Yeah, it's been forever, but I've been busy with testing, dance, dance auditions, homework, and all that jazz. Luckily, summer is drawing near, and I'll be somewhat free. Well, free-er. I'll still have summer school, but my updating skills will be much better.

Ch. 20:

Max POV

"Max, we really don't have to go." Iggy argued to me as we walked nearer and nearer to the dreaded place I call my high school.

"Iggy," I said, a grin in my voice, "I'm starting to think that you're almost afraid to learn the rules of football. What, drama geek can't handle it?" My teasing caused him to huff, but I saw the smile grace his lips that showed he was happy. He had been trying to persuade me all day not to go, saying that it would help my mental 'well-being'. Honestly, Iggy is the last person I thought should try to teach me about well-being.

Not that was okay. Not that I wasn't. I was still stung, it still hurt, it was still fresh from yesterday, but there wasn't much I could do, was there?

As Iggy and I walked into the parking lot (Iggy had been banned from driving for a month. He totaled his dad's car – again.), I saw a sleek black vehicle pull up into to a spot close to me. It wasn't hard to figure out who's it was when Brigid and Ella marched up to it. Fang, Dylan, and Sam stepped out, football uniforms in hand and began to walk towards the locker rooms. I saw Ella lean flirtatiously towards Fang while Dylan attempted to charm Brigid (Not that it helped, she, too, was making gaga eyes at Fang). Fang didn't do anything to stop Ella, nor did he do anything to encourage her. His blank face and expressionless demeanor was aggravating to watch. It was like he had stepped into some kind of a shell, and it made me more pissed off than it should have.

After watching their exchange and seeing the three boys stomp off to the locker room, that was when I realized. That was when I realized that there was something I could do.

Startled with my sudden revelation, I turned to Iggy and said to him, "Hey, Igs, can you get us some seats? I have something to do before the game."

"Sure." He shrugged and walked further towards the football field. I, instead, turned around and headed back for the locker room. The boys' locker room.

Careful not to lose my sudden burst of confidence, I charged into the locker room with a look of determination I was sure was set upon my face. Dylan was who I saw first and, coincidentally, who saw me first.

"Diner girl?" He sneered. "What the hell are you doing here? This is the guys' locker room."

I narrowed my eyes. "Just tell me where Fang is." Apparently, threat was evident in my tone because he choked out a simple, "Locker 706."

I passed the one hundreds, then the two hundreds, then the three hundreds, and so on and so forth, with boys widening their eyes and letting out trills of protest at my presence. It seems that a girl in the boys' locker room wasn't so common.

When the seven hundreds finally arrived, my eyes pinpointed Fang quickly. He was shirtless, undeniably handsome, and attempting to tie his football cleats. When I tapped him on the shoulder, he looked up, startled and then changed his expression to shock when he realized it was me.

"Max!" He began. "Okay, I know that you think I'm just some-"

I cut him off. "Coward? Phony?" I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Okay, just listen." He tried, but I stopped him once more.

I did the one thing I didn't think I could this whole time. I stepped up. I took charge. I stood up for myself. "No, you listen. You turned out to be exactly who I thought you were before this instant messaging and texting crap. You turned out to be that arrogant douche everyone believes you are. I never pretended to be somebody else. It's been me all along! And it was me who was hurt in front of everybody." I paused my yelling and calmed my tone. "Look, I didn't come here to yell at you, okay? I came to tell you that I know what it feels like to be afraid to show people who you are. I was, but I'm not anymore. And the thing is I really don't care what people think about me because I believe in myself and I know that things are going to be okay. But even though I have no family, no money for college, and no college that accepted me, it's you that I feel sorry for."

Dylan decided then to come up and yell out to Fang, "Heads up. Yo, five minutes till play time."

"I'm coming." Fang grunted, his black eyes never once leaving me.

"I know that guy that sent those emails and texts is somewhere down inside of you, but I can't wait for him, because waiting for you is like waiting for rain in this California drought. It's useless and disappointing." Having said my piece, I turned and walked away.

"Max!" He called after me, but he had already had his chance. It was my turn to leave. And I could only hope he would make the right decision from here on his own.

Fang POV

I inwardly cursed as she walked away from me. She was the one girl I wanted. The one girl who got me to open up and she was walking away without a second thought.

"Max!" I tried to call out to her, but she was already nearing the exit door.

I took a step to follow her, but Dylan grabbed my arm. He shook his head at me. "Dude, the game's about to start. Couch wants us out on the field, like, now."

I stared wistfully at the area Max had just been, but followed Dylan out nonetheless.

The game passed by in a blur of huge sweaty guys, dirt, and thoughts of Max swirling in my mind. The only other thing that was able to creep into my subconscious were the football officials from USC that were sitting oh-so-conveniently next to my coach.

I had played a practically perfect game, and my thoughts that the game was coming to a close were supported by the announcer saying, "Only nine seconds left in the game, home only needs one touchdown to win." That touchdown was on me.

This was my chance. My only chance. I had to show everyone what I was, who I was with this single play. Even growing up, my dad taught me that in football and in life that it doesn't matter how you started the game, but how you finish it was everything.

I stared up at the clock that read nine seconds on it. I heard the crowd being led by the cheerleaders to shout, "Fa-ang! Fa-ang! Fa-ang!" And finally, I saw Max standing uncomfortably next to Iggy, not participating in the crowd's chant of my name. I saw her start to leave her row of the bleachers, preparing to exit the stadium. I knew what I had to do.

I turned back to my team and gave them all a small smile. No matter their lack of intelligence, these were the people I had spent my high school years with. They had stood by my side through it all, and it almost hurt that I was leaving theirs. I gave them a small salute. "Sorry boys." I told them, and began to jog toward the girl of my dreams.

My coach and my dad stopped me as I made my way to her. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. What are you doing, Fang?" My dad asked, hurt evident in his eyes.

"I'm out of here." I told him honestly.

"You're throwing away you're dream." He warned me.

"No, Dad. I'm throwing away yours." I turned to Sam, who was standing on the sidelines, awe in his eyes. "Go get 'em, Sam." I told him. "It's your game now."

I sprinted toward the bleachers as Max made her way to the end of the row. Shouts followed me. "Fang!" A shout from Ella. "Get back here, Fang!" A shout from my dad. "Fang, come back!" A shout from my coach. It all failed to matter as I started to climb the bleachers and came face to face with Max.

"Fang, what are you doing?" She asked.

"Something I should've done the minute I found out who you were. Or even before."

And without another thought present in my mind besides Max, I leaned over and kissed her. She stilled for a moment, then responded wholeheartedly. I was out of this world for a moment, and all I could think of was how soft her lips were. That is, of course, until she laughed and pulled away. I was confused until she pointed upward and I noticed the rain coming down in full swing.

I chuckled. "I'm sorry I had to for the rain in this drought."

She bit her lip in a way that I will always find endearing. "It's okay." She whispered.

I heard a scream of "No!" from Brigid in the distance and then a blaring horn, and then the cheers that we had won the game- no, Sam had won the game.

But what I remember most? I finally found my princess. She no longer had to be Lost.

So, only one chapter left, and that's the epilogue!

I hope this was good. For this entire story, though it has been based off of 'A Cinderella Story' with Hilary Duff and Chad Michael Murray, I had yet to completely go and use direct quotes. For the locker scene dialogue and the dialogue out on the field, everything was too perfect for me to change, so anyone who has seen the movie will most likely recognize it. And just to reiterate- I don't own Maximum Ride or A Cinderella Story.

Thanks for your continued support in reading my story, and I hope you can drop a review with your thoughts my way. Thanks!

~Cake.