Maximum Ride

By: Ari Baecker

I'm falling deeper and deeper. Nobody can help me.

No one understands me like he did. It's going to happen soon. I can feel it. I can't let it happen. I won't let it happen.

Not when it's someone I care so much about. Someone I'd give my own life for.

I have to do something. Fast.

"What do you want, Fang?" I sighed. He let go of my wrist and I sat down on the couch. He came and sat down on the couch opposite of me.

"I want to know what you're so pissed about. We're best friends, what did I do?" The truth was, there was nothing actually wrong with what he's doing. Or did. I don't know if it's still going on.

I just looked away, not able to meet his eyes. He sighed and dragged me upstairs to my room. I involuntarily followed. He had a grip on my wrist again, this one not quite as gentle. I didn't fight it, but wasn't exactly pleased about it either. Once we got to the third floor, he pushed me in my room, gently, of course, and closed the door behind himself. He let go of my wrist, and sat down in front of the door so I was unable to get out.

"I can sit here aaaall night." He told me, sighing and getting comfortable with a pillow in front of the door. "I'll just tell my Mom I'm sleeping over." He fake smiled at me. I lay down on the bed. Sighing, I began. I might as well just get this over with.

I was planning on working up to the big question, but against my own will, "Why do like Lissa?" just slipped out. My eyes widened a tiny bit, and a hand flew over my mouth. I think my skin was evaporating, because my face was basically the colour of blood. Even though blood is blue until it hits oxygen.

Fang's ever-present smirk - not – began to widen.

"That's why you're mad at me?" Fang choked out. I could tell he was trying not to laugh, because each word came out in coughs. He stood up. Apparently, the floor wasn't comfortable for laughing, unless you're rolling on it.

He came over to my bed. My head was buried in the pillow, so I didn't see him. He lay down beside me. I was used to the movement because we had sleepovers every week and slept in the same bed.

"Max," he said seriously.

"I do not like Lissa. At all. In fact, I hate her as much as you do. If not more." He continued.

I raised my head to look at him for confirmation. He nodded.

"Then why did you ditch me, not to mention without even letting me know, to walk home with her?" I asked him, sceptical about the entire situation.

"Because Mr. Cook *our math teacher* told me I would have detention if I didn't help the sad excuse. And that's quoted." I laughed a little at that. I don't know why I even thought that he would like Lissa. It was ridiculous thinking back now.

"Okay, yeah, whatever. Anyway, do you 'wanna actually sleep over tonight? As an end of Elementary school celebration."

He smirked, "Sure," and got up. "We should go back down. Iggy and Nudge are probably here."

Ah, back to the ever-silent Fang.

Helped me up and we walked back down together. I wasn't as depressed anymore. But Fang isn't the reason I was in the first place. I wasn't even that depressed, anyway. I also may just be thinking it.

The rest of the night flew by, all I remembered up until the sleepover was food, Fang, Mom, Nudge's rambling - but not even the words - and inviting everyone else for the night. Including Angel and Gazzy.

We were in my basement now. I had also invited Nicole and Karlie for the sleepover. I would have invited Kim as well, but I knew her mother wouldn't have it. She was a nice lady, a little too traditional, though. And I know that's why Kim doesn't take it to heart when we don't invite her for sleepovers as often.

"OMG!" Nudge started. Oh, boy, here it comes.

"Did you hear? There's a new girl coming! She's moving in across the street from Max! Her name is Adriana. I don't know her last name, but she's really pretty! I saw her moving her stuff out of the moving truck, we should go say hello tomorrow. She has light brown hair and brown/hazel/green eyes. Its really weird. In the sunlight they're like, yellow, though. Either way, I 'wanna meet her! OH! AND OMG! There's this mrftgplmaham..." Iggy slapped his hand over her mouth. I thanked him as if he were a God silently. I love her to death and all, but I get sick of the Nudge channel sometimes. All Nudge. All the time.

I think she licked his hand because he randomly withdrew it, knowing you have to leave it there for 12-15 seconds to be sure she's calm after a rant.

"Ew! That's disgusting, Nudge!" Iggy announced loudly.

"I don't know you guys even bother with that anymore. We all know how it's going to end…" She told us.

"Whatever. But I, for one, would like to meet this new chick. She sounds hot." Iggy made us aware long ago that he wasn't gay. By that, I mean he's obsessed with the female race.

"Yeah, I'd like to meet her, too. Maybe I'll gain ONE normal friend…" I said referring to my best friends.

"Oh, please. You know you want me," Iggy teased, good naturedly throwing his arm around my shoulders. *A/N: Iggy isn't blind at all in my story.*

"Yeah, that's it…" I said, patting him on the shoulder, then making my way over to my home theatre.

"What movie do you guys 'wanna watch?" I asked them. But then I had a better idea. "Or… do you guys 'wanna nicky people?" Nickying, in case you didn't know, is basically Nicky Nicky Nine Doors, but you do one house at a time.

There was a round of "Yes" and "Sure" and, of course, "AAAAAAGGGHHHH! GHYYEAAHH!" from Nudge, who was a little overly enthusiastic…

Everyone got their shoes on, except for me, I never wear shoes for this or anything, and walked out into the extremely warm, end of June air.

That's when the fun began.

Wow, I never expected that many reviews. Thanks for the review, Wings. I don't take it personally at all. Its constructive criticism and I appreciate it. I couldn't agree more with what you said.

Okay, guys. There it is. You guys liked my story. Weird… Lmaoo, I can mostly post new chapters every night 'cause I go to private school where they don't believe in homework so we can spend time with our families, and just study every night, but I'm getting 95's and 97's in every subject and all my teachers love me (we have rotary) and for this reason, I can post every night during the weeks with school. I hope it wasn't too confusing. I know it was kind of scattered and messy, I need transitions. It was sort of just a filler chapter. I think I need to re-look the plot over and read my brainstorms and make sure everything is going according to plan.

Anyway, I hope you like it there will be a new chapter tomorrow as well, so review and subscribe. Give your ideas too, and I'll put them in. Hope you enjoyed, review and subscribe

Tootles,

Ari Baecker