September 4, 2013

Max woke with a start, her alarm blaring from her phone. She groaned and smacked the noisy device a few times, hoping to hit the spot on the screen that would shut the sound off. She lay in bed a few more minutes after turning it off, wishing she didn't have to get out of bed. Her first day at Blackwell had been a disaster, and she knew the second wouldn't be any better. She felt like she didn't get any sleep at all, blaming the awful dream she'd had. Thinking back to the dream, she realized it was a byproduct of the terrible day.

'As if time travel or alternate universes could ever really exist; what a stupid dream.' She thought to herself absent mindedly. Still, it left her unsettled. She finally kicked off the covers and got up. 'I guess I have to get ready for my second day of hell. Optimism level:0' She gathered her toiletries and watered her plant, Lisa. She thought of her dream again, remembering her friend, Chloe, being in it. 'I guess I should say she starred in it. Her new look is crazy… I can't believe we're in the same science class. She seems to have a new friend though… Rachel Amber, that's what her name is. Chloe didn't even notice me at all.'

Max walked out of her room and into the hallway, headed towards the showers. She saw a mop of blue hair, faded into purple towards the roots, coming out of the showers. 'Chloe', she thought, 'I wonder if she recognizes me this time…' Chloe looked up upon seeing feet in front of her. She locked eyes with max, face contorting into one of confusion before brightening into one of recognition.

"Aren't you Max? Woah this is hella weird, like going back in time. What's it been, like 5 years?" Chloe smiled a wide smile at Max. Max sighed in relief and smiled back.

"Something like that… We're actually in the same science class. Yesterday was my first day here, when the teacher called you out I was really shocked. You look so different." Max looked down and back up. Blue eyes meeting blue again. 'She's definitely different, and not just her style, she's so much more beautiful, too, if that's at all possible.'

Chloe laughed loudly before speaking again, "Well yeah, Super Max, that's what happens to most people after five years. You, on the other hand, haven't changed at all. I think you're even the same height and everything." Max blushed and looked away, Chloe wasn't too far off; Max had only grown a few inches in the last five years.

"Whatever, dude. I need to shower now. Can we talk later?" Max said, annoyance making her voice come out slightly sharper.

"I get it. Gotta wash the stank off and all that. Here give me your digits and I'll text you after school. You, me, and Rach can all hang." Max gave Chloe her phone number, smiling shyly for the picture Chloe was taking for her contact photo. She repeated the process on her own phone and Chloe waved goodbye to her with a quick "See ya, Maximus."

Max stepped into the shower room and made a beeline for an empty stall, closing the curtain behind her before she took off her clothes and turned on the water. It came out warm, since Max was far from the first person to shower, and she sighed happily as she wet her hair. Her tense muscles slowly relaxed as rivulets of the water cascaded down her slim body. She heard laughter and footsteps, catching the end of a conversation.

"-do you think of Max Caulfield. Is she Vortex Club material?" Of course, Victoria Chase, as if her day wasn't already going to suck, she got to listen to the mean girls talk about her during her shower.

"No way, she's way too quiet. I swear she has to be the weirdest person in this school, except maybe that guy, Warren." Taylor's snobby voice was the one to respond, and Max just rolled her eyes. She didn't care what the bitches from that stupid club thought of her, or Warren. Warren is sweet and funny, he also has great taste in movies.

"….Yeah you're definitely right, they're so weird. I can't believe I even thought that. Good thing I have friends like you and Courtney to make sure I don't make any bad decisions." Was that a hint of hesitation in Victoria's voice? No, I'm just crazy; she's just a typical mean girl, even if she does have some talent in photography.

It was quiet, and then she heard two showers start up. Max washed quickly and turned the water in her shower off. She wrapped her towel around her and walked out of the shower room. She was on her way to her room again when she bumped into someone. She looked up to see Kate on the ground.

"Oh, Kate, I'm so sorry!" Max rushed to give Kate a hand in getting up, pulling the cute girl to her feet again.

"It's okay, Max right? Oh!" Kate blushed and looked away from Max to the floor. "Y-your t-t-towel." Max looked down, seeing that her towel had fallen to the floor. Max blushed a deep scarlet, rushing to pick it back up and wrap it around herself once again. Before she'd had it back around herself she heard twin laughter and her heart sunk.

