'Sup guys? :) Happy Valentine's Day! Or in other cases, Happy Single Awareness Day! S.A.D. for short.

I dunno where I got this idea, but I hope you enjoy it anyways! :D

- - - - -O- - - - -

"Follow me." Fang whispered, holding out his hand to me, the smallest of smiles seen on his face. I hesitated at first, but quickly shoved down my fear and slid my hand in his, allowing him to pull me into the depth and darkness.

Well it wasn't exactly depth and darkness. After we pushed our way through over-grown bushes, with Fang's warm hand still clutching mine, we came across a small beautiful garden in shades of blues and purples, the only light coming from the wooden gazebo in the center.

I gasped audibly and Fang looked back to smile at me, a full-fledge grin, exposing all his perfect white teeth. I didn't know which was more beautiful: the garden or his smile.

He continued to pull me forward towards the gazebo, and I couldn't help but notice that he was wearing semi-formal clothes – a white button-down polo rolled up to his elbows, a grey and black sweater over his dress shirt, jeans and clean shoes. I looked down at myself and noticed that I was wearing nice clothes as well – a white dress that reached mid-thigh, with lace cap sleeves and a low square neckline. I was even able to walk properly on the grass in gold strappy heels without falling flat on my face.

This was really something.

With my free hand, I fingered my head, and realized that my hair had been styled – knotted and pinned into a messy bun with a few wavy strands framing my face.

I don't know how Nudge did it, or how she got us to wear these in the first place, but she made us look good.

Hand still held gently in his, Fang lead me up the two steps of the gazebo and brought the both of us to the center, coming to stand on front of each other just a few inches away.

"Max." he stated my name, that single word filled with so much emotion. His eyes stared into mine with an unreadable expression that I all but shivered under his gaze.

"What is it, Fang?"

He took a step forward until there was practically no more space between us. My heart leaped to my throat and I felt as though I were sweating bullets. No, make that cannonballs. Slowly, he lowered his head until his mouth was directly beside my ear.

"Maximum Ride, I've been waiting for this day for a long time." He whispered, sending shivers down my spine and unleashing a bunch of butterflies, caterpillars, ladybugs, grasshoppers, the whole damn shebang in my stomach. Oh God…

"W-why?" I couldn't help but stutter. Why did he have to smell so good and invade my personal space?

"Valentine's Day is not very special, but if I had the pleasure to spend it with you, just you, I'd make Valentine's Day extraordinary. As extraordinary and amazing as you." Then when I thought things couldn't get anymore uncomfortable (in a good sort of way), he placed his hands on my waist, pressing his body to mine.

"Max, will you be my Valentine?"

I couldn't answer at first. Staring into his onyx eyes again, waiting for my answer, I froze.

This couldn't be happening. I was dreaming, I was sure of it. These things don't happen to me. I get beaten by Erasers, and tested by evil whitecoats, and take monthly showers for crying out loud! I don't get asked out by Fang. This was too impossible.

And yet, it felt so right. Standing with him in the gazebo, trapped in his warm hands just a few inches from leaving no space between us at all, I never wanted leave.

I felt at home with Fang.

Gathering up what courage I could muster, I nodded, starting to smile when I saw his eyes brighten. And when I knew that there was no need to be afraid, I lifted my arms to wrap around his neck, running my fingers through his black, silky hair. I went on my tiptoes even in heels, and drew his face closer, feeling the warmth and taste of his lips brush against mine-

RRRIIIIINNGG!

"MOTHER F-!" I half-cussed before I fell off my bed, a tangle of limbs and sheets as I struggled. When I was finally able to sit up and rub some of the sleep out of my eyes, I looked towards the clock…

7:27am

SEVEN TWENTY-SEVEN AM?

"AH CRAP!" I cussed again, completely awake now, and dashed for the bathroom worthy of a gold medal in a marathon.

After seven very unhygienic minutes later, I was dressed in faded skinny jeans with rips on the shins and knees, Toms and a Go Radio t-shirt. I pulled all my light brown hair into a side ponytail and brushed my teeth for three seconds.

Going back to my room, I grabbed all the school stuff I could spot lying around into my canvas side bag and practically flew downstairs.

Figured you needed a little more rest. Dropping off the kids for you and walking with Iggy to school. Later. –Fang

I crumpled the note from the fridge and threw it in the trashcan with accuracy, never stopping in my stride as I left the house and broke into a sprint.

- - - - -O- - - - -

"You're late Ms. Ride." Mr. Donovan said without taking his eyes off the board as I entered homeroom, the clock reading exactly 7:42am.

