YO! i'M BACK! SORRY ABOUT THE HOLD-UP...ANYWAY, STORY IS CONTINUED! SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING

"Where the hell is my frickin costume?"

I sat in Alex's room, seeing her pull her stuff out of her closet and rant about her missing costume. Bored, I quickly sent a text to Ash. She was also coming with us, and was pretty dang excited. Another person to ease the tension between Fang and me.

I wasn't sure what her costume was, but it had to be awesome. After all, Ash was an awesome person that I got along well with.

"Aha! Found it!"

Alex barged into the bathroom and quickly changed. My phone pinged. I checked. It was Fang.

Max, plz hear me out. It was a major mistake. I'm really sorry! talk 2 me

I huffed. Idiot. He didn't even have the decency to call me or come to me in person. Not like I would give him a chance either way.

"Ta-da!" Alex came out, grinning, looking amazing. I smiled weakly. "You look nice. Let's go get Ash and Star and the others," I said. Alex nodded. "Yeah. That was next on my agenda," she said, cracking a grin. I could practically smell the excitement and the prospect of the idea of getting a butt load of candy on her.

"Jeez. The way you're acting, it's like some guy in that awesome band that played asked you out," I said, rolling my eyes as we walked out of the dorm to where the others were.

Alex smiled sheepishly. "I wish. But the lead guitar guy is like in two grades above me! How would I date him?" she asked, mumbling to herself. I shook my head, grinning, before knocking on Iggy's dorm. Gazzy opened the door, welcoming us in. "Yo! Welcome to da par-tay!" Iggy cried, waving his hands. "Gosh, Iggy."

I rolled my eyes. Rihanna was playing, and Kate and Anika were singing along. Iggy's dorm was decorated extravagantly with Halloween decorations. There was a zombie hand here and there, and fog billowed throughout the room that was illuminated purple. "Why all of the decor? It's not a party or anything," Alex said.

Iggy smiled. "Well, a bunch of the guys are coming anyway, besides you guys. I mean, you're ditching us for trick-or-treating? Oh, you losers," Iggy replied lazily, slouched on the couch.

Hands on hips, Alex said, "Who's the loser? You've got yo facts all backward."

"You guys are going trick-or-treating? Screw you," Nudge said, waving a hand. "I had no idea. But thanks for ditching," Kate said.

Anika shrugged. "Well, WTH. Have fun. Don't get eaten by Count Dracula," she said. "Now I see that you totally care about us!" I said sarcastically. Hauling my pillow case, I called, "Let's go, morons!"

We left, and I saw what Ash was wearing...

Steampunk costume.

I groaned. "So creative, Ash."

She winked. "Don't you love it, though?"

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, you have issues." I said, sighing heavily. Ash grinned. "Are you saying you don't?"

"I prefer to believe that I have a sexy imagination, thank you very much."

"So...you're mental? Or a pedophile?"

"Who the hell would I be a pedophile for? A six year old?"

Ash grinned. "Well, you never know, Maximum Martinez."

That's when Alex butted in. "Guys! What the heck? We have to go? Now, I don't know about you, but I actually want my candy!"

Ash and I stared at Alex. Then we face-palmed. "Oh, shit! Sorry, got carried away. Vamos, chicos y chicas!" I cried. All eyes turned to me. Like, WTF. I wasn't that weird... Alex shook her head. "Whatever. Let's go."

We went to the neighborhood, talking about random crap. All of us were excited. I had been trying to ignore Fang as we went to each house, always getting caught up in a conversation if he came too close. By now, all of the adults who handed out candy just shook their heads and probably thought, 'Teens. Almost adults. How can they still trick-or-treat? I will never understand the mind of these youngsters...'.

Then, when I had basically had my fill of candy, he grabbed me. "Max, listen to me!" I yelped as he spun me around, forcing me to face him. His obsidian eyes were dark and angry, and for a moment, I was actually terrified. I shook my head. Wasn't this my best friend? There was no need to be mad at him.

He let out a huge breath. He quickly waved the others off, telling them that we would catch up. I was supicious, panicking inside. I shoved it down, rasing my chin and staring him in the eye. "Yeah? I better get a good reason why I should listen," I replied, sneering. Fang winced as if I had struck him. "Truly, Max...I really actually didn't want you to figure something out. I'm not into Madeleine. Hell no. Like you said, she's a...ginger bitch. I lied because I didn't want you to find out who I really like."

Relief spread through me like a soothing balm of aloe. He didn't like her. The heavy weight on my chest lifted, and I felt lighter and happier. Oh, God. I was so glad he didn't actually love that stupid girly bitch. "Oh. That's good enough for me. I'm glad that you don't like her."

I studied him, trying to see if he would tell me who he liked. He hesitated, and I sighed. "Hey, it's OK. I'm not gonna pressure you into telling me. I trust you. Just...don't go telling me stupid lies again. I mean, we're, like, BFF's. Don't lie to me."

A smirk flashed across Fang's handsome and angular face. Fang had come back. He leaned in close, his warm breath tickling me ear. My breathing hitched.

My thoughts:
AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHHHHHHH

Yeah...I was brilliant.

"Am I anything else to you? MORE than a best friend?"

I screamed, running from him after slapping him. The idea was too strange. It wasn't like Fang wasn't attractive. Quite the opposite. Fang was-dare I say-hot. He was MEGA hot. But he was my best friend. I may have liked him, just a bit, but I didn't want to ruin my friendship with him. I caught up to the others breezily, trying to distance myself from Fang.