"Damn, Mad Max, I didn't know you were so hardcore. You have to have hella confidence to bare your entire body to the world like that." Max recognized the voice of Chloe, the betrayal an acrid taste in her mouth. She felt the sting of tears as she ran towards her room and slammed the door behind her.

She let a single sob escape before she pressed her back against the door and slid down, many more escaping once her butt hit the floor. She heard a smack, followed by the voice of her former friend shouting, "Ow! Damn Rach, I was only teasing, it's not my fault if she takes everything too hard." She heard another smack and a muffled argument. It was quiet for a few more minutes before she head a soft knock at her door.

"Max? Max, look I'm sorry… I didn't think it'd upset you so much… I was just trying to make a joke…" Max was suddenly filled with white hot anger. How dare this person humiliate her in front of every girl in their dorm and say she was just JOKING?

"Just fuck off, Chloe, okay? I don't care what your stupid fucking excuse is, just leave me alone."

"Max… please just let me in, I want to explain."

"Whatever you want to say you can say through the door or not at all."

"Fuck…" Max heard a thump against her door, and then the sound of sliding. 'Chloe must be in the same position I'm in.' Max thought. "Max… I just, I'm not ever you leaving and disappearing for five years without a fucking word. You hurt me so bad… I guess I just wanted to hurt you back…"

"Well congrats, it worked, you've said your peace, now fucking leave." It was silent on the other side of the door, and after a few minutes Max figured she'd left. Max got up and threw on her Jane Doe shirt and some jeans, putting the same old hoodie and shoes on. She grabbed her school books and camera bag and opened her door, shocked when a blue haired punk spilled out from the other side.

Max just stared at the girl as she scrambled to get up. "I knew if I was quiet enough you'd think I left and open the door. Look, Max, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I'm actually really glad you're back, and I really want you to meet Rachel."

"Fine, but if you pull that shit again I'm not going to be so easy to forgive you." Chloe looked up from the ground and smiled. She grabbed Max and wrapped her up in a tight hug. Max hesitantly hugged her back, shocked at how familiar the feeling was, Chloe even smelled the same.

"Thank you so much Max! Come on, school is gonna start hella soon, and I want to introduce the woman in my life to my first mate." Max smiled softly and pulled away from Chloe.

"Are you and Rachel a couple?" Max asked the question gingerly, confused by the knot in her stomach when she thought of them together. 'Am I jealous? No way… I don't have feelings for Chloe… that dream just has me messed up, that's all.'

Chloe blushed and looked away, "Something like that… Rachel and I kiss and she says she loves me, but we've never put an official title on it or anything, ya know." The knot got even tighter, and Max was even more confused.

"That's great. I'm glad you're happy. I'd love to meet her!" Chloe smiled a world brightening smile, and grabbed Max's hand.

"Then let's go you hippie!" Chloe dragged Max down the hallway towards a pretty blonde girl with a blue feathered earring in one ear. "Rach, meet Mad Max, first mate to Captain Chloe Price, and Max, meet Rachel Amber. Yes I know she is as pretty as her name, feel free to gush, just remember that she's mine." Chloe's shit eating grin was incomparable, and Max smiled at Rachel, who looked about ready to jump out of her skin.

"Hi, Max, it's great to finally meet you." Rachel smiled, and she seemed nice enough. The buzzing of her phone caught Max's attention, and she looked at her phone. There was a text from Warren and she smiled as she read it.

Warren: Hey, Max! Do you want to hang out after school today?

Chloe looked over her shoulder at her phone. "Ooh la la. Maximus has a boy toy already? Hella hot. Too bad you belong to Rachel and I today. Right, Rach?"

Rachel looked away and then up at Chloe, giving her a guilty look. "Sorry Chlo… I have something to do after school… I can't hang out with you."

Chloe gave Rachel a funny look before shrugging, trying not to look disappointed "That's cool, Rach. It'll be Max and Me together again. Plundering the town of its treasures and taking!" Chloe threw an arm around Max's shoulder before ruffling the shorter girl's hair.

Max smiled shyly and texted Warren back.

Max: Sorry, Warren, I'm busy today. I'm hanging out with an old friend.

Warren: It's cool. J We'll chill another time.

Max glanced at the time before putting her phone back in her pocket, "Classes start in 10 minutes, we should go if we want to make it…" Chloe let Max go and offered Rachel her arm. The blonde and bluenette started towards the door, Max trailing on behind them.

