"Before this year, I didn't even know that they offered AP English!" exclaimed J.J. while I flipped the page in my vocabulary book.

"Such eloquence," I muttered, scanning the page for any words that jumped out. Ominous: adj. giving the impression that something bad or unpleasant is going to happen. The new kid's silence seemed ominous to many of the students. I nearly did a spit take. This book really is accurate. Maybe I should call up the publisher, ask them to give the guy a pay raise…

"Fang? What did you get for number five?" asked Iggy, showing him his math homework. Saying nothing still, Fang pulled out his own homework and gave it to Iggy. "Thanks, man." Fang just nodded shortly.

"He still won't talk," J.J. whispered to me.

"I know," I whispered back. "I kind of want to hear his voice." There was the slightest movement of surprise that I caught out of the side of my eye. I glanced over at Fang who was looking at me and instantly, my heart started to beat faster and I felt a blush creep onto my cheeks. I looked away from him quickly, hoping the long stands of my hair that fell out of my loose pencil-held bun would hide most of my face.

"Aw, great," muttered Iggy who looked up at the sky and winced as something hit him. "It's raining!"

"Make a run for it!" shouted J.J., gathering up her stuff at Superwoman speed and stuffing it into her backpack before darting back inside the building. I scoffed, taking my time. The large willow tree by the table we were working at which protected my books from most of the rain. I placed all my books back into my backpack and then skipped back into the building where J.J. was with Iggy and Fang.

"Remember," I said cheerfully as the bell rang, signaling the end of the school day, "track practice afterschool today!" Iggy groaned while J.J. shrugged indifferently. Fang, of course, didn't do a whole lot of either.

"Ice cream after meet, right?" asked J.J. I nodded and started a mental debate between chocolate chip cookie dough or orange sherbet and mint chocolate chip. Maybe even chocolate lover's delight or triple chocolate with pineapple sherbet, or cookies and cream. I didn't notice I was spacing out until Iggy conked my in the head.

"Getting lightheaded, are we?" he teased. I looked at him in surprise. "You got that empty look in your eyes, like you're here but you're not. What are you thinking about? Fang?" Fang, who was about two feet away, glanced over and looked at me expectantly.

"I was not!" I exclaimed hotly.

"Yes you were," teased J.J.

"Was not."

"Was too."

"T'was not."

"T'was too."

"Non, n'est pas."

"Oui, c'est vrai. Je voir dans ton l'œil," she said back. "Gosh, my French needs some brushing up on."

"It was pretty good," said Iggy appreciatively.

"Thanks," she said, blushing.

"It's 'Oui, il est vrai. Je le vois dans vos yeux' not whatever else it was you said," I corrected, giving Iggy the 'I told you she likes you' look that I typically gave J.J., Ella or Nudge.

"Let's just get to practice," said Iggy, flushing red. I nearly snorted and opened the door where it was raining as hard as ever, even if it was really sunny out.

"Race you," I said, dashing out. I darted out, pouring on the speed. I soon heard footstep in line with me. Iggy, probably; he was nearly as fast as me typically and could probably be faster if he was desperate. Instead, I saw tendrils of black. Fang.

He glanced over at me as I glanced over at him while we ran in near sync to the track. "You're pretty fast," I huffed. He nodded, indicating that he heard me. I looked away from him and started looking at what was to come. A muddy puddle, an overgrown shrub, both of which I would have to jump over. Neither of which I could make it over if I didn't go faster. So I poured on my insane speed, going to my near limit and clearing Fang as well as the puddle and the shrub. I smirked to myself. Epic.

Pat pat pat pat I looked over in surprise. He was a little muddy and there was a small branch stuck on his shirt, but he had managed to keep up with me. We reached the shelter by the track at nearly the same time. I just looked at him in shock. Someone else came in behind and laughed.

"Well, Max, it seems like you've found someone who can take you on." Coach smirked at me. I scowled.

"Very funny, coach."

"I thought so too. Well stop pouting, will you? Your face is going to be stuck like that forever if you keep doing that, Max."

Gloooooooooooooooom

"Fine, be that way."

Glooooooooooooooooooooooooom

"Max…"

"Max…?"

"Maximum, darling…"

"Hey! You said you wouldn't call me darling anymore!" I whined. "Dad!" He laughed and I felt a hand on my shoulder. Electricity shot through me. "Yeah?" Fang gestured to my father. "What about him?" Fang frowned, like he was debating what to do. He probably didn't want to talk and I wasn't making this easy for him. As far as I was concerned, that was fine by me. "Hello?" Fang sort of sighed and rummaged through his somewhat muddy backpack and pulled out a pencil and paper.

Is he really your dad?

"Yes."

Cool. I guess.

"You guess?"

Okay, that's cool. Period. If your dad's the coach, I understand how you can run so fast.

"What does him being my dad have to do with anything?" I demanded. "My sister Ella is an artist and a dancer but she couldn't run track even if I paid her! Besides, what's your excuse for being Mr. Speedy pants?"

I… He frowned and crumpled up the piece of paper and tossed it in the trash. "What?" He just shook his head. "You won't tell me?" He shook his head again. "Why not?" He shook his head again. "Come on!" Shake shake "You suck." He rolled his eyes and I could have sworn that he chuckled quietly. I glared at him and rummaged through my backpack and grinned when I found one of the things I had borrowed from Ella. I opened the contained and grabbed and handful of the stuff. Smirking, I tucked the container away and snuck up and Fang and released the contents. He gasped in surprise, like a cat emerging from the water.

"Wow, he looks more colorful than he's ever looked," said Nudge thoughtfully, as Iggy and I rolled on the floor, laughing. Fang was covered in sparkly, multi-colored, heart-shaped confetti.

"Maximum Ride!" I closed my eyes in irritancy. Only one person ever called me that.

"What do you want, Lissa?" I asked as pleasantly as possible.

"What are you doing to my boyfriend?" she practically screeched.

"You mean other than giving him better company that you are?" I asked, feeling dread in my heart. Fang was her boy toy?

"Get away from him, you filthy slut!" she demanded. I looked over her shoulder.

"Hi coach!" She spun around so fast she fell over and we started laughing. Even Fang sort of smiled.

"He's not there!" she exclaimed furiously.

"I never said he was. Now how about getting out of my sight? Your ugly face is ruining the beautiful scenery." Lissa angrily stormed away and then stopped and turned to Fang.

"Aren't you coming?" she snapped. Nudge grabbed his arm quickly and smiled sweetly at her.

"Nope, sorry. I have to borrow my cousin for now." Lissa sniffed disdainfully and strutted off. "Please tell me you're not her boyfriend." Shake "Wait, you are?" Shake "So you're not her boyfriend, right?" Nod "Oh, okay. I was getting worried."

So, eh he he, I've been lazy so to make it up to you, I made this chapter a little bigger. Also, if you're reading my other stories, just know that they've been put on snooze for a while. They aren't on hold; goodness, no, but I've had a terrible writer's block so you won't be getting anything for a while. Sorry.

On ira, on saura, sauver notre existence…

We know we will save our lives…