Speak Chapter 10: AH! IT SPEAKS!, a maximum ride fanfic

See? Told you!

The song used in the last chapter is Perfect Now, by Ashely Parker Angel. Here's the playlist for this one:

Your New Girlfriend- Hayden Panttiere

Scars- Papa Roach

Last Christmas- Taylor Swift

FANG
When I didn't respond to Max, she climbed into the closet with me and lifted my head in her lap, but I was a million miles away.

*Flashback*

"Nicky! Nick! C'mon, baby, we've got to go!" Mom grabbed my hand and pulled me. I was nine. I didn't know it then, but this would be the last time I saw my mom. I grabbed my backpack she'd told me to pack. I'd put in two shirts, a pair of jeans, some underwear, and the things I didn't want to lose, because somehow, I figured I wouldn't be coming back.

"Where do you think you're going!?" a man grabbed Mom from behind and she screamed.

"RUN NICK! BABY RUN!" she sobbed. "Please. Don't hurt my son. Don't hurt my baby. Do what you want to me, just don't hurt my baby!"

The man's breath smelled like alcohol. He glared at me and hit me, just for the fun of it. I kicked him and ran to Mom. "Mom! Mommy, get up!"

Mom jumped up and we ran again. The man-

*end flashback*

I bit my lip so hard it bled. "Fang! Wake up!"

I realized Max had moved me to my bed. It had been another nightmare, that flashback. I had nightmares every night. Always.

I sat up.

"Fang, are you okay?" she whispered. Her friends cowered at the door.

I nodded shortly.

She squeezed my hand. "Are you sure?"

I stared at the wall.

"Do you want to be alone?" she guessed.

I nodded.

She squeezed my ahnd again. "I'm in the next room, as always."

MAX

Fang had been supremely freaked. I pulled him into a standing position and coaxed him to his bed. "C'mon Fang. You need to go to sleep. Come on," I brought him to the bed and pulled the blanket over his huddled body.

Then I'd left, but I wish I hadn't. Not an hour later, Fang screamed, not loud enough to wake anyone, but the four of us were up, so we heard it. I ran to Fang's room. He was tossing and turning. I called him, but he didn't answer me. "Fang! Fang!" I shok him. "Fang! Wake up!" he bolted upright.

"Fang, are you okay?" I whispered.

He nodded tightly.

"Are you sure?"

He closed off again.

I made an accurate guess, "Do you want to be alone?"

When he nodded, I squeezed his hand and reminded him I was in the next room.

Back in my room, Lissa burst out, "Poor Fang!"

I nodded. Claire sniffled. Kayley glanced back out of the room, like she wanted to go back, even though we'd clearly been kicked out.

"We'll check on him in a little bit," I promised.

"Okay," she sighed. "How about you? Feeling better?"

I nodded. "Much." We were eating chocolate chip cookie dough and chocolate- the candy kind. The brownies had disappeared ages ago. We'd shared with the others. We were nice like that. Mom made cookies, which also helped. But the dough we were eating was good old fashioned Pillsbury.

"Who needs that jerk Sam?" Lissa asked.

"Sam? Who's Sam?" I smiled. Truth was, I'd seen this coming. It had just been a slap to the face. But now I realized I didn't even want revenge. I just didn't care.

No, calling his parents and the cops wasn't revenge. It was because he was having a freak out in our yard.

"Let's do something fun," Kayley whispered. "The four of us only."

"Let's make music videos!" Claire suggested. We used to do this a lot- dress up in wacky outfits, turn on the stereo and make videos with her camera.

Well, we would do it again. We put on weird clothes- fishnets with formal dresses and other stuff like that, and put on freaky and heavy makeup, and chose songs. I looked through them and found one I liked.

