"Shit!" I yelled, shoving it away from me. Right before it hit the ground, it revealed its wings and elevated itself from the ground. A Flyboy, I thought. Just my luck.

Chasing it into the sky, I propelled all of my strength into a kick to its stomach. It shot back at least thirty feet, and I used that time to catch my breath. How did the Whitecoats find me? I began to charge at it, applying a swipe at its neck and back. Jeb improved them. No longer were they the weak creatures that I could take ten of at a time- this took at least ten minutes to even finish off.

When I finally knocked it out, I let it fall to the ground. After a sigh, I followed it into the woods. I ignited a fire and let it burn. I listened to the crackling of the fire.

What's going to happen now? Of course now that one of their beloved strong Flyboys was not going to return, they could track down where I was, harm me and the people who surround.

I knew what I had to do. I had no choice but to-

I couldn't even finish my thought before I passed out.

"N-ugh," I groaned. My eyes fluttered open, squinting from the harsh light. Cold fingers were pressed against my temples.

"It's good to have you back, Max," a soothing voice said. My eyesight quickly adjusted and I was met eye-to-eye with gorgeous golden orbs.

"How did I get here?"

"Well, you can thank Jasper for that," a young man said. He looked no more than 29. "He found you in the woods next to a burning fire and carried you home."

"Carried like a sack of potatoes thrown over his shoulder," said a different voice, this time further away. Rosalie, it sounded like? Somebody shushed her.

"Can you remember what happened?" the man asked, covering Rosalie's comment before I could jump up and rip her hair out by the roots.

"I tried to light a cigarette?"

"Be honest, Max."

I sighed. "I really don't remember much. I just know that I was taking a walk along the trail, and then now I'm here." I didn't want to lie, but I knew I had to.

"Perhaps somebody had something against her and tried to hurt her?" a woman suggested. She had chestnut brown hair and was equally as stunning at the man. Their eyes were the same color, so maybe they were siblings.

"So they lit a fire?" the man asked.

"Possibly," the woman replied.

"I don't mean to be rude," I interrupted. "But who are you?"

The man apologized. "I'm sorry for not telling you before. I am Carlisle, and this is my wife, Esme." He gestured to the woman and she smiled. "We're the parents of-"

"Us," Emmett cut in. Behind him stood Jasper, Alice, and Rosalie. I noticed Bella and Edward's absence, but said nothing.

"All of you?" I asked instead.

"Yes," Carlisle said. "We are a rather large family."

"I thought you guys were cousins or something."

"We're all adopted," Jasper said.

"Oh," I replied. I looked at each of them, then focused on Jasper. "Thank you for helping me."

He smiled. "Of course."

"As for you all being related...Bella?" I had to make sure.

"Oh, no." Jasper laughed. "She's on another branch."

"Thankfully," Rosalie muttered.

I frowned. She doesn't like people much, does she?

I sat on the table while the family watched me.

"I should get going," I quickly said.

"Are you sure?" Carlisle stopped me. "You are hurt."

"I'm sure," I said. "Thank you."

I went out the front door and turned to shut it behind me. I saw that they were all still looking at me. I closed the door and sighed. They were some weird people.

I walked on the sidewalk towards my house. I wonder how long it'll take for the Whitecoats to find me. It might be good for me to run away. To protect Ella and Mom. But they offered me a place to stay, I can't just leave them when they were so happy to have me back?

I paced along the sidewalk, thinking of excuses to get away, but came up empty. If I ran away, then the Whitecoats would threaten my mom and sister. Who would protect them then? I looked up at the sky. Somewhere, under this same one, the Flock was hidden. I really couldn't stand the fact that they had so easily gotten over me, but everything I do seems to trigger my memory of them.

Life really sucks.

In the end, I decided to fly my way around instead of using foot. I wasn't really sure where I was going, but I didn't care. I didn't want to go back home right now.

I ended up back in the cursed meadow. That stupid meadow.

Deciding that I already was becoming a sap, I just sat down in the tall grass. I tried to lay on my back when my neck hit something hard.

"Ow!" I heard.

"What the-?" I spun my head around and saw- low and behold- Jacob Black.

"What are you doing here, Max?" he yelled.

"I could ask the same for you! Where the hell have you been?"

"Nowhere." I looked at him. "Just here," Jake said, looking away. "I just needed to get away for a while."

"Why?"

"Reasons."

"Whatever."

"What are you doing here, huh? This place is miles from Forks."

"Not really," I said. I didn't think it was.

"You're in California, Max. Didn't you see the state sign when you drove in?"

California? Wow. "Well, first off- I did not know that I was in California. Second, I didn't drive in. I don't know how to drive."

"Don't lie to me," Jacob said. "You're at least 17."

"I'm 15."

"No, you're not."

"Yes, I am."

"No."

"Yes." My voice got higher and higher.

"No."

"Yes, I am!" I screeched.

"But you're a senior," Jacob pointed out.

"I skipped a few grades because I'm really smart, okay?"

"What a humble thing to say," Jake grumbled.

"How did you even find this place?" I said, changing the subject. I didn't want to accidentally blow my cover by saying that information was programmed into me. That wouldn't be good.

"I used to come here with my dad a lot." His eyes got dreamy, as if remembering memories. "What about you?"

"I used to come here with, uh, my… ex."

His eyes blinked and became stern. "Your ex?"

"Yeah, it's a long story I'd rather not talk about," I mumbled, glancing away.

"Why?"

"You're really insensitive!" I yelled, jerking up onto my feet. I could feel fresh tears starting to well up. I needed to get away.

"Woah, I did not mean to go past any boundaries," Jacob said, holding up his hands defensively.

"Well, you did." With that, I ran towards the bushes. I heard Jake chasing after me, calling my name. I went deep into the woods and climbed up a tree. Jacob ran past my tree, and I quickly took off.

Jacob Black makes my life suck, too.