When I tired of Waiting: Chapter 3: The Death of You & Me

It was impossible to wake up in this house any later than eight-thirty each morning without being assaulted by the sound of the younger kids moving around. Normally, I bury my face into the sheets and sleep on, but the sound today was much more unbearable. Through my bedroom door, I could hear Gazzy running around while Nudge flicked through the channels on the television in the living room. Sighing, I begrudgingly get up even though I'm sleepy because after going to my room to sleep last night I didn't fall asleep until one in the morning.

I ventured from my room and luckily; no one was in the hall. I could hear Angel near Max's room, talking quietly. I don't know what compelled me to listen in, but I did. It sounded like Max was picking out Angel's clothes for today and Angel read her mind. "Angel, sweetie, put this on after breakfast."

Angel, However seemed to have her own agenda that consisted of straining out of Max what we all wanted to hear, but more specifically what I wanted to hear. "Max, are you sad over Fang?"

There was a short silence and then a sigh. "Angel, that's not really your business."

"But Max—- if it's stressing you out, why don't you talk to him? Tell him that the reason why you can't be in a relationship—" The rest of their talk was drowned out because Nudge squeals over something she sees on the TV. I was so close to finding out what she has been holding back, but now I'll never know because they were leaving the room. Ungracefully, I run into the living room and jump onto the couch where Nudge was sitting.

"Eww, Fang! Get your feet off me!" She pushes my legs out of her lap and proceeds to show me what had her so excited that cost me unlocking the secrets of Max's heart. Apparently, it was a British boy band consisting of five members. Nudge called them 'pop sensations'. "My favorite one's right there."

She points to the blonde one and asks me about mine. I decide to make her mad and laugh. "Aren't they a little too old to be acting like kids?"

That gets me a death glare and booted out off the couch. My seat is quickly replaced when Gazzy sits next to her, playing his PSP quite furiously. I sit down at the dining table and decide to watch Iggy cook.

Ever since I decided to kind of let Max go, I can say that I'm beginning to feel better being out of a relationship that never really had a chance. Just hanging with Ig was a bit refreshing in that it told me that I can be comfortable around other people besides her. I'm just trying to convince myself that I'm over her, even though I've known her since I was little and all. If I can convince myself then it wouldn't matter that I'm around her all of the time. To do that I need to stop being such a doormat. The next time Max says anything to me, I need to tell her 'no' to her face. I can at least manage that, right?

I let my head slip from underneath my hands grip to lie on the cold table. Even though I just woke up, I'm feeling tired again. It's kind of silly considering that we used to fly for hours at a time and then I'd still be roaring to go when I landed. Maybe this is the universe telling me that our days of danger are coming to an end real soon. My hair flops onto the table and I close my eyes. The table is comforting and it reminds me of a cave floor and I begin to drift, knowing that we are safe. But I need to get up because I refuse to sleep all day because it makes me feel kind of lazy. Am I lazy? Maybe so…

There was a light tap on my shoulder and turned to see that it was only Iggy. He was happy and chipper, obviously had a good night's sleep. How the hell does he do that? Yesterday night, he was ready to pass out and in the matter of a few hours he was good to go. I need his secret, seriously. I stared up at him, but he only turned around and started setting up food around me. I could smell the scrambled eggs and cinnamon oatmeal wafting up my nose. Plates clattered around me and Iggy hummed as he spooned portions onto each plate. I told him to quit humming, that he was ruining my good mood and he laughed, at me. "Good mood? You could have fooled me."

Sitting up, I let Iggy pile food onto my plate. In the process, his hand brushed the ends of my hair. He puts the bowls in the middle of the table and fingers my hair. "Your hair's too long. You should cut it. You look like you just got out of a bar fight. This look doesn't do well with the ladies, I presume?"

I slapped his hands away. Standing up, I ran my fingers through his shoulder length, shaggy hair. "I am going to pretend you did not just say that, because you look like a hippie!"

"I do not look like a hippy. I prefer surfer chic." He pretended to be hurt.

