Alas, let us commence once again. I'm thinking about writing a couple one-shots of different scenes from this story that I didn't go into a lot of detail with... thoughts? We'll see. Enjoy the chapter!

Love you!

-wise_yet_harmless

FANG'S POINT OF VIEW

"I did what, exactly?" I asked Ella, trying not to sound desperate. She grinned into her hand, shaking her head.

"I don't know! Max just told me you said something pretty weird. Then she left soon after, so I did not ask her to elaborate."

"You really don't know?"

"I don't. Max explained to us that you were acting a little...strange, and then she convinced Iggy and I to let you be while she had a chat with you. I have no idea what you said to her and vise versa."

Well, wasn't this just fantastic. I had no memory of Max coming over the night before, but apparently I told her something that freaked her out. She hadn't spoken to any of us in three days. In reality, that wasn't that long, but with how often Max had been around lately, it seemed like forever.

What could I have said? Did I get angry or sound like an idiot? I huffed, guessing that was probably it. She was saving me the embarrassment of being around me. She had no idea that I couldn't actually remember what I had said.

"I can ask her, if you want," Ella offered next to me.

"No," I said, sighing, "No, I gotta figure it out myself."

"Fair enough. Why don't you call her?"

MAX'S POINT OF VIEW

"Nudge, c'mere. I need you to help Angel with her buttons."

Nudge ran over to where we were, stooping down to help button up Angel's dress. I winced when I stood up, feeling the strain on my stitches. Who knew one person could be in this much pain?

That's right, people.

I'm complaining.

"Max?" Nudge asked, still kneeling on the ground though Angel had left the room a few moments before.

"Yeah honey?"

"Do you remember that church we went to, like a month ago or something? The one you said was weird but pretty cool? My friend and I have been going a lot, yknow, well of course you know cuz I had to ask to go, but you know I went a lot and I'm still going and it's been pretty cool. Like, I really like it. The people are nice and they tell me that I'm a good friend and I have a sweet spirit, whatever that means. Not like, a sweet tasting spirit I guess, but a nice spirit. Anyway, I was talking to some of the missionaries, remember, the ones with the name tags? They want me to be like, a member of the church. That would just mean that I got baptized and confirmed. I can have them explain it to you- it makes more sense. I just need a guardian to allow it and I thought maybe you could convince Anne to let me. You're smarter than me and can talk to her about stuff and she likes you and-"

"Wait a sec, Nudge," I said, kneeling down next to her. She wouldn't look at me and she was shaking a little.

"You really want to join that church?"

She nodded.

"Why?"

She knitted her eyebrows together, clenching her fists slightly.

"I feel happy there, Max. I don't know. Everything they tell me, I've never heard it before or anything, but when they tell me about what they think and stuff it just makes a lot of...sense, yknow? I just need permission from my, uh, parent."

She the word 'parent' so hollowly I winced.

"You don't think she likes you?"

Nudge looked up at me, her eyes filled with tears. She opened her mouth to respond, but shut it again. Finally, she just shook her head, the movement causing a few tears to roll down her cheeks. I opened my good arm to her and she clung to me, shaking with sobs. It really hurt to be hugged so tightly, but I didn't hesitate to hold her back.

"Baby, baby. I know it's hard. She does care, I promise. It may not seem like it, but she does. She just doesn't know how to show it. She loves you so much. She loves you."

Nudge stayed in my arms another few minutes until her sobs turned to hiccups. I rubbed her back, saying nothing more. When she finally pulled back, she looked at me sheepishly.

"Will you ask her?"

"How about we ask together?"

She grinned, nodding excitedly. She jumped up and ran out of the room, most likely to re do her makeup. I stood up myself, trying not to gasp at the pain in my shoulder. Suddenly, my cell phone rang. I fished it out of my jean pocket and answered it.

"Hello?"

"Max?"

"Fang? Hi!" I hadn't talked to the guys in a few days, I realized. I'd been so caught up in trying to keep things together at my household that I hadn't had time for anything else.

"You busy?"

"No, not right now. Something wrong?"

"Nah. Can we meet up and talk?"

Uh oh.

"Sure, dude... Right now?"

