HELLO AMAZING READERS!

I know I said this story was over but I lied so deal with it.

I'm sorry I more or less just disappeared for a month or two, but I've had sooo much to do, my schedule has been crazy, and my brain has been on fart mode. Seriously, I've had 0 ideas, so I wrote this.

This extra chapter isn't really good or anything, it's just supposed to get me out of this writer's block.

And also, I need to tell ya'll that my other story, If Only I Was Normal, desperately needs reviews. please, if you go read it and review it, I'll love you forever. Seriously, I'll give you a shoutout and read your stuff and PLEASSEEE!

AND ALSO THIS STORY HAS OVER 500 REVIEWS. I AM DYING. THAT IS AMAZING I'M LISTING THIS AS A LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT. LIKE SCREW MARRIAGE I HIT 500 REVIEWS ON FANFIC.

Anyhoo... read and review this and go check out If Only I Was Normal.

(I apologize for the suckitude of this)

"Your hero stories are due on Tuesday, I expect an oral presentation along with the written report."

Ari rolled his eyes. He knew all of the boys would either choose football players or some other sort of athlete, and a good 80% of the girls would be studying Marilyn Monroe.

He had a different idea though. He knew quite a few heroes, and they were the people that actually overcame obstacles, and changed their lives for the better.

Maybe that's why he hated school so much. Because all of the kids here were so shallow and blind to the hate in the world. Sure, he was popular, maybe the most popular junior of the school, but that was all because of his mother. No, not because of the hardships she'd endured as a child, but because she was a singer, songwriter and actress. Only him and his family knew about... the past events.

He shook his head, causing a girl to turn her head to him and bat her eyes.

In a way, though, he was jealous of these kids. They had met their grandparents. They got to go to the park with their mother and not have to worry about her having a panic attack because of some not so good memories. They didn't have to help their father comfort their mother in the middle of the night when she woke up, screaming for Angel. They were normal.

But he still loved his family. He admired his mother the most. Her strength, courage, sensibility, and the way she could never ever lay a hand on them. His dad called her Warrior for a reason.

His own thoughts were drowning him, until the bell rang. He then left school, excited to get out of the hell.

A short ride home, a quick snack, and he was in his room, typing the essay he had so much inspiration for.

It took him a solid hour to realize maybe his mother didn't want her story out there. Maybe she wanted to remain secretive.

"Mom!"

Footsteps were heard throughout the house, and the sound of an opening door. "Yea? What do you need, Ari?"

"Oh, um," now that she was standing right in front of him, he felt slightly uncomfortable. It was never fun to hear about that period of her life.

"Sweetie," she put a hand lightly on his shoulder. "you can always talk to me." She though for a second. "About anything."

"We have to write an essay for English, about a hero. I was wondering..."

"If it could be about me, and the abuse?" she finished for him, and they both winced at the word abuse.

"Yea."

"Of course, and if you have any questions, just ask." She said it lightly, but Ari saw through that mask he had seen hundreds of times and picked up the fear, hidden behind the wall only him and his father could break down.

"Thanks, Mom."

With a ruffle of his hair, she was gone.

His hands flew across the keyboard now, with a new purpose and speed.

He needed to tell other people that life isn't perfect. It isn't about getting the new iPhone or going shopping. It's about appreciating what you have and helping others who aren't so lucky.

He put hours into that assignment. He even skipped dinner for it, and he was known for his hunger. But he didn't mind the slight nagging in his stomach, it was worth it. And along with the message, he'd probably get an A.

So, once the essay was done, he called his parents upstairs for a quick proofread.

Their eyes skimmed the paper, pain and fear hidden in their eyes. Sometimes he got used to seeing his mother like this, but whenever his father got that sad, understanding look, it kind of made him realize how bad some things could be.

His father ended up having to leave the room. He excused himself, and you could hear his angry murmurs about the past after he left.

But his mom stayed, and finished reading. "It's good."

"Thanks."

The paper was handed back to him, along with a few words. "Ari, you know I'm not fond of what happened to me in that part of my life. But I will always share it with you, and I'm glad you're telling people how dark life can really be. My sister died when she was ten. I still have scars from more than twenty years ago. My mother killed herself in prison, and my father is in there for murder; among other things. Just remember to keep my ending in, because it's happy, as long as my family is in it."

