A/N: Later than I was going to update? Yes. Defense: I WAS MAKING IT PERFECT. And you know, watching Pretty Little Liars and Glee all day since Saturday. Speaking of which, if anyone watches PLL, can you believe Toby is part of TEAM A? This is the reason all teenage girls have trust problems.

And if anyone reads Harry Potter fanfiction, I was reading After the End by Sugar Quill. (It's legendary)

SO MAX POV! Before during and after the CONFESSION!

People were wondering why she punched him, but did you really think that she would just accept him? Plus I've been itching to make that happen for like 4 chapters now.

AND THIS IS INSANELY LONG SO I SHOULDN'T HEAR TOO MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT IT BEING A WEEK SINCE I UPDATED.

Thanks to Gremlin-Rayne for being my 100th review. As HeadOverHeelsInHate told me, it is only fair for all of you to get the bonus, so my present to all of you is this chapter, which I spent over five hours of my day perfecting.

Max POV

Dry tears streaked my raw face. My chocolate brown eyes felt stale and burnt, as though someone threw a bottle of soap in them. I blinked fervently , the harsh cold doing nothing to help my rapidly decreasing eyesight. It was almost as if it was recompense for staying with Lissa and trusting her. My mind attempted to dissuade my body from continuing, but my heart refused to give up now. I did not know if I would be on the verge of my last breath or my new beginning.

My body. Tense, wounded, broken. Shivering, blinking, waiting. And the world consumed my hope and brought my hell bound fears into my vision.

I had only two statements that I could desperately cling onto. 1) Trusting someone may be the worst crime a person could commit. 2) If you put all your faith in one person, you are destined to be disappointed.

I KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE…

But as I sat in the freezing rain, the bitter taste of my own blood in my mouth, I only wished for my heart's safety, because an open heart proved to lead to broken lives. Climbing through the large masses of rubble, with spirals of clumpy charcoal and fragments of sharp glass sticking out in all directions, all my mind processed was that my heart should have been more sensible.

Deep in my thoughts, I did not realize that the air was becoming thick with a substance I could not place. I also did not notice the sharp ice points of rocks piercing my numb arms. But when your mind was on overdrive, and your heart felt like it was ripped out of your chest, these things did not affect you.

And physical pain is no comparison to the mental grief and pain that a person betrayed feels.

My eyes fluttered open, as if my body, even after two painstakingly difficult years, did not accept the events of that night. I was painfully aware of the aching in my already broken heart. To drown my heart's sorrows would have been ideal, but it would not change anything.

Sundays, like sharp, cruel, pointed knives, made my heart beat erratically and my stomach churn in worry and anticipation. Tomorrow was the beginning of another week. Another week of holding my head up high, ignoring the accusing looks of my peers, and encasing my heart in a body of steel.

The prospect of it was bad enough, but my pessimism allows my mind to display gory scenarios of another torturous week at random moments. Life is hard, but life with inner turmoil and emotional baggage the size of the New York skyline is unbearable.

So when Ella and Nudge came into my safe haven and told me today they were going to relax me and make me gorgeous, I desperately hoped that it was all a sick twisted dream.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Running. Walking. Jumping. Feeding a cannibal. Eating fish poop. Sneezing feathers. All activities more joyous than hiding from my "saviors."

Too bad they are holding your phone with their fingers hovering over the call button. Calling Fang, that was a low blow. So, I was forced into my bedroom in front of my mirror, with magazines strewn across the room, and clothes pouring out of my barely closing closet, and makeup items anywhere and everywhere.

"You should really wear eye shadow. It brings outs the gold flecks in your eyes. Red is so your color. I don't get why you have to dress like that. Ever consider wearing a dress? You totally have the legs for it! Why is there no pink in your closet? You should really wear makeup, I mean chap stick does NOT count. I love that jacket, can I borrow it? HEY WHERE IS THE BIKINI I BOUGHT YOU? Do you even own a skirt? Why do you own so many pairs of converse? WE ARE GETTING YOU SOME HIGH HEELS! OMG! Stop squirming or I'm going to poke you in the eye! I need to take you shopping. At least you wear flats every once in a while. This is so much fun! Max! This is like perfect for you. You should soo wear it to school tomorrow! Mhm…" Nudge protested loudly, but I never loosened my grip, despite Ella's pleads.

