Chapter 5

I sat in my math class sitting next to a shy girl named Kenai. I'd seen her around school before and knew she wasn't usually shy. Guess I just bring that out of people. A girl walks in to the class. The teacher stopped in mid-rant to take a slip with my name from her hand. He read it and throw it onto my desk as the office girl dismissed herself.

I don't' know if I hate or love the way all the teachers don't even try with me anymore. The first time it was weird to see a teacher do homework call and pass right by me. After class I couldn't help but ask and all she said was 'did you do it?' and then I replied 'No' and she just ignored me and went back to grading the tests.

I was about to read the slip when a note flies onto my desk. I look up to find who threw it, only to see Fang looking at me. A small sigh escapes my lips. I like Fang. I like him so much I can't have him, but I opened the note against my better judgment.

U always get into so much trouble? His note read.

I crumble the note into a ball and throw it into the trash. I grab my slip that reads ' Maximum Ride please report to the office immediately.' I pack up my notebook and pencil, and head to the office. I glance back at my class to see Fang try to hide a hurt expression, and my partner let out a breath she had been holding in since she found out I was her partner.

I walk into the office, and my favorite secretary attends me. I hand her my slip, and she points to the office door of the councilor. I sigh when I see I'm going to have to see the councilor like I did in my last school. The secretary laughs at my attitude, and tells me to wait until she's done.

I take a seat and in less than a minute later I see a girl come out crying, and a boy come out with a big smile. He must have tried to do something to get rid of her permanently. The councilor a young blond lady comes out handing the girl a napkin to clear her tears.

"You must be Maximum Ride" She says to me.

I nodded and stand up walking into her office. Her office was decorated in supportive and inspirational posters with a cherry yellow paint job. She had a messy desk with flyers about how to deal pregnancy, suicide, depression, family problems, ECT.

That's what's wrong with councilors they think a little pink flyer with pictures of fake smiles will fix everything. I never open up to any of my councilors before, and I don't plan on changing that. No matter how many words I say things won't get betters. No matter how many tears I cry I won't get my sister back. So how is talking going to help anyone.

"My name is Penny." She said holding her hand out for me to shake.

That was another thing with councilors they expect for you to open up to them when we can't even call them by their first name. I don't take her hand just nod to show I heard. I told you I don't really let people in, or even close to not being total strangers.

"Well I've been looking through your file and it shows that all of your councilors have unsuccessful in getting you to open up. I plan to change that. You look like a normal girl Max, but I know you too well" She says

I turn to her. She doesn't even know who I am. She continues on her little welcome as if I didn't just give her the 'WTF' look. I don't know if I like this lady. She has this weird vibe thing going on. It kind of gives off that she actually want to help me.

"See I was you. I had problems at home, I put on the same mask you know live in every day." She said.

She had my full attention now. None of my councilors have ever even been able to figure out even an inch of what I was feeling. She was different I could tell she wasn't one of those people who read a book and think they know everything there is on whatever the book was about, no she had real life experience.

"Let me explain. My parents, my brother and I were always so close, but a week after my 17th birthday my parents sat my brother, who was nineteen at the time down, and I down and told us they were getting a divorce." She said starting her story.

"I thought they were playing with us, but in the corner of my eye I saw a suitcase by the door. That night my dad left. My brother yelled and fought my parents. He broke glass and ran outside trying to stop my father. My father finally left, and I never saw him again." She explained.

She wasn't like all my other councilors she had been there even if she did have the good life longer than I did. A part of me felt sorry for the young girl who had everything and then lost it all, but the smart ass side of me still wanted to say she knew nothing about how I felt because she didn't actually lose her father.

"And then a year later on the anniversary of my dads' absent my brother committed suicide. After I lost him I didn't, couldn't trust anyone. Everything good about life disappeared for me. I felt alone, abandoned, lost. I cried myself to sleep for a year. Then there was a moment where I told myself I had to step it up, and I did. When I didn't cry I couldn't sleep, and that's when I discovered the night life. The drinks, the parties, and well pretty much everything. If you could name it I've done it, but Max you can change that. You can fix things. For your brothers, your family, for you."

I open my mouth to protest, but she holds a finger and adds "Bottling it up only works for so long. Trust me."

"So what do I do then?" I ask quietly.

"Join our grief group. I promise if it doesn't help I will take you out" She advised.

"I'll think about it" I say getting my bag and opening the door to leave.

"Just one more thing" She says.

"Yes?" I say turning around.

"It's mandatory" She says smiling.

I sigh but leave her office without another word. Her story, her words just kept replaying in my head.