The two pretty girls chatted on the way to the school, and Max thought back to the dream… the chill creeping back under her skin. They arrived at the school finally, Chloe and Rachel waving "bye" before they went to their Math class, and Max on to her Photography class with Mark Jefferson.

Mr. Jefferson greeted her with a kind smile, but all Max could see was a leer. She put her head down and shuffled past him with a muttered "Good morning" She blushed and smiled at Kate and gave the sweet girl a shy little wave as she settled into her seat. She pulled out her camera and books and started to doodle in her journal as Mr. Jefferson started his lecture.

A few minutes into the class Max noticed a pressure in her lower abdomen. 'Shit. In all of that drama I forgot to use the bathroom.' Max raised her hand and waited to be called on. After being dismissed to the bathroom she left the room and walked down the hall of her school. As she got to the bathroom she heard shouting from inside, but couldn't make out what was being said, or who it was. Max thought about turning back, until the pressure became unbearable. Max cursed her bad timing and walked in, shocked to find Chloe and Rachel again.

Chloe had both of her hands on either side of Rachel's head, the blonde one with her back to the wall. Rachel was glaring up at Chloe, whose expression was concealed by her blue hair. They both looked over to Max and pulled apart.

"I-I just have to… the bathroom… sorry." Max ran into a stall, and she went about her business. Rachel and Chloe continued to argue in hushed tones, Max only picking out a few words from each girl.

"Frank… none of your business… love… didn't think you'd be so mad…sorry." Was all Max caught from the pretty blonde, and "Damn it… liar… how could you… fucking bitch… can't believe this… fuck you… never speak to me again." Chloe sounded really upset, her voice cracking at the end.

Taking a deep breath as she pulled up her pants, Max decided it was time she stepped out the stall. She flushed and opened the door. She saw Chloe standing there, looking completely alone. The bathroom door was still closing; meaning Rachel must have just walked out. Chloe had her head down, her hair obscuring Max's view of her face, but the unmistakable shaking in her shoulders and barely audible sniffling gave away her friend's tears. Not knowing what to do or say, Max washes her hands. When she's done she just stands there, looking at Chloe's reflection in the mirror. Max sees a few tears slip down Chloe's face, and then watches as Chloe looks up, her beautiful blue eyes rimmed red. Max stiffens as Chloe runs up to her, expecting- well she doesn't know what she was expecting, but it definitely wasn't Chloe burying her face in her neck and clutching Max to her like her life depended on it.

Max let out a breath she didn't know she was holding onto and managed to loosen Chloe's grip just enough to turn around in her arms and wrap her own around Chloe's waist. She swallowed as the smell of pot and cigarettes and something else that was so familiar and uniquely Chloe that Max tightened her arms around the now sobbing bluenette. Chloe was hunched over, crying into Max's hoodie and muttering unintelligible things.

"What? Chloe I can't hear you?" Max played with the hair at the nape of Chloe's neck, wishing the beanie wasn't there so she could just run her hands through her hair. She felt Chloe shift her head just enough so that her mouth wasn't covered by the grey fabric at her shoulder.

"R-R-Rachel is d-d-d-d-dating this g-g-g-guy. S-s-s-she says she's in l-l-l-love with him." After getting the last word out Chloe broke down again, burying her face in Max's shoulder and choking on sobs again.

"Hey, no, don't cry Chloe. Please don't cry. You have me, I know I'm no Rachel but I'm here for you." Max rubbed her back until Chloe's sobs slowed until they'd stopped completely. Her grip seemed to loosen, so Max let her arms drop. The bluenette pulled back to look down at Max, and Max looked back. She got lost in the intense blue of Chloe's gaze, forgetting for a moment the line between reality and her dream.

"Forever?" Max was snapped out of her thoughts by the sad desperation in Chloe's tone.

"Duh." Max gave Chloe a small smile, and felt Chloe grab her hand.

"You won't leave again?" The sad desperation still there, Max made what she hoped was a serious expression.

"If I go anywhere I'll take you with me, this time," Max tried not to wince when she saw Chloe's face fall when she said "this time".

"Promise?" Max saw the pain in Chloe's eyes, and remembered the pain in another Chloe's eyes, the Chloe from her dreams. That Chloe lost Rachel, too, but in a far more disturbing way.

"I promise." Chloe smiled and hugged Max close, the smile still there when she pulled back. Just as suddenly as it came, it fell, though, and gave way to a serious expression.

"Kiss on it?" Max couldn't believe what Chloe just said, she blushes a bright red and looks away from the blue eyed stare of her best friend.