"Huh? What was that?" Ash asked, giving me a peculiar look. I rolled my eyes, grinning affectionately at Fang's stupidity. "Well, Fang's forgiven. We're friends."

"Yes!" Alex cheered, hugging me. "Ergh..." I groaned. "Oh my gosh, Max, I thought you would hate my cousin forever and ever and ever...and you guys were best friends! And-" She went through a Nudge rant, and I thought she was going to sob and throw a party for the occasion. Gazzy patted my back. "Cool. See, Max, you're better than me."

"No, I'm not. He just cleared up that he doesn't really like Madeleine. He likes someone else...he won't tell me though." My three friends rolled their eyes and exchanged knowing looks. This pissed me off a great deal. What! What were they keeping from me...? "Oh, Max, Max, Max...I'm a newbie and I already know what's going on," Ash said, sighing sympathetically.
"WHAT IS GOING ON?" I asked in a frustrated tone. My friends...jeez, they sucked to no end. "Oh, I see. Keeping secrets from me. Now I know how much you guys hate me!" I said crossly, stomping away and acting like Iggy. Oh, did I mention I did a VERY dramatic Iggy hair flip?

"Yo, 'sup, guys?" Fang finally caught up. Alex crossed her arms. "Gas ass, we were waiting for you," Alex said, acting like a diva. All of us except Fang burst out laughing. "Aha ha..." I gasped, giggling. "What the hell? Alex, are you OK?" Fang asked, an adorably confused look on his face. Everyone laughed even harder.

We got back to Iggy's dorm, laughing and talking and stuffing our faces with candy. We entered, and saw everyone on the floor, watching TV. I recognized Dylan, some football jocks (the nicer ones...that basically means only two of them), older girls in some band, other classmates of Iggy's, and our group of friends.

Nudge was snuggled into Iggy's side, fast asleep. A serene look was on her face as she clutched Iggy's arm like a pillow. "Ssh..." Alex and I quietly took out our phones and snapped pictures. "They look sooo cute together," Kate whispered, and Alex and I agreed. Ash snorted, giggling. "Oh, my sis...I'm so glad she's happy."

Looking at my room mate, I smiled. She was happy, and I knew that's what I wanted for her. Someone tapped me on the shoulder, and I turned. Fang stood there, grinning down at me. I returned his smile, feeling warm and jittery inside. "Thanks," he said.

I stared at him, surprised. "For what?" He half-smiled, an embarrassed look on his face. "For forgiving me. For being my...best friend."

I nodded. Then he left, slapping one of his guy friend's back. For some reason, as he called me his best friend, I felt disappointed. I watched his retreating figure, wondering what was wrong with me.

I couldn't consider Fang as more than a friend. Because he was just my friend. Right...?

Nudge and I went back to our dorm together. It was around one in the morning, and I had to drag Nudge back. After finishing up some homework, she turned her iPod up. We lied on our bed, with just our lamps on and the bathroom light.

"Spit it out. What's up with you and Fang?" Nudge asked, flipping through the latest Vogue magazine and nodding her head to the beat of the song playing. I recognized it as Taylor Swift's Red. Nudge was a major Swiftie.

(A/N: I'm a major Lovatic! Go Demi! I don't really like Taylor Swift...but she's still a good artist :) )

I looked up from my book, The Summoning. "Nothing. We made up."

Nudge raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You guys seem closer, actually. What was with the hug when we left Iggy's dorm? I mean, you were fighting a while ago anyway, and it's-" I tuned out the rest of her Nudge rant, looking away. She was referring to when Fang had hugged me before leaving with Dylan. He had given me a gratified smile, and I had been dazed, watching him leave. Again. "Well, we are. He explained everything." I said, interrupting her. She immediately switched gears.

"You sure you aren't dating?" She teased, grinning. I shot her a nasty look and threw one of her sparkly shoes at her. She dodged easily, snapping her wrist out and grabbing it. "Max...no throwing shoes."

I snorted. "Oh, yeah? Who's stopping me? You, the world's biggest fashionista?" Nudge rolled her eyes. "Seriously. Max, what's up?"

I sighed. "Look. We aren't dating. I'm not lying to you, Max. I wouldn't do that to you. Please believe." I said.

Nudge paused, her eyes glued to a page in her magazine. Her eyes drifted up, and she nodded slowly. "I'll always believe you, Max. You're the best friend ever," she said, grinning widely.

"Aw..."

Both of us hugged each other. I wasn't normally much of a hugging person, but this was an exception. "You're my best friend ever, too," I said.

Nudge let go, and both of us smiled. "Yeah, I'm really glad I'm friends with you," she said. "Best friends," I corrected. "Yeah. Best friends."

She yawned. "I'm gonna sleep. Night, girl." She turned off her lamp and went to sleep, pulling the covers over her. "Night," I said softly, turning her iPod to her other playlist for sleeping. It was full of Beethoven sonatas, Mozart movements, and Rachmaninov music. It was her tradiation, and it always helped her sleep.

Soon, Nudge fell asleep, and I got ready for bed. My phone pinged.

To Max:

hey. It's fang. Can I talk 2 u rite now? I no it's l8, but it's rlly important. srry. Meet me by the fountain in the courtyard.

Curiously, I re-read the message. What was wrong?

To Fang:

yeah. Np. B there in a sec

-max

That was long. Was that not? I hope you enjoyed it! :) sorry about not updating for so long. I'm done my other story, though. So yAy!

Expect more updating.

Bye guys!

-flyingconverselol