The Dark Before The Light (Maximum Ride Fanfic)

Chapter 2

     As 9:00 rolled around, the flock slowly assembled in the square. First, Dylan came back. Of course. Next, Gazzy and Iggy came without blowing anything up. Surprising. Nudge showed up last, with a bag full of new clothes… and Total. Typical Nudge.

     Fang and I had taken a long walk along the beach, silently, hand in hand. A bit clichée, but we were feeling it. Once everyone was there, I stood up.

     “Alright…. Role call… Fang?”

   “Here.”

   “Iggy?”

   “Hola.”

   “Nudge?”

   “Yo!”

   “Gazzy?”

   “Here!”

   “Total?”

     He barked in response, even though he can talk. I almost said Angel. I miss her so much…

   “So guys, is it time to head back to America?”

     Moans and disagreement met my proposition. Right.

   “Come on, we had our fun.”

     Dylan gave me a sad look and I almost melted. God, why does he have to be so charming!? I guess I feel a little sorry for him. It’s like he can’t love anyone else!

   “Alright so we didn’t all have fun. But it’s time to go home!”

   “Max…” Nudge plead, “Let us stay! It’s not like we really have anywhere to go! Pleeeaaaseee!”

     I thought about that a little. She was right; we had nowhere to go in the USA.

   “Fine. We can stay. We’re getting a hotel room, I guess, but does anyone have any idea where we’ll get the money?” I glared accusingly at Iggy, Gazzy, and Dylan. “And we are not going to rob a bank. Got it?”

   “Okay Max, we won’t rob a bank,” Iggy said, looking down at his shoes.

     I stared at him as he nonchalantly pulled out a wad of cash, a hundred dollar bill at the top. “You did NOT rob a bank,” I growled through my clenched teeth.

     Iggy glanced up at me apologetically. “Technically, we robbed a Mr. Dmitri Tayler,” He said, as if reading off his hand.

     I lunged at him, but Fang grabbed me in a tight embrace before I actually touched the blonde. “Calm down, Max- we needed the money anyway! And if the banker was too dumb to notice that Iggy clearly wasn’t Dmitri Tayler, it was his fault!”

     Iggy laughed. “The teller was a girl- a hot one- and I got her number right here!” He showed me his palm. How would he know if she was hot anyway? He's blind!

   “Nice!” Gazzy high-fived Iggy.

   “Max?” Nudge asked in that innocent voice she has. “Is he in trouble?”

     I calmed myself down right there. Should he be in trouble? Do I even really have the authority over him? I mean, what’s the worst I can do to him? Tell him not to do it again? And we do need the money…

     I sighed. “No, Nudge, Iggy’s not in trouble. But the cash he does have is paying for our hotel.”

     Iggy put his hands up in defeat. “Done.”

   “Alright. Let’s find ourselves a hotel,” I declared.

     Fang and Dylan positioned themselves on either side of me as we began walking. Of course. Nudge and Iggy walked side-by-side and Gazzy and Total led. I think I've been seeing something going on between Nudge and Iggy. It’s kind of sweet, in an almost awkward way. I don’t know for sure that it is, but oh well.

     Once we reached the hotel, everyone stood in a circle outside while Fang and I walked into the lobby. He slipped his hand into mine and we walked across the lobby to the check-in desk.

   “Hello, how may I help you?” A nice, pretty young woman in a red manager’s vest asked us. Her long light brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she extended her hand.

     I took her hand. “I’m Maxi- Maxine Ride.” I smiled.

   “I’m Emily. Would you like a room?” She smiled back and I swear, her eyes changed color. They're brownish-red now, but weren't they blue?

   “Yes… Well- Do you have any rooms with three double beds?” I asked, looking concerned, tilting my head a bit.

   “Of course we do.” She grinned at us with the most fake smile I have ever seen and handed Fang a little gold key. There’s something up with this chick. “That’ll be-” she typed on her keyboard, “Two hundred dollars.”

     I handed her two hundreds, and she put it into the register. “Thank you, Miss. Your room is number 253 on the 7th floor. I’ll be seeing you all later.” Another fake smile.

   “Yeah… Bye.” I slowly edged away from the desk. Fang and I walked back to the flock. “We have three double beds. So here’s my plan: Fang and I, Iggy and Gazzy, and Nudge and Dylan.” Dylan and Nudge glanced nervously at each other. “Get over it…”

     We walk across the lobby to the elevator. There was cheesy music playing, and I don’t usually trust elevators, but it was the quickest way… The interior wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t quite my style. It was almost a Victorian pattern on the wall in the colors of red and gold. The floor was a deep green carpet and it was actually pretty roomy.

     We all got into the elevator and Gazzy pressed the button for the seventh floor. I really hope our room looks a bit less like this and a bit more like a living environment. But I guess it doesn’t matter much.

     Fang and I had a silent staring contest, Iggy and Gazzy excitedly whispered, and Nudge and Dylan stood still and give each other more awkward glances.

   Ding! The elevator hit the seventh floor. We all stepped out, and the floors in the hallways were hardwood. The walls are bottom-half wood, top-half a deep red paint. We got to our room and slowly opened the door.