I will look back on this and remember it as the moment I began to give up on Fang. Sounds like something I'd never do, I know. But that's the way it is. I've got no reason to hide it now. In fact, I don't want to hide it anymore. Knowing what we have done just makes me realise more and more that this is truly the way it was meant to be. I could never admit that before, but now I see it. Strange how things turn out in the end.
I lay on my front with my wings outstretched, feet tangled in the bed covers and my arms above my head. I glanced over at the clock on the wall and it took me a few moments to realise what time it was. It was 9 the next morning!
I pulled myself up quickly and rolled out of bed, hitting Dylan in the face with my wings as I did so.
"Hey watch it will ya." He grumbled turning over.
"Get up will you, its tomorrow already." I exclaimed hitting him on the head with a pillow. He reacted quickly and began shoving on clothes, hopping around on one leg as he forced his legs through his jeans. I was in too much of a hurry to tell him to put on underwear.
I was first out the door and straightened myself up to look half way decent before I presented myself to the rest of the flock. Did they know? I still couldn't believe it myself. It felt almost like a dream and I had to cast my memory back hard to make sure it really wasn't just a dream. Although the flushed look on Dylan's face as he appeared behind me told me otherwise.
"Good morning you two. Care for some toast." Jeb said almost too happy. What's got up his lab coat?
"Hey." I said trying to act casual. I blocked my mind from Angel who was sitting happily across the room eating breakfast. She didn't seem to notice anything. At least, not yet anyway.
"Good morning. Toast would be great I'm famished." Dylan said also trying to put on a normal face.
"The shopping you guys got must have been real heavy to carry Especially all that way. And in the rain too!" Jeb began.
"Yeah there was bags and bags full of stuff. Must have worn you guys out?" Iggy said pointing to the empty bags around the kitchen.
"Yeah we were spent." I lied.
"You guys were asleep already when we got back and it wasn't even late." Gazzy said sounding surprised. I smiled and looked around the table. Everyone seemed to have brought the heavy shopping act and didn't say any more. Although Jeb had a strange look on his face. One that I don't ever remember seeing before. It was a happy smile but his face seemed to speak a thousand words. What those words were I don't know, but I'll figure it out later. When the flock isn't around, maybe I'll ask him.
"So when are we leaving? Are we leaving today? I would love to leave today. This place is starting to get quite boring. Is it true that Fang is coming with his flock. I can't wait to meet them I bet they have awesome powers like us. Except without the wings of course. Do you think..." Nudge blabbed but Jeb held up his hand and everyone let out a long breath.
"Yes Fang will becomng with us. I've already informed my colleage about our late arival. She said it was perfectly fine to postpone for a day or two but no more." Jeb answerd.
The flock began talking about the trip and about Fang. I thought about what happened between Dylan and myself yesterday and wondered how I would ever tell Fang. Don't be stupid Max, of course you can't tell him. I scolded myself and started to wonder if I was going insane.
"What happened with you and Dylan Max?" Angels voice popped into my brain. Oh (Insert swear word of your choice here.)
"Nothing baby. Stop poking around people's minds. I've toldyou a thousand times already." I said slowly raising my voice.
"Sorry. I was just really interested." She replied in her sweet angelic voice.
"It's okay sweetie. Just nothing for you to be concerned with, that's all." I told her and she sighed.
"Is it to do with Fang?" She asked a few seconds later and I glanced up at her over the table. She was looking towards Nudge as though making sure people didn't know she was talking to me. Good girl.
"Sort of. It's okay though just forget it okay?" I asked.
"I think you and Dylan make a really nice couple. He's so sweet too." She giggled and I almost blushed.
"What do you mean nice couple?" I replied trying to sound dumb. Although it was hard seeing as there was a mind reader in the house.
"I know you like him Max. He loves you too. Alot. He isn't as good as hiding things from me as you are." Angel said giggling again. My face began hot and I wanted to put a paper bag over my head and never look at anyone ever again. She knows.
"Guys... I think I hear something approaching." Iggy said suddenly making everyone alert with attention.
"What is it Ig?" I said looking out of the windows over the canyon.
"Wings I think. Maybe its Fang? You said he wanted to come right?" Iggy said and I nodded. I couldn't stop the smile creep across my face. Although Dylan didn't seem to mind when he saw. He knew I was already his.
A few moments later, a knock on the door echoed through the house. The ladder was up so no one could climb up and the only other way to get inside was to fly. It had to be him. Angel ran to open the door and hugged Fang tight as he wobbled in. Seeing Fang like this was beginning to be a lot easier. I didn't have this strange pulling sensation in my gut when he was around. I had a slight case of butterflies but nothing compared to how it used ot be anyway.
"Good to see you all again." Fang said bluntly locking his eyes on mine. That meant good to see YOU again Max. I smiled weakly and felt the butterflies build up in my stomach.
"So, are you coming with us Fang?" Jeb asked and it took him a few seconds to register what Jeb had said. He was too busy looking at me.
"Oh yeah they are very keen. Would be good for them to meet you guys. Although Tallie and I are the only ones that can fly." He said looking at me again. What did he want?
"You made up with her in the end?" Jeb asked concerned. Like he really cared.
"Well...something like that. I don't know if I can forgive her. Not yet anyway."He said smiling. this time he averted his eyes from me. Does he still want me?
"Of course he does Max!" Angel exclaimed. I jumped five feet in the air when she said that and thanked the lord no one saw.
"We can leave whenever you are ready. I can pick you and your flock up in the jet when you are all packed and ready to go." Jeb said. Fang smiled and nodded.
There was an awkward silence for a few moments and everyone just casually looked around at each other.
