Chapter Two: Red Haired Wonder

Maxs Pov

I stand wrapped in my towel, at my closet door, Needing to find something to wear before I'm late to class but wanting to stay wrapped in my towel all day. I reluctantly drop my towel and slip on a pair of skinny-jeans and a tank-top. It's summer in California, so it's pretty hot out, but I refuse to wear shorts. I like to stay covered as much I can.

I pull on some black sandals and I throw my damp hair up in a messy bun, not bothering to use a mirror. I lastly grab my book bag and my keys before heading out.

Despite getting up a little earlier today, I still manage to arrive to class late. To make matters even worse, my first class is History with Mr. Clark –the strictest teacher at this school.

I enter class and everyone's gazes immediately turn to me. Mr. Clark turns around, too, with a disapproving glare followed by an unamused sneer. He appears to have aged at least five years during the summer –his hairline a few inches further back then I remember and his the crow's feet framing his lifeless black eyes more noticeable.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't The Great Maximum Martinez," he mocks. "Starting you're late streak a little earlier this year?"

I smile sarcastically. "You know me so well, Mr. Clark."

"Seat, now, Martinez."

I walk my way to the back of the class and take the only empty seat available, next to a shy brunette and some jock from the Wrestling team. Josh, I think his name is. Unfortunately, I have no real friends in this class, so when Mr. Clark asks to find a partner for future project purposes, I'm stuck with the brunette, who refused to even look up from her phone.

I wish I could say that my next class was better but it was the same, if not worse because we were given an assignment.

Who gives homework on the first day of school?

Luckily though classes seem to fly by faster than I expected and before long it's lunch time , meaning I finally get to see my friends. I head through the lunch line and grab a couple slices of pizza and a Spite, before starting my search for Nudge, Angel and Ella.

I spot Ella sitting alone at a table towards the back of the cafeteria but still too close to other people for my comfort. Nevertheless, I place my tray down beside Ella and take a seat. "Where's Nudge and Angel?"

Ella motions over to the table located directly in the center of the cafeteria, designated to the cheerleaders. Figures they need everyone's attention to be satisfied with their lives.

"They said they were just going to say 'hi' to Lisa and the rest of them... that was ten minutes ago."

I glance back over my shoulder at the table and search for Angel. I find her sitting next to Nudge and, on the other side, Lisa. As in Lisa LaFront –head of the cheerleading team, total skank, my mortal enemy. I don't know what I ever did to make her hate me soo much but she strives to make my life a living hell. So, of course, I return the favor.

They laugh and joke together about unknown topics and it's pretty obvious that Nudge and Angel aren't coming back. Nudge notices me looking and motions me over but I shake my head and turn back to Ella.

I shrug. "If they wanna sit over there, that's fine but I'm not sitting anywhere near Lisa."

"I'm one-hundred percent with you, girl," Ella smiles.

I focus my attention on eating my food. It's not the best pizza ever but I didn't eat breakfast this morning, so anything edible sounds good to my right now –Even whole grain pizza, with vegan cheese. Ella, on the other hand, was smart and brought her own sandwich and chips.

"Hey, ladies."

We both look up and find Corey Reynolds, towering over us. I know him from the couple of classes that we've had together the past two years. He's that one kid in class that never shuts up and annoys the hell out of everyone. In Freshman year History he passed angel a note asking what would it take for her to sleep with him.

He's a total pig.

"Corey, am I going to regret this visit? Because if so, I suggest you walk away now before you are no longer able to have children."

He holds up his hands in surrender and takes a step or two back. "Relax, Martinez. I just came to invite you guys to the back to school party hosted by T.A's very own basketball team. We'd really appreciate it if you two lovely ladies came."

I snatch the blue paper from his hand and glance over it.

BACK TO SCHOOL PARTY AT THE CAVES

7:00 P.M - 2 A.M.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 28TH

CLOTHING OPTIONAL!

"We'll thank about it… now leave," I order.

"Fine, fine. I'm going." He begins to walk away but reconsiders and turns back around. "Oh, and Ella. Caden would really look forward to seeing you there."

This time he does leave.

"I think we should go," Ella surprises me by saying.

"You out of your fucking mind?"

"Come on, Max. You haven't been to one in forever and I spent all summer in my room or helping my dad at work. I wanna go out and do something fun."