So many crazy memories of you and me
Like the time we drove to the OC
Got so lost we thought we would never get home
You know the night when i gave my heart to you
And you swore that you felt the same too
You said that you would never ever leave me alone

Out of nowhere you were gone
Into someone else's arms
Should have known that she was more
Than just a friend, all the things i never knew
But i always trusted you
Never thought that she would wind up in the end
Your new girlfriend (your new girlfriend)

I believe what goes around comes around
So stay out of the deep end or you'll both drown
Even shallow water is over her head
You broke my heart but baby hey life goes on
Everything is down for a reason
Now i can see for me there's something better ahead

I don't know what i was thinking to let us
Get this far, cuz now that i see who you really are
You can have a new girlfriend

Out of nowhere you were gone
Into someone else's arms
Should have known that she was more
Than just a friend, to think inside i think i knew
But i always trusted you
Never thought that she would wind up in the end....

Your new girlfriend (haahhaah)

Your new girlfriend

I was laughing by the end. I flopped onto my bed and Kayley swung the camera at me. "That was Maximum Ride Martinez with Your New Girlfriend!"

I stood. "Thank you, thank you," I bowed.

We kept going, the girls doing their songs, and then it was my turn again. I'd changed into an old, slightly torn up red dress I'd gotten from the attic specifically for these times.

I tear my heart open, I sew myself shut
My weakness is that I care too much
And my scars remind me that the past is real
I tear my heart open just to feel

Drunk and I'm feeling down
And I just wanna be alone
I'm pissed cause you came around
Why don't you just go home
Cause you channel all your pain
And I can't help you fix yourself
You're making me insane
All I can say is

[Chorus:]
I tear my heart open, I sew myself shut
My weakness is that I care too much
And our scars remind us that the past is real
I tear my heart open just to feel

I tried to help you once
Against my own advice
I saw you going down
But you never realized
That you're drowning in the water
So I offered you my hand
Compassions in my nature
Tonight is our last stand

[Chorus]

I'm drunk and I'm feeling down
And I just wanna be alone
You shouldn't ever come around
Why don't you just go home?
Cause you're drowning in the water
And I tried to grab your hand
And I left my heart open
But you didn't understand
But you didn't understand
Go fix yourself

I can't help you fix yourself
But at least I can say I tried
I'm sorry but I gotta move on with my own life
I can't help you fix yourself
But at least I can say I tried
I'm sorry but I gotta move on with my own life

I tear my heart open, I sew myself shut
My weakness is that I care too much
And our scars remind us that the past is real
I tear my heart open just to feel

The girls smiled sadly and went on. Finally, we were doing our third (and last) songs. I wore an old Christmas dress from last year. I was always fought into dresses, except during these times. Well, fight is a strong word. I whine and complain, but I'll wear the dress. Usualy. If I chose it. And even then it's only a strong possibility.

I hate dresses.

Last Christmas I gave you my heart
But the very next day, you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special

Once bitten and twice shied
I keep my distance but you still catch my eye
Tell me baby
Do you recognize me
Well, it's been a year, it doesn't surprise me
Merry Christmas, I wrapped it up and sent it
With a note saying 'I love you', I meant it
Now I know what a fool I've been
But if you kiss me now, I know you'd fool me again

Last Christmas I gave you my heart
But the very next day, you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special

A crowded room and friends with tired eyes
I'm hiding from you and your soul of ice
My God, I thought you were someone to rely on
Me, I guess I was a shoulder to cry on
A face on a lover with a fire in his heart
A girl on a cover but you tore her apart
Maybe this year
Maybe this year I'll give it to someone special

Cause last Christmas I gave you my heart
But the very next day, you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special

Last Christmas I gave you my heart
But the very next day, you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special

And last Christmas
And this year
It won't be anything like, anything like

Last Christmas I gave you my heart
But the very next day, you gave it away
This year, to save me from tears
I'll give it to someone special

FANG
I heard the girls making videos, but I didn't go look. I hung out in my room. Max was lucky, she had good friends. Then I thought about how hard Max was working to be my friend. Maybe I should…you know…open up.

But I couldn't! No, I couldn't! I wouldn't even talk!

But…

I opened my mouth. C'mon! You can do it! It isn't hard! Just do it! My voice was barely a whisper, cracked from lack of use. "Max…thank you."