MAX POV

I – for the first time ever – approached Fang a couple days later. "I've thought about your offer," I told him, letting the silence drag out to see if I could make a little suspense. No such luck.

"What offer?" Fang asked puzzled.

"The one where you wanted to be friends? Well, I thought about it." I let my sentence end.

Fang was still puzzled. "Sorry, I don't remember making any sort of offer to you."

And there goes my – and his – chance for my acceptance. I decided I'd make something up. "Yeah, well, I was just going to say that your offer was stupid. I wouldn't ever want to be friends with someone like you. See ya." I walked off, kid of angry with Fang. I would be friends with him, but he obviously doesn't remember. Not that I even brought his lie. Nobody like me could believe that.

I sat through all my classes staring into space. No teacher needed my attention and I couldn't hear anyone, anyway. But school finally ended.

And I only had three more days left. No more waiting. Nudge and Angel would be here soon.

...

"Max! Today's the day!" Ella squealed with excitement, grabbing a hold of my hands and jumping a small circle pulling me with her. I had to smile at her enthusiasm, but I was quite nervous. Ella had never met them, but knew they existed. Big difference. Nudge and Angel would remember what happened in a totally different way than I did.

Ella calmed down the slightest. "Okay. I have been speaking with the councillor Nudge and Angel were assigned to. We are to meet her in the left back corner of the parking lot. She wants to speak with you. She will have Nudge and Angel with her. You will have to take care of Angel for the day. Are you ready to leave?" Maybe she's not calmed enough.

"Okay. Yeah, let's go."

On the way to school, I tried to drive as slowly as possible without having Ella notice. Again, no such luck. "Hurry up, Max! We're going to be late!" So I sped up a bit. I really had no choice.

The councillor tapped her foot impatiently, waiting for someone. Me. I stood in front of her, catching her attention. "Can I help you?" she asked in a cranky tone.

"Where's Nudge and Angel?" I asked just as harshly.

"Max?"

"That's me."

"You've changed a lot since Nudge's description of you. Brown hair? You have blonde. Same eyes though. I should have recognised you. Seen you picture everywhere I go with Nudge and Angel." The councillor seemed a lot nicer now that she knew I wasn't just some random, annoying, time wasting kid. That I was the sister of the two kids she had to listen to. The one with the same experiences as them.

"Where are they? I asked.

"They've gone inside, and you should, too. But I want to speak with you later." She handed me a business card. "Call me when you've discussed a few things with your sisters." I nodded and quickly left. Until I hit a road block in the hallway. A large portion of the school cramped around more people to see what was happening.

"New kids, huh? There seems to be a lot of them around lately. First the always cranky one, then the too happy one, and now you two? Just keeps getting better. But why's the little kid doing here? Are you babysitting, or something?" Silence followed Fang's comment.

"Don't you have anything to say?" sneered Fang's brother Iggy. If Iggy was there than so was Gazzy. Perfect. The whole family has come.

I pushed my way through the crowd of onlookers, until I could see Fang, his brothers and... Nudge and Angel. They stood with blank faces that I had also learnt so well to compose whist dealing with Jeb. You beg for mercy and he will beat you more. You cry and he will whip you more. Blank face was good. Blank face didn't hurt as much. It was over much quicker.

"Max!" Angel squealed and threw herself at my legs. Nudge walked over and hugged me tight. "Missed you," Nudge whispered in my ear, then pulled away. Angel stayed where she was.

Fang laughed deeply. "Lovely. I have the whole family."

"Stay away from them," I growled.

"Or what?"

"Remember what happened last time?"

"You couldn't hit me again." Fang just assumed I couldn't?

I look at Angel, still clutching at my legs. I glance at Nudge who shivers at the word 'hit'. Fang's right. I can't do it. But for different reasons than he thinks. "Your right. I can't." Nudge smiled at me gratefully. Angel isn't even listening, too busy squeezing my leg so tight, that I'm starting to go numb.

The school is shocked into an even deeper silence and I don't even know how they managed that. I just picked up Angel, grab hold of Nudge's hand, and nudge Ella into following. As we pass, J.J. tags along behind us and that is more than fine with me.

It's good to have her soothing presence near, especially at a time like this.

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