"Your idea of fun is going out and getting wasted?"

"No. My idea of fun is going out with my best friend and listen to shitty music and dance my ass off… please, Max?"

I wish I didn't have a soft spot for this girl but I did and I hated it because she always convinced me to do things I didn't wanna do. "Fineee. We'll go...but what's this thing I hear about Caden?"

Corey had briefly mentioned it but Ella had quickly tried to make me forget. I knew better, though. She's hiding something.

"It's nothing… he just asked for my number this morning in Calc."

From the way Ella was looking at me, I knew shock was obvious by my facial expression. I mean, it's not like she's ugly or anything. She is actually very pretty and has an amazing personality but Ella isn't exactly known to talk to very popular, very attractive baseball players either.

"And you said?" I prompted.

She smiles. " I may or may not have told him to fuck off."

I can't help but burst out laughing. "Why?"

"Because, Max. He doesn't really wanna get to know me. This is probably all a dare or something."

"What if it isn't?"

"I mean, he had to of been. Why would he want me?"

"Um, let me see; you're freaking gorgeous, you're funny as hell, smart, fun and c'mon, have you seen your ass?"

"Max!" She giggles, rolling her eyes at me.

I mean it's not a lie. Ella did have a really nice ass, especially for being as slim as she is. And nice toned legs and a small little waist. She's a model for a reason.

"So what'd he say when you told him that?" I question.

Ella thinks about it for a minute. "He just laughed and told me that I was funny."

"You are!" I exclaim.

"Okay enough aboye me. Now it's my turn to ask you about your dating life. Anyone new over the summer?"

"Nope."

I don't know why she's even asking me this. She knows I don't date and never will. Everyone knows that. It's just not my thing.

"So nothing happened with Sam?" She smirks. "Being home for the summer didn't rekindle your old love?"

"No Ella. We're still just friends and will remain that way."

Fangs Pov

Iggy and I sit in a booth, at the library and look up unnecessary shit just to pass time. They're currently fixing the wi-fi in the boys dorm so practically every guy on campus is here in the library. Apparently a cord got chewed by some squirrels or something like that and they need someone to go down to the basement and repair it.

"Fang, look who just walked in." Iggy points.

I follow his gaze and I see Lisa LaFont and Tiffany Harris standing beside the clear, double door. Tiffany smiles at us and I quickly look away, pretending I don't see them.

"Shit, they're coming over here. How do I look."

I laugh and shake my head. I will never understand his obsession with Lisa. Sure she's hot, okay really hot but she's also a complete bitch, control freak, needy and never stays faithful. I have pretty low standards in the personality qualities of the girls I hook up with but even I refuse to go for her. Which is saying a lot because she's been trying to get with me since freshman year.

"Hello boys," Lisa greets.

Tiffany comes over to my side of the booth and sits besides me. Lisa's smile drops when she sees Tiff next to me. She clears her throat dramatically and gives a pointed look.

"What are you doing?"

"Im sorry," Tiff replies instantly and gets up, going to sit by Iggy. Lisa smiles again and takes the seat next to me where Tiffany was once sitting.

"So what are we doing?" Lisa asks.

"Looking up funny cat videos and eating ice-cream," Iggy says, motioning to his laptop and his leftover Ice-cream from when we stopped at Dairy Queen. "You can have it if you want."

The disgust on Lisa's face is clear and I have to stop myself from bursting out laughing. She tries her best to smile politely and stay neutral looking but doesn't do a very good job at it.

"Thank you Iggy, but no. We're on a strict no-sugar diet." Lisa states.

Diet for what?

They're two of the skinniest girls I've ever seen, very closely bordering unhealthy skinny. They can't weigh any more than a hundred and ten pounds; they have nothing more to lose.

Lisa has extremely large boobs for her size, which kinda takes away from the fact that she's as small as she is but Tiffany looks like she's gonna pass collapse any minute.

"So anyways, Tif and I are going to catch a movie tonight. Do you guys wanna join?"

"Yes please," Iggy replies eagerly."What movie?"

Iggy no.

"The Fault in Our Stars."

"Actually Iggy, don't you remember that you and I have that thing tonight," I interrupt.

"What thing?" Lisa turns to me.

"Yeah Fang, what thing." Iggy asks.

