Max POV

Hi, my name is Max, I'm 16 years old and for the first 15 years of my life, I was abused by my alcoholic father and my stoner mother. Then one night the police came and saw my parents beating the shit out of me. They booked them without the chance of bail or being released early on parole. When I was born, I had curly blonde hair, bright blue eyes and no holes or scars on my body. Now my blonde hair has grown straight and been died black, with blue and red streaks running through. My bright blue eyes have turned dull blue almost gray, from the lack of life. My body is covered with scars from what my parents did to me. All the holes in my body are because I have gotten piercings and tattoos, piercings and tattoos are and were my way to get away from all my parents did to me. On the right side of my torso in small number are bad dates. The ones in black are all the times my parents knocked me unconscious and in red are all the times I had to go to the hospital because of them. On the bottom of my right foot, I have the day my father brought over a bunch of his friends, that was the day that they gang raped me while my mother was standing on the side cheering them on. Nobody knows that happened except my parents and the guys who did it. On my left wrist is the day that my parents were taken by the cops. The piercings I have in my body now are many, more then most people my age should have. I have four hoops on my left ear lobe and my tragus pierced on the same side. Three on the right lobe; I also have an industrial bar on my right ear, and anti-tragus on the right ear. That's enough about my ears. Lets talk about my face, I have the spider bites, which are two lip piercings on the same side, and mine are on the right. I have a nose ring on the left side; I also have my left eyebrow pierced. Last but not least, I have my belly button pierced.

Now, for the last year of my life I have been living in the foster care system, that is so much fun, please I hope you realize that was sarcastic. Jumping from house to house is not fun. The first house I was in was nice, until they put me in school; I got into one too many fights with students and teachers. I was done with that place in two weeks. The second house, the dad put his "moves" on me, thinks the only reason I was there was to "pleasure" him. I left that place by the end of the day. The third house was wonderful for a while, all happy and smiles, family fun activities. They even told the adoption company they wanted to adopt me, the family finished filling out the papers and sent them in. That's when the beating started, nothing too bad just a couple of punches, they thought I was weak because I was abused in my old home. I left that place after a month. The houses kept on going like this; I was in about seven homes that whole year, now I'm back at the foster house. "Max, can you please come here, we found a house that would like to adopt you." My social worker called. I got up out of the bed I was sitting on. I walked down the hall to her office. I went in without knocking, and sat in the chair in front of her desk.

"Max, this family already wants to adopt you. They adopted a little boy years ago and they want to adopt again. We believe will be a good house for you. The mother is a vet, and a close friend of mine. She has three biological children, a 15-year-old girl and 7-year-old twins. The child she adopted is now 16, the same age as you, he was in a similar situation as you were. Max, I know you think you have no chance, but these people want you. When they were looking through files, they wanted you. Now, they are coming to get you tomorrow." After she said that I got up and left the room, knowing that I had to pack the few belongings that I owned. I slipped the one possession I loved over my head. This one possession was a necklace that my grandmother gave me; right before my parents told he I was dead. The necklace has a long gold chain; on the end of the chain rest a rather large ruby. The ruby lays just between breasts. I looked at the necklace thinking of the last time I saw my grandmother. She said, 'this necklace will protect you, it has protected me from my danger that could've happened.' The next time she called my parents said that I was hit by a car and they weren't going to have a service. That was the same day they told me that my grandmother died, but I heard them on the phone. I finished packing my clothes into the small suitcase that I owned. I went down to dinner and sat in the corner eating my small portion of Mac 'n Cheese. When I was done, I washed my dish and put it back in the cabinet. I rushed up stairs slipped on my grey sweatpants and white tank top, got into bed and fell asleep.

