Here's the new chapter. It's a little boring. Yes there is a cliff hanger and yes, I understand that the part about basketball could be confusing to those of you who don't play the sport, so just bear with me on that part. It's not my greatest writing, but I wrote this very quickly in my spare time and I did the best I could. Umm what else? Oh yeah! Reviews… I asked for five reviews on my last chapter if you all wanted me to update within two days and I only got two reviews, so yes I realize this chapter is three days late. Sooorrrryyyy! Life keeps getting in the way! (I am in the middle of a huge basketball tournament! My team is doing well! Yay! More games tomorrow so wish me luck!) Anyway, on with the story. PLEASE REVIEW MY DEAR READERS! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE! I don't mean to sound annoying by getting all up on yall about reviewing but your reviews really do make such a difference to me!

KarleeRay

"Ball!" I yell. I'm wide open, dang it, give me the ball! Chrissa finally decides to look up the floor, but by that time, it's too late. I'm already covered. My eyes shoot to the score board. 98 to 98. One minute left. We have to score if we want to win this game.

Chrissa passes the ball off to Carter at the wing, who penetrates the lane, making the defense collapse on her and then kicks the ball back out to Jessie who is left wide open at the three point line. The moment the ball leaves her fingers, I know the shot is off. My defender slams into me, attempting to block me out, but I'm one step ahead and I quickly jab right, throwing her off, and sprint into the lane, looking for an offensive rebound. The ball hits the side of the rim, and I make a mad dash for it, jumping up as high as I can. My hands close around the ball and the defense jumps all over me, everyone eager to get the ball. I pivot out of the pressure and kick it out to Carter at the top of the key.

"Work the ball! Wait for a good shot!" Coach yells, from the sideline. We fan out, clearing the lane, and pass the ball around quickly, looking for an opening. The moment Carter gets the ball again, I see our chance and I know she does too. As always, we are perfectly in sync. I jab right, faking my girl out completely and then cut to the basket. Carter nails me with a perfect pass and I quickly lay it up. The crowd goes wild, but I completely ignore them, knowing we have to play some kick butt defense for the next 15 seconds.

The other team couldn't even get the ball passed half court. We are all over them, playing the tightest man to man defense possible, and we receive a standing ovation from the crowd as the buzzer goes off.

The moment our team breaks after huddle, Carter and I are showered with praise from people in the crowd. We are completely humble, thanking people with polite smiles, but on the inside, I am jumping for joy. God that felt so good!

"I cheered for you loud, Max," Angel tells me earnestly from where she is perched on the kitchen counter.

"I know, I heard you." I beam at her and drop a kiss on her forehead. In all honesty, I hadn't heard her at all, what with so many voices yelling at the same time and trying to keep my focus on the game. She smiles and goes back to her cereal.

"Even Fang was on the edge of his seat," Nudge giggles. "We were so nervous for you. We knew you would be really mad if you lost. But that's kind of like an oxymoron. You know? Max and losing? It just doesn't go."

I smirk. "Got that right, kiddo." I grab the bag of potato chips and head up the stairs to my room, exhausted.

I bump into Fang as he is emerging from the bathroom. He's dripping wet, a towel wrapped around his waist, and I have to yell at myself not to get completely distracted by the sight of him. He smirks as if he is seeing right through me. I stuff a handful of potato chips into my mouth and grin at him. "Hey Fang." He rolls his eyes, amused at my unladylike behavior.

Still smiling, I continue past him and into my room. I take off my shirt and my shorts on the way to my bed, leaving me in a Nike sports bra and my sliders. I should probably shower, but find that I am way too tired to care. The highlights of my game replay in my head. God, the adrenaline rush was just amazing. That feeling doesn't come around as often as it used to.

I lie back on my bed, still shoveling potato chips into my mouth. Out of habit, I check all the channels to see if Criminal Minds is on. It's not. Sad day. So I settle on Ridiculousness. Have you guys ever seen that show? It is friggin hilarious. I highly recommend it….. though if you're trying to go to sleep then I hereby un-recommend it because I have been trying to do just that for the past thirty minutes, and I am declaring it impossible. It's just too… well ridiculous to go to sleep on.

