DISCLAIMER: I do not own Maximum Ride.

Chapter Two – Burger Fervour

Fang's POV

Serving drinks to surly old men wasn't Fang's idea of a dream job. However, the pay was good and he was one of the only people who knew how to properly mix drinks in this joint. Sure, he was underage, but he had all the necessary paperwork to serve alcoholic beverages. Iggy was in the kitchen, cooking up a storm. Fang didn't mind the afternoon rush as much as the night crowd. Usually teenagers would fill the place, eating a quick meal and ordering milkshakes (which he still had to make). The surly old men usually rocked up when all the teenagers were gone.

Burger Fervour catered to everyone. In one corner were a pool table and some video games that –while ancient – still entertained the customers. Booths lined the wall opposite to the game side and tables were interspersed throughout the diner. The bar was situated directly in front of the entrance and blocked off the kitchen. It was a nice set-up and one of the most popular hangouts for the teenage crowd after school and alcoholic crowd after dark.

Fang was cleaning down the bar when he heard the front door open. The chill that swept over his body somehow informed him of exactly who was at the door. He glanced over just to make sure. Max was standing in the doorway with Lissa, Kathy, Kyle and Samuel Worthington, Julia Hammersmith and … Nudge?

His eyes focused back on Max. She hadn't noticed him yet and he found himself covertly studying her. He could tell by the set of her shoulders and mouth that she wasn't relaxed. By the looks of it, she hadn't been relaxed for a very long time. Maybe two years? The thought made him smirk, not that he believed it. He told himself he was just being stupid.

"Hey Fang," Julia said, thrusting her chest out so that he couldn't help but get an eyeful of her breasts. They were the biggest breasts he'd ever seen on someone her age, and she sure used them. She was the biggest slut in the entire school – which was a feat within itself. She was also constantly flirting with him, trying to get something she could never have. Fang wasn't an idiot. He knew not to get involved with a girl like Julia. She would likely suck out his soul and then stalk him for a year. He had learned to stay away from freaks.

The first time he'd made love was to a girl named Brigit. He'd been sixteen and she'd been a year older. She'd practically forced herself onto him until he had no choice but to keep going. She'd done most of the work while he'd focused on trying to enjoy himself. He hadn't. Then she'd continued to stalk him for two months until she finally graduated and had to move away. He still got the occasional letter from her, explaining just how deeply she loved him. It still gave him the creeps.

"What can I get you?" Fang asked professionally.

"Well…" she said, biting her bottom lip and sitting down on the bar stool. He wondered if she was going to say some sort of innuendo. Instead, she just smiled and chirped, "a strawberry milkshake please."

He set about making a round of milkshakes for everyone but Max – who was still undecided due to her lack of familiarity with the menu. When he set the milkshakes down and looked to Max, she was worrying her bottom lip in a much more attractive way than Julia had been.

He studied her delicate features and couldn't help the rush of desire he felt towards her. He'd tried to feel desire for Brigid and the other girls he'd been with. But he'd never felt it as potently as he'd felt it right now, towards Max. Then again, if he was being honest with himself, he hadn't felt any desire for the girls he'd been with.

"I'll just have a caramel milkshake, please," she said softly. Her voice did things to him that he was unwilling to admit. He kept his expression plain, though, as he made her a milkshake and set it down in front of her. He acted as if he didn't know her, using the shield he'd learned to erect when he was young and broken. When he was friends with Max, he'd let those shields down around her. Now he couldn't help but keep them in place. In fact, he suspected that he hadn't let them down since she'd moved away.

The group moved away to a corner booth. No matter how hard he tried, his gaze always returned to Max. She was like a magnet – her pull too strong for him to resist. Resistance might have been possible if it had been more than two years since he'd last seen her. But the memories were fresh, as if it had all happened yesterday. Perhaps he was deluding himself. He probably would've found that if he hadn't seen Max for another fifty years, he would still feel her presence just as much as he could feel it now. Time wouldn't change how Max affected him.

"Fangy, do you think we could get a plate of chips?" Julia asked in a little girl voice that made him grit his teeth. That, plus the nickname she'd felt the need to use. She'd sidled up to the counter while he'd been covertly watching Max. He looked at her now and gave nothing away.

"Coming right up," he said with a tight smile. His boss insisted that he at least attempt to appear friendly. He rang the order up and fought the urge to look over at Max again.

"So, Maxine is having a party this weekend and I was wondering if you were going. She's inviting all of the seniors!" Julia bit her lip and cast her eyes downward in a show of innocence. "Maybe you could come with me."

He studied her features and tried to see what everyone else saw. She was pretty, with big blue eyes, dark hair and big breasts. But no matter how hard he looked at her, he couldn't feel an ounce of passion. He didn't want to sleep with this girl. He didn't even want to look at her.

"Are you okay? You're kind of staring at me," Julia said after a moment, frowning. He ignored her and kept staring.

Could he accomplish anything by turning up to Max's party with Julia? No, not unless his goal was to make Max jealous. And who was to say that Max should be jealous? Their friendship was long ago and she'd clearly changed. No, it wouldn't accomplish anything.

Julia looked uncomfortable. Finally, without saying a word she stood up and left. He often had that effect on people. He wasn't the talkative type and spending too long in his presence, silent, tended to freak most people out.

