It's the late 1950's. Elvis is the coolest cat around, Rockabilly rules the radio waves, Kerouac's rebellious beatniks are at their zenith and civil rights are kicking off in the south.
More specifically it's 1959, and it's one scorching summer in the oceanside town of Arcadia Bay, Oregon. Tourists aplenty, the beaches of the quaint hamlet are unusually filled with people.
Just two months ago a diner had opened up nearby - the Two Whales - and it's already seeing a huge influx of residents and visitors alike. It serves good food, good coffee and is ran by good people. It's the centre of attention right now.
Chloe Price sits inside, brooding in a booth located near the back - one she claimed specifically for herself. She's not like other girls. She doesn't wear dresses or pretty headbands, doesn't put effort into makeup nor her hair. Chloe Price wears leather jackets, Levi's and Chuck Taylors, she wears her hair in a quiff, slicked and greased up to perfection.
More importantly however, Chloe Price doesn't like boys.
Chloe Price likes girls.
She sighs and crosses her arms, throwing her feet up on the linoleum table. She sighs and drops her head, nodding off slightly as she listens to the sounds of the jukebox beside her. She sighs and moves around to find a more comfortable spot. She sighs as she thinks.
It's moments later that her attention snaps up to the diner entrance as the bell rings.
Her arms drops - as does her jaw - as she stares at the two girls who just entered.
One is pretty, blonde hair in an immaculate bun, cardigan and skirt, bookbag, a silver cross around her neck.
The other is… beautiful.
She's brunette, her hair styled into a fashionable bob, donning similar outfit to her friend. She clutches her books up to her chest and hides her shy smile behind them, brushes away something on her freckled cheeks, giggles loudly when her friend says something.
Somewhere in time, Chloe drops her legs from the table and sits up, leaning forward instead - mesmerised, far gone, over her head, kooks, crazy-
"Chloe-"
"Shh, mom, not now-"
"Don't 'shh' me young lady!" Joyce says and puts her hand up to her chest.
Chloe rolls her head and drops it slightly. "Sorry."
"Have you talked to your father yet?" she asks her daughter as she sets down a plate before her. "You know he needs help around the workshop."
"I know, I know," Chloe leans back and stares at her food instead. "I'll do it after."
"Good. Now enjoy your food darlin'."
Chloe waits until Joyce is out of sight before she readjusts her eyes on the two girls still near the counter.
She watches, and watches, and watches, and-
She stops when she realises she probably looks creepy.
Chloe digs into her food and tries her hardest to not look up until it's too late and the girls are gone.
. . .
A week later Chloe stands behind the Blackwell gymnasium, cigarette in hand as she takes a drag and blows the smoke out to the side. She thinks about the pretty girl from the diner.
"Get lost you whack jobs!"
Her eyebrows rise as she hears the voice nearby. Her cigarette falls to the ground and is promptly stomped out as she makes her way around the corner.
It's the girl from the diner, beautiful as ever, flanked by two greasers who seem to be up to no good. In fact, both their hands are incredibly close to her and-
"Hey!" Chloe calls out and storms over, fists clenched. "What are you doing? Leave her alone!"
"Lookie here Biff, we got us another one," one of them speaks and gestures his friend to deal with Chloe.
"Split, doll." Biff rolls up his cuffs as he takes position between Chloe and them. "You don't want to get involved."
Chloe frowns. "I'm not your doll. Leave her alone," she repeats and takes a step forward.
Biff steps forward himself. "Or what? You going to fight us, gal? Haha-"
Laughter interrupted, he falls backwards as he receives a knuckle sandwich to the jaw, sputtering and smashing into his friend - sending both of them to the concrete floor in pain.
Chloe shakes her fist as residue pain shoots up her knuckles. Her attention turns to the girl up against the wall. "Are you okay?" she asks.
Nodding in reply, she steps forward and stands beside Chloe, looking down at the two greasers beginning to stand up.
"Let's beat it, Jackie," Biff says to his friend as he helps him up, rubbing his jaw. "This gal's feisty."
Jackie and Biff glare at Chloe as they pass quickly and scram around the corner of the gym. She doesn't take her eyes off them for one second, constantly scowling.
"Hey, thanks," the girl beside her speaks up after they're gone. "That was… scary."
Chloe drops her scowl and looks at her. She smiles and speaks, "No sweat, cool cat. They didn't hurt you, right?"
"No, but it was close. I'm Maxine," she says and smiles, pulling up her books to her chest.
"Chloe."
Staring at each other for a few seconds, they eventually look away awkwardly.
"I gotta split. Stay safe," Chloe says and throws her hands into her pockets, turning around to walk away.
"Hey, wait!" Maxine calls out and hurries over. "Listen, I… I should repay you somehow for helping me."
"There's no need-"
"I insist," Maxine insists.
Chloe stares at her. Looking her up and down in a once-over, she grins when Maxine looks away with a blush. "Fine. Two Whales, after school?"
