Chapter Twenty-One

I remember our last year of high school with fond sweet memories. It was in the simple times of Fang and my relationship, when we didn't have many responsibilities. We were just focusing on passing our exams and going to our after school jobs- Iggy and I at the golf course, the twins at the Chinese Restaurant, Ella at the Vet that Mum use to own, cleaning and looking after the animals, and Fang at the local DVD store- spending our free time together, or with our friends out side of our group, like Shara and Laney and even Dylan sometimes.

Nudge and I liked to go to the dance studio and let off some steam, from the stress of our final year of school. We would go and make up a dance to the popular songs on the radio, we usually ended up making up silly dances and weird and wacky dance moves. Ella and Angel would sometimes come with us as well, even Fang came sometimes, but I could never get him to dance, he would just sit off to the side and laugh at us. Fang with a pen and pad of paper in hand, would mark us from one to ten, on the moves we make up, he always gave me a ten, which infuriated Nudge, which is the reason he did it, with a wink to me and a smirk to Nudge every time.

"Yesterday I parked my car somewhere... I can't find it." Nudge says looking a little dazed. I laugh, and go over to her, putting my hand against her forehead.

"You've got a temperature. How long have you been sick?"

"Since Friday, I can't believe I have a head cold in summer." She complains.

Nudge is lying down on the couch in her pajamas, with a tissue box next to her and the remote in her hand. She muted the TV show she was watching when I came in.

I got here ten minutes ago, coming straight from school, after receiving a message from Ella saying she had been on 'Nudge duty' as we call it, far to long. When ever Nudge is sick she gets very needy. Ella had been sleeping over at Nudges with Angel the last couple nights. They had been planning the sleep over for weeks, and Nudge hadn't wanted to cancel it because she was sick. I had been invited, of course, but I had decided to miss it. I've been sleeping over at Fang and Lana's place these past several days, my second home as I like to say. Relationship is really serious, but we just sleep next to each other ONLY. We've talked taking our relationship further, but I'm not ready. It's not that I don't love Fang, and don't want to be with him, no not that at all. It's... it's- well I guess I'm scared, and I don't want to ruin the great thing we have, we're young we have our whole lives ahead of us, and I don't want to be that girl, you know the one I mean. I know it wouldn't be like that with Fang and I, but still...

I'm brought out of my thoughts when Nudges coughs. I look down at her face, with a look of frustration and smile to myself.

"So you didn't go on that date on Saturday?" I ask, sitting down in the arm chair across from her. A guy from school had asked her out.

"Oh, I did. It was a disaster. He was so nervous, he couldn't stop insulting me." She laughs, then coughs "I think he was trying to compliment me." She adds, looking thoughtful.

I laugh. "Will you see him again?"

She pulls a face. "Not if I can help it. How was your weekend with Mark and Fang? I never asked you about it?"

"Fantastic. I had heaps of fun. Marks cool, just like he was when we were little."

Nudge smiles. "Yeah? Good." she sneezes.

"I'm guessing your not going to school tomorrow again? The Maths teacher asked where you were."

"What did you say?"

"I said, you were deadly sick." I say grinning at her.

"Good girl." She mumbles, grinning as well. "Did you get my homework?"

"Sure did, I left it on the kitchen counter."

"Thanks."

"No worries."

"Have you been thinking about what you want to do after we graduate?" Nudge asks after a couple minutes silence, as I flip through a magazine from off the coffee table.

I look at her from over the magazine, then but it aside. "Why do you ask?" I ask. We hadn't been talking about it at all, I've in fact been avoiding such a conversation, I don't like thinking about the future, not even with Fang. It scares me.

"I've just been thinking a lot about it, these past days." She says shrugging. "So have you?" She asks again.

I sigh. "I don't know. I tried to think about it, but I'm still unsure of what I want." It frustrates me to no end that I can't figure out what I want to do after school. Everyone else have these great plans, and my answer when anyone asks is, 'I'm just focusing on actually graduating, before I decide.' and I say it cryptically, as in to imply that I know and don't want to say- but I can't give that kind of answer to anyone in the gang.

She smiles knowingly at me, then says, "What's your favourite subject?"

"English and Literature, I guess."

"Well that's your answer."

"What? Become a English teacher?" I ask frowning.

"No you, could, just go to UNI and study- English and English Literature or something, if you like those subjects, you've always been good at writing. Who knows? One day you could write a book, a book about all of us!" She grins as if she's just solved one of life's big mysteries.

"No one would want to read that."

"Oh come on, yes they would, we're lovable. It could be the 'Life of Maximum Ride"

"Ride?"

"It'll obviously be written after you marry Fang." She says, rolling her eyes, but smiling. I can't help but laugh. Man Nudge I'm eighteen. Let me graduate school at least before saying stuff like that.

"Well, I think I've decided." Nudge changed the conversation, after waiting for my reply and not getting on.

"Oh?"

"Yeah... I'm going to go to the Queens Collage in the City, to study my Computer Technology, where I'll eventually get into Web Design and Usability Testing." she says with a little squeal of excitement.

