Shorter than the last, but hopefully still just as good to you.

Again, my apologies to the people I didn't PM. Some I just couldn't find when I looked up your pennames, some had PMing disabled, and some of you had me on author alert and got there before me. So once again, sorry!

Another problem to adress: people have no idea who Halley is. She's not mentioned in this chapter, so I'll give you a little while to do your research: go back to That's Just How It Is, and reread (or skim), chapters 33, 34, & 38. She's there. I don't blame you for forgetting; I was rereading a few chapters the other day out of sheer boredom and thought about how much fun it would be to add her in and screw stuff up and then patch it up again.

I was at dance, and we were goofing off and making up moves, and my one friend came up with this move that looks like you're shampooing your hair. And my dance teacher goes 'that looks like the double dream hands guy.' If you've never seen the double dream hands guy, go on youtube and look it up now.

Who wants to discuss season 2 of Dance Moms? :D

My cat hates my dog soo much.

Disclaimer: I own Maximum Ride about as much as I own diamond-studded jazz shoes. (I wish!)

FangPOV

I waited, leaning against my locker. Nudge was supposed to meet me here. She was already three minutes late, but knowing her, she was talking to the flocks of new friends she'd already made. Typical Nudge.

When my phone vibrated in my pocket, my heart leapt, as little as I'd like to admit that. I didn't even need to check the caller ID. I slipped it carefully out of my pocket and held it up to my ear. "Hey."

She sighed. "It was a long day."

"For me, too. Well, actually, it's still a long day."

Three girls stopped in front of my locker. They looked nice enough. They weren't dressed all slutty. "One sec," I muttered into the phone, and lowered it so that the microphone was pressed against my shoulder. "Uh, hi?" I said as they just stood there smiling. "Can I help you?"

The one all the way to the left, the one with the really long blond hair, smiled and put her hand on my shoulder. "You're the new kid, Nick, right?"

"Sure." I didn't wanna be impolite, but I'd been polite to just about everyone today. "I'm kind of in the middle of an important call."

The plumper auburn-haired girl raised her eyebrows. "How important can it be? You're in high school. Live a little."

I glared impassively at her. "It's my girlfriend." I held the phone out in the blond's direction. "You wanna be the one to tell her how you won't stop flirting with me?"

The one girl who hadn't spoken yet piped up. "Just let it go, guys," she said. "Quit bothering him." She nodded quickly to me and herded her friends away.

I was grateful for that.

When I raised the phone to my ear, Max was blurting out streams of insults. Apparently, she'd heard every word. "Okay, okay," I said. She didn't stop talking. She seemed to get even more angry as her insults got more colorful. "Max, it's okay, calm down! They're gone now."

I could almost hear her scowling. "Tramps," she muttered for good measure.

Despite the fact that she was totally in a dark mood right now, I couldn't help but smile. Just Max's general antics and quirks were so familiar that I couldn't help it.

She paused. "Sorry. I'm totally making your day worse."

"Strangely. . .you're making it better."

Max laughed. "Yeah, sure. So how is it at your new school?"

I lifted one shoulder. "It's fi-"

"The truth, please."

"I hate it," I blurted. It was so freaking disturbing how well Max knew me. How she already knew I was going to lie about it before she even heard the first two words out of my mouth. It made me miss her even more, with an ache that I'd gotten to know too well over Thanksgiving break.

"Are they all mean assholes?" Her tone was harder.

"No. It's just all so overcrowded in this school that teachers can barely give you the time of day and this place is infested with sluts."

"Like, Lissa-scale bad?"

"Worse."

There was a short silence on the other hand. "That's possible?"

"Yeah," I said glumly. "Before today, I wouldn't have believed it either."

"I still don't," Max said with a short, dry chuckle. "I'll have to see it to believe it. Maybe I'll transfer and we can keep each other sane."

Despite the impossibility factor, her words painted a happier picture in my head, where Max was there everyday to make me smile. I hadn't smiled once today. If Max had been there flipping everyone off with a million comments that were designed to make them feel insignificant, I would've smiled through the whole day. But for now, smiling became the way it used to be before I met Max; a rarity. Something that I only did when I heard an impossibly funny joke or if my mom announced my cousin was getting married. Few and far in between.

"I still have to walk home," I grumbled. "At least until my mom decides to either drive me to and from school, or get me on a bus." I shook my head. "It's not that far, but seriously, come on."

"I hear ya." She sighed. "I pissed everyone off at lunch today."

Uh oh. "What happened? You can vent."

And boy, did she vent. "Well, I walked into lunch, and everyone was trying to act all normal, but no one could so much as look at your chair or Nudge's without practically tearing up. It was just awful. And then we kind of started talking like we usually did, but every time I said something, they looked at me like they were making sure I wasn't gonna shoot them. And then after a while I kinda just exploded and yelled at them and walked out of the cafeteria. And none of them would talk to me for the rest of the day."

