So I guess I'll post 29 before Glee and 30 after. :)

Glee is what gets me through Wednesdays! =D

CHAPTER 28

Max POV

Jeb, Fang, and I were sitting in a classroom near the gym to discuss some things that had been bothering me. Fang sat next to me and Jeb across from us.

"What did you want to talk about?" Jeb asked in a concerned voice.

"Why are we here?" I began.

"I was going to ask you that," he replied.

He was really ticking me off.

"The Voice told us to come here," I explained, failing to keep my voice calm. "Explain that!"

He thought for a moment and said, "Well, there is one possibility…"

I tapped the table with my fingers impatiently. I could tell Fang was even becoming impatient.

"We need you to help us, Max," Jeb frowned.

There's something new. Note sarcasm.

"What do you think we've been doing?" I shouted. "Flying around the US as a travelling circus?! I don't think so! We've been trying to live our own lives, not do your dirty work!"

I couldn't stop the outburst. It seemed like all of the stress and frustration I'd been harboring was pouring out.

"All I ever hear from anyone, other than my family, is 'do this' or 'do that.' Give me one good reason why I should help you now!" I exclaimed as I stood up, leaned over the table, and glowered at Jeb.

"Max, don't take this out on Jeb," the Voice sighed.

That did it!

I honestly would've done some serious damage to Jeb if Fang wasn't there.

Fang POV

Max exploded like I've never seen before. Even I was scared of her. Jeb was practically trembling in his seat.

When Max stood up, I knew it would end badly. I stood up quickly, placing me hands on her shoulders, and tried holding her back. Her muscles were extremely tense, as if she was going into a battle against every Eraser we've ever fought, all at once.

"Max," I said quietly but very sternly, gripping her shoulders.

Her anger was radiating so much that I didn't need my ability to feel it. However, because I did have that ability, I was finding it hard to stop myself from trying to kill someone.

"Shut. Up. Fang," she ground out slowly, not taking her death stare away from Jeb.

I tightened my grasp on Max, looked at Jeb, and said, "Jeb, you need to leave."

"Fang, Max," he pleaded with sincere concern.

"Now!" I demanded harshly.

He nodded and said, "I'll be in my office."

When he left, I released my hold on Max. Again, she exploded.

"This is crap, Fang!" she shouted, picking her chair up and throwing it across the room. "I can't take this anymore!"

"Max," I interrupted, trying to calm her down as she grasped the table.

"What the hell did I do to deserve this?" she continued, flipping the table over. "What did any of us do to deserve this? Jeb was right! This is all one big test. One big game. Like chess. And we're the freaking pawns that get thrown into battle without a choice!"

"Max," I said a little louder. "I know you're upset—"

"No, Fang!" she interjected again. "You don't know the half of it!"

"Maybe I don't!" I yelled back. "But, God, Max! What do you think I'm trying to do? I'm only trying to help you! That's all I've ever tried to do!"

It seemed as though I was channeling her anger or something.

Her face was red from the shouting, eyes brimming with tears of anger, and fists curled so tight that her knuckles were past pale and going for translucent. Then, she fell apart.

Max POV

Lucky for Jeb, Fang made him leave the room. Once he was out and Fang let me go, I grabbed the object closest to me and threw it. My chair crashed into the wall so hard that I was shocked it didn't break. The wall, however, had a nice dent in it.

"This is crap, Fang!" I basically screamed while throwing the chair. "I can't take this anymore! What the hell did I do to deserve this?" I paused and flipped the table over. "What did any of us do to deserve this? Jeb was right! This is all one big test. One big game. Like chess. And we're the freaking pawns that get thrown into battle without a choice!"

"Max," he tried. "I know you're upset—"

Without thinking, I stopped him, regretting the words before they came out. "No, Fang! You don't know the half of it!"

"Maybe I don't!" he snapped. "But, God, Max! What do you think I'm trying to do? I'm only trying to help you! That's all I've ever tried to do!"

I couldn't respond at first. I simply froze, my face contorted with rage and fists clenched so tight, I couldn't feel them anymore. I didn't even notice the tears that were waiting to fall until I collapsed.

Dropping to my knees, I unclenched my fists and just cried.

Naturally, Fang came right over to help me. It felt like the day I tried cutting my chip out of my arm on the beach, only, I wasn't bleeding to death this time.

Fang wrapped his strong arms around me, hugging me tightly, while I cried into his shirt. The entire time, Fang muttered "It's okay; I'm here" in my hair, gently stroking it with one hand.

This lasted at least half an hour, if not, longer.

I reluctantly sat back, completely embarrassed. Fang knew.

"It's okay, Max," he whispered soothingly. "You don't have to be embarrassed. Everyone needs to have a breakdown every now and then."

"Wonder what yours is going to be like," I joked, still sniffling.

He laughed quietly and wiped a stray tear off my cheek.

"No one will ever know," he joked along with a warm smile.

His hand was still resting on my cheek, so I placed my hand on his hand and closed my eyes. I moved his hand from my face but didn't' let go of it. Instead, I squeezed it, opened my eyes, and said, "Fang, I—"

Before I could finish, Nudge burst into the room and yelled, "Max! Fang! Come quick! We've got trouble!"

Bum, bum, BUM!

Hahaha. Sorry. Couldn't help myself. ^_^