"Toast?" Jeb said and Fang nodded. I watched eagerly as he walked over to the table like he used to do not long ago and sat down with us. I took him all in, unaware that I was doing so and Dylan gave me a nudge. I smiled and laughed feeling like a total idiot and he laughed back. He was soo easy going it was unreal. Before I could do anything, he leaned in and kissed me straight on the lips. When he finished he pulled back with a big 'mwha' sound and made everyone laugh. But not Fang. He looked at us and I could almost feel the pain, anger, and hate coming off him like a foul odour. I looked at him and tried to give him a reassuring smile. Although, I didn't know why I was reassuring him.
Awwwwww you guys are such a cute couple! Angel burst out but quickly covered her mouth with both hands. "Oppps. I wasn't meant to say that outloud." She mumbled and it was as though time stopped completely.
"When did that happen?" Iggy asked confused.
"Probably yesterday." Jeb broke in, making me wish a huge black hole would swallow me up and never bring me back.
"Yesterday? They were out getting shopping yesterday? Not very romantic to ask someone out, doncha think?" Nudge said quickly.
There was another long awkward silence and Dylan began to laugh.
"Might as well tell them. I'm not afraid to admit it." He said and my heart started racing in my chest. Was he talking about... about...'that'.
"Tell us what" Jeb said and by the tone of his voice, I guess he already knew.
"I asked Max... actually I don't think I asked her out at all..." Dylan said frowning. He looked at me and smiled.
"You didn't?" Angel said sounding disappointed. "But you.. you guys went to bed together..." She broke off and my eyes flew wide open.
"Yeah I know..." Dylan said in a low voice. "I guess we already are a couple then." He laughed.
Please God kill me now! Kill me now!
Jeb helped the flock bring down their luggageready for the jet, leaving me alone with Fang and Dylan at the table. Okay so maybe I was wrong. This is the most awkward moment yet.
"So you guys...did it?" Fang said with a slight edge in his voice.
"Yup. Dylan said dragging his arm around me. Fang looked up and stared at us.
"I told you, you wasn't getting her back." Dylan suddenly said making me look at him with surprise.
"Yeah you sure did." Fang said sounding like he was gritting his teeth.
"I'm sorry,.I didn't exactly plan it." I said. I felt I had to say something. I could tell this was breaking his heart and I didn't intend for him to find out so soon, if at all.
"I hope you have a nice trip. I hope you understand that I cannot come with you." He said standing up from the table and walking towards the door.
"Wait, your leaving?" I shouted.
"Yes. I can't be here anymore. Not under the circumstances. I'm sorry my love." He said and and completely vanished from the room.
"He still has a thing for you." Dylan said.
"Where's Fang?" Jeb said holding everyones stuff.
"Not coming." I said bitterly and walked out.
Today I would remember the day I completely broke Fang's heart. Surely we were even now after everything he had put me through. But part of me still loved him. I was lost without Fang. But somehow I managed to survive, thanks to Dylan. I had to accept him now as my soul mate and had to let Fang get on with his life. His new flock. Everyone will be safer that way. Including him.
I was really looking forward to Fang coming with would have been like old times. But now I'm worried he will never come back. He thinks that there is no chance of me and him ever getting back together. But who knows whats around the corner. I've learned you have to expect the unexpected and be prepared for anything. Being a good leader is not just about making sure everyone is safe and doing their chores, but it's about knowing when to put your right foot first. In this case I'm going to put my right foot first and get on that jet. I was probably as anxious to see this colleague of Jeb's and see Dylan's birth place as much as he was. If he had family, he was going to introduce me. If they didn't run at us with pitchforkes and knives, calling us freaks.
We left for Siberia not long after Fang vanished out of out lives once again. Out of my life should I say.
"So the idea is that we stop off at Moscow get some fresh air and have a walk around. Then we head straight out to Yakutsk." Jeb instructed us.
The flight to Moscow would be bad enough and all ready I had the chills. Dylan grabbed a blanket and wrapped us both together making Angel and Nudge 'awwww' at us.
"How long do you think we will be here?" Dylan whispered, moving my hair out of my face.
"How long would you like to be here for?" I asked and he smiled.
"For a while." He said and I nodded. I hated the cold more than anything. Well, almost more than anything but seeing how happy this was making him made me feel happy. He had the chance to find his family, if any of them are still around, and he gets to see where he grew up. Personally I think he's the luckiest member of the flock.
"Max look down there at the lights. Aren't they amazing!" Angel said and I looked.
"Hey Jeb where are we?" I asked thinking we couldn't possibly be in Moscow yet.
"Not there yet I'm afraid."Jeb echoed from the front of the jet. "Just flew over Spain." He finished.
"Spain is nice. I would love love love! to go there one day. Maybe one day soon after all the cold weather huh Max?" Nudge said trying to get me to say 'Oh what the heck lets do it'. But I didn't.
"I think Max is tired guys. Let her rest okay?" Dylan said and Nudge went away with Angel to find Gazzy and Iggy who, I hope, were not plotting anyones demise.
"You handled that pretty well. You would make a nice leader one day." I said smirking.
"If I ever get the chance, who knows." He smiled back. I leaned my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes.
I started to see images of myself, a much older me, dressed in the strangest clothes that looked ten times too big. My hair was longer and styled and I seemed to be walking down a walkway, constantly looking behind me and stopping. Then looking around as though I was looking for someone.
I'd never seen myself look so anxious before. I was sure I was waiting for something. I couldn't tell much from my surroundings but if I had to guess, I'd say Miami.
Suddenly, the next thing I knew, I was running across the road and skidded to a holt just infront of a modern looking appartment building. I looked like Jesus Christ himself was just about to exit the building and bestow upon me the gift of immortality when someone did open the door infront of me. It was hard to focus and I felt myself slipping out of my dream. The only image I saw was of a tall man, as gorgeous as Dylan standing, embracing me. I knew for a fact it wasn't Dylan...