"Yeah."

"Mkay, I'll be over in a minute."

"Cool."

I hung up, a bad feeling in my stomach. Before I could think myself out of it, I yelled to my family that I would be right back. I grabbed my drawstring and headed out to my truck, making my way to Iggy's.

"Hello?"

"In here," came Fang's voice from the other room. He was seated on the floor, leaning against the couch with his leg propped up. I sat down next to him, wincing once again.

"Where is every body?"

"They left to do some shopping," Fang replied, not looking at me.

"Oh. Cool. So... what's up?"

FANG'S POINT OF VIEW

I watched Max's face carefully, testing what I wanted to say in my head before answering.

"I could ask you the same thing."

Max shrugged, looking a little embarrassed.

"I got really caught up in family stuff," she admitted. Whether that was a cover story or not, I had no idea. Her faced showed concern, and she snapped her face towards me.

"Why? Did something happen?"

Instead of answering her question, I replied with one of my own.

"Do you remember the other night?"

"When you were a little loopy off your meds?"

"Yeah."

"Sure I do," she said, looking away. "Why?"

There was no way I was going to sneak the information out of her. Besides, I was never the kind to beat around the bush.

"What did I say?"

Max slowly looked over at me, the gears in her head ticking away.

"You don't remember."

I shook my head, confirming her suspicions. She scoffed, grinning lopsidedly.

"Is that what this is about?" she asked, as if she didn't think I should be concerned. That was a good sign.

I nodded.

"Ella said I was acting weird."

"You were."

"What did I say?" I asked, repeating myself. Max looked off, as if trying to remember. After a moment of silence, she shrugged.

"Well, you were acting like a girl, first off," she said, grinning. "But you did say something a little strange."

"What?"

She looked right at me, gauging my reaction.

"You told me... You used to sing with Ella when you were younger."

Oh geez. Max laughed, enjoying my mortification.

"Don't look so upset," she said, waving her hand dismissively. "I asked for a solo and you wouldn't. You still have your dignity."

I scowled. I couldn't believe I had told her that. It was true, unfortunately. Ella had convinced me to help her learn some songs for school and I had obliged on the condition that she never tell a soul. It became a habit, and we continued to sing together until my father found out. We hadn't sung together since. Ella had a pretty good voice, but I wasn't good at all. If we sang together, we were alright, but I could hardly carry a tune to save my life.

"That's it?" I asked, double checking.

"Yeah, dude. No big deal. I won't tell Iggy, promise."

I grinned at her, rolling my eyes. Iggy would never let me live it down, and she knew that.

"I can't believe you were so worried about it," Max said, teasing me.

I just shrugged. Max then filled me in on what had happened with her little sister, Nudge that morning.

"What if its all a bunch of nonsense and she gets hurt? I can't make her stop going or anything. She'd hate me for it."

"You can't make someone choose like that."

"I know."

"So what?"

"Huh?"

"Who cares if it's wrong? They're not telling her to change, are they?"

"She has to dress modestly and give up, like, coffee and stuff."

"Is that a big deal?"

"Well, no. I guess not."

"There ya go. If they're wrong, then it just means she won't be addicted to coffee."

Max laughed, agreeing with me.

"Guess you're right."

Max and I spent the rest of the afternoon together, playing cards and talking until my sister came back and Max left to go make her family dinner. I told Ella what I had confessed to Max and she laughed. I gave her a confused look.

"Is that all? She already knew that!"

Wait a second.

"Ella...you didn't."

"I did, actually. That was months ago, however. It didn't seem to irk her at the time."

"Why did you tell her?"

"I don't remember, actually."

I groaned, putting my forehead into my hand. So she had known this whole time.

"Do not fret, Fang. If it didn't bother her then, it must not bother her now."

"What did you do?" Iggy asked, walking in the room. "Did you call Max fat or something? Is that why she's avoiding you, man?"

"Fang didn't offend her, Iggy. He accidentally told Max about his childhood."

"So what? Was it embarrassing or something?"

I grunted. Iggy grinned.

"Smooth move, dude. Way to be."

MAX'S POINT OF VIEW

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Lying is wrong, kids.