"Fancy Collage." I say smiling at her.

"I know right." She looks pleased. "It's such a nice old building, but I think it's going to be hard to get in."

"You'll get in." I re-ashore her, believing in it 100 percent.

She smiles. "Mum and Dad are happy about my decision."

"I bet they are. Fangs going to the Australian institute of Arts, you two could travel in together, if your timetables are similar that is."

Nudge nods. "You and Iggy should go to a University in the city as well. Then we could all catch up for lunch."

"We'll see." Now it's my turn to change the subject. "Did Gazzy tell you he's tying out as a permanent Life Guide this summer?"

"Yes!" She sits up slightly. "Speaking of Gazzy." Nudge begins looking towards the window. "He, Shara and Angel should be here soon, we're going to watch the movie for English, are you sure you can't stay?"

"No Iggy and I have work, then we're going to meet Fang at his house." I say standing up. "I'll see you later Nudge." I ruffle her messy curls.

I pass Iggy's house on the way to work to pick him up. He's sitting on the front step when I pull up in front of his house,

I beep the horn once and he makes his way to my car, holding his arm out, I lean over and open the door for him. He slides in and smiles in my direction.

"Had you been waiting out there long?" I ask as I pull out onto the road.

"Na. Were you at Nudges?"

"Yeah. She's still sick."

"I was thinking I might go see her after work, could you drop me there on the way home?" He asks. I turn my head and look at him.

"We're meant to be going to Fangs." I remind him.

"Oh yeah, well if you drop me at Nudges, I'll meet you guys there, I'll walk, its not that far." He says. I want to ask if he will be okay walking by himself, but decide not to.

"Alright, if that's what you want. Why is it so important you go and see Nudge tonight?"

He shrugs, but doesn't answer. I look at him a moment longer, and when he doesn't turn his head to look at me, I turn my attention back to the road.

We don't talk for the rest of the car trip. I make a mental note to bring up Nudge and Iggy to Fang later.

After work I drop Iggy off at Nudges house, then drive to Fangs place. Lana's out the front gardening when I get there, she smiles brightly, and tells me to go straight up to Fang's room. I do so letting myself into the house.

Fang's sitting at his deck. I come up behind him and run my hands threw his hair, then I move so I'm standing right next to him. He looks up at me smiling.

"How was work?" He asks, pulling me onto his lap.

"Fine. Boring. Iggy's coming later, I dropped him at Nudges house."

"Okay." He kisses the back of my neck.

"Okay? Don't you think it's weird he's going over there, we had plans."

Fang laughs lightly. "No. How is that weird?"

"What's going on with Iggy and Nudge?" I ask Fang.

"What?" He asks absent-mindedly, wrapping his arms tighter around my waist bringing me closer into his chest.

"Do they... like each other?" I ask, frowning.

"I've been wondering that myself for some time."

"It's too weird, their friends."

"So, we were friends before we got together."

"Yeah but that's different, we're Fang and Max, there Iggy and Nudge, and she's your cousin." I tried to explain.

He stared at me with a raised eyebrow. "You make no sense."

"I make sense in my mind."

"I bet you do." He laughs.

"They can't date."

"Oh stop it, and anyway, know ones said anything about dating."

"But you'd be fine with them dating?"

"Yes! They don't need our approval to date Max."

"Sure they do." I say, only half joking.

"You hungry? Lets get something to eat." Fang says. I slide off his lap and he stands up after me.

When we get into the kitchen Lana's standing at the bench cutting up vegetables.

"You staying for dinner tonight Max?" She asks. "Fangs uncle, my brothers in town. He's coming over tonight."

"I wish I could, but I need to leave before dinner to get home, in time for my Dad's home made meal. He wants us to have a family meal." Dad sprung the idea on me last night. He had only been home a couple of days, after a trip to America for two weeks. Who knows what he gets up to?

"Oh well next time. I hope that goes well." Lana says smiling at me, but there's something in her eye I can't read... worry? Disappointment?

"Yeah me to." I say, sharing a look with Fang. He puts his hand to the small of my back briefly, then moves it away.

Fang gets a packet of crisps out of the cupboard, and we go into the lounge room and settle down on the couch.

"I mean think about it, Iggy and Nudge-" I can't help but bring it up again.

"Max, your impossible!" Fang says trying not to laugh.

"What?" I ask laughing, he joins in.

After our laughing dies off and we fall into a comfortable silence, Fang turns to me with a serious expression. "Your Dads making dinner?" He asks.

"Yep. He's in town for awhile, he says, up until the end of the year, in fact, so he'll be around during exams and graduation... he promised." I tell Fang. He nods, and doesn't say anything else on the matter.

I want to ask about Lana's reaction to my saying I'm having a family dinner, but I decide against it. That can be for another time.

Hope you liked it. So sorry it's taken me SO long to update! Please review. Tell me what you thought. Next chapter will be up hopefully today if not tomorrow! Cheers.

PS sorry for any mistakes. My laptops dodgy and spell check doesn't work.