Maxine nods a few too many times. "Deal."
. . .
The jukebox plays a mix of Rockabilly tunes the moment they enter the diner.
"Where do you want to sit?" Chloe asks as she grips the inside of her jacket pockets, slightly nervous. Her head bobs to the sounds.
Maxine scrunches up her nose and points at Chloe's booth in the back. "I dig that."
Chloe bites her tongue to stop herself from blurting out 'I dig you'.
Once they sit themselves down opposite one another, Maxine pushes her books out to the side and looks at the jukebox.
"Don't you like the tunes?" Chloe asks as she herself stares at the jukebox. "Here," she says and stands up.
Maxine watches as Chloe messes with the jukebox for a few moments, selecting a track and ignoring the few stares she receives from the older patrons. Eventually an upbeat track makes itself known.
"Long Tall Sally," Chloe says as she sits down. "One of the better ones on that thing."
"Do you listen to it often?"
"My mom works here. I tend to sit around and wait for her to finish, don't have much to do around Squaresville," Chloe replies and taps her hand against the table.
Maxine giggles.
Chloe catches her breath quietly as the giggle makes her feel all warm and fuzzy and-
"Chloe," Joyce interrupts as she spots her daughter. "Have you-," she stops and notices Maxine. With a raised eyebrow, she shoots a questionable glance at Chloe.
"Mom, this is Maxine. We're just hanging out," Chloe mumbles and looks away.
Joyce smiles. "Hello sweetheart. What can I get you both?"
"A milkshake," Chloe says and looks up at Joyce, "big one."
Joyce wishes she could say she was surprised, but she isn't. "Comin' up," she replies and walks away.
Maxine widens her eyes slightly. "Milkshake? Not milkshakes?"
Chloe laughs quietly and looks at her across the table. "I thought this was a date?" she teases with a dangerous grin.
Her mouth falls open and she blabbers silently. "Wha- I- Date-," she stutters out and feels her cheeks warming up almost uncomfortably.
"Kidding," Chloe says but maintains her grin, still suggesting, still hopeful.
It takes a few seconds for Maxine to recover, but she does and she looks up at Chloe again. "I just want to say… thank you for earlier again. I'm not sure what those two kooks would've done had you not stopped them."
"No sweat, seriously." Chloe runs her hand through her hair and looks around the diner.
They share some pleasant conversation. It's back and forth and lasts for a few minutes as they wait for their milkshake. Getting to know one another, Chloe learns that Maxine is interested in Photography - a curious subject - whereas Maxine learns that Chloe is rather proficient in the Sciences.
Joyce interrupts them to hand over the milkshake, setting it out between them. She glances at Chloe briefly and then resumes working.
"So you're quite hip, huh?" Chloe says and leans forward to sip from the milkshake using a straw. "Photography, that's fancy. Real cool."
Maxine blushes and waits until Chloe finishes her drink before leaning in to sip herself. "Totally not. I'm not hip, I dress like a cube-"
"I think you dress nicely," Chloe interrupts her and smiles.
"Oh." Maxine looks at her and then sips from the milkshake again. "Thanks," she whispers, barely audible, and then flashes a shy smile.
Taking turns to share the milkshake, they continue their conversation. They ignore the few stares directed at them. Two girls sharing a milkshake? Scandalous. Chloe glares back dangerously every time she catches somebody looking.
Then, after a few minutes of co-ordinated milkshake consumption and conversation, they both lean in and sip at the same time. They're inches away, noses almost touching as they freeze but continue to sip from their straws.
Chloe blushes.
Maxine blushes.
They lean away after a few more seconds, even though the milkshake is long gone.
"I, uhm…" Maxine says and then grabs her books, pulling them closer. "I have to go. My parents are going to ask me where I was otherwise."
Chloe pushes herself up immediately. "I'll walk you home."
"No, there's no need-"
"I insist," Chloe insists.
Clutching her books up to her chest, Maxine smiles and nods.
. . .
Maxine lives only a few streets away from Chloe, she learns. Walking quietly beside each other, they talk a bit more and make casual conversation about shared interest in music, hobbies and movies.
"We're here," Maxine eventually says as they stop in front of a normal cookie-cutter house near the end of the street.
Chloe looks down at her and smiles. "Thanks for today. I liked it."
"Me too," she replies and meets her eyes.
Again they hold the stare for longer than needed, but neither has the willpower - nor the need - to look away. Instead, there's an urge to lean in and-
"I'll see you in school, maybe?" Maxine breaks up the silence.
"Count on it," Chloe immediately replies. "Stay safe."
"You too," Maxine replies and turns towards her house, walking through the front yard.
With one more glance over her shoulder, she smiles at Chloe and disappears behind the door.
Watching the porch momentarily, Chloe sighs and looks up at the cloudless canvas above. She realises it's actually pretty late and the stars are making their way into the dusky sky.
She sighs.
Maxine is really, really pretty.
Chloe giggles to herself, shoves her hands into her pockets and walks home.