Chapter One: Hello, California

(I do NOT own Maximum Ride, James Patterson does)

So I originally posted this story when I was young but have since grown a lot as a person and a writer, so I have decided to delete and reform this story. For those of you who have read it, it's basically the same story, only with a lot of grammatical changes and a few events taken out and replaced. And for those of you who have never read the original one, I hope you enjoy.

x.o.x.o. T

Max's Pov

"Maximum Rose Martinez, if you don't come now, we're going to miss your plane!"

"I'm coming, Mom." I call back.

I take another good look around my now bare bedroom, before grabbing my duffle bag, switching off the light and heading downstairs to meet my mom at the front door.

She raises her bold brows. "Do you have everything?"

"Yup," I smile and go to wait for her in the car, while she locks up the house.

The school I attend is an Academy in California, which is unfortunately halfway across the country from where my mom lives -in Arizona. Talent Academy (Or TA) is the best Academy in America -meant for teens in grades ninth through twelfth. It's ranked number one in it's music, sports, photography and pre-medical programs, which makes it a dream school for all teens. With these great opportunities though also comes high expectations, a hefty tuition and a low acceptance rate.

If you were to ask me, TA is best described as the stereotypical High-Schools you see in those stupid teen movies –a bunch of stuck up rich people, mean girls, all mighty jocks, drama. You know, the basics. Because the school is ran by people like this is the main reason why I like to keep my circle small, only relying on my three closest friends to help me get by; Nudge, Angel and Ella.

Angel has been my Best-Friend ever since I was seven, when my mother and I moved to a new house in Arizona. Angel happened to only be a few houses down and though we have very different interests and lifestyles, we bonded instantly. She's a tall, slim blonde, with long curly hair, light blue eyes, and a fair complexion. Ang and I applied to TA together when we were in middle school -she wanted to attend for their elite cheer team and I for their top ranked Volleyball team. We both somehow got accepted the same year and begin going our freshman year of High-School.

I met Nudge not long after I'd moved into TA. She and Ang met at cheer practice and soon after were assigned as room mates. They were fast best friends due to the fact that they both love the same things -cheer, shopping, guys who play baseball, the color pink. So of course Angel introduced me to her and we soon became a trio. Nudge has beautiful caramel brown skin, long black curly hair and dark emerald green eyes. She's also petite, like Angel, but is almost half a foot shorter and twice the personality.

Ella was the last, of the three, that I met. She transferred towards the end of freshman year. We were assigned lab partners in chem and I instantly wanted to be friends with her when I saw how funny she was and how she was the only other girl on campus that dared to wear sweats to class. She has a long brown bob, olive skin and dark grey eyes. She's the tallest of the group and though she is slim, has more curves than the rest of us combined. TA wanted Ella for their modeling program, which is something you wouldn't know she loves to do when you first meet her but happens to be a big part of her life. She's known for being the only student to ever attend TA for free because she worked her ass off in school to earn this rare scholarship. Otherwise, coming from a lower class single parent household, she wouldn't of been able to pay the fifty-thousand dollar tuition to attend.

Then there's me -Maximum Martinez. And I, unlike my friends, am not insanely beautiful. I am an average looking, average height, average weight girl. I have average length blonde hair, tan skin and brown eyes and overall have nothing special about me.

I'm just your average girl and I'm content with that.

We're at the airport in no time. My mom and I talk inside for a little while, avoiding the obvious topic; that I'm about to leave for nine months to attend a school half way across the country without her. We're in the middle of talking about the best airport food places, when a loud speaker cuts us off, announcing that the flight to California will now be boarding.

My flight.

My mom stands from her seat and instantly begins to panic. "Okay, um. Well please call me every time you get a chance and and make sure to take your meds every morning and be safe, n-never go anywhere by myself, always have someone with me, be careful of boys and and. Oh god what am I forgetting? Oh! and remember the pepper spray that I gave you and-"

"Mom!" I interrupt. "Stop, okay? I remember everything –how to stay safe, how to act in times in emergencies. I've got it all covered."

This isn't my first time doing this. This is my third year in a row.

"Promise?"

"I Promise," I assure her.