"BY TWO FRICKEN MINUTES!" I wanted to shout, but instead, sighed and went to my seat in the back of the class. I punched Fang on the arm as I slumped in my seat with exhaustion, dumping my bag on the floor and not really caring that some of its contents spilled out.

Fang raised an eyebrow in question, not even bothering to rub the spot where I was sure was sore. I threw a pretty hard punch, but Fang was kind of immune to that stuff.

"Why the hell would you think I'd need more rest? I'm fine!" I whisper-shouted at him, pushing all the loose strands of hair back from my face with frustration. Fang gave me a pointed look, the look that said, "Oh, are you really?" and I wanted to shriek like a banshee from all his silent words. Why couldn't he talk like normal people do?

"Ms. Ride, stop disturbing Mr. Lewis. This is your first warning." Mr. Donovan said, still not taking his eyes off the board as he wrote about a new policy.

I wanted to punch someone.

"Hey Nick," The girl sitting adjacent to Fang on the other side whispered, "So umm…like…do you have a date for Valentine's yet?" she continued, her voice an octave higher than what her regular voice sounded like, and top it all off, she let out a high-pitched giggle at the end of her sentence, twirling her platinum blonde hair with her index finger.

I stared at her for a few seconds with disgust before I looked towards the front of the classroom and waited for Mr. Donovan to call on Sab (if I remembered correctly, that was her name). I held back my groan as I noticed him act completely deaf to her exaggerated attempts at flirting and instead turned towards the desk to distribute memos.

The universe hates me.

- - - - -O- - - - -

To catch you all up to speed, the flock and I go to regular school now. A few months after the whole Germany fiasco we decided to stay under the radar, and what better way to lie low than to go to normal school and try to live normal lives.

I'm fifteen now, in my sophomore year of high school, along with Iggy and Fang. We live with my mother, Dr. Val Martinez, and my half-sister, Ella. Everything remains the same, really. We still have wings, we're still on the run, we're still mutant bird-kids.

Well, except of course that my feelings for Fang grew over the few months.

It's very confusing, where we stood with each other. He would sometimes flirt with me (complimenting me unnecessarily was flirting, right?) and in the next second, he treats me like a sister. He's kissed me thrice (yes, thrice) after we came back from Germany, and yet sometimes when I look at him, it's like nothing ever happened between us.

He was confusing the heck out of me.

Neither of us are doing anything about it though. I wouldn't want to complicate my friendship with Fang, and since he's the one who started this mess, he should be the one to sort things out first.

Back to the present, let me remind you all that today's Valentine's Day (hence the very blush-inducing dream). That day of the year when guys would ask girls out and romantically spend their entire evening with them. Or in other cases, where desperate girls asked out innocent guys.

Fang. He was one of those innocent guys. Here in this school, his reputation was Mr. Strong, Silent and Gorgeous. Which was pretty spot on, if I do say so myself.

And here I am, first period of the day, sitting right beside Fang, and already 3 girls have asked him out. Three. And it was only 8:10am.

I'm so embarrassed by my gender. I really am.

The rest of the day went pretty much the same way. Next period 2 girls asked and in the next, 3 more. I could bet you some of them didn't even really know him, and yet I watched display after display of hair-twirling, eyelash-batting, gum-chewing, high-pitched-giggling, fake-arm-slapping tactics, all of which Fang said no to.

Okay, now I was confused. He had the opportunity to spend his night with some big-haired bimbo of sorts and do something cliché like eat never-ending pasta that get you to kiss each other like in that Disney dog movie*, or take a stroll in the nearby park while holding hands and staring into each others mesmerizing eyes. Isn't that what most guys would want? Why was Fang saying no?

And apparently, I wasn't the only one who noticed this.

"Dude, why the hell did just say no to sexy Sally? She was all over you!" Iggy exclaimed as we walked to our next class together, dodging girls while we were at it.

I really tried resisting the urge to roll my eyes, but with Iggy there was no stopping it. "Really, James? Sexy Sally? Do you take pleasure in getting anymore disgusting or are you just asking to be strangled by your own intestines?" I said, glaring at him even though I knew it was totally wasted.

"Take a chill pill, Chris. I was just kidding…" he said, using my fake name, and raised his hands up in mock surrender. I thought the conversation was over, but then he whispered to Fang, "No need to get your panties in a knot…"

It was then that I gave Iggy a Biology textbook-sized bruise.

"But really! Why haven't you said yes to anyone yet?" Iggy asked Fang, rubbing the very sore spot with vigor.

"None of those girls are just right for me." He said with no hesitation, staring straight ahead in the hallways with no emotions on his face.

Usually, I could read Fang like the back of my hand, but this time, I was completely left in the dark.