As if to prove that this is true, I find myself sitting upright in bed, cackling deliriously, at 1:00 in the morning. Quickly, I rewind the TV and play back a clip that I have watched four times already. It just hasn't gotten old. This kid face plants into the ground so hard. As the clip plays, I find myself laughing so hard there are tears running from my eyes. I clutch my stomach, gasping for air. In all reality, the clip was probably a little funny, but my delirious state was making it down right hilarious.

And when a dark shaggy head peeks inside my room, I think that's funny too. "What are you doing?" Fang asks, staring at me in disbelief. "It's one in the morning." He walks towards me calmly, amusement sparking in his dark eyes. I reach up and catch his hand, pulling him onto the bed.

"You have to watch," I giggle. "It's so funny!"

I play the clip for him, and pout playfully when he doesn't laugh. "That's funny!" I say accusingly. He shrugs. "Fang," I whine, lying back against him. "You aren't being any fun!"

At this, he smiles, amused. "Max, I think you need to go to sleep." He pulls the covers up around me, but I don't feel too tired so I squirm out of them.

"Do you wanna watch this with me or not?"

"Max…." He says, very seriously. "You are acting cray cray." He keeps a straight face the whole time, but I have no idea how. That would take some pretty serious skill. Obviously, it was absolutely hilarious to hear "cray cray" come out of Fang's mouth. My body shakes with laughter, and after a few seconds, Fang breaks too and begins to chuckle, pulling me into a hug.

We sober up a few minutes later and Fang takes my remote, turning off my show and putting on some boring movie. I protest fiercely, but he won't listen to me. "Max, you need to rest. You're delirious, sweetie."

I stop fighting him, instead snuggling down under the covers and curling into his chest. "Atta girl," He murmurs, kissing my forehead.

I fight off sleep as best as I can for as long as I can, treasuring every moment in Fang's arms, but in the end I am no match for my exhausted body.

"It doesn't matter," I ground out, breathing hard. My fist strikes out, smashing into the poor punching bag in front of me.

"Max," Carter whines. "You have to go."

I stop pummeling the bag, stepping back and pushing sweaty hair out of my eyes. "Carter, dances really aren't my scene. I don't like make up, I don't like doing my hair and I definitely don't like wearing dresses. I'm not going."

Carter protests, but I quickly block her out and go back to slamming my lethal fists into my punching bag, which is way more fun than some dance could ever be. Picturing an eraser standing in front of me, I start to add in deadly kicks in between my hits. Adrenaline pumps into me. It's friggin awesome.

Once I'm done with my warm up, I begin to practice complex fighting maneuvers, jabbing left and right, swinging huge roundhouse kicks, completing perfect Jumping spinning rear- mediums, and inward and outward defences. I'm in a trance, letting my body take over and do what it does best.

"Max, that was the bell!" Carter chastises, moving in front of me with her hands on her hips. "Now if you're done making me feel like such a lame fighter, I'd like to go to class."

I grin, wiping sweat off of my forehead. "Okay, okay, let's go then." I retrieve my backpack from the bleachers and join Carter, Fang, Nudge, and Ella who are waiting for me at the door.

"Oh! Done showing off are we?" Ella inquires as we begin to walk down the hallway.

"Just blowing off some steam," I reply smoothly.

Nudge begins to ramble but I am instantly distracted when a sharp pain enters my head. I don't even have time to start to panic before I am enduring a full blown brain explosion. I feel myself crumple to the ground, and I sense rather than hear the panic going on around me. I bite down hard on my lip. Don't scream. Don't scream. Don't scream. I feel a hand on my arm and instantly I lose my cool, an earsplitting scream leaving my lips. My body writhes wildly and I can feel someone, probably Fang, trying to stop my thrashing so I don't hurt myself more. The salty taste of tears appears on my tongue. Why isn't it stopping? My hands come up against my will and I find myself raking my fingernails over my face hard enough to draw blood. Someone snatches my hands away and another agonized scream emerges from my lips. Oh God. Oh God. Oh God.

And then everything goes black.