"What? You don't surf."

"I could if I—"

Max walked in, rubbing her eyes, staring at us. "What are you guys doing?"

Can you say awkward? Ha, I can. I let go of his shoulder and sit down. My stomach started to growl, due to the smell of food and I dug in. The entire time I was avoiding glares from Max, and ignoring the quiet laughter from Iggy. "Just chillin'."

The rest of the flock started to filter in, and I couldn't help, but think about- wait a minute. I can't think about anything; there is a mind reader in the room. I could feel Angel's gaze on me, her eyes not sleepy at all. It turned out she had been up for a while now. It was probably since she went to bed earlier than I did. Why didn't you go to bed on time?

Just playing games with Ig too late. Nervously, I munched on my food, avoiding Max's gaze. Soon enough, I was done, and I got up to leave. Max stopped me. "Fang, meet me outside. Let's go for a flight." After she said that Iggy did a catcall. You know one of those kinds where you do that whistling thing? Yep, that's the one. I told him to shut up, and probably scared by the iciness of my tone, I didn't hear another word.

She had trapped me. This was blasphemy I tell you! She made sure I had no room to say no because if I did everyone would be suspicious. What was I going to tell her? I know, over the course of (three days was it?) a few days, I don't love you the same way. That was a pretty good idea actually. Be straight forward, and say that you don't even want to fly. Be straight forward, and say that I think we should still be best friends and such. She came outside, and flashed me a smile that I didn't return. I started by trying to get out of the flight. "Max, I am so tired. How about we come back out later?"

I even yawned to make the scene more realistic. What a failure I am? "Come on Fang. We'll only be a few minutes."

"Okay," I replied. In my head I was screaming 'what?!' Did I not just say avoid the problem? Did I not tell myself to convince myself to get over her? I sighed. What can I say? I am rendered defenseless to a woman's smile. Weren't that just about the cheesiest thing you ever heard? Okay. So Max smiled again and took off, motioning for me to follow her. Reluctantly, I did and we landed at a nearby cave, to talk. I was so dreading this. She sat down, legs crossed, and I sat across from her.

"So… What are we talking about?" I say, wanting to get this over quickly.

She grabbed the back of her neck with her hand, as nervous as I am. "Us."

"What about it?" Why couldn't we get to the point already? I just kind of wanted to get this over with.

"Remember when you said that yesterday? That it was okay…"

"Yeah, what about it?"

"I'm sorry for running away, really sorry," genuine words flowed from her mouth.

"What do you want to do about it? What do you think?" I mused, without emotion showing. On the outside I was like a brick wall. On the inside I was all like, 'omg omg omg!' But wait. Aren't I supposed to be over this?

"I don't know. I just don't want things to be awkward between us like it has been the past few weeks. We are supposed to be best friends; we need to act like it." Notice how she said 'best friends'. She never even loved me, but to be sure… I need to try something out. If I kissed her would she run away. If I kissed her, would she stay? It was now or never. We were alone in a cave; this seemed like the perfect time.

I refrained, for the moment. "So what do you want me to do?"

She lies back against the wall of the cave, hands folded behind her head staring at me intensely. "I'm not exactly su-"

I chose this time to kiss her full on the lips with a passion I wasn't sure where came from. It just seemed like this was the last chance to prove to myself that this was what was happening. That this was dead and would never be coming back and she has no feelings whatsoever for me. Max froze instantly and I that was the moment that I knew that it was all over. I knew she didn't care for me. Don't when people care for each other they are supposed to kiss each other like they would never see each other again? Maybe I have been watching too much Lifetime, but I knew she was supposed to kiss me back. I broke away, kind of angry at the whole exchange. "This is why things are so—- the way they are!"

She was staring at me, breathless. "I don't know why—"

"I don't know. I don't know. That's all you can say isn't it? Isn't it?" I was getting a little angry.

"No it's just that…" she sighed.

"That what?"

"I was surprised."