"Whatever, man. It's your choice if you plan on spending it with someone or if you'd rather plan 'battles strategies against Erasers' at home like this killjoy over here." He jerked a thumb at me.

And then I gave Iggy a Math textbook-sized bruise.

"Quit it!" he yelled, rubbing the new spot while wincing.

"I'm not the one being a douche." I pointed out.

And while Iggy and I argued, I faintly wondered if I really saw Fang smile to himself thoughtfully, the up-turn on the corner of his mouth disappearing in a flash.

- - - - -O- - - - -

Seven. Fricken. Teen.

That's how many girls asked Fang out.

Where did all these girls' dignities go? I have no clue.

Iggy got himself a Valentine whereas Fang and I remained dateless.

It wasn't because I was unattractive or anything, I just didn't think Valentine's was worth spending if it wasn't with Fang.

…

You're probably aww-ing right now, aren't you?

There were a few guys who asked me out, but I politely told them no. I barely even knew half the guys who asked anyways, and do I seriously look like the type of person who would celebrate the holiday dedicated to all things pink?

That was a rhetorical question.

Iggy ended up asking out some girl from our History class. She was nice, that one time I talked to her, and she wasn't one of the desperate ones.

Iggy isn't a complete moron. He still is one, but he got himself someone respectable and easy-going, and he wasn't going to act like a douche to her. He actually liked her (Iggy? Capable of mushy-gushy oh-snap-I'm-gonna-be-sick feelings? Brace yourselves, guys. He's officially gone unpredictable.) and he wanted to take her to a carnival close-by tonight.

Fang's situation was a complete mystery to me. I was surprised to find that I still couldn't see what he was up to and what he was thinking. Maybe he was planning on asking someone out, instead of accepting some random girl's proposition.

The thought made me sad, but I wasn't a big fan of emotions, so I swallowed it down quickly and plastered a smile on my face.

I loved Fang enough to let him go if someone else made him happy.

(Goodness, since when have I been so deep and quote-worthy?)

Well, someone else, though preferably not Pauline Grey.

During this time, Fang and I were walking down the halls together after I just collected my books. We were about to go home, we were both still dateless, and we just wanted to get the hell out of here.

"So…Iggy and Bianca…" Fang said under his breath. Fang wasn't used to talking loudly but knowing him my whole life, I understood everything he said clearly.

"Is that her name?"

Fang just nodded. There were a few comfortable second where we just walked down the hall, seeming like it was just the two of us though the whole hallway was crowded and buzzing with students milling about.

"Do you have a date tonight?" Fang asked out of nowhere, and I couldn't help but snort in response.

"Does it look like I have a date tonight?" I said in a 'duh' tone, still shocked from that ridiculous idea. Me? On a date with some random boy? It just doesn't happen.

Fang didn't look at me though. He just continued to look straight as I watched the corner of his mouth twitch up.

We were almost to the exit, the double doors just right there, when she came along.

"Hey Nick!" Came a whiny voice that seemed to ring in my ears. I involuntarily flinched, and so did Fang, as no one other than Pauline Grey came bounding up to us, clad in her cheerdancing uniform with her bleach blond hair styled into high pigtails.

"Hey Nick!" She smiled brightly, hands fingering the hem of her shirt.

Ugh. I don't understand cheerdancer/cheerleader or whatever the hell they're called. Are they dancers or leaders? What's their purpose in the first place? What career path will they take in the real world? And why do they wear their uniforms the whole flippin' day? Do they have no other clothes or are the uniforms so damn comfortable that they just have to walk around in them like it was their second skin?

"You already said that, honey." I pointed out kindly, and in return she shot me a glare. Oh, I was so quaking in my Toms right now…

"So I was thinking you could pick me up tonight. Does 7pm sound good? I'm fine with any restaurant though I prefer Italian." She said confidently, twirling her fake blond hair extensions with her index finger.

See, this was why I preferred anybody else but Pauline Grey.

I'm not going to type out an twelve sentence paragraph ranting on and on about how much I hate her. To sum it all up: She's a bitch. She's a huge flirt. She looks down on people.

She just asked out Fang in a way that made her a million times more desperate than any of the other girls who's asked him, and yet there was no hint of hesitation or embarrassment in her voice.

This girl was a whole other level of something. Like a difficult secret level in a video game that leaves you wondering why the hell you even bought the game in the first place.

Did that analogy even make sense?

"No thanks, I-" Fang started calmly, but I could already see the tiny bonfires in Pauline's green eyes at his rejection.

