A/N: Sorry I haven't posted one for this, I had writers block. : P it isn't my best.

Max's Pov

"The workers will be here in ten minutes, go get decent, you cannot be seen in your pajamas!"

"It's six in the morning mom," I groaned, rolling onto my back to see my mom rushing around the room looking for something. "I'm going to bed."

~3 Hours Later~

I stumbled down the stairs, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. I haven't seen my mom since six and I'm really hoping I won't run into her now. It was Saturday and I was allowed to wear my pj's in the morning but ever since the workers came, which is only today so far, I had to dress and look presentable the minute they came. So I'm trying to stay under her radar, because I'm not about to have this taken from me. "MAXIMUM RIDE! Just what do you think you're wearing?" I cringed and turned to see my mother, staring at me angrily from the top of the stairs.

I sighed and reluctantly walked back upstairs to change.

Max's Pov

I came back down in a plaid light green and baby pink v-neck long-sleeved shirt with a powder pink camisole underneath it, a black skirt that went at least mid-thigh, and dark gray TOMS. I went downstairs to see mom talking to Jonathon, too avoid conversation, I slowly backpedaled and went back up the stairs. But I only made it up two stairs before my mom walked in, Johnny boy trailing behind. "Oh, Max, there you are. Can you help me please?" Did I really have a choice?

"Sure," I replied, following her out to the backyard porch. "So, what did you need?" I asked, looking at the empty yard.

"Where should we put it?" She asked looking around. Really? Is she serious?

"Uhh, I thought you already had that in mind..." I trailed off, fixing my hair a little.

She sighed and shook her head, "That's what I thought, but your father thought it should be moved." In other words, she didn't know where to put it. She's always blaming everyone when the fault is hers.

"How about by the river?" I motioned to the river that ran through our backyard. I secretly hoped that she would hate the idea because that was my place, my paradise.

"We have a river in our backyard?" She sounded like a dumb blond; she even looked like one with her blond hair and everything.

I nodded, "Yep, I mean yes." She didn't seem to notice my slip up and just kept nodding.

"Perfect!" She turned around and gave me a small squeeze, "Oh Max! Thank you so much! Now, go on, your tutor will be here any minute!" Tutor? What tutor?

I looked at her, confused, "I have a tutor?"

She nodded; hands clasped together, "Mhhm! You remember Dylan right?" Oh dear. Dylan was...a therapist. He was the school player and doesn't mind hurting people. My parents love him. Let's just say I strongly dislike him.

I sighed and left, wanting to just leave and never come back. It's not the first time that I had that thought. More frequent now but I manage to get by.

"Hey Max," Dylan greeted casually, sending me a flirty smile. His blue eyes roaming over my body. I should slap him.

"Hello," I said, irritation slipping into my voice. I crossed my arms and tried to not glare at him.

He laughed and had the nerve to wrap his arm around my shoulder and lead me to my living room. How did he even know where it was? "So what did you need help with?" He asked, sitting me down on the couch and sat next to me.

"I don't know," I muttered and he laughed. Boy did he annoy me.

"You need to loosen up," He laughed. And he needed to get his butt off my couch and out the door. I didn't notice how close he was until he was practically on top of me. I shoved him slightly, moving away from him. I stood up and sat down on the other couch.

"Art."

"What?" He asked, dumbfounded.

"I need help in art." He looked disappointed that I was on the other couch. Like I cared. I didn't actually need help in art, I had an A+ in it and I understood the material better than the teacher. I also knew that Dylan sucked at art and had a chance at failing it and repeating it next year.

"Um, okay, so what do you need help with?"

I smiled on the inside. I was going to have fun with this.

Max's Pov

An hour later, I could tell he was ready to burst. I kept asking him about really complicated techniques and how to do them. He was red with frustration and he kept running a hand through his blond hair. I looked at the clock and did something that was very improper, I lied. Again.

"Oh, I have to go work on a project with Natalie, see you at school." I led him out and let out a deep breath. He's finally gone.