Max POV

I woke up the next morning, got up took a shower brushed my teeth and ate breakfast. I put on my black shirt that said 'get in my pants' in white lettering. I also put on my red plaid pants with zippers and suspenders that just hung off on the side. I put on my black dr. martens. I walked into the bathroom and put on my black eyeliner, black and gold sparkly eye shadow mascara and dark purple lipstick. I walked out of the bathroom grabbed my suitcase and superman hobo bag. I walked into the front lobby and sat in a chair, waiting for the person to come and pick me up. "Maxine Batchelder," some one was calling. I didn't call myself that, never have. I hate the name my parents gave me; I've been calling my self Maximum Ride since I was five. I glanced at the women. She saw me sitting there and asked, "Are you Maxine?" I still refused to reply to that name.

The receptionist lady then told the lady my name, "are you looking for Maxine Batchelder, she now goes my Maximum Ride or Max." the lady then pointed to me and the receptionist nodded her head. The lady walked over to me, my eyes following her the whole time.

"Hello, my name is Valencia Martinez, you can call me Val or Dr. M, either one works. Can I call you max?" she asked I nodded my head. She reached for my hand but thought better of it she started walking out, then looked back to see if I was following, which I was. We reached a dark blue van and I opened the passenger door and slid in. Dr. M opened her door and started the car.

"The ride will be about three hours, you can take a nap if you want," she said to me, I pretended I wasn't paying attention. I rested my head against the window and fell into a dreamless sleep.

When I woke up, I realized the car had stopped and Dr. M was reaching over to wake me up. I turned to look at her signaling I was awake. "Well, this is the house, you can get your things and I'll introduce you to everyone and show you around the house," she said then opened the trunk of the car so I could grab my suitcase. Dr. M said I could just leave my stuff by the door for now. We walked into the living room where there were many people sitting down, as if they were waiting for something. There was one African-American chick sitting next to a girl who looked a lot like Dr. M. In the corner were three boys one had strawberry blonde hair and the other two looked like twins, I noticed that one of the twins had his lip pierced but other than that there weren't any differences. Then on the couch was another set of twins who looked to be the youngest of all the people here.

"Okay, everyone this is Max she will be staying with us for awhile. Why doesn't everybody introduce themselves, say your name and something about yourself, and if you want you can ask Max a question," was all she said before she left the room. I didn't even have time to glare at her.

The strawberry blonde spoke first, "hi, I'm Iggy. I'm blind, and can I get in your pants." Was all he said but I already knew I didn't like him very much.

I shoot a glare his way, when he started to cringe I responded, "no." Short and simple.

Iggy then poked one of the twins in the rib, gesturing that it's his turn to go. "Hello, my name is Fang. I like the color black and what's your full name?" this Fang guy said.

"Maximum Ride, is my name," was all I said, trying to keep it simple. The guy who looked like Fang spoke next.

"I'm Shadow, Fang is my twin and," he took a breath, " I don't have a question for you." I didn't say anything in response, 'cause he didn't ask a question. I think I like him the most so far.

The girl who looked like Dr. M went next, "Hi, I'm Ella, I'm Dr. M's daughter. And I was wondering how much it hurt when you got all those piercings?"

I thought over an answer to her question that wouldn't give anything away, because the pain of the piercings was nothing compared to what my parents did to me. "No, I have a high pain tolerance." Was all I said hoping it didn't give anything away.

The girl next to Ella went next, "Hello, I'm Monique but all my friends call me Nudge. I love shopping, talking, going to parties, and everything. Do you like shopping? I bet you do. You're pretty. I could give you a makeover and paint your nails, and pick out your outfit. That would be so much fun." She kept rambling on but I just toned it out.

"No, I don't like shopping or any of the stuff you mentioned," I said hoping I hurt her feelings, she was infuriating.

The little boy went next, "Hi, my name is Zephyr but all my friends and family names me The Gasman, but they call me Gazzy. I really like making bombs. Do you have any tattoos?"

I looked at him thinking how would you ask a question like that I don't think he saw any of them, "yes, I have tattoos," was all I said hoping nobody asked where they were or what the stood for.

The cute little girl was the last one to go, "Hi, I'm Angel. Gazzy is my twin brother and I was wondering where your tattoos are?" of course somebody was going to ask that.