"Fang!" Nudge said as she bounded over to the counter. She was as energetic as always, smiling radiantly at him.

"What's up?" he asked. He'd always liked Nudge and it was no secret how Fang warmed when Nudge was around. Most people thought he had a thing for her. Few knew that Nudge was like family to him.

"What do you think of Maxine being back?" Nudge always got straight to the point.

He shrugged.

"I think she's trying really hard to be something she's not. She's got this whole 'I'm a lady' crap going on that is just plain bullshit. I think you could crack her," Nudge suggested with a grin that lit up her face.

"I don't think she's pretending. Her mother-"

"-Is a stupid ho," Nudge interrupted. "But that doesn't mean Max is. She's been brainwashed. I think you could help her."

"Who says I give a shit?" Fang asked stonily.

Nudge's eyebrows slammed into a frown as she studied him. "I think that maybe you're trying too hard to forget her. She's a part of us, Fang. Me, you, Iggy and Max -that's the way it's always been. I don't understand why you're not trying harder to be her friend again." Nudge was upset and he felt horrible for causing it.

"Nudge. Things change. Maxine Ride is too good for someone like me or Iggy. I mean, you're a Cliffy too, so you two can be friends. But Max was always going to go a separate way from me and Iggy. It was inevitable."

"You're scared," Nudge accused.

He narrowed his eyes at her. "You don't know anything."

"I know that you keep looking over at her. I know that you lo-"

"Is there a problem over here?" Samuel Worthington asked, putting a protective hand on the small of Nudge's back.

"We're fine," Nudge said shortly.

"Don't touch her," Fang said in a low voice, glaring at Sam's hand.

Samuel looked amused. "Oh, I didn't realise she was your girlfriend," he said haughtily.

"Sam-" Nudge began.

"Well, she's not yours," Fang spat. He had never spoken to Sam in his life. In fact, he was sure he'd spoken more today than he ever had before.

"What's your problem?" Sam asked, puffing out his chest and looking like a complete moron. Fang wondered if he should just punch him.

Clearly on the same wavelength, Sam curled his hand into a fist.

"Is there a problem here, guys?" Iggy asked, holding a plate of chips in his hand and looking confused.

"Ask your friend," Sam spat.

"Well, how about we just forget about this and you can take your chips and go back to your friends. I'm sure they're hungry by now," Iggy suggested like a true diplomat.

"If I wanted piss-weak chips cooked by a worthless hobo, I would go to-"

Sam never got a chance to finish his sentence because, in the next second, Fang had punched him squarely in the nose. It started to bleed as Sam let out a wail akin to that of a new born baby.

"Fang!" he heard someone shout, but he didn't care. No one insulted his best friend. He knew he looked ruthless at that moment. The look of fear on everyone's faces confirmed as much. But Fang was used to being feared. He was also used to punching people, so he ignored the slight throbbing in his fist.

"Fang, I think you should go and cool down," Iggy said, gently pushing him out the front door. In a haze, Fang stumbled out the front door and sat on a nearby bench. He could hear people fretting over Sam. He could even hear his supervisor, Stan, cursing at the top of his lungs. But what really got his attention was the sound of the distinctly feminine voice behind him.

"What?" he asked, breaking out of his haze.

"I asked if we could talk," Max said, obviously repeating herself.

He shrugged and didn't stop her from sitting down next to him.

"Why did you punch Sam?" she asked.

"I don't like him," Fang said as an answer.

Max sighed and he looked at her curiously. "I used to be able to read you like a book. Now you're so completely shut off that I have trouble even discerning your mood."

He was silent.

So was she.

Finally, he said, "Your eyes used to be filled with joy. Now they're empty."

She looked at him strangely then.

"Well, it has been hard these past few years."

He snorted. "Yeah, being rich and pampered must be so hard for you."

Her mouth gaped open. "You have no right to judge me! I may be rich, but it doesn't mean I don't have trouble like everyone else!"

"Maxine, I don't give a shit." She winced – at the use of her full name or the swear word? – and then frowned. He could see that he'd hurt her and that fact made him feel bad. But he wasn't about to let her know that.

"You used to," she said in a tiny voice.

"That was before you were a true Cliffy. Before, we could have been friends. Now, you wouldn't even associate with someone like me."

"Fang…"

"Don't lie. We both know it's true. So whatever you think you know - remember that this was your choice. You chose to be what you are, and so you chose not to be my friend in the process."

"I missed you," she whispered, tears shining in her eyes.

He reached out and cupped her cheek in his palm. He remembered the girl that used to play in the mud with him, play tag and spar with him. Most of all, he remembered the night in the cave. After all, he'd never forgotten her. Not once.

"I missed you too," he admitted softly, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead. He knew he'd regret this later, but for the moment he let himself say a proper goodbye. She seemed to sense this as well, because the tears spilled down her cheeks. He swept them away with his fingers and finally stood up.

"Goodbye, Max."

Without glancing back, he walked home. There was no way he could keep on working after what he'd just done to both Sam and Max.

He couldn't forget how he'd called her 'Max', not 'Maxine', when he'd said goodbye.

A/N: Have you ever had anyone call you an annoying nickname?