Chloe tapped on the steering wheel of her banged up truck listening to her usual music on the radio waiting for Max to get out of her class so they could hang out. The blue-haired girl was anxious to get going. Her best friend was back and she was really freaking hungry. She quickly whipped out her phone to check the time, it was ten till four but her stomach was getting rather impatient.
"You better not stay after and talk to Mr. Creepster. Let the bitch have him." She texted to Max, staring at the main entrance to Blackwell. The two only started dating a couple months ago, but it felt like a lifetime. The older and younger parts of Chloe stood out in the presence of Max, there was a happiness she hadn't felt in a very long time. It made the five years her best friend was gone seem like nothing, the six months Rachel was felt like a dream. She was still missing, but the two haven't given up yet.
"Class out early! See you soon :)"
"HOW MANY TIMES DO I NEED TO TELL YOU! NO EMOJIS!"
A loud sigh and a chuckle escaped Chloe's lips as she put her phone in her pocket and started her truck, leaning back into the seat. They've been hanging out almost everyday but the excitement of seeing the brunette never ceased. Her eyes watched the large Blackwell doors intently, waiting for them to open. She kind of just imagined her girlfriend walk down the steps and through the front of the school past the fountain and between the trees, with her her dull grey hoodie and jeans and that camera bag slung over her shoulder. The setting sun shining on her as she walked towards the car.
Chloe was suddenly startled by a knock on the driver-side window, eliciting a yelp from the blue-haired girl. A bright flash and the familiar sound of a polaroid camera turned her attention to the side of the car, a certain brunette coming into view with her camera laughing her ass off. "Gotcha, Chlo!"
"You fucking runt! Get over here!" The door burst wide open and Max quickly put her bag and camera down, running off into the parking lot, still laughing hysterically. "I should've turned that in for the Everyday Heroes contest! Sound included!" she teased, stopping beside a parked car, Chloe on the other side. "That hella scared me you ass!"
That did nothing to cease Max's laughter, only encourage it. Now the girls were at an impasse, Chloe unable to make her way to the other side of the car without the smaller girl moving out of the way. For a while the stalemate was reduced to insults and taunts being shot back and forth from each other over the car, a large grin on Max's face and feigned frustration on Chloe's. She was definitely having fun.
"Ahem! What the fuck are you two doing around my car?" The familiar sound of an uptight white bitch came from behind the car. Both girls just looked up to see Victoria Chase, Queen of Blackwell standing there impatient with her arms crossed, looking at them both. "Earth to idiots! Get your hands off my fucking car, unlike the both of you I have places to be." She said, walking to the driver door pushing Max away.
Chloe was fuming as rushed over to where Max stood. No one talks or touches her like that. "Get your fucking prissy little hands off her, bitch!" she said, inserting herself between Victoria and Max, both her hands balled up in fists.
"Max, get your fucking guard dog out of here before she gets her ass kicked out of here again." The tone in her voice was toxic, Victoria was livid to see the other two girls were near her car and Max was legitimately scared for the both of them.
"Step off, bitch!" Chloe yelled furiously before throwing a punch in the direction of the blonde's head. Max was barely able to stop her in time, but she tripped and pushed the other girl forward making her punch the edge of the car door, a loud bang on the metal resounded followed by a yell and a curse. "Jesus fuck! What the hell, Max!?" Chloe reeled and held her hurt hand, stepping back, a large grin on Victoria's face.
The blonde quickly checked her car for any visible marks and unlocked it, getting in. She put her shades on and started the car, rolling the windows down. "Thanks for the save, Max. You're such a darling." She said with a sarcastic tone and a sly smile. Somehow Max didn't feel all that appreciated for saving Victoria's face from getting caved as she watched the car veer off out of the parking lot.
"I-I'm so sorry Chloe… Shit… What can I do to makes this better?" Max said with worry looking down at her girlfriend, trying to get a look at the damage. "Here let me look... "
"Fuck off, Max! Shit!" Chloe pulled away and walked to her car, still grumbling under her breath. Max just sighed and trailed after her, trying to take a look at the hand, tugging on Chloe's jacket. "Hey come here, let me take a look… Please…?"
With a resigned sigh she rolled up her sleeve and stuck out her hand for Max, who, with a delighted smile, gave the blue-haired girl a small kiss on the lips causing her to blush. Max stretched out Chloe's fingers, bending them one by one gauging her reaction and how tender the were from hitting metal. "You're pretty tough, Chlo. Your hand looks fine…" she said as her fingers trailed down Chloe's palm, both of her hands gently holding her girlfriend's.
"Yea yea, can we go? I'm starving…" Chloe said with an exasperated sigh, looking around the parking lot. A soft blush was still visible on her face from the kiss. It was still strange to have Max be affectionate with her even after they've been dating for a bit. It gave her butterflies and chills.
