Disclaimer: Me no own MR.
And here's another Bon Jovi song for ya.
"You watch your whole life pass you by,
Sometime you gotta close your eyes to see."
--Bon Jovi
Chapter 6: Max P.O.V.
"I have decided I officially hate flying in planes," I told Fang while looking out the small window, "I admit, it is faster than flying on our own, but it's too crowded. And the food just sucks." I turned to face him and he nodded.
It had been quite the turn of events this past week. Fang and I decided it was probably best not to tell the younger kids about the whole government-forcing-us-to-be-separated ordeal. We told Iggy, who was pissed, but I thought it was better to just let them leave on their own, although Fang swore no one was going to do that.
That point aside, the younger three were extremely excited about finally meeting their parents. Nudge even gave me a whole list of things to tell her Mom and Dad when we see them this week.
"Be sure to tell them that I'm good with computers. And cars," she said this morning as I was giving everybody hugs goodbye.
"Sure thing, Nudge," I said as I hugged her.
"And that I love MTV. And Gossip Girl," she added.
"You got it."
"And that mint chocolate chip ice cream is my fav," she said, beginning to count on her fingers.
"Should I start writing these down?" I joked.
"Yeah, that might be good," she said thoughtfully. "But anyway, don't forget to say…"
And it pretty much went on like that.
I looked out the window of the plane, though I couldn't see anything but clouds. It had been eerily quiet this trip between Fang and me. I wanted to say something but every time I did, he would just kind of let it float in the air. After a while I gave up and he put his earphones in and drifted away.
Jeb was sitting in the seat across the aisle from us. Occasionally, he tried to start up a conversation with us but it had been pretty awkward when neither Fang nor I wanted to talk to him that much. I think I had already reached my limit with him this week, thank you.
After a while he seemed to give up also and started doing who knows what on his laptop. He could've been playing Solitaire for all I cared.
With Fang on his laptop, too, it sorta felt like I was traveling with middle-aged businessmen. Not that I minded. I kind of liked how no one was paying attention to me for once. It gave me a chance to think. It seemed I had a lot of that to do.
I definitely wasn't ready to let go off my Flock. Especially when they were being forced to separate. If they wanted to go, I could deal with that a little easier because it would be something that made them happy; something that they wanted to do.
What was even worse was that I had no idea who was doing this. Jeb just said it was the government. But government is such a broad term; I had no idea where to start. It was also the government who forced us to get caught up with our schoolwork. And it was the government who was forcing us to stay undercover.
Who the heck were these people?
Although, they did get rid of that stupid, cheesy, Lerner's place, along with the School and about four dozen Itex branches worldwide and jailed their workers, themselves. I won't even get started on what other countries did. So they couldn't be all that bad.
Sometimes my sarcasm just cracks me up.
I assure you Max, said the Voice, These are all good people.
Long time, no talk, Voice. I hoped it could see me roll my eyes and sense my frustration. I knew Fang noticed.
You know, I continued in mock cheeriness, I was kinda liking you not being around all that much.
You haven't needed us lately, it said.
Wait, us?I asked.
Of course, it didn't respond.
Great, so now the Voice was more than one person. Unless it meant Jeb and whoever the mystery person was. If Jeb was still using the Voice.
I sighed. It seemed my life was going around in circles some days and taking a one way street down to complication other days. Which is kind of the same thing.
"You okay?" Fang asked.
I waved my hand, "The Voice."
He raised his eyebrows. The Voice wasn't around much these days. It probably surprised him to hear that I had heard from it.
He turned back to his computer. Looking over his shoulder, I started reading a few comments people were still leaving on his blog.
Why won't you blog again? We miss you! One said, written by two girls.
Yo, did you guys finally kick the bucket or what? Someone wrote from Florida.
Hey, man. Why ain't u writin'? Whassup with that?
Fang, did you and Max finally get together?
I looked away quickly, my cheeks getting red. I'm pretty sure Fang noticed.
I had some thinking to do about that too.
Fang was staring at me, though I wasn't sure if he was thinking or waiting for me to say something.
"What?" I asked.
He raised one eyebrow, just the tiniest bit.