I walked into the kitchen and poured myself some juice.

"OH! Max! There you are!" My mom, so very bubbly today, laughed and looked at me again, "How was tutoring?"

"I was teaching him. He taught me nothing!" She frowned and blinked. I knew what she was doing. She was twisting my words so that they made her happy.

"I'm glad you two are getting along." More smiling. I sighed, wanting to bang my head on the counter.

"May I go outside?" I asked, noting that all of the workers were gone. Mom nodded, "Are they already done for the day?"

She shook her head, "They're taking a small break, so you can stay out there for around fifteen minutes, and then come back in." She didn't even wait for my reply, she just smiled and left.

All I need is 15 minutes.

I fast-walked outside and went straight to my special place by the river. Totally concealed by the trees. I let out a breath and for the first time today I felt happy, free. Weightless. I ran a hand through my hair and sat down on the soft grass.

I heard a stick snap and I whipped my head around.

Fang's Pov

Jonny asked me to work for some rich people with him and since I needed the money for a car, I accepted. I then called a bunch of my buddies and asked them to join us, they accepted. I found it extremely funny that those people wanted another house in their backyard. What do they need a third house? Here I thought you only needed one... But I guess that's just me.

It was our break and I was bored. Jon was with the guys, Sam and Gazzy, don't ask. I felt like looking around, the lady, Valencia, said we could look around the construction place so I decided to look around. I wasn't that surprised everything was well kept. But I was surprised when I looked up and saw a bunch of over-grown trees and uneven grass.

I walked over there and noticed a girl. She let out a long breath and ran through her hair as she dropped down onto the grass. She ran her hands through the grass multiple times; she still hasn't seen me. I looked closer and saw the resemblance between her and Valencia. She had light blond hair just like her mom's only she wore hers down and it was straight. I couldn't see her eyes. As I was leaving, I stupidly stepped on a branch. She quickly turned around and met my eye.

We stared at each other for a while. Uptown and downtown. She had green eyes, mixed with hazel and gold. They reflected the light.

Max's Pov

He was tall and had broad shoulders, shaggy black hair that hung over his dark eyes. His eyes were black from my angle, but when he shifted slightly they glowed a dark, midnight blue. He was hot. But I could tell by the clothes that he was wearing that he was working right now. He was a downtown boy.

I turned away first, expecting him to leave, but he didn't. I should've ordered him to leave, told him to get lost, but I didn't. Something about him intrigued me. I heard the sound of footsteps get closer and closer. Then he sat down, a few feet away, leaving very much space in between us. Then a thought hit me like a hurricane.

I didn't want him to leave.

Fang's Pov

She turned away. I wanted to see into those beautiful hazel eyes again. I waited for her to order me to leave, but when she didn't me felt more welcomed. She was nicer than her bitch of a mother, but I still felt mad when she didn't acknowledge me, like mother like daughter, I thought bitterly. I surprised myself by walking over to her and sitting down next to her. I left a couple feet between us, but I wanted that space to be eliminated. But it couldn't be. We were from different families, uptown and downtown, we just don't mix. That didn't stop me from wanting her.

"You should go," she whispered, not looking at me. I didn't say anything and a small smile formed on her lips. "A man of many words, I see."

I smirked a little. "Breaks almost over," She commented, looking up at the treetops for a second. Was that longing? Did she want to climb the trees? Be a little freer?

"Ever climb?" I asked, nodding towards the trees. She looked shocked when she shook her head. She turned and looked at me, raising an eyebrow.

"Does it look like they'd let me?" She asked, shocking me. I frowned a little.

"You let them live your life?"

"Do you only talk to ask questions?" she asked, evading the question.

"You're avoiding the question," I pointed out, not letting her distract me. She looked frustrated and kept her eyes glued to mine, as if searching for something there. Defeated, she sighed and looked away.

"I kind of have to." We were silent for a while as I digested what she said.

"No," I replied, shaving my head a little, hair flying into my eyes.

