Journal NOT a Diary!

Max's Journal

May 24, 2010

"Do you really want to do this, Max?" Fang said, looking out the window. We were going to the Arizona News station for the interview with MaryEllen.

"Yes. Sam only told lies for her interview. We have to tell the truth."

"But you know Sam will deny it." So what if she did? We would know we said the truth, even if the public didn't. Doesn't that happen all the time? Now, after the whole Cindy thing, you'd think I'd be careful about "friendly" reporters, right?

I shrugged. "No turning back now. MaryEllen has already announced our interview." This whole thing will blow over in a few months, after Sam and her minions pelt me with cannon balls. Apparently the don't know a joke from serious.

Mom rolled the car into the Arizona News parking lot. "Good luck," she said as we stepped out of the car.

I walked up beside Fang. "Did you see anything?" I wispered as we stepped up to the door. The guard nodded and let us in. At least I didn't have to lie to him about my 'poor, dying mother' again. We walked down the hall towards MaryEllen's office, where she was ready to go on camera.

He nodded. "Everything will be fine."

"Do we trust her?"

"I don't know. She seems okay, but then again, so did Cindy before she tured into the living nightmare. Everything looks okay now, just don't dish too much." I nodded and looked down, remembering the first embarrasing thing Cindy had got me to tell the first time I met her. I just hope that doesn't happen with MaryEllen.

Her door swung open as soon as Fang was about to knock. "Fang! Max! You're here!" She hugged both of our necks. "I was afraid you wouldn't make it! You're on in five! This way." She led us to a backstage room with a sofa and a chair in front on it, turned slightly for the camera but where she was still facing us. We sat down on the fluffy, tan-colored sofa on the white circle rug. The colors shouldn't work very well, but they did. MaryEllen sat in the chair.

"Now, don't you too be afraid to cuddle!" she said in an overly peppy voice. Fang and I extanged glances. The talk we had weeks ago still haunted me, where he said we should just be friends from everything going on. She nervously clapped her hands together once. "Or not."

There was an awkward silence until the cameraman said "On in five," and held up five fingers to count down.

"Look alive!" MaryEllen said. What were we supposed to do, look dead? The cameraman yelled zero and pressed a button on the camera, zooming in on MaryEllen. "Hello, I'm MaryEllen McCoy, and I'm here with Maximum Ride and her friend Fang. Now, what do you have to say about how this whole thing began?"

My mind spun. This was the kind of thing everyone had warned me about. Fang and MaryEllen were looking at me for an answer. "Well," I began, clearing my throat. "I think this whole thing began as an accident. None of this was planned, any of it, anyone."

MaryEllen nodded. "So with the...incident...at Macy's, you showed your wings. Do you mind showing us those?"

I looked at Fang. It was bad enough with the wings the first time, not to mention this one. But they did already know I had them...I didn't even realize my wings were out while I was thinking. MaryEllen gasped. Fang pursed his lips.

"Wow," MaryEllen whispered. She cleared her throat and spoke louder. "And are you and Fang...the only ones with wings?"

Frowning, I looked at Fang. He just looked ahead. I would rather me and Fang be caked with reporters then the whole flock. So I shook my head. "No, we're the only ones with wings, MaryEllen. And it's very...unfortunate that we do. An accident, very complicated."

"I see. So what do you have to say about Sam wanting to hit you with a hundred mile an hour cannon ball? You're words were 'I can take a cannon ball going one hundred miles an hour and live." Her eyebrows raised, waiting to see how I would get out of this.

"Uh, I think she misunderstood. I didn't say can, I said...can't..." I looked away. I. Am. An. Idiot!

"Well, I have a record of the tape right here. Let's play it, shall we?" I gritted my teeth. Slowly the talk with Bella continued, and finally the moment of truth. Luckily, I had taken that moment after 'can' to take a huge breath. It sounded a little like a T. Wow. I need to be more careful about jokes I make. "...It doesn't really fit in with the conversation."

I scratched my head. Now she cornered me. "Max makes random comments all the time," Fang said. Thank you!

MaryEllen paused. "Do you think life for you two will ever be the same again?"

Fang and I exchanged glances. "I don't know," I said. "We'll always be friends through thick and thin. I think...I think everyone else has actually been affected more then we have. Isabella's in jail, her family in distressed. My mother is nervous about what will happen and the rest of my family, well, they did nothing to deserve this. So what if we're flocked by reporters every time we step outside? In the general scheme of life, it doesn't matter how popular we are."

Yep. I can be deep.

MaryEllen nodded. "You're right. But this has to have affected you two as well, correct?"

"Well," I started, glancing down, "it has, in a way. After we found out that Bella and everyone were spying on us in our own home, it's...changed us. We're more careful about what we say. But we can never be sure of privacy." Worked out way better then I thought it would!

"Yes. You're never sure who's listening. But you were talking about your family. What about you and Fang?"

I froze. "Oh. Well, with the press being all around, same as our family, no privacy. We just-"

"Keep a close eye on each other," Fang said. "Make sure the other doesn't say something to get us killed."

"Fang, what do you think about what...what Max said to Cindy? About her being-"

"In love with me?" he finished. I felt my face turn red. He chuckled. "Well, it for sure made me open my eyes."