"Sounds bad."

"It is," she groaned. "I feel terrible."

"FANGHIOMGHOWWASYOURDAY!"

I sighed. "Hi, Nudge."

"My day was so awesome," she babbled. "I got soo many compliments on my purse and my hair and my bracelet. And my shirt, too. I have like a million new friends. But like my best friend now, her name is Molly. She's soo nice and soo pretty. You have to meet her sometime. You'd love her. And I hardly got any homework. Not cause it was my first day but just cause the teachers didn't really give out a lot of homework." She paused for breath and smiled at me so brightly I wondered what she'd had to eat this morning.

"Ah," I said. "You can tell me all about it on the way home." I pressed my mouth closer to the mouthpiece on my phone. "Help."

Max laughed. I could practically picture her eyes instantly warming as she laughed. "Hey, you're on your own for that one. Tell Nudge we miss her though, kay?"

"Sure. I'll talk to you later." I paused. "I miss you a ton."

"I miss you too," she said, her voice thicker, like she was holding back tears. "I'll tell you how things. . .work out. With everyone else."

"You do that." I swallowed hard. "Bye."

"Bye."

Nudge prattled in my ear all the way home. I was barely listening, too busy imagining myself running all the way to Max's house and just sitting there, silently holding her hand. I would've done anything to be able to do just that.

Max POV

Slam!

Horrible. Try again, Max.

I put my hands out in front of me and pictured it again. I threw myself forward and followed every direction my instructor had given me. I kept my whole body locked tight, not allowing myself to flail and land on my head.

Yet once again, I landed on my butt on the matt with a loud sound that echoed through the whole place.

Deep breathing. You'll get it. In time. Maybe move on to something simpler, now?

That was exactly what I needed. Taking deep, even breaths, I leaned backwards until my hands connected with the mat. I adjusted into the backbend as well as I could, then lifted one leg off the mat and pushed myself backwards. I smiled to myself. Back walkovers were a simple trick to master. Unlike the aerial front handspring I'd been attempting all afternoon.

I groaned and sat down on the mat. I stretched into a middle split; it was my best 'I'm going to sit still and think' position. I leaned forward, placing my elbows on the mat, and allowed my mind to wander.

Without really meaning to, I'd allowed myself to get sucked into winter cheerleading, again. What can I say? It was an impulse. Ever since Fang had left, I'd seemed to have big, gaping spaces after school that ached to be filled. I needed something to take up my time. Something to distract myself. Something to make me forget that the one person I really, really needed around was miles away. I'd thrown myself back into gymnastics again, with a vengeance. I'd even stretched to the limit and started taking acro classes. Ella had agreed to start acro with me. The teacher already loved me; she said that I was a natural acrobat.

My mom had been worrying that my grades would slide with this big gray cloud hanging over my life now. She hadn't directly mentioned it to me; I'd heard her talking to my aunt on the phone about it. So I'd gone and struggled to perfect my grades, as well. That wasn't such a stretch, anymore; Fang wasn't in my classes to distract me.

I was constantly going, going, going, 24/7, and fell into bed every night grateful that the day was over, and dreading the next. Every morning, it was the same thing. Wake up. Eat breakfast. Barely fend off Ella and her ridiculous notion that I'm still in second grade and still need someone to lay out my clothes for me. Go to school. Work on grades. Go to cheerleading practice. Go to acro. Squeeze in gymnastics. There was always that tiny little voice in the back of my head, pushing me. Come on, Max! Just three more hours and you can sleep! I promise! Wait, no! You have homework. Push yourself to the limit! Do it! Do it for meee!

It was so annoying.

But what alternative was there, really? Wallow in sadness and regret now that Fang was gone? Not likely. I had to pick myself up before I had a chance to even slide down into that stupidly dangeous ditch of depression.

Woah. Nice alliteration. I've been paying more attention in writing than I thought.

Plus, now my friends were incredibly pissed at me. I'd tried countless times to get their attention during the various classes I had with them, but they studiously ignored me. I was hoping to make it up to them tomorrow at lunch, but I wasn't totally sure it'd work. I was really sorry I'd yelled at them like that, though.

With a sigh, I pushed myself up and ran for the beam. Cartwheels on this beam were easier now, and I was advancing to harder things on the beam. Like, back walkovers on the beam. And aerials. It was a bunch easier on a regular, sturdy mat, though. I was pretty good at it, by now.

I quickly placed my hands on the beam and forced my folded legs to straighten. I locked my arms and knees, straightening my back into a handstand. This was hell on my arms, but a good distraction. What I needed to do to keep myself on track.

The slam of the door was the one thing that broke my concentration and caused me to fall. My mind flashed back to when Fang had snapped my concentration during a handstand once, and I'd fallen in quite a similar way. Except that time, I didn't slam my shoulder down on the beam when I fell.

"Ouch!" I howled. I sat up and rolled my shoulder a couple times. Sore, but I'd live.

