A/N: Okay, Fang and Max may not meet until the next chapter. I'm kind of just filling in things right now, trying to clear things up before they become to big of a mess. I'll try to post every other weekend because that's when I get my hands on a computer. My mom took away mine because I got a C+ on a test. So freaking close to a B but she still needed to punish me. Grrrr. Anyway, I'll try my best to post, but they will be very irregular for around a month, unless I get another C or anthing less then it'll add to the months. Anyway! Enough about me... I forgot this last time.
Disclaimer: I do NOT, I repeat, do NOT, own any Maximum Ride.
~Time Skip Next Day~
Max's Pov
I looked in the mirror and saw a familiar stranger. Ever get that feeling? You know it's you, but you don't believe it, or you just don't want to believe it. Mom got me a white strapless dress with a crème belt that separated the top from the poufy bottom part. I tilted my head back and forth, back and forth, trying to see myself wearing this dress.
I just couldn't.
"That's the one," My mom breathed from my right. I sighed, this was the one thing I had a say on, the one thing where I could voice my thoughts. But I couldn't put my hatred into words. So I settled for…
"I hate it." My mom frowned, and put her hands on my shoulders, resting her chin on one of her hands and stared at the two of us in the mirror.
"But-"
"I hate it," I said with more force. She sighed angrily and pushed herself away.
"Fine, fine, it's your dress, I'll go look for another one."
"No, mom, I have a really pretty dress at home that I haven't worn once and it'll do perfectly for this occasion." She sighed and rubbed her forehead.
"It's not that simple sweetie, you need to wear something that says 'I'm now an adult' not 'I didn't want to buy the prefect dress so I'm wearing this'." I glared at her inwardly. She got to choose my husband, so why can't I choose my dress? It's not like I'm asking her if I can date the devil.
"It is, remember? We bought it just for this, but you then made plans to buy another dress."
She crossed her arms and gestured for someone to come help her. Someone immediately rushed to her side. "Ring this up, please."
"WHAT? No, don't we already have a dress," I snapped, not caring that I was being impolite. I noticed Natalie, a.k.a Nudge, walk into the store. She went to my school on a scholarship. She could afford it, but her family's mentality was if it's free, why pay? And I so agree, but my parents don't. The lady looked up at me, as if finally realizing I was there. Then I saw Jonathon walk in, mom probably texted him.
"Well, certainly there's enough room in your closet for another dress." NOT ONE THAT'S THE SIZE OF A FREAKING ELEPHANT PUFF PASTRY!
"I do, but the dress itself sucks," I could see Jonathon try not to laugh. My mom glared at me.
"I'm so sorry for my daughter's behavior, she's usually much better. But you know how it is with kids and coming out parties. Everything needs to be perfect." I rolled my eyes mentally, trying to calm down before my mom threatens to send me back to 'princess' school, or worse, actually sends me there.
"I agree with Max, it makes her look fat," Nudge cut in. She was shopping with us, but in different stores. She had medium length brown hair, big mocha eyes with flecks of light brown, and was oddly tall like me.
"Thank you, Natalie, wait. Did you just call me fat?" I never felt so free. That could only mean trouble.
"No, I'm saying these kinds of dresses don't look good on you."
Jonathon's Pov
"Well, certainly there's enough room in your closet for another dress." Wow, rich people always assume there's enough room as long as you can buy more.
"I do, but the dress itself sucks," Max complained for the first time since I met her. I smirked; trying to hide how funny that comment was, because it was true. It looked good on the top but the bottom part looked like Fang's little sister, Angel's, birthday cake last year.
"I'm so sorry for my daughter's behavior, she's usually much better. But you know how it is with kids and coming out parties. Everything needs to be perfect." I rolled my eyes. Coming out parties are stupid, and I could tell that Max and her friend Nudge-or was it Natalie? - agreed. But they had to do it, because it was 'tradition'. That is one stupid tradition. No offense to anyone who enjoys those traditions.
"I agree with Max, it makes her look fat," Nudge cut in. She was shopping with us, but in different stores. She had medium length brown hair, big mocha eyes with flecks of light brown, and was oddly tall like Max. She was pretty, but not Max-pretty.