"C-Chloe we can't. Y-you and Rachel just…" She let the sentence trail off, part for not knowing what to call it and part for not wanting to hurt the bluenette further. Chloe groaned and let go of Max, rubbing her hands over her face as she turned away.

"I know, I know. I'm just all messed up and it's not fair of me to try and use you as my rebound. I'm sorry. Hey, how about we get notes and skip the rest of the day, because I really don't want to see Rachel right now, and I could use some company… if you're willing, that is…" Chloe turned back around and gave Max a small, insecure smile.

"Of course I want to give you company, Chloe. We have 5 years of catching up to do, after all." Max hoped her smile was reassuring, and she felt Chloe grab her hand and start tugging her out of the bathroom.

"Hella, Max. The nurse is really cool. She'll give us a note if we just say we have headaches." Chloe pulled Max down the hall and into the infirmary, where, sure enough, the nurse gave them notes to go back to the dorms and rest for the day.

They parted ways long enough to hand the notes to their teachers, and met again in the main hall. Chloe and Max talk all the way back to their dorms, asking normal questions for two friends who haven't seen each other in five years. Chloe asked Max if she had a boyfriend back in Seattle and Max stopped smiling and explained how she just never found the right one. Chloe laughed and said she never thought anyone except herself was good enough for Max. Max blushed at this and asked Chloe to tell her more about her adventures in Arcadia Bay. After Chloe finished the edited version, they reached the dorms. Chloe led Max back to her room, and pushed her smaller friend inside.

"Hey, Chlo, why don't you live at home? Why stay in the dorms?" Max glanced around the room, noticing the Chloe brand decorations, she smiled to herself. 'Even with that hard exterior, my Chloe is still the same.'

"Oh, I'd just rather live under the rule of black-hell than in the imprisonment my step-douche has bestowed upon my family."

"Joyce mentioned a husband when I saw her at two-whales. What's his name?"

"David Madsen, he's this private eye. You probably saw his billboard outside town. He's a major military freakazoid." Chloe rolled her eyes and rubbed her arm, looking uncomfortable. Noticing this, Max decided to change the subject.

"So what does present day Chloe like to do for fun?" Chloe brightened considerably at the distraction.

"Oh well you remember how I used to try to teach your clumsy ass how to skateboard? Well, I do that a lot. Rach and I-" She cut off abruptly, her smile dropping again, the redness returning to her eyes as she sniffed back tears. ' Good going, Max. Way to cheer her up. Idiot.'

"H-Hey, how about we watch a movie?" Max bumped Chloe's shoulder with her own, giving her a small smile.

"Hella yes, I am so down for not talking to a cute girl in the dark and not paying attention to a movie." Chloe shoots a cheeky grin at Max and bumps her shoulder back against Max's.

Max stares at the grinning Chloe for a second before the laugh bursts from her mouth. Before she knows it, Chloe is laughing, too, and it's so contagious that they don't stop until Max's sides hurt, and she can feel tears streaming down her face, and she just knows her face is red from the lack of oxygen. When they come back to reality slowly, Max is shocked to see Chloe's face so close to her own, their breaths intermingling.

'If I lean forward just one centimeter, we'd be kissing.' And just as the thought crossed her mind she saw Chloe glance down to her lips and she felt the uncontrollable urge to break the tension. "You're such a dork, Chloe. What movie do you want to watch?" Max said, stumbling over her words a bit as she backed away.

"I dunno, dude. You pick." Chloe leaned back on the couch and lifted her legs to her chest.

"Okay… Toy Story 3 it is, then." Max said, picking up the first movie her fingers touched and putting it in the player.

They sit silently through the previews, and then when the play menu pops up Max presses play. They get settled in as the movie starts and about 20 minutes in Max can feel her eyes start to droop before she succumbs to sleep.

Max wakes up with a start, remnants of The Dream lingering in her mind. The room is dark aside from the glow of the TV, casting shadows on Chloe's peaceful face, rested on Max's chest. Max smiles and runs a hand through Chloe's hair, noticing the roots showing that were hidden by the beanie that must have fallen off when Chloe fell asleep. A familiar sensation tugs at Max's bladder, and she holds out for as long as she can before deciding she needs to move Chloe. Gently picking up Chloe's head and getting up, she places it back down on the couch as softly as possible. Satisfied that she didn't disturb the bluenette, Max tiptoes out of the room and towards the bathroom.

