Sorry for making you guys wait.

Chapter 19: Cliché, Part Deux

"So, how has your first week of school been?" I asked, matching Fang's stride as we walked toward the cafeteria.

"Fine."

"Oh, come on," I shoved him playfully. "Didn't anything interesting happen? Feel free to make something up if you have to. I fought off an alligator in pink high heels on my way to school today."

He sped up without even smiling.

"Where are we going?" I shifted my backpack as I tried to keep up. "You had better not make me-"

I stopped midsentence as he slumped against a locker in the empty hallway and buried his face in his hands.

"Fang?"

"Go away."

I sat down next to him stubbornly. "No."

"Just go away."

"At least tell me what's wrong first." I insisted.

He looked up. "My grandma died."

"Oh… I'm so sorry."

"Why're you sorry? You didn't kill her."

I caught a glimpse of an almost laughing expression before he turned away again, crying.

"Hey, it's okay," awkwardly, I reached over and took his hand, our fingers automatically interlocking. "She's on her way to the Underworld now, probably to the Fields of Elysium, ready to party it up."

He gave me a tentative smile. "She was the one who got me hooked on the Maximum Ride series. Come to think of it, she was the one who got me to read anything at all. Half the books in my room were her birthday presents to me.

"And she didn't just give me stuff, she gave me time," he choked up a little and kept talking. "She raced me to the park and helped me bake cookies to eat in my tree house. She tossed around a football with me even when her arthritis was killing her and I never even said thank you."

I rested my cheek on his shoulder. "I'm sure she knew. Grandmothers are just older mothers. They know everything."

He turned to look at me. "You know what? It's really weird, but I feel like I've known you for the longest time. Like we've been best friends since forever. You're just so easy to talk to."

"Oh, gods, you're going to make me start crying, too."

A bell rang in the distance, signaling the end of lunch.

"What class do you have next?" I asked, allowing him to help me up.

"Geometry." He made a face.

"So I trust that you won't mind if we take the afternoon off?"

For the first time that day, he laughed. "Lead the way."

Ten minutes later, our bikes were sitting at the curb outside the nearest ice cream shop.

As for us, we were sitting at a booth inside the nearest ice cream shop. I almost felt sorry for our bikes. Almost.

"My dad got laid off. That's why we moved here in the first place," Fang admitted, as we dug into a huge dish of hot fudge sundae.

By the time we were scraping leftover chocolate off the sides of our second sundae, sixth period was over and I had listened to Fang talk about everything from trying to fit in at a new school ("I was so glad I met you. I thought I'd have to face my first day alone") to sibling rivalry ("They spoil my little brother so much and expect me to set a good example.")

In return, without even realizing it, I spilled my story of being obsessed with PJO ("Other girls worry that people will make fun of their pimples or thighs. People make fun of my obsession to what I love.")

He listened intently and sympathized with me ("If I could count the number of times I've been called a nerd because I happen to pick up a book every once in a while…")

We got back to school at the end of 7th period, our hearts and wallets considerably lighter.

But I didn't mind at all.

Just a few more chapters before this story draws to a close. One of my biggest pet peeves are stories that go on forever, so I don't want to do that.

However, I might have a sequel, maybe in one of the other characters' pov.

Actually, I could write a whole series: Confessions of -insert name here-. There could be one for Cassie or Susan or Bree or Annie or Ben or Fang or Rose or Sammy or...

Okay, I'm getting carried away now. Sorry, ADHD.

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P.S. O_o That's a long author's note...