"Come on! It'll be fun!" She giggled sweetly, making my lunch almost travel back upstream. She bounced like it was really going to be so darn fun, shoving me away in the process to come to stand closer to Fang.

Another reason why I hated her: she likes to pretend the people who come in her way don't exist.

"I mean it when I say no, Pauline." Fang said, his voice sounding deadly and pissed off as he tried not to glare at her.

He wasn't usually this mean to people – in fact he had more patience than mine and Iggy's combined – but he's been dealing with a lot of hysteria and slapping from the girls he rejected already and his kindness could only go so far.

Luckily for Pauline, he had an ounce of patience left. If he glared at her now, she probably would've run away crying.

Not that I'm complaining of course, but it would draw too much attention.

Her face scrunched up in a very unattractive way, turning a slight shade of scarlet, before she pathetically punched him twice on the shoulder, and strode away with her head held high.

It was very entertaining.

When I turned back to look at Fang, he had an exasperated, WTF look plastered on his face. I was tempted to giggled, but Maximum Ride does not giggle. Ever.

He closed his eyes and sighed audibly, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Fang…are you okay?" I asked tentatively, coming to stand beside him and placing a hand on his shoulder. Yes, even touching him almost made me squeal like a fan girl, but I had a lot of self-control. A lot.

"I was going to wait, till we got home but…" Fang said in a pained sort of way, still pinching the bridge of his nose with his eyes closed.

When he finally opened them, he stepped closer to me, making me drop my hand and take a step back. "I wanted us to be alone, where at least it'd have a shred of romance or something just as sickly sweet in it, so that it could make up or my lack of expression.

"What I'm really trying to say is that," staring down, he took my hand in his, and when he said the next three words that there was no turning back from, he looked into my eyes, "I love you."

My world stopped turning.

I wasn't sure if the people all around me in the halls were listening in on our conversation. I wasn't sure if they even existed at all. It was just me and Fang there as he looked at me and I stared right back. He was staring at me with love, and care and appreciation, it seemed like this was what he was trying to show me all along and I just refused to understand.

"I've been trying to tell you for so long Max, but you keep running away all the time." He said with breathless exasperation.

Did I forget to tell you that I ran away every time he kissed me? Yes? Well, that isn't my problem.

I tried pulling my hand out of his but he just gripped it tighter, keeping me there with him. Yeah, the guy I had a ginormous crush on just admitted he loved me. I should've been thrilled, and yet I wasn't. I just felt scared and confused, because where would we go from here?

"Max," he pulled me closer, our feet touching, "I'd like to write you a poem, or serenade you, or say a speech that would make you cry and laugh and love me back, but you know I'm nothing like that. And I know there's nothing romantic about standing in a hallway and telling this to you in school, but I hope my love is enough for you and I…I hope you'd be my Valentine." He finished, not backing down even though I knew he hated talking about his feelings and probably wanted to tell me this in private.

I could help it – my eyes started to water. No, I didn't bawl like a waterfall. But that was the sweetest things anyone's ever said to me, and I realized that Fang had been rejecting girls all day because he wanted to spend his Valentine's Day with me. He's been waiting for me all this time, and right now, he just poured out his heart to me despite his fear of possible rejection and heartbreak. He was taking a chance – taking that chance on me.

And it didn't matter if everyone was watching. If the teachers, and the students, and even the janitors were clapping or hooting or rolling their eyes as I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him with everything I've got, taking this chance with Fang.

Because Fang may have been in Vans instead of Italian shoes, and I may have been in tattered jeans instead of a fancy dress, and we may have been in a school hallway instead of a romantic gazebo, but I loved Fang for who he is, not some cheesy dream Fang.

And he told me he loved me, instead of going all Shakespeare on me.

And this was all happening in reality, which was way better than dreaming.

- - - - -O- - - - -

*This is Lady and the Tramp, if ya'll didn't know. :P

Please, please, please tell me what you think in a review! I've been so depressed lately and I need something to cheer me up. :|

If you enjoyed this, please check out my other story called, 'Look Hard Enough.' It's another Valentine's oneshot that I wrote for my 1st year here on Fanfiction and I spent a lot of time and effort on it, only to get 8 reviews.

Yeap, my heart broke.

I think it's due to my bad summary-writing skills. :|

Anyways! You guys better REVIEW! I swear, checking my traffic makes me even more depressed because I know a bunch of you read my stories and just exit the tab afterwards because some people are lazy.

And please check out 'Look Hard Enough'. I know you'll all enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it for you guys. :)

Everyone keeps favorite-ing it but no one frickin' reviews it. :'(

Happy Valentine's/S.A.D. day! Stop dreaming and start living. :D

Peace out.

.: Tiffany :.