That was the dumbest answer I had ever heard. "How could you have been surprised? I've kissed you a few times already and you're still surprised?" I decided to milk this; I just didn't feel the same way anymore. "You kissed me first that day on the beach. I thought you wanted this but you're being indecisive on important things, as usual."

Her answers made no sense; she made no sense. "I think I was right. Just forget about it. I'll leave you to your thoughts. It seems those are all you need nowadays, best friend."

I spat out those last two words like they were dirt. I knew I was making her feel bad, but I didn't know what else to do. Max used to be my world, and what was she now? Nothing. Finally talking about it made me feel a little better. I also felt guilty about what I said. I knew I was trying to get the message across, but I didn't have to be so mean about it. Max started to cry and I immediately felt horrible about it. I put my arm around her shoulder and pulled her into a hug but she pushed me away. "What are you playing at, Fang?"

"I'm sorry Max, but—-I—-"Her words were barely choked out in a sob. I flinched at the subtle iciness of it, that I choose this as a time to break it to her. I rubbed my cheek, nervously. "I just think that this isn't going to work. The time for that is long over."

She turned to me, sniffling her nose. "So we're breaking up?"

I had an amazing urge to say, 'Honey, we were never going out.' But being the very nice guy that I am I resisted it and chose the more mature answer. Plus, that would be a little weird coming from my emotionless lips. "Well… yeah."

I left her there, where my old dream was buried. The one where I comforted Max in a time of great need, and when our battles were finally over, won her heart. Well, those times were over, and I didn't even feel better about it. I actually felt hollow inside, and pretty anxious.

Flying for a while cooled me off, but even if I didn't feel so strongly towards her anymore I hate to see my best friend like that (even if it was my fault). I landed in a field near the house and lay down in the grass. I liked the feeling of grass against my skin, and of the warm summery air. I don't know how long I lay there, but Iggy soon shook me awake. I sat up, taking in the scene around me. It was evening, and the flower buds were closed and the stars were starting to appear, shining brightly before my eyes. "What? How'd you get here?"

"Max helped me, but she's left already." He looked at me like I was crazy. Meanwhile, Iggy looked like he was fighting the urge to laugh at the exchange. "We've been looking for you. Is this where you've been, passed out in some field?"

I nodded, and he helped me up. My knees almost buckled at the pressure and I soon efficiently stood up. Iggy started to take off. "Can I walk?"

He smirked, and replied in a no-duh sort of tone, "Why walk, when you have wings?"

Fang sighed. "I'm still sleepy. Walking would be more relaxing."

"Oh." He paused to think. "Okay. Be back in a second." He ran off into the forest, Nudge at his side, leaving me dazed, and sleepy, and alone. In a few minutes, he returned and I was greeted with freezing cold liquid, also known as icy river water.

"Why do you always do that?"

"'Cause you're so lazy; if I didn't you would've fell asleep again, and have kept cuddling with that jagged rock over there."

I held a hand to my heart, clutching it. "Wow, that hurts; I am not lazy, like at all."

He smirked, surprised at my answer. "Hmm… I thought that you would deny the cuddling; I guess I know what you do alone."

"Shut-up. I'm too tired to think correctly; you can't exactly take my comebacks seriously," I replied. I still was a little sleepy; even after all of that water he dumped on me. He shrugged, and I stood there, slightly sleepy, very cold, and wobbly, legs barely intact. Iggy must have gotten irritated with me, because he picked me up, bridal style, and flew back to the house. The whole time I tried to wriggle out of his grasp; I am capable of taking care of myself. "Let go."

"Nope," he laughed. "You're impossible to deal with, unless you're fully awake. I am not taking any chances, because if you fall, then we would have a very angry Max on our hands."

He landed, and deposited me on the ground. Now I was fully awake, and aware of what was going on. I punched Iggy in the arm; he shrugged like it didn't hurt at all and went into the house. Maybe my combat skills were getting rusty.

"I don't think she would even care," I muttered, darkly, almost silently, under my breath. Iggy's eyebrows raised, but he said nothing. At least he could act civil, in the times that I needed him to.