She's shocked to see Rachel when she enters the bathroom, wondering at the time. The beautiful blonde seems to be applying eyeliner, and Max took note of the outfit she was wearing, concluding that Rachel was most definitely not getting ready for bed. Well, at least HER bed.

"We really need to stop meeting this way." Max says, more than a little satisfied at seeing Rachel jump.

Rachel turns fast, her eyes wide, before her expression softens into a smile that meets her striking blue eyes. "Hi Max. You scared me."

"Sorry." Max said, not really meaning it.

"It's alright. Hey, can I say something?"

"Uh… sure, Rachel." She wonders as to what Rachel could possibly want to say to her, since they didn't know each other.

"I'm really glad that you can be here for Chloe. I know she doesn't understand yet, but she will" Rachel looks down at her sharpie covered converse.

"It's really not my business, and I really don't want to talk about it."

"It IS your business, though. You're Chloe's best friend. Even when you weren't here all she ever talked about is you." Rachel looks up before she looks away again, a sad expression not fitting her coming across her face. "I think she's in love with you, if I'm honest."

A shocked laugh escapes Max before she can stop it. "You're crazy. She loves you. She's been messed up over you all day."

"I'm serious, Max. You'll see. She'll get over me, or the idea of me, in no time, and then you'll know."

Max just stares at Rachel, not knowing what to say.

Taking her silence as judgement, Rachel speaks again. "Look. I didn't mean to fall for Frank, but he's NOT a bad guy, and if you had to listen to someone you love talk about someone she loves you start to fall out of love. Then Frank came and it just kind of… happened. That's why I could never commit to her… I knew she was never fully mine."

"I don't need to know your reasons for breaking Chloe's heart, now if you'll excuse me, I have to go to the bathroom and comfort my best friend." Max brushes past Rachel and walks into a stall without another word. A moment later she hears the door to the bathroom open and close again, and assumes Rachel left.

After handling her 'bidness, as Chloe would say', Max chuckles to herself and goes back to Chloe's room. She finds the adorably sleepy punk sitting on the couch, her hair a blue halo around her face.

"Hey, Maxi Pad, where'd ya go?" Chloe finishes her sentence with a yawn, not bothering to cover up her mouth.

Groaning at the terrible nickname, Max plops down next to Chloe. "I had to pee

because your heavy ass was laying on my bladder."

Chloe snorts and snuggles back up to Max. "Shut up, you know you love me, and my sexy ass."

"What if I do? What would you do?" Max can't even believe she's doing this. 'What am I doing, I can't flirt. Oh god she's going to think I'm stupid.'

Chloe shoots up, and just as Max thinks she's going to rip her a new one, the only thing she wasn't expecting comes out of her mouth. "Then I'd tell you to prove it."

"How would I do that?" She can't even believe this conversation is even happening.

"I'd tell you to kiss me." A slight blush reaches Chloe's cheeks, but she tries to play it off.

"Okay, so I kiss you, then what?" Max leans her forehead against Chloe's and smiles.

"Then… I kiss you back." Chloe's cheeks are even redder now, and she moves her mouth almost imperceptibly closer to Max's.

Max moved her mouth those last few centimeters until her lips are just slightly touching Chloe's, but not quite. "Does that mean you love me, too?"

Chloe backs off of Max so fast she's surprised she didn't get whiplash. "I-I don't know, Max… I- Rachel and I just… and you just came back and, I- I'm sorry"

"I get it, Chlo, I was just kidding, anyways." Max chuckles half-heartedly, and hopes Chloe doesn't notice.

Chloe punches Max softly in the arm. "Way to fool me, Maximus. You go way far for a joke." Chloe laughs and looks at Max, smiling, but it doesn't quite reach her eyes.

Max hugs Chloe, not willing to let go of her warm, still ruffled from sleep, body. "Alright, Chlo, I think it's time for me to go back to my dorm." Max pulls back before continuing, "we have school tomorrow, and we wouldn't want the other girls in the dorm to talk, would we?" Max jokes, getting up.

Chloe looks up at Max with a sad look in her eyes, and a big smile on her face. "Says you, hippie, but okay. Off to bed for the hipster princess."

Max opens the door and looks back at Chloe one last time, she sees her wave, and smiles back before heading out and shutting the door softly behind her. Max makes her way back to the dorm she hasn't decorated yet and gets under her covers. Thinking over the day before falling asleep.