[AN: Originally chapter four to my fanfiction "Ghost in Her Head" but wound up being something different. Enjoy.]
The sky looked dreary on this cold fall day as Max fiddled with the old polaroid camera in her gloved hands. Chloe had convinced her to get them out of house for a few hours… But why today, a day in which the air stung your nose something fierce, was beyond her feeble compression. She was waiting for her companion to come back with their coffee from the Starbucks across the way, Chloe convincing her to stay put on that bench and take pictures. Which, well, Max complied. She had taken one or two good images, one of a nearby holiday display that caught her eye and a barren tree to her left with a long forgotten bird nest upon it. Good images to capture for this time of year, she mentally noted to herself.
This was nice, this silence in this empty park, just waiting for her partner in crime to return to her. She adjusted Chloe's dark navy beanie upon her brown locks, a breath becoming noticeable when she exhaled into the slightly bleak sky. She didn't notice when Chloe flunked down beside her. "Heya, Caulfield. I got your fancy smancy coffee shit." No response… Okay. "Maaaaxine."
"Wha?" Her head whipped to the right of her, brows raising in her now realization. "Oh. Hey, Chlo. You back?"
"Pfft. No shit, Sherlock. I got your drinky drink. Here." The punk handed the photographer her heated beverage with her exposed fingers, her free hand holding her own cup o' coffee.
"T-thank you… Sorry, I was totally spacing out." Max's face flushed… She prayed it was just the cool air around them caused the burn.
"You're fine. So! What didja take pictures off?" She leaned into her smaller companion, looking at the pictures placed upon the other's lap. She brought her drink to her lips, sipping slowly. "Pretty rad. I'm actually surprised you found something to take shots off."
"I'm always up for the challenge, Price. You should know better by now." Max sounded so determined in that moment it made Chloe smirk slightly.
"Oh yeah?" Chloe voiced, her tone toying and playful.
"Yes, of course." Max became pouty, causing her punkish friend to chuckle low. "Hey! No laughing, I can be determined and focused. Heck, even fearless! "
"Uh huh. I'm sure." She continued her playful behavior, free hand pulling up the hood to her zipped up black skeleton hoodie… Present from Max.
"I can prove it." Max took the green straw in-between her pale pink lips, before starring Chloe dead in her blue pools.
"Oh? Prove it, small fry." She smirked as wide as her face. What was she gonna do, eh? Wha-
It was abrupt but there. Chloe could taste a fine mixture of whipped cream and mocha on her chapped lips. She felt her eyes widened. It was gone just as abrupt as it came. She slowly trailed her eyes down to the furiously blushing, freckled face before her. It stared back up at her. She felt her face burn… She hoped it was the cold wind whipping against her exposed face.
"I-I told you…" Max's little voice stammered, immediately hiding into the black scarf wrapped firmly around her neck. "... I never back down from a challenge. "