Chapter 8- Fang P.O.V.
I flopped down in my seat next to Iggy in history.
"You look happy." Iggy Poked me in the arm, and I just sighed. I sat up and looked at Iggy, seeing Lissa out of the corner of my eye watching Lissa sit down a chair away from me, Instead of next to me like she usually did.
"Do you like Max?" I blurted out suddenly, and Iggy scrunched up his eyebrows.
"What? No, she's all alone. She needs a friend." He told me, and I dropped my head back into my arms. It didn't feel like "Just friends" from where I was, watching like a loser from the sidelines.
"What can I do to be her friend, too?" I asked, and Iggy shrugged.
"You can't just force your way into her life. But you can try just being nice to her." He told me, and I just dropped my head back into my arms, the leather of my jacket cool on my forehead. The chair at the seat next to me scraped backwards, and someone dropped their backpack next to them.
"Hi Nick." I sat up straight in my chair, looking over at Maya.
"Why are you in Lissa's spot?" I asked, her, and she pouted and tipped her head slightly to the side.
"Is that a problem? I just wanted to sit by you..." She trailed off and I just shrugged and gave her a little smile. She smiled at me again, and I internally compared her to Max. She had on a hot pink bustier and a pink flowered skirt, her hair stick straight and her face completely done, Kim kardashian contouring and everything. I only knew this because she liked to brag about how good at it she was.
"You look nice today." I told her, and she smiled at me cattily, propping her chin up on the back of her tan hand. I smirked back at her, letting my fringe fall forward to shade my eyes. I don't know why I was flirting with her, I didn't actually like her like that, but It was enough distraction from Max for now.
Iggy folded his arms over his chest next to me, and leaned back in his chair next to me as the teacher walked in. I turned forewords to face the front of the room, feeling a familiar weight settle onto my stomach.
Max P.O.V.
I hurried out of trigonometry, my last class before lunch. I stuffed my backpack into my locker and took my pass from the front pocket of my backpack. I turned, but accidentally bumped into someone.
"Sorry." I muttered and tried to walk around whoever it was, but they grabbed my bicep. My eyes flickered up to meet Nicks, and he smirked down at me.
"Hey Maxie." I let out a breath and just walked around him and wrenched my arm out of his grasp, folding my arms across my stomach and dropping my head down to look at my new shoes as I speed up my pace towards the lunchroom.
"Max!" I walked faster, turning a corner. I heard Nick take a few running steps to catch up to me.
"What do you want." I asked him in a hushed voice that could probably be barely heard by him. He propped one elbow up on my right shoulder.
"Come on Max. We talked at Nudges." I rolled my eyes, entering the lunchroom.
"So what." I ground out, and he huffed and leaned against the wall, looking stoic.
"I just hoped I could fix things." I huffed air out of my mouth, blowing a chunk of my hair away from my face.
"You can't fix things, Nick." He looked agitated and pushed himself up from the wall as the line shifted forewords.
"Well how can I try?" He asked again, coming a tad closer to my face than I felt comfortable with. The muted pain in my stomach turned suddenly, reminding what happened to me when I tried to reach out to him for help.
"Why did you turn away." I asked him, but it came out more as a statement. I grabbed a red tray taking a double cheeseburger and basket of fries.
"Come on..." He started, but I cut him off, taking a container of two-percent.
"No, you saw me, you saw them. You just walked away. Do you know what if feels like to be the center of those kids, having the shit kicked out of you?" He shook his head as I handed a small old woman my pass and offered her a small smile, which she warmly returned.
"Yeah, but Iggy had no problem standing up to her. That's why I don't want anything to do with you or your friends. You don't care about anyone but yourselves." I turned and headed out of the lunchroom, outside to where I usually sat. Angel and Gazzy were already sitting under the tree. Angel turned towards me and waved, and I hurried my pace towards her and Gazzy. Angel patted the grass next to her and I sat down as she unwrapped her sandwich and took a bite. Gazzy took a few of my french fries and dipped them in a tiny cup of ketchup on the edge of my tray.
I gave him a playful sharp look and he grinned back at me.
"Nudge is coming, and Iggy had a test." At that moment, Nudge burst out of the black double doors, her long, curly hair flying everywhere.
"How does she run that fast in heels and not tip her tray?" I wondered aloud as she plopped down next to me, not even breathing hard. She brushed her hair back and flashed a brilliant smile at me.
"Wow! You look great! I love your natural hair with that top, you can just keep it because it looks way better on you than on me!" She continued to talk to Angel and Gazzy, and I unwrapped my cheeseburger and stared at it for a second, before taking a bite of it. Iggy walked outside with his tray in one hand and a thick book in the other. He sits between Gazzy and Nudge and immediately digs into his lunch.
"You okay Iggy?" I asked in a hushed voice, and everyone went silent and looked to Iggy, who had then looked up from his food, a tense look on his face, which he quickly erased and replaced with a smile.
"Yeah." He took a bit of his pepperoni pizza and Angel rolled her eyes. I went back to eating my food. Something was obviously bothering Iggy, but I let it slide, I didn't want to bother him.
