Yes, I can honestly say I know the entire rap in 'Beauty and A Beat'. Does anyone else think I'm hitting an all-time low, or is it just me?

Anyway, it's my birthday! You heard me, birthday. :) And no, I won't tell you my age. Stalkers.

Ch. 16:

Max POV

I woke up tired, cranky, and beyond confused at the current state of my chaotic life. Iggy had been ignoring my calls for what seemed like forever (It had been since yesterday, at the pool). Fang confused me to no end- Did he like Max, or Lost? And did it even matter? I was stuck with Anne's fantasy of me going to community college. He got into Stanford. And would get into USC.

Ding Dong!

"MAX!" Anne's shriek sounded through the intercom. "Get the door!" I groaned and got up to answer the door. Who would be here this early on a school day? I barely had any time left to make myself breakfast, anyway.

I rushed down to the door and swung it open impatiently. Fang stood outside, clad in black, as always.

"Hey Max."

"Fang… what are you doing here?" I asked, disbelieving.

"I thought I'd drive you to school, project partner." He winked at me, smirking.

I glanced back to the kitchen, where Brigid and Lissa would probably be waiting for their special breakfast platters courtesy of me. I bit my lip before deciding.

"Just let me grab my backpack."

I rushed to where I had set my backpack in the living room yesterday and turned, when I felt a yanking on my arm.

Lissa. I closed my eyes and awaited the complaining.

"Max, you've got to listen to me. You can't go to the pep-rally today." I opened my eyes and stared at her. "Look, I know I've been a bitch before, and I can't tell you specifically why, because I'm under oath, but you just can't go." Her eyes were wide and sincere- a whole new side to Lissa.

I nodded slowly and she breathed a sigh in relief.

I turned and walked back to Fang, backpack slung over one shoulder. What was wrong with the pep rally?

"So Max, will you go to the pep rally today?" Fang asked nonchalantly while we rode to school in his car.

I thought back to Lissa's warning. "Sorry, I already told someone I wouldn't go."

Fang frowned while driving. "Max, that's a crappy excuse. You can just tell me if you don't want to go."

"No, I swear, someone asked me not to go. Specifically. I mean, I'd love to go and all-"

"Great, I'll see you there." Fang grinned. I sighed in aggravation. Lissa seemed pretty intense with that warning, but the grin on Fang's face was enough to make any girl's heart melt. I felt like it was a smile reserved for me, though it could just as easily have been reserved for someone else.

But as ridiculous as it was, I liked the thought of being Fang's to smile at. It didn't even matter what he thought of me. I'd delude myself either way.

"Ready? Ok!" Ella Martinez led her cheerleaders in chant. Today's pep rally was no different than any other, not that I'd been to too many. They honored football players, talked school spirit; I'd even managed to catch Fang's eye for millisecond. Iggy still gave me the cold shoulder, but I knew I'd be forgiven soon enough. This was Iggy we were talking about, not me. He can't hold a grudge.

"And now we have a special treat for everyone." Ella grinned maliciously. "It's time to tell the story of Cinderella. Specifically, Fang's Cinderella." My eyes widened. This couldn't be- she didn't know the half of it.

Ella pulled a dirty blond wig over her dark waves and I gulped. My breath got steadily louder as an ice cream shop set and props were placed behind her.

"And… scene!" Someone shouted.

"Here's your ice cream." Ella said, holding an empty cone out to another 'actor'. She dropped it clumsily. "Oh! Oh my God, I'm so sorry!" She got down on her knees and began trying to clean up the imaginary substance. She got up and stage sighed to the crowd before a buzzing sound went off from her pocket.

"Clad In Black." She read, "Hey, Lost." She sighed dreamily.

"Can you wait to get out of town, Clad?" She said aloud while typing it out on her phone.

"No. I don't want to leave until I meet you." She sighed dreamily at the response again. This conversation was all too familiar for me.

Suddenly, two new actors entered the scene. Two of Ella's wannabes were obviously dressed as Dylan and Sam, and the third wasn't hard to pinpoint. Brigid stood on stage with a black wig and all black clothing. Brigid was Fang. I watched the play go on in mortification.

"Hey, Ice cream girl!" Brigid taunted as Fang, in a low voice.

"Y-yes!" Ella stuttered as- well, it was obvious who she was playing.

"We'd like some ice cream."

As Ella walked away, the attention was on 'Fang', 'Dylan', and 'Sam'.

"She's so weird."

"I think she has a problem."

"Well, it's obvious she's never going to get anywhere." The comment said by Brigid cut me in half. Tears pricked the back of my eyes as Ella rushed back on stage.

"Here's your ice cre- Ahhhh!" She shouted as she tripped over her own feet, spilling the tray she was holding and sending the entire audience into a riot.

She got up and held hands with Brigid and the other wannabes and bowed. "Thank you, but everyone; let's really give it up for the real Cinderella- Maximum Ride!" Everyone turned to where I was. They stared for a second before breaking out in hysterical laughter.

I caught Fang's eye, looking at me in surprise and an emotion I couldn't decipher. I took it to mean pity and disgust. He thought I was ridiculous. The tears spilled and I bolted. That was one thing I could do successfully. I could run.

"Max, listen to me. You can't go to the pep rally today."

Lissa's words rang in the back of my head. And so did one other thought.

I should've listened.

What'd ya think? And review. For my birthday? *Pulls bambi eyes* (not that I actually can…)

Sorry for the repost. As many of you know, I posted this yesterday, on my birthday, but a mistake was pointed out to me and I had to fix it. :P

~Cake.