MaryEllen grinned. "Are you saying...we have the Young Lovers in our mist?" Young Lovers? Probably some older soap opera or boring TV show or something. With my luck, it would be some 80's boyband with 80 year old members. And yes, that is an exact thought from that moment.

Fang took a deep breath. "It depends. Who are the Young Lovers?"

"It's a movie. Does it matter?"

"Not really. Just as long as it isn't some 80's boyband with 80 year old members." I frowned. Do we seriously think that much alike? "But if it's two teenagers in love, then...I guess you could say there are Young Lovers in your mist."

My jaw dropped. Was it just me, or did Fang say he was in love with me?

"Gasp!" MaryEllen gasped. I almost cracked up. Then she frowned. "You two don't look in love. Show it a little!" I wiped spit from my cheek. I was father away from her. She must have nailed Fang. But she raised her eyebrows.

I was so close to saying something, but decided against it. I don't need more camera trouble. I glanced at Fang.

His eyebrows knitted together. "Is it almost commercial yet?"

She sighed and turned to the camera. "Samual Smith with news on the BP oil spill after this short break." The cameraman flipped off the camera and MaryEllen turned towards us. "Well, good job, Young Lovers."

...Don't tell me she'll be calling us that from now on. I'd have to watch that movie...see what it was about...

After we didn't say anything, MaryEllen sighed. "Very well. You can go."

We didn't say anything as Mom picked us up and drove us back home. Fang's announcement shocked me, shocked everyone. Mom didn't talk as she drove, didn't even turn on the radio. Dinner was strange. Everyone just sat there, picking at their food. Nudge and Angel tried to start conversation every once in a while, but it always died down.

Think this was strange, Ella? Well the night wasn't over yet.

I knocked on Fang's door. "You in there, Fang?" I asked, knocking my knuckles quietly on the door. I heard a grunt on the other side. Sighing, I slowly turned the knob and pushed it open. No turning back now. I leaned against the doorframe.

He popped out his earbuds. "Oh, hey Max."

"Way to lie to the camera."

"What do you mean? I didn't lie to the camera!"

"Yes, you did, Mr. Genius." I cleared my throat to do an imitation of Fang: "'Yes, we are Young Lovers. Is it time for a commercial break?'"

Fang frowned. "You know, that's actually a really good imitation."

I groaned. "Fang, you lied to the camera! You just got us in more trouble! Do know how much the cameras are going to be flocked around the flock after they find out me and you are NOT Young Lovers?" Fang chuckled at the pun. "You put everyone in more danger, Fang! And you aren't giving a hoot about it!"

"Max," Fang said, swinging his legs of the bed. He walked over to me. "I can honestly say that I did not lie to the camera. Unlike you. Oh, no, you can't get hit by a cannon ball?" He chuckled again. His breath smelt like mints.

Growling under my breath, I closed his door behind me. "I don't want the others to witness your death."

He laughed. "Is that a threat?"

"Isn't it always?"

"Then what's your reason for killing me? I didn't lie to the cameras, Max. You did. And you know it. We both know you said you could get hit by a cannon ball and survive. He raised his eyebrows. His nose was almost touching mine. Very uncomfortable.

"I did what I had to do not to be killed. What's your reason, Mr. Young Lover?"

"My reason is I didn't lie! Don't you get that, Max? I did not lie to the cameras. I just wanted the cameras to think I was. I must be a good liar and not a good...truthteller or whatever. You think I lied. Exactly the opposite of what I wanted you to think?"

"So you wanted me to believe your lie?"

"It wasn't a lie!"

"Then prove it."

"Happily!" He leaned down and kissed me. Not a quick kiss, a passionate kiss. More passionate then he normally does. He caressed my cheek and wrapped his hand around my neck, pulling me close. This was on my unexpected list, the top. Slowly he pulled away and opened his eyes, still holding my neck, his nose still touching mine.

"I still don't believe you," I said.

He growled and stood straight up. "You are the hardest person to convince anything!"

"Oh, convice your lie is true? You don't think I don't remember you saying we're better off just as friends?" I was yelling, screaming at him. I crossed my arms over my chest. There was no way Fang had been telling the truth. No way. And it was just like him to lie to a camera to 'protect' me. That was my job.

"I said that, like two months ago!" he yelled. "When the reporters were nonstop! They've loosened up now. Our story is becoming old news, like everything else! And do you remember exactly what I said when I told you that, Max?"

"No."

"'Max, I love you too. But it's too hectic right now.' Exact quote."

Okay. Take a minute and flip black to March 18 entry. I'm amazed he still remembered it. And that was before we realized we were being watched.

"Whatever, Fang. Just go cry to your iPod." I opened the door and slammed it behind me, leaving Fang alone in his room with possibly a hurt nose. I hope I broke it. Serves him right. I had admitted that I loved him several times. And he knew it was the truth. But when it comes time for him to tell me of his love, he lies. Just like him. Hurtful and unreliable. That's what the brick wall is best at.

So what did I do, you ask? I showed the wimpy side of Maximum Ride. The heartbroken side. I locked my door and cried on my bed for about thirty minutes. I ignored Mom's call for dinner. And did Fang try to apoligize? Nope! No, while I was sitting in my room heartbroken, he was stuffing his face.

But Els, we both know I'll have to face up to him again. And I dread that day. But it wall come very, very soon I can assure you. Anyway, I'm tired and want to get some sleep. Wish me luck over the next few days. I'll need it.

-Maximum