"Angel, did you see Chars sweater? She had on a polka dot sweater, and a PLAID scarf! Plaid! Ugh, I think I almost keeled over on the spot!" Angel and Nudge continued for a while, and I tuned them out, crawling around the circle so I could sit by Gazzy.
"Did you get the Bengals versus Packer game last night Gaz?" I asked, and his face lit up.
"Yeah. You should come over and watch the game tonight at our house, Max." He asked casually, taking a bite of his pizza. I grinned, happy to be invited to yet another friends house.
"I'd love too Gaz."
The bell rang signaling the end of the day. I leaped out of my chair and snatched up my backpack, walking fast out of the English room. I joined in the crowd of students and walked down to my locker, keeping my head down, but still keeping an eye out for any populars. I made it to my locker, and dumped in my chemistry book. It was friday, and I didn't plan on doing anything school related over the weekend. I grabbed my black windbreaker and zipped up my backpack, putting my earbuds in.
I made my way to the front of the school, where Gazzy said he would wait for me. I scanned the area again, and through the sea of people I saw Maya push a smirking Fang against the lockers and start making out, Lissa standing next to them getting her books, looking a little green. I felt my stomach churn a little bit at the sight of Nick kissing my sister.
He told me he liked me at Nudges sleepover, I knew he had been lying, but I still hurt. Did I hope that he had meant it? No, he was a player, he never stayed with people for long, and why would he want someone as pathetic as me anyway. I looked forward again, blending back into the sea of students. I spotted Gazzy's spiky blonde hair as he leaned against the brick wall by the black double doors.
He spotted me and started moving towards me, looping his arm around my neck.
"Iggys outside. My mommy is making us tacos!" He mock squealed, sounding like Nudge. I laughed and wrapped my right arm around his waist, pulling out one of my earbuds. Gazzy was two years younger than me, but was still several inches taller than me. People watched us as we pushed through the doors and walked into the parking lot where Iggy was sitting on top of the cab of his car.
I waved, and Iggy bounced while sitting down on top of the car and waved back at me. Gazzy released me and ran towards the car, throwing his backpack into the flatbed and got in the backseat of the old pickup.
"Hi Maxie-waxie!" Iggy shouted as I neared the truck. I hurled my backpack into the flatbed next to Gazzy's.
"Call me that and I will shoot you." I threatened, making a gun with my hand and pretending to shoot him. Iggy cried out and clutched his chest, pretending to die. I chuckled at his antics and got in the front, Iggy climbing down from the top of the truck and getting into the drivers side and firing the ignition. The radio started up soon after, Bring Me the Horizon playing softly throughout the truck. Iggy backed out of his parking spot and we started to drive out of the parking lot. We pulled up to an intersection, and to my horror, Nick pulled up next to us.
In the passenger seat of his black 2012 range rover was my sister, with her hand placed on the inside of Nicks thigh. She was laughing at something he must have said, before seeing me watching her, the smile fading from her face, to be replaced with a scowl. Without thinking, I stuck up my middle finger at her as Iggy pulled forward and out of the intersection. I lowered my hand, and looked over at Iggy, who was grinning his stupid lopsided grin.
"You tell her Max." I smiled back at him, and Gazzy grabbed my shoulders behind me and shook them a little bit.
"You have an inner badass, Huh." Gazzy stated, and I turned around to face him, nodding my head seriously. Nicks range rover followed up for a while before we turned off the road to the right and started going down a long, open country road. I looked around, watching as fenceposts and cows went by.
Iggy turned up the volume as we went through a short tunnel and turned off the road onto a gravel driveway. Iggys old truck climbed a hill, and a farm appeared when we reached the crest of the hill.
"Its a little blank right now. The horses come next week." Iggy told me, and I turned to Him wide eyed.
"You guys have horses?" I asked with wide eyes. Despite my mom owning a veterinary clinic and loving animals, we never had any pets. I had a kitten when I was little, that grew into a cat. The only problem with it was that it hated Maya, and when my dad left he took the cat with him.
"Well, Angel does. She loves animals, collects them, almost." I leaned back in my seat. I had never been near a horse before, and my new friends had them. I bounced in my seat, excited at the prospect.
"Will you let me see them when they come?" I asked, trying to give Iggy puppy dog eyes as he pulled up next to a big wood barn.
"Don't do that face. And yes, I'll definitely let you know." I gave Iggy a soft glare, and he just grinned back at me. His eyes flickered towards the back seat for a second, and he smiled again. I turned in my chair to see Gazzy sprawled out over the three seats, his head resting on the left window.
"Gazzy fell asleep. Should we jump on the roof?" He asked, and I bit my lip, not wanting to make Gazzy mad.
"Hey, He won't be mad." I started to smile.
"For long." I frowned again, and Iggy laughed, and I just rolled my eyes.
