CHAPTER 5

To Fly On Maximum Taylor Ride: That is an AMAZING idea. Thank you so much.

Disclaimer: I've just realized, I can write whatever I want here. Nobody reads these things. So yea. Hi there!

MAX POV

Ella, Nudge, and JJ dragged me into Ella's room. I groaned mentally. They grabbed their special scarves they use for tying me to chairs when they give me makeovers. This was not good. Although, it was a good thing they only had about ten minutes to interrogate me, since we all had to start getting ready for school soon.

As soon as they were done tying me up, they looked at me expectantly. "Well?" Ella inquired curiously.

"Well what?"

"Can you please explain to me what I saw just now?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," I lied, pretending to be stupid. Hey, sometimes it works.

"What were you and Fang doing?"

"We were having an intellectual conversation," I lied, again.

"That wasn't what it looked like to me."

"Well then, what did it look like to you? Please, enlighten me."

"Ok. Well, it looked like you two were about to enter a heated make-out session."

"WHAT?" I yelled. "That is not what we were doing! We were just talking about… stuff!"

I'm brilliant. Just admit it.

She rolled her eyes. "Don't like to me, Max. You were enjoying it."

Okay, so maybe I was, just a little. But I wasn't about to let them know that.

"Was not!"

"Again, Max, don't lie to me."

"Guys, get down here! It's time for school!" Mom yelled up the stairs. I breathed a sigh of relief. Thank God.

Ella glared at me. "We are not done here."

"Oh yes, we are!" were my parting words as I left the room, grabbed my hoodie, and ran outside to the bus. It came quickly, and while Nudge, Ella, and JJ were looking for seats, I grabbed my usual one, in a two-seater by myself. Fang plopped himself down in the seat across the aisle from mine.

"Hey, Fang," I said, not wanting to acknowledge what went on between us this morning.

He looked over at me. "Hey." Apparently, he didn't want to either.

And so ended our conversation. When we got to school, Ella, JJ, and Nudge joined me.

"Hey Max, don't forget, the soccer results are posted today! We should go look at them as soon as we get in! I mean, I bet you and Fang totally got on, but I don't know about me. Maybe I didn't get in because I wasn't good enough. Do you think I wasn't good enough to make the team? I sure hope not. That would suck, because you would be on the te-" she was cut off by JJ's hand. Thank God.

"Nudge, I really don't need a migraine at this point in time. Please refrain from attempting to give me one."

She blushed. "Sorry, Max, it just happens."

I smiled. "Yea, I think I realized that by now."

Together, we walked into the school. I would never tell anyone this, but my stomach was beginning to do backflips. Too bad the office was on the other side of the school. Sigh.

I told Nudge, JJ, and Ella that I would be back in a few minutes. I jogged to the bathroom and splashed some cold water on my face. "Relax, Max. It doesn't matter if you made it or not. It doesn't matter."

Just then, a toilet flushed, and someone walked out of a bathroom stall. I quickly took in her appearance: light blonde hair down to a little above the middle of her back, innocent baby blue eyes. Something told me that she always got what she wanted, and not because she was mean, but because nobody could ever say no.

"Hi," she said.

"Hey," I responded.

"So, what were you talking about, 'it doesn't matter if you make the team'?" Dangit, someone heard. I thought nobody would be in here.

"Oh, I tried out for the school soccer team yesterday, and I was just telling myself that if I didn't make it, I wouldn't be disappointed," I explained.

"Oh. Good luck. I'm Angel, by the way."

"Thanks, Angel, I'll see you around sometime. I better go, I told my friends I would meet them somewhere."

"Alright, bye!"

I ran to the office, suddenly very anxious to see if I had made it or not. I read down the list of names quickly. The list read:

This year's soccer team (in no particular order based on skill) is:

Fang Walker

Maximum Ride

Ella Martinez

Nudge Miller

JJ Barrett

Amy Hart

Dennis Brokaw

John Fisher

Vicki Frazier

David Russell

Julia Wright

Wow. All of us had made the team. I sprinted though the hallways (I know, I know, I'm a bad girl) with a huge grin on my face. When Nudge, Ella, and JJ saw me, I could tell they were a bit creeped out.