The one rare time I need this boy to actually use his brain, he can't even come through. Is he really that oblivious to the fact that I'm trying to get out of going to the movies with them.

"Don't you remember that thing." I give him a pointed look, somewhere between 'play along with me' and 'you're a fucking moron'.

Realization finally hits him.

"Ohhhh, yeah... That thing...That's tonight," He agrees but sounds more like he's asking question.

He's the worst liar I have ever met.

"Oh, ok. Well bummer. We'll miss ya." Lisa pouts. "Well come on, Tif. We have to go. Bye Fang. Iggy."

She blows a few air kisses before strutting back in the directions that she came from. No exaggeration.

Literal strutting.

"Well it was nice hanging out with you guys, I hope we can do it again sometime," Tiffany smiles.

"Tiff lets go!" Lisa yells over her shoulder.

"Coming!" Tiffany calls back. "Bye guys."

She gives Iggy and I both a quick hug before running after Lisa, like a dog following its owner.

"Is it just me or did you notice Lisa flirting with me too?" Iggy questions, completely serious.

I laugh. "No, no, no. Behind the obvious disgust on her face and the fact that she completely ignored you, you could definitely tell she wanted you, bro."

Iggy leans back in his chair with a huge smile on his face and arms crossed over his chest, looking extremely proud of himself. "I knew it."

Nudge's Pov

Max and I sit on one of the couches in the girls lounge, watching the movie Mean Girls -which I love, but Max has been complaining the whole time. She likes none of the same things that I do, which makes me wonder how we're even friends.

Like my life revolves around getting up every morning extra early to make sure my clothes and makeup and hair looks perfect, living off a strict diet to ensure that my body looks perfect too and being the best at everything so that I stand out and everyone likes me. And then there's Max who doesn't try very hard at all in her appearances and eats everything in sight but still manages to look amazing and she doesn't like trying to stand out, she just wants to be invisible and yet gets more guys than me. I'd be lying if I said it didn't make me a little jealous.

But anyways, despite our differences we somehow just work and are very close friends and I love her to death. Her, Angel, Ella and Lisa, are basically my family, along with Iggy.

By Iggy I means Issac Matthews. He's my longest best friend, ever since we were two. He's really a nice and down to earth guy once you get to know him, you just have to look past his dirty remarks to see it.

I'm so caught up in my own thoughts, that I don't realize the movie is over, until I look back at the TV and see the credits rolling across the screen.

"Are you done torturing me?" Max groans.

"Nope," I say, popping the 'p'. "Now it's time for Mean Girls 2!"

"Ugh, God kill me now."

"Did you know Claire Holt is in it? She's like the prettiest girl ever. Besides Jennifer Lawrence, Megan Fox, Kate Upton, every Victoria Secret Model ever and Alexandra Daddario. Oh speaking of Alexandra Daddario, did you know she's in Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and she's playing Annabeth in the Percy Jackson movies. We read that series in eighth grade and they were so good. I'm totally going to see the movies. Actually I think they came out a while ago, I just haven't seen it. Omg have you seen Alexandra Daddario? She's so pretty with her perfectly silky, straight, black hair, which is blonde now and her striking blue eyes, perfect skin tone and she's really tall, thin, and has big boobs. She's perfect. I wish I looked like her. And she's-"

Max cuts me off. "Nudge!" She yells to get me to stop talking. "Why would you want to look like her? You're one of the prettiest girl I know-"

"You said one of, not the." I point out.

She glares. "Fine the prettiest. And your hair is just as straight as hers-"

"Because I straighten it every day, which basically kills my hair, so it's all dry instead of silky like hers."

She tries again. "Your green eyes, are just as pretty as her blue ones-"

"No they're not. They're boring looking." I pout.

I would even take Max's brown eyes over mine. They're very pretty; with dark brown on the border of her Iris, and her inner Iris is light chocolate brown, with specks of gold in them. One's you'd never see duplicates of.

"And why would you want her skin tone? Girls would die to have your skin tone. I mean an all year tan? Come on," Max smiles.

I don't have anything bad to say about that one because a lot of girls tell me how pretty my skin tone is.

"And you're thin, too-"

"But I'm not tall!" I accidentally yell out of frustration. "Oopsy, sorry."

