A/N: Oh, yeah!

Fang: Turn it down, please.

Iggy: She's singing. You can't make her stop until she finish singing the song.

Max: Aya, you're such a lousy singer. Stop singing!

Me: I am in misery! There ain't nobody who can comfort me! Oh, yeah!

All except Aya: Iggy, you make a good point.

Chapter 11

Max POV

I point at what Aya's wearing.

"Are we supposed to wear a dress?"

Lissa gasps, her right hand flies to her throat. "Max! How can you forget? I specifically reminded you this morning that you're supposed to wear a dress! Weren't you listening?"

Basing from the fact that I'm wearing my uniform, apparently I did not. "No."

Aya let the others make a grab at me and kidnap me against my own will.

Aya just waves and gives me an apologetic smile. She then welcomes a couple of parents.

I don't know where they are taking me. Lissa blindfolds me with her green scarf.

For all I know, they're gonna make me wear a dress.

And I'm right! An applaud for the smart lady, s'il vous plait!

"This dress is too provacative and. . . ugh." I look down at my dress they chucked at me earlier. It's a pale yellow sweetheart neckline dress. Of all the colors in the color wheel, they picked yellow! Why?

Tess nudges me with her elbow. She looks pretty sophisticated in her solid white shimmy dress with a black bow around her waist. "Come on, you look pretty tonight."

Yeah. Like the wife of Big Bird wearing black stiletto pumps. They also made me wear heels! I hate heels! Those shoes are the worst inventions shoe designers have created! I just shrug her off.

They made my hair. It was perfectly fine in ponytail form, but from Brigid's point of view, it's the worst kind of hairstyle you can ever do with a woman's hair. At first, Brigid tried putting it up into a tight bun and since my hair is wavy, she gave up and let some hair free to float around my face. Good thing they didn't use hairspray.

"Max, smile. This is gonna be your first and last Curriculum and you might as well enjoy it," J.J. orders me and hands me a glass of sparkly liquid. Or is it champagne?

I don't answer and I just watch for my mom and my sister to arrive. And they do and I almost spew out the liquid (definitely champagne) out of my mouth.

"MOM!" I run to her and capture her in a huge bear hug. I hug Ella too. She laughs and tells me to let go because I'm crushing the life out of her. I kiss my mother's cheeks and smiles at her.

Behind her back, she's holding two baskets that are giving off mouthwatering scents to my nose. I wiggle my eyebrows at her and she gives them to me willingly. I open it and take one cookie.

I savor the taste as it shoots wonderful taste around my mouth until Aya comes along.

"Dr. Martinez! It's a pleasure to see you again!" Aya smiles at my mom sweetly and shakes her hand. Mom smiles back and says the same thing to her.

Aya leaves and tell her to enjoy the Open House. Mom turns to me and looks shocked. "Max. You look. . ."

"Awful? I know, right!"

"No, beautiful. You're very beautiful tonight, honey."

Ella nods in agreement with her. "Too beautiful I can't describe you. Where did you get that dress? It's obviously not yours. You don't own any dresses in your closet."

I glare at her. I tell them a friend let me borrow it.

And so, as I carry my two baskets full of Mom's prized cookies, I show them around the school.

Like a refined lady.

"Oh, sweetie. It was so nice to see you again!" Mom hugs me and kisses my forehead. "This school obviously changed you. Be safe. I love you."

Ella pries Mom's arms around me and hugs me. "You're the best sis in the world. I wish I could be strong and brave like you. And as beautiful."

I murmur back. "You're beautiful just as you are, Ella. And you're already strong and brave. Who told me to get over my fear of needles?"

Ella giggles. God, I'll miss her. "I love you, Ella. I miss you already."

She lets go. Mom and Ella waves at me and leaves the school ground. But Ella stops and blows me a kiss. I take it and blow her a kiss too. Her eyes widen and then she grins.

I let out a breath, as if I've been holding it for the last three hours.

An arm drapes around my shoulders. "I didn't get to talk to your mother."

I glare at Nick. "Remove your arm before I remove it for you." He removes it and drops the accent.

"Can I have a cookie?" He asks stupidly.

"No."

Nick snorts and mumbles. "Cookie Monster."

I look horrified. "What did you just call me?"

Nick grins. "Cookie Monster?"

I slap his shoulder. "I am not a Cookie Monster!"

"You certainly are. Remember that time. . ."

I blush at the memory. "That was once, OK! I was so hungry-"

"That is not a good excuse for eating a paper plate."

I turn away from him, irritated. I can tell he's going to follow me. "Do not follow me, Nicholas!" I shout over my shoulder.

"You're not my mother who can tell me what to do!" Nick grabs me from behind and tosses me over his shoulder. I gasp and begin to pound his back.

"Put me down! Damn you! Put me down! F-NICK!" I almost said. . .

"Fnick?"

He stops walking and puts me down. "Did you almost say my name?" He asks me with his too-penetrating dark eyes. I can feel my cheeks getting hotter.

"Your name is Nick."

"No, the other one. Why can't you say it?"

I can't possibly tell him, can I? No, I won't tell him. I just shake my head.

"Can I ask a favor?" He asks, his voice barely above a whisper.

I nod.

"If you remember it, please tell me."

"Remember what?"

He smiles a real smile. Not too cocky and not too irritating. "You'll know."

Then time stretches a lot longer between us. It's so awkward now.

Since I notice my surroundings just now, we're completely alone. Two teenagers hiding behind a tree. All alone. I can't emphasize it enough!

"Will you?" He asks and I feel him moving closer to me.

"Will I what?" I answer in an idiotic way.

"Will you do the favor?" I can smell him now. I smell his manly cologne and his aftershave.

I nod weakly.

He pulls away. "Good."

I grab his shirt sleeve. "Nick, we're you going to. . ." Thank God for the darkness that Nick can't see me blushing.

"I was. Then you agreed right away."

"Oh."

His voice is getting cocky again. "Did you want me to?"

"Heck no."

"Sure."

DEAFENING SILENCE. . .

"Max?"

"Hm?"

"I'm going to kiss you."

I react at the last heartbeat.

I feel his rough hand at the back of my neck and his lips descend on mine.

The last thought that crosses my head is, His lips are so soft!

A/N: YOU CAN SQUEAL LIKE A LOVESICK TEENAGE GIRL NOW! RnR? (Sorry for the typos I might have in this chapter. I'll fix it tomorrow. No time to do it now because I need to go take a shower.)

:D