"Sorry, Max," Raven muttered. Raven was the gymnastics instructor; she hung around here and helped people out most of the time. I'd learned a bunch of stuff from her already.

"It's okay. You just startled me." I sat with my back against the beam.

She set down her jacket and a bunch of folders and papers. "How's your press handstand?"

"Good." I hopped up again and placed my hands firmly on the beam. I pushed off the ground a little with my feet and held myself there for a second with my legs straight out, my hands supporting me. I slowly lifted my legs into a full handstand, then back down again. I hopped off with a little grin.

"Cool," Raven said, bobbing her head lightly. The pile of hair on top of her head slid crazily back and forth. "Tumbling?"

I grinned. "Tumbling."

Tumbling had become a huge stress reliever for me. Tumbling was seriously everything I needed to just calm down and clear my head. I just went with whatever my body wanted to do, and kept going and going and going until I reached the end of the huge room.

I wished I could just tumble all the way to the cafeteria the next day. I was seriously stressed, and kept reaching up to my shoulder to tug at my hair like I always did. But Ella had insisted on fishtailing my hair that morning, so now my hair hung in a perfect fishtail braid down my back. I pulled it over my shoulder, and tried to resist yanking on it. I had to appear perfectly calm and collected.

When I sat down, no one looked at me. Everyone's heads were turned down, staring at their food while they ate like it was the most interesting thing in the world. JJ's head was so close to her plate, she was on the verge of a pizza grease facial.

I huffed out a long sigh. "Look, guys, I know you're pissed, and you have every right to be. But I'm really sorry. Really, really sorry. I acted like a total bitch." The words stung in my mouth. I was so used to holding a grudge, waiting for others to be the first to apologize. But I was glad I'd said it anyway.

JJ was the first to look up. Her inability to hold a grudge was her weakness. "Oh, I'm sorry too, Max!" she exclaimed. "I'd just rather forget the whole thing happened."

Iggy snorted. "I'm not really pissed. Guys don't hold grudges. It's all cool." Gaz nodded his agreement.

Carolyn and Tess remained silent.

"Guys?" I lightly nudged Carolyn with my elbow. She absently scratched at her arm but otherwise totally didn't react. "I'm really, really sorry. What else do I have to do to make it up to you?"

"Whatever," Carolyn said. Her mouth was a tight line. "It's fine. I'm not mad." Her voice faltered.

I sighed. "Don't lie to me."

"I'mnotlying," she insisted, too quickly.

"I forgive you, Max," Tess said quietly.

I smiled sincerely at her. "Thanks, Tess." I looked back at Carolyn.

"What?" she demanded. "I'm not lying. It's fine."

"But it's really obvious that - "

I didn't even get half the sentence out before Carolyn's eyes filled with tears, effectively cutting me off. "Are you okay?" I asked, giving her a weird look. She turned her head and attempted to wipe the tears out of her eyes, but they were coming too quickly, and she stood up, looking around for the nearest exit. I was close on her heels as she burst into the bathroom.

"Carolyn, did I really hurt your feelings that much?" I asked quietly. She took a travel-size pack of tissues from her purse and started dabbing at her dripping makeup.

"No," she said raggedly. "It's not anything you did. I've been having an off day, that's all."

I quietly took a step closer to her and awkwardly hugged her. "Anything in particular bothering you?" I asked her. We were both turned toward the mirror now, staring at each other's reflections as we spoke.

"Kinda," she whispered.

"You can tell me," I reminded her.

She sniffed before she broke like a weak dam and spilled everything. "My mom took my brother to a rehabilitation center last night because she thinks he's suicidal."

I blinked in astonishment. Carolyn had never mentioned her brother being suicidal, or depressed, or anything like that. According to her, he was constantly smiling and always ready with a cheesy knock-knock joke. She didn't have to voice it for me to know that her brother was her best friend, the person who got her through the rough spots in life.

"I'm really sorry, Car," I said softly. "That really stinks, big time."

She nodded. "I know. He doesn't have to stay overnight, but he's gonna be there everyday, from ten to four."

"That's really hard," I said hesitantly. "But you gotta know that we're always here for you, kay?"

Carolyn nodded again. "Thanks, Max."

"No problem."

My life lately has to be the biggest stress-fest imaginable. I so wish I could tell someone but they're not my secrets, and I feel like I'm everyone's vault, and I just keep listening to everyone's problems all day, and no one stops to listen to me. -_- It's exausting.

Alright, enough of the pity party. Must ask:
A) Who's watching Pretty Little Liars?
B) Who's watching Dance Moms?
C) Who's still watching Glee?
I'm on the verge of calling Fox to complain about the quality of Glee. This. Season. Sucks.

I'm sorry if the next few chapters are kinda rocky; I had to do some major revising because Max's friends getting pissed at her wasn't part of the original plan.

-dancerxforlifex3