Max's Challenge
Max is sitting next to Chloe as she is having an emotional breakdown while driving, Max looks at her, "Chloe, you can't keep blaming me and everybody else for everything that is wrong in your life, it's just not fair."
Chloe replies coldly, speeding up slightly, "I have to blame someone, otherwise it is all my fault, screw that!"
Max looks over at her, "So, you are saying that Rachel choose to disappear and leave you? That I choose to move away when you needed me the most? That your dad choose to die?" Max is reaching her own breaking point over Chloe's way of dealing with things.
Chloe begins to slow down and takes a ragged breath, "She was having sex with that pig Frank and didn't tell me."
Max tries to think of a response to that, "Chloe, maybe it isn't as cut and dry as you are thinking that it is. Maybe there is more to it than that, maybe Rachel was trying to protect you."
"From What?" Chloe cries out, it is clear that Chloe is hoping that Max had somehow found a reason for Rachel to have done what she did and not tell her, "What could she be trying to protect me from Max?"
Max shakes her head, "I don't know Chloe. I really don't, but I do know she wrote a letter and tried to tell you, it was in a waste basket at the shed. Look, you can get the answers from her when we find her. I will help you find her, I owe you that much." Max stares out of the window.
The truck slows down and comes to a stop at a red light, "Max, you found a letter and you didn't tell me!" Chloe is back to angry again, "Just when I think I can trust you, you go and revel that you have kept information from me."
Max doesn't look at her, "The letter didn't tell us anything we didn't already know, no names or anything was mentioned." Max isn't lying, but because she isn't looking at Chloe, Chloe assumes she is.
"Yeah, right Max…Why don' t you atleast tell me the truth?" Chloe starts driving again, spinning wheels as she takes off. Max looks at the empty road that they are on and gets an idea.
"Pull over." Max says through clench teeth.
"What?" Chloe looks at her confused.
"Pull over to the side of the road and get out! Just pull over and turn the engine off!" Max is actually close to yelling at this point.
Chloe pulls the truck over to the side of the road and gets out and Max gets out as well and waits for Chloe to come over, "Okay Max, what are we doing?"
Max walks up to Chloe and gets within five inches of her, "Hit me." she commands.
Chloe is shocked and backs up slightly, "What? Max, I can't do that. Let's just-"
"NO!" Max yells taking a step forward, "I would rather feel the sting of you hitting me for a few seconds than feel the pain of you torturing yourself from the anger you hold inside of you, and if this is a way for you to let it out and to show you that I care. Then put them up."
Chloe looks at her and makes a fist and cocks it back, she seems to be ready to actually hit Max and Max stands there, unflinching, unmoving, ready to take it. Chloe feels tears filling her eyes as she falls to her knees and begins to cry, "Max, I owe you a major apology for everything, pressuring you into ignoring Kate's phone call, trying to get you to steal money from the handicap fund, blaming you for not being able to pull the trigger when you pointed the gun at Frank. Being mad about you not calling or texting when I didn't do it either. I just…I want."
Max gets down and hugs Chloe and for the first time in several months, Chloe actually let's out her pain and emotions on someone, expressing the true sadness that she feels and is slowly becoming aware of the happiness that she can feel, right here, being held by Max. Max is still her best friend. Her sweet, caring, gentle best friend.