"Thank you, Natalie, wait. Did you just call me fat?" Max said looking slightly confused. It was cute the way her eyebrows furrowed together, and the way her nose crinkled a little. And the way her eyes turned darker when she was thinking and lighter when she was dreaming was amazing. I shook my head a little; I needed to get over this little… thing before I ruin everything.
"No, I'm saying these kinds of dresses don't look good on you." I liked this Nudge girl, she seemed carefree and had her own will. She wasn't a puppet.
"Umm, okay, I'll take that as a... compliment?" Max said questioningly.
"Compliment," Nudge nodded and said, "You're other dress is so much cuter. It looks nice on you, the pearl color brings out your eyes, it really makes them POP! And the little sash matches those little stud earings! OH! AND we should totally use that little midnight blue ribbon in your hair. It'll stand out and still match, or maybe we could use the light pink one, but I think the dark blue would look more sophisticated than a light baby pink. It just screams I'M STILL A KID!" She is still a kid. And god did this chick have a motormouth. I could see Max wanted to yell at her to stop but she couldn't. Does this girl ever breath? "And-"
"Okay, Natalie, that's enough," Max's mom said sternly, loosing patience.
Nudge blushed and murmmured, "Sorry."
"What stud earings?" Max suddenly asked.
"Was that all you got from that?" I asked, shocked. BIG mistake.
"Jonathon," Mrs. Martinez (Bitch 1) snapped, "What did you say?"
"Sorry, ma'am, I was just shocked." Shit, shit, shit. Please don't fire me, please don't fire me. OH PLEASE don't fire me.
"Yes, her words mixed a little time after that and I could no longer hear what Nud-Natalie was saying," Max said not meeting my eyes, looking anywhere but me. I know she probably just saved my job and that I should've been gratful but I wasn't. I wanted to be noticed, not walking around like a ghost, especially by Max. I would do anythign to kiss her- wait forget I said that I meant that I would do anything to get her to notice me. That's what I said, and don't ever deny it.
Her mom just nodded and ordered Max to get back in her other clothes, they were going home to do the project I think. "Jonathon, home." And it was like any other day. Her mom rushed into the house again, like a bat flying from hell, and it left me with Nudge and Max, only they acted just like everyone else.
"It's not that bad of a dress, it's way better than that stupid dress that your mom wanted you to wear." Max's eyes didn't widen when Nudge cussed, it was a big no, no for these people.
Max's Pov
I noiced Jonathon's eyes widen a little when Nudged cursed and I wanted to laugh a little. This is Nudge, she does what she wants when she wants. I wanted to be like her, free.
"Yeah, but I just wish I knew why she wanted me to buy that dress so badly."
"There was a reason? I thought it was just because she was a demanding and over-controlling mother that wanted to be a child again by living through her daughter." I laughed, it was easy around Nudge, but Jonathon staring at me was making me uncomfortable.
"Yeah, she's never been that persistant. And then running to the house like she was being chased by wild wolf-men."
"Ugh...I'm going to go now," Jonathon muttered just about to leave when Nudge said, "Hey, you were that kid that everyone got mad at for commenting on Max's comment, right?"
"Yeah, that's me."
"You're also the driver! Oh, sorry short term memory loss." He just nodded.
"Come on, Nudge, we have a project to do," I said turning to leave.
"BYE!" Nudge said happily to the driver. I turned and waved as he left.
~Two Days Later~
"You're building a house?"
My parents nodded.
"In the backyard?"
Another nod.
"Another one?"
Nod.
"It starts tomorrow?"
More nodding.
"Why?"
"Because, we need a ballroom for to rent out," My mom explained like it was the simplest thing in the world.
"Why not use the one that's actually in the house?"
They shared a look.
"Because we're going to use that ballroom for your coming out party. You're mother wants to try planning parties for people in the other, new, ballroom."
Wow. Wow. Wow! I can't believe this. I don't want a bunch of creeps in my backyard. That's my only place in the world where I can be myself and not be judged.
"Jonathon said he knows a bunch of kids-"
"Whoa wait, kids?" Now a bunch of pervets, wait that's impolite, in my backyard.
"Yes, he says they're hard workers and that they really needed the job so of course we agreed."
Great, now I need to go find a conveniet place to hide for my troubles. Where was I going to find a place like that?