My mom sighs and looks me up and down once more, before collapsing into a bawling fit in my arms. I wrap my arms securely around her, and close my eyes, trying to remember everything about her –the way she smells, the way it feels to be in her arms, the way her warmth radiates to me, whenever she hugs me.

"Just promise me you won't grow up any more, without me," she whispers into my hair.

I laugh quietly to myself and nod for her. "I'll try not to."

I give her a few more seconds and then I pull back, because I know that if it was up to her, we'd be standing here hugging all day and I'd miss my flight. I look into her chocolate brown eyes, the ones I gladly inherited, and try to show her that I'm okay and she will be too. And despite the tears filling up her eyes, I can see that she's happy for me and understands what I'm trying to tell her.

"I love you."

Another tear slips from her eye. "I love you, too, beautiful. I'll miss you so much."

"Goodbye, mom."

I grab my duffel bag and head towards my plane, not looking back. I know if I do, I'll wanna run back and hug her and stay with her until she stops crying.

I'm gonna miss you mom.

"Miss wake up." Someone shakes me. My eyes pop open at the sound. A flight attendant hovering over me.

"What?" I ask, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes.

"We've landed in California," she smiles.

I jump up, grab my bag and all but run out the plane exit. I manage to catch a taxi outside of the airport and hop in the back of the rusty, yellow car.

"Where to ma'am?"

"Talent Academy," I inform.

The middle aged man behind the wheel nods and begins to drive.

It's only thirty-or-so minutes, before we're pulling up to the girls dorm at the Academy. The driver gets out, coming around to my side to open the door for me. I smile and thank him politely because I know it's his job but I am more than capable of doing it myself.

Whatever. Let it go Max.

I grab my duffle from the back seat and lug it with up the Stairs, through the door and into the dorm office. I hated waking up early this morning, but due to my very early flight, I'm the first one here and get to avoid any lines. I make my way over to the woman sitting behind her counter, filing her long fake nails.

I wait for a few minutes but she doesn't look up or even acknowledged my presence. I try fake clearing my throat a few times. Still nothing.

What is this woman's problem?

"Excuse me," I finally say.

The old hag finally looks up at me, with a glare and sighs.

"Name?"

"Maximum Martinez."

She gives me a look -one I'm used to receiving, that says 'is that your real name? I brush it off though. I happen like my name, no matter what other people think. My mother's the one that picked my name. She said she liked it because it's beautiful and unique, yet strong, just like me.

Have I mentioned that I love my mom?

The woman pushes a large packet over the counter.

"Here," is all she says.

I hesitate for a second, before grabbing the packet and taking it with me over to one of the lounge couches and start answering the first page of questions. Luckily, they're easy, basic questions:

First name: Maximum

Middle name: Rose

Last name: Martinez

Birthday: August 2nd, 2000

Age: 17

Grade: 11th (Junior)

When I finish filling out the packet, I take it back up to the counter and give it to the girl at the desk, along with the pen. She checks over it and nods to say 'it's okay'.

"Here's the key to your room, the key to the campus, key to the girls dorm, your schedule, and other information you'll be needing, " She recites robotically. "Also, we haven't found you a roommate yet, so you get the room to yourself unless we a transfer or new student."

I look over the information that she gives me and find my room number. Room 102, on the first floor. I hook all my new keys on my keychain and head off to find my room. I use my key that goes to the girl's dorm to unlock the doors that separate the lounge from the rooms. From then on, I head straight down the hall and to the left. I find room 104 and to the left of it I see where room 102 should be. I can't see the door though, because, sitting in front of it are two big plastic tubs, three Duffel bags, four boxes, and two suitcases all full of my stuff.

I didn't even knew that I owned this much stuff.

I manage to somehow move some of the stuff out of the way enough so that I can get in my room. Inside, I check out the room –a king sized bed, a single brown dresser, a matching desk and nightstand, across from the bed a bathroom and lastly a walk in closet next to the bathroom. An exact replica of every other room at this school, I don't know why I was expecting anything different.

I close the door behind me, pretending that all of my belongings aren't sitting in the hall, waiting for countless hours of unpacking and throw my duffel bag onto the bed.

I let out a loud sigh.

Let day one begin.