Is that you? You've gotten mighty tall" She teased, poking him in the chest. A small smile played on his lips.

"I dunno Maya, I think you just shrunk." He chuckled. Maya was about 3 inches shorter than me, Leaving her at about 5'3, nothing compared to his 6' self.

"So did Fangles here finally get the guts to ask out our precious Maxi!" She exclaimed, motioning towards our intertwined fingers. He chuckled and nodded, that's when the first bell rang. Making me drop Fang's hand and sprint, literally sprint, to class.

-later that day at band practice-

I was sitting in the studio, waiting for everyone to arrive, when a crazy Idea ran through my head. One that made me remember someone that i didn't wanna remember. I turned on the mic and slowly sang the song Training Wheels by Melanie Martinez. Her voice in the song was soft and melodic. It was beautiful and I could only dream of matching it.

"Max, Your voice is like an angels" Sam hand his guitar case in hand, both actually. One electric, one acoustic. Then down came the other two, who seemed to have missed my singing. Gladly.

Sam began playing the familiar chords to a song I particularly liked. Then I picked up some rhythm notes. then Fangs voice sang out beautifully "Life's too short even care at all"

I backed him up, to which he continued onto the next line, smiling at me kindly, "Losing my mind, losing my mind, losing control, the fishes in the sea they're staring at me."

Iggy's drum playing has gradually gotten even better and we played more smoothly, learning to communicate through notes instead of words, we had started to sound like a real band. I heard Fangs voice resonating the words of the chorus "If I could find a way, to see this shade and run away, to some fortune that I should have found, by now, I'm waiting for this, Cough Syrup to come down"

"Max!" My mothers voice rang out from upstairs. I groaned as we all cut the music and I trudged up the stairs, not pleased about being interrupted. She was waiting at the top of the stairs with an envelope. She beamed at me then shooed me back downstairs.

"Guys" I started, once I had opened the envelope and read the paper inside. "We got invited to go to the state Battle of The Bands. The top 2 bands go to Nationals!" I exclaimed. Hugging all three of my boys. this was all very exciting. these were all local bands, we could be the only high school band there. But we are gonna rock, and were gonna go to Nationals. We've been playing so well that there's no doubt in my mind that we won't go.

We're going to win Battle of the Bands.

-that night-

"Max" the voice was hushed. I heard soft tapping on my window. Groaning, I rolled over to see what had disturbed my slumber. I swung my feet over the side of my bed as I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. The floor was cold on my bare feet. I noticed the disturbance had been Fang outside my window. My face heated, I was suddenly aware that my grey tanktop and a pair of blue underwear were the only clothing I had on. No Bra, no pants. Great. I internally groaned and opened the window, allowing the cold air to chill my legs and a small exposed area of my stomach. I shivered and climbed back into my bed. Fang shut the window once he was in my room and sat on the edge of my bed.

This had begun to happen alot more lately, whenever Anne would bring home a new guy from the bar, they tended to keep Fang up with their... uh... activities. He snuck in here around 11 and left around 4:30.

He slipped under the warm cover and pulled me close to his warm body, making me smile sleepily and close my eyes, inevitably falling into the sweet surrender of sleep.