"Come on, I'll boost you up." I tried to push down a smile, but the corners of my mouth curved up and Iggys grin stretched across his face again. I pushed open the door and climbed onto the hood of the car and onto the roof , right above where Gazzy was sleeping. Iggy looked up at my from where he was standing with his hands against the window. I crouched down and nodded at Iggy, who counted down.
"One...Two...Three!" He whispered, and I screamed bloody murder and banged the heels of my hands of the roof of the truck. Iggy pounded on the glass and screeched like a little girl. I heard a yelp from inside the truck and a muted thump on the roof, followed by hysterical laughter.
"Fucks sake..." Gazzy groaned as I slid off the roof of the truck. I peeked into the window to see him rolled up like a bug, holding his forehead.
"He jumped so high he hit his head on the top of the truck." Iggy told me, a big, dumb grin plastered over his face. I spurted a laugh, and leaned on the side of the dark blue truck.
"Shut up Iggy." Gazzy groaned from inside the truck. I gave a mischievous smile to Iggy and opened Gazzy's door, taking him by the shoulder and tugging him forward.
"Come on, drama queen. We're gonna throw a pre-game party. It'll be great! Well, better than rolling around in the back of Iggys truck." Iggy snickered behind me.
"Shut Up Iggy." I said sweetly, and Gazzy climbed out of the car. Gazzy slammed the door shut, and dramatically swept towards the house. It was sort of a cross between a cabin and one of those white modern houses, which sounds weird but from the outside, it looked really cool. Iggy came up from behind me, lazily draping his arm over my shoulders.
"I think my mom is home. She makes awesome mexican food, even though my whole family is irish." He whispered out of the corner of his mouth, and I chuckled. We went through the door, which Gazzy had left open in his dramatic exit. I looked around, while carefully taking off my red vans and kicking them next to each other against the wall. The inside was as cool as the outside, with hardwood flooring and modern finishings. I followed Iggy through the house, to what I assumed was the family room. It was two floors high, with a stone fireplace rising up through the center of the room, a t.v. and a moose head with huge antlers hanging above it.
"Who's this, Iggy?" a tall woman with natural red hair tied in a french twist, no makeup, khakis, a plaid shirt and cowboy boots walked into the room. She almost looked like part of the house, the earthy coloring of her clothes and hair matching her surroundings.
"This is Max." I tried out a small smile and Iggys mom beamed at me, the tall heels of her embroidered boots clicking on the hardwood floor.
"I'm Mrs. Griffiths, but you can call me miss Lilly." She told me, wrapping her arms around me. I awkwardly hugged her back and hoped that my hair still looked okay. She pulled away from me, and hurried back into the kitchen. Iggy smiled at me, taking my hand and tugged on my arm.
"We have a t.v. in the basement." He told me, dropping my hand and going down a set of stairs to what I assumed was their basement.
The basement at my house had exercise equipment and a concrete floor and walls, save for one wall that was all mirrors. Iggy and Gazzy basement, however, had bean bags, dark brown carpeting, and cream colored couches. Since the house was built on a hill, the east wall was all french doors looking out over the flat, greenish brown valley with the dark grey mountains in the horizon. The coolest part, however, was what looked like a real, dapple grey horse standing in the corner.
"Iggy, is that real?" I asked, walking up to it. the horse had an old western saddle and matching bridle with silver trimmings on, its mane cut in a straight line down the arch of its neck. Iggy flopped down in a beanbag next to Gazzy.
"Well, at one point. She was my dads first horse, Misty. She was thirty four when she died, when he was twelve. His dad did taxidermy, and stuffed her. My mom thought it was weird, but my dad insisted on keeping the thing." I snorted.
"They got a pet stuffed? That sounds like a weird T.V. show." I ran my left hand down the grey horses neck, but it just felt like wood underneath my hand.
"Yeah, Angel thinks its pretty cool. She liked to sit on it when she was little." I sat down in a dark green beanbag in front of the couch by Gazzy's legs. I scooted my beanbag over a little bit and leaned against Gazzys knees. Iggy turned on the T.V. until he found the channel where the game was starting. We watched in comfortable silence for a while, and Gazzys knees jostled my back every time a good play was made. I grinned as he jumped again, and their mom came down the stairs carrying a tray.
She put it down in front of me, and I leaned forward. She just smiled at me and went back up the stairs. I examined the contents of the tray, snickerdoodles, fruit, cooked ham pieces, a bowl of chips, and a few cans of sprite. I snatched up a cookie and stuffed it in my mouth, chewing thoughtfully. It was almost as good as my moms, but not quite. I swallowed and took another one, Gazzy moving from the couch to sit next to me, Iggy turning the volume down and taking a few slices of oranges.
"Slow down, Max. It wouldn't be very fun if I had to give you C.P.R. your first time here." Iggy winked at me and I whacked him on the bicep, my jaw hanging open.
"You piglet!" I screeched, and Iggy smiled and raised his arm as I raised my arm to whack him again.
"Hey! I was kidding!" I grinned again and ate another cookie while Gazzy dug into the bowl of Doritos. I took another cookie and leaned back in the beanbag, and continued to watch the game with two of my best friends.