I'm not even going to bother with excuses. You know I can't update reasonably to save my life. At least you should by now. I just feel like writing and found this in my documents. It totally had nothing to do with the fact that I felt bad I hadn't been updating. . .

Disclaimer: I do not own Maximum Ride or any songs used in this story.

Chapter 10: Brutal Reality

Max POV:

I kept getting weird looks from random people. I didn't blame them. It didn't take a genius to figure out what I was singing about. Still didn't like it though. By the time lunch rolled around I felt like pulling another climb-on-the-table stunt to get them to leave me alone. But that probably wouldn't work a second time and I was in no state to be climbing on tables.

As I sat down at lunch to eat of few more of my chips I noticed that Iggy still looked a little bit awkward and guilty. I rolled my eyes and put my bag on the table. Everyone was sitting at our table by now so they were noticing the tension.

"Iggy!" I yelled. Thankfully only our table could hear it over the noise of the cafeteria. He looked up in shock. "What?" "Stop being weird. I don't care what you saw last night it's no excuse to ignore me." "Wait, wait,wait. What did Iggy see last night?" I would have laughed at Gazzy's sick mind any other day but Iggy's sudden antisocialness was starting to freak me out. "He saw me get beaten up." Fang just about spat out his mouthful of sandwich. Instead he forced himself to swallow before commenting. "What?" He looked shocked and angry. It scared me a little bit. Not enough to matter of course.

"He saw me get beaten to almost unconsciousness and feels guilty because he couldn't do anything about it." Nudge looked like she was going to cry and Angle looked like a deer in headlights. "By the way, Angel I was going to tell you this in private but I might as well tell you all at once, I going to Social Services. I don't want that to happen to Angle and I don't want it to happen to me anymore."

I didn't wait to hear what the others had to say about this decision. It was mine to make. I was responsible for keeping Angel safe. It was the only thing I could think of that didn't end up with me getting beaten to death. That would kind of suck. Anyway, instead of sticking around to listen to the Flock's opinions I got up and hobbled my way over to the rubbish bin. I didn't know why my brain decided to take me in that direction. Then I threw up. Ah, that would be it. My brain thinking ahead and not telling me.

"Oh my gosh Max!" I heard Nugde scream. She and Angel came rushing over to me in concern. I looked over to see the boys deep in conversation, sometimes casing anxious glances our way. "I'm fine guys, don't worry." I was worried. But they didn't need to know that.

"Nudge does Caine have his licence yet?" I looked over to see that it was Iggy who asked the question. "Yes, why? Do you wanna go somewhere? I don't know what he's doing and I'm not cutting class for another one of your pranks. Besides we have more important things to deal with right now. Not that we have to deal with you Max, I was just saying that with being sick and all - " "Nudge. Shut up for five seconds. I want him to drive Max and Angel to Social services." She nodded in embarrassed understanding. "He doesn't have his phone with him. I'll have to ask him after school. Is that all right Max?" I nodded, grateful that I wouldn't have to walk. That would have been a pain in the ass considering it was half an hour away by car.

I was finally starting to feel like things were going to turn around for us. Yes we could be separated, but I would never be struck by an open hand again. Or a closed hand, or a beer bottle, or a chair (yes that had happened), or anything else that would cause me harm. And I wouldn't have to worry that Angel was going to have to suffer the same fate. I was finally starting to fall into the deluded daydream that we were going to be safe. That nothing bad was going to happen because I was taking us away from here.

That's where I was wrong. I wasn't going to be able to take us anywhere. Not if Jeb had anything to say about it.

Short, but there. I'm so sorry that it has taken me well over a year to hurry up and freaking update. Wow. I am so terrible at updating. I hope that you don't have to wait a whole year again for the next update. We are nearing the end of this story. YAY! It's also kind of sad though. I remember when I started reading fanfiction and I got addicted and had to create my own account. Then I just had to write my own stories. Then I just kind of, grew out of it I guess. That's why my updating has been so crappy. I don't spend every day on this website anymore. In a way that makes me kind of sad because I love writing and sharing my work with you guys and I know that I'm just not doing that as much anymore. I am going to finish this story. I can tell you that much. I don't know about my others but this one will end soon. Anyway enough with the mushy life story you don't care about :P.

Keep Reading,

eternalreader62