Several hours later, I was standing in front of my mirror, with an unknown face peering at me curiously. It was like the person I could have been was watching me. But I know that the person in the mirror would never be me. And I never wanted it to be. She was a flowing white dress that stopped above the knee. Patterns of blue were scattered throughout the dress. Her feet were adorned with white high heels that made her legs look longer than a super models. Her hair was braided intricately, and was flowing down the right side of her face. Her eyes popped out at you, and her creamy face looked almost unreal. But she was not me. And the stranger in front of me was a dream, an unrealistic perfect dream.

Shaking my head, I changed into shorts and a tee shirt and washed off the majority of my make-up. Since Nudge and Ella turned 11, I had taken to keeping makeup remover in my bathroom for unfortunate instances such as today.

I wandered into my bed room, undoing my braid as I walked, leaving my normally straight hair cascading in waves across my face. Sighing, I plopped onto my bed, resigned to stare up at the ceiling as if it had all the answers in the world.

I noticed a picture of Fang and me from last year, and in anger I threw it across the room. I gritted my teeth, trying to calm myself down futily.

I was lost deep in thoughts, full of what ifs and how comes. So I was truly surprised when I noticed Fang bursting into my room. I abruptly stood, glaring at him, focusing all my rage on him. It was despicable. He just stood there and smiled like an idiot.

Then, with power I didn't know he had, he came over in two long strides and pulled me into a fierce embrace. I struggled to get out, but his lips covered mine, and all sense was lost. It was short and passionate and incredibly stupid at the same time. I didn't know if I should punch him or kiss him again.

Then, he tilted my chin up slightly, so I was forced to look into his mesmerizing midnight eyes and said with a conviction utterly serious, "I love you."

He LOVED me! That bastard just told me he loved me after he was kissing my mortal enemy! What the hell is that about? DO I love him? Wait of course I Don't! He is an asshole. Should I forgive him? No. Maximum Ride is not that STUPID. Suddenly, an unperturbed emotion boiled with in me.

My hand snapped forward on its own accord and I heard a satisfying snap.

With a lurch, Fang fell backwards onto my bedroom floor. His eyes were shut and a large bruise was forming on the corner of his forehead.

(I WAS GOING TO STOP HERE BUT I WILL BE NICE. YOU CAN THANK ME BY REVIEWING. SORRY FOR ALL THE SWEARING)

I just knocked Fang unconscious. I just knocked my ex-best friend out. I paced around my room several times before I called for professional help. "Ella! Nudge! I have an unconscious Fang in my room and I need you to help me!"

Almost immediately, they tumbled into the room, their eyes widening. In hushed voices, they talked quietly, then smiled wickedly. "We will transport him to his room if you tell us why he's knocked out."

I groaned. "He kissed me and told me he loves me so I punched him."

I said it as if it were the simplest thing in the world. Too bad it was anything but.

Nudge snickered and grabbed one of Fang's arms. "No use waking him up. I don't want to deal with a cranky Fang."

Sighing, I marveled at Nudge as she tossed Fang to Ella who was waiting on Fang's balcony. When they were gone, I put my head in my hands and wished this wasn't so complicated. I remember in freshman year, when I loved Fang. Those feelings faded away, but I couldn't help but feel that jolt of electricity that sparks whenever we kiss. It doesn't matter though. When you betray my trust, forgiving you is not an option, because sometimes love is not enough.

REVIEW! I didn't answer any reviews from last chapter because I was lazy, but know that I love you all!

I have to go back to school in a week so chapters are going to be less frequent. (It's my fault that I decided to take all honors classes and do French instead of something easy like Cooking or Art)

I hope you guys don't die,

Vampirepoptartz333