"Chloe? What's this?" Max's voice got took on a much more serious tone as Chloe looked down to see what the smaller girl was pointing at. On her wrist were several horizontal cuts across that were very visible. Chloe mentally cursed herself and pulled her hand away, rolling her sleeve back all the way down. In the excitement with Victoria she had totally forgotten about those.
"They're nothing, Maxipad…" she lied, getting into the car. "Can we go now, I'm hella hungry. I've been waiting all day."
"Hey! Don't run from me!" Max yelled, grabbing her camera and bag, running to the other side of the car to get to the passenger's seat. "Were those cuts? How come you didn't tell me? What happened and why did you do that?"
The questions coming from Max were incessant and Chloe was getting more irritated by the minute as she drove out of the parking lot. "I told you, it's nothing Max. Stop worrying about it ok? It's in the past." she said, hoping Max would get the hint to stop asking. It was something Chloe really didn't want to talk about. Not now, not ever. Especially after she decided to stop her from punching that smug bitch in her fucking face.
"Don't keep secrets from me, Chlo! Why the hell would you do that to yourself? Fuck, I know you were messed up but…"
"But what, Max!?" The car came to a screeching halt onto the side of the road, Chloe's knuckles were gripping the steering, white as snow. The beanie she wore drooped down over her eyes but Max could see the tears, her heart broke. "I… I didn't mean it like that…"
"My dad died. You leave for five fucking years without a damn word, and now Rachel has been gone for almost a year! And of all the fucking things that's gone to shit in my life, of all the things you decided to ask about you ask about these!?" Her hand shoots out as she rolls up her sleeves, revealing the scars again. Max can't bare to look at them, staring down at her feet.
"I meant it when I said Rachel saved me… No one else was fucking around." Chloe's hand return to her lap as she stared down at the floor. Max felt hurt that her best friend, her girlfriend, wouldn't tell her about this. Sure she left for five years without saying anything but Chloe's been using that same damn excuse for everything now. What the hell did Rachel really save her from? "I've said it once and I've said it a thousand times. I'm sorry, Chloe. When are you going to stop using that excuse? Because that's some serious shit, and I feel like I should know."
"Well I guess we're even then, you didn't even tell me you were moving."
"Jesus christ, Chloe! How long are you going to hold that against me? Those are fucking cuts on your wrists! You know I care about you and I worry, I feel like I should know these things!"
"As your fucking best friend I should've known you were moving to Seattle. As your best friend I should've gotten the decency to have a goddamn text or phone call from you!"
"What does that have to do with anything? How many times can I apologize!?"
"As many times as it takes for me to stop hating you for it! Until I'm sure you won't abandon me again like my dad and Rachel! You want to know why I did this!? Because unlike the three of you, at least these god damn scars won't leave me!"
That stung. The air in the truck became quiet and still as Max just looked at Chloe with an expression of mixed hurt and anger. "You… hate me…?"
"I hate everyone, Max… My life is shit and there were only three things that made me happy. You, my dad, and Rachel. In that order. And in that same order they all disappeared. The fucking universe hates me." Chloe's hands dropped to her sides as she just leaned back in her seat, staring at the ceiling of her truck. Tears were streaming down her cheeks and she was already in a dark place.
Tears filled Max's eyes. She was hurting, it wasn't the greatest news to know that your girlfriend secretly harbored hatred towards you. "You can't just blame everyone for your problems, Chloe. You can't just hate me, your dad, and Rachel until it all gets better…"
"It's that or everything's my fault. Fuck that. I fucking hate this goddamn city, this world, the entire fucking universe." A comforting arm wrapped around Chloe's shoulders and dragged her over to the passenger seat. She just let it happen, resting her head on Max's chest as the smaller girl just sobbed, burying her head into Chloe's beanie, tears streaming down her eyes.
"I'm so sorry, Chloe…" she mumbled between sobs. Chloe just sat there quietly, the tears still rolling down her eyes one by one as she gripped Max's hand tightly, as if she was afraid she'd lose her best friend again. They both sat in silence as the sun fell under the horizon, Max slowly trying to regain her composure, still mumbling apologies. Chloe felt like her beanie was drowning in Max's tears but she stayed and held onto her girlfriend's arms.
"Shh… Max… That's enough. We've both cried over this enough…" She pulled both of Max's arms around her and hugged them tightly to herself. "I don't hate you… I could never hate you Max." The brunette's sobs lessened at Chloe's soft voice, her head lifting slightly as she calmed down more successfully this time. "I'm sorry, Chlo…"
"I know, Max." Chloe pulled the girl's face down and gave her a kiss as they both embraced each other. Tears fell down onto her face as theirs lips met one another. In that moment, for the second time in her life, she felt like something could finally last forever.