Chapter 7 – A Major Setback

Guess what? The rest of the week, nothing bad happened. I was a little shocked myself. Like, how often can I go through and entire school day without punching someone, cussing, or skipping class? From Tuesday until Friday, I'd only gone to in-class detention twice, once from Spanish for speaking English (I mean, seriously, everyone does it. I swear it's that universal wanted sign again) and the second time from talking back to my Biology teacher. Both times that I'd gone I saw James, and we cracked up at the irony of us being there at the same time.

"I would think you live here," I'd joked to him at one time. "You always beat me here."

He'd shaken his head, playing the innocent card. "No, seriously, I've only been here a few times. It was coincidence that it just happened to be the same period."

We didn't have any classes together, but I got to sit with him at lunch, which was a nice break. James was hilarious, if not a little provocative with his innuendos. No matter how many times I tell him that I've never had a boyfriend, he always cracks a sex joke about me.

The only class I had with Fang was eighth period gym, but once participation was mandatory I saw him running around the track all period like it was nothing. I knew he was a born runner, but as his smirk told me before he was "just that cool". I saw girls drooling all over him on the soccer field, so much that I wasn't the only one to be hit in the head with a ball during that week. When I saw Fang at the halls, since his locker was near mine, I always smiled at him. He returned my acknowledgement by appearing less taut, and I even swore his black eyes sparkled once. Although he never smiled at me.

Other than those two boys, I'd didn't have any other friends. The girls andall the other boys in school thought I was too tough, too un-girly. But that never affected me because I wasn't afraid to be myself. How's that for all you mask-wearing folks?

I think my personal greatest achievement was that my headache hadn't returned at all. Thank you, brain, I thought wryly.

Over the weekend we'd learned that our new foster brother was arriving that upcoming Monday after school. He was supposedly in my school, so we knew he was older, which excited Ella greatly. I, on the other hand, wondered if I'd already met him or seen him. Hopefully it wasn't one of the guys who'd laughed at me in gym that first day. 'Cause if he ever brought it up I'd slug him.

Today was the day that he was coming, and I was anxious to meet who it was. Was I excited? A little. Would this be interesting? Definitely.

It wasn't until eighth period gym that I really felt nervous about our new brother. It kind of felt more tangible, like that it was really only moments away. However, I had to make it through a tough challenge to win the prize of a foster brother: physical fitness trials.

We were inside the gym for today's examination. Our first task was to do at least sixty sit-ups and forty pushups in a minute. Not all together, cause that would be crazy. Even I couldn't do that. It was a minute per task, which was a piece of cake. The next task was chin-ups, which I'd heard every upper classman complain about having to do. You had to hold your chin above the bar that hung on the gym wall for at least ten seconds. I didn't think it was going to be hard, but after watching every girl hold on for either two seconds or not be able to hold themselves up at all, I got the impression that these weaklings really needed to work on a farm.

From what I understood, the guys had to hold themselves up longer than we did, and every time one of them completed the task the guys would cheer like idiots. I heard their merriment sound again, and I looked over to see that Fang, still dressed completely in black, had just completed the chin-ups without even looking exhausted. I rolled my eyes.

"You're up, Ride," Mrs. Roland said as she waved me over to the bar.

Okay, Max, show them how to do it. I walked up to the milk crate that was used as a step to get to the bar. I stepped up and got a firm grasp on the cool metal pole.

"Ready?" Mrs. Roland asked, holding her stopwatch in her hand.

I nodded.

"Okay, lift yourself up… now." She pressed the timer as I pulled myself up above the bar. With my long arms, I had a good amount of space in between the bar and my chin. I was tempted to rock my head back and forth to show that it was really nothing, but I wasn't a show off. All the girls gaped at me like I was a female Sampson come to life.

"Time," our teacher said, clicking the stopper. I jumped down and smiled. It wasn't hard at all, maybe a little too easy. I guess growing up on a farm and wrestling a 1,200 lbs. horse can do that for you. Some of the girls clapped, but most of the responses were girls ignoring me.

We finished the testing early, so after I'd finished changing they allowed us to wander the halls. I went back to my locker to make sure I had all of my books for when Mom came. She was picking me up at the office along with our new foster brother, Marco. I was beginning to recognize faces around the school, but no one really stood out to me as a 'Marco' type.

"Maxine Ride and Marco Liridon, please report to the office," a woman said over the P.A. I straightened up from where I was slouched against my locker. I looked around to see if any guy was heading toward the office, which was only down the hall, but no one seemed to be going in that direction. I sighed and began to walk toward the office –

That's when it hit me. It was so unexpected, like a plane crash or coming home to see your house on fire. As I took one step from my locker, my head felt like it was being ripped apart from the inside. Like a grenade had been set off within my skull. It was so debilitating, so fast, that I hit the floor immediately with a loud smack. I was sure people stopped to stare, but I couldn't focus on them. All I could think about was that my brain was probably committing suicide, and that the thought of killing myself didn't sound half bad either.

I'd dealt with pain before. I'd taken a spill plenty of times when Gale flipped me off her back or if we stumbled over a hurdle. I fell from the staircase in the barn and sprained my wrist. I had a gash cut into my head when I was messing around with Savannah, our dog, and I tripped over a rock and hit the fence that surrounded our property. But this was so much different, more potent than all those other pains combined. If death was half as painful as this, I'd take it right now.

I lay there, cradling my head in my arms and curling into a fetal position. I hoped that students would trample me as they walked the halls, putting an end to the agonizing pain. Many voices blended in around me, but I could hardly make any out. Weird images flashed under my eyelids, but I couldn't tell what they were. I couldn't decifer separate voices. Everything was mixed together.

"Max?" This voice was crystal clear, as if it had been spoken in an open meadow as opposed to a high school hallway. I instantly recognized the rough, low voice that I'd only heard a couple of times. He sounded concerned, even a little confused, but I couldn't think of the reasoning behind it. All I could think about was how I wanted him to drive a pitchfork through my skull.

"Max? Are you okay?" Fang's voice was closer, like he was hovering over me.

"Give her space, people," another male voice said, one that I also recognized. James. "Yo, dude, is she okay? Did you see what happened?"

Why were they talking when it was clearly obvious that I was dying? Couldn't they snap my neck or something?!?

"No, I was going to my locker when I saw a bunch of people hovering over a body. I didn't realize it was Max until I pushed through ten kids."

"I'll go get a teacher," James said after a moment. I bit my lip to keep from screaming. What were they waiting for?

"No, I'll take her to the office," Fang offered as I felt thin, wiry arms lift me up. "The nurse should be in there." He took off down the hall, with me in his arms. That was when I officially blacked out.

I'm sorry I had to stop it here! I wrote this last night and I wanted to get it out quickly so I split this into two chapters. If you're good little reviewers, I'll post the second half later tonight since my brother let me borrow his lap top. It is so worth to check back tonight because I've finished the next chapter and I must admit that I'm proud of myself for thinking of this nice little twist (not to sound arrogant…) :P

Wish me good luck at all the colleges I'm visiting. Remember that later tonight you can read my report on the blog that I'm keeping. For a link, check out my profile page!!