A/N: Aah. I love salads... I don't see how my brother can hate them so much.
Iggy: (fake-barfs) Eew. Salads.
Fang: You're a carnivore, Ig.
Iggy: (sarcastic) Yeah. I didn't know that, Fang!
Chapter 12
Fang POV
I can feel her breath
As she's sleeping next to me
Sharing pillows and cold feet
She can feel my heart;
Fell asleep to its beat
It was hard to leave Max sleeping by herself. But I knew I had to because, well, I wouldn't want anyone seeing us sleeping together. (read: Iggy and Gazzy and Angel.)
As the sun started to rise, I gently removed myself from Max's embrace. She didn't stir. I stood by the side of the bed, looking down at her. I lowered my head and kissed her forehead.
I silently left her room and went to mine. I lied down on my bed and tried to sleep.
Who am I kidding? It's hard to sleep now that I'm awake. And not in Max's arms.
I don't know this feeling I'm feeling. It's like I wanted to stay with Max forever and not leave her side. Ever. At the same time, I'm pulling away. I'm pushing the feeling away.
Just sleep.
THUMP. THUMP. THUMP. THUMP. THUMP. Silence. KNOCK. KNOCK.
I rolled to my left side and opened one eye.
The door opened. Light blinded my eyes. I snapped my eyes shut.
"Fang!" Someone hissed.
I opened one eye. Max was looking down at me. "What?" I grunted.
She fell to her knees and rested a hand on my right arm. I yawned. Max was smiling. "Thank you," she whispered and patted my right arm. She stood up and left my room.
My mind was racing. I turned on my back.
Was that a dream?
What did she mean by "Thank you"?
Did she-
I was snapped back to reality by Angel's bursting to my room.
"FANG!" She jumped and landed on my stomach.
"Oof! Angel!"
Angel was looking down at me and grinning wickedly. "Guess what day it is? Guess! Guess! Guess!"
I shook my head. "Monday?"
"No, silly! It's Saturday!"
"Uhh, so?"
"So? We're staying here at home doing nothing!"
"And that's exciting?" This girl has a weird way of getting happiness.
"Yeah! Because Max and I are going to do something!"
I became interested at the mention of Max's name. "What is it?"
She stuck out her tongue. "Not tellin' ya!" She skipped around my room and jumped up and down.
I sat up and leaned on my palms. "Clues?"
She stuck out her tongue again. "I'm not telling you anything!" She skipped to my door and slammed my door as she left.
I rolled my eyes and while thinking, I took off my t-shirt over my head. I went to my bathroom and washed my face. I dried my face with a face towel and proceeded downstairs.
At the bottom of the stairs, Gazzy greeted me. "Mornin', Fang!"
"What the heck?" I said and cupped the back of his neck.
"Nothing. It's just something happened."
"Bad or good."
"A little of both."
I looked at him.
"OK. Max said she wanted to take a leave. And Iggy said she can. And then she rushed to her room and-" I didn't hear the rest of Gazzy's sentence because I ran up the stairs to Max's room.
I opened the door of her room and saw her stuffing clothes in her suitcase.
"You are not leaving."
She whirled around and saw me. "Yeah. I am. Iggy said I can take a leave."
"Iggy's not your boss. I am. I'm saying you can't take your leave."
"And why not?"
"Because I'm your boss."
"Hey, I've been here for almost a month. The least I could have is a leave. A two-day vacation. Is that so much to ask?"
I shook my head. "You are not taking your leave."
"Damn it, Fang! I want a vacation!" Max shouted and stopped her stuffing.
"Is this because of last night?"
"No. . ." she whispered. "I just want to see my mom again. Is that so much to ask?"
I shook my head. "You are not leaving-" Max opened her mouth. I held up a finger. "Let me finish. You are not leaving because your family is going to be here."
Her eyes widened. "What? No, they're not."
I nodded. "Starting now. Give me your phone." She handed me her phone and I dialed her mother's number.
I turned my back to Max. Max's mother took the call.
"Max?"
"Is this Max's mother?" I asked.
"Yes. This is her. Why? Did something happen to her?"
"Nothing happened."
"Oh. OK. That's good. May I ask who's calling?"
"This is Fang. Her boss."
"Aah."
"I'm calling to tell you that Max will not be able to take a leave because I already arranged that you will go here."
"What?"
I handed Max back her phone. Max started explaining while I took my phone out. I dialed Ari's number.
"Ari. Put down the coconut and take out my private jet."
I heard a sputtering. "Dude! It's summer! Can't I at least have a vacation?" I rolled my eyes. Wow. "And how did you know I was drinking coconut juice?"
"Instinct? Call my pilot and tell him to fly my jet to Max's family."
I heard more sputtering. "What? Dr. M is coming to Aurora?"
"Not unless you call my pilot."
"On it, boss. And you owe me some coconut juice." He hung up.
Max was looking at me funny. "You know, someday, I have got to know why you don't want me to leave." She turned around and started unpacking.
"Yeah. Someday. Just not today." She chuckled.
I left her room and just as I did, Ari called me back.
"Boss, Jim's on his way. Where do you want the jet to land? You know, once it gets here."
"My house. Don't call me boss."
"Sure thing, boss. I meant, Fang."
"OK."
"Quick question before you hung up."
"What?"
"Why do you want Dr. M to come there?"
"Because Max wants a leave and I didn't allow it."
"So you solved your problem by taking Dr. M here?"
"Yeah."
"Why don't you want Max to leave?"
"Because I said so."
"'Because I said so' is the worst reason ever. It also means you don't have a good reason."
"Whatever. How long?"
"Probably thirty minutes."
"Why that long?"
"Dude. All of this is, like, out of nowhere. They're in shock. Besides, they still have to pack some clothes, you know. Duh, Fang."
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah. And get your butt out here."
"What? You are the worst boss ever."
"I know."
"Of course you do."
A/N: This is wayy shorter than the last one! Hahahahahaa! Don't worry. This is, like, to be continued.
Fang: I want ice cream sandwich, Aya.
Me: You have feet. And hands. Get yourself one.
Iggy: I want one too, Aya!
Me: You have feet. And hands. Get yourself one.
Iggy: No fair.
Fang: RnR?