Hey! This is my first story. I love the Maximum Ride stories and think James Patterson is awesome even if he did make Fang go on a little vacation out of the flock's lives. Ugh, oh well. I have chosen to forgive him because of the new book he's writing called ANGEL. Never fear, supposedly he comes back, I'm holding dear to that summary's words. Okay, so on with my author's note. I must give credit where credit is due.

**I am co-writing this story with one of my best friends ever (known on here as NarutoLover7890), so if you see some different writing styles know that this is one that the two of us has worked on together. Also, this friend of mine is Japanese obsessed and proud of it so you will see where her twist of the story takes place. :)

One more thing before the inevitable disclaimer. I will try to update when I have a new chapter and when I can, but I'm not making any promises. I may update once a week, I may update twice a month, but if you like this story, all I can tell you is that you just need to have faith and keep checking. I'll try my best to not wait too long before I release a new chapter and I'll try to make them long enough to make your reading worthwhile. Here we go!

Disclaimer: I am no-where near as fabulous as James Patterson so please; do not mix up this angel author with little old me! All the original characters belong to him and him alone. I'm just borrowing them as he continues this amazing series.

Chapter 1

"Summer!" One of my best friends J.J. yelled as the final bell rang. She grabbed my arm and half dragged, half carried me out of our homeroom, screaming, "Goodbye, I'll miss you guys!" over her shoulder to our classmates. As we exit the classroom she runs right into Dylan who was waiting for us outside. She grabs his hand and drags him down the hall with us.

Last night's stupidity had finally worn out over the adrenaline that was pumping in my veins. (The only thing that was actually keeping me AWAKE.) I was dead on my feet. What's the point of the last day of school anyway? It was just a day to clean out your locker, sign yearbooks (which entitles having everyone you even slightly recognize sign the dang thing), meet in assembly and have the principal announce "I am so proud of each and every one of your outstanding effort this school year. You did it!" Then, J.J. would turn to me and say something in Japanese, and stare at her with a "should I know what that means?" expression written all across my face. After that, the prinicipal would congratulate the graduating class and all that jazz. Yeah, we all know the routine. Really, what's the point? So I decided to stay up till 3:00am last night. Well this morning—whatever, you get it. I'm uber tired. I got about 3 hours of sleep before I had to get up to go to "school" this morning. The only reason I went is because J.J. would have had a terrible, eardrum-bursting tantrum if I hadn't. That girl has been "gifted" with a very strong, very obnoxious pair of lungs. Breaking people's eardrums within a 10-mile radius would be listed under "hobbies" for her college resume. Not fun I tell ya. One other thing about this pixie-like friend of mine. She is totally obsessed with anything and everything Japanese. She keeps sprouting manga references at really random times.

Well before you judge me too harshly, let me tell you a little about myself. My name is Maximum Ride (Max for short) and I live with my father Jeb Batchelder and my step mother Anne Walker. Yes, my name really is Maximum and no, they did not come up with my name—I did. You'll know this because it's original, not a lame generic name like Kristen, or Tiffany. (No offense to those of you out there with those names… I just could not stand if I was named that.) Though I'll tell you, my middle name is Valencia… Ugh… that was the one and only thing Jeb would not take no for answer on. He said I have to have that as a middle name. As Jeb puts it, "it's all part of the bigger picture Maximum, you'll thank me someday." Yeah right.

Anyway, enough about names, I'm 15 years old and live in Sunny LA. I have a tall, slim, athletic frame, brown eyes and what people call "mahogany hair" with some lighter brown and blond natural highlights mixed in it. Don't ask me how that happened. It's a weird combo, but whatever. Parent's fault, not mine. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, I was put up for adoption when I was an infant so I don't know who my real mom is. Somehow Jeb tracked me down and found me so I have one biological parent and a new step mom. Gee, lucky me. My favorite colors are blue and green. Good thing brown (my hair and eyes) goes well with green and blue jeans. I'm really smart but many people don't know that. I tend to keep to myself and have a few select people that I actually trust. J.J. and Dylan included. J.J. has been with me since the 1st grade and we met Dylan when he moved here in 2nd grade. We've been inseparable ever since, but now back to that last fateful day of 9th grade...

The halls were barely beginning to fill when I was smacked against my locker and ordered by an ecstatic J.J. to clean it out and meet her and Dylan in the front of the school, ASAP.

"I swear, if you take longer than the time that it took for Hanazawa Rui to figure out he was not meant for Tsukushi, I'll be pissed." she stated, with a sparkle in her eye, and a slight grin on her face-that meant she wasn't serious. I just stare with a confused expression lining my face then turn to attend to my locker.

I purposefully take my own sweet time doing this inevitable chore just to annoy the petite, Japanese obsessed, half Asian girl that thought she could control me. Ah, poor J.J. she should know by now that I can't resist reverse psychology. (Haha.)

As I pulled the last binder out from my locker, I shut the door with a good solid "BANG" and stalked my way over to Dylan's locker three sets down the hall.

"Dylan, kill me now. She's driving me crazy and we're only two minutes into summer!" Dylan's deep blue eyes twinkled. I realized with a start that I had to look up to meet them, he had grown, a lot. We used to be more or less the same height until this past year. We had shot past J.J.'s 5'2" back in 6th grade. I stopped growing in 8th at 5'8". Dylan kept going past me and was now easily 6'. He notices my thoughtful expression.

"What?" He asks defensively with an intense look in his eyes.

"Oh nothing." I reply blushing slightly, which was totally uncalled for.

"Okay, if you say so." He says, he's cool like that, not pushing for information. Gives you your privacy. I see that he's done cleaning out his locker and grab his hand so that we can meet J.J. in front of the school.

