FAX ( A Maximum Ride FanFic )

Chapter Two

Chapter Two : KISSER

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MAX

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"HOW LONG WILL ALL of this take, Max?" Nudge asks me in between licks of her ice cream cones. The first three had already been devoured. Its chocolate with a nutty topping and cream stuff. I decided to go for two vanilla sundaes, with hot fudge, extra sprinkles, and those cute little gummy bears - book hunting wasn't easy. First, I didn't know what bookstores were called - I just looked for something that may be related to books, and then went inside. So far, two of the three stores weren't useful. One was a department store, and other was a library - the lady there wouldn't let us go get books unless we had a library card. And the MaxRide Card, as I found out, isn't for books.

So now we were walking down East Linden, where there were more stores and shops. I yanked Nudge after me as we passed a shoe boutique - I didn't want us getting distracted now. I didn't know where Fang was - but knowing him, he was curled up somewhere, watching the art sculptures out in front of those huge buildings; the ones I always tell myself to remember the name of, and then don't.

Finally, a store, it said 'BookSmart ' on the storefront, and had a bunch of posters of "the latest in teen and science fiction." Nudge and I entered, and a small bell rang upon opening the door. An old guy with wrinkles and very little hair greeted us. He smelled of catfish and laundry detergent. I raised a brow.

"I need some books on education." I say, and he smiles with wide, surprisingly clean teeth. I wonder if they're dentures. "Books are education, missy. Now what are you searching for?" I roll my eyes. Nudge speaks this time. "Things like spelling. And uh, math, right? Oh, and fashion, shoes, hair, clothes - did you get that? Should I slow down, because you look confused. No? Okay. So, again, we need magazines about shoes, hair, clothes, and jewelry, because I just love looking at those in magazines - " I put my hands on her mouth, and she quiets down. The old guy looks confused.

"Sorry, she has speaking problems. Just - books on like, math and spelling, and writing. And um - " I paused, thinking of Iggy. "Do you have audiobook lessons on this stuff." He shakes his head quickly. "Err - just wait there, missy, and I'll be right back with with what I can find." He says. I purse my lips and narrow my eyes at Nudge. I don't want to scowl too much, and my insides are sweet from eating ice cream and candies.

We eventually left BookSmart with several books teaching how to write, how to spell, and some reading. Mainly, the spelling was for Gazzy - and writing for Fang, definitely. Reading for Nudge. And for me, well - did two sundaes count? And Angel was a genius. How could you do homework when you can just read the mind of someone who knows the answer? Now we just had to find Fang.

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FANG

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A BARNES AND NOBLES. A bookstore Max had sent me to. So far, I had gotten a few things - like books on art - something that's held my interest for a long time. I reached up easily to the top shelf, just to be knocked I to by a random person. "Hey, why don't you - "

I frowned instantly, and backed up. The bright red hair that had once attracted me was there, along with sparkling green eyes and slight freckles - Lissa. She smiled when I looked at her - and she looked like a predator trapping its prey. She revealed two rows of bleached teeth, all of which were too straight to be normal. "You again?" I sighed.

"Oh, what's the matter, Fang? Max not loving you good enough?" Lissa cooed, stepping closer. I crossed my arms, and schooled my face into a blank mask. "I know just how to fix that. You - and me. I promise I won't bite - unless you want me to, of course." She placed her hand on my chest, and I gripped her forearm, knocking it away.

"What and how Max loves me is none of your business. Secondly, you are the last person I would ever run to if she didn't." I said, turning away. Lissa gripped my shoulders, pulling me down with strength I didn't know she had. While I was frozen in surprise, she shoved me to the ground and jumped on me. "I want you, Fang. I always have." She whispered, and then the fight was over before it began.

"YOU!" It was Max, angry and red in the face. I got to see only two seconds of Lissa's shock before I moved to get up, and then try to comprehend what it was Max was yelling in her ear.

A crowd had gathered, staring at the three of us like a circus act. One teen boy had his cell phone out. I already knew things were going to get bad, by the seer amount of men in matching dark blue uniforms were storming towards us.

Lissa was thrown - across the room, and slammed into a bookshelf. There was instantly rising plaster dust and chaos. I stood, and then was also shoved down. The angry, snarling, and beautiful face of Max was only inches from my own, and she kicked me in the side. I gasped in a shaky breath and fell onto my side.

"Really! How could you, Fang! Oh my god - I ask you for one thing, and then - "

"Wait, what - "

"Don't you dare! because I do not want to hear it!" For good measure she shook my shoulders, and then fled. There were tears in her eyes as I sat up in confusion, wondering what that was all about. Not having time to catch her, I ran to Nudge, who darted out of the now destroyed bookstore. As we ran, passing through the crowds, she asked, "What went down in there?"

"I don't know, but I have to find Max. She's upset." I say, and then we turn into a dark enough alley, far away from people and onlookers. Spreading my wings, I say, "We have to find her."

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MAX

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ANGER COURSED THROUGH MY veins. I was angry - even more so then the time that Gazzy's gum machine blew up and got stuck in my hair - I had to cut over half of it off. And my hair doesn't grow as fast as you'd think. But that was long forgotten, unlike today.

I knew Fang disappeared sometimes. Mainly in the day, I would see flashes of him - save for the weekends we spent in each other's arms. But at the end of the night, he was curled up, holding me in his arms as he snored loud enough to keep me awake. There were, definitely, a few nights I would wonder where he was. With Lissa?

It was most likely my insecurity talking, but at the moment, I could see nothing else that makes sense. And then I find them, pretty much making out in a bookstore. Could you blame me for getting upset, then high tailing it outta there? My biggest regret was that I had dropped my ice cream in the trash while coming inside.

When I was flying around trees, well, through the trees, I felt a sting in my left wing, and a ripping sound. I knew that I probably broke something as the sting rushes through my wing and up my arms, pulsing until I finally hit the ground. My skin will end up scrapped and red and bloody in the morning, I know. At least, with the way I hit the ground, that is definite. A scream rips silently through my lungs, taking all a or out with it. I am left on the ground a bloody, burning mess.