"Guys love short girls, too."

"Yeah but I don't wanna be this short."

"You're a cute height for a girl."

I don't want to be 'cute height', I want to be model height!

"And I bet your boobs are just as big as hers."

"She wears like C and I wear an 30A," I inform her.

She sighs and I can tell I'm starting to annoy her.

"Max your lucky that you're perfect."

"I am not perfect by any means, I'm far from it." She protest.

The front door of the building opens and Lisa and Tiffany walk in. Lisa has on a very cute cheetah print dress, that come to her mid thigh, with a red belt at the waist and black pumps. Her gorgeous hair is down and falling in natural curls around her shoulders, ending just at her waist. The black eye shadow, mascara and heavy eyeliner she has on makes her pure green eyes pop. Tiffany has on the same outfit, except she has on zebra print, instead of cheetah print, a blue belt instead of a red one, and her hair is straight instead of curly. She even has on the exact same make-up and shoes, though.

"Omg! There you are, Nudgy! We've been looking everywhere for you." Tiffany says.

I get up and run over to her. "Air kiss!" I we say in unison and we do our signature air kisses. Afterwards, we both giggle.

"So you said you were looking for me?"

"Oh, yeah. Tif and I we're going to go to the mall and do a 'little' shopping, and then we were going to catch a seven o'clock movie. Wanna come?"

New clothes sound absolutely perfect right now. I just went shopping like a week or two ago with my mom and sister but nothing beats going to the mall with friends. And I haven't been to the movies in ages.

"Would I? I would love to!" I squeal. "But wait."

"What?"

"Max and I were going to hang out and watch movies. Can Max come?" I question.

Lisa huffs and opens her mouth to answer, but Max beats her to it. "No, I don't want to go, Nudge. You go, I'll be fine. Really."

"Are you sure?" I don't want her to feel left out or betrayed.

"Positive." She gives me a small smile.

"Good," Lisa says. "We better get going if we're going to have the time to shop, and catch the movie. So go change your clothes, and meet me in my car in 15 minutes."

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" I ask, looking down at my clothes.

Its a silk purple dress and a pair of black high heel Sandles. It took me half an hour to find this morning and I thought it looked cute together.

"We're going to a mall. There's going to be cute guys and you need to wear cute clothes." Lisa informs me. "Go put on that snake print dress, with the green belt and black pumps. The one that matches mine and Tif's."

"Okk." I reply hesitantly

"Go. Now. I don't have all day." Lisa orders.

Maxs Pov

The two watch as Nudge runs up to her dorm, to change her clothes but I focus my attention on Lisa, giving her a hard, cold glare. Nudge looked perfectly fine, more than fine, amazing actually. Lisa's just being her naturally bossy, bitchy self.

"What are you looking at slut?" Lisa snaps.

I don't let her comment phase me or stop me from glaring at her. Ironic how I've dated one guy in my entire life and have slept with no one but am getting called a slut by the girl who's dated more guys than I've had birthdays and cheated on every single one of them.

I shrug. "Just trying to figure out who told you that ugly ass headband was cute."

"It's called fashion, something you know nothing about. You know what, I don't have time for this. Just tell Nudge I'll be in my car," Lisa scuffs.

"God I don't know why Nudge is friends with her," I hear her whisper to Tiffany as they're leaving.

I consider walking up to her and punching her square in the face but it's only the first day and I've already gotten in trouble. If I make it a second, I might be suspended and she's not worth that.

I pick up my blankets, popcorn, and candy and head down the hall to my dorm. I plop down on to my bed and pull out my laptop.

A few notifications appear on the screenZ

Ella: So u know how I'm making you go to tht party?

I reply;

Max: Yes…

She answers within seconds.

Ella: Well, I was w/ Nudge and Iggy today at school and big mouth told me that Riley's planning on asking you out the party ;)

Max: Riley Scott? I'm not going out with him

Ella: What?! Why not

Max: Because. He's a stuck up, asshole

Ella: If I have to suck it up and talk to Caden, then ur going to suck it up and hang out w/ Riley

Max: Ugh! You're lucky I love you

Ella: Yeah, thanks! Nudge, Angel and I r all meeting at ur dorm at 6 on Sat.

Max: Kk

Ella: Gtg. Ttyl my love

Max: Bye. Love u