EDITED*

A little bit about my trip: we went snorkeling and swimming. In the ocean and the outside pool at our hotel, the Aston Maui banyan.

So, my chapters weren't cutting it, it didn't seem right to me. So, I've gotten TMI to beta for me from now on and she's great! Thanks TMI!

Disclaimer: I do not own Maximum Ride or its characters. Or any reference to something that isn't mine.

Saturday evening right before dinner.

Max's POV

Babysitting Angel and Gazzy was a breeze. They were perfect darlings, as usual. First we indulged in Angel's requests, which meant that we watched the Backyardigans and drew pictures. Gazzy just wanted to eat so I snuck into the pantry and got us some chocolate chip cookies.

Anyway, Anne came to pick them up a little before dinner time. After tearing Angel away from me and handing me the babysitting money, they were on their way. Mom came home after picking up Ella from soccer so Ella was in the kitchen making lasagna. I hadn't had lasagna for such a long time. It might have even been years since the last time I ate it.

I walked into the kitchen and was about to ask Ella something, when she cut me off with a hand in the universal 'stop' sign.

"No further missy," Ella ordered, setting her hand firmly on her hips in an attempt to look threatening. "You burn everything edible you touch. You can't come any closer."

I rolled my eyes and leaned against the doorframe. "How is it that you are suddenly so good at cooking?!" I demanded. "I mean, you weren't bad to start with, but now you're always cooking."

Ella blushed. I continued on. "You're as good as... Iggy." I trailed off. Oooh.

That made sense now.

"Is he teaching you how to cook?" I asked her.

"Yes." she said, continuing to blush.

"You like him." I stated bluntly. It wasn't a question.

She blushed even more and mumbled a yes. I smiled at her cute little girlishness, but still threatened, "If he touches you, I'll break his leg. Or arm. Or his hands, one finger at a time."

Ella just shook her head like, "oh, kids these days," and was about to reply when the smoke alarms went off. Ella and I looked instantly towards the oven, and she rushed instantly over to check on her lasagna. " You are a jinx! Out now Maximum!" she yelled, shooing me away with one oversized mitt.

It turned out that Ella and the smoke alarm had overreacted. The lasagna was perfectly fine and Mom, Ella and I ate half of it in ten minutes. It was when I was getting my third piece that I was hit with a flashback.

"Fang! How can you be on your fifth piece of lasagna? I'm only on my third!"

"Psh, I am a growing boy!" Fang replied. We were eating at his house in his kitchen. It was in second grade and judging by our friendliness, it was before The Incident.

I just laughed, playfully nudging his shoulder. "Growing? I'm taller than you!" I retorted. It was true; until fourth grade, Fang was a small kid.

He just pouted, "You wait! I'll be taller then you and I'll be able to pick you up and spin you around!" he threatened.

I smirked. Even in second grade I had mastered the art of the infuriating smirk, and I used it well and often. "Suuuure Fang. Whatever," I replied, shoving my forkful of lasagna into my mouth.

I had started to eat my fourth piece when he got this little gleam in his eyes. "Fang?" I started to say suspiciously. I was cut off midsentence as he pulled me off the chair and tried to pick me up and spin me around. His attempts failed, and we ended up on the ground on our butts. I looked at Fang reproachfully, crossing my arms.

He started apologizing profusely, but started spluttering instead, seeing as I had scooped up a piece of stray lasagna and thrown it directly in his face. He then-

I was pulled back into the present when I felt a hand on my shoulder. "You okay, Max?" It was Ella, and she had a concerned look on her face.

"I'm fine. I'm just not hungry right now," I replied, pasting on a fake, bright smile. I turned and went up the stairs and headed into my room. Right when I shut the door I heard Mom ask, "Did she just say she wasn't hungry?"

God, I missed when we were friends. Now all we did was avoid each other. The past couple of days though, we had been talking, like the bathroom incident, when he came into my room. But other than that, we were total strangers, never mind the fact that his brother was my best friend. I felt a little hollow inside, like all of the lasagna I had just eaten had disappeared, replaced only with loneliness. I wished he remembered grade two, us being friends, but then he would also remember The Incident. And then we still couldn't be friends. What he had said still felt like knives piercing my heart.

"Who would want to be kissed by Max? We can't be friends." I started to cry and fell asleep.

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