Chapter 10: Monster


Max PoV


I was waiting for Angela to come in when a boy came up to me.

He smiled at me, "Hi. I'm Eric. You're Max, right?"

"Yeah," I said warily. What did he want?

"Listen if you need anyone to show you round, I'd be more than happy to help. Also- Oh!" He jumped slightly when Fang appeared, as if by magic by my shoulder. "Um, I was wondering if you're free on Friday?"

"No, sorry. My Mom gets here on Friday," I smiled apologetically at him.

"Oh, another time then." he turned and walked away, glancing at Fang one more time.

I couldn't help smirking at his put off expression. I'm nasty, I know.

"Hey Max!" Jessica ran up to me, "Oh, and you Nick."

I rolled my eyes. I wasn't fooled; she was talking to Fang, not me.

Angela came out of the changing rooms and scanned the hall. She smiled and waved when she saw me and we met in the middle. She looked over at Jessica who was flirting shamelessly with Fang.

"She's got a boyfriend ," Angela had a slightly disgusted look on her face.

"Who?" I asked. A plan was forming in my mind.

"Mike, he's over there."

She pointed to someone standing by the guy's changing rooms. He caught me watching him and smiled at me.

"What are you going to do?" Angela sounded slightly worried.

"I'm just gonna borrow his cell."

Mike was already walking toward us. I smiled at Angela reassuringly and turned to him.

"Hey, I'm Mike. You're Max right?" I nodded, smiling warmly at him. He blinked. "I saw you messing around outside before school. You're pretty awesome."

"Thanks," I couldn't help blushing a bit. "Hey, could I borrow your cell? Mine's broke." I smiled at him again.

"Uh, sure. Here you go." He pulled a cell out his pocket and I took it, smiling one last time.

I walked a little away from him and flipped the phone open. I dialled a number.

"Hi?" My Mom's voice came through, slightly distorted.

"Hey Mom!"

"Max! Hi honey. Great to hear from you! How are you doing?"

"I'm good, but something's been bothering me. What did you do with the chip you took out my arm?" It had been on my mind since Nudge had rambled about it during lunch.

"Oh. I smashed it. Why? Did you want it?"

"No, I was just wondering. I've got to go Mom, love you."

"Love you too. I'll see you on Friday."

I hung up then turned back to Mike. I handed him his cell.

"Thanks," I beamed at him then turned away, leaving him blinking after me.

"Hey! Max! Do you want to, maybe, go out sometime?" I couldn't believe this guy. He was going out with Jessica! At least she hadn't actually made a proper move on Fang.

"No, sorry," I said. I wasn't sorry in the slightest.

I turned to see Jessica and Fang watching me. I walked over to them.

"Max? That's my boyfriend you were just flirting with," She sounded mad.

"Oh, really. The way you were flirting with F-Nick here I thought you were single." I feigned innocence.

"You'll regret that Max. I promise you. No one flirts with my boyfriend!"

"Oh, I'm so scared," I said in a bored tone, "Isn't there a teacher in this class?"

"The teacher's off," Angela said, she sounded worried. Again.

"Yeah, so that's that escape route out the window." Jessica sneered at me.

"Oh. I'm going to go play football. You coming?" Fang nodded. I turned and headed over to a group of boys who were kicking a ball around. He followed.

We were halfway through the horde of pupils when she crossed the line.

"Hey, Max. What happened to Ari?" My jaw dropped.

I turned slowly, glancing at the crowd around me, all of who had stopped. Most looked shocked. Some were glaring at Jessica. Fang's face was dark, he looked like he was about to kill her. I put my hand on his arm. He looked at me and his face softened.

"He was ill," I said through gritted teeth.

"Then what happened?" She was enjoying this.

"He… died."

A picture flashed in my head. Ari, his face, not quite human but not quite an Eraser. Just a mistake. I saw him then as I had seen him just before he died. The ruined face, looking up at me. His eyes belonged to the seven year old he would have been. I could feel his weight on me as I held him, dying in my arms.

I saw Edward's face frown in compassion. As if he had just seen the picture in my head. Jasper was shaking, he looked like he was crying, but there were no tears. I fought to keep the tears off my own face.

"I heard he was deformed, wrong. He had to be hidden away so he didn't scare little kids. He was a mons-"

Before Jessica could finish that word, I was across the hall, holding her by her collar against the wall. I moved amazingly fast, and before anyone had even noticed me take a step she was a couple of feet from the ground. I pulled my fist back, ready to hit her.

"Take it back," I practically growled.

"Why should I? You would never hurt me." How stupid do you get? I was holding her off the ground, with one hand.

"Oh, yeah?" I punched the wall next to her head, my inhuman strength creating a large cavity in the concrete wall. Jessica's eyes widened and I heard gasps from behind me.

"I'm s, s, sorry," She sobbed. She was shaking, terrified. I was shaking too, but from anger. She had struck a cord.

I looked at her eyes, my own were on fire.

Then I saw the fear.