She gave me a pointed look and looked away. "Yes I do. I only live to please. I only live for them. I can't not live for them."

I shook my head again, "That made no sense, you used a double negative."

She laughed, it was bitter and angry. "You wouldn't understand," She muttered, "I shouldn't expect you to understand." I was hurt by that, but I should've seen it coming.

"It's your life, not theirs," I commented, trying to get her to look at me. "They don't get to choose the path you take, that's your choice."

She shook her head sadly, "Like I said, you wouldn't understand."

"Tell me why," I pressed, getting irritated with her. It was her life not Valencia's, not Jeb's, hers...whatever her name is.

"Why?" She asked, and then repeated the word a couple times, "Why? Why? Why?"

"You're evading the question...again." She glared at me, then looked slightly guilty and looked away. "What? Now you can't get mad?" I asked, laughing a little. That was stupid. No glaring, no yelling, no, no, no. I thought to myself using a high-pitched girly voice.

"You really like to point out our flaws," She commented, running her hands through the overly-green grass.

"Because you guys have so many," I shook my head and sighed. They really do, but hey they're rich so that evens everything out, right?

She nodded a little, "I totally agree," She muttered, obviously not expecting me to hear her.

"Really?" I asked, shocked. Why would she agree? She's one of them. I guess some people see past piles of money. I'm glad; I was beginning to think that money was going to ruin every decent person in this world.

She looked at me, eyes wide like a deer in headlights, "Err. You heard that?"

I nodded, trying to not look amused. "Glad to entertain you," She muttered, looking away.

I couldn't help it, I laughed. I closed my eyes and I laughed. I didn't expect her to do anything because 1, she was in a skirt, and 2, she wasn't allowed to do anything other than order me to leave and get back to my break. But she did do something. She shoved me, knocking me over. But her plan backfired when my instincts told me to grab anything that would help me stay stable. So I reached out, accidentally grabbing her and pulling her down with me.

"AH!" She let out a little squeal as she fell down with me. Good thing we were close to the ground, otherwise that would've been a painful fall for me, since she would've landed on me. She did end up somewhat on top of me. I looked at her, expecting to see her glaring at me, but instead I saw her eyes alight with amusement, bubbly laughter escaping her lips.

God, I just wanted to stay like that, laughing with her, but we're from different parts of town. Uptown and downtown. I should've expected her mom to come looking for her, or their maid or something. But I was so lost in that moment that I didn't see her mom standing over us, tapping her foot with disapproval.

"MAX!" Her mom snapped, making all happiness fade from the girl's, Max's, face. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" She demanded staring at me angrily. God, I hope she doesn't fire me.

"Err," I answered dumbly, still shocked at her face. Max quickly untangled herself from me, and replied, "Mom, I have my tutor now, where did you say he lived?"

Confusion flashed in her mom's eyes and I knew Max just saved my job. "Oh, um, isn't he coming here?"

Max's Pov

I was mad, why did she have to come and ruin everything. For the first time in forever I was enjoying myself. And then she comes and ruins it! To make matters worse, she doesn't even remember that I already attended tutoring with that asshole Dylan! Please excuse my language, but she can't control my thoughts. The mysterious boy was right. This was my life, not hers. I chose my path, not her. I got to live the way I wanted to, she didn't get to live through me!

I nodded, "Oh, okay, then I better be going."

"Yes, oh I'll come with you. I need to give Rosa something to give to Jeb when he comes home from work." My mom quickly rushed to the house, not even waiting for me.

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. Why can't she just give Jeb the damn letter? Isn't that much easier? But no, we're rich so we don't have to do anything; just sit around looking pretty. Like a decoration. I left, leaving the boy there. But as I was leaving, I turned back, meeting his impossibly dark eyes one more time before I entered the house. It was official.

I wanted to see him again.

A/N: So tell me... Bad? Good? Horrible? Amazing? R&R, tell me what you think. It's not really my best, but I had writers block for the longest time and I still do now, but at least that's clearing a little.

~Yours Truly Forever~