With that said, she left, leaving her words heavy in the air.

"Happy," Ari muttered, furrowing his eyebrows and turning back to his laptop.

The rest of the night, you could hear the keys of the laptop clicking away.

MAXIMUM RIDE

"Ari, I believe you're the only one who hasn't shared your report with the class yet."

With a nod, Ari stood and made his way to the front of the room.

"Uh, my report is on my mom." It was only after he said the sentence he realized how girly it sounded.

Some of the boys in the class heard it, too. Shouts of "Momma's boy!" and "weenie!" rang out through the class.

Ari just rolled his eyes, considering all of those boys chose a football player for their reports. He then opened his mouth to speak.

"People say a hero is somebody who defends the weak," Ari began, "somebody who helps others while never forgetting to help themselves." the boys had quieted down now, and were listening, some intently, others barely at all.

"That's why my mother, Maximum Ride Martinez, is a hero. Maybe not in the way we all think of a hero, she doesn't wear capes, or protect cities, or even lead a bizarre double life of millionaire and Batman. But she's done some amazing things in her life."

"Let's start with her childhood." Ari squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. Whenever he had to talk about his mom being abused, it felt like he was being strangled. He hated it. "My grandparents are two people I have never met, and never will. Considering one is dead and the other is in prison." Now most of the boys were paying attention. "Ever since my mom was little, they've abused her."

Gasps were heard through the class. "Yes, that means they hit her, kicked her, cut her, starved her, harassed her, everything you can think of that goes with the word abuse."

Concern lit the eyes of many of his classmates and his teacher.

"My mother rarely speaks of this event, because, as you could probably guess, it makes her uncomfortable to speak about it." He paused, willing himself to speak the next line. "But it wasn't just my mother who is a hero. It's also my aunt, Angel, who was in the same situation."

"My mother was seventeen and Angel was ten when the real heroism starts. It had been happening before, she had taken the beatings for Angel, but it really started then. They ran away, to get away from their hell." Normally the teacher would give Ari a stern warning for using that language, but she was listening intently to his report, sadness in her eyes.

"Bravery, one of the characteristics of a true hero, is what they showed here. Fear was there, but it was ignored. A hero can be afraid of things, because they are not immune to all human flaws. It's when they choose to best their fear; that's when bravery shows itself."

The quiet girl that never spoke, or shared her opinion was quietly crying in the back.

"My grandparents got to them, of course." He sucked in a deep breath. "They took back a sweet, once innocent, angel; a puppy who has been struck too many times, and they did hurt her. They took her spirit, her youthful innocence, and crushed it. Because they killed her. They broke her neck."

All of the girls were crying now, including the teacher. About sixty percent of the boys had tears running down their cheeks, too. I didn't blame them. They're hearing the story of a young child being killed.

"That was another thing that helped make my mom a hero. The ability to overcome the worst possible situation in life. If you're a hero, you have to be able to march on, no matter how ugly life gets. No matter how many obstacles people throw a you, you must get over them."

The quiet girl in the back excused herself and ran from the room.

"Yes, my mother is a hero. She not only overcame that awful period of her life, she's teaching people now, how to be like her."

"So yes, hero's may come in all shapes and sizes, but my mother can be counted as a hero."

Ari ignored the tears running down his own face and made his way back to his seat.

"Thank you, Ari," the teacher gasped out through tears, uselessly dabbing at her eyes with a tissue. "Thank you for showing us the meaning of a true hero."

Then the bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. It was a little different, the students didn't rush out of the classroom. They all seemed a little dazed, weighed down by the new, horrid knowledge of truly terrible the world can be.

But they all made their way out of school, along with Ari.

And when he got home, Max walked up with a smile and asked him how his day was.

He considered saying, 'fine' like he did everyday, but then changed his mind.

"Different." He replied, and he didn't need to say anything else, she knew exactly what he meant. It was their special bond, one that was stronger than any other mother-son relationship. They practically read each other's thoughts. His mother and his father had that connection, too, even stronger than him and his mother.

She nodded and smiled, patting his back and kissing his head gently.

"Good."

With that, she walked away, and all Ari could think of was how he got here.

It all started with a song in a tree.