When we get to the door, J.J. is already pacing impatiently on the top of the stairs.

"Finally! Seriously it seemed like you guys were taking half the summer to just get those books out of that hole in the wall." J.J. exclaimed. Oh, if only she knew.

"That's exactly what I was trying to do, J." I say using my nickname for her nickname. Her real name is Jennifer Joy. She hates her name but her parents wouldn't let her change it…Hmmm I guess Jeb really isn't all that bad. He gives me freedoms like naming myself. How many kids can say that they named themselves? NONE! (Shaw!)

"Gah! Mukatsuku n dayo." J.J. spat in my direction. I laughed and grabbed her hand. Pulling Dylan up beside me. I release their hands and link my arms through theirs and start heading down the stairs.

"Ah, come on J.J. I wouldn't say that... shes worse." Dylan teases. I turn my death glare to him.

"How do you know what she said was bad?" I ask Dylan.

"Oh that's easy, whenever she says something in Japanese, you know it's bad, really bad. So bad, she can't say it in English. Hmmm... thought you would have figured that out by now." That's when I elbow him, none to gently, in the ribs.

"Haha, very funny you guys. Come on! Lets go to Charlotte's." Charlotte's was the popular diner that was the #1 hangout for the kids from our school, Sunset Beach High. Then a thought occurs to me. "J.J. what exactly did you call me?" I ask, a little wary.

"Oh! Hahahahaha! I'm SO glad you asked!" Yup. Definitely still ticked. "Basically, it means that I'm pissed off. Like, when Sano Izumi was ticked off with Nakatsu Shuichi." A smug grin spread across her face because she knew I didn't catch on to anything after the 'I'm pissed with you' part. She was right of course, but it still go on my nerves.

"Enough you two, let us survive at least one day of summer before you two start killing each other? I don't know about you but Charlotte's still sounds good to... me..." Dylan says trailing off for now he has two 15 year old girl's death glares trained on him. Mine makes him squirm, I notice gleefully.

"Fine… I guess a root beer float would be okay." J.J. replied sullenly, still annoyed with yours truly. What can I say? I have a knack for getting on people's nerves, especially my friends.

"Look, how's about I say a really sincere apology and promise to treat on our first summer trip to Charlottes?" I say trying to placate her.

"Fine," J.J. replied, rolling her eyes for my benefit. We walked arm in arm toward the center of town where our favorite hangout was.

*ooOoo*

"So, wha-ya wanna duh on au-uh firs' day of summer?" J.J. said incomprehensibly as she slurped her root bear float down.

"Dunno." I said flatly. Dylan nods in agreement. He just sips his chocolate shake listening to our banter.

"Hmm… you're boring."

"Yeah, I know…" I said with a big smile. Just to spite her, I grab an extra spoon and steal a bite of her vanilla ice cream before she has time to register what had happened.

"MAXIMUM RIDE! You are the single most annoying person that has ever walked this planet! Saying that you're like Aizen would be an understatement." J.J. swears.

I laugh and just say, "That's why you love me!" J.J. is still steaming over this last exchange when suddenly my phone erupts with the loud notes of Sing It Loud's 'No One Can Touch Us.' I look over the caller ID. Hmm... he almost never bothers me after school. He's too busy with his "extremely important business to attend to". This was going to be interesting.

"What?" I snap into the phone's receiver. Dylan and J.J. glace over at me curiously. As the conversation progresses they can tell who I'm talking to. My father.

"Hello to you too, Maximum." He says with a sigh.

"I told you to call me Max!" I never use my real name if I can help it.

"Well I am your father so I think I have a right to call you your full name. Especially since I got a call from the preschool saying that you have neglected to pick up your little brother. Remember Ari?" he reprimands into my ear.

"What are you talking about? Anne is supposed to pick him up. Not me." By this point I was getting a little annoyed. What right did he have to tell me that I was "neglecting" my responsibilities by not picking up my brother from his preschool.

"Yes, well she is playing tennis and then going to the spa with one of her friends at the club." The Club is the Sunset Beach Club where both Jeb and Anne are active members. Anne has many stuck up friends who meet there regularly for tennis, spa treatments, and, of course, dining.

"Well, both of you failed to tell me that." I keep my voice crisp and cold.

"Hmmm… I'm sure I mentioned it this morning, when you had those blasted earphones plugging your ears?" Okay, that is not entirely a lie. I somewhat guiltily remember deciding to listen to my ipod this morning to drown out Jeb's voice as he drawled on and on about what was happening in his oh so hectic life. He could have mentioned Ari then but I was lost in sounds of Kelly Clarson's 'Already Gone.'

"Oh… well you could have pulled them out you know? Ugh, fine I'll go pick him up. Call them back and tell them I'll be there in 10 minutes."

"Thank you Maximum. I'll see you tonight for dinner. Oh, and please tell Annie to iron my black pinstripe suit with the navy blue tie. I'll need it for a meeting tomorrow."

"Whatever. Bye." Then I hung up. "Sorry guys, I gotta go pick up Ari from preschool. I'll catch you later."

"Alright, bye Max." J.J. said, a little downcast, our earlier fight already forgotten. I put a $5.00 bill under my empty glass. More than enough.

"Do you want company? I'll come with you if you want." Dylan asks. Thank God for him, he is such a good sport. He's willing to trek halfway across town with me on the first day of vacation.

"Sure. That will be great. Thanks! Bye J.J." I called over my shoulder.

So what do ya think? I'm not going to be one of those authors that constantly ask for reviews so do what you like. This story is just here for you enjoyment. So enjoy! If you liked it, keep checking back with it. You might find a new chapter awaiting you.

Fly on!

Mx2Blue326 & NarutoLover7890