"Ummm," I looked into her eyes, which was the mistake. Then I knew I had to tell her where they were, " I have one on my wrist," I showed it to her. " I have one on the bottom of my right foot and I also have one on the right side of my torso," I didn't lift up my shirt because I didn't want to scare her with the scars I have. I looked around the room and asked to any body, "where's my room?" that was when Dr. M walked into the room.

Shadow POV (when Max walked into the house)

We heard the door open, Fang and I were standing in the corner talking to Iggy who was going on and on about the new girl. I just droned him out. Then the most beautiful girl every walked into the room, she had dyed black hair, and a lot of piercings on her person. She was wearing a shirt the said 'get in my pants' all I could think was that I wanted to get in her pants. Then I noticed all the scars on her arms. I hardly believed that was all of them, I bet she had more under her clothing. Dr. M started talking, "Okay, everyone this is Max she will be staying with us for awhile. Why doesn't everybody introduce themselves, say your name and something about yourself, and if you want you can ask Max a question," I saw Max turn her head, to look at Dr. M but she was already out of the room.

Iggy was the one who started the conversation, "The strawberry blonde spoke first, "hi, I'm Iggy. I'm blind, and can I get in your pants." I was starting to hate Iggy for making that comment about getting in her pants. Then I realized that's what I was thinking when she walked in. Man, I'm such a hypocrite.

She shoot a glare his way, when Iggy started to cringe she replied in the most beautiful voice I had ever heard, "no." That was her only reply. Iggy poked Fang in the rib indicating it was his turn to go.

"Hello, my name is Fang. I like the color black and what's your full name?" was all fang said, the man of many words.

She replied again with her beautiful voice, "Maximum Ride, is my name." then I realized it was my turn to go and share my words of wisdom.

"I'm Shadow, Fang is my twin and," I took a breath, " I don't have a question for you." I couldn't think of a question, that wouldn't be offensive in any way. In other words I froze. However, she got this look in her eyes that she might like me the most so far, that's a good thing.

Ella went next, "Hi, I'm Ella, I'm Dr. M's daughter. And I was wondering how much it hurt when you got all those piercings?" I was wondering the same thing. It didn't hurt when I got my lip pierced, but she has more.

She looked like she was thinking over her answer thoughtfully before she sweet voice was heard again, "No, I have a high pain tolerance." She had a far away look I her eyes.

Nudge went next and I was just waiting for this to happen, there's a reason we call her nudge. Nudge took a deep breath, "Hello, I'm Monique but all my friends call me Nudge. I love shopping, talking, going to parties, and everything. Do you like shopping? I bet you do. You're pretty. I could give you a makeover and paint your nails, and pick out your outfit. That would be so much fun." After that I just toned out until she was finished with was a couple of seconds later.

"No, I don't like shopping or any of the stuff you mentioned," was her reply. All I could think was that I found the girl of my dreams. She doesn't like shopping or any of that girly stuff. Nudge pretended she didn't hear her.

Gazzy went next, I was just waiting until he told her something about himself, "Hi, my name is Zephyr but all my friends and family names me The Gasman, but they call me Gazzy. I really like making bombs. Do you have any tattoos?" Why would he ask that, I thought I saw a little ink on her but I thought I was just mistaken. She looked like she was thinking something along the lines of 'how did he think of that' her reply can out a little awkward but it was okay,

"yes, I have tattoos," was all she said, still keeping her answers quick and short.

Angel went last, , "Hi, I'm Angel. Gazzy is my twin brother and I was wondering where your tattoos are?" Max looked like she was a little worried, but then she looked into Angel's eyes, which was the mistake. Nobody could resist Angel's Bambi eyes.

"Ummm… I have one on my wrist," Max showed it to us. " I have one on the bottom of my right foot and I also have one on the right side of my torso." Was all she said, when she talked about the one on her foot she got a sad almost scared look in her face, as she remembered why she got it.

She looked around the room and asked to everybody, "does anybody know where my room is?"

A/N hi guys this is my new story, I hope you like it, max's outfit is on my profile. I hope you guys check out my other story. Max's new life.