"I'm fine," I said automatically, turning to stare out the window again.
Fang's hand brushed against my arm and my skin felt hot and bubbly. Goosebumps rose on the back of my neck.
"Max," he said softly.
I didn't move, not an inch.
"Max," he repeated, now more firm.
I swiveled slightly in my seat to look at him. I was acutely aware of his fingers resting lightly on my arm.
"I need to tell you something."
My heart pounded louder and faster. His hand was still on my arm, his grip slightly tighter as if he was holding me steady, or even keeping himself steady.
I waited for him to say something but he stayed quiet. This had come out of nowhere; I wondered if this was maybe the reason why he had been reluctant to keep a conversation going before.
His dark eyes searched mine, and I saw something behind the thick wall he had constructed. I couldn't put my finger on it, and it took me a second to figure out that it was because I had never seen it before.
Fang was scared.
What was he scared of? His family? Leaving the Flock? Jeb?
Me?
"I, uh…" he started, his hand still on my arm.
I didn't say anything. I was still getting over my minor implosion after I learned Fang was scared.
He was never scared. Never. Or at least he never showed it. He had always been the calm, cool one. Never the nervous worrywart.
He looked me dead in the eye, I tried not to focus on him too much. What could be bothering him so much?
Something changed then. Fang's expression softened the smallest fraction, and he no longer looked scared.
"I lied to you before."
I blinked, shocked. Fang had never lied to me. At least, that I knew of. Then again, I never knew him to be scared either.
"Wh-what?" I stuttered.
"About my power."
My eyes were about to pop out of my skull.
"You do have a power?" Our voices were soft, nothing above a whisper, but I felt like I should be shouting.
"Yeah, but it's not what you think."
"Well what is it?!" I was hugely miffed that he straight outright lied to my face. I couldn't believe he had done that. This was so unlike Fang.
He hesitated. A funny feeling washed over me. It was like, not only was I about to lose my best friend, but suddenly he had also started lying to me. I felt like I couldn't completely trust him anymore.
And I hated that.
"I can't tell you," Fang said quickly, pulling his hand off my arm.
"What?!"
He didn't answer. Suddenly, everything weird that had been going on in the past couple days fell into place.
He couldn't trust me either. And he hated that.
"You can trust me, Fang," I said, mostly because I wanted to hear those words myself.
He looked down at me, his eyes swirling with emotions I couldn't make out. Was he scared again?
"I know, I just can't tell you. Not yet." His eyes turned apologetic.
"Why? What is so bad about it? Why can't you tell me?"
Fang turned away from me, back to his laptop that had now gone into sleep mode.
"I'm not done talking about this, Fang," I hissed.
He didn't answer. He just rudely put his earphones back in.
I wanted to slap him. Or scream at him. Or something. He could not just say something so huge and not finish it. It was like getting a whole ice cream sundae and only eating two bites. You just don't do it.
I sank into my seat and closed my eyes. Obviously we weren't going to get anywhere with this today. There was no way I was dropping this though. No way.
Fang's hand wrapped around my wrist again. I had no idea what he was doing. All I knew was that he was driving me crazy.
"You mad?" He whispered.
No freaking duh, I wanted to say, but instead I just stayed quiet. I figured the silent treatment would be better than outrage mode. Give him a taste of his own medicine.
"Max?"
I flush crawled across my collarbone. For a minute there, it actually felt like he cared.
He sighed, but didn't let go of my arm. I could've shaken him off, but for some reason, I didn't.
"You didn't do anything for your birthday," he said.
While, I admit, it was a very good transition, I was still mad at him. I frowned, my eyes still closed. I didn't want to talk about this.
Fang must've sense my reluctance since he removed his hand once again, and I heard him close his laptop. I opened my eyes, and he was looking at me. For someone who I have known my whole life, it seemed like I was growing farther and farther apart from him.
I have never felt so confused and frustrated before. My whole Flock was about to leave me and the last thing I needed right now was to be in a fight with Fang and to have him not trust me. And for me not to completely trust him.
An announcement was made over the intercom saying the plane was going to land in thirty minutes.
I had a half hour to prepare myself for one of the greatest experiences of my life.
Ha, ha. Yeah right.