"Max, why are you wearing that big, creepy grin on your face?" asked JJ slowly.

"No reason," I chirped.

"Alright, well, we're going to see the list now," said JJ.

"Great!" I exclaimed. For some reason, this had put me in an incredibly good mood. I couldn't wait to share the information with Fang.

Wait, Fang? Why Fang?

Maybe because you already feel attached to him. Maybe you two were meant for each other.

And so returns the Voice. Of course. Just when my mind was finally free of strange and uncalled-for Voices.

I also severely doubted that me and Fang were "meant for each other." That's just bull. Of course, it has to be, since it was said by the Voice. Ha. Voice just got burned.

Max, you can't "burn" me. I'm a figment of your imagination.

Then how come you're so annoying? Anything that's a figment of MY imagination can't even come close to being annoying. Heck, it can't be annoying at all, if I thought of it.

If I really existed, Max, I'd be rolling my eyes at your sheer arrogance.

Yea, well, you don't exist, thank God. And don't use those big words with me!

I'm leaving now.

Good. Be on your merry little way, won't you?

After that came silence. Blessed silence. Ah, how I missed it. But, of course, it had to be interrupted by Nudge and her incessant chatter.

"Hey Max, how come you're not moving? We need to get going, unless you want to be late for class! Well, knowing you, you probably DO want to be later for class, but I don't, and we have all of our classes together and I told you at the beginning of the year that I would always walk with you! So come on, Max, let's goooo! We don't want to be late! Wait, am I repeating myself? I think I am. I'll stop talking now!"

Nudge? Stop talking? I doubt it. Five… Four… Three… Two… One…

"Can I talk again? I mean, it's not like I couldn't before, but I said I would, and I wanted to keep my word, but it's just so hard to keep from talking! How can Fang manage it? I mean, I haven't really gotten to know him, but as far as I know, he never talks. That must be so difficult! I mean, seri-" I placed my hand over her mouth and began walking, since I realized that we had stopped.

"Nudge, it's easy to stop talking for everyone except you," I told her truthfully.

"Oh, well, I still don't see how everyone does it."

I shook my head slowly. "Someday, Nudge, you'll understand what it feels like to be us around you. Someday, you'll meet someone who talks much more than you."

She beamed. "I doubt that's possible. I mean, I don't try to brag, but I don't think anyone can surpass me in the art of talking."

"I bet Fang can beat you, easy," I said sarcastically. "He's like, the champion of talking. Can't you just tell?"

"What was that about me?" said a deep, gruff voice from behind me. I spun around.

"Hey, Fang, we were just talking about how you could totally beat Nudge in a talking competition."

"No comment."

I snorted. "Thought so."

Together, we walked to our first period class, which was English. It was boring as heck, of course. I only got through it by passing notes to Fang, who was in the seat, once again, across the aisle from me.

(Fang=bold, Max=Italics)

Hey.

Hey.

You as bored as I am?

Most likely.

Did you check the list for soccer yet?

No.

Well, you should. Oh wow, I just remembered, I got totally sidetracked with Nudge and forgot to go check it with her. Ha ha.

Your intelligence is blinding.

I know. There should be a whole book dedicated to how smart I am.

Right, "smart."

Shut up! FYI, I'm probably a lot smarter than you!

Right.

Must you sarcastically agree with everything?

Absolutely. Life wouldn't be fun if I didn't.

Life isn't all that fun already. Especially with you here.

Hurtful.

Ha. I win.

In your dreams.

I don't have to dream for it. It's already reality.

Well your reality is messed up.

So's your mom.

So's your face.

So's your life.

So's your mom.

I can't believe I'm still talking with you.

Stop, then.

Gladly. Don't respond to this.

Ha. I responded. I win.

…He shall not live to see the afternoon.